Author: MzLiz

I started journaling in the 10th grade for my English class. I always had a diary but journaling required a lot more though, a deeper connection to your thoughts, responses and reactions. God usually drops something in my Spirit concerning something I am dealing with, something I have learned from, something a friend/family member is dealing with then I write the wisdom thought!
Be Love

Touched by Your Own Light

MzLiz

“Love is to “reveal the beauty of another person to themselves,” wrote Jean Vanier. Peter Scazzero, Emotionally Healthy Spirituality

This quote of a quote is very telling when it comes to the depth of love that should be revealed in our relationships. It expresses the value we place upon those we love when we are truly wanting them to see the best in themselves. This perspective is indeed a selfless attitude and stance which comes from an emotionally mature person. Once we get here, I can imagine how freeing and fulfilling this stance would be spiritually as well.

This kind of love, however, is increasingly rare in a culture that prioritizes self-love above all else. There is nothing wrong with having the drive to be sure we are certainly loving ourselves through the lens of God. That is truly the win. The problem comes in when we are striving to love ourselves outside the realm of Agape. When that becomes the ultimate goal, we set ourselves up to possibly fall into an ego driven personality. 

Healthy relationships are built on a continuous yet delicate balance of demonstrating self-love while practicing the ability to intimately “see” others. This selfless vision becomes especially important when a loved one is struggling with behaviors that challenge our emotional memory. These moments often trigger past wounds, making it harder to respond with grace. Once again, this balance can only be achieved by emotionally healthy individuals. So, when we find ourselves in this potential battle, we must take the courage and be accountable for our lack of development in this area. It does not diminish our love for the other person but it speaks to the need to say “There is still a sore spot that needs attention in my heart. Let me take some time to do some heart work so we each benefit from this relationship.”

Just imagine how many relationships could be salvaged/saved if we understood that we are all a continuous work in progress. When we fully take accountability for our own healing, we position ourselves to show up in community ready to genuinely love others. The goal especially as believers should be, as Jesus expressed, to walk with the heart to be sure when everyone leaves our presence, they felt better about themselves. We should leave a deposit confirming their uniqueness is worth celebrating not shying away from.

My new added prayer is that as we each continue the temporary journey on earth, striving to be our best self, we show up having done the emotional and mental self-work. This inner work will cause us to walk into rooms ready to hit the “go” button on revealing to others their rich, God-given gifts and talents. As a result, they will walk confidently and boldly in life, loving what God sees in them and creating a domino effect of loving others into their destined place.

What if we all committed to this kind of inner work? How many lives could be transformed simply by showing up whole, ready to affirm the beauty in others?

Mz. Liz

Vanier, J. (2001). Seeing beyond depression. Paulist Press.

Scazzero, P. (2006). Emotionally healthy spirituality: Unleash a revolution in your life in Christ. Thomas Nelson.
(Referenced Vanier’s concept of love as revealing the beauty of another person to themselves.)

“Love is to reveal the beauty of another person to themselves,” wrote Jean Vanier—a sentiment echoed by Peter Scazzero in Emotionally Healthy Spirituality.

Father

Prodigal Daughter

MzLiz

In the tapestry of Gina’s life, woven with threads of pain, rejection, fear, shame, disappointment, and guilt, a moment of awakening was dawning. The anesthesia of sexual intimacy that dulled her senses to these emotions was slowly wearing off, like the haze lifting after a long night’s storm. She began to discern a voice, a presence, beckoning her from the shadows of her soul. It was the Father’s voice, resonating with the eternal cadence of love, and the Holy Spirit’s call to return to His arms, echoing louder than ever before.

Gina could no longer deny the need to cease her endless flight from Him. The time had come to halt her desperate attempts to outrun her own humanity and to shed the armor of ‘church girl’ acts, beneath which she had concealed her vulnerability. For too long, she had elevated her fleeting feelings above her profound connection with the Father, embarking on a fruitless quest to validate her righteousness. Yet, when she refused the gentle guidance of the Holy Spirit, her emotions spiraled into a relentless cycle that tormented her year after year.

Yet, a whisper of grace resonated in her heart, reminding her of John 6:37: “However, those the Father has given me will come to me, and I will never reject them.” Before her very existence, she had been consecrated to Jesus. This revelation, powerful and undeniable, compelled her to accept the Father’s beckoning embrace.

Gina understood that for her and Travis to forge a future together, they must cease medicating their wounds with the temporary comfort of physical intimacy. The time had come for both to embark on a journey of healing, moving forward into the next chapter of their lives. Sin had no place in their love, as the Bible had made unequivocally clear: “the wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23). By saying “no” to this temptation, Gina had stirred something dormant within Travis, something essential for his very existence and calling. He was also now ready to unshackle the chains of fear and embrace the call of The Father.

