grit, grace, & coffee grinds

In this final episode of Grit, Grace, & Coffee Grinds I close out with a message to motivate my listeners to employ all they have gained the last three years and encourage them to be salt and light.

Listen up! One soldier who is enlisted, and fully invested in the Army of God, and prayerfully, faithfully, and staunchly protecting their divinely assigned post has the indisputable potential to change the world. Find out how....keep listening

He prays for unity and oneness and 17:11. He prays for protection from evil in John 17:15. Lastly, he prays sanctity and holiness in John 17:17. Harmony is important because it makes the church a positive example to the world and helps draw others to the Lord, it renews and revitalizes his ministry, because there is less tension to sap our energy.  Living in harmony does not mean we will agree on everything; but we must agree on our purpose in life which is to work together for God. Our outward expression of unity will reflect our inward unity of purpose. So, from the outside looking in, would you say that the church is in perfect harmony and unified by a sole purpose? That purpose, of course, being to glorify Jesus with our lives?  Well, if you don't see much of it, pause for reflection. Since Jesus is praying this for us, it just seems rather negligent on his soldiers part to not remedy the situation as quickly and efficiently as possible.  God has a lot to say about unity in the Bible because it's like super important.

I truly belive God wants us to be honest with ourselves, with him, and in our prayer closet. Every prayer that Jesus prayed is deliberate and intentional. If only every soldier had the confidence and courage to talk to the Father the way Jesus did. Remember, we all share the same father.

We find our next prayer that Jesus prayed in John 12:27. It says, Now is my soul troubled. And what shall I say? ‘Father, save me from this hour'? But for this purpose came I unto this hour. Father, glorify thy name.' Then a voice came from heaven: ‘I have glorified it, and I will glorify it again.' This reminds me of a quote that John piper said in 2012.  "God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in him." When our every motive and desire moves with a fervent zeal to ensure the glory of God in our every day walk, that is what God desires most. Jesus relays to us that his soul was troubled. It was stirred up. It was agitated. It is hard for us to think of Jesus as having a troubled soul or an agitated soul but let's not forget he was 100% human as well as 100% deity.  He felt all human emotions and all human pain, mental, emotional and physical.  He was tempted in all the ways that we are tempted every day. 

It wasn't hard to see my destiny laid out in front of me.  It would most likely show itself in the form of a youth pastor‘s wife or an evangelist's wife traveling the country, encouraging women and teen girls to live their lives every day for the glory of God and to hold the line for Jesus. That's what I will be doing. I'll be visiting church after church, being a blessing to my husband and my future children. I would teach women's Sunday school classes and be asked to speak at women's conferences and my husband will be asked to preach at Bible camp throughout the summer. I would meet lots of friends and have favorite churches that we went to every year. Looking back at that version of me, it's a little comical and a little too tidy.  Dreams are not the problem. The problem occurs when we don't give the dreams to Jesus. The dilemma happens when we don't hold them loosely enough.

Due to popular vote, we will be kicking off a series today called prayers Jesus prayed. We will be exploring each time Jesus prayed throughout his ministry, the significance of the prayer, and, of course, how we can apply it as we grow in grace and be more effective in the army of God. The prayer of Jesus we are going to dissect today is found in Matthew 11:25 and Luke 10:21. It is said to be His prayer of thanksgiving. 

R.C. Sproul said it best, You dont have to give up your intellect to trust the Bible. You have to give up your pride. Our greatest weapon against the enemy is truth. Only by the truth can we truly see heavens perspective, listen with a humble heart, and actively participate in battle.  We participate by yielding in submission to become a channel of God's truth, mercy, and justice. Spiritual warfare is all around us.  The fight between good and evil. Spiritual beings are fighting for us or against us; fighting for the souls of men. ‘And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God., Eph 7:17 says. I think it's a good idea to take the Bible literally as often as possible. After we have put on the armor of God; every single piece of it, and we pick up our shield of faith to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked - Matrix style- Jesus commands us that we take the sword of the spirit.  And he also tells us what the Sword of the Spirit is. It is the very Word of God. So, in a literal practice, either take your Bible with you wherever you go or put verses to memory so that you can speak the sword of the spirit, the light of truth, into a dark world. Jesus is for protecting ourselves and arming ourselves against attack. He warns us in I Peter of a roaring lion called the Devil seeking who he will devour next. It's when we're attacked, foks, not if. 

