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Weekly Devotions

fight or flight?

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“Oh that I had the wings of a dove, I would fly away and be at rest.” Psalm 55:6

Have you ever felt like just running away? There is no doubt that life will get you down at times. You will always have good days, but you will also have some bad days. In my perspective, I’ve found that in my weakest moments, amidst my hardest trials, I have thought the same thing that David did in Psalm 55:6. “Oh that I had the wings of a dove, I would fly away and be at rest.” David was in a pit of despair. He was struggling with his own sin and had lost all hope. His friends had turned against him, and he was all alone. In his despair, he cried out to the Lord and said, “Listen to my prayer, O God, do not ignore my plea; hear me and answer me.” (Psalm 55:1) David begged God for Him to hear him and answer his plea. He was at his lowest and he knew he needed God’s help. As he continued in his psalm (prayer), he speaks of sin and struggles, “My thoughts trouble me and I am distraught because of what my enemy is saying, because of the threats of the wicked; for they bring down suffering on me and assail me in their anger.” (Psalm 55:2-3)

The backstory to David’s plea is that he was in a situation where he lusted after a woman, Bathsheba, and later committed adultery with her. When he feared that her husband would find out, he had her husband killed while in battle. In every step, he lied about what was going on. One sin led to another which led to another which led to murder and more lies. In the end, his sin was exposed, and he was left with the consequences of his actions. The people that once knew him and trusted him now hated him and turned towards him in anger. He was the talk of the town and there were some people that threatened him and wanted him dead for his sin. In his defeat, he cried out to the Lord throughout the book of Psalms asking for forgiveness and mercy for his sins and restoration of his joy. He describes the pain and agony that he felt in his heart and mind in Psalm 55:4-8,

“My heart is in anguish within me;
    the terrors of death have fallen on me.
 Fear and trembling have beset me;
    horror has overwhelmed me.
 I said, “Oh, that I had the wings of a dove!
    I would fly away and be at rest.
 I would flee far away
    and stay in the desert;
 I would hurry to my place of shelter,
    far from the tempest and storm.” (Psalm 55:4-8)

At David’s darkest moment, he wanted to just fly away like a dove. He just wanted to get away from it all and leave everything behind. If I’m honest, I can relate. On my hardest days, I would love to be able to just fly away and go to a beach somewhere and just relax (definitely not a desert like David mentioned). In reality, fleeing from your troubles won’t make them go away. It might create distance between you and someone that has caused you pain; however, it will never solve the underlying problems. The strongest people will endure the battles placed in front of them and trust God to help them overcome each hurdle. Even when the battle you face is something you caused because of your direct sin, running away will not solve anything. David could have found a way to run from his troubles and distance himself from God and anyone that was against him; however, he begged God and prayed continuously for God’s forgiveness and mercy throughout the book of Psalms. His prayers are remembered today as he is remembered as a “man after God’s own heart.” His desire was to please the Lord, but he knew he had messed up pretty bad. Instead of just giving up, he gave his problems over to God and begged Him to forgive him and give him another chance. David continued to trust in God through it all and was forgiven for his sins. The Bible says in 1 Chronicles 29:28, “He died at a good old age, having enjoyed long life, wealth and honor. His son Solomon succeeded him as king.” Despite his past and his sins, he died at an old age and enjoyed his life. Yes, he went through a struggle, but he never stopped trusting in God.

“Fight or Flight” is the term you’ll probably hear or have heard in school about your body’s reaction to certain situations, but in life you have the same responses to hard situations. When trouble arises, you either fight the battle in front of you or avoid it all together (flight). Don’t let flight be your go-to option. Anyone can run away from their troubles, anyone can give up, but with God’s help, you can overcome any battle you face. I challenge you to fight. Stand firm in your walk with Christ, and when you mess up, plea to God, pray for forgiveness, and let Him help you out of the darkness.

May God bless you and show you His grace every day!