Could Gina, like the prodigal daughter, piece together the fragmented remnants of her faith and return to the sacred inner sanctuary? Two long years had elapsed since she had strayed from the sanctuary’s comforting embrace, and she had never truly found solace outside its hallowed walls. The question loomed: was she ready to embark on the arduous journey back into the loving arms of her Heavenly Father?

The love Travis had shown her during their time in “The Wild” had turned her world upside down. It was a love so profound and genuine that it defied Gina’s expectations. Now, a moment of decision was upon her. Gina turned to Travis, her eyes filled with resolve and a vulnerability she had long concealed. 

“The time has come for me to return to God,” she confessed. “When you first met me, I carried a reservoir of resentment toward God and the men in my life. But now, you will witness the Gina who loves God with a burning passion. I’m uncertain if you’re prepared for this transformation, but it’s a journey I must undertake to fulfill God’s divine purpose in my life. This path will take a sharp turn, and you once told me you weren’t going anywhere. I hope you meant it.”

Travis made a resolute leap onto the path of destiny alongside Gina. His conviction ran deep, for the revolutionary ardor ignited the very moment his eyes first beheld Gina, years past, continued to engulf his heart.

“Gina,” he declared, tears pooling in his eyes, “let’s unite in matrimony. I cannot fathom the risk of losing you should we part ways.”

As Travis’ earnest proposal flowed from his lips, Gina’s heart threatened to break free from its confines, pounding with a fervor only love could arouse. Her thoughts snapped to attention, as if some unyielding doctrine had inscribed itself upon her soul: “It is wiser to wed than to yield to the flames of desire.”

With this newfound clarity, their dilemma vanished. They could now wander hand in hand into the twilight, casting aside their tumultuous desires, embracing instead the illusion of wedded bliss.

Uncategorized

Breaking of the Church Girl

MzLiz

Breaking of the “Church Girl”

I sat in the back of the fellowship hall readying myself to watch the video “No More Sheets” for the first time. The audience in the room included Mothers, Missionaries and other women who attended the church I had recently joined. I sat and while listening I thought “she is talking about me to me!” The tears ran effortlessly as the speaker’s words pierced through the pain and confusion I’d experienced over the previous 13 years of my life.

Wearing the title proudly as a bonafide “church girl” I was easily able to assimilate into that role wherever I attended church.  Being conditioned quite well from age 9-17, I knew when to respond during each moment of the church service.  My posture was well groomed as an “Apostolic Church Girl Graduate” so that you would never really know the personal struggles I dealt with.

On this particular afternoon in the fellowship hall my “church girl” badge was tilted just enough for me to recognize the “issues” of my heart and for the first time realize the true weight I was carrying.  It was a breakthrough that was short lived though. You see the “Mothers” and the “Missionaries” condemned the content of the message.  They could not believe a national evangelist was being so transparent and “telling her business”.  “My God, when did she even have time to be rolling in the “sheets”?” One stated in disgust.  “And who are these “so called” preachers she was with?” I was astounded at their remarks and heart broken that I would not be able to share my words of deliverance with these “sainted” women.

You see they were the ones putting the “heavy burdens” on the struggling young women in the church thus causing them to be “heavy laden” as Jesus spoke about in The Gospels.  They were busy yoking them, and me at that time, with rules of how a “church girl” should act, what we should and should not wear, etc. to ensure we didn’t find ourselves in the fiery furnace.  This teaching failed to teach us how to deal with the natural changes that occurred when we were around boys as teenagers and then men as young adults.  No relationships were established with us just religion spewed from the microphone attempting to keep our flesh from burning.  You see for me as a beautiful teenager and young adult my body was responding to men before they even approached me with a touch.  The “Mothers”/”Missionaries” didn’t offer an open door policy to discuss this position but once you were caught up in an offense such as pregnancy then they were quick to slap a label on you i.e. “she fast”!

