I Dare You

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U0VBFSIK2Cs

Dance ~ PlanetShakers

My mouth is filled with your praise, declaring your splendor all day long. ~ Psalm 71:8 NIV

I dare you… to praise the Lord.

I dare you to try it and still stay in a bad mood.

I dare you to try it with your kids.

Go ahead! I dare you.

The past few mornings, Elizabeth's been demanding her way. She wants breakfast right away and doesn't want to follow our morning routine of getting dressed before she is fed. The first day, I tried (unsuccessfully) reasoning with her. But the second day, I let my worship music play and ignored her demands, having already reminded her of our morning routine. Then the unexpected happened: she stopped demanding and, instead, began dancing and singing along with the music. In fact, it became quite comical. Our Elizabeth truly does have the joy of Jesus in her heart and, once sparked, can't help but bubble and flow.

If God's Spirit is in you, you have the same joy of Jesus in your heart, waiting to be ignited and bubble up out of you.

I understand you don't feel like dancing as soon as the alarm buzzes in your ear. I get that you're exhausted, maybe the kids aren't listening, the house is a mess, and you've got work up to your eyeballs. But even amid trials, headaches, and heartaches, God always gives us something to celebrate. The challenge is to find it and praise God for it until we can praise Him from a place of full gratitude.

Today, I dare you to praise the Lord.

I dare you to try it even in your trials.

I dare you to try it with your family.

Go ahead! I dare you!

©Heather Potts 2020

No Fear in the Flood

https://youtu.be/2uYiHiJTN6Y

My Feet are on the Rock ~ I AM THEY 

...When the enemy comes in like a flood... ~ Isaiah 59:19 NKJV

Has your life been flooded by the enemy, lately? We've had multiple illnesses since Christmas and now the flu. When everyone is sick, or not able to work to care for sick kids, you start to feel alone. The enemy goes to great lengths to isolate, and ultimately destroy, us. When we're too sick to attend church, life groups, and school, we become isolated, which makes us easier prey.

But when you're in Christ Jesus, you're not alone. "The LORD your God is with you, the Mighty Warrior who saves…" (Zephaniah 3:17 NIV). Though the enemy floods your life with hardships, remember Who is by your side. "In every circumstance, even when the enemy comes in like a flood, you will know that your best friend is a Lion and you need have no fear," (Cooke, Graham. "The Kind Intentions of God." The Soaking Compendium. 2019).

Isaiah 59:19 doesn't end with the enemy's attack, but with the Lord's victory: "When the enemy comes in like a flood, the Spirit of the Lord will put him to flight." You're not alone in this fight. The Lord is with you: He rejoices over you with singing, quiets you with His love, refreshes your soul, forgives all your sins, heals all your diseases, redeems your life from the pit, crowns you with love and compassion, and satisfies your desires with good things so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s, (Zephaniah 3:17; Psalm 23:3; Psalm 103:3-5).

Remember, when the enemy comes in like a flood, Victory is already on your side and His Name is Jesus!

©Heather Potts 2020

Snow Bags

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nQWFzMvCfLE&list=RDEMORiNTZh5MD9bcOhfcgo6iQ&start_radio=1

What a Beautiful Name ~ Hillsong Worship

Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. …for each one should carry their own load. Praise be to the Lord, to God our Savior, who daily bears our burdens. ~ Galatians 6:2,5; Psalm 68:19 NIV

Most mornings, Elizabeth whines about having to carry her snow bag to the car, claiming it's too heavy. It's not too heavy. I confess that on mornings when we're running late, I will just carry her bag rather than fighting with her. (Please, no judgement). However, after school, she must carry it into the house.

How many times have we been like that? We're willing to carry everybody else's needs (or snow bags), but every once in a while, we whine about our own "snow bags": dishes, laundry, taking out the garbage, oil change, filing up the gas tank, you name it. It's not that we're incapable, but sometimes, especially when we've done too much carrying of everyone else's snow bags, we'd like someone else to carry ours. Galatians 6:2-5 talks about carrying our own loads vs. carrying other's burdens. Think of a load as a snow bag or backpack. Everyone has their own load, chore, job, etc. that they must carry every day. But sometimes, crisis or sudden illness hits and knocks you for a blow. That's the burden we're to help each other carry.

Hopefully, you have family and friends to help you carry your burdens. Regardless, as Psalm 68:19 promises, God is with you every day to carry your burdens for you. When the toilet floods and the baby cries, when you're sick but don't have a simple fix for dinner, when you've already borrowed from the emergency fund and get a flat tire -  in all of those times and more, God is walking with you, carrying you through all of it.

Today, allow the 5-year-old to carry her own snow bag and allow God to carry you as she pitches a fit all the way to the car, and in your other circumstances.