Faith reveals that God is doing more for his people then we can ever realize through sight alone. When you face difficulties that seem insurmountable, remember that spiritual resources are there even if you can't see them. Look with eyes of faith and let God show you his resources. If you don't see God working in your life, the problem may be your spiritual eyesight, not God's power.

We all long for peace, but sometimes it's hard to find. This podcast episode explores how to bring peace in the most difficult of situations. We dive into the Armour of God, and discuss gospel shoes as a way to walk in peace. Disruptive peace is a powerful tool to help restore relationships, and the world needs peace more than ever. We discuss practical steps to bring peace and resolution in our areas of conflict, so we can create a better world. Listen now and find out how you can bring peace into your life.

The breastplate. It protects our heart, lungs, and stomach…all organs which are targeted by the enemy for either instant kills or slow deaths.  If the devil can't make you question your faith and security in Christ, he will go for broke and hurt you, wound you, and beat on you until it affects your spirit and service for the Lord.  You can't beat him. No human can.  He is clever, strategic, planned, and emotionally intelligent. He doesn't have to guess which area will cause the most damage. He has nothing but time, our flesh, and filthy, blood thirsty devils working for him. I, for one, am sure thankful for a tailor made piece of armor that guarantees protection to my deceived little heart.

Ephesians 6:14 says, Stand, therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breast plate of righteousness. We often view this verse in light of a specific piece of the armor of God called the belt of truth. Paul implores his fellow soldiers to have their loins girt about with truth. Historically, there are different cultures who would wear loin cloths to cover the most sensitive parts of the human body. But, mind that we are speaking of spiritual warfare and putting on armor that is unseen to the physical world. In first Peter 1:13 it says, gird up the loins of your mind. As mentioned in episode 54, The Helmet of Salvation, we know that the battle is between the ears. Our mind needs secure, impentrable protection. So what part of the mind needs the most protection? Take a listen!!

The helmet of salvation. The piece of armor, the foundation of our armor rather, on which hangs the rest of the armor of God. Quite frankly, from a spiritual standpoint, without the helmet of salvation you cannot take up or put on the rest of the armor. I didn't give a lot of thought to the helmet of Salvation and the impact it has for the soldier when encountering the enemy until a sermon preached during one of my last summer camp adventures. It put all the pieces together for me.

Praying for others has stopped me in my tracks more than a few times. Whether it was simply not knowing what to pray for or, if I'm honest, lacking the motivation to pray for this person or that person, I crossed them off the list with guilty dismissal and skip to the next. Hear me out. I wanted to pray. I remembered times in years past when I looked forward to my conversations with God. Times I kept on praying without a single glance at the clock. My prayer life, however, fluctuated between a willingness to face the fiery furnace with Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego to throwing a pity party right alongside Jonah in the belly of a whale. Bottom line? My prayer life was in desperate need of an overhaul.

As an advocate for truth, I chose to stray off the beaten path during our holiday months and share some nitty gritty truth about Americas' history. The anniversary of these events occurred within either October, November, or December respectively. So before they get re-written Orwell-esque style, here are some important anniversary events that happened in the month of December.

As an advocate for truth, I chose to stray off the beaten path during our holiday months and share some nitty gritty truth about Americas' history. The anniversary of these events occurred within either October, November, or December respectively. So before they get re-written Orwell-esque style, here are some important anniversary events that happened in the month of November.

As an advocate for truth, I chose to stray off the beaten path for the next three months and share some nitty gritty truth about Americas' history. The anniversary of these events occurred within either October, November, or December respectively. So before they get re-written Orwell-esque style, here are some important anniversary events that happened in the month of October as promised.

My husband and I have been reading Orwell's 1984 together and, although every characteristic of the story does not align with our present day, the majority of the similarities are striking as well as horrifying. One of these similarities is the job of the main character, Winston Smith. He, essentially, rewrites pieces of history, that Big Brother deems unnecessary or in error, or erases it altogether. This includes any written literature save none. As an advocate for truth, I chose to stray off the beaten path for the next three months and share some nitty gritty truth about Americas' history. The anniversary of these events occurred within either October, November, or December. So before they get re-written, here are some important anniversary events that happened in the month of October. https://all.org/contraception/abortion-connection https://www.hli.org/resources/the-difference-one-racist-made-margaret-sangers-world/

And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you. Howbeit this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting.” Matt 17: 20-21 We have a recorded account in Luke 10:19 of the Lord giving his disciples authority over scorpions and devils and they could tread them under foot. In addition, he also gave them power, “over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you.” However, during one occasion his disciples could not cast out a demon from a child and they asked God why. His answer was that sometimes the kinds of devils you're up against can only be cast out by prayer and fasting.