Weekly Devotions

Sanity And stability

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“Stability is essential for your sanity.”

What are your daily routines? Do you start your mornings with exercise or just a simple cup of coffee? Whatever you do first in your day, sets the stage for the next 24 hours.

Stability is as simple as creating a list, writing in a prayer journal, reading a daily devotional, or just saying a prayer before your feet hit the floor.

Being a mother of 2 boys, writer, public speaker, teen ministry director, and working part time at a medical office, my life can get hectic and a lot of times, unstable. An unstable house is certain to fall when a storm hits, will you be ready?

I challenge you to make a list of 1-5 tasks that you want to achieve each day. Don’t make the tasks impossible, just make them something you know you can achieve.

For example, my first list looked like this:

1) Make the bed
2) Drink my coffee before the kids wake up (not always easy)
3) Take time to pray with my kids before leaving the house (or even in the drop off line at school)
4) Read scripture / devotional
5) Write 250-500 Words

Every time I mark off one item on my list, it gives me a sense of achievement and reminds me that I can do anything if I just set my mind to it and trust God.

Life is not all about checklists, but when life gets busy, it’s important to keep yourself mentally, emotionally, and spiritually stable. If it takes a list to help you stay on track, write your list every night before you go to bed. If you like to run to clear your head, run your heart out. Singers, praise Him every day and use your voice to remind yourself of His love. Each person is different, but each person has a purpose designed by God.

Are you following God’s plan?

What’s holding you back from a stable life in Christ?

“in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.” Proverbs 3:6

https://www.biblestudytools.com/proverbs/3-6.html
Weekly Devotions

is going to church NECESSARY?

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Often, I hear people say, “I don’t need to go to church to be a Christian.” Is that true? Do you really need to “go to church” to be a Christian? Or can you just worship from home in your nice cozy covers? Or pray at home with your family?

Personally, I believe people say they “don’t need to go to church to be a Christian” because they just don’t want to go. If you don’t go to church every time the doors open, I am not calling you a terrible person. I just want to encourage you to rethink your priorities. Are you not going to church because you would rather do something else?

In some situations, “going to church” is not an option. Some people are unable to go to church because they don’t have transportation to get there, or maybe they work on Sundays or work odd hours or have parents that won’t take them. If you are sick or have the flu, please do not go to church. I encourage everyone to find a church and go there as much as you can; however, if you are unable to go, there are millions of online churches and livestream services. Just don’t use the excuse, “I can just watch it online” to avoid other people.

To answer your question, I am going to ask a question, “Why is the church there?” I live in South Carolina where there is a church building on every corner. One Sunday, my husband and I counted over 25 churches between our house and a 45 minute drive to the church we were attending (and those were just the ones we could see from the main road). Churches are everywhere, but why?

My #1 Reason for believers to go to church: “If we are truly “the Church (believers in Christ as a whole)” then we should desire to get together with other believers regularly. We are not meant to live life alone. It’s important to worship together, pray together, and encourage others in their walk with Christ. Do you desire to go to church?

Here are a few reasons why it IS IMPORTANT to go to church:

