Tag: faith

faith · heart · love of god · Spirit

Containment

AmandaLeave a comment

I’ve tried to write what’s on my heart so many times. I’ve deleted what I’ve said because of the fear of sounding “harsh.” But… You know what? I have to say what’s jumbling around inside.

Do you ever stop and think, “What’s in God’s heart? How does He see our world? What are His solutions? What kind of life-giving, spirit-driven solution can He provide us with in this moment of time?”

If so, do you ever get an answer? If you do get an answer, do you keep following the narrow path of that answer with more questions? And if you’re still on that path of seeking answers with questions, have the answers produced a life-giving harvest around you and those close to you?

You see I’m asking because I’ve made a commitment to seek what’s contained in His heart in all circumstances. And though it’s challenging… And though I do fail a lot… I’ve promised myself I’ll move forward with my spirit, heart and soul fixated on faithfully following through with His desires. Truly living from each unprecedented milestone to the next.

So, you can then maybe understand why my heart feels grieved when I look around and see that my generation and our culture is completely overrun with materialism, self-centeredness and the goal of becoming a mini-god of sorts.

Y’all… We are missing it. A relationship with God isn’t an “add-on” at the end of the menu. He isn’t a side dish that we consume with the rest of our meals. He’s not our meaningful thought to “feel better” for a moment. And He’s most certainly not intended to revolve around our self-centered nature. 

What happened to relationship with Him? Where did the truth that Jesus heals go? Where is our passion for seeking His glory as a solvent in all situations? Where is our devotion for and submission to following Holy Spirit’s lead, no matter how uncertain it seems? Where is our faith for believing Him for the next step no matter the sacrifice? Where is our trust in believing He will provide us with the strength necessary to carry the weight of what He’s asking us to do? 

It is grieving to see a nation filled with problems He can and will solve, if only we will let Him lead and stop intruding our soulish thoughts and emotions into His processes. 

And again, maybe I am harsh in what I’m saying; however, following Him has never been a disappointment. He has always, always provided a way. He has always provided more than enough finances to meet my every need. And He’s always given the next step, chapter and season when He knows it’s time.

And so, I’m writing this to remind you… Lay down the materialism. Let go of the self-centeredness. Give up the idea of becoming a mini-god. It’s not worth it. As enchanting and illusive as it all seems, it’s not of spiritual value. 

What’s of spiritual value can’t be added up in the tangible. It can’t be purchased with views, likes and comments. What’s of spiritual value is an eternal connection contained inside of a very real, very loving, very vulnerable and very humble God. 🌱

keep moving forward · soul · Spirit

Faith for the Mountain

AmandaLeave a comment

I love this time of the year. God’s supernatural window is open in an extraordinary way as He pulls Himself closer to us. And you know I found myself sitting with Him this morning, discussing a list of projects that lay before me, praying for a number of situations that need to come into divine alignment and also receiving some solid wisdom and gifting for forward movement.

And then… Then He said to me, “I want to give you My mountain of healing. I want to plant it in your heart. It is for you to share with others.” Then I immediately asked, “Is this mountain a seed, or is it like a potted plant, one that’s already semi-nurtured and developed, that needs to be planted on the grounds of my heart?” Then I saw what looked very similar to a tiny replica of Disney’s Magic Kingdom with roots hanging off of it. It was about the size of an engagement ring box. And He said, “It’s a plant. And I am going to plant it inside of you. You will share it with others. I will water it with My glory so it may grow.”

Hmmm… Interesting…

Now, I really don’t have the slightest clue what’s ahead. If I were to guess based on the boundaries of my soulish mind, I would say it will grow and become whatever He intends it to be. But then, I am also very aware that my human spirit’s superconscious mind and Holy Spirit can provide me with more answers than my soul can. 

So, I asked them. And I saw very clearly (but in way more details than I’m allowed to share) that His mountain of healing is going to be a cultivated journey of sorts with many highs and lows. Which does make me feel somewhat prepared, but then also causes me to embrace my reality… Which is that I’m going to have to use faith… Faith that I don’t have in this current moment will be needed to help this mountain grow.