Today's episode is leaning heavily on the whimsy and lighthearted because the upcoming episode is just, well…tough. Its been tought to write, tough to edit, tough to record, which begs the question, will it be tough to listen to? As my pastor sometimes says in regard to a message that isn't quite ready…, it's still gooey in the center, so back in the oven it goes! The lighthearted topic for today? The only other topic to talk about other than spiritual warfare! Coffee, of course!!! (this one's for you Emily) This is a satire piece my own hubby helped me write titled: Coffee Christianity - denominations and their coffee type

Satan banks on our ignorance. Sadly, he finds stacks of cashiers checks he can cash in the amount of how much we don't know. Soldiers in God's army are the ones that need to have the answers. We should never be the ones who claim ignorance. How many times must God tell us to study? Sure we can use our platform and influence to shout our pro-life, pro-God, pro-constitution stance. We can speak the truth about what God hates and what God loves. In addition to speaking truth, how about we face the music and match our life to our stance.

Of course you can't make it very far into a biblical study of trees and bearing fruit until you make it back to Psalm one which was made famous in churches all across the country by Ron Hamilton who made it into a song. As soon as I give you the first four words I know you're going to start humming it. Listen in!

I tend to see, and understand, spiritual warfare with the lenses of Hollywood and the media. And what I mean by that is I look at at spiritual warfare just like a physical battle in the sense that there are months of planning and months of strategizing and training and then there's a huge battle that rages between the forces of good and evil. We don't see much day-to-day fighting, just big battles that are won or lost and then go down in the history books as a failure or success. These larger, strategically planned out battles- that turn into full blown wars- are a piece of spiritual warfare, but they are not the whole puzzle. Our daily battles are won, or lost, in the kitchen, and in the bedroom. They are fought when we are speaking with our neighbor, and shopping for groceries. Listen in!

Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us Hebrews 12:1. Our besetting sin doesn't have to hold us back and, in fact, shouldn't. Fear, worry, perfectionism, doubt, materialism, comparison, pride; all sins that hold us back from growth and from running the race with pureness of heart. There's a reason why Paul specifically mentions the fact that we need to lay it aside. Not only because we need Jesus to run our race with patience and finish our course with joy, but also because we should never, ever use it as an excuse not to grow a little more closer to Jesus and grow a little bit more distant from the world. Our besetting sin should never be something that we say “ah, that's just who I am” or “it's my cross to bear.” Jesus commands us to ‘forget those things which are behind and press toward the mark'... even in our flesh.

There are conversations that my husband and I have together that float around, sometimes gather evidence, and sometimes are just left for the mind to peek at curiously. Then there are the conversations that we have where my husband tries to convince me that I should “really do a podcast with this topic! I really think people would resonate with what you are sharing and your perspective.” And I always come up with these lame excuses of “No! My audience already knows what they believe about this”, or “I'm gonna totally rub someone the wrong way” or “It'll sound like I'm trying to be the expert on this topic and I'm most definitely not!” And then he counters with truth and how can I deny that, darn it? “Then don't act like an authority on the subject and don't claim to be one. You opened the door to a conversation about prayer and spiritual warfare and this has to do with spiritual warfare. So just open the door of conversation for this tougher topic and see where it goes.” What I want to talk about today will sound like I'm talking about how to discover the will of God for your life. I want to be very clear with you…I am not. This is more about parent and child relationships and how that relationship affects the child's spiritual walk and the way they choose to fight for Jesus as they become more spiritually mature. Listen in!

This is part 4 of Angel Encounters and also the last episode in this particular series. They have been fun to tell, as well as convicting. God cannot be limited, but my lack of faith limits him regularly. What would God do on our behalf if we just had the courage and faith to believe that he CAN? And not just that he can but WANTS to. Wants to work on our behalf. Wants to defend us against the enemy. Wants to guide us and protect but wants us to ask him. The two officers in our last story can attest that Psalm 91 works everytime. God is always working on our behalf. The question is, are we ready for him to open our eyes as he did with Gehazi and truly see Him as he really is?

Remember that story in the New Testament when Paul is sleeping in a prison cell and an angel comes to wake him up? Then the Angel leads him out of the prison cell into the streets and basically disappears after that. Then Peter goes and finds the people who are paying for him. Well that's definitely not the only story recorded where an angel is giving directions.

