Hello LE Family, we are fully into the year, the summer months are truly upon, us and I pray you are well and healthy.
Last month we looked at the evidence of the power and promises of God within my life, in particular towards purpose and spiritual growth. It was at this point that I was thriving in ministry and growing in my relationship with God.
“Joyful-Joyful Lord I adore you!” I can hear myself singing!
Then Boooooooooooom…….. the rug is pulled from under my feet, the things that I had built and felt attached too was being “taken away!”
I was being asked by God to give up Life Essence Housing!
This leads us nicely into this month’s scriptures- Isaiah 43
-The Key Scriptures-
-In The Wasteland-
Imagine, feeling like nothing you put your hand to really reaches its full essence (as was my past experience before Christ). Then you partner with God and everything starts to go amazingly well, and you’re achieving your plans and goals. You have been thrust into the light and everyone can now see you and all the projects you’re doing,
God has exposed you to the world you have emerged!
(read last month’s blog)
Then God says stop the project is over, the doors of the housing Element of Life Essence is closing.
What? Wait? Hold on? I don’t get it?
Why was God asking me to give up my baby, the thing I had worked so hard for, the thing I had sacrificed so much for? So many questions plagued me, it hurt, and it didn’t make sense.
It was painful: I prayed, I cried, and I was supported by friends, volunteers, and my Pastor during the process. Thankfully they all prayed and provided Godly counsel and the support I needed.
One thing I can tell you on reflection is that I was clinging on. The thought of closing the house was just too much to bare. I didn’t want the house to close, that meant failure, however, Deep inside I knew it wasn’t in God’s plan for me anymore.
So I came up with a plan!
I had a number of meetings with amazing women and tried to hand it over to someone else to run.
Win! Win! So I thought….
Jesus is quoted in Luke 22:42 “Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine be done.”
Needless to say, God’s will won not mine!
Within a matter of three weeks, the women were rehoused, and the doors of
Life Essence Housing and Support CLOSED
It was at this stage that I felt like I was truly and utterly in the wasteland! I felt DRIED UP and DESERTED. I could not see clearly, I was in pain, and I felt devastated!
Although Life Essence as a ministry is more than providing accommodation and had way more to it than the housing aspect, I could not see that I was so focused on the bricks and water.
One night after praying, crying, and feeling pretty lost I received a Dream from God. I saw myself in a dry desert-looking wasteland, there was nothing there but dry cracked clay and soil. I was looking around, walking around in distress, and I could hear a loud voice shouting at me!
“I am doing a NEW thing do you not perceive it?
“NO” I shouted back still searching the wasteland, Then again the voice shouted
” DO YOU NOT PERCEIVE IT?”
“NO, I can’t see it” Still not understanding or seeing anything the voice came aloud again.
” BUT, DO YOU PERCEIVE IT?”
I then woke up realizing that this was all part of God’s plan for me and the ministry. That my focus was off, and that the house needed to be closed to make room for the NEW and the bigger vision for the Ministry, myself and all those involved in it.
-The Streams-
I finally perceived it-I could see the streams of water in the wasteland.
God then began to move, downloading the next steps in the process and the direction He wishes to take in the overall ministry.
I can honestly say, I am so happy that the house was birthed in the season it was. Right in the midst of the COVID:19 pandemic, when women needed space to escape potentially life threatening situations. And when I look at the financial climate now, I also realize that Life Essence Housing would have become so costly and really unaffordable for the ministry and the women.
Perfect Timing I Would Say Now!
I am truly excited and looking forward to the New Streams as God continues to build His Church through Life Essence Ministry!
-Reflection and Meditation-
7 The beginning of wisdom is this: Get wisdom. Though it cost all you have, get understanding.Proverbs 4:7
As you sit and reflect on this blog, I am pretty sure you have had some thoughts about your own life. Times when you have had to give up things and be obedient to God’s instructions and what that looked like for you.
Or maybe you are clinging on to something that God clearly wants you to stop doing, or let go of. This might not be a ministry like in my case.
It could be a job, relationship, country, a ministry position even.
You may be asking yourself;
What am I going to do?
Who am I without this thing?
Lord why?
Lord, what are you doing?
-Pray-
Well the good news is that God is always available, and you can communicate and invite him into your life and situation at any given moment. So why not do that now, bring your questions to him and wait for the answers.
The ANSWERS might come immediately or over time!
For the LORD gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding
Proverbs 2:6
–Praise & Worship-
Listen to this amazing song: “Rest – Avery Doreen (Official Lyric Video)
This Song also really ministered to me during this season of my life, I truly pray this blog and song blesses you. As you listen think about God and your situation and ask him to speak to you and give you wisdom and understanding.
Below is a picture of my incomplete creative work that encapsulates the year and is based on two key scriptures; Joshua 3- Crossing the Jordan River the second being John 4-Jesus Talks With a Samaritan Woman
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