Letting Go

God will do the very best for you. So let go.

We were on a retreat this past weekend and below you will find a testimony from each of us girls sharing something we let go.

I let go of my idea of how to worship and I'm moving into God's. My beautiful girls spoke this and more into me on Saturday night when we took some time to minister to one another. It was amazing, overwhelming and inspiring. What power our God has.... 

Xo TinaMarie

 I let go of the past.  The past me, imperfect notions, and relationships that God wants to change.  I know I need to place not only myself and my future into God's hands, but those I love too.  Life, truth, and love were spoken into me, by women I cherish so very dearly.  I believe God is raising me up to be a mighty warrior princess...an Esther, a Joan of arc, a Pocahontas.  The holy spirit shook things up...The old has gone, new has come.

Love, Christy Creative Dreamer Wild Crazy Spirit Dawn

I let go of silent restoration. Huh?

[It's a blog that's currently being written and shall be posted later].

I've released an area of my life that I've wrestled with and even cried over, as I've asked God why?  I am free of the expectations that I had to have such restoration and I leave it as silent.

Because God knows the deepest desire of my heart. Tina reminded me,"Charlene, only the BEST! Your Heavenly Father is sorry that you've endured such pain, yet he has the BEST."

As the saying states, "the best is yet to come!" And I couldn't agree more!
Believing for the best, Charlene

     I am letting go of the need to protect my heart from the one who created my heart. Some of my most hidden and secret desires have been just that…hidden and secret. I quit asking God for the desires of my heart, I quit even acknowledging these desires to myself. The answer “wait” caused too much pain, and not asking seemed to make the possibility of unfulfilled desires easier to deal with. But this weekend my dear girls spoke restored hope over my life. Therefore I will hope in the Lord and leave my desires at his feet, and as I wait I will seek the very best, my saviour himself.

                                                  Love,
                                                     Your friend who has hope dwelling in her heart,
                                                   Ashley

Palms Down. 

 With the girls all hugging me and tears streaming down my face, God said, "Let Go."   

Surrender is a act of "palms down". 

When you surrender with your palms down, you cannot re-pick up that which you surrender. It is impossible.  I thought I had surrender to God the deepest areas of my heart, but this weekend I realized I was trying to control certain areas of my life. Why? because I was trying to protect myself from getting hurt again or experiencing disappointment in regards to relationships.  I was listening to the voices of others and lies of the enemy instead of holding on to God's promises and trusting that He truly has the greatest in store for me.  So, with palms down, I "let go" and decided to "let God" have full control over the deepest areas of my heart. 

Freedom comes when we let go and let God take over. 

 What are you holding on to? 

Living the Other Way, 

xoxox Chantelle 

    

Birthdays, Balloons, and Surprises!

As I child, I used to think that when I grew up I would become a nurse or a teacher. In addition, I would live in a nice country style home with four kids and lumberjack husband. Now at the age of twenty-seven, I am learning that life is a lot more adventurous and full of unexpected surprises. And the life that I planned sometimes turns out a lot different than anticipated...

Instead of becoming a teacher or nurse, I became a preacher. I do not own a country style house, rather a small rustic summer cabin. Furthermore, I am not married; instead I was on a reality TV show called, “The Bachelor.” 

Surprising?!?

Yes and defiantly unpredictable!  Not exactly what I planned for my future…

The bible says, "in their hearts humans plan their course, but the Lord establishes their steps" (Proverbs 16:9 NIV).  You can try to plan, orchestrate and coordinate your life, but hopefully you could acknowledge that life is full of many unexpected surprises. Generally, surprises come in all sorts of sizes and packages, which includes those good and bad surprises.

I was flying home after a week of speaking and preaching.  Just as the plane landed, the flight attendant announced that there was a special guest on board. I looked around trying to figure out who it could be, since I was curious if it was someone famous! A moment of silence and than the flight attendant announced, "Happy birthday Chantelle!"  What a Surprise!  In addition, I came back to work and my office was filled with over 300 birthday balloons.  The good surprises in life bring joy, laughter, love and excitement!

While those bad surprises in life can often bring fear, hopelessness, pain and sadness.  For example, a phone call that a family member has been in accident. Maybe it is someone you love or even yourself that is diagnosed with a deadly disease. Maybe it is a flood that overtakes your home or workplace.  Maybe it is a best friend who discloses her struggles with suicide or depression. Maybe it is an injury during a sports competition. Or maybe it is someone telling you that they don't love you anymore. These are all unexpected and unplanned surprises that change your life.

Over the years, I have learnt that surprises are simply a part of life. In all honestly, they have shaped, moulded and formed me into the person God has designed me to be. I have discovered that God’s goodness, faithfulness and very existence is seen through the good and bad surprises of life.

Rev. Travis School says, "I’m becoming increasingly convinced that God is found in the surprise, hidden in both the good and the bad surprises. Both give evidence of a costly and mysterious grace. But the evidence is often unexplainable. It is simply there, waiting to be uncovered, waiting to be revealed. Sometimes, its only response is an inarticulate cry, sometimes of pain, sometimes of joy, sometimes of both at once."

Do you respond to a surprise by laughing? Or maybe crying? Or maybe rejoicing? 

In whatever the surprises you may be facing, choose to see God in the midst of both the good and the bad. Because God loves you and He has great things in store for those who believe in Him. That does not guarantee an easy life, but a life full of peace, joy, hope and promises of a greater future. God is orchestrating your steps and "we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purposes for them" (Romans 8:28).

I’ve learned to accept the mystery of surprises, the good and even the bad. Furthermore, I recognize that surprises enable me to see the very character of who God is, such as his faithfulness or goodness.

So, what are those surprises in your life? How are you choosing to respond to them? And what specific characteristic of God is evident in each surprise?

Be surprised!

Chantelle