Back down memory lane ..... Journey of Love.

Hello,

I've been on quite a journey lately, but I'm here to tell you that every journey we take in life is valuable because there are some things that we hear, see, and experience along the way that we wouldn't have unless that journey had been taken. Well, I've been on a journey with the Lord. He has been taking me back down memory lane.  He has allowed me to share and I hope it encourages you.

For quite some time now God has been bringing to my remembrance how I felt the moment I first accepted Him in my life. Before the rules and regulations, before the pressure of performance, before I partnered with the lies of the enemy.  Before the disappointments, before the betrayal. He reminded me how I use to care more about who He was in me instead of me trying to prove to everyone who I was in Him. He was revealing to me how I felt before I allowed so much to complicate His Love for me. Before I worried about the titles and perception of other people. Before I felt like I had to measure up to everyone expectation of whom they think I should be, and what they think I should be doing. Before I tried to work to prove how much I love Him when in the beginning I simply loved Him because He first loved me.  See we think God needs us, but He messed up my theology and reminded me that the only thing that this world needed was a Savior and He took care of that need by sending His only begotten son. See He sent what was needed (A Savior) to get what He desired (Us) Intimacy! All he asked us to do was to tell the world that the Need has been met.! (The Gospel)

Revelation 2:1 – I know your deeds, your hard worked, and your perseverance. I know that you cannot tolerate the wicked men, that you have tested those who claim to be apostles but are not, and found them false. You have persevered and have endured hardships for my name, and you have not grown weary. Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken your first love.

I have a question for you, do you remember the first time you fell in love? Do you remember the first time you held that person's hand, do you remember when it seemed like an eternity since the last time you seen them even though it had only been a day or two? Do you remember the times you looked into their eyes and you could see they were created to love and to be loved? Do you remember how they made you feel when you were in their presence, how those butterflies would spread their wings and began to awaken something within you? Do you remember? Do you remember the very moment you put your fragile heart on the line and found the courage to say those three letter words, "I Love You"? Do you remember the first time someone said those words to you and made you feel like you could dance upon the clouds forever?  

Often times in relationships we forget. The extraordinary experiences we had in the beginning become ordinary occurrences. We forget the first kiss, the first date, and we forget the joy and freedom of being in love.

One day I was in a worship service and I felt the presence of God all over me. I felt His Love trickling through my soul. I had no words to express what I was experiencing.  Then His Spirit in His Faithfulness began to speak for and through me, these are the words to the song that flowed from my heart: "Take me back when I would do anything just to be with you. Take me back to the time when I would just sing to you and when I slept you sang a love song over me. Take back when I awoke in the mornings and I knew I had been in the presence of my lover, take me back to the times I walked on water with you, take me back when I use to stay up all night talking with you even if I had to go to work or school because it was worth the sacrifice and it didn't matter because your love always energized me, take me back when I would lay in front of the fire place and even though it wasn't lit I could feel the warmth of your presence. Take me back when everyone could see the passion for you in my eyes. Take me back when I didn't care what was going on in my world because it was me and you against the world. Take me back when I took you at your word, take me back when I couldn't wait to tell everyone I was loved and in love, take me back when I felt safe and secure in your arms, take me back before the I allowed the trails and tribulation of life cloud the reality of your love for me. Take me back when knowing that you loved me was enough. Take me back when I allowed you to be my strength when I was weak. Take me back when I trusted you to provide for me when I couldn't do it by myself. Take me back when I could feel the warmth of your love hover over me.  Like an everlasting candle I could smell your fragrance from afar and it brought me assurance that you are always with me and you will never leave or forsake me. Take me back when the light of your love would illuminate my path whenever I felt lost. Take me back… I want to remember when I felt alive and free just being!"

