Kristina Seymour - Blog

The Lord is my Warrior

3/24/2015

The Lord is my Warrior
I shall not fear
He takes the highest leaf
and brings it near
to simply encourage
Courage of 10 million men
He holds in the tip of a
pen His tongue
His finger
fear cannot linger in my
Warrior's Presence
He does not relent until
freedom is found by
every soul beneath unmarked
crosses underground are
safely home
It seems I roam but
there is purpose to the
esprit de corps
that stirs us
me my spirit the Holy Spirit and I
we are Warriors
designed to fly
for above the carnage
of doubt
a Warrior's cry I
shout!
The Lord is my Warrior I shall
not retreat
onward I charge
in the Victory
fully fought and purchased
at
Calvary.

March 17th, 2015 SPEC of Hope post

3/17/2015

A SPEC of Hope Event

SPIRITUAL: I have found that when I am missing a sense of peace within me my focus is more on my weaknesses and the physical obstacles before me rather than on God and His Strength. One very early morning many years ago, I was in the midst of my prayer and meditation. Those of you who know me well know that I start each day with God & Coffee: in that order - with caffeine and prayer – because with those two elements, I believe that anything is truly possible! I went to God with all the details of my current dilemma and God impressed upon me to “Trust the Process”, to which I quickly informed God that I could not trust the process and I proceeded again, to list the many, many details of my current dilemma. And I asked, “How in the world do I trust the process – these details are so many and the way out of this lion’s den is so very complicated and unpredictable from a physical standpoint!” Deep within my spirit, I heard, “I AM the process.”My perspective immediately did a 360 degree shift from a physical focus to a spiritual focus on God and His sovereignty. I went to my Bible to find any Scripture that had “I AM” in it. And through the process, I found out more about who God is. I have been collecting I AM Scriptures for years; I separated them by theme about who God is: Warrior, Friend, Counselor, Great Physician, Husband to the Widower, Father to the fatherless, Giver of gifts, knowledge, insight, and understanding, Prince of Peace…., and I’ve brought them here for you to take with you in order that you would be encouraged on your darkest days and most challenging times. I want to encourage you to focus on who God is in you, through you, and for you and less on you and your weaknesses. I am sharing the manuscript form of a book that encompasses them: Light a Candle and Consider Me (a book you can pre-order at Thursday night’s March 19th SPEC of Hope Event at the Three Blind Mice Restaurant at 7:00; 1066 Killian Hill Road, Lilburn, GA; 770-696-4139)

PHYSICAL:   While it essential for me to start my day from a spiritual stand-point; I am also very excited about the physical, tangible opportunities that are presented to me daily to help me achieve optimal health. My daughter, Faith, will be 20-years-old next week! She recently made a comment that it was time for me to get a new work-out video because my Leslie Sansone Two-Mile Walk at Home work-out was so worn out, it skipped in the same spot. More specifically to address how this personally impacted Faith, she listened to Leslie’s voice skip while she ate her breakfast for years (since she was in 7th grade to be exact). Plus, she said I needed a little more variety and fun in my workout to help me balance out the monotony of my work-out and day. “It’s time, Mom,” she said with a grin. ;)

What is it time for you to do in order for you to improve your physical health and add some fun to your life? J We are three months into this new 2015 year and while I do not make New Year’s resolutions, I do continually try to implement healthy lifestyle choices that positively influence my physical health. Diet and exercise are key factors to establishing and maintaining balance.

·         One thing I have learned is that the longer something lasts on the shelf, the quicker it spikes my carbohydrate and sugar levels in my body and the quicker it turns to stored fat – let alone what it is doing to my cardiovascular, immune, and metabolizing systems!

To help us consider a physical change for long-lasting optimal health, my dear friend, Dori Miller, will be at the next SPEC of Hope Event at the Three Blind Mice Restaurant Thursday night to share her story about the changes she made to implement balance and fun into her life. I can’t wait for you to meet her! Come, and bring a friend!

