I Am Not Good.

"My Cajun grandma says that Godly women are wise and worth listening to; you are definitely one such person. Thanks for living out what God puts on your heart." -University Student

Encouragements are intensely important! They help us discover, understand, test and remember our value.

"You're awesome! You're super inviting to everyone and you're so real. You're open and not afraid to share your thoughts with anyone. I've learned a lot from ya over the past year. Love ya!" -University Student

There are times over the course of a year or a season of life that it's very easy to become discouraged, emotionally worn or suffer from various other forms of discontent. It doesn't take much to find these feelings creeping in. Sometimes, it's very sudden. I've found, my natural response is to become a bit sullen... or a lot. I tend to display a change outwardly, but don't take the risk involved in sharing my inner state with anyone directly. It's important for us, the Body of Christ, to take the narrower road in this area and begin opening up the vulnerable parts of who we are with others, with wisdom and abiding in truth. It's important to be unselfish with our own need, as it has power when surrendered into the hands of His Body and His Hand and we truly seek His answers and His fulfillment in return. Our weakness, after all, is an opportunity to display His strength.

"Out of everyone I've met in the past few years on campus, you are one of the people I am most thankful for. I am constantly thankful for your love, advice, conversation. I've never had someone willing to fill that role in my life before and you have taught me so much about life, faith and myself. You are a beautiful example of what it means to love people." -University Student

Here's a piece of truth. Not everyone is to be trusted. Not everyone cares for us deeply. Not everyone has the capacity within to receive us or listen or begin to understand... even when they really, really, really want to. Even when we really, really, really, want them to. I've learned that in hard ways, as I'm sure you have too.

It's okay to LET people be imperfect. You have permission to love them anyway. By that, I mean, you have permission to give them love. By that, I mean, you have permission to respond to them with mercy, grace and to seek understanding with regard to their behavior, attitudes, choices and beliefs. It's okay to listen, in fact, it's imperative that we become zealous about really listening to people... hearing them... learning to know them... seeking wisdom with regard to them. It's Love.

I have hurt people. I can't think of a time it's been intentional, but I have hurt people. Not listened. Not cared.

"You are amazing at listening to people and being able to let God speak through you. You're really chill and calm and amazing" -University Student

It's okay that we are not perfect. In fact, it's important that we are not perfect. It's the need to be made right that enables us to crave wisdom. It's the broken bits of us requiring us to need, that open our ears to our true sustenance. It's in these spots that we've found our well. It's this well that holds an endless supply of life. It's in the ravenous desperate dipping into this well that we find hope enough for ourselves and then it overflows into the lives of others.

It's not because I am good. It's because He is Good and He makes Good things and fixes things and makes them Good again.

I am a very broken vessel. Partly fixed. Still broken.

"You're great. Just great. I love seeing you when I'm walking around campus. I wish I could stop and talk more often. That first time was awesome and I'd love to connect like that again." -University Student

Selfish, Needy and Desperate at my core. Afraid. Vulnerable.

"You are such an awesome friend, encourager, supporter & challenger! I praise God for you, for your wisdom, your passion and love!" -Friend

It is my cracks that allow His glory and truth to be felt. It's Him radiating through my admitted and surrendered brokenness that people praise. Do you see... It's always been Him. It will always be Him.

Encouragements are intensely important! They help us discover, understand, test and remember our value. We are at our most precious when we are surrendered and vulnerable. Bold and Real. Inviting Life to flow through us.

If you are emotionally tired, discouraged or generally discontented, please...

 "Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up." Galatians 6:9

“Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”  2 Corinthians 12:8–10 

Let's MOVE Together!

There's something powerful happening on our campus.  Maybe it's happening on yours too?  

There is a call echoing through the spaces of our campus.  There is a message reverberating within the hearts of the called.  It’s turning into a crying out and it is compelling us to action!  It didn’t just start this semester or this year, it’s been welling up in these spaces, the intensity increasing steadily for years.  As we all draw into the heart of Christ we can’t help but sense His call for unity.  We can’t help but acknowledge his passion knowing, as he left this earth, that his body would remain and it would do more than he ever did!  There have been and are those that this message has captured with an intensity that will not allow them to hold it in.  Like voices calling in the wilderness they have spoken and labored and woken up early and lost sleep at night and sought those that know the same voice they are hearing.  And they call out and some find others and they call out together.  What if it’s time?  What if it’s time for ALL the individuals, ALL the small groups to come together as ONE VOICE, CRYING OUT TOGETHER A VOICE OF ONE BODY?  Not just to attend one gathering, but to unite in seeking God’s plan for it, to unite in planning it with Him and then to unite in carrying it out!