Yes I was crying out to my lover.  Think about this for a minute, we are to be rooted and grounded in love. Paul says: "For this reason I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, from whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man, that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height - to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God" (Eph. 3:14-19). We can't wrap our carnal mind around the unknown. We are to be anchored in His love; steadfast, and unmovable. Everything we do should flow from His Love which is our crux, our center, our fountain, our nucleus, the essence of who we are, it's the foundation which we stand on, it's the rich soil that we are rooted in, it is the vantage point of how we look at everyone and everything. His love is our everything and the absence of His love simply means we exist.  Paul prayer is that we comprehend with all saints in Heaven and on Earth what is the depth and height and width and length of an infinite God and His love for us.  It can't be measured by our own comprehension but with the indwelling of His Spirit we can experience His Love that surpasses knowledge. Yes, we can experience a love that surpasses that which we've been taught. We spend too much time doing instead of being. We get lost on this journey of love with God. Sometimes we need to check our roots; we need to make sure our foundation is one of love.  When His Spirit becomes one with our spirit we birth from the Spirit. We then begin to live in the fullness of God and His Love, Peace, Joy, Kindness, Longsuffering, Gentleness, Goodness, and Self-Control flows through us and keeps us no matter what comes our way, and we are reminded that nothing can separate us from the Love of God which we have been rooted and grounded in. Be Ye Encouraged and know that you are Loved!!! It's time for us to get back to our first Love.  We are so busy doing that forget how to just be! Can you just allow yourself to be Loved? God's Love is enough. It's time most powerful weapon in the world. God's Love defeated the enemy two thousand years ago and it is that very love that gives us an eternity with our Lover!  Ask the Lord to take you back !

 

Tiffany James, Encouraging Touch Enterprise
"Give a gift that creates a Legacy to Encourage, Inspire, and Bless those you love for a life time"

  http://www.encouragingtouch.com/ 

The Importance of Relationships- Choose to be the Gatekeeper of your relationships

I know it's been a long time, but I have a senior who is about to graduate and the word busy has given my life a new meaning.  So, I decided to take a break last week and go to lunch with a friend, while we were enjoying our time together I began telling her how God has been showing me the importance of relationship in regards to the body of Christ as well as our personal relationships.  While I was sharing she gave me a scripture, Ephesians 6: 15-16 (Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ. From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.) She went on to tell me that she has read this scripture so many times and kept asking God- "what were the ligaments?"  And finally He showed her that the ligaments are the relationships within the body of Christ and they are essential. It's not enough to have a body but the body must be healthy and functioning properly in order to be effective in what it is called to do.

Immediately I was able to see it very clearly and understood why God has always had me stand in the gap to fight for relationships. God didn't just need a body, but He desires a strengthened body; not a fractured bride but a strong and radiant bride. When a ligament is torn it limits mobility in the body. The ligaments connects the bones and cartilages in our natural body; serving to support and strengthen the joints, which are the axes of movement. Now read Ephesians 6:16 again and just sit on this for a minute, until you are able to see why relationship is so important. Sit on it until you see why the enemy always attacks our relationships especially within the body of Christ. He keeps us divided and weakens our ability to move towards and in the things of God effectively; keeping us from being the extension of His Love in the earth realm.

The enemy never plays fair. He is not ethical; his plan is to kill, steal, and destroy what God has established as a core foundation for His body. One of the enemy's strategies is to disable the body! The sad part is we keep falling prey to his tactics; becoming the very vessels used to weaken the body. We have to become the gatekeepers of our relationships. Be on guard and protect what God himself is using to strengthen His body; He uses relationships because strong relationships = unity. Yet we are too busy fighting each other to win the title of "being right."  Like my friend Kelsi stated, "Instead of trying to be right, let's be righteous."  My friend Gina once told me that she heard the Lord ask her "how many times do you need to be right before you are wrong?"  How long will we allow self-righteousness to be our voice of reason? How long will we allow our emotions to dictate our response? Our emotions are suppose to be a way to funnel & release what we are feeling, not to be our guide because they can often lead us into the wrong direction of thinking.

We have to stop spending our energy trying to prove who is wrong or right.  How long will we continue to argue our theologies instead of allowing the theology of our lives to speak and defend itself.