EMOTIONAL: The degree to which me move and the quality of what we eat also impacts our mood states. Does anyone remember the documentary, “Super Size Me”, where Adam Schuster ate all his meals at McDonalds for a year? … Here is a link to the Super Size Me song for increased awareness.

http://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=super+size+song+on+youtube&qpvt=super+size+song+on+you+tube&FORM=VDRE#view=detail&mid=B6550550EBFE133E5F05B6550550EBFE133E5F05

One of the main things that Adam discusses in his documentary is how he became depressed while eating only McDonalds. Sure, he gained excessive weight and I imagine that is in part, what led to his depression, but the food he was eating, only McDonalds, also set in motion a sugar, fat, and carbohydrate addiction. If he did not get the food, he was grouchy. When he ate the food, he temporarily felt better (because of the quick rush of feel good neurotransmitters: Serotonin and Dopamine, specifically) were being lit up and released like a 4th of July display within his brain and body. But just as quickly as they were released, they died out, and he was left feeling worse than before he ate – so he had to do it again, and again in order to temporarily feel better. The cycle of depression is vicious in this way. When someone is severely depressed, they will often do anything to feel better and get their life back. The problem is, unless they learn about all aspects of their health, depression lurks around in the background of one’s thoughts, emotions, and behaviors. For Adam, the problem, of course, was that his cycle of depression was one where he temporarily felt better when he ate, but then he quickly felt worse, and he’d eat again to temporarily feel better. His overall health suffered: spiritually (I’m not sure of his spiritual beliefs, but I’d be happy to share my I AM Scriptures with him), physically, emotionally, and cognitively). I imagine he would have attended a SPEC of Hope event during his self-experiment because I know that he now knows, as he has shared his journey with the world, that it only takes a SPEC of Hope to transform a life and diet – one’s nutritional intake - is a crucially key factor to one’s overall well-being.

COGNITIVE: One’s ability to think clearly is directly related to the pace at which they breathe:
·         Short, shallow, chest, fight, flight, or freeze stress breathing when much oxygen leaves the brain and heads to our main muscle groups in our arms and legs to prepare us to fight to the death, run for our lives, or play possum so that we don’t get devoured by the perceived Kodiak Beer of a situation right before us
·         Versus long, deep, at rest state diaphragmatic breathing where much oxygen enters the brain so that we can plan, organize, and think about thriving, excelling, and growing in and through our situation rather than merely surviving it.

When we are stressed, we are in 911 mode; it’s hard to think about anything other than mere survival. Likewise, the degree to which we are implementing consistent exercise into our routines impacts the amount of oxygen in the brain (which helps us think clearly and more efficiently) as well. Movement (exercise) and food (fuel) greatly impacts how quickly, effectively, and efficiently we process our thoughts! While I drink two glasses of water, a cup of coffee, and a nutritional Complete Juice Plus Smoothie each morning, if I put those same ingredients in the gas-tank of my car, it would not make the car run because it requires the right fuel to run. Our bodies are the same way, when we eat processed foods, (remember if it last long on the shelf, it quickly deteriorates our health) we short circuit our ability to think clearly. Processed foods spike insulin levels, quickly turned to stored fat, and create free radicals (particles of toxins) within our cells. Cells need to fire (start-up and spend energy in efficient ways) to work effectively. If the cells in our brains try to turn their ignition on but constantly stall out, we end up with a brain-fog effect. And, it’s essentially because eating the processed foods is much like putting toxic fuel into our systems. And our systems require the right fuel, phyto-nutrients – phyto for plant, to help nourish and protect our cells in order that they too would fire. When they fire, this is equivalent to starting up, sending a message, and performing a job. The job entails a list of tasks about what they are supposed to act and when they are supposed to remain on cruise. And sometimes, the task is to move into spring cleaning mode within the homes they live, our bodies, based on the healthy programming from the nutrients that they receive in order to:

·         Do this
·         Don’t do that
·         Create this hormone
·         Don’t create that hormone
·         Synthesize this cholesterol and
·         Attack this virus, bacteria and/or toxin

The way in which we live in balanced ways, spiritually, physically, emotionally, and cognitively directly impacts our overall health, and remember…

It only takes a SPEC of Hope to transform a life!

I can’t wait to see you this Thursday!

Email or call me and let us know you are coming to the next SPEC of Hope Event

678-793-4906 or seymour.kristina@gmail.com

Thursday, March 19th at 7:00 p.m. at Three Blind Mice Restaurant at 1066 Killian Hill Road, Lilburn, GA

A SPEC of Hope spiritual, physical, emotional, & cognitive health with Dr. Kristina Seymour

3/10/2015

It only takes a SPEC of Hope to transform a life!

