At the end of April 2021, I found myself on a plane heading for sunny OC California.
Yep, this girl that has only flown once in 34 years. Now bound for sunny California is a far better choice then a life bound in fears.
For there comes a time in our lives where our faith needs to be bigger then our fears.
Longing to live in freedom supersedes any initial discomfort it takes to get there... even if the process is longer than a plane ride. Choosing faith over our fear brings fresh hope and real change that lasts. With this concrete resolve towards forward movement brings us face to face with a God that earnestly desires seeing His children set wildly free, while giving us all the tools we need to get there.
For His faithful words promises us, " So if the Son sets you free, YOU will be Free indeed "*John 8:36 NIV.
When all is said and done, in all honestly who does not want that kind of freedom?
So off I went on a grand new adventure with my husband's blessings and three incredibly brave and gracious ladies as traveling buddies. Finding courage to face my fears under those glorious wings of encouragement, prayer and grace,
where I learned not only to fly but to soar.
Some of you might be curious what prompted my leap of faith to go to OC California in the first place, the answer is quite simple, it was for the opportunity to experience a
Her Voice Rally.
A life changing,
Heaven touches earth,
you are never the same rally.
Where God and Holy Spirit are welcomed, celebrated and received with open arms and hearts. Where I have been transformed by God's freeing love again and again, through their various ministries. Once you get a taste of God's true freedom and love for you, you will never be the same nor want anything else Period!
That rally did not disappoint for it was everything I had hoped for and so much more. Experiencing divine encounters that freed me from additional emotional baggage I would not need to check in on my way back home.
God's faithfulness is never ending and there is room at His table for everyone to feast on His goodness.
After the Her Voice Rally we had planned to stay a couple days see the sights and visit Oceans Church on Sunday. Early Saturday morning before our day begin I headed to the Hotel lobby to grab a bite to eat and have my devotions while I waited for the ladies to join me. Sitting outside in awe, I basked in the beautiful sunny Cal weather while beholding the tropical flowering Birds of Paradise that symbolize Freedom & Joy! Something I was truly feeling .All of God's overwhelming love and kindness towards me was awe inspiring.
Feeling lead to read Psalms 84 for my morning devotion I was especially drawn to verse 3
"O Lord of Heaven's Armies, my King and my God, even sparrows and swallows are welcome to build a nest among your altars for the birds to raise their young. " *TPT
My heart was full of gratitude as I poured over this truth, greatly comforted that God not only has our children now as adults but He had them when they were young. Each passing day as I become more free, I realize just how completely broken I was when our boys were growing up. This verses revelation comforted me to the core knowing how completely His grace covered them, even while being tangled up in unresolved trauma. As I struggled towards healing and wholeness, they remained tucked in among the security of His altars tenderly cared for in spite of it all. My earnest prayers were to be able to nurture my children in the midst of my raging storm. Crying out to God to not only deliver me but my children as well.
And yet the reality is wounded people wound people
life is messy,
imperfect
and flawed.
However, at the same time, because of God's grace and endless mercy, ashes become beauty and joy swallows up mourning.
Thankfully, glorious redemption sweeps in to right our wrongs, rewriting our story to have a happy ending no matter what the previous chapters looked like.
Redemptive love now becomes the perfect place..,
nestling our imperfections in His grace,
turning our messes into miracles,
our hopelessness into hope
and bondage into freedom.
And though our sons were sadly impacted by the swirling debris of my heartache, by God's grace they found it in their hearts to forgive me. My eyes welling up with tears as write this,for it is something I will never take lightly. I will always be profoundly grateful for their mountains of grace that overshadowed my deep valleys.
Psalms 84:3 became a lingering fragrance of God's goodness that day which eventually led us to a unexpected trip to see the Mission in San Juan Capistrano.
Before I tell you what happened next it is important to know one thing about me, I love to plan! I thoroughly enjoy doing so before any family trips providing everyone with lots of options to choose from. Looking up where to eat, shop and visit has always been half the fun for me. It creates a joyful anticipation of all the sights, tastes and experiences waiting for us around the corner. This California trip I decided I would go with the flow doing very little research, the results were divinely serendipitous! It makes me want to rethink my future planning strategies at times to allow the Holy Spirit to move more organically it is a thrilling way to see God move.
Planning has its place and so can flying by the seat of your pants if you know who the pilot is.
To see God care about every detail of our life is a beautiful expression of His love and seeing that day of a unplanned event unfold was a perfect example of that.
A God appointed intersection for us to visit the Mission that day was suggested by my traveling buddy Laura's Uncle Mickey. After sharing a delightful lunch together she asked what sights we should see, landing us in a town that is
famous for the miracle of the swallows.
Immediately finding this out upon entering the Missions gift shop; completely surprised to see swallow necklaces and other swallow related items I was giddy with joy. After purchasing a swallow charm my friend Laura found a small pamphlet for me telling the story of the swallow. It explained how the swallows come every year on March 19th to nest their young and leave on the day of San Juan Oct. 23 circling the Mission to bid it farewell.
It is no surprise it is my dream to go back to San Juan Capistrano to witness one of these events.
Because God's word is Alive and Active, Psalms 84:3 continues to speak to me,recently reminding me of His comfort while I was waiting with my husband in the surgery prep room. My heart heavy and prayerful, not only for Kevin but for our newborn grandson that was set to be released that same day from the NICU after his 6 day stay.Turning my head towards the hospital picturesque window trying to avoid watching the nurse struggle to get Kevin's IV in. The window framing a breathtaking view of Mt. Hood. As I whispered a prayer for my loved ones, swallows circled around the window against the beautiful blue sky and I was reminded once again God still has my family among His altars.
We thank you God that you not only have our children and our grandchildren, but you have us as well!
The AMPC translation of Psalms 84:3 is beautifully worded:
"...the swallow finds a nest for herself".
In all our heartbreak and disappointment, past, present and future. You were there then and you are here now. Your altars provide protection and redemption and we can always find rest and safety among them. Our hearts and minds rest in this profound truth.
Below is an exciting announcement ...
Speaking of Birds And Her Voice : Here is an Early Bird pricing that will end June 7th for the Her Voice National Equipping Conference.
Don't miss an incredible opportunity to attend this upcoming event. My life has been transformed by this ministry and it will be life changing for you too ! Please encourage the youth (12- 18) to come and get set free as well.
Her Voice National Equipping Conference: Portland, OR
July 8 @ 7:00 pm - July 10 @ 10:00 pm
Join us for 3 days of revival, worship, and equipping with Pastor Jenny Donnelly, Pastor Callie Shipp Gray and the Her Voice team!
This year’s Her Voice National Equipping Conference is hosted at Crestview Manor & Conference Center in Corbett, OR
Ticket includes:
Friday: lunch & dinner
Saturday: lunch & dinner
Early Bird ticket for The Her Voice National Gathering at Crestview Manor & Conference Center, July 8-10
$ 199.00
Unlimited
Youth Ticket (12-18) | Her Voice National Gathering
Youth admission for The Her Voice National Gathering at Crestview Manor & Conference Center in Corbett, OR from July 8-10.
$ 99.00
Venue: 1601 NE Crestview Ln
Corbett, OR 97019 United States
Website:
https://tetelestaiministries.com
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