Today is a special day. It has the numbers 11-1 for Hebrews 11:1, the God who sees. I am seeing God as my good shepherd. He has put people in my corner who have shown me that I am more than just what they want on this earth. They show me the need for me and my purpose on this earth at this time. They have shown me my gifts for the heavenly Father. In some ways, I write down all the good things people say about me. Those are what God thinks of me because they are good. The most recent gift, I am still reeling over and over in my head what it means and what it looks like. It has happened more and more for me to see and know what it is that I am doing.
You can go higher…
What happens is, a person of God tells you something as they know and have been in a higher walk with God. That is bringing me to a higher walk with God. If you want to live a better walk with God, surround yourself with good Godly people who have relationship with Him. The closer they are to God, the closer you too can get to God. This is the same for a lot of things. If you want to be a millionaire, you walk and interact with millionaires and see what they do and learn from them. The better you want to be, you go to those people and build yourself up. In some ways, you have to fix your mindset. A thankful heart is a happy heart as Madame Blueberry shows in Veggie Tales.
Or you can go lower…
On the opposite side of the bar, the people you hang around can bring you lower. For instance, at a lot of the places you work if you are not valued for what you do, it brings your productivity down. If the people around you give into their habits around smoking cigarettes or other, drinking alcohol or other things that steal their health and time. Being around them long enough has the possibility of you starting the habits with them. Other time-consuming things are TV, video games, and whatever else you can think of. The shows we watch and the music we listen to affect our outcome also along with food and sleep. Whatever we surround ourselves with can bring us up or down.
What is my gift?
The missionary who spoke at our Church prayed over me. He said he sees me as a junction point. I am a walking temple who goes to the people and is a junction in the road for them. He said there were 4 intersections and I am the junction point. I wasn’t fully sure what he meant, but I see God has used me as this for years without my knowledge. Now, He is showing me what it looks like with the knowledge of what it is. I would almost say I have been doing this all of my life. In a slight way, it was modeled by my parents. However, now I see the distractions that happened as they were unaware of the tactics of the devil in their lives. This is one of my gifts.
How did I do this?
I am one that will talk to anyone. As a child, this was in the form of walking door to door and talking to my neighbors. Then, as I went to high school, I was given the opportunity and idea to make a friend in every class I was in. So, the training continued without me realizing it. Starting into the public workplaces, I was a cashier, and people would come and talk to me. There would be small talk, but there would be people who just lay out all their issues to me. I thought that since I shared my hurt with others like this, maybe I was reaping what I sowed. Now I know it’s not. It was always the training I needed to strengthen my gift for Gods work and purpose in my life.
What has happened since my gift was shown?
In the weeks following, I have had some interesting interactions with others. More this last week than the first sticks out. I had a lady come to me and show interest in our church after an outreach. My daughter may have went to camp with her daughter years before. The Holy Spirit showed me that God wants to touch this one person’s soul and their family. In the conversation, I didn’t know what to say. I was being interrupted by someone not in tune with what was going on. It was also interrupting the message that was there for the rest of the people. But God showed her that there would be safety and love at our Church for this person to attend. It gave her a way to what her husband has been seeking.
Then, another…
Then, at work it can happen a lot. We help families get items for their children and one kid was having a meltdown. I felt the need to get him water and help him calm down. God was able to have me help him. I pray his mama wakes up and takes care of herself and her babies. When I see people, I see their hurt and that they are a person in survival. I can see when they are alone and need to be seen and loved. In this case, the momma was tired and didn’t have the energy to take care of the need. His big brother tried to step up and move in the situation. But God came in and brought His peace for but a moment in their lives. He showed the love that they needed to know was out there despite the situation.
And, another…
That same day, I ran into an old classmate from 1999-2003 that was brought back to my presence. We were in homeroom together and hung out. Being in a public high school after being at a private grade school, I didn’t ask people what their religion was. I enjoyed them as they were where they were, as our Heavenly Father looks at and sees us. God knows our faults and shortcomings and that we aren’t perfect, He made us. He just wants us to choose Him and relationship with Him. She told me that she went through a lot of hard things. She wanted revenge for things that people in the situation were doing, but she chose God’s love. Becuase she is diving back into the Word and relationship with Him, He helped her.
How did He help her?
In the past, there was church hurt, but that was the people and not God. I am so happy to see how God is bringing this person back into relationship with Him after turning away for so long. God used a conversation with me to help them; that’s me as the junction point. Again, this is not me in my strength or people’s strength, it’s Gods. While I was the vessel used, I am not the one who gave the words needed. The Holy Spirit gave the words just as she needed it. I was with a group and working to get back with them, but I felt the God appointment needed precedence. God uses each of us to reach each other and move as a collective body of Christ. We reach each other in season and out of season, known and unknown.
Then more…
It is a beautiful puzzle and piece of art that only God could orchestrate. My friend was turning back to seek the Lord. He sent me there for the one as a Good Shepherd does. Not only did I see her then, I spent many years in a homeroom with her in high school before and had no clue why she was in my life, until now. There were so many in high school and other places that I was just some people’s person and not others. Either way, this one and the other I have a picture of from homeroom are turning back to God and relationship with Him. God is on the move. He has been on the move the whole time, you only need to look for His movement towards you.