And I believe it’s all together very exciting. It’s exciting to think, “WOW! I will have to step out into uncharted territory to watch this thing develop, mature and grow into what God intends it to be inside of me for others.”

Because what’s the point of believing in God, Jesus and the Kingdom of Heaven if we aren’t pushed to the limits in our relationships with them and the world around us? What’s the point to trusting if we aren’t perpetually thrust into a place of faith for the unseen every single day? What’s the point of saying, “Yes, I’ll submit and follow,” to only turn our attention back to the culture of the ever-evolving, illusive and enchanting “American Dream?” And as much as I enjoy the “ladder of so-called success,” what’s the point of climbing it if His heart, visions, dreams and purposes aren’t sewn into the very foundation of it all with a promise to produce a quality harvest of fruit on the other end? 🌱

authority & dominion · freedom · Spirit

Expansion

AmandaLeave a comment

Deep beneath the layers of my skin, I feel it… A trans-dimensional maturity and growth occurring. It’s a stretching out… A stretching out and almost bursting forth of my human spirit. You know, it almost feels like my skin is tighter and brighter because I now contain more of my human spirit, Holy Spirit and the weight of the glory of God.

Actually, if you’ve ever smoked weed and been high before then you can kind of understand what this feels like. It’s just so weightless… Almost like you’re floating. Standing taller. Standing firmer. Your soul is submitting to your human spirit, and the merry-go-round you’ve been on has slowed down to a God-inclusive pace. A pace that offers a space for His thoughts and solutions to jump on board. And your mind… Your mind is clear from worry, anxiety and fear. You’re actually able to process the world that’s spinning at a mad, chaotic pace because your level of faith and belief in the Kingdom of God has increased to tremendous heights. 

This… This is expansion. You are called higher. The standard God set within the boundaries of His limitless Kingdom becomes clearer and clearer to your soul’s mind. And the dreams He’s placed inside of your malleable heart become realer, almost tangible to the very essence or your being.

Now, you might be wondering, “Amanda, how often do you feel this?” Honestly, from season to season. You see it takes true willingness, obedience and perseverance to move into higher levels of spiritual maturity and growth. It requires a level of submissive faith that decrees and declares, “I will follow where Holy Spirit is leading me, no matter the challenge, the limbo, the frustration and the internal conflict between spirit and soul. I will follow Him from season to season, seeking each milestone He is pointing me towards.”

But, “Amanda, what’s it all for?” Honestly, I believe spiritual maturity and growth is needed for more things than we can truly fathom; however, in this moment, I believe we need it for the push back. You see we cannot and will not rule and reign over the wickedness and evil of the world without it. We cannot conquer the kingdom of darkness if our human spirits are weak, inactive and immobile. We all need to experience the stretching out and bursting forth. We all need to make room for the glory of God that desires to dwell inside of us. 

And I’m writing this because I hear Holy Spirit incessantly repeating, “It’s time for a giant push back. You are strong enough. You are equipped enough. You have a solid understanding of your God-given authority and dominion. Now, push back!” 

So, I am encouraging you to stretch out so you too can push back. 🌱

doubt · faith · keep moving forward · stillness

Questioning It All

AmandaLeave a comment

I had a vision yesterday morning. I was in a dark, spacious cave, and I saw a waterfall flowing from a tall mountain-top of black rock. The mouth of the waterfall was wide. As the water fell, it plunged into a pool at the bottom, and then began to rapidly flow into a ravine. The ravine was different from the spacious cave. It was very tube like, tight and cramped. Still dark, but elevating downward. Then, very suddenly, I saw what seemed to be an end to the darkness… A bright light!

After this played out, I heard Holy Spirit. He said, “You are in a very tight, isolated and concealed space right now. So much is happening at once. I know it doesn’t seem like it is, but it is. Trust the flow. Trust what you feel in your human spirit. Trust the direction you’re being led… Even though you don’t understand. Trust Me.”

And then He stopped talking.

Lately, it’s been extremely challenging to keep moving forward. When you walk through many difficult seasons of life, without breaking into what God’s promised, you begin to question everything. And I have been. I am questioning it all. 

