THE ONE THING 1

| by Andrea Brown

Gleanings from my journey walking in the finished work of Jesus Christ

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Unveiling on the Emmaus Road

“For where two or three are gathered together in my name, I am there among them.” Matthew 18v20.

Bible Study

Andrea Brown

Nov 17, 20206 min read

Applying The Finished Work: Gleanings from Zechariah

I recently read the book of Zechariah and was held in chapter three, where the enemy accuses Joshua, the high priest, before the Lord. I...

Bible Study

Andrea Brown

Oct 12, 20206 min read

The Holy & The Common

If people have no idea they are set apart (holy) unto God, it is impossible to surrender as an instrument to be used in the hands of God.

Bible Study

Andrea Brown

Sep 13, 20206 min read

Idolatry Crushes the Heart of Our Father

He is our Creator, and He lovingly cares for His creation. Our part is to allow Him, looking to Him as our Source for everything.

Bible Study

Andrea Brown

Sep 3, 20204 min read

Established in Righteousness

The Holy Spirit convicts the believer of righteousness pointing us to Christ and away from self.

Bible Study

Andrea Brown

Aug 9, 20207 min read

Unshakable In Christ

‭Shaking happens sometimes to remove misplaced affections (false refuge) giving us the opportunity to trust in the One who is faithful.

Bible Study

Andrea Brown

Aug 3, 20204 min read

A Call To Contend For The Faith

Beloved, hell shakes and chains break when the Bride gets on her knees, prays in the Spirit, and worships in Psalms, and hymns.

Bible Study

Andrea Brown

Jul 14, 20204 min read

The Hope That Purifies

And everyone who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure.

Word of Encouragement

Andrea Brown

Jun 25, 20203 min read

Live Forgiveness Conscious

ALL our sins have been forgiven therefore, we live in enlight of being forgiven.

Bible Study

Andrea Brown

Jun 22, 20207 min read

An Invitation For Such A Time As This

If we think our day-to-day as ordinary and our contribution insignificant we miss the chance to be effective for the cause of Christ.

Word of Encouragement

Andrea Brown

Jun 2, 20203 min read

The Temptation of Isolation

I have to be honest when I think of temptation it is usually associated with something that leads to overt sin, but what if it is merely...

Word of Encouragement

Andrea Brown

May 16, 20204 min read

Enlarged In The Midst of Distress

When we face adversity it can feel as though our world is being shaken, the very foundations ready to give way. The enemy of our souls...

Word of Encouragement

Andrea Brown

May 9, 20202 min read

Seated with Christ in Heavenly Places

Ephesians‬ ‭2v6 And He raised us up together with Him [when we believed] and seated us with Him in the heavenly places.

Inheritance in Christ

Andrea Brown

Mar 11, 20203 min read

It's An Inside Job | Walk in the Spirit

Romans 8v9, But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you.

Found in Him

Andrea Brown

Feb 24, 20204 min read

God is Always Speaking ~ Are we Listening?

Do you ever marvel at the way God spoke to people in the Bible? Some people were visited by the pre-incarnate Christ such as when Abraham...

Word of Encouragement

Andrea Brown

Feb 20, 20205 min read

Small Steps in Obedience ~ Humility

I am reading Ezekiel through the First5 App paying special attention to the serious consequences associated with haughtiness. Ezekiel is...

Bible Study

Andrea Brown

Feb 18, 20202 min read

Wading through the murkiness of life ~ Christian Adulting

I've been going through a difficult season, riddled with disappointment. My life looks nothing like I had envisioned it, and it's hard...

Word of Encouragement

Andrea Brown

Feb 9, 20202 min read

Welcome to TheOneThing1

Andrea Brown

Feb 3, 20201 min read

Seven Ways To Cultivate A Heart of Gratitude for the Holidays🍁

Well Beloved, as October draws to a close, the rhythm of the year shifts ushering us toward the holiday season. For many, this time carries both joy and tension: the anticipation of celebration mingled with the weight of memories or expectations. With so much unfolding in the world around us, it’s easy to feel stretched thin or distracted from what truly matters.

Today, I want to share a few words perhaps more than a few to help us transition with grace and stay rooted in hope. As we step into this new season, may these seven simple yet sacred practices help us cultivate a heart of gratitude that reflects the peace and presence of Christ.

Guard Your Peace

“Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts.” Colossians 3:15.

Before calendars fill and lists grow, invite Jesus to be Lord over your schedule. Guard your peace by prioritizing His presence. Say “yes” to what leads you closer to Him and “no” to distractions that drain your soul.

Practice Intentional Gratitude

“Give thanks in all circumstances.” 1 Thessalonians 5:18.

Gratitude keeps the heart soft and aware of God’s goodness. Begin each day by naming things you’re thankful for not just tangible blessings, but the lessons, growth, and grace.

Walk in Forgiveness

“Forgive as the Lord forgave you.” Colossians 3:13.

The holidays can surface old wounds and strained relationships. Prepare your heart by releasing offense and choosing mercy. Forgiveness frees you to love purely and celebrate fully.

Steward Your Focus

“Set your mind on things above.” Colossians 3:2.

The season’s glitter can easily distract from His glory. Fix your gaze on Jesus, not on perfection, performance, or possessions. Ask the Holy Spirit to help you discern what truly matters.

Continued in Comments👇🏾

🍁Family That Prays Together, Stays Together

As the season continues to unfold, the world will begin to rush into festivities; may we pause to lift our eyes to the Giver of every good and perfect gift.

Let’s remember what truly matters: faith, family, and fellowship in the presence of God.

As we enter this season, may our gratitude rise not just for what we have, but for whom we have, our Savior, our family, and the beautiful unity of the Spirit that draws us together in prayer.

In a world that pulls families apart through busyness and distraction, prayer re-centers us back to Christ.

This week, we have five prayers to anchor our families in His presence, as we prepare our hearts for the month of November.

Protection

Abba Father, thank You for bringing our family under the shadow of Your wings. Shield us from harm, guard our hearts, and keep us from the snares of the enemy. May Your angels encamp around our home and every place we go. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

“He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, ‘He is my refuge and my fortress; my God, in Him I will trust.’” Psalm 91:1-2.

❦

Provision

Lord Jesus, You gave Your life upon the cross, meeting our greatest need. In satisfying the deepest hunger of our souls, You graciously encompassed every lesser thing: our daily needs, our silent desires, the small details You so tenderly ordain. Thank You, faithful Provider, for being our healing, our wholeness, our living water, and our daily bread. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

“And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:19.

❦

Continued in comments👇🏾

7 Daily Declarations

Happy Monday, Friends!

Today’s word is simple yet powerful: Declare and decree the truth of Scripture. We live in a world loud with opinions and uncertainty but God’s Word remains the same.

When we speak His promises aloud, we align our hearts with Heaven’s reality. When we declare, we’re strengthen. What we decree, we invite into our atmosphere.

So let’s rise and speak life today. Declare His truth over every thought, emotion, and situation. Let faith shape your language, love lead your words, and hope arise.

When the enemy comes in like a flood with thoughts, suggestions, temptations, and situations: Speak the Word of God!

Let’s declare them together:

God loves me.
“The Lord has appeared of old to me, saying: ‘Yes, I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore with lovingkindness I have drawn you.’” Jeremiah 31:3.

God is for me.
“What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?” Romans 8:31.

God is with me.
“Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.” Isaiah 41:10.

God is guiding me.
“I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will guide you with My eye.” Psalm 32:8.

God is keeping me.
“The Lord shall preserve you from all evil; He shall preserve your soul. The Lord shall preserve your going out and your coming in from this time forth, and even forevermore.” Psalm 121:7–8.

God is fighting for me.
“The Lord will fight for you, and you shall hold your peace.” Exodus 14:14.

God has plans for me.
“‘For I know the thoughts that I think toward you,’ says the Lord, ‘thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.’” Jeremiah 29:11.

Declare the word daily. Believe it deeply. Rest in it fully.

You are loved, chosen, and kept. Nothing can separate you from His love, nor snatch you from His hand.

Amen.

Let me know the word resonates with you, my friend💛 Share this with a friend who needs a word of encouragement🤗

Hi Beloved, it’s a new week and a new word:

Whatever you place in the hands of the Lord becomes sanctified: Begin with you.

It doesn’t begin with what we do but how we yield. It isn’t striving, but surrender. Not in performance, but in our posture before Him.

Pause for a moment❦
Breathe in: I am
Breathe out: In His presence.

Beloved, when we place our lives, our habits, our hopes, and even our hurts into the hands of Jesus, He transforms them.

What was ordinary becomes holy.
What was broken becomes beautiful.

The same hands that bore the nails, now hold our healing. They bless what’s yielded, multiply what’s offered, and make sacred what’s surrendered.

He is ever so gracious giving us the blessing of time. And each moment is an invitation to begin again. So let’s accept Him. Let’s start today, in this moment.

Let’s lay down our plans, all that we’ve been clutching, the timelines that weigh heavily, the fears that are whispering, and place ourselves fully, freely, finally in His hands.

In His hands, everything finds its true purpose. And in His presence, our surrender becomes the sweetest satisfaction of all.

“Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit, soul, and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.” 1 Thessalonians 5:23–24.

Let’s Pray🙏🏾
Abba Father,
Thank You for this time of sweet communion. I am grateful for Your nearness and for the promise that what You’ve begun in me, You are faithful to complete.

Lord Jesus,
I surrender everything, again, here in this moment. I am overwhelmed that I get to embrace each moment as new in You. Take what I’ve held and make it holy. Let Your hands shape me according to Your will.

Holy Spirit,
Sanctify me in truth. Guide my heart, my thoughts, and my steps. Keep me tender before You and steadfast in Your peace.

God, may my life be a living altar. Wholly set apart, surrendered, and satisfied in You alone.

In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Save this and repeat as often as needed. Share this if it blessed you.

Happy New Week!
🫶🏾
me.

“Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth.” John‬ ‭17‬:‭17‬.

Friend, we are at the end of another week and I can't help but give Jesus all the glory🙌🏾. Beloved, if you knew what He saved me from and walked me through, how He still upholds my life, you’d be compelled to proclaim the Name of Jesus too.

Jesus has delivered me…
From insecurity into identity in Him.
From perfectionism into the peace of His finished work.
From striving into the rhythm of grace.
From self-hatred into belovedness.
From comparison into contentment.
From anorexia, bulimia, and self-harm to body acceptance, wholeness, and restoration.
From brokenness into beauty.
From religion into relationship.
From fear into faith.
From guilt and shame into righteousness.
From confusion into clarity and calling.
From darkness into light.
From despair into hope.
From isolation into intimacy with the Father.
From emptiness into overflowing purpose.
From silence into a song of victory.
From sorrow into joy unspeakable.
From sin’s grip into the safety harbor of eternal salvation.
From death into His abundant life.
And there’s more… He isn't done yet, Hallelujah🙌🏾

Jesus didn’t just walk me through, He carried me through, every valley, every relapse, every tear, every turning. When I look back there is only one set of footprints—His.

He never left me in the ashes, but instead He crowns me with loving-kindness, His glory, and calls me redeemed👑.

And when I fall, oh friend—I haven’t finished the race, so when I fall, it’s an upward stumble because I fall into His everlasting arms. I am loved and so grateful to Jesus that I am His (Isaiah 43:1).