During my late teenage years I created my own process of celibacy/abstinence.  This process proved to be a rollercoaster ride of intense prayer and fasting for 6 months to a year in celibacy with periods of falling flat on my face in promiscuity for maybe the next 6 months to a year. I was ignorant to the fact that religion doesn’t fix the God given desire to consummate.  So I related to the speaker in the video.  Although I was 30 at the time and married with 3 children “the sheets” still haunted me as I buried the images deep behind my “church girl” persona.  I stayed hidden behind that image for another 15 years before God said “enough is enough” and released me from the bondage of the unordained marriage.  Unfortunately the cost of that freedom was something  I was not prepared for so I celebrated it way too hard and got lost for a minute in the freedom.  I was religious too long and once I was able to run out of those caged bars I made no preparation for freedom.  I had no plan, no strategy and really didn’t care to know what I learned while in bondage.  So it took me another 3 years to figure some things out about myself simply as a woman with no titles: mother, wife, missionary, elder, pastor’s aid leader, mentor, administrator, CHURCH GIRL……no just woman, God’s girl, His beloved!

So here I stand now Pastor Pam, no need to fill any “church girl” requirements but walking in the love of a loving Father who simply wants me to love Him as He has always loved me, graciously.  With this love I intend to free every “church girl” along with every broken girl, lonely girl, rejected girl, awkward girl simply with the story of Jesus the loving Savior reconciling us back to our Awesome Father, ABBA!!!!

Miz Liz

Be Love

Let your only motivation to love be “to love”!

MzLiz

Love is not only an action word but it is a foundational choice in a relationship between a husband and a wife.  Because it is a choice that should be made very early in the relationship, it should be attached to an unconditional state of mind.  In other words it should have no limits according to 1 Corinthians 13:7. Bearing all things, believing all things, always hopeful and enduring all things.  If these rules are followed then it would make sense that our motive to love should come from a pure place.  We choose to love because we simply want to love.  This love choice does not avail itself to manipulation.

So if you are in the relationship attempting to fix your partner by way of manipulative love it begs to question whether you are really loving at all.  This action is purely selfish.  Hopefully before you enter the union you would be honest with yourself and ask if you can truly love this person just the way they are or are you looking to love their potential.  This can become a very frustrating way to live.  You can not be settled in the relationship if you are always maneuvering your spouse to become your perfect product of love.

If you are married or deeply involved in a relationship in which you believe your love will “fix” your partner please check your mirror.  If you are being true to yourself and taking an honest assessment of the cracks that may be in your heart you will see you may not be operating in love at all.  It”s never to late to repent and genuinely seek God for answers concerning heart.  We often think we are doing what is right but many times it is right for you but not for your spouse.  Jeremiah 17:9 states “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?

MzLiz

 

Be Love

“Being” Love!

MzLiz

I had the awesome opportunity this week to experience the up close and personal affects of choosing to be love in a personal, daily challenging situation.  As a Christian “lifer” at times it has been my experience to promote encouragement and change within my community.  I love to see how immature Christians develop from the emotional state of salvation to the sober state of relationship by finding God in a personal, intimate way. That has been most fulfilling but in recent years God has broadened my perspective of the journey.  I will always continue to help struggling Christians towards fulfilling the “expected end” God desires for their life but what about those who don’t have a clue.  I am speaking of those who don’t know Jesus is love, the Bible is our life’s manual, who Jeremiah is or what Jerimiah 29:11 even means.  I am looking to touch those lives and simply introduce them to the love of Jesus. So over the last few months God put me to the challenge.

I had the awesome opportunity to minister by actions not by words to a wonderfully challenged coworker.  She has a beautiful spirit but like most of us it comes easier to demonstrate the pain versus the joy of living.  I decided to accept the challenge.  Some days I lost, choosing to react to her pain but in the end we both won when I decided to respond to her pain.  I started praying for her and even fasting so the chains would be broken in me and her.  You see, the sick may not always make it to the hospital but we as spiritual physicians have the awesome ability to effect change wherever we are.  So I made the decision to only respond when Holy Spirit directed me to and not take advantage of my sometimes valid carnal reactions.  I can not tell you how excited I am for this young lady.  To “be” light requires no “deep” interactions.  Jesus walked among the common so much so they had to pay Judas to point him out. Let us strive to be the Jesus by our everyday interactions in love, by love for love.

God change our hears so that we will desire to touch lives that know nothing about your love but will experience your love by our actions at work, the grocery story, the classroom, the courthouse, the mall, etc.  Help us to not only disciple our Christian family members to effect change in our communities but help us a leaders to effect change wherever we are!!

 

Uncategorized

Battlefield of the mind

MzLiz

When I think of a war zone I first think about the fact of there being a legitimate reason for each opposing side to be at war.

There are at least 2 reasons to keep in mind when it comes to dealing with this particular battle:

Gal 5:17 For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary the one to the other; so that ye cannot do the things that ye would. KJV

For the desires of the flesh are opposed to the Holy Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are opposed to the flesh (godless human nature); for these are antagonistic to each other (continually withstanding and in conflict with each other), so that you are not free but are prevented from doing what you desire to do. Amplified

The flesh will not ever cooperate with the Spirit.  The flesh does not get saved it must be crucified every day of our lives.  The flesh is like a fire that starts afresh each day.  You must make up in your mind to put the fire out by using the Word of God and through prayer & fasting.