I'm not saying we need to be foolish in building relationship with people, especially if a relationship has been previously fractured, but what I am saying is to love people in spite of their inadequacies, it cost us nothing but it cost Jesus everything. He went to the cross and paid the price for our punishment, yet we still want others to pay for theirs.  It baffles me, we are suppose to forgive not because the people who hurt us made everything right, not because they publicly admitted they were wrong, or what our expectations of them are in order to forgive, but simply because our father in heaven forgave us.  I wonder what would have happened if Jesus would have stood at the cross and said, "I'm going to get up there after mankind has learned their lesson, after I receive an apology for all they've done, and let's not forget they must be punished first."  I am so grateful I serve a merciful God.

Now, one of the reasons the body continues to be weakened is because of the spirit of offense, which is so rampant in our churches and in our personal lives.  I have to tell you that if you have the spirit of offense, more than likely, you are walking in unforgiveness.  That's why every time someone does something that reminds you of that familiar place of pain and/or betrayal, etc., you respond out of the spirit of offense. It's time to be free people!  We have to stop holding on to nonsense. Let Go and Let God!  People don't define or control us. We are responsible for our actions even if another person had a role in the situation. For years I blamed everyone for the many disappointments and pain in my life, but I had to stop and look at the man in the mirror. I was accountable for the decisions I made in spite of the actions of others.  In like manner we also need to free people- how long are we going to hold people in bondage to their past mistakes? Their mistakes do not define them, just like yours don't define you.  If we don't learn to love one another,  understanding we all are a work in progress and try to see the God in people then our relationships will remain is a desperate state and we will continue to be an open target for the enemy.  If our ligaments (relationships) are not strengthened they can cause the body to fall.  Remember it cost you nothing to forgive and love a person but it cost Jesus everything- He was humiliated, spit on, hit, flogged, His head pierced by thorns, it cost Him to be a man who knew no sin to bare our sins; to be separated from His heavenly father. I know it's easier said than done but we have the Holy Spirit, who is love and pours the love into us so that it can flow out of us. So all our excuses died on the cross!  Remember apart from Him we can do nothing but with and in Him we can do all things.  The enemy is very cunning and He knows in order to stop a move of God, he has to cripple the body.  Don't allow the enemy to use inconsequential things or circumstances to tear, rip apart, twist, or over stretch the ligaments (relationships) within your body. Choose to be the gatekeeper of your relationships in and out of church. Protect them at all cost because the enemy is a coward and he using those who are close to us to hurt us. Be the one to stand at the gate and say you will not destroy my body! I will leave you with this; we don't fight 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. Now that you know your real target, aim and fire! Be Ye encouraged and don't fall prey to being the vehicle in which the enemy uses to wreck the body! 

Tiffany James, Encouraging Touch Enterprise
"Give a gift that creates a Legacy to Encourage, Inspire, and Bless those you love for a life time"

  www.encouragingtouch.com 

Day of Encouragement - Walking in total Dependance

I was reading the Jesus Calling Devotional this morning and this is what our Sovereign God wanted to encourage us in today " Living in Dependence on Me is the way to enjoy abundant life. You are learning to appreciate tough times, because they amplify your awareness of My Presence. Task that you used to dread are becoming rich opportunities to enjoy My closeness. When you are tired, you remember that I am your Strength; you take pleasure in leaning o Me. I am Pleased by your tendency to turn to Me more and more frequently, especially when you are alone."  - Be Ye encouraged and remain trusting God. There is a time that as you continually walk with Him- you realize that you are walking in Him!

Stepping into your Future and beholding your destiny!

Stepping into your future...and beholding your destiny!

When you think about your future it can be a little overwhelming. Your future is that which is to be and will happen in the time to come.  Each of us has a future but the question is what lies ahead?  I'm here to tell you that your destiny is what lies ahead.   Destiny has been defined as something to which a person or thing is destined to do.  Meanings before you were born you were chosen, set apart for a specific purpose.  There is a scripture that has encouraged me throughout my years; Roman 8:28-30 and we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.  For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, and these He also glorified. 