So yes; I will forever proclaim the Name of Jesus. The Name that heals, restores, redeems, and reigns✞.

Beloved friend, what song of redemption rises from your life?

Today, tell of the One who saves. Share below how Jesus has delivered you, that together we may echo His glory.

“Let the redeemed of the Lord say so, Whom He has redeemed from the hand of the enemy.” Psalms‬ ‭107‬:‭2‬.

Lord Jesus be glorified🙌🏾

5 Prayers to Pray: Morning • Midday • Evening🙏🏾

Beloved, each day carries within it a rhythm: one of rising, working, and resting. However, when we pause to acknowledge God, when we realize His presence throughout the day, each moment becomes sacred.

We can savor the everyday when we quiet ourselves in prayer, whether silently listening to the Father’s voice or holding a conversation with Him through prayer.

When we pause to pray, we anchor our hearts in the One who is omniscient, omnipotent, and omnipresent. God cares deeply about us and is waiting for us to turn to, believe in, and rely on Him.

Let these five prayers steady your soul morning, noon, and night for the rest of the week.

🌅 MORNING PRAYERS:
Begin with Surrender and Strength

Prayer of Surrender

Lord Jesus, this day is Yours. Let my steps follow Your path, my thoughts be aligned with Your truth, and my heart remain yielded to Your Spirit. Amen.

📖 “Cause me to hear Your lovingkindness in the morning, For in You do I trust; Cause me to know the way in which I should walk, For I lift up my soul to You.” Psalms‬ ‭143‬:‭8‬.‭

Journal Whisper: Where is the Lord prompting me to surrender and in what way is He asking me to depend on Him before the day unfolds?

Prayer of Strength & Filling

Holy Spirit, fill me afresh. Let Your wisdom guide, Your peace guard, and Your joy sustain me through every task and conversation. Amen.

📖 “That He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man.” Ephesians‬ ‭3‬:‭16‬.

Journal Whisper: Where do I need to cease from striving and rely on His strength?

🌤 MIDDAY PRAYER:
Pause in His Presence

Prayer of Alignment & Refreshing

Father, at the height of the day, I pause to remember You. Recenter my heart where distraction has crept in. Let living water flow within me again. Amen.

📖 “As for me, I will call upon God, And the Lord shall save me. Evening and morning and at noon I will pray, and cry aloud, And He shall hear my voice.” Psalms‬ ‭55‬:‭16‬-‭17‬.

Journal Whisper: Where can I invite His presence into this moment right now?

Continued in Comments👇🏾

✞ Crucified and Cleansed There Is Grace Before Growth 🌱

This past weekend, our pastor quoted William Romaine, and the words haven’t left me since:

“No sin can be crucified either in heart or life, unless it be first pardoned in conscience; if it be not mortified in its guilt, it cannot be subdued in its power.” — William Romaine (1714–1795)

Those words pierce with truth. Before we can conquer sin’s power, we must first rest in the truth that its guilt has already been conquered at the Cross.

Many of us strive to crucify sin through willpower, discipline, or even sincere devotion, yet still live weighed down by condemnation. But it is the blood of Jesus that cleanses and silences the voice of guilt. Only grace can disarm the enemy’s accusations, and only the breastplate of righteousness can shield your heart from his fiery arrows.

When your conscience is sprinkled clean by the blood of Christ (Hebrews 9:14), the grip of sin loses its hold.

God’s forgiveness doesn’t just erase the record; it empowers new life. Friend, the same grace that pardons is the grace that purifies.

We don’t crucify sin to be accepted; we put sin to death because we are accepted in the Beloved.

In Christ, guilt is not the motivator—grace is. You stand not as a condemned sinner trying to get free, but as a beloved child already cleansed.

And from that place of freedom, you learn to walk in victory, not striving for it but living from it.

“There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” Romans‬ ‭8‬:‭1‬.

“For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace.” Romans 6:14.

Journal ✍️🏾Prompt:
Where have you been trying to subdue sin by effort instead of resting in forgiveness?

How does knowing you are already pardoned change how you face temptation or shame?

Declaration 📣:
Because I am forgiven, sin has no dominion over me. The Cross is my victory, and His grace is my strength.

Scripture 📖 Meditations 🧠:
Romans 6:6–14 | Romans 8:1 | Hebrews 9:14 | Titus 2:11–12 | 1 John 1:9

Parting Thoughts in Comments👇🏾

“Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” Romans 10:13 ✞

Today’s word is simple yet profound: Call on the name of the Lord and be saved.

We often think this verse speaks only to the moment of salvation that initial turning of the heart receiving grace in truth, yet it’s an invitation that continues every day of our lives.

We are not only saved once from sin; we are being saved through life, continually upheld by His power and presence.

Friends, the truth is, we need saving daily, from ourselves, our thoughts, our emotions, our unbelief, our weariness, and the ever-changing situations that surround us. We need saving from the lies that whisper we are alone, from the heaviness that tries to smother hope, from the fear that clouds our faith.

Every moment of every day, we need Jesus!

We need His peace to steady us, His truth to anchor us, His Spirit to lead us, and His grace to fill the gaps where we fall short.

Whatever you are facing today, call on the name of Jesus.

Not as a last resort, but as your first response.

When you whisper His name, you acknowledge His presence.
When you speak His name, His power is released.
When you trust His name, His peace floods in.

“The Lord is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth.” Psalm‬ ‭145‬:‭18‬ ‭✞

His name still heals.
His name still delivers.
His name still saves.

So pause for a moment:
Breathe in: Jesus
Breathe out: Saves

He is your saving grace, your strong tower, your constant supply. And He is enough!

Don't keep this word to yourself; share the hope we have in Christ Jesus with someone today.

Happy Monday🥰
Andrea.

Bible Verses that will hold you this week⟱

“The work of righteousness will be peace, And the effect of righteousness, quietness and assurance forever.” Isaiah‬ ‭32‬:‭17‬.

“I will betroth you to Me forever; Yes, I will betroth you to Me In righteousness and justice, In lovingkindness and mercy;”
‭‭Hosea‬ ‭2‬:‭19‬.

“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, For they shall be filled.” Matthew‬ ‭5‬:‭6‬.

‭“And having been set free from sin, you became slaves of righteousness.” Romans‬ ‭6‬:‭18‬.

“For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.” II Corinthians‬ ‭5‬:‭21‬.

The running theme is righteousness woven in these verses.

This is so important because it is the powerful message of the Gospel: “For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, ‘The just shall live by faith.” Romans‬ ‭1‬:‭17‬.

The beginning of receiving our inheritance starts when we believe the truth of the Gospel: We are saved by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone, as revealed in Scripture alone, to the glory of God alone.

We cannot add to the message of the Cross; we can only receive Him and live as beneficiaries of His finished work.

The enemy relentlessly seeks to distort this truth using fear, superstition, or self-effort to convince believers they must “break off” the past or earn their way into freedom. But Scripture makes it plain: God’s call is repentance toward Him and faith in the Gospel of His Son, our Lord Jesus Christ alone.

Many place their faith in countless things, yet Jesus invites us to believe one simple, eternal truth: He has finished the work of the Father.

Our part ➸ “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.” Matthew‬ ‭6‬:‭33‬.

In Matthew 6:33, “and His righteousness” isn’t in addition to but rather an emphasis on the fact that we are justified by faith in Jesus alone (Romans 4:25).

Beloved, the blood of Jesus is enough to redeem your past, sustain your present, and secure you forever. Soak in the truth this week and walk in His abundance.

Blessings,
Andrea.

Today’s word is simple: Thank You, Jesus 🙌🏾!

I’m grateful for so many things, breath in my lungs, love that surrounds me, the beauty of creation, and the gift of community but nothing compares to the gift of salvation.

I was lost, Jesus pursued me, and now I am found in Him. I live because of Him.

If Jesus didn’t do another thing for me; I am grateful because He saved me!

“…But rather rejoice because your names are written in heaven.” Luke 10:20.

“Bless the Lord, O my soul,
And forget not all His benefits:
Who forgives all your iniquities,
Who heals all your diseases,
Who redeems your life from destruction,
Who crowns you with lovingkindness and tender mercies.”
Psalm 103:2–4.

“Behold, God is my salvation,
I will trust and not be afraid;
For YAH, the Lord, is my strength and song;
He also has become my salvation.”
Isaiah 12:2.

“Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit.” Titus 3:5.

What about you, beloved — what are you grateful for today?

Take a moment to pause and thank Him. And don’t forget to share the goodness, kindness, and sweetness of our Savior with someone who needs encouragement.

Have a phenomenal weekend!

🫶🏾Andrea

#grateful #thankful #blessed

I’ve been reflecting on a sobering story in Scripture: the two and a half tribes who didn’t cross the Jordan—Reuben, Gad, and half of Manasseh (Numbers 32). What is interesting is it was Reuben and Gad initially (Numbers 32:1-5), yet the half tribe of Manasseh got swept up into this as well (Numbers 32:33).

The Jordan is more than a river; it represents a second baptism (we’ll come back to that in my book📌), a call to step fully into the promise of God. Yet these tribes chose to stay back because what they saw looked more pleasant. They measured with their eyes instead of trusting God’s word.

At first glance, their decision seemed harmless. But history tells a different story! Don’t believe me, read the word for yourself. These very tribes were the first to fall into captivity (1 Chronicles 5:25–26), which speaks volumes to me, and I pray it will to you as well.

The lesson is clear:
• Proximity matters.
• Obedience matters.
• The Promise matters.

When we grow lackluster in taking possession, we cheapen our inheritance, treating it as ordinary, remember Esau.

But Jesus did not die for us to settle for “ordinary.” He died that we might take full possession of the Kingdom life He purchased with His blood. Anything less is to take His grace in vain.

This isn’t just an Old Testament warning. Hebrews reminds us of the same reality: “For if Joshua had given them rest, God would not have spoken of another day later on. So then, there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God… Let us therefore strive to enter that rest, so that no one may fall by the same sort of disobedience” (Hebrews 4:8–11).

I don’t share this lightly. It’s a strong word, but one we must hear. As citizens of heaven and ambassadors of the Kingdom, we cannot choose comfort over commission. There is too much at stake. Souls are perishing daily without Christ.

Continued in Comments👇🏾

Friend, many believers long to move forward in faith yet feel stuck in cycles of defeat. The key to becoming “unstuck” isn’t doing more; it’s believing what Christ has already done and walking in Him.

I know, it sounds simple, right? That’s because it is. Jesus never meant for the life of faith to be complicated. We’re the ones who often make it harder. Our Lord brings clarity, not confusion. He said that we are like sheep—prone to wander, get stuck in the mud, or even fall over, but the truth always leads us back to Him, His word, ways, and will.

Here are three truths that release you into freedom and forward motion:

Behold the Cross.
The Way Out: Accept the truth that you have been crucified with Christ.

The Truth: You’ve died! You are not “dying.” Scripture declares, “You were baptized into His death.”

Romans 6:2 uses the Greek word ἀπεθάνομεν (apethanomen) — aorist active indicative — meaning a once-for-all, completed death. You’re not in process; it’s done.

➸Because your old self is dead, you no longer have to fight from defeat but live from freedom.

Savor the Resurrection.
The Way Out: Walk in the truth that you were raised with Christ.

The Truth: You have been lifted into His resurrection life.

