In the Trenches

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9moCqVAF2ak

Ghost ~ Crowder

Have you ever been in the valleys of life? 

What about in the trenches?

Life seemed to be going along like normal, maybe you sensed things were slightly off, but before you had a chance to react, the earth started to tremble and down you went from the hillside and into the valley. But your quick shot down didn’t end there. Before you could even get your bearings, the valley floor opened and you fell through a crack. When you carefully, cautiously stood, you looked around and found yourself in the trenches in the middle of a war zone. You weren’t sure who was flinging bombs at you, but you knew enough to duck. In your crouched position, fear began to waft into the trench with you, like the smell of death. It was death to the life you thought you knew, felt that you’d had, giving way to this new reality in an ugly, scary battle scene where hope has faded to gray and you feel all alone.

Sadly, this is reality for some of the people I care about deeply. Without much warning, life shattered and they awoke to this new, hurtful reality. First it only breaks the heart. But then, it messes with the mind. Hurt and fear set in when the mind asks if the life and relationships you thought you had were all just a lie. Hurt and fear give way to anger when you believe the question as truth: it was all a lie!

Though the trenches look bleak and gray, hope begins to grow when Light is spotted. It may look like it’s coming from an encouraging post on social media, or a card from a friend. And though He’ll use resources like your therapist, your pastor, and even prayer warrior friends, there’s only one Light Source. His Name is Jesus.

If you are on the outside, watching a loved one struggle through trench warfare, commit to standing with them in prayer. This is likely to not be a short season, but God allowed you this unique position in their life to partner with them in prayer and, at times, to cover over them in a blanket of prayer-protection. This may not be trench warfare like your great-grandfather faced, but it’s spiritual warfare, which means the stakes are higher and the injuries more costly.

If you’re in the trenches, then suit up! This is likely to be the greatest battle you’ve ever fought. The devil fights to the death and he’s out for blood! But you are not without protection and you’re not without hope. Get your spiritual armor on; hold up your shield and swing your sword. Pull God’s Word close to you and dig into His promises like your life depends on it. His Word will become your greatest weapon and resource till this battle is won, and then will be the launch pad from which your new season will begin.

Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. ~ Ephesians 6:11-13 NIV

©Heather Potts 2021

Don't Quit

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AIGV3ms_9eM

Worthy of It All ~ Bethany Wohrle

...let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus… ~ Hebrews 12:1-2 NIV

When you’re running your race but cannot see the ending, you’re in danger of quitting too soon.

For the past two weeks, Brad has been battling a double ear and sinus infection. He has been in horrible pain. He felt like his left eye was being pushed out of his head, causing darkness on one side of his eye’s peripheral vision, and double vision on the other side. To help him, we’ve been praying; he's seen his doctor, and he’s taken essential oils and antibiotics. 

Last night, as we were drifting off to sleep, I prayed for him, again, outloud. Then, in my spirit, I asked God if it was handled. I know I heard God say, “Yes.” My night’s sleep was rather bumpy, but each time I would awaken, I would pray and praise, as “Worthy of It All” played in my spirit. Then this morning, Brad burst through the bedroom door. I jolted out of bed when he said his eye popped! I am relieved to say his eye is fine. He meant the tear duct in his left eye, which had been plugged, popped. He could see perfectly and ALL the pressure was GONE! PRAISE JESUS!

Though those days were long, it was only 12 days. Some of my friends have been waiting on God’s answers for years. Sometimes, when we’ve been in the trenches for so long, we can lose sight of what we’re fighting for and tend to focus only on what’s right before us. That’s why we’re told to fix our eyes on Jesus. Not only is Jesus our Finish Line, but He’s also our Victory, our Hope, and our Help. With Jesus before us, and Holy Spirit constantly by our side, we cannot fail if we don’t quit. Our job is just to take one more step, and then another. Then, before we know it, with our eyes fixed on Christ, we’ll be running towards Victory, empowered by His strength.

If you’ve been waiting on an answer from God, whether it’s been days or years, don’t quit! Just take another step, keeping your eyes fixed on Christ.

©Heather Potts 2021

Watch the Son-Rise

https://youtu.be/g9n0xFzz1ak

I Speak Jesus ~ Here be Lions

When the earth goes topsy-turvy And nobody knows which end is up, I nail it all down, I put everything in place again. ~ Psalm 75:3MSG

The world is in chaos. 

Your dishes and laundry are piling up.

You're missing work and socializing with your friends.

Your kids are all over the place - OK one minute and melt-down-city the next.

Virtual school, virtual work, and the virtual world may lead to early grays or baldness due to stress.

The uncertainty of what you can do, what you'll be able to afford, and how long will this "new normal" will last are starting to wear heavily on you.

But there is hope!

A new day is dawning, and the SON is rising!

Just as the world seemed dark and gray on that one Friday and Saturday, Hope rose on Sunday.

The Son rose and brought with Him light and life.

Do not fret about the world and the dreary circumstances.

Instead, trust in Jesus and watch the Son rise!

©Heather Potts 2020

Promised Hope

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sPO3meEuU24&list=RDsPO3meEuU24&start_radio=1&t=0

Promises ~ Sanctus Real

For this is how much God loved the world—he gave his one and only, unique Son as a gift.  So now everyone who believes in him will never perish but experience everlasting life. ~ John 3:16 TPT
https://www.bible.com/verse-of-the-day/JHN.3.16/2929?version=1849

This scripture has always been in my heart. I'm sure it's because it's the first one I memorized in Sunday School as a child. It's a verse most Christians know. It's the reason we can call ourselves Christ-followers, but also the greatest promise as one. Eternal life. Life everlasting. These are the words of the promise of hope.