  1. The church is a place where people can gather together and worship God, the Creator and King.
  2. The church is meant to be a place where people encourage each other and build relationships to help them through life.
  3. Church should be a “safe haven” where people in need can turn to when they need assistance (spiritual, physical, or emotional). A homeless person or person in need should always be able to reach out to a local church for help.
  4. Church is not just a “hang out” for Christians. When a person becomes a Christian, other believers should gather with them and welcome them as family. The Bible says we are brothers and sisters in Christ. How often do you see or contact your brothers, sisters, family members, and friends? If we are all a spiritual family, don’t you think we should meet together?
  5. Church is a place for renewal and remembrance. Life is busy, and you are not intentional about making time for God, you will leave Him out. Making a commitment to attend church is a showing God that you are giving Him some of your time to devote yourself fully to worshiping and learning more about Him. How deep is your devotion to Christ?
    “They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.” Acts 2:42
  6. The Bible tells us multiple times to ‘love one another’ ‘encourage” “teach” “disciple others” How can you do that with other believers if you never attend church?
  7. Yes, YOU are the church, not the building you go to; however, gathering in a house of worship is a great way to remind yourself that you are not in this fight alone.
  8. Your team is at your church, not on your couch or boat. Your “team” is your church family. I know that when I have a prayer need, I can depend on my church family to pray for me. So often people take their prayer requests to Facebook or other social media sites and expect every person that likes or throws up a prayer emoji to pray for them. Do you really think a prayer emoji counts as a prayer for your struggles? Praying with your church family is vital to the Christian life. Do you have a church family you can depend on to pray for you? If not, I encourage you to find a church, build relationships with other Christians, and serve God together. “But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” Matthew 6:33
  9. Church builds community. A person that works alone cannot complete as much work as a person that has hundreds of people helping them out. When you go to church, you gain helpers to work beside you for the glory of God. Together, you can change the world. Imagine if there were empty churches everywhere and no one to lead Vacation Bible School? How many of you would not be saved? I know of a lot of people that were saved at VBS. Without churches that serve together and host VBS each year, how many children would never know about God? ”
    “ Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts.” Colossians 3:16
  10. Going to church is a place where your Pastor and leaders can guide you through God’s word. The Bible is not always easy to understand, and Google does not have the answer for everything. Plus, if Google does have the answer for Biblical questions, how do you know which website to trust? It’s important to go to church to learn from others about your Heavenly Father.
    “Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word about Christ.” Romans 10:17
  11. You can’t sit still and expect God to move you. You have to take a step of faith and actually do something. Church is a great starting point.
  12. Why go to church? You need to. You may not always wake up on Sunday morning and want to get out bed to go to church, but you need to. God has a message just for you, but you can’t hear Him without letting Him speak to you.
    “Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction.” 2 Timothy 4:2
  13. God equipped your Pastors, leaders, and teachers in your life for a reason. “So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. ” Ephesians 4:11-13

I pray that this will encourage you to go to church next Sunday. If you already attend church on a regular basis, invite a friend next time. It’s time to introduce them to your spiritual family members.

May God bless you and show you His love and grace every day!

Weekly Devotions

break down your wall

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“Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” Isaiah 41:10

In the next few weeks, I am going to go through each topic that was taken off the cross at Empowered Jesus Girl. First and foremost, I want you to remember that whatever you hung on the cross, YOU gave to Christ. That means, that the struggle you wrote down, you are no longer burdened to. Each day, I want you to wake up and remind yourself of the struggle that YOU gave to God. Don’t pick it back up or try to “fix” the struggle on your own; instead, leave it at the cross and let God lead you back into His everlasting arms.

If you were not at Empowered Jesus Girl, I want you to take time to meditate on one struggle that you are facing today. What’s holding you back from following God’s will? Is there something or someone that you are putting in front of your relationship with God? Maybe it’s anxiety? Fear? Anger? Arguing with a friend or family member? Friends that are leading you away from God? Materialism? Bitterness? Guilt? Shame? Whatever your struggle may be, give it to God. Imagine yourself nailing it to the cross and leaving it at His feet to take care of it Himself.

Believe it or not, He does not need your help. As a woman that likes to “fix” things or people myself, I find it hard to let go of things I feel like I can’t control. In all honesty, it is very hard for me to look at another person struggling and not want to “fix” them on my own terms. Over time, I have learned that I am not in control and I was never meant to “fix” anyone or anything. God is the One that is in control. When you have faith in Him, leaving your struggles at the cross, is the greatest relief you can obtain. But the hard part is, you truly have to leave it there. You can’t hold on to the tail of the struggle and continue to try to do everything on your own, you have to give it all to God and let Him do the work for you.