There are seasons that we really question the occurrences in our lives. Can they really be a part of my destiny we constantly ask ourselves?  Is there really a purpose behind all the sacrifices, struggles, and yes even successes?   We ask ourselves, have I really been set apart to do something great through and with my life?  Many can't get pass the scrutiny of that inner critic saying you don't have what it takes.  Zig Ziglar stated, "Failure is an event not a person." You need to know you can't fail because your destiny has been predestined. God has called you, justified you, and if you continue to press forward you will walk right into your destiny. Yes you will meet it Head on. Many people never discover their destiny because they stop believing!  I remember being a little girl and chasing after that beautiful, colorful, and magical rainbow trying to see if I could find the pot of gold at the end.  I remember crying sometimes when the rainbow seemed as if it was so close, but the closer I got it would disappear or once again seem so far out of my reach. Yet, in spite of my disappointment, each time it rained and that rainbow appeared my determination to obtain the treasure was unstoppable.   Well as I got older I stopped chasing the rainbow! Not because my mom and dad told me there really wasn't a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow, not because I did some research that stated it did not exist; I stopped because I simply stopped believing! Many people leave this earth never stepping into their destiny because they never believed or they simply stopped believing.   Even though the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow is a myth; the little girl in me will never really know. You will never know if you stop believing. Faith is your fuel!  Let's be determined to live life with no regrets.  Let's stop wondering is there something waiting beyond the distractions of life, the shadow fear, the down spiral economy. Before those things ever existed your destiny was written. I remember being laid off my job and really asking does all things work out for the good to those who Love the Lord and called according to His purpose.  Struggle after struggle, lost my house, barely able to pay my bills, no gas money, and every door closed in my faced. Yet, through it all I can say that I published & released a book, entitled "How did I Get Here?" I have also been blessed with the gifting to write, speak, and encourage people from all walks of life.  I am fulfilling my purpose and taking a hold of my destiny! I have a question what do you have to lose?  Go for it! Most of the time people don't move forward because of fear.  Fear stands for "False Evidence that Appears Real" Fear has no power unless you partner with the lie that is feeds you; then you find yourself living a life characterized by a lie.  There are also many people who never move out because of the resources, but my encouragement to you is start using what you already have. What has God placed in you? He didn't create you just to waste you!  When I produced my book all I had was a vision, faith, and anointed friend.  God used what my friend and I already had which were our writings.  The cover of the book was done long before the thought of a book even existed. It was a photograph that came from a photo shoot, which a friend of mine did for free.  The first one hundred copies of the book once completed were purchased by a Christian catalog company that was going into the prisons. They paid for the books in advance so the books paid for themselves.  Look, there comes a time that our excuses simply have to die.  Some may say what if it doesn't work. Well, remember Failure is an event not a person.  You get up, start over, and keep it moving; living life with no regrets of what could have been.  If you are walking in Faith you can't help but come to the destination of fulfillment. The sad reality is that so many will and have missed out because they stopped walking because they no longer believed. It seemed impossible to reach the end of the rainbow, but up till this day, when I see a rainbow in the sky the little girl in is still curious; with excitement she still is questioning, "What it?" It's time to believe! Every milestone in my life, such as the release of my new book is leading me towards my Destiny. So don't despise small beginnings and be a good steward over the opportunities that will lead to your destiny. You will know when you reach your destiny- it's like following the colorful trail of gum drops that leads to the gingerbread house- What a sight! It's undeniable! Faith, Courage, and Wisdom is a Powerful Force to keep you moving ahead! So much more to say but for now- Be Ye Encouraged.

 

 

Tiffany James, Encouraging Touch Enterprise
"Give a gift that creates a Legacy to Encourage, Inspire, and Bless those you love for a life time"

  www.encouragingtouch.com 

Being OK with who you are and taking care of yourself is an important Ministry!

My mother use to say, if you can't take care of yourself, you will not be able to take care of anybody else. 