I believe that a lot of Christians today, including me, can relate to the perspective of the man named Gehazi in II Kings 6. He was Elisha's servant and even though they were surrounded by a dedicated, relentless chariot army of fire, he could not see it. His truth looked very different from Elisha's. The only truth that was visible to him was the Assyrian army in front of them. But these circumstances, and his limited vision, didn't change the actual truth. The chariots of fire were already there, in place. And, once his spiritual eyes were opened, the actual truth, heaven's perspective, came into view. God opened his spiritual eyes and Gehazi saw the army of God; all the chariots of fire, surrounding the mountains. I think it's a mistake to count this story as “back then”, not relevant, or as Bible times only, when, in truth, angelic beings surround us daily and there have been many documented encounters with them. It's not a mystery and it's not this great hoax or scam and it's not this conspiracy theory that no one has quite yet proven. The Bible says there are angels and they act as messengers, providers, protectors, and soldiers. Listen in!

Oh to be like Elisha; full of simple faith and total unhinged trust in his God. Elisha basically says don't worry about it, there are more that be with us than be with them. And his servant Gehazi was just a little taken aback by that response, I'm sure!  Like obviously you have no idea that the enemy is outside our house right now.  And Elisha asked the Lord to open the eyes of his servant so that he would see what Elisha saw.  And the Lord did. And Gehazi saw the army of God; all the chariots of fire, surrounding the mountains.  I think it's a mistake to count this story as “back then”, not relevant, or as Bible times only, when, in truth, angelic beings surround us daily and there have been many documented encounters with them. I think it's time to share some of those stories with you, my audience, and tell you the why behind why they were seen.  It's not a mystery and it's not this great hoax or scam and it's not this conspiracy theory that no one has quite yet proven.  The Bible says there are angels and they act as messengers, providers, protectors, and soldiers. So I will believe that there are angels and they protect and they provide and they battle with us, and for us, every day.

Proverbs 23:23 says “Buy the truth and sell it not and also wisdom, understanding and instruction.” At first glance, the obvious way to buy truth is, of course, through books or texts, messages or songs, or paying for a degree from a university, but the nittier, grittier truth here is that the truth will cost us something.  When we write the truth or speak up for the truth; when we tell the truth and not withhold the truth; when we fight for the truth and not back down from the truth, it will cost something.  How much value do you place in the truth you hold?

Why does prayer always seem to be about us?  Prayer has to be the 3rd most talked-about topic in Churches across the country, right under how good the coffee was that day during Sunday school and what the new mask mandates are. And those who practice prayer, speak or preach on prayer, write books on prayer or hold prayer meetings with their friends are highly sought after and applauded.  We stand in awe of devoted Christians who choose to pray for more than 30 min at one given time, who fast from food and drink for more than one day, and who actually get answered prayers when they expect to! We demand to know their secrets and quietly believe they have more favor with God than we do.  I'm here, today, to tell you the secret. It's simple; like most things in the Christian walk.

What we are currently seeing, and experiencing, in our world today, is the aftermath of a 50 year organized, strategic attack on the Church of America. Political podiums and gospel pulpits were once used for standing against the enemy, speaking truth to the masses, and protecting that sacred truth with laws penned into existence by men of God who feared not for their very life. The Church has surrendered to a defeated enemy while under the command of Jesus the King. No longer can we escape the liberal mantra “be your best self”. No longer can we excuse the blatant infiltration of accepting sin in the church. It is despicable and will no longer be tolerated. The Church of Christ, his very bride, has soiled her garments, rotted out her mind, and can no longer speak truth without sounding harsh, cruel, radical, or even foolish and absent-minded. Well, folks, I'm here to tell you something that may shock you. The truth matters to God and so it must matter to his bride. The bride of Christ must take her rightful stand next to her King, next to her head, and represent the kingdom by advancing the truth onward and forward. No more wishy-washy. No more gray areas. No more of the church ‘staying out of politics'. We need to stand, speak the truth, regain ground, and protect our rights, our truth, our families with tenacious ferocity. We are here to talk about the truth; the nitty-gritty truth. The good, the bad, the ugly truth. Listen in.