At the end of the night at Empowered Jesus Girl, I took down each tag from the cross and could feel the hurt, the pain, and the struggles that each of you are facing. For the one’s facing fear, I wanted to run to you and just remind you how fearless our God is.

To the one’s fighting depression, I wanted to tell you the battle is not over yet, never let the devil take away the joy God has given you.

“Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” Isaiah 41:10

To the young lady that feels guilty over her sins and blames herself for situations that occurred in her family, I want you to know, it’s not your fault. It may seem like everything YOU did caused a ripple effect of bad situations, but in reality, people will fail you every day, but God never will. He is always with you.

“Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; for his steadfast love endures forever! Let Israel say, “His steadfast love endures forever.” Let the house of Aaron say, “His steadfast love endures forever.” Let those who fear the Lord say, “His steadfast love endures forever.” Out of my distress I called on the Lord; the Lord answered me and set me free.” Psalm 118:1-18

To the one that is ashamed to say she is not on the right path and doesn’t know where she is going in her life, know that God has a plan for you. Just trust in Him and He will lead you.

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.” Proverbs 3:5-6

I could keep going on and on about each struggle that was left on the cross, but I’ll save those for another day. Today, I want to focus on the number one struggle that was posted on the cross, anxiety and depression.

There were young ladies 4th grade – adults that each posted their struggles on the cross that night. Out of all the 200+ ladies there, over half of them wrote “anxiety or depression” on their tag. The first one, was me.

You all know my battle with depression, and you know that it is still an off and on battle for me every day. I have good days and I have bad days, but on my worst days, I can look to God and know that He is still with me. He hears my cries when I am broken. He loves my smiles when I am joyous. He is never going to leave my side or stop fighting the battles I can’t do alone.

If you are suffering from anxiety or depression today, I want you to post scripture around your house, your room, or even just in the notes in your phone that will remind you of God’s goodness and grace. The best way to fight the devil is with the word of God. Pray in Jesus Name that the devil will stop knocking you down. The devil will attack you when you are weakest, but you are your strongest when you are in God’s word, surrounded by people that encourage you and lift you up in prayer. Don’t let the devil defeat you. Defeat him with God’s words, constant prayers and praise unto the Lord, and a never-ending love from Christ the Father.

Here are a few scriptures that you can write down, put in your phone, or post around you house as reminders God’s love. For Valentine’s Day, a lot of parents posted hearts on their kids doors each day writing down something that they loved about them. Why not take those hearts and write down things that your Father loves and does for you? Remind yourself daily of His love and you will find peace again.

May God bless you and show you His grace every day!

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.” Philippians 4:6-8

“Casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.” 1 Peter 5:7

No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.” 1 Corinthians 5:13

Anxiety in a man’s heart weighs him down, but a good word makes him glad.” Proverbs 12:25

Matthew 6:34 

“Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.

Joshua 1:9 

Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”

James 5:15 

And the prayer of faith will save the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven.

Romans 8:26 

Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words.

Jeremiah 29:11 

For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.

Isaiah 41:13 

For I, the Lord your God, hold your right hand; it is I who say to you, “Fear not, I am the one who helps you.”

Matthew 11:28-30 

Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”

Romans 12:12 

Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.

Psalm 94:19 

When the cares of my heart are many, your consolations cheer my soul.

Hebrews 11:6 

And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.

Romans 5:3-5 

More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.

Psalm 118:1-18 

Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; for his steadfast love endures forever! Let Israel say, “His steadfast love endures forever.” Let the house of Aaron say, “His steadfast love endures forever.” Let those who fear the Lord say, “His steadfast love endures forever.” Out of my distress I called on the Lord; the Lord answered me and set me free. …

Proverbs 17:22 

A joyful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.

Psalm 34:18 

The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit.

Deuteronomy 31:8 

It is the Lord who goes before you. He will be with you; he will not leave you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed.”

Hebrews 11:1 

Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.

John 10:10 

The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.

James 1:2-4 

Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.

