Freedom

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Published: Friday, 17 June 2016 05:24

Written by Bethany Looyenga

And He said to me, "It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End, I will give of the fountain of the water of life freely to him who thirsts. He who overcomes shall inherit all things, and I will be his God an he shall be my son."

Revelation 21:6-7

Freely He gives to anyone that is thirsty. What are you thirsty for? 

As a daughter of God I thirst for the gift of courage, love, integrity, honesty, faithfulness, and belief. And, He freely gives them all. I have to have His gifts, to overcome. With the life-giving fountain pouring over me, I can drink it in. I can keep asking for more, every day.

Through Him, I am an overcomer, because He freely gives whatever I need.

I do not always feel like an overcomer, or feel like I am receiving all that I need. It is in those moments that I question my surroundings and I let doubt creep in, that I must seek belief and courage. How does one behave like an overcomer when it feels as if they are loosing? How does one live with integrity, when it feels so dark and lonely? How does one have courage in the midst of overwhelming fear?

For me I must remember that I am His and His alone. I must turn to His promise and ask for the life-giving strength to carry on. I must lean into the promises He has spoken and walk in that direction. An overcomer chooses to take the freedom offered and drink in His goodness, even when it doesn't feel true.

Sometimes I have sat on the edge of the fountain, believing I cannot ask for the thirst quenching gifts. Believing I will not receive, even if I ask. It is in times like that, He sits beside me and reminds me Who I am!

Drink freely of His fountain today, ask for all that you need!

The Net

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Published: Friday, 10 June 2016 06:49

Written by Bethany Looyenga

Who is the man that fears the Lord? Him shall He teach in the way He chooses. He himself shall dwell in prosperity, and his descendants shall inherit the earth. The secret of the Lord is with those who fear Him, and He will show them His convenant. My eyes are ever toward the Lord, for He shall pluck my feet out of the net. 

Psalms 25:12-15

There have many times I have felt trapped by life situations, like I'm in a net and I can't get out. The net of isolation, depression, or mistrust. When that happens; it's impossible for me to get out on my own.  What is the net that traps you?  What do you do when it happens? 

The journey of learning from God has at times felt treacherous to me. it has felt like He pushed a repeat button, and walked away. I am left crying in a net of pain. Yet, He promises to pluck me out!  When my focus has changed from my pain, to Who God is, I begin to notice that the net that once trapped me, is loosened and finally gone. 

He promises prosperity. He promises that my descendants will inherit the earth. He promises to show me His covenant.

And, He promises so much more, when I am focusing on Him, not the net.

The solution, not the problem.

It sounds simple, but for me it has taken some time being on repeat.

He is good, and His promises are real. He will do what He says He's going to do. Look away from the net that traps you, and turn your eyes toward Him today.

Words

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Published: Thursday, 02 June 2016 09:35

Written by Bethany Looyenga

God reached out, touched my mouth, and said, "Look! I've just put my words in your mouth--hand delivered!"

Jeremiah 1:9

Words have been on my mind a lot. For much of my life I haven't had a lot to say, and then there was a day that I believed God was telling me to speak to others. But, I still didn't have a lot of words. I thought He was silly to ask me to speak to anyone. And, I didn't completely believe it. Then, again, while we were on a vacation and I was walking, I had an experience with the Holy Spirit that convinced me He wanted me to speak, somehow, somewhere, someday. While listening to the Spirit that day, He put this verse in Jeremiah on my heart. 

Since then, I have had many experiences with His Spirit prompting me to speak. And, many experiences with His people, who have known nothing of my personal journey, that tell me the Spirit has shown them I am to speak!  

As I continue to consider this, walk in this, and picture each word being hand delivered from God, I feel in awe.

Is this true for you too? As His beloved child, this is exactly what He is doing for you. He resides within your heart. You have His mind. He is daily molding your very being to renew, restore, and revive you--to give you His words.  He is growing within you so that every word you speak, comes from Him, and there is fruit, light, hope, and abundant joy.

This is His message to me. As I weigh each word and consider the source, I still find I don't have a lot to say, just better things to say with more power.

Just Hold On

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Published: Sunday, 29 May 2016 14:13

Written by Bethany Looyenga

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When you come to Him, that fullness comes together for you, too. His power extends over everything. 

Colossians 1:22

Several losses in a row was very difficult for my body physically, and emotionally. I was exhausted. I was having migraines every day. My thyroid was out of whack and I could barely get of bed. My hair was brittle and falling out in handfuls, my fingernails were breaking. I felt very isolated from everyone. The only person that knew my pain was my husband. He is the only one that knew how many times we had been pregnant and how many losses we had experienced. I didn't have the energy to share with anyone else.

We both knew that only God could heal this pain. My husband's pain, I think was more from watching me. 

As I brought all my anger, fear, pain, and disappointment to God over the failure to have another baby, I learned that His love has the power to shine light in every area of my life. As I began to heal from the pain of loosing these babies, He revealed to me other fears that had developed, and other joys I had learned to recognize. As I watched my four sons, I was so amazed at the gift God had already blessed me with, and saw in them so many beautiful gifts that He had given them. I felt privileged to have them in my life, each of them alive and a miracle from God. 

The fear that would constantly creep into my thoughts would be loss. I would be afraid of loosing them. Afraid of something tragic happening to one of them, or all of them. Afraid of death. My fears, sometimes overshadowed my miracles. 

The first time I saw a picture of our daughter, we adopted from China, my heart burst. She was beautiful! She was evidence of all of God's love and power towards us. He was showing me this beautiful child, and it was like saying to me " I  know how much pain you have been in, this lovely little soul is waiting for you in China, and she is yours. I have picked her out for you."

I felt so much joy, and yes, I felt fear. It took a lot of steps forward to believe that it was all going to come together. And, it did. 

Now, I look back and see that holding on through the sorrow believing that God  will come through somehow with His love and power and extend  it over everything. It may take years, it may seem impossible, it will feel like a battle (because it is) , but He will pull life together somehow in some way. He will shine light, and there will be fullness. You, and I, all of us, just need to hold on. We need to pray, believe, and keep walking forward.