Romans 6:4 says, “Just as Christ was raised from the dead … we too might walk in newness of life.”

Your new life in Christ isn’t a goal; it the beginning. You live from the point of His resurrection, not toward it.

➸The same Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead now gives life to you.

Rest in Christ.
The Way Out: Believe that you are seated with Christ in heavenly places.

The Truth: Ephesians 2:6 declares, “God raised us up with Him and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus.”

This isn’t a future promise; it’s a present positional reality. You reign from rest, not striving.

➸To sit with Christ is to cease from self-effort and rest in His finished work. Allow the Holy Spirit to guide each step throughout the day. He is willing, He is able; depend on Him.

Continued in Comments below⟱

One ounce of God’s favor outweighs a lifetime of labor.

Beloved, the Kingdom of God is one of reversals. The one who is first shall be last; when we stay low that’s where His grace flows.

The world’s rhythm is fast, loud, restless, and rectless. The spirit of the world demands constant striving:
Grind for recognition.
Labor that leaves us weary.
Anxious toil that drains the soul.
Manipulation to gain advantage.
And the enedless pursuit of more.

But none of it satisfies. It never will. Because the spirit of the world can only measure worth by effort.

The invitation of the Spirit, in sharp contrast, speaks that we are known and loved. He invites us to rest in the finished work of Christ.

Friend, the Gospel is not a call to grind harder but to surrender deeper. Jesus bore the sweat of Gethsemane, the strain of the cross, and the agony of sin so that you and I might live in the ease of His grace.

The Spirit whispers: “It is finished.” Under the New Covenant: we don’t labor for favor; we live from it.

Paul reminds us:

“Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might understand the things freely given us by God.” 1 Corinthians 2:12.

The things of God cannot be earned; they can only be received. They are free, but not cheap; costly blood bought them.

Staying low actually allows Him to lift us high. His grace flows in humility, dependence, and childlike trust. It always flows downward to the lowest places. The proud and self-sufficient cut themselves off, but the one who bows low finds rivers of delight and are saturated with His favor.

When we resist striving, His Spirit speaks unparalleled truth to us in ways that toil never could:

“And if by grace, then it is no longer of works; otherwise grace is no longer grace. But if it is of works, it is no longer grace; otherwise work is no longer work.” Romans‬ ‭11‬:‭6‬.‬‬

To walk in the Spirit is to exchange sweat for surrender, anxiety for assurance, and labor for lasting rest.

Continued in comments👇🏾

Hi Friends, I wanted to give you an update. For the past eleven months, I’ve been walking through a pretty difficult season. It’s been a wilderness marked by stretching, pruning, and tears, many times I didn’t always have words express. There were days when silence felt heavy, when prayers felt like groans, and when the of weight to hold on harder than I thought I could bear.

I haven’t shown up as usual, honestly I couldn’t. I didn’t understand what was happening, but I did know I was embroiled in a spiritual battle that was zapping my physical, emotional, and psychological state.

But the Lord!

God is faithful and always there.
In the breaking, He is my strength.
In the pruning, He is my promise.
In my silence, He is still speaking.

I am grateful for everything, especially knowing the hard seasons serve a divine purpose and are holy. Jesus doesn’t allow one drop of suffering, not one tear to be wasted.

These words sing afresh in my heart and I pray they will stir you, especially those walking through a challenging season…

“Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.” Romans‬ ‭5‬:‭3‬-‭5‬.

Oh friends, there has been a continuous outpouring of the Spirit and His graces. Though, initially it felt like barren, yet in this exact place there has been and continues to be the palpable wonder of God and release of His power.

In the hidden work, the sacred work, there is fresh oil coming from the pressing and new wine that is so sweet it continues to fill my heart with unprecedented joy. I am grateful to the Lord for He has stirred within me deep truths from His word within me and kindled the fire into a flame.

And now, beloved, I sense the shift. What has been forming quietly is beginning to unfold. A new chapter is opening, carrying with it fresh vision, deeper intimacy, and a renewed outpouring.

Swipe the carousel for Scriptures✨
Continued in Comments👇🏾

In a world unraveling in chaos, it is crucial for us as children of God to remember that we are dual citizens: our feet firmly planted in heaven, while we walk as ambassadors of His glory on earth.

The pull of the temporal realm is real, and the enemy would love nothing more than to entangle us in distractions and divide our affections. Yet we are not merely earthly; we are children of the Light, born of the Spirit, and given a heavenly perspective.

That is why it grieves me to see the body of Christ lending influence to the cares of this world, caught up in pursuits that bear no eternal weight. It causes division amongst us and when division creeps into the Church, we risk neglecting the Great Commission and the Gospel entrusted to us. We often forget that we carry a heavenly arsenal for the battles here on earth.

This is a reminder today, if we’re going to be effective for the cause of Christ, we must use His armor, His Word, and His ways to bring change.

This is a truth the Lord has impressed upon me for the past year, and only now do I sense His release to share it. Recently, while walking, I was led to lift up praise and my thoughts turned to the victory that flows from it.

One of the Scriptures anchoring this revelation is woven in my upcoming book:

“Let the high praises of God be in their throats and two-edged swords in their hands.” Psalm 149:6.

The Hebrew for two-edged sword is חֶרֶב פִּיפִיּוֹת (cherev pîpiyyôt), literally “a sword with two mouths”—a weapon sharp on both sides, mirroring the cutting power of God’s Word.

Here, the sword is paired with praise: high praises in the mouth, and a double-edged sword in the hand. Together, they symbolize victory through both worship and the Word, our spiritual arsenal in Christ.

We don’t fight like the world. We’ve been given divine weaponry that thwarts the enemy’s schemes. The question remains: Will we use it?

Chaos has never canceled God’s plan—it sets the stage for revival. If you have breath in your lungs today, then give Him your praise!

ScriptureSnack in comments👇🏾

Dear Friend,

How are you? I’d love to know.

It’s been a year, hasn’t it? Can you believe there are only 86 days left in 2025? Wild, right?

Friend, the change in seasons can be hard. There was a time I didn’t enjoy Fall. The shorter days felt heavy, and honestly, the lack of light made me feel depressed. At one point in time I was diagnosed with seasonal affective disorder and was on medication to help manage this time of year (and there is nothing wrong with getting help).

Over time God’s love has lifted me again and again, renewing my perspective, opening my eyes to see His hand in all things, and drawing me to treasure His presence as everything 🍂

Now, I wake to the darker mornings with wonder, by breathing in the crisp autumn air, and watch the trees wrap themselves in brilliant color. The slowing down, the turning of creation, the preparation for gatherings; it all whispers that Fall is a season of both abundant harvest, reflection, and gratitude.

And as the days grow cooler and the world turns golden, may your heart be warmed by this unshakable truth: God loves you. His love doesn’t wither like the leaves or fade with the seasons. His love is eternal, steadfast, and unchanging.

Remember these few things…

It is God who draws you🍂
“The Lord has appeared of old to me, saying: “Yes, I have loved you with an everlasting love; Therefore with lovingkindness I have drawn you.” Jeremiah‬ ‭31‬:‭3‬.

It is God who gave His Son for you🍂
“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” John‬ ‭3‬:‭16‬.

It is God who loved you first🍂
“But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans‬ ‭5‬:‭8‬.

It is God who gives you eternal life🍂
“In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him.” I John‬ ‭4‬:‭9‬.‭

Continued in Comments👇🏾

Breakthrough isn’t always in the ‘Yes’—
It’s often in obeying God’s ‘No’ and His ‘Not Yet.’

I am finding the journey of faith amazing and fascinating.

We often equate breakthrough with the open door, when prayers are answered, and when things go our way.

But in truth, breakthrough often begins when we heed “His no or His not yet.”

I was reminded of the words of a sister yet again, “All steps are vital” and the small ones often matter most.

You know, the ones that we like to skip, the quiet choices within the heart, the tiny indiscretions that no one sees—these are the little foxes that rob precious firstfruits of faith before they can ripen on the vine.

Friend, obedience may seem like a delay—it’s not. These moments are where the soil of our hearts cultivate patience, trust, and spiritual maturity.

God’s ‘No’ has never been rejection, but about protection and redirection to His best. His ‘Not yet’ is never neglect, but divine preparation.

Friend, the place the Lord is bringing us is spacious, free, limitless, and abundant; and it costs. It cost Him his life ~ it will cost us ours. We cannot carry the Kingdom in our own strength; we must learn the Holy cadence of dependence where every step is in the Spirit.

Surrendering in those moments is not weakness—it’s worship. When we resist our own way and declare “Lord, Your timing is perfect. Your ways are higher. I trust You more than I trust myself,” and follow it with steadfastness, quietness, and reliance, this posture of yielded obedience is often the very breakthrough our hearts need most.

Where might God be asking you to trust His ‘No’ or His ‘Not Yet,’ and what small step of obedience is He calling you to take today? I'd love to stand with you💛.

Beloved, consider sharing this with someone who needs encouragement.

Blessings,
Andrea🫶🏾

It’s Fri-Yeah🎉 let’s close the week out with a little Bible Study: Hebraism.

Friend, have you ever read a phrase in Scripture “God hardened his heart” or “God gave them over” and wondered why God would do such a thing?

This is where Hebraism matters. The Hebrew way of speaking often attributes the outcome to God’s sovereignty, even when people stubbornly chose their own way first. Pharaoh hardened his own heart again and again, until finally God gave him over to what he persistently wanted.

Though we are under the New Covenant, we see in the world around us this very thing unfolding every day. And this doesn’t mean an individual cannot be saved. I firmly believe God gave breath and until the breath in a person is gone they can still whisper His name and receive salvation.

Here’s the thing⟹ why would anyone decide roll the dice and take a chance with eternity? That in and of itself equates to a hard heart!

When humanity continually resists God, there is a point in time where He removes His restraining hand, and people are abandoned to their own desires, and that is a terrible place to be. We read this in the New Testament in Romans chapter One.

📖 “Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity…” (Romans 1:24).

➸ Note: In Romans 1, the phrase “God gave them up” occurs not once, not twice, but three times, each time with intensified consequences.

We are reminded by the writer of Hebrews⭣
📖 “Today, if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion.” (Hebrews 3:15).

I pray that in this hour, hearts will be sensitive to the Spirit’s witness—listening, obeying, and turning fully to Jesus. The time is short; the day of His return draws near. May we be found ready, faithful, and watching for our soon-coming King.

Continued in Comments👇🏾

Hey friends,

I want to share a little bit with you today. The last year has been filled with so many challenges, and to even be here, stepping into this new month, is nothing short of a miracle sown through the grace of God.

Last year around this time, I had a modest celebration for my birthday, but what followed was a long season of sickness and struggle. By the time February rolled around, I was on fumes. I’ll share more details in time, but for today I simply want to give the Lord a great praise🙌🏾! Because while that season felt like loss, the LORD was at work; sowing, tilling, and preparing the soil of my heart and life for something I couldn’t yet see or imagine.

I honestly didn’t know if anything could come from such a barren season, until August, when I began to notice the first sprouts breaking through, then September gave way to hope, strength, and renewal. And now, standing here in October, I have an entirely new appreciation for this season, as a month of harvest.

I know God often does His most incredible work in the pain, in the dark, when it feels like nothing is happening. This time, I got to witness first-hand what happens when we are hidden. His hand is steady, His timing sure, and His work unstoppable!