Matthew 11:28 

Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

    Weekly Devotions

    Leave it at the cross

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    At the end of the night at Empowered Jesus Girl 2019, stood an old wooden cross covered with the sins and struggles each girl was facing.

    The altar was full, the tears were flowing, and sisters in Christ were kneeling together lifting each other up in prayers.

    What a powerful reminder of how we should be every day! Kneeling at the cross, laying down our struggles, giving God complete control, and lifting each other up.

    After the crowd left, the church was cleaned, and the room was left silent, I took down each tag off the cross and packed them away in a small box.

    When I came across the box the next day, I took each tag out and prayed over it. From anxiety & depression, to friends and family issues, shame and guilt, bitterness, selfishness & doubt, anger and fear, each tag was a cry out for help from the Lord. Each tag represented a girl that needed God to help her through her pain.

    Over 60 tags had anxiety, fear, or depression written on them. 30 said doubt, 23 shame, 42 friends/bad relationships. Many others with various struggles.

    Whatever your tag said, whatever is blocking you from following God’s will for your life, it’s time to let it go and give it to Him.

    Friday night, over 200 girls put their struggles on the cross and gave them to God, their path has been made clear, and they are working towards a closer walk with Christ.

    What’s holding you back? What do you need to nail to the cross?

    Make the decision today to follow God without distractions.

    Leave them at the cross and walk away with peace that only God can grant you!

    Proverbs 12:25 Anxiety in a man’s heart weighs him down, but a good word makes him glad.

    1 Peter 5:7 Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.

    Philippians 4:6-7 “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God”

    May God Bless you and show you His grace every day!

    Weekly Devotions

    Empowered jesus girl is this friday!

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    We are so excited about Empowered Jesus Girl this year! We have over 200 girls signed up and a great line up of praise and worship, comedy, and a make-up tutorial by Stacy Simmons. I will be the speaker this year and I am so excited to see what God has in store for us! Taylor & Reid Hawkins will be leading praise and worship and we’ll be having FREE pizza and goodies from 6-7!

    Registration is open all week or you can register at the door! So far we have 242 girls signed up for this great event! Please pray for the team and the girls as we learn how to follow Christ with all that we are! God Bless!

    Go to WildernessGrace.org to register your group! For more info you can call me at 864-915-8094

    Weekly Devotions

    Power to the weak

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    “He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak.” Isaiah 40:29

    With Empowered Jesus Girl only 2 weeks away, I am encouraged by this verse, “He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak.” Isaiah 40:29. This past weekend has been rough on my family. My oldest son, Carson who is 5 years old, was diagnosed with pneumonia on Friday morning. We spent 2 ½ hours at the Doctor’s office and I dreaded the germs that we were exposed to. As a mother of two, when I walk into a Doctor’s office, everything I see looks like a germ. My “germ goggles” turn on and one by one I see them creeping all over the room. When I pick up the pen to sign in my kids, I think about all the sick people that previously touched that pen. When I sit down and hold a clipboard filling out paperwork, I once again worry about the patients that touched that same board. As my two sons reach for a magazine, I jump up and stop them before it’s late, you know there are germs on those things! I seriously turn into Ninja-Mom trying to protect my kids from the evil germs everywhere! Don’t even get me started on bathrooms and waiting room chairs!

    But…I am only human and I can’t protect them from everything. Even if I keep them from touching everything in the room, every breath they take contains germs that I can’t even see. Germs give moms nightmares is what I’m saying. Think about it next time you reach for the handrail at the mall or press a button on an elevator that thousands of people have already touched. What are you exposing yourself to?

    Anyway, this blog is not supposed to be about my “germophobic” self. Instead, it’s meant to be a reminder that we are not in control of everything. There are dangers out there that we can’t even see. Even moms can’t protect you from everything around you. Beyond germs, there are forces in this world that I can’t fully protect my children from. There are people that will try to lead ym children astray, television shows that will entrap my kids with lies from the devil, and evils that I don’t even know how to explain.