There was a time in my life that I was so busy running around, "just doing". I was so busy doing that I didn't realize I wasn't really accomplishing anything. My work was getting completed, my ministry was maintaining, my family looked good, my goal quota was impressive, money was decent, needs were met, and in the natural my wick had the appearance of being lit, yet my candle was not burning. It was the difference between just existing and really living. 

What was and is the problem? The problem often occurs when we begin to compare ourselves among ourselves. We are constantly asking am I on the right track & succeeding? We begin to look at where our co-workers, friends, or family may be in their lives compares to ours. We allow people to become our measuring scale. Then we find ourselves competing in a race that we are destined to lose, and even if we succeed; we still lose because we ran a race that was not designed for us, and taking home a prize of no real value. If we are not comparing ourselves to people many times we find ourselves looking to things to affirm our sense of self-worth and become our fuel for living. 

We are constantly looking out and never in to find validation, which leads us to nothing but hopelessness. The creator is the only one who can validate His creation. We find ourselves unconsciously doing what other people feel we should do or must do to succeed; jumping through unnecessary hoops, walking the crooked line, spreading ourselves so thin trying to be a part of everything, hoping to bump into success along the way. Gaining happiness with no Joy! What's the difference? I'm so glad you asked- Happiness is: temporal, unpredictable, unreliable, and conditional. Do you remember purchasing that first home? How about going on that first date? Or getting that first promotion? Do you remember how happy you were until you lost that house, until that first date turned into months of regret, and that promotion was not worth the opposition you had to face. But joy comes from a deep place within; it's that secret place you can go to at any given time to find peace that surpassing all understanding. It's that place that makes you smile even though everything around you is saying "Depression"; it's the place where joy springs forth after weeping all night! Joy is internal! You know that old song," This joy I have the world didn't give it to me, Oh this joy I have the world didn't give it me, the world didn't give it so the world can't take it away."  That's right Joy comes from the Lord and it's your new birthright as a child of God.  You can be disappointed when things happen or don't happen but you can still choose to be Joyful. There are so many people walking around with a smile on their face but the spirit of depression is consuming their soul. They don't know who or who's they are. 

You might say what does all this have to do with taking care of self? So many people are living chaotic lives because they haven't found Joy because they are looking for happiness. They haven't found peace because they haven't found themselves. Trying to find validation in our families, ministry, gifts & talents, skills, educational accomplishments, money, careers, relationship status, and I can go on. Now all these benefits are of some importance, but the danger is when we try to make these things the main source of our validation and joy. There are so many people killing themselves physically as well as mentally trying to feel complete in people and things, but you will be chasing after validation for the rest of your life if you don't stop to look to the creator and find it from within. No amount of success, money, accomplishments, education, relationship, etc will ever satisfy that need to be secured in who you are. With every passing day the emptiness of your soul continues to cry out "I need more."  It will never be satisfied until you are courageous enough to say, "No More" and really mean it. It's harder than you think if you don't know who you really are. The more you get the less you feel, the more you get the further away from peace, joy, and balance in life you find yourself, yet you must believe and choose your birthright.

I remember one particular time in my life; many years ago, I found my validation in being a good church going Christian. I was so faithful; attending every church meeting, conference, and training. Whatever needed done I stepped up. I was in the choir, helped with the youth and women's ministry, and worked the tape ministry.  On the outside it looked as if I was a great committed Christian; growing in the Lord, being used by the Lord, and on fire for Him. Not only that if any body in my family needed me I was there, when my friends needed me to do anything I was there! My good Christian appearance was so noticeable from afar but if you got up close it was so evident that something was wrong; the wick was lit but the candle was not burning.  My family was getting tired of being at church three times a week and all day on Sunday; my husband and I were exhausted, trying to keep up with work, our home, our children, our marriage, our time, and my ministry. I was frustrated, stressed, tired, but still living up to every ones expectation of what I should be doing and what I needed to do- nothing was lacking but my sanity! I was even becoming resentful when I felt that no one appreciated all that I chose to do or when people didn't live up to my expectation of what I thought they should be doing with me or for me. I was happy with the temporary satisfaction of feeling accomplished, gifted, and valuable, but had no real joy, because there was falsehood lurking around my identity and that flame on my wick began to quickly burn out. We are steady striving, and most times it's to be good and please God. Faith is what Pleases God ! I heard Bill Johnson say, " If you are still striving to be good before the father, than you really do not understand the work of the cross!" 