What a beautiful gift…
It is so crazy when you have been yourself for so long and talked to so many people, then you realize it was God’s gift you were using. He not only showed this to me after one of my interactions, I see the gift in others and see them being used even when they are not seeking God. In the other person, they are in the process of rejecting God by choice. God’s heart hurts for this, but He loves them as they are and where they are. He sees their heart. I see Him using this person’s heart as He did for me. A beautiful full circle picture being completed just for me. God used me in my rebellion, and He uses me now as He shows me the way. That means, keep your eyes out. God will use you and those who you don’t think are usable.
What else?
He created each of us for a purpose and we use that purpose whether we realize it’s His or not. Because I had an obsession with drawing hands, I feel that I may be a hand outreaching to others on their journey. God has me meet people with love and understanding. What a beautiful cross to bear for the one who bore the cross for me. It’s not always easy, but that’s when I am trying to use my strength in it, but it’s worth it. It is heavy and lonely sometimes, but God holds me up and is with me through it all. My oldest daughter loved to draw eyes. I have to look at what my other son and daughter like to draw and see if that reflects their gift and has a connection.
Then add dreams…
I am not sure how to interpret my dreams well, yet. I need to be like Joseph or like Daniel and communicate with God on what the dreams mean. It is a weak point for me that can be built up to more of a strength. I have had 2 dreams since I moved to this house. Each including people in a house fire near me. In one, it was a big fire, and the floor had few little places to go to walk on and get out. One, I was at the front door trying to go in and help. This dream came when we moved in, so I am not sure how to or when to work around this. I know the home as I grew up here and the same person is in the home. Yesterday made me think it’s time to move in that somehow.
Then, the other…
The dream this last week, I saw the start of the fire and tried to help them see the fire and get out. (It’s 1:11p on 11/1 presently random thought.) I think both fires were happening at night, but not sure on the first one. So, the smoke started coming out of one area of the house, almost controlled and in a pipe. Soon after, the front bedroom had shown the fire. The person in this room has a new baby. I am jumping trying to see in the window and help alert them to their current condition. When they awaken, they are surprised at all the bystanders and upset, but they didn’t seem to realize there was a fire. After that, all had escaped safely and then I awoke from the dream.
Last night’s dream…
There was a lot that went on in this dream. My family was in this dream. A person God has in my life was hugging me and holding me like a child. It made me think of God our Father as the Good Shepherd. He sees my struggles and brings me close to Him and holds me in the safety of His arms. He doesn’t expect anything from me. It’s simply giving me what I need without expecting anything in return. Loving me as I am, where I am, and for who I am. In my dream, I was held and not let go. I was comforted for a long time, even when it would be awkward in real life. This is how God loves us all. I awoke and still felt the hug as I lay in my bed, as if God is still holding me in His arms.
A Shepherd’s work…
Shepherd’s lead from the front, walking ahead and showing which direction to go. They train leader sheep who help guide and influence the rest of the flock. They keep the flock informed on potential danger, the surroundings, and best pastures to graze. A watchful eye is kept on the flock to protect them from potential predators or threats. Shepherds provide food, water, and shelter along with monitoring the health of the flock. These practices help ensure the safety and well-being of the flock and guide them in the right direction. This is what God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit does for us. This is what your pastor or leader should do for their church members with God as the head.
Psalms 23…
This Psalm really points to God as our Good Shepherd. It shows the expectation of God and our rest we can have in Him. The places to go are green pastures and still waters. He provides all that we need, not necessarily adding up to all we want. We can have no fear for He is with us. He is preparing a table for us in the presence of our enemies. While we won’t have all we want, we have what we need and our cup is overflowing. Our head is anointed with Holy Oil. The oil on the lambs keeps all the bad things from wanting to stay on them. We are followed by goodness and mercy all the days of our lives. When we stay on the narrow path with Jesus at the front, we have promise to dwell in the house of the Lord forever.
The forbidden 13…
It has been on my mind that 13 is not a bad number to have. If it was a bad number, then why was the count of Jesus and His 12 disciples equal to 13 people? I had the locker number 1313 all 4 years of my high school life. People told me that it wouldn’t open or that I would have issues. In the 4 years, it was only not able to open my locker 2 times. The code was 11 27 01, which was the date for one day of having this locker. There are a lot of bad things associated with 13. Looking up, there are words that add up to 13, such as “love” “one” and “God.” This is a way that Satan is taking something good and stealing the show. This happens for the number 6 as well along with other numbers and things.
It boils down to…
Sharing my story and things that I am talking about, hopefully helps others. I am hope that what I share awakens some thoughts of what God wants you to see in your life. Things that are pulling you down or bringing you up. Seeing what you want to move towards and what you should move away from. The spiritual warfare that is around to distract that needs to be fought. This post has a lot of what I am learning and maybe it can show you a different angle to look at what you are going through and what it’s in relation to. In the Lord and with Him at the front, I am at peace. If I look at the real situation, it makes me feel the chaos that can unfold. If you focus on God and His plan, the waves will not thrash you around.
Prayers…
Heavenly Father, please help each individual who reads this stay steady in You through this storm. They are either the calm before the storm, in the storm, or almost through. Lead them in the way that they should go and help them not depart from it. Don’t let them give up. Comfort them, lead them, guide them, cover them, and let them know who You are and who they belong to. Lift them up in times of trial and under Your wings, give them refuge. Uphold them with Your righteous right hand. Show them the covering and love You have for them and keep them safe. Thank You for Your protection and guidance each day of their lives. Thank You for the sacrifice of Your son to cover multitudes of sins. We lift this up to You, in Jesus’ name, Amen.