I’ve come to understand more deeply why He created seasons, cycles, and rhythms in creation and how they mirror our spiritual lives:
🌱Spring is for planting seeds in faith.
🪴Summer is for growth, pruning, and testing.
🍂Fall (October!) is for harvest🌾—the seed sown in hiddenness is now bearing fruit.
❄️ Winter is for rest, trust, renewal, and preparation.

This October, I sense the Lord saying: “What I planted in hiddenness, I am now bringing to fruition. This is a season to gather and use what I have been quietly working in your life.”

So today, I want to encourage you: if you’ve been walking through a season of loss, barrenness, or waiting, don’t lose hope! God wastes nothing. The tears you sowed, the prayers you whispered, the faith you clung to in the dark, remember in this moment, He is faithful to bring forth a harvest in due season. 🌾 And the season is now!

Final word of encouragement in Comments👇🏾

Wow! October is here🍁

Every moment is an opportunity to walk more closely with the Lord. And friend, a new month is filled with so much promise!

This October, let these words shape your heart, thoughts, and steps:

✨ O – Obey God’s Word 📖
“Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and keep it!” Luke‬ ‭11‬:‭28‬.

✨ C – Carry the Message of the Cross ✝️
“For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified.” 1 Corinthians‬ ‭2‬:‭2‬.

✨ T – Testify of Jesus Boldly 📣
“Let the redeemed of the Lord say so, whom he has redeemed from trouble” Psalm‬ ‭107‬:‭2‬.

✨ O – Overflow with Grace 🕊️
“And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work.” 2 Corinthians‬ ‭9‬:‭8‬ ‭

✨ B – Believe To Do Greater Things 🔥
“Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I am going to the Father.” John‬ ‭14‬:‭12‬.

✨ E – Embrace His Presence 🪔
“You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.” Psalm‬ ‭16‬:‭11‬.‭

✨ R – Rest in His Promises 💛
“For all the promises of God find their Yes in him. That is why it is through him that we utter our Amen to God for his glory.” 2 Corinthians‬ ‭1‬:‭20‬.

Friend, let October be a month where we live fully surrendered, boldly believing, and overflowing with the grace of our Lord Jesus🙏🏾

Prayer for October📆

Abba Father,
Thank You for Your unfailing love, for going before me, for covering me with Your grace, and for allowing me to stand in Your holy presence. Help me to live fully awake to the sweetness of Your Spirit, to delight in the depths of Your kindness, and to walk faithfully in Your ways. I surrender this month into Your hands. I place my trust in You alone. In Jesus’ mighty Name, Amen.

Beloved, which one of these speaks to you most right now? I’d love to know💖

Blessings, Andrea🍁

As the seasons change and the crispness of autumn settles in, let us not grow weary in extending kindness, but rather lean into God’s call with fresh zeal.

October is more than a new month on the calendar; it is a fresh opportunity to align our lives with His purposes.

Each day is a chance to live with eternity in view, to love as Christ loves, and to reflect His heart in every space we enter.

Here are 8 ways to live on mission this October:

🍁Abide in God’s presence — Let His Word and Spirit guide your steps daily; intimacy fuels mission.

🍂Be steadfast in prayer — Intercede for your family, church, and community; prayer is partnership with heaven.

🍁Pursue holiness — Be set apart in speech, thought, and action as a reflection of Christ.

🍂Live ready for His coming — Keep your lamp burning, your heart awake, and your eyes on the Bridegroom who is coming soon.

🍁Live to make heaven crowded — Live with eternity in mind; each soul matters to God. Boldly proclaim the good news of Jesus Christ, the only hope of salvation.

🍂Walk in forgiveness — Release offense quickly; grace freely received must be grace freely given.

🍁Show hospitality — Open your home and heart; create spaces where people encounter the love of Christ.

🍂Be the reason people believe in God’s kindness — Let your words and actions point back to His heart.

🍁Scripture Meditation: “And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart.” Galatians‬ ‭6‬:‭9‬.‭

🍂

May this October be a month where heaven touches earth through the way we live, love, and serve.

🍁

Abba Father,
I love You. Thank You for the endless kindness You pour out over my life. Jesus, be lifted high and glorified in all that I do, my eyes are fixed on You. As I step into this new month, Holy Spirit, help me walk as a vessel for Your glory. Teach me to yield fully to Your promptings and apply the Word with faith and obedience. May my life be a living testimony of Your goodness and grace. All this I pray in Jesus’ Name, Amen🙏🏾.

Blessings🫶🏾,
Andrea

Let’s Finish The 3rdQ Strong Together🌟

Beloved, can you sense it in the air? The Lord is moving mightily in this hour, and His Spirit is speaking with clarity and power to those who will pause long enough to listen. Heaven is leaning in, and we are being invited to tune our hearts afresh to His whisper, to walk in the abundance of His grace, and to align every thought, every desire, and every step with the very heartbeat of heaven. This is not a casual moment; it is a holy invitation to posture ourselves in surrender and faith.

Let us remember: this journey isn’t about perfection; it’s about posture. Finishing well has never been about checking every single box or meeting every personal standard. Rather, it’s about keeping our gaze locked on Jesus, the Author and Perfecter of our faith. Every quiet step of faith, every unseen surrender, every small and often costly “yes” of obedience carries eternal weight and glory that far outweighs the trials of the present.

As the season shifts and creation reminds us of change moving from the warmth of September 🍂 into the crisp expectancy of October, my spirit stirs with anticipation.

God is not finished writing the story of this year, and He certainly isn’t finished with you or me. The year isn’t over, and if it’s not good, rest assured: God is not done! And if you’ve seen His kindness, breakthroughs, and blessings, rejoice, because He still has more. More to reveal. More to refine. More to unfold in us, through us, and yes, for us.

Beloved, let us not limp into this next season as though defeated. Instead, let us lean in with faith, yield in obedience, and walk with a holy confidence anchored in this truth: He who began a good work in you will be faithful to complete it until the day of Christ Jesus (Philippians 1:6).

Here’s to finishing Q3 strong, not by striving in our own strength, but by resting and relying fully on His.

8 steps:
1. Keep Jesus First
2. Rest Well
3. Steward Wisely
4. Guard Your Peace
5. Stay Rooted
6. Build Community
7. Practice Gratitude
8. Live Generously & Expectantly

Which of these 8 resonates with you? Drop it below 👇🏾

Grieve Not & Quench Not

Have you ever thought about the difference between grieving the Spirit and quenching the Spirit?

We often speak of grieving the Spirit, but not enough about quenching Him. Quenching happens when we limit what God desires to do, boxing Him in with our preferences, traditions, or comfort.

When we live with small expectations, we end up believing for less than what He is able to do. Limited expectations shrink faith and dull hunger, keeping us content with the familiar instead of pressing into the fullness the Spirit longs to release.

Grieving the Spirit happens when we sadden Him through disobedience and indulging the flesh. It’s relational—breaking fellowship, wounding the love bond we have with God by living contrary to His holiness.

Quenching the Spirit is different. To quench means to extinguish or stifle, like putting out a fire. Paul warns against resisting or suppressing the Spirit’s activity. This isn’t just about personal sin; it’s also about life in the body of Christ. We quench the Spirit when we:

🥀 Refuse to yield to His promptings.
🙉 Dismiss or despise prophetic words.
🛋️ Put preferences, traditions, or comfort ahead of God’s leading.
🧠 Limit God to our reasoning instead of walking by faith.

Both grieving and quenching are serious and often subtle. Quenching can be harder to notice, wrapped in control: our attempts to manage what only God can do, reducing His limitless power to categories we find comfortable. It’s saying with our actions: “Lord, You can move, but only up to here.”

Grieving hurts the Spirit’s heart; quenching hinders His work. One breaks intimacy, the other blocks power.

But the Spirit’s fire was never meant to be contained. He is the flame of God within us and among us, and when we quench Him, we rob ourselves and others of His fullness.

Where might you be limiting Him today?
Let’s walk in surrender, faith, and expectancy, welcoming the Spirit without measure.

Continued in comments below👇🏾

Beloved, have you fallen for Jesus? I have🙋🏾‍♀️. I was lost, but was found… and in Him, “I found him whom my soul loves.” Song of Songs 3:4.

Each day with Him is an adventure, sometimes tender, sometimes stretching, but always deeply rewarding.

Friend, when we fall for Jesus, it isn’t like falling into uncertainty; it’s falling into the safest arms we’ll ever know. His love steadies us, lifts us, and fills our lives with a joy this world cannot take away, a peace that surpasses understanding, and a romance that is eternal.

Falling for Him isn’t about perfection; it’s presence. Day by day, moment by moment, His love draws us deeper into a sacred union with Him.

And what does falling for Jesus look like? It’s choosing Him again and again:
Love Him because He first loved us.
Sit with Him because in His presence there is the fullness of joy and enjoying His countenance brings rest and peace.
Listen to Him allowing His voice quiet every other voice and silence every lie.
Praise Him because He is worthy of honor and adoration.
Talk to Him knowing prayer is honest conversation with the One who cares.
Serve Him letting His love flow through your heart and hands.
Follow Him, trusting Him to lead, especially when the path is unknown.

Continued in Comments👇🏾

Hello 👋🏾 TheOneThing1 family🤗,

Today is a special day where I get to uplift my sister in Christ, Dr. Shenica Nelson.

Help me celebrate the delivery of her book baby, HomeFirst: Finding Balance, Embracing Ease, and Living a Christ-Centered Life!

This beautiful work is more than just pages and print, it’s a heartfelt invitation to slow down, breathe deeply, and return to what matters most: Jesus at the center, with home flowing from that place of rest.

@drshenica gently reminds us that balance isn’t about striving harder, but about learning to live in God’s rhythm of grace. HomeFirst speaks to every woman who wears many hats and longs to walk in her inheritance in Christ: wholeness, holiness, righteousness, truth, peace, love, joy, and so much more.

Let’s celebrate this release together and cheer Dr. Shenica on! ✨

As you reflect on your own season, I’d love to hear:
Where is the Lord inviting you to slow down and realign with Him ✞ ?

Let’s lift her up in prayer and bless this message to reach many hearts and homes. 💗

Lord, help us to put You first in all things, and from that place, let our homes and lives overflow with Your presence and peace. In Jesus’ Name, Amen

“But a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.” Proverbs 31:30.

What does “home 🏡 first” mean to you right now?

Beloved, we are living in days where the pull of culture is strong, so strong that even the Church is tempted to lay down her God-given sword, the Word of Truth, and pick up the counterfeit blades of compromise.

It grieves me to say, often we fall on the sword of culture, where tolerance is exalted above truth, acceptance is chosen over holiness, and relevance is pursued at the cost of the Gospel. Yet the Word reminds us:

“Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.” 1 John‬ ‭2‬:‭15‬.‭

We don’t win people for Christ being like the world. We win people for Christ standing firm in Him.

The persecuted Church, stripped of every earthly advantage, has not forgotten this. They do not clench fists, protest, grasp for worldly power.

They pray. They love. They stand firm. Their testimony is costly, but it is pure. Their agenda is not survival: it is salvation.

Meanwhile, here in the West, comfort often dulls conviction. We risk trading the eternal for the temporary, thinking cultural validation equals Kingdom fruit.

But hear this: Christ doesn’t legislate morality; He transforms it. Hearts made new by His Spirit are what shift individual and families, nations, and destinies.

