Determined

Because the Sovereign LORD helps me,
I will not be disgraced.
Therefore, I have set my face like a stone,
determined to do his will.
And I know that I will not be put to shame.

~ Isaiah 50:7 NLT

Isaiah 50:4 is a scripture I hold close to my heart. It reminds me that these are God’s Words, which He teaches me, and then enables me to share with His people as an encouragement and light to them. But I put so much of myself into my writing that the enemy tries to make it all about me—what will people think about me; what might they discover about me. And the enemy tries to trap me in a painful place—in the places that people experience but never want to speak about, for fear that the darkness will suddenly rise up and overtake them.

But my God whispers to my heart and He says, “You are not your past. You will not be humiliated. You will not be put to shame. Your history is a part of My story for My Glory.” Over and over, He reminds me that I am His and He holds me gently and securely in His righteous right hand. Therefore, I will set my face like flint, like stone, determined to do His will. I will not allow the enemy to come between me and God’s calling anymore. I will stand up to the enemy and the darkness and declare, “DON’T YOU DARE!!! I am healed, whole, and a teacher for the living God. You will not stop me, nor force me back. I will stand my ground and keep pressing forward. I am a daughter of the King and a warrior for His Name! And you, Satan, are under my feet!”

You are not your past—not the things that happened to you or the things you’ve done. You have been crucified with Christ, so you no longer live. Christ lives in you and your life is lived by faith through the Son of God, (Galatians 2:20). If the enemy is working so hard to keep you in a place of condemnation and fear, aren’t you curious as to why? What is he afraid will happen if you stand up and speak out?

©Heather Potts 2016

Not for the Fainthearted

The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly. ~ John 10:10 NASB

War is not for the faint of heart but for the armed.  With great intensity and mighty power this war will be won—this trial overcome—through worship, prayer, faith and courage to believe as we keep moving forward.

God spoke this truth to me over a year ago, when we were standing face-to-face with the possibility of Brad’s second open-heart surgery.  It turned out to be a “reading” error, in that someone hadn’t properly read the notes of his first heart surgery when comparing them to his most recent tests.  We were beyond relieved that he didn’t need surgery!

As I have prepared for today—for this C-Section and the birth of our daughter—I’m reminded that “War is not for the faint of heart but for the armed.”  Am I at war?  According to John 10:10, the enemy is always plotting against us, looking for ways to steal from us, and ever at work trying to destroy us.  But we have the Lord on our side and He has prepared us!  He has given us the tools that we need, surrounded us with friends who lift us up in prayer, and given us His Comforter and Counselor.

Brad & I have packed, but more than that, we have prayed and have taken communion, standing firm in our faith knowing that our God is Mighty and Powerful and has never let us down.  We trust that He has gone before us and prepared the hands of the surgeon, as well as the hearts and minds of all those who will come in contact and care for us during our stay.  He has given us restful sleep before our “big day,” and has given us peace in our hearts and minds.  He even arranged for the perfect care for Savannah so that we could concentrate on the immediate needs of Elizabeth before we all come home to be together. 

I’m betting today you are not preparing to give birth to a child, but maybe to a dream.  Or maybe today, you are squashing fears that the enemy has used time and time again to try to stop you from living out the dream that the Lord has placed in you.  Whatever it is, God always goes before His people so that they may have life abundantly.  Trust in your God today.  Cry out to Him and ask for His provision and protection as you continue to make your way forward, remembering that war is not for the faint of heart but the armed.

Father, thank you that we never have to walk alone.  Thank you for sending Your Comforter and Counselor.  Thank you that you always go before us, preparing the way for us.  We love and trust you, Lord.  In Jesus’ Name we pray, Amen.

©Heather Potts 2014

Hiccups

Be prepared. You’re up against far more than you can handle on your own. Take all the help you can get, every weapon God has issued, so that when it’s all over but the shouting you’ll still be on your feet. Truth, righteousness, peace, faith, and salvation are more than words. Learn how to apply them. You’ll need them throughout your life. God’s Word is an indispensable weapon. In the same way, prayer is essential in this ongoing warfare. Pray hard and long. Pray for your brothers and sisters. Keep your eyes open. Keep each other’s spirits up so that no one falls behind or drops out. ~ Ephesians 6:13-18 MSG

Hiccup: a minor difficulty, interruption, setback ~ dictionary.com

I was thinking about hiccups this morning as little Elizabeth had them, causing my whole stomach to jolt with each one.  Hiccups inside the womb are rather comical.  Hiccups in your infant when she’s almost asleep are frustrating, as there are so few “tricks” to stop them.  Hiccups in life can be just as frustrating, as they seem to come out of nowhere.  And even though they are “temporary,” in the midst of them, they can be all-consuming.

But Ephesians 6 reminds us to be prepared and to take all the help we can get.  You see, we may not know exactly when the hiccups will come or how they will come—as a job loss, as a sickness, as financial difficulty, or the failing of promise fulfilled—but we can take comfort in knowing that God has already given us everything we need so that after the dust settles, we will still be on our feet.  This passage also reminds us that God’s Word is an indispensable weapon.  Joshua 1:8 instructs us to meditate on it day and night so that we will prosper and succeed in everything we do.  We are also to keep our eyes open by praying for ourselves as well as each other so that we will be strong during this ongoing warfare and so that no one will fall behind.

So what are the hiccups in your life?  What are your setbacks, interruptions, and difficulties?  Unlike some of the tricks—drinking water upside down or holding your breath till they pass—you’ll need real weapons to get through them.  Just as Ephesians 6 instructs, learn how to apply truth, righteousness, peace, faith, and salvation to your life, meditate on God’s Word, and be continuously in prayer.  Only then will you be able to stand through your hiccups.

Father, help us to remember that hiccups are only temporary and with the weapons You have entrusted to us, we can make our way through them.  Help us to remember to turn to You, as we are up against far more than we can handle on our own.  In Jesus’ Name we pray, Amen.

© Heather Potts 2014

Have Faith

It’s not going to be in the way you can figure out.  You must have faith.

I come from a family of planners.  We know 6 months in advance plans for Christmas or vacationing or whatever.  That being the case, it should come as no surprise that I’ve had Savannah’s nursery basically done for a while now and she’s not due for another 13 weeks.  Being a planner keeps me organized and on target.  But sometimes it’s a hindrance, as I tend to focus more on what I can do—in my abilities and strength—and less on what God can and has done for and through me. 

God has given us visions for our lives—for our marriage, for our individual growth and ministry, and for our kids.  And I truly believe they will become reality.  But sometimes I trip over myself, because I feel as though I have to plan it all out.  And I get frustrated when I can’t figure out all the details ahead of time.  I was having one such day when God said the above to me.  At this past 1^st Wednesday service, Pastor Mark said that faith was simply an attitude of trust, like trusting that the chair will hold you when you sit down.

This past weekend was Easter and Pastor Randy used my favorite scripture throughout his message:  In this world you will have trouble.  But take heart! I have overcome the world, (John 16:33).  To “take heart” is to have hope and courage.  This scripture doesn’t say, “In this world you will have trouble and you’re on your own, so get to figuring out what you’re going to do about it.”  No, Jesus said that He’s taken care of it.  Take heart!  Have courage!  Have faith and trust that God’s already taken care of it.