This weekend is a little bit different because it's really special. It's not just any other Saturday. Tomorrow is two birthdays for me; birthday squared, as my husband would say. I have this physical life to celebrate and also my eternal, heavenly life to celebrate. And right now I'd like to take time to share with you why I absolutely love birthdays. Subscribe on iTunes here so you don't miss out on any future episodes. We also provide a transcript for each episode, so if you know someone who either can't hear or prefers reading to listening, you can download the transcript below.

I'm going to borrow the P.R.A.Y acronym for the next few episodes to provide a rudimentary guide for us as we link arms and walk down this road to better understand praising, repenting, asking, and finally yielding. And after reading Anne Voskamp's book, One Thousand Gifts, there was one particular message that resonated deeply. It has truly turned my prayer life upside down on it's head. I never thought this simple practice would have such the effect that it so evidently does. I see instant joy and gratifying change by putting into practice this one new exercise. Subscribe on iTunes here so you don't miss out on any future episodes. We also provide a transcript for each episode, so if you know someone who either can't hear or prefers reading to listening, you can download the transcript below.

After reading the book Psalm 91, by Peggy Ruth, on a road trip we took last year and reading first hand how proclaiming the scripture aloud heals the body, soul, and mind, do yourself a favor and take a pause in your day right now. You may need to come back to this particular episode, but following along as I read and meditate on this Psalm aloud. I implore you as a fellow soldier and friend to yield, listen, and know your gentle friend and advocate in a new way, a deeper way because by doing so it will greatly impact your walk and life. Subscribe on iTunes here so you don't miss out on any future episodes. We also provide a transcript for each episode, so if you know someone who either can't hear or prefers reading to listening, you can download the transcript below.

The unlimited potential of prayer as seen through the promises in the Bible is staggering, as God moves into action in the lives and situations that we bring before him. Yet, little praying is done. The prayer life of many people has been discouraging and frustrating. Unfortunately, the basic feeling seems to be that prayer is an attempt to move God over to our point of view – to get God to do what we want done – to use him as a means to our end. SO somehow, it seems easier to do it ourselves the best we can, then to get God involved in it. Yet, in prayer we ought to seek to discover God's point of view, and how, when, and where he wants us to move and live and obey. Subscribe on iTunes here so you don't miss out on any future episodes. We also provide a transcript for each episode, so if you know someone who either can't hear or prefers reading to listening, you can download the transcript below.

The unlimited potential of prayer as seen through the promises in the Bible is staggering, as God moves into action in the lives and situations that we bring before him. YET, little praying is done. WHY? Because the prayer life of many people has been discouraging and frustrating. WHY? Because the basic feeling seems to be that prayer is an attempt to move God over to our point of view – to get God to do what we want done – to use him as a means to our end. SO somehow, it seems easier to do it ourselves the best we can, then to get God involved in it. YET, in prayer we ought to seek to discover God's point of view, and how, when, and where he wants us to move and live and obey.   Subscribe on iTunes here so you don't miss out on any future episodes. We also provide a transcript for each episode, so if you know someone who either can't hear or prefers reading to listening, you can download the transcript below.

In legalese, lawyers say that silence is consent.  So when an attorney doesn't defend his client faithfully and cover all his bases or address all the issues so his client can decline the charges, that gives the plaintiff's attorney wiggle room to work with.  Voicing the truth is important right now, but we must be careful that the truth we share aligns with good doctrine and facts before we speak it. Fear of saying the wrong thing, fear of offending someone, fear of losing friends, fear of drawing battle lines. Who among us is not guilty of being silenced by one or more of these? And, not that you can see them,  I am raising both of my hands over here. It's time to state the obvious truth that you have spoken quite loudly when you DON'T say anything. I have come to the belief that fear is the devils muzzle for Christians.  Subscribe on iTunes here so you don't miss out on any future episodes. We also provide a transcript for each episode, so if you know someone who either can't hear or prefers reading to listening, you can download the transcript below.

“I have been driven many times upon my knees by the overwhelming conviction that I had nowhere else to go. My own wisdom and that of all about me seemed insufficient for that day.” That is a quote by Abraham Lincoln and I've been thinking about the message of this statement a lot lately. Regrettably, it takes no extra muscle for my flesh to convince me how sufficient I am or how wise I am. When I am given a familiar song to sing or play in Church, am I not sufficient enough to sing or play without the grace and help of God? When an unsaved individual is in front of me asking how to be saved, am I not wise enough to clearly explain the gospel A-B-C's to them? Let the truth be heard far and wide; I am not.

