Heal, Equip, and Release Podcast: Women set free

Tune in to hear from Two Heart's for HER's new marketing and creative partner Jacie Jimenez. Jacie has been a dear friend of mine for 15 years, journeying with me in life and faith, while also receiving deep healing through encountering the love of God in inner healing prayer. She deeply understands our mission to help people recognize that the journey of holiness is a journey of healing!

As we learn to walk with the Lord, hear His voice, and open our wounded hearts to His love, we will begin to see transformation in every area of our lives!

 Welcome to Day 6 of the Holy Spirit Novena! I hope you enjoy today's interview with Courtney Leong. I honestly don't have words to express my gratitude and awe at Courtney's bravery in sharing her story on the podcast today. As Courtney says herself in the show, she has experienced the horrors of hell on earth through the trafficking industry, and God has rescued and restored her. She shares how the power of the Holy Spirit can change and transform even the darkest of circumstances. You don't want to miss this interview! 

Welcome to Day 1 of the Holy Spirit Novena!  I hope you enjoy this interview with Catholic author, singer, songwriter, speaker, wife and mother: Victoria Harris!  As she unpacks a bit of her own journey with the Holy Spirit, we are inspired and reminded of the power of the Holy Spirit to lead us into the TRUTH that sets us free.  May you grow in hunger for a deeper revelation of God's truth in your life as you listen.

Then he continued, “Do not be afraid, Daniel. Since the first day that you set your mind to gain understanding and to humble yourself before your God, your words were heard, and I have come in response to them. But the prince of the Persian kingdom resisted me twenty-one days. Then Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me, because I was detained there with the king of Persia. Now I have come to explain to you what will happen to your people in the future, for the vision concerns a time yet to come." Daniel 10:12-14

Today’s passage is from the book of Daniel, one of the prophets from the Old Testament. I encourage you to read the entire passage from chapter 10 in the book of Daniel.  There are so many things we could ponder from this book of the Bible, but today I want to encourage you to take some time to recognize the reality of the spiritual war that rages around you and your response in times of trial.

“Therefore, I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat [or drink], or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing?  Look at the birds in the sky; they do not sow or reap, they gather nothing into barns, yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are not you more important than they? Can any of you by worrying add a single moment to your life-span? Why are you anxious about clothes? Learn from the way the wild flowers grow. They do not work or spin. But I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was clothed like one of them. If God so clothes the grass of the field, which grows today and is thrown into the oven tomorrow, will he not much more provide for you, O you of little faith?  So do not worry and say, ‘What are we to eat?’ or ‘What are we to drink?’ or ‘What are we to wear?’ All these things the pagans seek. Your heavenly Father knows that you need them all.  But seek first the kingdom [of God] and his righteousness, and all these things will be given you besides."Matthew  6:25-33

Today’s passage was one of the first scriptures that I memorized when going through a season of emotional stress and anxiety during my graduate school years.  I found it so powerful to really deeply ponder the freedom of the birds who are perfectly provided for and the beauty of creation that delights the eye and brings such joy to our hearts.  When we stop and contemplate God provision and extravagance in nature, it truly does give us pause to consider how we are relating to God in our own lives...

And as he was leaving Jericho with his disciples and a sizable crowd, Bartimaeus, a blind man, the son of Timaeus, sat by the roadside begging. On hearing that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out and say,“Jesus, son of David, have pity on me.”  And many rebuked him, telling him to be silent. But he kept calling out all the more, “Son of David, have pity on me.”  Jesus stopped and said, “Call him.” So they called the blind man, saying to him, “Take courage; get up, he is calling you.”  He threw aside his cloak, sprang up, and came to Jesus.  Jesus said to him in reply, “What do you want me to do for you?” The blind man replied to him, “Master, I want to see.”  Jesus told him,“Go your way; your faith has saved you.” Immediately he received his sight and followed him on the way. Mark 10:46-52

Consider it all joy, my brothers, when you encounter various trials, for you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. And let perseverance be perfect, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. But if any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God who gives to all generously and ungrudgingly, and he will be given it. But he should ask in faith, not doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed about by the wind. For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord, since he is a man of two minds, unstable in all his ways. James 1:2-4

As we continue this week’s topic of surrendering our desires to God, we must also come face to face with the reality of the heartache we experience in the trials of life. Times when it feels like God isn’t hearing or giving us the desires of our hearts. The space “in between” the promise and the fulfillment. The place where we are tempted to give up and bury our desires. Today I want to encourage you to take a different perspective to these times of life, one that St. James calls us to in today’s reading. There are honestly so many points to ponder in this short passage, but I want to point out two that I think will help you as you face the various trials in your own life...

“Lord you have probed me you know me: you know when I sit and stand; you understand my thoughts from afar. My travels and my rest you mark; with all my ways you are familiar. Even before a word is on my tongue, Lord, you know it all. Behind and before you encircle me and rest your hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me….” Ps 139:1-6

Today’s scripture calls us to contemplate being known and loved in ALL THINGS. We all desire to be known and loved, but often there are places in our hearts and minds that we hope that no one will ever know, places of shame and embarrassment, thoughts and desires we wish we didn’t have. We keep these places locked up and hidden, and thus there is a place deep inside where many of us think, “If you really knew me, you wouldn’t love me…”

Do you not know that God’s kindness is meant to lead you to repentance? Rom 2:4

Over these past 10 days we have been meditating on God’s kindness, his goodness, his unchanging and unfailing love because this is an ESSENTIAL foundation that will enable us to embrace vulnerability with God, receive his love and experience true and deep repentance.  Our hearts need that firm resting place in God’s love in order for the walls of defense to come down and for us to recognize where and how we need to repent.  As we realize God's kindness toward us, we are able to reach out to Him for help because we truly can't become holy without him.

But now, thus says the LORD, who created you, Jacob, and formed you, Israel: Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name: you are mine. When you pass through waters, I will be with you; through rivers, you shall not be swept away. When you walk through fire, you shall not be burned, nor will flames consume you... You are precious in my eyes and honored, and I love you. (Is 43:1-2, 4)

Imagine for a moment these words being spoken to you. If you put them in more modern language maybe it would sound more like this: “I love you more than you can know. You are so precious to me. You don’t have to be afraid of anything because I am here with you, and I will protect you.” Are these not the words of a parent to his child? These are the words of your Father to you... 

Today’s meditation leads us into an encounter with the love of God, who speaks our identity over us in the same way he did over Jesus at his baptism in the Jordan River. Even before there was ever a recorded miracle, sign, or eloquent preaching from Jesus, God spoke His love and pleasure over Him. Jesus began His ministry FROM the place of security in His Father’s love. He didn’t go out trying to earn that love or pleasure. Jesus knew God loved Him and was pleased with Him and allowed this knowledge to propel Him forward.