Friend, the world is dark but we have the very Light of Christ burning within us. It is not our place to contend for cause, but to contend for the faith once delivered to the saints (Jude 1:3).

This post is not to condemn but to call us to remain higher, not come down from the work of the Lord. And to remind us that we are not of this world. To urge us to lay hold of the Sword of the Spirit and resist the urge to wield culture’s weapons.

⚔️ May we not be a Church pierced by compromise, but a Church ablaze with conviction.
🔥 May the Light within us permeate the darkness around us.

📖 I invite you to read the full post, Follow Jesus The Messiah: A Page From the Persecuted Church, (link in bio). Let it search you. Let it stir you. Let it point you back to Jesus: the only One worthy of our allegiance.

Until next time, keep the faith.
Blessings!
Andrea🫶🏾

Friend, have we forgotten? Salvation is not just about being rescued from sin: it’s about being reborn into an entirely new kind of life.

Paul told the Corinthians they were still living as “mere men” (1 Cor. 3:3). Delivered, yes—but not walking in freedom. Surrounded by promise, but never tasting its reality.

How many of us fall into that same trap?

It is possible to live in the midst of deliverance and never walk it out. To excuse ourselves with the phrase, “I’m only human.”

But here’s the truth: in Christ, you are not merely human anymore. You are a καινὴ κτίσις (kainē ktisis)—a new creation.

✦ καινὴ (kainē): new in kind, unprecedented, never seen before.
✦ κτίσις (ktisis): a radical act of creation, something entirely fresh.

Not a polished-up version of yourself. Not a spiritual rebrand. Entirely new. Entirely transformed.

Jesus bore our frailty so we could be clothed in His strength. He broke the mold of Adam and rose as the blueprint of a new humanity. And now His Spirit lives in us, flowing like rivers of living water (John 7:38).

This is not about perfection. It’s about surrender—moment by moment choosing to walk in the Spirit and shine the light of Christ in a world that desperately needs Him.

Beloved, everything has changed. Don’t bury the treasure. Don’t dim the light. Live as the new creation you are in Christ.

Consider ⭢ What parts of my life are still shaped by the old story, instead of the new creation I am in Christ?

Read the full post, More Than Human: Discovering the Truth of Being a New Creation in Christ, link in bio 👆🏾.

Let’s dive deep into the Word, pray with conviction, study with hunger, and embrace the promptings that call us higher, so we may walk fully in the reality of who we are in Christ.

Continued in the comments👇🏾

Comparison is not harmless, it’s deadly🥀.

It robs us of love, poisons joy, disrupts peace, and blinds us to the presence of God. What seems small… a passing thought, a lingering glance at someone else’s portion, can quickly become a seed of covetousness, fueled by jealousy and envy, that allows bitterness to take root in our hearts if left unchecked.

Scripture gives us warning after warning:
• Cain & Abel → envy corrupted worship and led to murder (Gen. 4:7-8).
• Saul & David → jealousy stole peace and poisoned relationships (1 Sam. 18:7-8).
• Rachel & Leah → comparison made blessings bitter and homes divided (Gen. 30).
• Israel & manna → they despised God’s provision and craved Egypt’s scraps (Num. 11:5-6).
• Peter & John → Jesus had to cut through the distraction: “What is that to you? You follow Me.” (John 21:21-22).

Each story carries the same truth: comparison blinds us to the abundance already in our hands. It lures us into scarcity thinking, when in Christ, we lack nothing.

Here’s the deeper reality to discover: God made us with appetite. Though humanity has fallen, our appetite wasn’t removed. Desire itself is not sin—it is a gift. The problem comes when desire is misdirected. Apart from Jesus, appetite twists into envy, lust, or greed. But in Christ, our longings are reoriented and fulfilled in the One who truly satisfies. He alone takes the ache of emptiness and fills it with Himself.

Beloved, I have wrestled here too. I’ve lived under the fear of missing out, sought the fleeting praise of men, and carried the ache of feeling less than and unloved. I know what it feels like to compare calling, gifting, or even daily life and come up short. Yet again and again, the Lord whispers to my heart: I have not hemmed you in by lack. You are in the wide open space of My love, where My presence always with you and provision never runs dry.

Continued in comments👇🏾

Beloved, every battle you face carries a hidden gift. The spoils are not earned by your striving, but by your standing. They are gathered not by the strength of your hand, but by the faithfulness of His.

David refused Saul’s heavy armor for it was man’s weight, not God’s way. Instead, he trusted the sling already in his grasp, a weapon made powerful only because the Lord was with him. Victory was not in stone or sling, but in the hand of the God of Israel.

Eleazar fought until his hand grew weary, yet he clung to his sword so tightly that it fused with his flesh. And Scripture says, “The Lord brought about a great victory that day.” (2 Sam. 23:10). Do you see it, beloved? The picture of a heart so bound to the Word that it cannot be separated.

The Sword of the Spirit is no earthly steel. It is living fire, heaven’s breath in written form, placed into our hands by grace. This sword does not rust nor dull, it pierces darkness, slays deception, and breaks chains that no earthly power can shatter.

When Jesus was in the wilderness, He did not reason with the enemy. He unsheathed the Sword, again and again declaring, “It is written…” And the accuser fled.

So it is with us. The battle is not ours, but God’s. Yet our call is to cling, to believe, to speak, to wield His Word until it becomes one with us. When the Word cleaves to your heart, your hand, and your mouth, you will not merely endure—you will overcome!

Do not despise the battle, beloved. For it is the very soil where the spoils are sown. Every trial is ground for triumph. Every clash is an altar where glory is revealed.

✦ Hold the Word.
✦ Let it hold you.
✦ And watch the Lord fight for you.

“So shall they fear the name of the Lord from the west, and His glory from the rising of the sun; when the enemy comes in like a flood, the Spirit of the Lord will lift up a standard against him.” Isaiah 59:19.

Read my latest post, link in the bio👆🏾. Meet me in the comments and let’s pray🙏🏾

Have you ever believed the whisper that your history puts you beyond God’s purpose? I did.

💔 The Lie: My past disqualifies me from being used by God.
✨ The Truth: God redeems my journey within His story.

For years, shame wrapped itself around me like chains. I carried labels: failure, unworthy, disqualified—until they became the soundtrack of my life. I spiraled through anorexia, bulimia, self-harm, and depression, sinking deeper into the belief that I was too broken for God to love, too damaged for Him to use.

At my lowest, I weighed just 86 lbs. My body was frail, my mind clouded, my spirit barely holding on. I couldn’t imagine how a holy God could see me and still call me His own. Yet, it was there, in the pit of my brokenness, that Jesus met me. Not with anger. Not with rejection. But with kindness that led me to repentance (Romans 2:4). With mercy that lifted my head. With grace that wrapped me in His righteousness (Ephesians 6:14).

What I thought was the end became the beginning of redemption. The very ashes of my story became the canvas for His glory. And friend, He can do the same for you.

Beloved, your past does not disqualify you; it qualifies you for grace🙌🏾.

Think of Abraham who lied, Rahab who was a prostitute, David who failed, Peter who denied, Paul who persecuted… Yet each of them was woven into God’s redemptive plan. Their scars didn’t cancel their calling; they magnified His mercy.

❤️‍🩹 Your scars are not wasted.
❤️‍🩹 Your history is held in holy hands.
❤️‍🩹 Your testimony is living proof that our Redeemer lives.

The enemy wants to chain you to your past, but Jesus wants to free you into your future. “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has passed away, behold, the new has come” (2 Corinthians 5:17). You are not defined by what you’ve done, you are defined by what Christ has done for you.

So if you’ve ever wondered whether God can redeem the pages of your past, this word is for you. He doesn’t waste pain, He doesn’t waste tears, and He doesn’t waste stories.

What part of your journey do you need to re-surrender to Him today?

Continued in Comments👇🏾

Have you ever paused to consider the mystery that the God of glory, the One who filled the tabernacle with cloud and fire (Exodus 40:34-35) now chooses to make His home within you?

I think about being the Lord’s temple, His very dwelling place, and I am undone. The wonder overwhelms me. The God of all creation no longer resides in buildings made with human hands but in us. Through Jesus Christ, we are now His sanctuary, His resting place, His chosen house of glory.

This truth reshapes how we walk, how we live, and how we possess the land He has given us. Because if we are His temple, then we are also His treasured possession.

It is a mystery: “Christ in us, the hope of glory” (Colossians 1:27). Yet it is also our real-time reality, God Himself dwelling within His people.

The fullness of Him rests inside us, and yet we often live unaware of the magnitude of this promise. We forget that heaven’s King has chosen us as His residence. But beloved, this is not something to take lightly. It changes everything.

“Do you not know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you?” (1 Corinthians 3:16)

“You also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit.” (Ephesians 2:22)

To live as His temple is not just a truth to know—it is a call to surrender, to holiness, and to intimacy with the One who has made His home in us. And yet, we are not left to figure this out alone. The Spirit leads us, revealing the Father’s heart and forming us into the likeness of Christ.

So pause today and let this truth soak into you and cover you this week: you are not ordinary. You are the dwelling place of God.

There’s so much more to uncover about this mystery. Read the full post, The Dwelling Place of God: We Are His Temple, Link in bio 👆🏾.

Have you ever whispered, “I’ve done everything right, and yet nothing is working”?

We’re taught to pray, serve, give, declare, fast—and we should. But sometimes our hearts twist these holy rhythms into a formula: If I do X, God will do Y. And when life doesn’t fit that equation, frustration creeps in.

Friend, God is not a vending machine. He’s not a reward system. He’s a Father who is the reward. When we trade intimacy for performance, obedience becomes pressure, worship becomes leverage, and we end up exhausted—expecting a return He never promised apart from Himself.

The elder brother in Luke 15 had perfect service but distant fellowship. He lived in the Father’s house yet missed the joy of the Father’s heart. His words revealed the ache of a faith without intimacy: “I’ve served you… yet you never gave me…”

Jesus’ invitation is different: “Abide in Me, and I in you” (John 15:4). Abiding isn’t working harder; it’s resting deeper. It’s the daily awareness that we are already loved, already chosen, already His.

What if the peace you’re after isn’t waiting on the other side of answered prayer, but right here, in the midst, found in dwelling with the Lover of your soul? What if your breakthrough isn’t in the formula, but in enjoying His presence?

This week, shift from formula to fellowship:
✨ Begin your prayers with gratitude for who God is, not just what He can do.
✨ Spend time in His Word to know His heart, not just to find answers.
✨ Sit in silence with Him, no agenda, just enjoy His presence.

💬 I’d love to hear from you—Have you ever caught yourself slipping into “formula faith”? How has God drawn you back into fellowship? Share below so we can grow together.

Read more in my latest blog post, Christianity Is Hard When… I Treat Faith Like a Formula Instead of Fellowship with the Living God. Link in bio👆🏾

Let's 🙏🏾 join me in the commentd👇🏾

Have you ever considered that what you name—you also frame?

We often label things to make sense of them, but if we’re not discerning, those labels can become spiritual limits. What we call a thing affects how we relate to it. And sometimes, those names aren’t rooted in truth—they’re rooted in fear, frustration, or past wounds.

But here’s the good news: you were never created to echo fear. You were created to echo heaven. ✨

Your words carry breath, and breath carries power. Your mouth is more than a muscle—it’s a gate. A legal instrument. The place where you give consent and legislate authority in the unseen realm.

