Abundance

The past two days have been the realization of a dream in my heart for years that I was only able to articulate and put skin on its bones just two months ago. I cannot believe it all happened so quickly. I cannot believe it was conceived, grew and developed, and was birthed so suddenly. Two months ago, the Lord put a vision in my head and heart. I prayed for direction, asked 5 women if they'd chase this thing down alongside me, and we started running. Full speed ahead. We all had a million things on our plates already, but felt the call to run, felt the burning inside to run, felt the uncontrollable itch to run; legs shaky, hands sweaty, feet restless, we started to run. Now we are feeling our hair whip around our faces, the wind at our backs, the adrenaline rush, the runner's high. I cannot stop my eyes from welling with tears when I look around and see all that God is doing and the only word that comes to mind is, "abundance."

What does that word mean? I'm about to throw some scripture down, but before we get to that part, let's pray. I find that EVERY. TIME. I pray and ask the Lord for revelation before I read his Word, my eyes are opened wide, my heart ready to receive, my will ready to obey, and my spirit quickened by his Holy Spirit. So let's seek God right now. I don't want to glaze over scripture; I want to let it nourish my soul... and I think you do too.

Jesus, brother, friend, savior, we lay our agendas down at your feet. We lay the sin and baggage we've been carrying around today at your feet. Do whatever you want with it. Make us pure as we draw close. Burn us with your Holy Fire. Father, we want to hear your voice. Daddy, hold us close as you whisper the meaning of the mysteries hidden in your Word.  Teach us, Father. Holy Spirit, awaken our spirits right this moment to commune with you in your Word. Guide us into all truth. Baptize us into your Spirit as we read your truth. Supernaturally enable us to fulfill your will and purpose in our lives. Let your truth permeate every part of our minds. We will let the truth you reveal in your word reign in our lives. Replace lies with your truth. We receive every good gift you want to give us now, in Jesus' name. Amen. 

Okay... here we go. Let's look at abundance...

Yes, God is more than ready to overwhelm you with every form of grace, so that you will have more than enough of everything—every moment and in every way. He will make you overflow with abundance in every good thing you do.2 Corinthians 9:8

Never doubt God’s mighty power to work in you and accomplish all this. He will achieve infinitely more than your greatest request, your most unbelievable dream, and exceed your wildest imagination! He will outdo them all, for his miraculous power constantly energizes you.Ephesians 3:20

17Every gift God freely gives us is good and perfect, streaming down from the Father of lights, who shines from the heavens with no hidden shadow or darkness and is never subject to change. 18God was delighted to give us birth by the truth of his infallible Word so that we would fulfill his chosen destiny for us and become the favorite ones out of all his creation!James 1:17-18

A thief has only one thing in mind—he wants to steal, slaughter, and destroy. But I have come to give you everything in abundance, more than you expect—life in its fullness until you overflow!John 10:10

8All may drink of the anointing from the abundance of your house. All may drink their fill from the delightful springs of Eden. 9To know you is to experience a flowing fountain, drinking in your life, springing up to satisfy. In your light we receive the light of revelation. 10Lord, keep pouring out your unfailing love on those who are near you. Release more of your blessings to those who are loyal to you.Psalms 36:8-10

Now may God, the inspiration and fountain of hope, fill you to overflowing with uncontainable joy and perfect peace as you trust in him. And may the power of the Holy Spirit continually surround your life with his super-abundance until you radiate with hope!Romans 15:13

8Praise God, all you peoples. Praise him everywhere and let everyone know you love him! 9There’s no doubt about it; God holds our lives safely in his hands. He’s the one who keeps us faithfully following him. 10O Lord, we have passed through your fire; like precious metal made pure, you’ve proved us, perfected us, and made us holy. 11You’ve captured us, ensnared us in your net. Then, like prisoners, you placed chains around our necks. 12You’ve allowed our enemies to prevail against us. We’ve passed through fire and flood, yet in the end you always bring us out better than we were before, saturated with your goodness.Psalm 66:8-12

God doesn't just stop with "good enough," or "that works for now." God loves to go over-the-top, spare no expense, outrageously excellent, beyond your wildest imaginations. God is a God of abundance. 

He puts dreams in our hearts, awakens them inside of us, gives us a passion to chase them down, and then says, "now watch this!" as he steps in to do what only he can do. I'm laughing and tearing up just hearing Him say "watch this!" over my life right now. He took this dream of creating space for a community of women to grow in wisdom together, all the while pushing each other to awaken to the dreams He has placed inside of each one of us and cheering our sisters on as they chase down those dreams with wholehearted, resolute passion and laughter in their soul. And now? Inside of just 4 weeks, he has exploded this passion to reach almost 600 women all across the country... friends, family, and strangers, with one heart to see the will of God made complete and whole in our lives. To be filled with heavenly wisdom and champion the efforts of our sisters to obey the Lord out of the joy of our salvation! Hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of women have joined in this movement. 

I'm just amazed. I'm a nobody, but God thinks I'm a somebody. He took this nobody to create a big something so that his women would all become somebodies in His Kingdom. I'm overwhelmed and honored and just... so humbled that God would choose to use me of all people. I've sat and told the Lord, "You've got the wrong girl, Lord. I'm not worthy to do what you're asking. I've made too many messes. You can't trust me with this. I might make another mess." 

He loves to use the messy ones, sis. The broken, the frazzled, the weird, the funky, the insecure women to do the thing we just aren't fit to do. Because man... it just highlights his beauty, his radiance, his redemption, his restoration, his lovingkindness, his glory even more. 

So, sweet friend, it's your turn. You know that dream burning in your heart. The one that scares you a little. The one you don't feel like you can handle. The one that keeps you awake at night. The one that you keep telling yourself, "there's no way." The one that you can't forget about. The one you aren't ready for. 

You know. And it's your turn. It's your turn to let God take a nobody and turn you into a somebody in His Kingdom. For his glory! 

What is it? Say it out loud right now - wherever you're at. Say it out loud. Don't let it just live inside your heart anymore. Speak that dream, the one that is from the Lord, out into existence. You do what Romans says and call into being that which does not exist though agreement with the Father. You decree that over your life right now - you will obey the Lord. You will let him do that new thing, that impossible thing, that unreasonable thing, that scary thing in your life. In you, through you, and around you. 

So what's that dream, sis? I want to know in the comments below. I promise to partner with you in prayer and agree with God over the calling, the dream He has put on your life, in your heart, and is awakening right now - in this moment. 

I want to know. It's time to make it real. Let your life be a "to the Father, through the Son, by the Spirit" kind of life. I'm in your corner cheering you on, girl!