My journey to freedom is too long to write but I will say that I learned loving yourself, liking yourself, knowing yourself, accepting yourself, and taking care of self is an important part of ministry- it is your ministry. I had to learn that who I am is not dependent on what I'm doing or not doing, it's not dependent on how other people see me. It is dependent on me being me! It's hard learning how to just be! I've come a long way! I still love to serve but it's no longer out of obligation, guilt, or the need of validation.  It's not who I am but what I love to do. I'm OK with saying "No" if it's too much. I'm OK with saying I'm going to take a break from everything. I'm learning to tell the devil to shut the hell up when he tries to tell me that I'm not doing enough and I need to do more, when he tries to tell me everybody else is further than me; more successful than me when the truth is no one knows but God where I'm suppose to be, and my success is not defined by where everyone else is, but by where God wants me. I'm living in Him! I don't have to "Do" in order to Be! I am who I am!  Now let me clarify one thing - I'm not saying be lazy and have an nonchalant attitude towards people about your life.  This is what I am saying if you've been running, if you are always worried about what people would think or say if you are not doing what they think you should be doing,  if you are one always trying to do because you need to be validated, if you are always taking care of everything and everybody because you are trying to find temporary satisfaction of being needed and important in life, and if you are constantly driven by telling people what you are doing so they can see you- most likely you are in an unhealthy place. 

Jesus knew this ... .that's why you will see in the gospels that he was always taking time to get away and spend time with the father, to meditate on His Father's goodness, He took time to hear and see what the father wanted Him to do, not what man expected him to do. He enjoyed His ministry. He spent time with kids, attended wedding banquet, fellow shipped with people different from Him no matter how people looked at Him because He knew who He was. There was hardship but there was Joy being the son of a King. That is the greatest benefit we could ever receive!

We also know the story of Mary and Martha, if you haven't read it, go to Luke 10:38-42.  We see two sisters who are both in my opinion amazing women, but Martha is not ok with her sister resting at the feet of Jesus while she is working! She is frustrated and has no Joy in her chose to serve. From afar it would appear that Martha is doing what is expected. Her wick is lit, but her candle is not burning. She is working and trying to make sure everything is in order, yet she is resentful towards her sister for not helping. I love this story because it teaches us that we all have the great freedom to choose. Our choices will be different from others because we are different and we are all at different stages in our lives, but we must be OK with our own choices. We can't be mad if someone chooses something different from us and God is pleased with their chose even if it seems that we are working harder in the same area's of ministry, goals, gifts, etc. Something is very wrong when we feel like we know what God is pleased with. No one knows the mind of God and the bible tells us again, Faith is what pleases God. Faith that no matter what God loves you! You are the apple of His eye. Faith in knowing that He doesn't compare you with anyone else. When He looks at you He sees himself! You were created in His image and likeness the only time God is grieved when He looks at you and He sees someone one else. You are His original masterpiece so just be and you will succeed in every area of you life because in your mother's womb He wrote out the plan for you - all you have to do is rest at His feet so you can hear His voice and follow. 

I also love this story because it reminds me if I am doing from a place of love and humble servant hood, and it's who I am and what I love to do, and not trying to be noticed and validated by works then I should not be frustrated. Martha was comparing herself to someone else. She could have chosen to sit down and rest at Jesus feet too and allowed the extra stuff that needed to be done to wait. Jesus reminded her that she was very anxious and troubled about many things but the thing that she needed to be concerned with, Mary chose it and it wouldn't be taken from her. Mary chose Jesus (relationship) over Works. 