Remember Adam? He named what God brought before him—and heaven honored it. (Genesis 2:19)
And the same is true for us. We’ve been given spiritual authority to call things in alignment with God’s Word.

📖 “Death and life are in the power of the tongue…” (Proverbs 18:21)
📖 “Where the word of a king is, there is power.” (Ecclesiastes 8:4)

Let this sink in: One of the greatest hindrances to God’s movement in our lives isn’t what we’re doing—it’s what we’re saying.

God’s Word is not just poetic—it’s performative.
So why speak anything else?

Let your mouth become an echo of eternity.
Let your speech align with what’s already settled in heaven.

🗝 Final Word: Heaven and hell both wait to hear what you will say. Your words are not casual. They are contracts.

👇🏾Pause + Reflect:
What labels have you spoken over yourself or others?
Is your mouth in agreement with God or with your fears?

✨ Want to go deeper?
The full post “Labels, Limits, and the Language of Faith” is live now and includes insight into my testimony🙌🏾🕊️

Read it. Reflect on it. Let it encourage you to embrace the Word of God and allow Him to shape how you speak and what you permit.

📲 Click the link in bio to read. Speak the language of the Kingdom👑

🧣Wearing Testimony in August🧡

It may seem funny to wear a scarf in the heat of August… But some things are worth wrapping yourself in no matter the season.
Especially when it carries the weight of a story, the warmth of a journey, and the hope of redemption.

This beautiful hand-knit orange scarf was lovingly crafted by my dear sister Lauren McNeese—writer, creative, and soon-to-be published author of her memoir The Orange Scarf 📖✨

Lauren’s story is one of courage, healing, and grace woven one stitch at a time through pain, much like the scarf itself each thread a testimony.

As I wear this vibrant piece, I’m reminded of Isaiah 61:3, that our God gives us “Beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, and a garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness.”

Honestly, it couldn’t have come at a better time as I emerge from a difficult season. This scarf is more than fashion statement, it is
a thread of hope and a garment of praise.

You can join me in supporting the upcoming launch of Lauren’s book baby by requesting her to make you a scarf of your very own and saving the date to order her book, The Orange Scarf🧣, set to release on September 13, 2025!

Every purchase is a step toward lifting her voice and honoring the healing journey so many of us quietly walk through.

Head over to @laurenmcneese_writer to learn more, and follow along as her testimony unfolds.

Lauren, thank you for the gift of this scarf and for the willingness to share your journey!

May your words wrap others in the warmth of knowing they are seen, known, and never beyond the reach of redemption🧡. May our Lord Jesus be greatly praised🙌🏾

Drop a 🧣 to support and encourage Lauren’s journey, and a 🧡 along with a comment sharing how God is transforming your life this season. Let’s testify together of the Lord’s kindness✨ Don't forget to say 📣 “AMEN”

Have you ever paused to consider the permanence of your forgiveness in Christ?

Not just a one-time pardon, but a perfect, ongoing reality, secured by grace, sealed by blood, and sustained by His name.

The word for this week is a weighty one that demands a response.

📖 “I am writing to you, little children, because your sins have been forgiven for His name’s sake.” 1 John 2:12.

The Greek word used here—ἀφέωνται (perfect passive)—means the work is already done… and its effects still ongoing. ✨ Forgiven. Fully. Forever. Isn’t that beautiful? I am undone by this revelation.

For years, I lived like I had to do penance. I thought I had to earn God’s love. My relationship with Jesus was transactional—trying to behave my way into His favor.

But the truth broke through my striving. The Gospel of His grace shattered the lie. And I saw the truth: 💥 His love isn’t based on my performance. It’s anchored in His person. He forgives freely.

Friends here is the thing: The grace of God doesn’t give license to sin—His forgiveness stirs awe and His Spirit empowers us to live in reverence of and obedience to Him.

And when we experience the depth of His forgiveness, we don’t run from God, we don’t rest in our own strength, instead, we run to Him with radical love and live deep surrender.

So why are we so afraid to preach the full Gospel without terms and conditions? Why do we keep qualifying what God has already said?

Today:
Let’s stop adding fine print to grace.
Let it land where it may trusting God knows what to do with the hearts that hear it.

🪞Reflection:
Have you been living forgiven or still trying to earn what Christ already gave?
♢
In what ways might you be limiting God’s Word by adding your own conditions in an attempt to control the outcome?

🖊 I’m diving deeper into this in my latest devotional: 👉🏾 “Perfect Grace, Permanent Forgiveness”

Tap the link in my bio to read the full post and rest in the freedom already yours.

How are you walking in God’s abundant forgiveness today? I’d love to know, drop a word in the comments👇🏾

What if the greatest spiritual danger isn’t disbelief, but delay?

The enemy rarely roars, “God isn’t real.”
More often, he whispers, “You’ve got time.”

It’s the subtle lullaby of spiritual procrastination.

“Later,” it says. “Eventually. Someday.”
But the Word of God cuts through the haze:

“For he says, “In a favorable time I listened to you, and in a day of salvation I have helped you.” Behold, now is the favorable time; behold, now is the day of salvation.” 2 Corinthians‬ ‭6‬:‭2‬.

We’re not promised tomorrow. To delay is not neutral—it’s rebellion in disguise. Every “not yet” to the Spirit is a quiet refusal of grace.

“Today, if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts.” Hebrews 3:15.

Jesus isn’t offering religion.
He’s offering Himself, right now.
Healing, forgiveness, identity, purpose this is the gift of today.

“Seek the Lord while He may be found; call upon Him while He is near.” Isaiah 55:6

The signs are all around us. All eyes are on Israel. Truth is mocked. We’re not waiting for the end times; we’re living in them.

But the mercy of God still calls out: “But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart” (that is, the word of faith that we proclaim); because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.”
‭‭Romans‬ ‭10‬:‭8‬-‭10‬ ‭

This isn’t fear-mongering—it’s Gospel urgency. Jesus is coming. Grace is available, now. But the door of mercy won’t stay open forever.

So here’s the question:
What’s stopping you from surrendering now?

⏳ Don’t delay.
💛 Read the full post, link in bio ➡️ Now Is The Time⏳: The Lie 🤥 of Later⌛️and A Wake-Up Call ☎️ to Come Home
🕊️ Let His voice interrupt your “later.”

Continued in comments⤵️

Have you ever believed the lie that you needed to clean yourself up before coming to God?

In my latest blog post, You Don’t Wash Before the Bath: The Scandalous Grace of Jesus, we are exposing this lie. Here’s⤵️ a preview🫣

🛁 The Gospel Isn’t for the Clean—It’s for the Dirty. You don’t wash before the bath.

And you don’t purify yourself before coming to Jesus. That’s not the Gospel—that’s works wrapped in self-righteousness.

Truth bomb:
📖 “While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” — Romans 5:8

Jesus didn’t wait for us to get it together.
He moved toward us in the mess, not after it.

Consider the woman caught in adultery that stood guilty. And yet, Jesus, the only one with the right to condemn chose mercy.

📖 “Neither do I condemn you; go, and sin no more.” — John 8:11

Grace first. Then transformation.

Friend, we’ve all missed the mark.
📖 “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” — Romans 3:23

And if we could make ourselves holy, there’d be no need for the Cross✝️. But we couldn’t—so Jesus came.

📖 “For our sake He made Him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God.” — 2 Corinthians 5:21

Jesus doesn’t save the made up, polished version of us. He saves the broken, desperate, doubting version of us. The one crying out, “Help me, Lord.”

The sinless Lamb of God bore our sins, paid our debt, and offered us what we could never earn: grace, forgiveness, and sonship. We have been set free from a debt we could never repay.

So if you’re stuck thinking, “I’ll come to God once I clean up…”

Let that lie die at the foot of the Cross.
Because the work is finished!

🩸 The blood of Jesus is the bath.
💥 The grace of Jesus is the invitation.
🙌🏾 The forgiveness of Jesus is available.
🕊 And the power of Jesus will transform your life.

Come as you are. You won’t leave the same!

💬 Has the Gospel changed your life? Let me know in the comments.

🔁 Share this with someone who needs to hear the Good News: You don’t have to fix yourself first.

Read the full post 🔗 in bio👆🏾

For years, I didn’t partake in the Holy Communion and I suffered. Why? Because I was told I had to be walking a certain way or risk judgment. So I withheld myself from the very meal meant to bless me.

Friend, Jesus never said, “Do this in remembrance of you” He said, “Do this in remembrance of Me.” (1 Cor. 11:24)

As believers we have right-standing with God because of the blood of Jesus, 💁🏾‍♀️which is why we partake.

“For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” 2 Corinthians‬ ‭5‬:‭21‬.

𖧷‭

“Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.” Romans‬ ‭5‬:‭1‬.

𖧷The Lord’s Supper isn’t about your perfection—it’s about His finished work.
𖧷It’s not a reminder of your sin.
𖧷It’s a declaration of your healing, your wholeness, your inheritance in Christ.

Here is the thing ➡️ The Bread and the Cup are not the same—Paul said, many are sick, weak, and die early because they haven’t discerned the Body. (1 Cor. 11:29–30). This isn’t because they are unworthy just unaware.

The Communion is not religious routine; it’s a revelation of Jesus. It’s an offensive act of spiritual warfare—We are storming the gates of hell declaring healing and liberation!

When you eat the Bread, you remember His body broken so yours can be made whole.

When you drink the Cup, you proclaim your freedom through His blood.

This table is set in the presence of your enemies (Ps. 23:5), and you don’t come empty—you come hungry.

🕊 The early church broke bread from house to house.
🔥 The two on the road to Emmaus recognized Jesus when they partook.
💥 A Canaanite woman saw her daughter delivered by a crumb.

So imagine what happens when you partake with revelation.

Let’s stop letting fear and false teachings keep us from the feast. Partake worthily not by looking at yourself, but by fixing your eyes on the One who finished it all.

Remember, you are in Christ. You are seated at the table and you are blessed!

Read the full post, link in bio👆🏾and rediscover the table Jesus prepared for you.

Join the Upper Room chat & grab the Scriptures, Journal Prompts, & Poem.

Who does God help?

“For assuredly He does not give help to angels, but He gives help to the seed of Abraham.”—Hebrews 2:16 (LSB)
⠀
Pause and reflect 🤔 on that: God didn’t extend help to fallen angels. But He helps us. It's pretty incredible.
⠀
👑 Jesus didn’t come to save angels—He came for us. Those who believe in Him, who trust in the finished work of the Cross, are called the seed of Abraham—the children of promise.

We peer into the cosmic battle of the ages in my latest blog post, Help Is Here: Receiving the Rescue Reserved for the Redeemed. (Link in bio).

⠀
Here’s a sobering truth:
Help can be present and still not received. Deliverance can be available and yet refused.
⠀
📌Salvation is a gift—but it requires our yes.
📌The Holy Spirit is our Helper—but He desires our yielded heart.
⠀
You can have access to everything and still live like you’re spiritually bankrupt. It’s like having millions in the bank but choosing to live like a pauper.
⠀
God sets a table for us in the presence of our enemies (Ps. 23:5). But He won’t force us to eat.

