Hi Warriors in Christ.

Today, I want to share an unusual experience and an unplanned experiment. What happened to me proves what we allow in our ear gates matters to great degrees in the spiritual.

If you have known me for awhile, you know I LOVE to backyard garden. Since moving to northern California, I’ve learned that gardening has differing but small nuances from my Temecula backyard.

This spring has extended, damp and cool following the wettest winter in local memory. However, I was determined to expand my garden and plant early this year. Last year, the garden went in late because I was still unpacking boxes from our move in.

I asked my local handyman, (I love that guy. He is the bomb), to build me two additional garden boxes. One box was a conversion from an old queen box spring. (waste not, want not!) He pounded that one together and built another. He even went to home depot and hauled a truck load of grow mulch bags into my backyard.

So, now I have four boxes that the birds love to pick apart. I quickly learned to cover them with bird nets. After they ate the leaves down to the stem of the jalapeno plants. Sheesh! That’s been part of the learning curve. Tons of birds around here are plenty hungry. Grrrrrrr

On a sunny morning I went out to work. The bags of grow mulch needed treated with my crab and lobster shell mix, Epson salts, and some organic fertilizer. I put on the yard gloves and set up the portable backyard speaker I took from Mike’s office.

I was looked for some upbeat music that I could sing along and move me along as I work. And from my distant past, the band, Heart, came to mind. So I put on the Spotify playlist and worked for hours, listening to Ann Wilson belt her lungs out. I finished about half the work and left the rest for another day.

Again,  a few days later I went out to spend four more hours to finish up all the work. I was laying down stepping stones, funny signs, a windmill and fencing.

This time I set up Mike’s speaker to play a favorite worship playlist as I worked.

Now this is the interesting and unexpected experiment that occurred. Following the first work day when I came into the house to clean up and move on with other stuff, I noticed that after listening to the secular music, I felt in my spirit a melancholy feeling. Like a sadness, a longing for …… well for something I wasn’t really sure. However, I felt down and somewhat gloomy.

I didn’t really notate this odd feeling until the next time I came in after listening to worship for four hours. Following my second garden workday, I came in to clean up and I felt powerful, I was filled with hope, I felt the presence of God so strongly. As I walked into the bathroom, I passed through a shaft of light that was coming through the window. I turned around to pick up something, and there in the beams of light were dust particles but something else.

It appeared there was glittering gold shimmering, hovering in my wake. I marveled as I watched the glittering gold with fascination. And I whispered, “I love you, Father.”

That’s the precise moment when this lesson crystallized. I realized in that moment that listening to music that wasn’t centered in worship to God left my spirit in a sad and weakened state. But the sustained worship, strengthened, uplifted and drew the very presence of God.

Ok, sorry, Heart. Ladies, you can sing but next time I’m hours in the yard, it will be worship for me.

Have you had an experience like this? I would love to hear your story.

Be blessed on this day my friends. Lynn

carrots, sunflowers, zucchini, jalapinos

Tomatoes for Salsa

Potatoes, the starts, I brought from Temecula

Corn, radishes, lettuce

Artwork by StudioJRU

Jeanne here!

Did you know that before you were breathed into existence by God, he wrote a book about your entire life?  That book is in heaven right now.  God created you with a set of absolutely unique gifts and talents and abilities and strengths.  There are things that God put inside you that he didn’t give anyone else.  And then he planned out a whole lifetime of ways for you to use those gifts to benefit the people around you and bring glory to him.  He designed you so that when you use your gifts to do the things he planned, it brings you great joy and a feeling of fulfillment. Your book is not just about you, but about the thousands of lives you will touch, all woven together.

 You are God’s masterpiece, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which he planned for us to walk in.  Ephesians 2:10

I always pictured “good works” as passing out sandwiches and socks to homeless people, but this verse isn’t necessarily talking about acts of charity.  It concerns all the things God designed you to do in your little corner of the world.  For most of my life, I didn’t know what my purpose was.  I’m really just now starting to get it.

When He created you, God had a very specific set of characteristics that he built into you so you would be equipped to accomplish your purpose.  God has big dreams for you! Sadly, a lot of us grow up and never use or even discover our God-given design.  sin and violence. I believe we can determine whether we are operating in our giftings when two things are true: One, it blesses others or brings glory to God, and two, it brings us joy. 

We begin life with the unconditional love of our heavenly Father and a world of possibility.  But in ways big and small, the enemy kills our dreams, steals our joy, and destroys our vision.

So, what if we don’t know what our gifts are?  Or what if we use them for selfish purposes?  Does God give up on us?  Not at all. When it comes to us, God is a little bit like that annoying parent who thinks their kid can do no wrong.

Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.  Love never fails.   1 Corinthians 13:7

You’re not a disappointment to God.  He’s still working in your life trying to line things up to go well for you.  He doesn’t ever think about or even remember the times you messed up.  He is still as crazy about you as he was the day you were born.  He sees your potential; he is looking for ways to get you into position to receive all the blessings he wants to give you.  You are tremendously valuable to God, but not in the way the world judges value.

My mother had twelve children, and once when I was a kid I asked her which one was her favorite.   She answered, “The one who needs me most right then.”  I’m pretty sure God is like that.  He wants us to realize that we need him. He wants us to come as children, trusting him and loving him and just wanting to be close.  He isn’t waiting until we have it all together or until we have accomplished what he created us to do.