You see… It’s just the insight… The ideas… The concepts He’s given me over the years… Well, I’ve held so firm to them. He revealed them to me, planted them in my heart, watered them, nurtured them, watched them develop, mature and grow… And I see the fruit. I see what His ideas, concepts and dreams have produced in my own life and the lives of those that are close to me. But then… Then I ask, “What about the rest? What about the broad scope of all You envisioned and shared with me? And, I know I lack a lot of understanding, but how much longer will You choose to keep Your work concealed? Because I don’t care about fame, fortune, followers or ‘success.’ That doesn’t move me. Honestly, I only, truly care about You. I care that multitudes see how sensational of a feeling it is to be satisfied by only You. I care to share the same measure of love with others that You have shared with me. Everyone has to know! They must know that You aren’t so much ‘cool or hip or relevant.’ Instead, You’re legitimate and virtuous in Your very nature. You’re exactly what each person needs You to be in his/her own life at any given moment because relationship with you is a lifestyle, not a pop culture phenomenon or religion.”

His response? Quiet. Very still. Actually, His stature is so still that it echoes in a very boisterous way. Which then leads me to be still. To calm my soul. To stay present, confident and very focused on exactly where He’s leading. To not be conformed to my lack of understanding, but to just keep moving forward through this very tight, isolated and concealed space in time. 🌱

doubt · fear · heart · soul

Right Where I’m Supposed to Be

AmandaLeave a comment

Over the past week or so my soul has been pushing me to cave and capitulate. I hear my thoughts. I feel my emotions. And they… They have decided that this jagged, uncomfortable path of stillness leading to God’s glory is just too much for them.

Now, I truly do not want to get off of the path. My spirit and my heart are truly dead set on the direction I’m being led; however, my soul… My soul gets really distracted sometimes. Actually, if I’m not conscious of and self-disciplined about what I’m feeding my soul, then it begins to get annoyed. It begins to lose sight of the goodness of God and the place of power, dominion and authority Holy Spirit has seated me in. 

And the annoyance… Well, it opens up an unwanted avenue of doubt inside of me. And then the doubt begins to conduct its full-fledged plan to captivate my heart. Actually, the doubt is so wise that it starts speaking to me about the past. It tries to remind me why I should choose to fear disappointment… “You’ve been so disappointed before. You stuck to the path, and people that you trusted very deeply and intimately with the things of God let you down. So, how do you know you won’t get disappointed again? Why would you keep trusting this path, Amanda? Why would you keep relying on the goodness of God and all of His promises and provision when you’ve been so deeply wounded before?”

But then… Then I hear Holy Spirit say, “Amanda, I am not human. I am God. I have never left you. Even in the depth of your brokenness, loss and deep insecurities, I was there offering up a strong pillar of hope and love to lean on. And, I will never leave you or disappoint your heart. So, keep putting your faith in Me. Keep your identity in the truth that you live from a place of right standing through Christ. Keep your eyes focused on the spirit realm. Keep your expectations on Me and on things flowing from above. I am always working. Even when you are completely still, I am working. Do not forget about My glory. This is the last and final stretch of this season. Bring it home! Do it well! Finish it completely with honor, dignity and respect. Do it from a place of incessant faith and trust in Me. Do not fear. Do not doubt. Do not live from a place of lack: spirit, soul, heart and body. Instead, live in the fullness of Me.”

And you know, when I hear Holy Spirit speak, well His confidence and assurance in Himself and in me, it really motivates and strengths me. It truly gives me the courage to silence my soul and focus my attention on where He’s leading me. Rather than on where distraction leads me. 

And I don’t know if you ever go through this. I don’t know if you can sort through yourself from the inside out and differentiate between the voice of your spirit, soul, heart and God’s. I don’t know if you can recognize when fear and doubt try their best to take advantage of your weaknesses while interloping themselves into the mix of voices within you. However, I hope you are willing to let Holy Spirit lead you into this place of maturity. I hope that when you feel overwhelmed with doubt and fear you can stop yourself and say, “My foundation is rooted in what flows from above. So, I am choosing to press past all of the noise and keep moving forward with where I am being led. I will reach the end of this challenging season with grace, confidence and complete assurance that I am exactly where I am supposed to be.” 🌱

faith · follow · grow · heart · keep moving forward · refine

Following Growth

AmandaLeave a comment

Growth… Growth & I have a love/hate relationship.

