Unraveled

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Published: Friday, 07 October 2016 06:13

Written by Bethany Looyenga

And they shall build the old wastes, they shall raise up the former desolations, and they shall repair the waste cities, the desolations of many generations. 

Isaiah 61:4

Are there times that your heart feels unraveled?  Do you walk through places of desolation and feel as if it is all for nothing?  I know I have. Generations of pain. As I wrestled with this, God led me to the word unraveled. He does unravel me in such a way that He can use me to rebuild the old into something new. He does unravel me so that the former does not have power to desolate me, but instead it gives me the fuel to lift up others. The years of waste, are put before me and He repairs my unraveled heart, so that the generations will know that He is God.

Where is the old waste in your life? What has happened to bring you desolation? How is God unraveling you today? Let His powerful hand lift you up in such a way that you are the one repairing the cities and sending the future generations off to proclaim His name. He gives you the light to shine a brilliant path and to open doorways for hope. He will make you a springboard to proclaiming His love

This is what He is doing for me, with each passing day and each life that walks in and through. What does He unravel in you?

Fearless

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Published: Friday, 30 September 2016 05:55

Written by Bethany Looyenga

There is no room in love for fear. Well-formed love banishes fear. Since fear is crippiling, a fearful life--fear of death, fear of judgment--is one not yet fully formed in love. 

1 Johm 4:18

As I was waking up a couple days ago, the Spirit whispered these words to me, "Rise up, Stand tall, and fully live in me." Those words have been circling around in my head like a constant flowing river. This entire year, I have been challenged to Rise Up--to stretch myself beyond comfort zones and move into new territories. Now, He's telling me to stand tall in those territories and live fully in Him. 

What does that mean? As I was praying about His Words and asking Him questions, I began to paint. He clearly said that to Rise Up, Stand tall, and live fully in Him, one must be fearless. How do I live a fearless life?  What does fearless look like to you?

I kept painting, and I could see that to live fuly and be fearless, the boundaries around my heart must soak into Him, and when that happens, the places that reeked of fear diminish into His fearless heart.  This is fully living, because His love comes and with that love there are gifts of boldness, peace, joy, and endless wonder. This is standing tall! This is Who He is, and who He has created me to be. 

To Rise Up and soak in His presence, fear must go, and love must reign.

Are you fearless? How is God calling you to Rise Up today? Where do you need to stand tall and live fully? What are the words His Spirit is whispering to you?

Let today be your day to soak in Him and feel the boundaries of your heart melt into His.

The I AM

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Published: Wednesday, 14 September 2016 10:35

Written by Bethany Looyenga

The Spirit of God, the Master, is on me because God annointed me. He sent me to preach good news to the poor, heal the heartbroken, announce freedom to all captives, pardon all prisoners.

Isaiah 61:1

When there are struggles and complications in life; it can be very challenging to remember that God is the One and Only I AM. everything exists and is sustained because He is I AM. God, the I AM, is existing in my heart. He is speaking life over my being, even when it feels like I am poor, heartbroken, and stuck in the mud. Because of His living presence inside of me, I too am annointed to speak life to the poor, the heartbroken, and the captives. My ability to believe that the I AM power within me will raise me up above my circumstances and my life will continually give and know His great freedom.

The strain of surviving when we all want to thrive can challenge beliefs. The God I know promises that we will all thrive in His presence, He is good, loving and kind all the time. He is I AM, and He tells me who I am. He is life, and He speaks that life into my heart and moves me to new adventures and new life everyday, even when my circumstances are poor. 

Let the heartfelt beating of your soul know today that He is I AM inside of you. His Spirit soars through your veins and He offers you His peace to rise above all circumstances because He is I AM.

Whose Laughing?

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Published: Friday, 09 September 2016 15:52

Written by Bethany Looyenga

Likewise I, GOD, will comfort Zion, comfort all her mounds of ruins, I'll transform her dead ground into Eden, her moonscape into the garden of GOD. A place filled with exuberance and laughter, thankful voices and melodic songs. 

Isaiah 51:3

Do you have mounds of ruin, dead ground, and moments of darkness in your life?  God wants to bring you new life, He wants to fill your days with exuberance and laughter, and a voice that sings a glorious melody. 

I've noticed that God has brought more laughter into my life, joyful, outloud laughter. The kind of laughter that tightens abs, and frees the soul. Laughter over little surprises through out my day, and silly mistakes. Laughter over sights and sounds. Joyful laughter! 

God continues to do so much healing in my life. His laughter with me is like a song; heartfelt and healing. The laughter that rings through my heart is better than medicine. Are you laughing through your life journey today? If not outloud, in your heart?  God wants to bring you comfort in every area and turn all sorrow into joyful laughter. He has Eden prepared for you and for me; it's blooming with new life.