     Ephesians 6:12, “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.”

    The Bible tells us to always be on guard from the devil’s schemes.

     “Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour.” 1 Peter 5:8

    As Christians, this world is against us. After all, if you had no interest in Jesus Christ and never served Him in any capacity, why would the devil waste his time on you? The devil is going to attack anyone and everyone that serves the Lord. This is not meant to scare you or discourage you from serving God, instead, it is meant to remind you that you are not in this alone. Although this world is against you, God is always with you!

    “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” Joshua 1:9

    As I prepare for Empowered Jesus Girl, I must admit, I am under attack and your prayers area always greatly appreciated. A friend of mine told me the other day that she admired my confidence and strength in the Lord, but on the inside,  I was struggling just as much as she was. Every day I have to renew myself spiritually by seeking the Lord for guidance, trusting Him, and knowing that He has a plan that I cannot see. There are days that I feel like the devil is throwing darts at me. Some of the darts are darts of anxiety, fear, and doubt. Whereas, other darts contain sickness, weakness, and lack of confidence. It’s been said that “you are your worst critic.”

    Just last week, I published my first book, “But God Had a Plan.” Shortly after receiving the first 75 orders, I started realizing that I had basically just published a portion of my diary. My book is a 60-Day devotional that is filled with personal experiences and positive impacts that Jesus Christ has had on my life. I am not proud of every battle I have faced, but I pray that the fact I have overcome my battles with Jesus Christ, will encourage and strengthen other young women. My book will be available at Empowered Jesus Girl and on Amazon.

    My self-doubt and anxiety increased as more and more books sold. Not to mention for 3 weeks straight I battled with formatting and editing my book then found more errors after they were printed – so I had to go back to re-format again and again. I’ve come to terms with the fact that if you find mistakes in my final copy, just take them as reminders that I am human.

    Empowered Jesus Girl is only 2 weeks away on February 8th, 2019. With it being at my home church, East Pickens Baptist, I’m a little nervous about speaking – especially right now – because right now I have no voice and I don’t know how that will work with speaking to a bunch of teenagers. Sunday, my youngest son and I went to the Doctor as well. On top of Carson having pneumonia, Asher has a double ear infection, and I have an upper respiratory infection. Altogether, it has been a rough weekend, but I know where my strength will come from.

    At the Doctor Friday, even with a fever of 103, Carson told the Doctor that he was hulk and he could defeat anyone except for God. The nurse looked at him and said, “You’re right, you can’t be stronger than God because He is the One that gives you your strength.”

    At night, my anxiety increases, and I feel weaker and more insecure that I ever have. God has used music to help me find peace each night. There are hundreds of medications out there to help people sleep but only Jesus Christ can give you the calm that will lull your heart to rest. At night when I start to panic, I’ve started singing…not out loud because that would freak my husband out and not be a peaceful calming sound…instead, I fill my mind with praise and scripture. As I start to stare at the ceiling and struggle to sleep, I quote the scriptures that fill my mind and sing the songs that bring joy to my heart. Shortly afterwards, I fall asleep…I promise it works better than counting sheep. I’ve never understood the sheep deal, but praise and prayer will always help you through hard times.

    The battles we face that other people cannot see (worse than the germs all around you) are the ones that we can only fight with Jesus Christ. Utilize His word, encouraging music, and uplifting friends to find peace and get the rest you deserve.

     “He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see and fear the LORD and put their trust in him.” Psalm 40:3

    Listen to Lauren Daigle’s song, “You Say” for further encouragement when you feel weak need His love and power to lift you up!

    “I keep fighting voices in my mind that say I’m not enough
    Every single lie that tells me I will never measure up
    Am I more than just the sum of every high and every low?
    Remind me once again just who I am, because I need to know (ooh oh)

    You say I am loved when I can’t feel a thing
    You say I am strong when I think I am weak
    You say I am held when I am falling short
    When I don’t belong, oh You say that I am Yours
    And I believe , oh I believe
    What You say of me
    I believe

    The only thing that matters now is everything You think of me
    In You I find my worth, in You I find my identity”

    • Lauren Daigle

    Don’t forget to go online to WildernesGrace.org to register you and your friends for a Girl’s Night Out at Empowered Jesus Girl 2019!