This is a podcast intended to compel the army of God to love and protect the Church. Folks, love is a battlefield and sometimes we just need to pause, sharpen our sword, drink a good cup of joe, and remember that we are not fighting in this war alone. We all want to make an impact for the Lord, for our families, for our Churches, and, of course, ourselves. Every other Friday we talk here about one way to do that well, and today is no different. This episode is all about how spiritual a surrey bike ride can be and the secret about the french vanilla coffee flavor.

Want to know what the most dangerous word is, the most perfect word, and the perfect cappuccino? Listen in! Subscribe on iTunes here so you don't miss out on any future episodes. We also provide a transcript for each episode, so if you know someone who either can't hear or prefers reading to listening, you can download the transcript below.

Today I am going to speak to a hotly debated topic and discuss what I have noticed and seen from other Christian evangelical authors and influencers when they address this topic in a public format, usually on their social media platforms. It utterly disgusts me and makes me sick. I have tried to squirm my way out of addressing it head-on, but I simply can't keep watching and not speaking up for truth. Listen in!

Warning! Sober, melancholy, thought-provoking questions coming your way! Have you ever been challenged to write a life statement that made you think about what you would want to be written on your tombstone? When the Lord takes you home and other people reminisce about their time with you, what will most likely be the first couple of things that come to their minds? Look, I warned you, and just for bearing with me, I'm gonna reward you at the end with a coffee recipe….you're welcome, but keep listening. Subscribe on iTunes here so you don't miss out on any future episodes. We also provide a transcript for each episode, so if you know someone who either can't hear or prefers reading to listening, you can download the transcript below.

Let me ask you a question before we jump right in. How familiar are you with your armor? Do you have it on and have you put it to good use today? I hope so, but whatever your answer is, think about it and listen below! Subscribe on iTunes here so you don't miss out on any future episodes. We also provide a transcript for each episode, so if you know someone who either can't hear or prefers reading to listening, you can download the transcript below.

Growing up in church, I was of the belief that spiritual warfare only occurs around the individual intensely fighting over a strong addiction like drugs, alcohol, or pornography. Demon possession could also manifest itself, occasionally, to those heavily engaged in witchcraft, black magic, or wicca. Little did I know. The enemy would have been happy to keep there, splashing around in my blissful ignorance, but thanks to Ephesians 2:10, I am Christ's workmanship and He is most definitely NOT finished with me. My goal today is to demystify spiritual warfare a bit more by sharing with you two specific ways a christian soldier is more susceptible to be seen by satan's every wandering eye. Listen below and subscribe on iTunes here so you don't miss out on any future episodes. We also provide a transcript for each episode, so if you know someone who either can't hear or prefers reading to listening, you can download the transcript below.

The only reason that one soldier can make such a difference, in dutifully guarding their wall, is because of his connection with every other enlisted soldier. Once you have enlisted in the Army of God, you are not, I repeat NOT a silo. You immediately become part of a supernatural organism with the sole purpose of shining the light of the gospel and preserving what is right.

The idea that God is always, everywhere presents a basket full of mixed emotions that I have to sort through. Because we can't physically see the person of Jesus, I think I have placed this piece of theology into my “I'll get to it later” basket until I make time to fully understand it. But let's be honest, we make time for what we truly want, and I have come to a point in my walk with God that I want to fully embrace this truth in its entirety.

One soldier who is enlisted, fully invested in the Army of God, and prayerfully, faithfully, and staunchly protecting their divinely assigned post has the indisputable potential to change the world…and I can't wait to tell you how!

At first glance, the concept of ‘guarding our wall' can appear a little opaque. Are there certain hours I need to keep watch? Is my family supposed to take turns guarding our wall throughout the daytime and evening hours? It almost seems like a job you would need to don a uniform for. Well, as a matter of fact, it IS a job you need to don a uniform for, but I am not referring to a wall around your house. I am referring to the wall around YOUR heart and my heart. It needs to be protected, at all cost. Listen in!

As a soldier, it's good to be reminded of our purpose, to have our goals written down, and small steps to see those achievements through. I love lists, calendars, highlighters, and day planners. And I especially love achievements. But, sometimes they get the better of me and interrupt God's intended plan for my daily agenda.

Lately, in my own battles, I keep coming back to Phillipians 4:8 and, more specifically, focusing on the “whatsoever things are true” piece of this filter. I cannot tell you the number of times it has saved me from doubts and lies while keeping me from wasting unwarranted time and energy that the enemy had no right to in the first place!