©Heather Potts 2020

In honor of Elizabeth, whom I love dearly, I picked her favorite worship song.

Life After 40

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7PiI276BUUE

Give Me this Mountain (Caleb's Song) ~ Graham Kendrick

But my servant Caleb… He has a different spirit; he follows me passionately... ~ Numbers 14:24 MSG

Getting older has never bothered me. But this year, I am suddenly feeling like time is running out, that I'm too old to make my dreams come true. Wow! That's obviously a deterrent from the enemy who tells us that beauty and strength are found only among the youthful generations. 

While I fully believe in investing in future generations, I also know that life doesn't end at 40, or even 60, unless we believe it. My favorite example of strength is Caleb. When Caleb was 85 years old, he approached Joshua and asked him for the land Moses had promised would be his inheritance:

"I was forty years old when Moses…sent me…to explore the land. And I brought him back a report according to my convictions, but my fellow Israelites who went up with me made the hearts of the people melt in fear… So on that day Moses swore to me, ‘The land on which your feet have walked will be your inheritance and that of your children forever, because you have followed the LORD my God wholeheartedly.’ … So here I am today, eighty-five years old! … I’m just as vigorous to go out to battle now as I was then. Now give me this hill country that the LORD promised me that day. You yourself heard then that the Anakites were there and their cities were large and fortified, but, the LORD helping me, I will drive them out just as he said.” Then Joshua blessed Caleb…and gave him Hebron as his inheritance, (Joshua 14:6-14 NIV).

Did you catch that? Caleb was 40 when Moses sent him to be one of the spies to check out the Promised Land. At 85, he feels he's as able to charge into battle as when he was younger. I don't know many 85-year-olds who make those statements, but why not? Why must we approach 40, 60, or even 80 with such dread? Why not live life to the fullest, believing God will give us the strength to do all that He's called us to, until He plucks us from the earth and takes us to heaven?

Maybe my later years will be even better than my former years. Afterall, the enemy wouldn't work so hard to make me afraid of them, unless he was afraid of what I might to for God.

©Heather Potts 2020

Breathe. Remember.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MGLVDttSKxA

Never Lost ~ Elevation Worship

O God, when You went forth before Your people, when You marched through the wilderness–Selah [pause, and calmly think of that]! ~ Psalm 68:7 AMPC

Has hard news ever slammed into you? How did you overcome the overwhelming feelings?

Over the past few days, Psalm 68:7 was the focus of my reading. It was as though Holy Spirit wouldn't let me read past that verse, though I didn't know why. Was there a lesson I needed to realize? Saturday night, I received the answer when we heard upsetting news about a loved one. At first, I blew off the emotions. Later, however, my emotions felt like a pool about to burst and I cried. 

After my tears, however, I took a breath, and I began remembering all the times and trials the Lord brought us through to victory. Why did this have to be any different? The truth is, it's not. God is no respecter of persons. What He did for one, He'll do for another, including healing and protection!

What are you facing, already this year? I'm sure the enemy hasn't wasted any time telling you to be afraid. Today, instead of looking at what might happen, consider a new tactic. David said, "Come and hear, all you who reverently and worshipfully fear God, and I will declare what He has done for me!" (Psalm 66:16 AMPC). Now is the time to remind yourself of all the times God has helped you overcome. Recall the victories He's brought forth in your life. Remember the times He went to battle for, walked ahead of, and marched into the wilderness for you.  

Today, don't focus on the news. Instead, breathe deeply and remember the goodness and faithfulness of God, who loves you!

Heather Potts 2020

Makin' Plans

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nr8OfXrQ9UE

Be Still ~ Red Rocks Worship

We can make our plans, but the Lord determines our steps. ~ Proverbs 16:9 NLT

I enjoy New Year's Resolutions, Vision Boards, and making plans. If there's one thing the past decade has taught me, though, it's to be pressed into God to ensure that my plans are His.

My initial plans didn't include moving to Florida. My secondary plans didn't include returning. God had other plans. 

Our plans were never for me to work when either of our girls were little. God had other plans.

Our plans didn't include hardships, hurts, sicknesses, or losses. With a word, God could have caused us to bypass all of it, versus grow through it. While God didn't cause the hurt, His desire is for us to grow in and closer to Him. I guess our plans didn't include real growth. Fortunately, God had other plans.

God has surrounded us with many wise people. He encourages us to walk with, learn from, and even share our stories with them. It's through the sharing of our lives that our faith is strengthened and stretched, causing us to grow. 

God has many wonderful things He wants to share with us. As we envision dreams, make plans, and set goals, let's be sure make room for God's plans, even if it means laying down our own, remembering that the best course for our lives is His.

©Heather Potts 2020