    I can’t wait to see you there!

    May God Bless you and show you His grace every day!

    You can purchase my book online at: https://www.amazon.com/BUT-GOD-HAD-PLAN-JOURNEY/dp/1792166486/ref=sr_1_1_twi_pap_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1548685817&sr=8-1&keywords=kayla+rampey

    Weekly Devotions

    Step up your prayer life

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    “Continue to remember those in prison as if you were together with them in prison, and those who are mistreated as if you yourselves were suffering.” Hebrews 13:3

    To my sisters in Christ,

    As followers of Jesus Christ, we are united as a family worldwide. For every believer, you are my sister, my friend. As your family member, I will pray for you, be there for you, and do all that I can to insure you know that you are not alone. You are my family, a child of our Heavenly Father, together we can make a difference.

    You are always in my prayers!

    Your sister in Christ, Kayla Rampey

    The Bible tells us in Hebrews 13:3 to “remember those in prison as if you were together with them, and those who are mistreated as if you yourselves were suffering.” Imagine if your biological brother, sister, mother, or father was imprisoned for believing in Jesus Christ. How would you feel if your family member was taken from their home, beaten, mistreated, or even killed for their beliefs?

    My heart breaks thinking of how I would feel or what I would do if my family member was in that sort of situation. I can’t imagine what it would be like to hear that my sister, my best friend, was thrown in prison and beaten. I would automatically want to find a way to help her and get her home safely as soon as possible. But what if her life was meant to be an example to glorify God? What if her faith during persecution would cause thousands of people to come to know Christ? Would I even understand the depths of her love for Christ? Would my faith override my fears?

    The truth is, I can’t imagine true persecution, but people all over the world are dealing with situations just like this every day.

    This blog is not meant to scare you or cause you to worry about things you can’t control; instead, it is meant to inspire you and encourage you to pray for your spiritual brothers and sisters in Christ that are suffering all over the world.

    My small group started a new study Sunday called “I am n.” I’m sure you’ve seen the symbol, but do you really know what it means? In the Islamic culture, all Christian homes, businesses, and churches are marked with a symbol “n” showing others that the people inside proclaim Jesus Christ. In a culture where Christians are not welcome, this causes mass destruction, hate crimes, and chaos that is hard for us to even imagine. Christians are forced to escape with only their shirts on their backs because their businesses suffer for their beliefs and they are not welcome in their communities. Families are torn apart, taken from their homes, and beaten for their beliefs. Without warning Christians can be imprisoned and harmed without reason. Pastors and believers have lost their lives just because they refuse to denounce Jesus Christ as their savior.

    It’s easy for Christians like you and I to get disconnected with our persecuted family members halfway around the world. For us, we have it made. We can preach the gospel almost anywhere without worrying about true persecution. The biggest worry we have when it comes to sharing the gospel is, “what if people make fun of me? What if they won’t listen?” Whereas, in other countries across the world, there are Christians fearing for their lives just because they own a Bible.

    I can’t express to you how important it is for you to pray for your extended family members. I will admit that there have been times (way too often) where I pray for myself, my close family, my food on my own table, and maybe a few friends that I know are struggling, but I forget about or overlook the ones that need prayer the most – my persecuted family members. There are days that my prayer life is nowhere near what it needs to be. When life gets busy it seems like my prayers get shorter and shorter, when they really need to get longer to help me grow closer to my Heavenly Father.

    Without a sense of urgency or a reminder of the sacrifices some of our brothers and sisters are making, it’s hard for us to understand true faith.  We often forget about the people that are not in our direct sight daily.