What if ALL of us who are called by his name humble ourselves and seek his face and move together somehow through the spaces of our campus no more an echo, but flesh and bone.  Feet bearing good news, hands picking others up, hearts funneling hope for the hopeless, eyes all around the weary swallowing the burdens around these spaces with compassion and hope.  Maybe even a high five or true warm smile exchanged among those who are human strangers, but spiritual siblings!  Let’s move Together.

Dreamers.  Are there greater things than what we’ve asked or imagined?  What have you imagined of His Kingdom or the work of His hand?  What have you already seen?  Is it big?  Is it big enough?  Could there be more than our minds can fathom?  Eph 3:20.  I know it is difficult to imagine and that it is counter intuitive to accept that whatever it is He is saying to you and yours, however He is leading your team or your friends it is one part of the whole.  When The Father speaks and the echoes reverberate He is speaking to all of Us.  There are strangers around you with the same passion, hearing the same call, feeling the same burden.  The burden is dispensed across His entire Body!  You have brothers and sisters pouring their lives out for the same cause as you!  If you look carefully with discerning eyes upon others who call on His name, you will see Him reflecting in an amazing prismatic display, unique and perfect.  Yet, probably unfamiliar and yes possibly shocking, they may even bother you.  His ways are, indeed, too big for us to explain or comprehend.  Let’s move Together anyway!

The Father desires ALL the souls of our campus to draw into Him.  As we all live and breathe in our spaces that is the call reverberating upon His entire Body in all its uniqueness a splendid reflection and unending fluid display of His indescribable glory.  And, we praise him for what he has done and we rest in the knowledge of his inexplicable grandeur.  Let’s move Together before the Father because of and with Jesus surrendering ourselves as one, laying down our dreams and visions to take up His in a fresh righteousness for His Kingdom sake.  For the sake of those we’ve been called together to Love with His Love.  Do not listen to me!  Test these words, Ask Him!  He wrestled me through great obstacles to rest within these words.  Do you hear this too?  Are you my brother?  Are you my sister?  Let’s move Together, proclaiming His greatness by surrendering our pride and plans, knowledge and human allegiance worshiping as one in word and deed.

“Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable his judgments, and his paths beyond tracing out! “Who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been his counselor?” “Who has ever given to God, that God should repay them?” For from him and through him and for him are all things. To him be the glory forever! Amen. Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you.” (Romans 11:33–12:3, NIV)

Here's what we are doing about it  4.4.12 The Vision  Share your story!  What have you been a part of doing?

Listen: He will tell you.

God will tell you who you are.  Ask Him.  Tell Him your insecurities and don't be afraid to be vulnerable.  This is an open look into an interaction I recently had with Our Father.

Here is Me inviting you to We.

I am not a lot of things. 

What's important isn't who I am Not, its who I Am...

I am a strong woman and it's okay.  I'm a lioness... a protector and a provider of His life, I am a messenger of what's real and true and I am a leader.  Strong and dignified, while joyous and nurturing.  I will tell you who you are and more importantly pray you see it.  I will show you where to walk, but follow you wherever you go, keeping watch.  I am sent and given authority to love.  And I do Love. 

Deeply, I love.  Inexplicably and assuredly I Love.

There are many things I am not, and its okay. Because what I am is not an accident it is purposed and ordained.  I am set apart and continually affirmed by Our Father.  I will be the me I was and am intended to be from the day I departed perfect Love and I will persevere until the day these glimpses of Love come to full fruition and I get to create together with Jesus on thrones...

Loving...

Being Worship for Father. 

And I will have the name He has and is always whispering to me.  I hear it... I believe Him and I can't wait for the day I look in His face and see Him call me by it.

Come with me.  Let's Be... and let's Be We.