A stunning reality is from the very beginning that God works the miraculous in the midst of adversity.
⠀
⬇️

💡Here’s the beauty: Even after chaos entered the world (Gen. 1:2), God still moved forward with His plan. Right in the enemy’s domain, He brought forth light, life, and order.
⠀

➡️ That’s what He’s still doing through Christ.
He helps the redeemed.
He helps those who trust.
He helps those who believe.
⠀
“For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ… and if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s offspring, heirs according to promise.” Gal. 3:27–29.
⠀
Friend, the adversity 🔥 that has come your way, is the very place the Lord is doing a profound work and not solely in you but through you, so those connected to you can experience deliverance.

📣 So be encouraged today:
You are blood-bought.
You are Spirit-filled.
You are covenant-carrying.
You are helped!
⠀
Rest in His promise.
Walk in His grace.

⠀
✝️ “God is good and He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.” (Heb. 11:6)

Meditate on this word, read the full post for more understanding, and be blessed.

Let’s be real—following Jesus isn’t always easy. But you know what makes it harder? Choosing comfort over calling. Settling for less forfeits His best—not because God hasn’t provided, but because fear, impatience, and weariness cloud our trust.

I’ve been there. Maybe you have too.

When we settle:
• We trade peace for temporary relief.
• We confuse comfort with God’s presence.
• We fear His timing is too late.
• We crave outcomes over intimacy.
• We compare our process to others’ highlights.
• We doubt our worthiness of His best.
• We shrink back instead of surrendering fully.

But friend—what are we missing when we settle?

💛 The fullness of His presence.
💛 The beauty of co-laboring with Christ.
💛 The refining of our character.
💛 The generational fruit of obedience.
💛 The testimony of His faithfulness!

Abraham & Sarah remind us: even in missteps, God’s promise remains. Ishmael was born out of haste, but Isaac came by His hand, His timing, His way. Their failures are not the final word—His faithfulness is.

And the same is true for you. 🙌🏾

The enemy fights hard to keep us settling because of what we lose. But beloved—what might shift if you fully surrendered today? What could God birth on the other side of obedience?

📖 Journal with me:
• Where am I tempted to settle?
• What “counterfeits” have I chosen?
• How does Abraham & Sarah’s story encourage me?
• What truth of God’s character do I need to hold?
• What would full surrender look like right now?

🔥 Ready to press into His best?
Drop a “YES LORD” if your heart is leaning toward surrender!

Read the full post, study the Scriptures (Romans 4, Hebrews 6), and journal through His invitation to trust again. Link in bio ⬆️ Download’s in the UpperRoom Chat💁🏾‍♀️.

🫶🏾

𝒜𝓃𝒹𝓇ℯ𝒶, 𝓎ℴ𝓊𝓇 𝒹𝒾𝓈𝒸𝒾𝓅𝓁ℯ𝓈𝒽𝒾𝓅 𝓈𝒾𝓈𝓉ℯ𝓇 𝒾𝓃 𝒷ℯ 𝒻𝒶𝒾𝓉𝒽!

What if your waiting season is actually holy ground? What if the trials you face are opportunities for growth instead of signs of failure?

God is always working — cultivating faith, refining your heart, and aligning us with His Kingdom purpose. 𝒯𝒽ℯ 𝓂𝒾𝓇𝒶𝒸𝓁ℯ 𝒾𝓈𝓃’𝓉 𝒿𝓊𝓈𝓉 𝒾𝓃 𝓉𝒽ℯ ℴ𝓊𝓉𝒸ℴ𝓂ℯ; 𝒾𝓉’𝓈 𝒾𝓃 𝓉𝒽ℯ 𝓅𝓇ℴ𝒸ℯ𝓈𝓈.

In my latest blog post, Stewarding the Miracle: Walking in Faith, Waiting in Wonder, we explore what it means to trust God in every season—even when the answers aren’t visible in the natural.

From recognizing that salvation itself is a 𝓂𝒾𝓇𝒶𝒸𝓁ℯ to understanding the purpose of 𝓉𝓇𝒾𝒶𝓁𝓈, this post encourages us to see process as holy ground. Together, we’ll explore how to steward our faith, align with God’s Kingdom purpose, embrace the beauty of the process, and see waiting as God working mightily.

A glimpse from the post:

We miss the “answered prayer” because God’s solutions often come in seed form. We expect to see the apricot tree when the Lord sowed the apricot seed. Remember, Israel wanted a king and thought he would rule in a manner that altered their political system when, in actuality, the King of kings came as a Child, ushering in an entirely new creation—an eternal Kingdom with unlimited power and great glory. They didn’t get it; may we not miss Him.

Here are a few takeaways:
🌿Recognize that salvation is proof you’re already living in a miracle.
🌿Sow prayers in faith, even when you don’t see the answer.
🌿Be intentional and faithful in stewarding the miracle you presently possess
🌿Trust God’s timing — His plans are never delayed.
🌿Embrace trials as refining moments that draw you closer to Him.
🌿 Respond with Faith in the Process
🌿Align your heart with His eternal purpose.

Friend, the Gardener, our Abba is faithful. Don’t dig up what He’s planted. Trust Him, steward your season well, and delight in His presence as you witness the next miracle unfold!

How are you seeing God at work in your current season? Drop a comment and let’s encourage one another! 💛

Continued in comments⤵️ Link in bio😉

God is unlike any other, wholly set apart, and in His wisdom and prudence, He has set us apart unto Himself.

Oh, friends, it is splendid, yet it is easy to fall back into commonness.

In my own walk, I’ve stumbled when my heart becomes entangled in the jaws of comparison, the lure of competition, the pull of comfort and convenience, the fear of man and people-pleasing, or the ache of insecurity.

There are times I’ve sought control, allowed offense and bitterness to seep in, grown spiritually apathetic, especially in seasons of weariness, or even envied the ease others seem to experience in the world. All of these marks reside in the flesh. When I wrestle with them, holiness feels elusive, and I slip into a life marked by compromise and commonness rather than consecration.

Can you relate?

You may be asking what the connection between commonness and holiness is. A few years ago, I wrote a post called “The Holy & The Common in 2020” (link in bio). The article’s basis was to demonstrate how the opposite of 𝒽ℴ𝓁𝒾𝓃ℯ𝓈𝓈 𝒾𝓈𝓃’𝓉 𝓈𝒾𝓃; 𝒾𝓉’𝓈 𝒸ℴ𝓂𝓂ℴ𝓃𝓃ℯ𝓈𝓈.

It happens when we forget that we are not crazy or given to the chaos of this world but called; not purchased by the meager like money or gold, but bought with a price: the precious blood of Jesus. It happens when we bypass the truth—we are not our own.

God is distinct, and it is Christ who marks us as His own and sets us apart!

And this is where we often miss it — holiness isn’t something we achieve through striving but something we enter into through surrender. It’s not about perfection but about proximity. Holiness is an invitation to draw near—to walk in an intimate relationship with Jesus.

There has been a change, and it is the Blood. The command to be holy is wrought in the finished work of Jesus, not our effort.

When we keep the Cross at the forefront of our minds, we remember that we are seated in heavenly places and seek things from above. And we bear fruit accordingly by the Spirit because we rest in the Vine.

Our identity is no longer self, it is in the Person of Jesus. Amen🙏🏾🙌🏾💛

A few Scriptures that continue to bless me are in the comments👇🏾

Hello Friends 👋🏾,
It’s been a little while. Over these past few weeks, I’ve been walking through a health journey — more details to come — but I can say this with full assurance: God is so tender, sweet, and faithful. 🌿

In the quiet places of trial, He has been planting and cultivating seeds I didn’t even realize were being sown. And now, by His grace, I’m beginning to see the first fruits press forth, His countenance in the waiting, His hand in the healing, and His strength in the stretching.

Today, I offer you a small glimpse, a simple reflection gathered from my time sitting with Him. May it bless you as He has so deeply blessed me. ✨

𝒲𝒶𝒾𝓉𝒾𝓃𝑔 & 𝒟ℯ𝓁𝒶𝓎𝓈

𝒮ℴ𝓂ℯ𝓉𝒾𝓂ℯ𝓈, we aren’t waiting on God, but rather, He is waiting on us to…

—Lay down those things that keep us from Him.

—Turn away from the temptation that entangles us and the sin that entraps us.

—Release the worry and anxious toil in our minds in exchange for trust and believing Him.

—Walk in full obedience to Him, not taking things into our own hands.

—Pray, Ask, and Trust Him with the next steps, especially if the answer is Wait or No.
Remembering, His, “No” always means a better “Yes.”

𝒮ℴ𝓂ℯ𝓉𝒾𝓂ℯ𝓈, we aren’t hearing the Lord or seeing things change because we didn’t respond to His word of correction. But we can right now, and we should.

Obedience is not optional—it’s essential!

He has so much for us, however, God doesn’t reward rebellion. If we don’t heed His correction we are in the crosshairs of His discipline. If we won’t listen to His voice; He can’t trust us with the blessing.

“For the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and chastises every son whom he receives.”
‭‭Hebrews‬ ‭12‬:‭6‬‭

𝒮ℴ𝓂ℯ𝓉𝒾𝓂ℯ𝓈, we are so fixated on us, what we want to happen or change and in our anticipation for outcome can forget the story is about Him. He holds the pen✍️🏾.

Continued in Comments⤵️

Are you constantly pulled in various directions only to realize you’ve drifted from His presence?

The enemy isn’t always loud. Sometimes he lures with a scroll 📱, a notification 🔔 , a sudden “to-do” ✅, a sudden bombardment of anxious, racing, worrisome thoughts, or more insidious is the good thing we received by grace but have somehow managed to turn it into a place of striving—making it a weight🪨.

The enemy entices you with distraction and then condemns you because of the distraction; don’t let him. He is a liar!

CRUSH🔨 the serpent’s 🐍 head by reframing distraction.

Instead of seeing it as lost time and a cosmic failure, see it as a divine invitation to build an altar! By the Spirit we can give glory to God and be strengthened by Him amid distraction!

Fight Back with Holy Intention:

• Identify and Pause. Distraction can be a trigger but we can use it as a call to a place of intention. Let it become a signal, not a stumble.

• Erect an altar: Not a literal one, but a heart posture. The natural instinct is to keep scrolling or spiraling. Break the cycle. Be intentional. Disrupt through stillness. Right in the middle of the chaos; place another stone in honor of God.

• Behold. In the moment of temptation, or mental wandering— acknowledge His presence. Look for Him. Look to Him because He is there!

• Offer a sacrifice of praise. Whisper, “Jesus, You are worthy,” or “Jesus, help me,” or simply “Jesus.” His name carries authority, power, and declares victory.

• Return to the Word: Don’t let anything steal the moment of this encounter. Go further. Fight for time with Him. You’ve come too far in the process to walk away without a blessing: Let Him replenish and strengthen you. Take the LORD with you by means of the Word.

Remember, Jesus is greater than the pull of distraction and more satisfying than the noise.

Let’s reclaim our attention, fix our affections, ending the enemy’s assault on our minds, one stone at a time.

Imagine how the atmosphere would shift if every distraction we utilized as the doorway to a deeper devotion to God.

Continued in Comments👇🏾

Have you found the Treasure on your journey?

Friend, let me tell you: Jesus is the Treasure.
Not only is He the prize, but He is the promise: you can walk uprightly in a world marked by chaos, compromise, and confusion.