I remember  taking my Nissan truck to three different shops trying to save money by not taking it directly to its dealer because usually they are more expensive and I did not want to pay the cost even though I knew they would know exactly what's wrong and could fix it. I'm laughing right now because none of the shops could fix it, and I ended up at the Nissan dealership. Sooner or later you have to go back to the creator anyway! Whatever is standing in your way of being totally at peace with yourself be courageous enough to take it to God; ask him to remove it, fix it, heal it, restore it, or whatever it is that you need.  Take care of yourself not just your physical appearance but your spiritual and mental state as well.  

Take care of yourself first before you try to be God's hands to take care of others. If you are in an unhealthy place in your life - like a virus …it can spread to everything and everyone connected to you. Stop looking out and start looking within. You are important and God is saying, " Stop being so busy, so anxious, so caught up with the things in this world, and just take a moment to lay at my feet! I am the well that will never run dry. Everything you need you can find in me." 

There is a great book, by my spiritual father Brent Lockker called "Daddy, You Love me" - Order your book today and find out just how loved you are by your daddy!

www.DaddyYouLoveMe.com

Tiffany James, Encouraging Touch Enterprise
"Give a gift that creates a Legacy to Encourage, Inspire, and Bless those you love for a life time"

  www.encouragingtouch.com 

"2013" Are you ready to take the journey from your mind to your heart?

 

"2013" The Journey from your mind to your heart!

 

Yes we made it! Man has it been a year.. I want you to take a moment and just let it out! Yes breathe.

God has been speaking to me this year about the journey. Not your ordinary journey but the journey from your mind to your heart.   Yes our mind has kept many of us stuck for far too long, it keeps us in bondage to what has already happened, it keeps us holding on to the what if's.  I have said it before and I would say it again the word "If" can often stand for "Individual failure"-   Lets move away from the "If" and move into this New Year with the "I can" and "I will".

 2012 has been a tuff yet amazing year for me but the reality is- it's over!  I can't live there unless I make a conscious chose to stay stuck in the past!  Now what I choose to do is allow the negative be the force to thrust me into my new year with much determination and allow the positive to take me higher than I ever been before!  I learned to take the journey from my mind to my heart. Do you know your mind can play tricks on you? It is the enemy's strongest weapon against us many times. This is the place he plants lies, fears, doubts, and it is the place you hear his voice the most! He sneaks into our mind and plants thoughts that do not belong to us! Your mind will replay all your failures but your heart will show you new possibilities, your mind will say no while your heart is screaming out "yes". Your mind will have you living someone else's dreams but your heart will reveal your true passions.

2013 is a year to follow your heart!  What does your heart desire to do but your mind said it's impossible? With God nothing is impossible and He can give you the desires of your heart if you trust Him and simply believe.  2013 is a year of freedom!  Remember when you first fell in love with that boy or girl when you were younger? No matter what anyone said you were determined to be with him or her at all cost! You didn't care what people thought, you were in Love! You would pass notes in class even though it was a chance that you could get caught, you would save your little allowance to buy the perfect gift, you would spend hours picking out the perfect outfit and doing your hair for when you saw them, you couldn't wait to after school to hold their hands, and you would stay up all night just thinking about them. You didn't hold back how you felt to anyone...you wanted to shout it out to the world  "I'm in love" - Well it's time to fall in love again but this time with yourself and your dreams! What are you willing to do to make your dreams come true? Are you ready to shout it out to the world no matter who is listening and do whatever it takes to fulfill your dreams and walk in your purpose without fear and doubt holding you back! Yes it's time to find that child like faith within and get ready to walk on water in 2013! Yes do something you have never done before.  Take that journey from your head to your heart.  It's time out for just thinking about it! It's time to take a chance. What do you have to lose? You took the chance on that crush, didn't you? I know I did and even though my first crush didn't last long I never regretted it. I went for it and yes I held hands with the boy of my childhood dreams, yes I wrote that love note, yes I wore that cute, short, blue jean skirt with my white shirt that tied on the side, yes I stayed up all night thinking and dreaming about him even though I had to get up for school the next morning, and yes I shouted to everyone that I was in love.