When do we need hope? Everyday! When we watch the news, when life is hard, and when heaven receives another loved one. The night before last, heaven received Brad's grandma. She was a sweet lady who will be missed on earth. And as we grieve and mourn the loss, we can also cling to the promised hope.

Father, I won't lie, loss hurts! It hurts because the one loved-one is gone, but also because it reminds us of those we lost previously. But even as I type these words, Holy Spirit reminds me they are not lost, but found, and held up in His love. Thank you, Father, for loving us so much, that You gave us the promise of hope through Your Son. In Jesus' Name I pray, Amen. 

©Heather Potts 2019

NEW

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yb1h4nxyVtU&list=RDYb1h4nxyVtU&start_radio=1&t=2

Making All Things New ~ Elevation Worship 

See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland. ~ Isaiah 43:19 NIV

When Savannah was little, everything prior to now was yesterday. For Elizabeth, it’s last year. It sometimes caused people to give us funny looks, depending upon what else came out of their mouths. But what if we all spoke that way? What if we held the concept of time like a child: that our focus is now, and the past is an oblivious point in time?

Isaiah 43:19 is an amazing promise from God! It refreshes and revives. It restores and bolsters new hope.

The enemy is not creative. He reweaves old lies and brings to mind past failures and hurts. But because of Jesus, you can boldly, proudly, and gladly say, "That was yesterday. Today, God promises to do something new in my life! He's already begun. Praise God that, because of the Blood of Jesus, I am new, washed clean, and don't have to live in yesterday, anymore!"

Thank you, Father, for doing something new in our lives. I know the devil likes for us to fear the new change, but You use it as a means to propel us into Your purpose for our lives. Thank you for refreshing and restoring hope to us, today. In Jesus’ Name I pray Amen.

©Heather Potts 2019

Everlasting

https://youtu.be/LqBpifDpNKc

Oh Praise the Name ~ Hillsong 

The Lord appeared from of old to me [Israel], saying, Yes, I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore with loving-kindness have I drawn you and continued My faithfulness to you. [Deut. 7:8.] ~ Jeremiah 31:3 AMPC

What a great image for today. It perfectly wraps up the journey we’ve been on, the decisions being made, and our focus on God’s promises for the future. This scripture is another promise from God, much needed today, that He WILL CONTINUE His faithfulness. It doesn't stop just because there is loss and pain. And the loss isn't a sign of anything other than we live in a fallen world.

I hope that whatever you might be going through or facing today, that God's promises fill you with hope, peace, confidence, and joy.

Thank you, Father, for Your promises. Thank you for being for me, in this moment, exactly what I need! In Jesus Name I pray, Amen.

~Heather Potts~

Everything

“The LORD is my portion,” says my soul, “Therefore I hope in Him!” ~ Lamentations 3:24 NKJV

After our pastor’s message today, I asked, what is a “portion”?

"Portion" is an inheritance. If the Lord is my inheritance, then EVERYTHING He has I will receive. But what does the Lord have? He has the cattle on a thousand hills, all the birds, animals, and mountains, (Psalm 50:10-12). The Lord has EVERYTHING. Therefore, I need nothing because He is my portion; He is my everything. 

To "hope" is to wait with GREAT expectation. The enemy is so good at telling me that I am less than, that I am not, and that I have not. But the Bible says that I have not because I ask not, (James 4:2). But when I do ask, to keep on asking, to believe that I have received it, and to rejoice as if it were already mine, (Matthew 7:7; Mark 11:24; Psalm 119:162).

It's true that God is not a genie and not all my wants are His desires for my life. But it's also true that sometimes His lack of answer is not "no." Sometimes it's "not now." God's timing and planning are perfect, which is why we have great reason to "wait with GREAT expectation."

I've written a book. Actually, God wrote it through me, and I can't even begin to imagine how He will use it for His glory. But when I asked how He wanted me to publish it, He was very specific. Thus far, He hasn't seen fit to publish His book. But during a recent "random conversation," someone completely unconnected talked about one of the key missing elements, (the way to get the money needed). And that one conversation reminded me that God is my inheritance and in Him I will wait with GREAT expectation.

What are you in need of; what promise are you waiting for God to fulfill in your life? Declare to the enemy, as well as yourself: God is my portion and I will hope in Him! 

©Heather Potts 2017

A New Song for Christmas

Have you ever heard a song before, but heard it for the first time as a message straight from God?  We were in church this morning, at our Christmas Eve service, and the band was singing “Little Drummer Boy”.  Having grown up in a Christian home, I’ve heard that song and even sung it year after year at Christmas time.  But this year, today, it was different.  Today it was as if I’d heard the lyrics for the first time.  The lyrics are, “I played my drum for Him, pa rum pum pum pum / I played my best for Him, pa rum pum pum pum /… / Then He smiled at me, pa rum pum pum pum / Me and my drum.”  It was my own private, intimate message from my Father.  He said to me, “You don’t have to bring much.  Just bring yourself and bring your best.  When you do that, it makes me smile.”

Perhaps you’ve been feeling a little blue this Christmas season.  Maybe you’ve been looking around at all that you don’t have and can’t do for people due to a lack of funds.  But just like baby Jesus didn’t want from the little drummer boy things he didn’t have, Jesus doesn’t want that from us, either.  What He wants is for us to joyfully bring to Him what we do have.

I pray that today and in the days to come, you’ll remember that Christmas is not about presents, not about a tree, not about things you don’t have, but about what you do have.  And what we have is the love of a Savior and a chance to celebrate the victory that He has done in our lives.

Merry Christmas!

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.