In my latest blog post, Reign in Life: The Paths of Righteousness, we unpack seven powerful scriptures that reveal the beauty and blessing found in walking with Him.

In Christ…
→ The path is level
→ The peace is unshakable
→ The justice is divine
→ The journey is eternal
→ The light grows brighter
→ The Treasure is Him

Here’s a promise worth clinging to:

“But the path of the righteous is like the light of dawn, which shines brighter and brighter until full day.” Proverbs 4:18.

Even when the world grows dark, the light of Christ only shines stronger. As we trust in Jesus—the Righteous One—we begin to reign in every area of our lives.

“…Much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man Jesus Christ.” Romans 5:17.

So, what does righteousness look like in real life? It’s not about perfection—it’s about posture.

᪥ Surrendering to Jesus instead of striving
᪥ Choosing rest when the world demands hustle
᪥ Trusting God’s justice over reacting in your flesh
᪥ Holding peace when panic tempts you
᪥ Letting go of false identities to live fully in Christ
᪥ Reflecting light instead of fighting for attention
᪥ It looks like JESUS

And when you walk this path👣…

• Your eyes open to deeper truths
• Your steps are ordered with purpose
• Your pace slows—and your heart finds rest
• Your identity is rooted in Christ, not culture
• Your life shines for others still searching in the dark

Let this encourage you today:

• You are not alone on this path
• You are not forgotten in the valley
• You are not powerless in the waiting
• You are not unworthy of the promise
• You are never too far to be restored

Beloved, allow His presence guide you fully.

Let’s walk this path together—slowly, surrendered, and full of faith🕊️

Blog link in bio👆🏾. Ready to walk the narrow way? Drop a “Righteous👑” in the comments if you’re in!

What if God’s next thing for you isn’t something new—but a deeper return to the One thing?

What if Jesus calls you to a season of stillness, quietness, and holiness… in the middle of full bloom?

In my latest blog post, The Sacred Work of Stillness in Full Bloom, I share how God interrupted my momentum with a holy pause—not to withhold but to deepen, refine, fill, and whisper: “Remain.”

Here are 15 truths I’m learning in this season:

✨ Stillness is not stagnation. It’s a sacred invitation to remain rooted and deeply aligned with God’s voice.
🕊️ There is holy work in the pause. Don’t confuse divine preparation with delay.
🔥 Oil is cultivated in hiddenness. The anointing flows in the quiet before the commission.
💧 The ache you feel is hunger, not absence. God is drawing you closer, not pushing you away.
🌿 Excitement must be tethered to obedience. Zeal without alignment leads to striving, not fruitfulness.
💡 We can’t live on borrowed oil. Yesterday’s filling won’t sustain today’s assignment.
💍 Bridal affections are stirred in the stillness. Return, remain, and be revived in His presence.
🌸 Not every bloom means go. Sometimes, full bloom is God’s cue to stay and be still.
📖 The Word nourishes in the quiet. In stillness, revelation flows like rain on fertile ground.
🪔 Preparation precedes promotion. God forms us before He sends us.
🌬 Whispers carry weight. In a world full of noise, His whisper becomes the clearest guide.
💗 Return is a rhythm. God’s heart is never far—He calls us back gently, again and again.
🛑 Pause is a posture. Waiting is worship when it’s rooted in trust.
🌾 Depth over display. God grows roots before He reveals fruit.
👑 Holiness before harvest. Consecration always comes before commission.

Friend, which of these truths resonates with you, I’d love to know in the 💬 below.

Excerpt:
“I find myself in such a season. The air hums with hope, bees buzz, birds sing, blossoms unfold—and everything says move. But the Lord says, ‘Be still.’ Not disengaged, but deeply rooted. Watching. Listening. Preparing.”

Have you felt the ache of stillness? Friend, the pause has a purpose—and it’s holy.

Read the full post at the link in bio👆🏾

Have you ever been captivated by just a few words of Scripture, where even a single phrase feels like a divine whisper reminding you that God is already at work behind the scenes?

Recently, my time in the Bible has consisted of the Lord meeting me through a beautiful collection of words that dazzle off the page, dance in my mind, and are sealed in my heart.

Instead of the whole passage, the verses come alive word-by-word, tiny morsels so sweet to my taste. Sometimes, it is only one word, and others, a few in a row, but there is breath on them, and life imparted as I read them.

Has this happened to you?

It happened again during our Bible study this week. Our leader discussed our Lord’s abundant provision in Christ as he read from John 6.

Eight words woven in the miracle of the loaves and fishes caught my eye, and they glistened like sun rays, “For He Himself knew what He would do.” John‬ ‭6‬:‭6‬.”

Did you catch that?

Let that simmer♨️

The disciples were in a predicament🤔 but Jesus already had the answer; indeed, Jesus is the answer!

Our Abba Father is wonderful at securing us in the truth about Him.

He is God. (Isaiah 45:5)
He is good. (Psalm 100:5)
He is faithful. (Psalm 36:5)
He is our help. (Psalm 44:1)
He is in control. (Colossians 1:16-17)
He is the source of every blessing. (James 1:17)
He knows our needs and has already prepared for them. (Matthew 6:32)

Beloved, we don’t need to fret; we can accept the Lord’s invitation and enjoy His rest. This weekend, contemplate our sacred provision in God our Father, the Lord Jesus Christ, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit.

Ponder the stunning truth: the Triune God holds space for us, and there is abundant provision in Him.

༻༺

Breathe in: Abba
Breathe out: Shall supply all my needs.

Breathe in: Abba
Breathe out: Deeply cares for me.

Breathe in: Abba
Breathe out: Loves me.

Breathe in: Abba
Breathe out: Is my everything.

Friend, where in your life do you need to be renewed in the truth?

Continued in Comments👇🏾

Beloved, what if you lived like every promise of God was already fulfilled in Christ?

Not just hoped for. Not just someday. But done—sealed by the One who cannot lie!

Hebrews 6:18 says, “So that by two unchangeable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled for refuge might have strong encouragement to hold fast to the hope set before us.”

This isn’t wishful thinking—this is an anchor for the soul—the Truth we get to stand on. God didn’t stutter. He didn’t exaggerate. He spoke, and it stands.

So here’s what that means for us:

✨ It’s impossible for God to lie.
He is not a man that He should change His mind. Every word He speaks is truth. Stand on it like solid ground.

✨. You are secure in Christ.
You didn’t earn your salvation—and you can’t lose it. You were sealed by grace, not works. The Cross is complete.

✨ You are an heir of the promise.
Galatians 3 says that if you belong to Christ, you are Abraham’s seed. That means every promise God made is now part of your inheritance.

✨ You can trust Him in the waiting.
Even when life feels topsy-turvy, He is still multiplying what He’s entrusted to you. Expect blessing. Expect increase. Expect Him.

✨ You are anchored beyond the veil.
Jesus is your forerunner—your High Priest who went ahead of you. Your hope is not fragile. It is firm, fast, and eternal.

So, beloved, what would change if you lived as though every promise of God is already fulfilled in Christ?

Not just knew His Word, but declared it, stood on it, and let it shape how you move, pray, speak, and live?

Let your life testify that God is faithful. His Word is true. And His hope never fails.

What’s one promise you need to anchor yourself to today? Drop it 👇🏾, and let’s stand together.

The consolations of God are strong enough to support his people under their heaviest trials.
—Matthew Henry.

This is a snippet from my latest blog post: Anchored in the Impossible: Trusting the God Who Cannot Lie.

Read the full post now at The One Thing 1. Link is in bio! 👆🏾

“But on the first day of the week, at early dawn, they went to the tomb, taking the spices they had prepared.” Luke‬ ‭24‬:‭1‬.‭

“And they found the stone rolled away from the tomb.” Luke‬ ‭24‬:‭2‬.‭

“But when they went in they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus.” Luke‬ ‭24‬:‭3‬.

“While they were perplexed about this, behold, two men stood by them in dazzling apparel.” Luke‬ ‭24‬:‭4‬.

“And as they were frightened and bowed their faces to the ground, the men said to them, “Why do you seek the living among the dead?”
‭‭Luke‬ ‭24‬:‭5‬.

“He is not here, but has risen. Remember how he told you, while he was still in Galilee, that the Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men and be crucified and on the third day rise.” Luke‬ ‭24‬:‭6‬-‭7‬.

“And they remembered his words.” Luke‬ ‭24‬:‭8‬.

May we also remember the words of our Lord Jesus, clinging to each one, for they are Spirit and life.

“Who was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification.” Romans‬ ‭4‬:‭25‬.

—Justified

“For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” 2 Corinthians‬ ‭5‬:‭21‬.

—Righteous

We are witnesses of His grace, testifying to His limitless power. We are partakers of eternal life and children of the Promise. Let us behold Him with awe and wonder, and steward the miracle He has allowed us to experience.

Abba Father,

You loved us to the end, allowing Jesus to taste death for us that we would have eternal life in His name. We behold Him, the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world, now seated at the right hand of the throne of God. We praise You for we are found in You and everywhere we are—You reign!

In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Happy Resurrection Day🕊️

Friend, have you ever felt like your story is stitched together more by sorrow than Salvation? Like the weight of your experiences speak louder than God’s promises?

I know I have🙋🏾‍♀️. In my latest blog post, I talk about my personal walk of trading condemnation for Christ-centered compassion. Here’s an excerpt:

Sometimes, I’ve revisited my past experiences only to fault-find and scrutinize every decision. In these moments, I became increasingly self-conscious, though, at the time, I would proclaim I was “self-aware,” but in reality, it was rooted in regret and shame.

It was a slippery slope where I spiraled into self-loathing and, sometimes, self-harm. The cycle was often a place of rinse and repeat, but never coming into complete deliverance because the lens I used was me, and with me at the apex, there was no grace in that space. Christianity is hard when we see life through our wounds instead of the finished work of Christ.

By the Spirit, we can shift our perspective from dwelling on our wounds to embracing His scars.

“For from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace.” John‬ ‭1‬:‭16‬.

Five Keys🗝️

✝️ Acknowledge Christ—remember that He is present, and we stand in His presence. Remain in the secret place.

🤲🏾 Surrender to Jesus—actively place everything into His nail-pierced hands. This isn’t a one time event but something we do repeatedly.

👀 Reframe the Narrative✍️🏾—see life through the cross. Then ask the Lord to show you how to filter everything through His purposes and promises.

👣 Walk in ✞ Redemption—embrace each step as a place of healing and moving forward. We may stumble, but it is an upward stumbling in Christ because it isn’t based on what we do but on what Christ has done.

🩹Wounds a Space for Worship🙌🏾—set up remembrance stones to reflect on His glory and worship Him for all the miracles, large and small. Let’s allow our scars to be the witness of His love, kindness, and the power of the Gospel.

Ready to shift your view from past to promise? Read the blog, comment on which 🗝️ resonates with you, and tag a friend who needs grace. Link in bio!

Scripture Meditation in comments👇🏾

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THE ONE THING 1

Unveiling on the Emmaus Road

Applying The Finished Work: Gleanings from Zechariah

The Holy & The Common

Idolatry Crushes the Heart of Our Father

Established in Righteousness

Unshakable In Christ

A Call To Contend For The Faith

The Hope That Purifies

Live Forgiveness Conscious

An Invitation For Such A Time As This

The Temptation of Isolation

Enlarged In The Midst of Distress

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Small Steps in Obedience ~ Humility

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