Without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to Him must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who earnestly seek Him.  Hebrews 11:16

We need to realize that God is good, and that it will be tremendously rewarding to seek him. It absolutely requires sacrifice and commitment on our part.  But God’s mercy and grace are far more than enough to pick us back up when we fall.   For the joy set before him, Jesus endured the cross.  You and I were that joy.  The Father wanted us back, and Jesus was willing to pay the ultimate price to give us the opportunity to be in full, intimate relationship with him.

The next time the devil tries to whisper that you don’t measure up, remind him (and yourself) that you are God’s masterpiece, his beloved child intricately designed, bought with a price, and that no one can snatch you out of God's hand.  I encourage you to come into the presence of your Abba Father like a child, and ask him to read to you out of your book.  Share what you hear in the comments!

Hello Kingdom People,

Wow, I have a story for you. On Monday, I went for a walk-n-pray. I began to pray intently for our Nation, the elections, and to call to remembrance in the Lord that America was a nation founded by people who were seeking God and freedom to worship Him in truth. (Pilgrims)

But before I began to pray, I said, “Lord, it’s been awhile since I received a balloon. Father, would you please send me some kind of Word of love my way while I’m walking?”

I continued to march and pray and completely forgot this mention to Father. Well as I finished praying about a number of things. I immediately felt compelled to look up into the bluest and cloudless sky. The morning sky here in So Cal is absolutely deep Safire.

To my stunned surprise, I saw this:

The photo reflects somewhat a diminished image because I was so shocked to see it in the cloudless sky. And then I looked up the meaning. After my further shock, I then remembered to snap a picture but several minutes had already passed and the formation was fading.

Three dots and a dash.   …  │

I said to the Lord, “Three dots and a dash. What does that mean?”

I heard, “Look it up.” I whipped out my phone, Googled, three dots and a dash. DO YOU KNOW WHAT THIS MEANS?

It’s Morse Code for VICTORY!

Then a download began. My mind was flooded with words. Words reflecting the many ways I’d attained victory in an area, and in another area and still more. Then I could see that my prayers were backed by heaven….. SAY WHAT????

Father said to me, “Lynn, you have done the hard work. You have spent years attaining and working toward holiness. You are victorious in Christ Jesus.”

PEOPLE, I’m teary now. And I’ll tell you I’m not always holy. But it’s my daily purpose to reach for higher standards of holiness.

In addition to this personal download, I also believe that the prayers for our nation, California, ministry, my friends, my children, all of it, was heard and moved upon in heaven. It will be interesting to see what results this week because you will be reading this on Friday.

But as for me, I BELIEVE!

Kingdom people, do the hard work. Work through your generational stuff, repent of anything and everything, ask the Lord to show you areas that remain unsubmitted to His love and healing. Jesus, our King, is so very anxious to bring us into wholeness.

Okay, we are in a very unique moment. I’m feeling prompted by the Holy Spirit to tell you to decree victory over the areas of your life that you are praying in the comments. Make them known. Right now you are receiving a divine invitation to stand upon the message from heaven: Three dots and a dash!!!

I’ll see you in the comments, my friends.

Father, God of all, we praise you and worship Your holy name, Yahwey. You are supreme and Your will is our will. What you desire on earth is our privilege to bring forth. We stand for the Kingdom of God. In Jesus name. AMEN

I’m sure learning a bunch about the Power of Blessing. And also about our authority in Christ. And as I was contemplating this interesting season where the Holy Spirit leaving me to learn, this scripture came clearly to mind.

"Truly I tell you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven. ­--- Matthew 18:18

Immediately I realized that I’m in the classroom of binding and loosing.

Can I just say--- Whoa!

So for this post I want to share what I’m learning about loosing and also issue a challenge.

About two months ago I began to bless. I’m mostly compelled to bless the atmosphere of heaven into my life and the lives of others. Read this passage with me:

For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit, --- Romans 14:17

The atmosphere is not comprised of earthly and physical (eating and drinking) but the Kingdom of God, which is heaven’s atmosphere, is righteousness, peace and joy through the Holy Spirit.

This particular verse became powerful in my life after having a dream where the Lord placed three keys into my hands. But, alas, that’s a story I must share another day.

But it became clear to me that as image bearers of Christ, we are to bring heaven to earth which is the atmosphere of heaven through righteousness (goodness), peace and joy. But I really didn’t understand how to do this well until recently.

I recently began to bless myself, my family, my home and others I meet with joy. I literally will say these words aloud to myself, to others and I pray them.

“I bless myself with joy, in Jesus name.”  I bless my home with joy, in Jesus name.

I speak this blessing over my children in my prayer time and over the phone. I bless you with joy, in Jesus name. I have also released the blessing of peace, the blessing of favor. I have blessed my health, my spouse at his job. I’ve blessed my friends with joy. I’ve blessed the engine in my car. After all, that car carries around a daughter of the King. And, it needs to run well for many more years. (Yep, college tuition). Jesus, bless my car to run well for years, In Your powerful name.

So here’s the challenge: For the next 30 days, bless yourself. Bless your children. Bless your spouse. Bless your home and anything else you feel like blessing. Bless them with joy and then watch as the power of blessing (loosing) becomes alive through the Holy Spirit in your life.