I want to dig into the the word “lust” as it is used in the context of the war against the Spirit and the flesh. We often use this word in describing obsessive desire for sex but here it is used to describe the antagonism that is happening between the flesh and the Spirit.  The Free Online dictionary defines it as 1. An overwhelming desire or craving, 2. Intense eagerness or enthusiasm.

This battle that is happening is not light and should be understood to be an intense, overwhelming battle that can ONLY be won by the Holy Spirit.  We often fool ourselves into thinking we can handle some of the things the flesh ignites.  So we give in to the thought or we give in to the supposed small act thinking we have some type of control over the supposed little fire.  It must be completely resolved in our mind that we have no control over this flesh.  It is overwhelming, and it wants what it wants, when it wants it and how it wants it.  Let’s not lie to ourselves concerning this deceitful area in our lives.

So if we have no control over this flesh then what are we supposed to do to live a victorious life as a Child of God. Through maturity you will learn the weak points of your flesh and the strong, vital points of the Spirit as it relates to you!! I used to think there was one formula to be used for everyone but through experience in walking with the Father in Jesus’ Name with the guidance of the Holy Spirit, I have learned that I will sometimes have to go to the dark places to experience God for that particular situation. The pages of our lives are filled with victories and with what some may see as failures but when you are sure of the continued presence of God in your life failure takes on a totally different face: it had to happen. The “knowing” of God happens in the dry places, the dark places and sometimes the dirty places. His strength is made perfect in our weakness. 2 Cor 12:9. When we take humanism out of the equation of shooting for perfection by works and solely rely on the power of His Grace we are then able to live a balanced victorious life as a Child of God!

Father

God as Father and/or Husband?

MzLiz

Pondering the dynamics of how we as women try to put God in a box in order to fulfill an emotional void in our lives. We understand God to be our Father but I believe, especially for women, we equate that position to that of a natural father. We have needs and wants that we would like to have met by our natural father and we try to put those demands on our heavenly Father. When God does not come through according to our finite minds we have an emotional meltdown and turn our back on God. It is vitally important to understand a few things about God: “God is a Spirit, and they that worship Him must worship Him in Spirit and in truth.” John 4:24 We must come to God in faith and not in fear. When we are emotional it is often plagued by fear. God responds to faith not fear/emotion. The woman with the issue of blood knew she had to get to Jesus for her healing. Her motivation was faith not emotion. She did not show up amongst the crowd crying and/or having an emotional meltdown concerning her health condition. She stated within her heart great words of faith – “If I could just touch the hem of His garment then I would be made whole” Matthew 9:21. Jesus responded immediately and told her “Thy faith has made the whole” Matthew 9:22 We must submit to the Father by way of the Holy Spirit to be able to come to the Father in faith and not emotionally distraught. God knows only His Word; anything outside of His Word will not get a response. He is not a man with blood running through his veins. He is a spirit and we must approach Him in that manner at all times. He can not be our husband because God can not come down to lay with us. I understand the finite concept that is given to single and/or widow women but we have to be careful to be sure we use the Truth of His Word at all times to encourage one another and not attempt to feed emotions with metaphors. “Father, help us to maintain our faith as we journey through this emotionally charged life. We can approach you in faith concerning every area of our lives sandwiched with your Word. Your Word annihilates every contrary emotion related to your “expected end” for our lives. Father as we seek you reveal to us your eternal purpose for our lives as we set aside our temporal purpose for our lives!! In Jesus’ Name. Amen”

 

Proverbs 31

I want it all!!

MzLiz

Sometimes as women in the body of Christ we think we can’t have all that God has to offer us.  You are not just a church member, wife, banker, mother, prayer warrior.  We were created with the ability to be multifaceted and multi-talented. While studying Proverbs 31 oftentimes we only think of married women or mothers.  This scripture is a portrait of how a woman of God can look at any stage of her life.  Can a Proverbs 31 exist? Absolutely!  But the Proverbs 31 woman can be single, single with children, a homemaker, a teacher, or a Nun.  The most important characteristic of this woman is that she went after God with all her heart.  In verse 30 we understand her success is founded upon her “fear of the Lord”.  Fearing the Lord simply means she put Him first in every area of her life.  She made Him Lord which is sometimes the biggest challenge for women.  We say we have received Jesus as our Savior but when it comes to day to day decisions and activities we choose to seek our own counsel or the counsel of our peers instead of rising early to seek the counsel of our Heavenly Father through Jesus Christ.