 You might say I'm crazy but I wanted to use something we all can relate to and yes it does take us to go back to when our heart overruled our minds.  I was fearless as a child! I had so much fun and I went after what I wanted but somewhere in my life I took an unexpected and unplanned journey from my heart to my mind and got stuck! I lived in that place far too long.  I was trapped by doubt, surrounded by the opinions of others, limited by resources, and held back by fear.  I finally found the courage and the one (God) who could get me back to the place where I desire to live from which is my heart. What's so awesome is I now possess the wisdom to live from this place.  Meaning I'm not foolish in going after my dreams, walking in my purpose, and living the life I so desire! 

Live with no regrets! Learn from every new experience. I watched a movie, " The odd life of Timothy Green" in the movie the parents are asked by the adoption agency who are determining will they be suitable parents again, what would they do different if they are given a second chance to be parents. They responded by saying they would make new and different mistakes.  That was a powerful and truthful statement!  With every new experience or we can say New Year there will be new mistakes. That's some of the wisdom that I learned that allows me live successfully from my heart.  We learn from our mistakes. We learn what works and what doesn't! I heard a very true story about this man who had a dream to own and build his own vineyard.  I heard how people thought he was crazy after he kept trying even after going bankrupt but guess what he now owns one of the second largest vineyards in a small town located in California.  He chose to live from his heart!  I can go on and on… but what I'm saying is embrace this New Year.  The key word is New- the first start of something that hasn't been done yet. You get to create what your year looks like. Search your heart and ask God to give you the wisdom on how to follow your dreams and walk in your purpose.  Remember that old quote, "work like you don't need the money, love like you never been hurt before, and dance freely like nobody is watching!"  I will add to that quote and say, "Live from your heart like there is no tomorrow"

When you follow your heart you will be amazed what you find , the passion that lies within, the creative ability you possess, and courage you will have to go beyond what your mind could every comprehend.  Leave the past of your mind and embrace the heart of your present! 

Happy New Year and as always Be Ye Encouraged.

Tiffany James, Encouraging Touch Enterprise
"Give a gift that creates a Legacy to Encourage, Inspire, and Bless those you love for a life time"

  http://www.encouragingtouch.com/ 

"2013" Don't enter the same way you exited...

 

Back of the Book Excerpt: Life is a journey……. We spend most our life trying to get to a destination that we have never seen before, but we know exist. Our daily life experiences help us realize that the path we travel is not always clear and as a result, many of us become lost. Those sometimes seemingly small decisions can cost us years of back pedaling if we are not careful. We turn left instead of right. We go up instead of down. We say yes instead of no. While there is nothing wrong with getting lost (It happens to the best of us), the problem occurs when we refuse to admit it. Pride, ignorance, fear, shame, and even discouragement can cause us never to stop and ask for directions and before we know it, we will find ourselves ask, "How did I get here?"….

2013 is a New Year but let's be determined not to let it be just another year but a year of Change and Freedom.  Let's not enter the New Year the same way we exited the old.  Let this be a year where dreams really do come true, visions come to pass, healthy relationships are formed and some restored, a year of full of joy, peace, rest, encouragement, freedom, and so much more!

Go to www.encouragingtouch.com or www.ginadacus.com and purchase your book, "How did I get here? It's time to be set free today".  Purchase a book for a friend. Yes give a gift this year that will impart seeds of wisdom, ah ha moments, love, inspiration, and hope for a lifetime.

As always on today Be Ye Encouraged!

Tiffany James, Encouraging Touch Enterprise
"Give a gift that creates a Legacy to Encourage, Inspire, and Bless those you love for a life time"

  http://www.encouragingtouch.com/ 

Now is the Time

Raw and Uncut. Yes I'm doing kitchen ministry again. (lol) but seriously my daughter recorded me in my kitchen. I might redo more professional if the Lord says the same. Two years ago God began to speak to me and gave me this piece. I heard him say that I would do this spoken word at many churches and it really wasn't one that I was thrilled about giving but knew it was from Him. I released it at my church but He didn't have me release it until now. I felt prompted today to just do it. Be Ye encouraged!