Wait… Let me rephrase that. Growth, as amazing as it is, feels like a antagonist in my life sometimes. Do I crave it? Sure I do! I crave growth and the results that come from following through with where I’m being led to develop and mature in life. I crave the feeling of becoming a healthier vessel from the inside out!

And, over the years, I’ve read so many books… You know the ones that encourage you to “Think and Grow Rich.” The ones that encourage you to focus on self-love, manifestations and such… And while those methods for growth have worked in my life, none of them have been as powerful or as long-lasting as following the Holy Spirit and His supernatural growth track.

His system… His ways… His ability to lead me in the best direction, customized and centered around what I need to grow is the most powerful and pure thing I’ve ever encountered.

And sure… Sure it’s filled with a lot of walks through valleys and continual climbing of mountains with a lot of highs and lows… However, the greatest part… The most amazing piece about following the Holy Spirit is the relationship that’s birthed within the process of following. It’s a feeling that’s greater than any self-love or love from another because it meets me at the very core of my spirit, heart and soul. It’s God’s love. His perpetual love makes the growth process worth every inch of the journey.

And I don’t know who I’m speaking to when saying this, but God (in His very essence) is completely interested in growing with US. He needs us as much as we need Him. And if we (I’m mainly speaking to myself) can just continue to follow with a pure and steady heart… A heart that wants to be free from all of the darkness, sickness, depression, fear and anxiety we’re feeling… Then I believe He will continue to help us grow into the most beautiful trees of LIFE… Trees of LIFE firmly planted within His garden of LIFE! 🌱 #cultivatelife #keepmovingforward

faith · heart · keep moving forward

My Word is: Faith

AmandaLeave a comment
Corey Rives Visual Art
For the past several days I’ve been searching for the best word to describe my experience with 2020… And as I’ve fumbled through the list in my head and heart, the one that’s continued to pop up is “faith.” And if you’re anything like me, faith might sound so simple. However, it’s my faith and belief in God that’s helped me truly rise above all of the continued uncertainty and chaos of 2020. And… If I’m 100% honest, I’d have to say I’ve had more peace inside of my heart this year than all years past.  And while that may sound odd to you, it’s not for me… Why? Well you see my very being is completely adamant about living a lifestyle of faith. And it’s not a stagnant word, lying dormant in my heart. Instead it’s a key that’s perpetual, living, active and divinely present in my daily life. My choice to place things I can’t control in God’s hands has taken so much pressure and burden off of my own shoulders. Pressure and burden He never created me to carry… For I am not strong enough… Only He is. And I see 2021 heading down an increasingly cataclysmic path… One where we must use the ultimate amount of faith that’s rooted deep within our spirits, hearts and souls in order to move forward. You see I believe more things will feel out of our control than ever before; however, when we choose to constantly engage in relationship with Father God, Jesus and Holy Spirit… When we choose to activate our spirits and then live a lifestyle of constant and continual faith… Then and only then will we find ourselves in a place of peace and harmony. And the peace… The peace will rise straight from the ashes of our deepest fears decreeing and declaring, “My God is stronger than this, and His Kingdom is more equip than all that I am facing. So I WILL march forth… I WILL place all of my worries, fears, doubts and cares on Him… And HE WILL show me how to consistently and systematically use the power, dominion and authority He has equip me with to fight forces of darkness and all that’s of evil nature.” 🌱⚔️🛡 #cultivatelife 
authority & dominion · focus · Fullness of Jesus · kingdom · power · rule & reign

That is Your Superpower

AmandaLeave a comment

“You need to stay focused on Me. That is your superpower. I AM your superpower.”

And this superpower isn’t anything I’m aiming to keep a secret… My ability to remain focused on God, His goodness and His kingdom is the most vital thing I can continue to do right now.

Why?

Well because the kingdom of darkness is trying its very hardest to usurp the Kingdom of God. But, it won’t. Why? Well because the Kingdom of God is much, much stronger. How? Well because Jesus rules & reigns; and He has given us power, dominion & authority so that we may rule & reign with Him.