    Who are you forgetting about today? Have you forgotten the ones that need prayer the most? When was the last time you prayed for your brothers and sisters in Christ that you don’t even know?

    When you think of your “global” family in Christ, remember to pray for:

    • Pastors and missionaries that serve all over the world
    • Persecuted Christians
    • Military and their families
    • World leaders

    Also pray for your enemies, pray for:

    • Terrorist and people that are persecuting Christians, pray that the Lord will change their hearts if it be His will, and if not, pray that whatever happens it will make a huge impact in this world for the glory of Christ.

    The people that are hardest to pray for are usually the ones that you need to pray for the most. Today I challenge you to step up your prayer life, make a list of those that you need to add to your daily prayers, and remind yourself daily of the freedom that you have in Jesus Christ. Never forget about your persecuted brothers and sisters in Christ and let their lives be an example to you, inspire you to grow your faith, and encourage you to be urgent in sharing the gospel with everyone.

    May God Bless you and show you His Grace every day!

    Don’t forget to register for Empowered Jesus Girl 2019! For more info visit: WildernessGrace.org See you soon!

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    A child of god

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    “But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God” John 1:12

    As a child of God, you are loved, you are cherished, and you are blessed! Remind yourself daily of your worth and your beauty through the eyes of your Heavenly Father.

    This year Empowered Jesus Girl is going to be a “Red Carpet” event. We will be rolling out the red carpet for the daughters of the One True King. Join us for a night of praise and worship with your sisters in Christ! We can’t wait to see you there!

    *
    MISSION: East Pickens Baptist Church has a Foster Care Ministry that provides children and foster families with basic necessities. A lot of times when a child is brought into foster care, they only have the clothes on their backs. Our Foster Care Ministry provides overnight bags, clothing, toiletries, and gift cards for the children and their foster parents. This year at Empowered Jesus Girl we will be raising money and collecting items for this wonderful ministry! We would love for you to join us in helping these families through hard times! Here are a few items that are always needed: diapers, wipes, $5-$10 Gift Cards for local restaurants (McDonalds, Chick-Fil-A, Little Caesars, etc.), soap & other toiletries, and clothing for children of all ages (socks, underwear, pjs). You can also bring gently used clothes for children up to 18 years old. Challenge your teens to clean out their closets and help those in need. We will have a box at the front of the church for donations to help this ministry! Donations are not required for this event but greatly appreciated! Thank you for serving the Lord by sharing with others!

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    Empowered jesus girl 2019

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    My prayer for Empowered Jesus Girl 2019 is that the girls that attend will not see me but see God through the life that He has given me. My path has never been perfect, and I am still finding my way each day, but God has always had a plan for my life and never given up on me.

    No matter what you are struggling with today, know that God has a plan for you as well. He loves you, cares for you, and wants the best for you. When you feel like you have no one to turn to, He is always there. You are never alone and will never fully be able to grasp the depths of His love.

    I ask you today to pray with me for Empowered Jesus Girl. Every year that we host this event, we see lives changed, chains broken, and young women broken and rebuilt by God’s grace and mercy. We pray for the volunteers, the praise team, and every girl that attends this event. I also ask you to pray for me. I am speaking at this event, and my prayer is that God will use me to reach others, glorify Him, and encourage you to follow Him closer than ever before.

    Thank you for your prayers & continuous support of Grace in the Wilderness Ministries!

    May God Bless you and show you His grace every day!

    Empowered Jesus Girl 2019 will be at East Pickens Baptist Church on

    Friday, February 8th 6pm – 10pm   

    This is a FREE EVENT! We will have pizza at 6pm followed by an awesome night of praise and worship as daughters of the One True King!

    To register your group for Empowered Jesus 2019, visit www.WildernessGrace.org

    Group Leaders: You do not have to register each girl individually. You can simply register yourself and add the number of girls you will be bringing with you in the comment section at the bottom of the form. Thank you for registering ahead so we can get a headcount for food/etc.