s t r e t c h

Since I have returned from YWAM I have been praying heavily about the next season of my life.

I have yearned to hear clearly from the Lord and I know He is listening, but I do believe this is stretch point. This is the season where I am leaning heavily on Him and trusting that the next steps I take will be in His will.


Last year was difficult and I have realized that being a true disciple of Christ is not easy. Yesterday my Steamboat pastor preached on the crowds who followed Christ and the crowds that followed Christ.

He pointed out something brilliant that I have never noticed before. When Christ would perform great miracles, large amount of people would show up and they would be rooting and wooting for Him. But when Christ would bring a heavy duty sermon like losing your life to gain life... everyone would disappear.


How many people in church hang from miracle to miracle, do to do, want to want expecting God to give all of these things to them when that isn't the point at all.

To be a true disciple of Jesus requires obedience and sacrifice. These things are the most trying and stretching requirements to be a disciple. It isn't easy. Jesus never had it easy, but to be in perfect communion with the heavenly Father made it worth it all. To know the love and peace the passes all understanding, to know that there is a Father so jealous for us... He will never relent until He has all of us.
We are so unworthy, and yet God sent Jesus, the Perfect One, to die in our place. The Father saw potential in us and He wanted to put us in right standing with Him. WOW!


So many times I am guilty. I want it easy. I don't want it to hurt. I want to run from the obstacles and take a route that is simple where I never have to face heartache or brokeness. But it is where I am in that broken, helpless state that Jesus comes in and we begin to overflow. We begin to be the living sacrifice that Jesus has called to be.

A disciple faces great hardship,persecution, heartache, and so many more battles, but there is a joy. The joy of the Lord that is our strength and our comfort. In knowing that in the midst of those times, the outcome is so worth it. That is why Paul was able to go to hell and back and still have the joy of the Lord. He knew that in order to truly identify with Christ that he would have to suffer. That is what a true Christian/disciple looks like.


We lose our lives so that we main gain life in Jesus. We suffer because Jesus suffered. We idenitfy when we choose to die to self and are willing to surrender everything that we are to Him.

I don't want to be with the crowd that were just there to see what they can get out of Jesus. I want to be a true follower of Christ willing to go to the darkest places of the world to bring His light even if it causes suffering or great hardship.


Dear Father,
Forgive me for wanting it so easy. Forgive me for wanting to go on the road often travelled. I want to be wholly surrendered to You. I want Your will not my own. You know what's best for me even when I think it is wrong. Give me strength to endure this year and to keep my eyes focused upon You, Lord. Thank you for calling me Your daugther, Your beloved. Thank You for loving me when often times I know I can be unlovable. Put in me a clean heart and break my heart for the things that break Yours. I am nothing without You. I especially want to pray for Your bride today, Lord. I pray the veil would be lifted and that the bride would see what is means to truly follow You. I pray Father that You would forgive us and that You would be merciful upon this generation. I pray Father that You would raise up Elisha's in our generation that would carry the double portion to bring people closer to You. We need You, Lord.

I love You so much and thank You for all that You are going to do!
In Your Son's most precious name,
Amen!