And I do realize I have been writing about this a lot lately. But… You see it’s just so important that I keep expressing this truth. It’s so vital that we live from a place of power, dominion & authority over the death and darkness that’s pushing its agenda on mankind.

It’s not enough in the least bit anymore to stand around and proclaim faith in Jesus, but then to sit back and not operate in all He has equip us with.

Because I believe… I believe when our human spirits are healthy and active we have the ability to become like superheroes in the unseen realms of life. I believe… Actually I live from this place on the regular. A place of power. A place where I am praying and speaking into matters of the unseen, so that they may change in the unseen and then flow into the seen.

And so… As always, I want to encourage you to continue to focus on God, His goodness and His Kingdom. I want to encourage you to live from a place of divine alignment (spirit, soul, heart and body) with His kingdom so that you may rule & reign as you operate in power, dominion and authority. And, most importantly I want to continue to see the kingdom of darkness squelched by the life of Christ that’s flowing through each one of us that believes in Him. 🌱⚔️🛡 #cultivatelife #ruleandreign

authority & dominion · faith · family · kingdom · languishing · rule & reign

Rule & Reign

AmandaLeave a comment

Dominion… Dominion, power and authority… The constant, active and alive keys to the present world and age we’re living in. We won’t survive and thrive, spirit, soul, heart and body, without them. They are essential to moving forward as children of God who are cultivating life within the Kingdom of Heaven.

You see it’s just not enough anymore… It’s not enough for those who believe in Jesus to live and dwell from a place of sonship and daughtership alone. Instead, we must rise to the occasion. We must rule & reign as Kings and Queens from our spiritual positions. We must take our rightful seats as heirs of Christ and focus in on the work He needs us to do in the heavens and the earth.

And I know what I’m saying might sound strange to some of you. Which is why you should know, you are a spirit, with a soul and a heart… Inside of a body. And those four components, they want… No they need to connect to the Godhead and then work together in unison with them for daily living. They need to work in unison for healing, wholeness and restoration to flow into our lives and the lives of others.

And so, wherever you are in this very moment, I hope and pray you are encouraged in your very being to examine your life as a whole. To ask yourself, “Am I ruling and reigning in life? Am I living from a place of dominion, power and authority? Am I exercising the power Jesus has given to me to constantly speak to death, darkness and decay and see that they are canceled, overturned and uprooted? Or, am I sitting back? Going through the motions of life… Living a languishing lifestyle of the spirit, heart and soul because I don’t know how to access and activate what God has given to me fully and properly? 🌱👑⚔️🛡 #cultivatelife

faith · healing · languishing · restore

The Steal Can’t Be Real If You Check the Roots

AmandaLeave a comment

I had a dream Friday night. I saw the enemy of my spirit, heart and soul stealing an inheritance that didn’t belong to him. My human spirit even spoke to me in the dream and said, “This isn’t holy, divine or pure.”

When I woke up from the dream I thought about it and prayed deeply. I asked God to help me decipher what I had just seen. He said, “Amanda, the inheritance you saw in your enemies hands is healing and restoration, and your spirit was right… It does not belong to him at all. That healing and restoration you saw is MINE. And My plan is to release it in a very different way. So be bold. Be courageous. Stand against this counterfeit that would like to mock Me and the healing and restoration I am bringing forth.”

From that point I moved forward. I knew I had to pray deeper than ever before.

But… Before I could… I began to feel my enemy reminding me of my past. He started tearing me down about my body image, the unfortunate loss of my father and some tremendous heartbreak. All of these areas are places where (in the past) my enemy has stolen large portions of life.

However, every time my enemy reminded me of destruction and loss, I reminded him of my current root system. I looked down deep into my spirit and saw my sturdy roots, and they screamed from the top of their lungs, “WE ARE ROOTED IN GOD. WE CANNOT BE SHAKEN OR MOVED.”

And so, I picked up my head and I moved forward with that truth in hand. I moved forward knowing that my life has been healed and restored. And, because of this healing and restoration, I contain the boldness, confidence and courage to stand against my enemy… Reminding him that the steal can’t be real if you check the roots. 🌱 #cultivatelife