We can live successfully in every area of our lives.  The portrait of the successful woman of God is very clear and concise.  We can be celebrated by our mate because we walk by his side in making careful, wise decisions concerning our financial and business affairs.  If you have children, they don’t have to rebel and disrespect you in their teenage years.  Seek the face of the Lord and your “children will rise and call you blessed”.  In a society where we are sometimes competing for our children’s attention, we do not have to lose heart if we fear the Lord.  Fearing the Lord will sometimes require us to challenge our children’s superficial desires.  Society will deceive our children and they will create an image of what their parents should look like and what their parents should provide.  I think sometimes we fear our children and do not want to hurt their feelings so we give in to what they think they need and fall short of God’s approval in our lives.  Stand firm on who you are as a woman of God and only fear Him.  If your children whine a little now then so be it but in the long run they will call you blessed if you remain faithful to His promise.

We can be confident in our work ethics.  We are not the ones who are late to work, take long lunches, surf the internet on the employer’s time, cause discord amongst co-workers.  We should not be named amongst these character traits.  Vs 17 “She sets about her work vigorously;  her arms are strong for her tasks.” This woman of God is going to work with a purpose.  Her work is part of her worship.  What kind of performance review would each one of us have if we literally went to work thinking that it is part of our worship.  And what kind of witness opportunities could arise because we have chosen to make our job performance a part of our fear of the Lord.  Wow!

As a wife our husband should have great respect for us as well as love us.  We know in Ephesians 5:25, Paul commands the husband to love his wife as Christ loves the church.  We celebrate the depth of this love.  Christ loved the church so much that He gave His life for the church and is always standing in the gap to cover us even when we are guilty.  This love is immeasurable and unfathomable.  This is the love of Jesus Christ!!  Proverbs 31 looks at this love in a different aspect.  Verse 11 “Her husband has full confidence in her and lacks nothing of value.”  This means he trusts her with all the affairs concerning their life.  He knows that she will not waste their fruit and she will not have to go begging for anything.  If he is the one who brings in the income she is the one who assures it is not wasted.  She is the business manager for the home.  Even if they both work this portrait states that she is the business manager and does not operate selfishly.  What a powerful position this woman holds within her home.  During this time of recession, we as woman of God should really take the time to seek the Lord for counsel concerning our financial decisions for our homes.  If we are single, we still have a responsibility to use wisdom and not to squander our resources.  If you are blessed then you are perhaps in that position to be a blessing to someone who is now out of a job or to a family that is broken up because of this economic crisis in America.  Vs 20 “She opens her arms to the poor  and extends her hands to the needy. ”  So if we find ourselves in a blessed position, be sure as a virtuous woman you seek God to be a blessing as well.

And wives, take care of yourselves from the inside out.  Vs 22:b “she is clothed in fine linen and purple.”  As a married woman you still have the responsibility of looking good.  Our husbands do not want to lose the attraction or the fire for their wives but many times we get lazy in the marriage and begin to lose our “sassy”.  This woman in Proverbs 31 dressed in her best and she had to look this way for many reasons.  I believe most importantly it was because she never lost herself in the marriage. Vs 25:a “She is clothed with strength and dignity;”.  She knew exactly who she was and as a result walked with great confidence and was beautiful from the inside out.  Just because I am a prayer warrior/intercessor does not mean I have to look like a monk.  While my husband is confident that I will go to war with any demon on his behalf and the behalf of my children, when I step out the door he is confident that people want to know who is this woman on his arm.

Woman, we can have it all but the most important step in getting it and keeping it is operating in the “fear of the Lord”!!  Rise early and seek His face then get up to operate under the anointing that He has placed for your life.  You can’t do what I do and I can’t do what you do but we all have an assignment to find our face of the virtuous woman.

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the story

MzLiz

Doing what I love has been masked with getting through the details of my story.  Funny, because the details of my story will help me do what I love at my best.  I fell in love with the pen and the paper because it allowed me to release so much of the details of the story over the years.  I didn’t write with the intention of ever sharing but with the intention of releasing some of the frustration that was coupled with the details.  At times there were some enjoyable moments especially the victories and revelations I received during my intimate moments with God.  I think of myself as a scribe.  Created in His image I am simply doing what God did when He spoke through the many authors of the Bible…..I am writing a story.  Blogging is going to be a journey to the other side of me.  I am excited to meet new people with this blog and hope to encourage and enlighten with each stroke of the keyboard.  Share the journey…..