Spiritual Health: The word “spirit” (spiritus from spiro) means to breathe, to blow. When our breathing becomes quick and strenuous, our mind and body is experiencing stress. We might be walking up a flight of stairs; we might be thinking stressful thoughts such as, “I can’t take one more second of this; I’m just done!” However, stress, which is simply a demand put on us, which can include our alarm clock in the morning, is not all bad. For example, exercise is a good thing that causes demands on the body. But when our spirits are disturbed within us (Psalm 43:5), negative thoughts may manifest which can maintain and exacerbate that stress to unhealthy proportions. Our spirits - our breath - play a key role in our ability to maintain balance. Large deep breaths, inhaling in through our nostrils, filling our diaphragm to the point of extending the belly like a balloon, and then slowly exhaling through the mouth creates a sense of calm. As you breathe in, choose to focus on whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things (Philippians 4:8). In order to increase my sense of well-being, I am currently studying and teaching the book of Ruth in the Bible for renewed encouragement regarding the ways in which God prepares and positions us to intersect with His will. As I breathe, I also consider how God was always with Ruth and Naomi, making a way where there seemed to be no way. Likewise, I encourage you to dig-into spiritual content that makes your spirit soar to new heights of hope. While you are partaking in diaphragmatic breathing, oxygen levels will increase in the brain, and you will be able to think more clearly, more peacefully, and more rationally, as you manage whatever uniquely perceived stress is before you, whether the stress is a few flights of stairs on your lunch break (You go, girl!), or a situation which you perceive as a figurative lion trying to get you to blink first.   Be on the look- out for this new Bible study I am writing: God & Coffee with Ruth, which will be available through Deeds Publishing. J http://deedspublishing.com/

Physical Health: Eating right is perhaps the most difficult balancing act of all. It’s also the most important one because it affects how we feel as well as how equipped we are to bring balance to other aspects of our life. Balance is defined as: an even distribution of weight enabling someone or something to remain upright and steady; a condition in which different elements are equal or in the correct proportions. Twenty-four years ago, I was navigating my way through the obstacle course at Air Force boot camp. About mid way, I was balancing on a log 10 feet high, I almost fell, but then I prayed and looked to the sky, “Lord, please help me; don’t let me fall. Help me balance upon this log, help me scale the wall.” And, ever so swiftly I felt two very large invisible hands (the size of the Jolly Green Giant!) upon my ribs – and firmly I stood. Had I not been praying to God, had I not known it was Him holding me, I would have been so startled, I would have fallen. Over the years, I have learned that the food that I put into my body directly affects how balanced I feel, specifically, it affects my energy levels throughout the day. Has anyone experienced a carbohydrate or sugar crash lately? These foods provide a temporary jolt but quickly turn to stored fat and feelings of lethargy. Let us then consider how many fruits and vegetables we are getting. We need 9-13! Are you getting that many a day? And for the sake of fun, let’s focus on the powerful energy found in dark leafy greens. Have you had your basil, green beans, or broccoli today? They are essential phytonutrients that have a large supply of chromium. Chromium is needed to help metabolize fats and carbohydrates. It also helps brain function and other bodily functions through fatty acid stimulation and cholesterol synthesis. Chromium is critical regarding insulin metabolism. Do you want to know more about how you can implement balanced nutrition in the midst of your everyday life? Do you have children? They can receive fruits and vegetables free! I’d love to talk with you more! Seymour.Juiceplus.com

Emotional Health            A little anxiety is needed. It motivates us to act in ways that will help us accomplish a goal. If my children have a math test coming up, they need to have a little anxiety about it; it helps them study and prepare so that they will do well. If they had no anxiety, they would not be motivated to do what they need to do. Emote (a root of emotion) means “to move.” Isn’t that fascinating?! God gave us emotions so that we would move – take action – regarding our daily and life tasks and goals. In the Bible, Paul talked about having less anxiety when his friends cared for him in Prison as well as having less anxiety when he knew other believers were living and operating through faith, fueled by the grace of God. In the book of Ruth, Ruth had anxiety when she left her family of origin and headed to Bethlehem with her mother-in-law, Naomi. Ruth also had anxiety when she approached the field of Boaz, requesting permission to glean behind the harvesters with the other people who were poor and widowed. And, I know Daniel had anxiety when he was thrown into the lions’ den! Anxiety is a part of life. The anxiety I experienced as a child in an unhealthy environment motivated me to join the military and write a novel of hope and healing: Where the Red Cardinals Fly: a novel of darkness to light, despair to hope. We don’t want to get rid of it; we simply want to manage it in healthy ways in order that the ways in which we live illuminate a message of hope, healing, and balance. Do you need assistance managing anxiety or other emotions that seem to have become larger than your ability to handle them? I am in psychological practice at Behavioral Management Group in Snellville, GA. I also work with a team of dedicated therapists who are here to walk along side you, offering you tools to survive and thrive in the midst of your everyday life.

Cognitive Health             Have you been racing around looking for your keys, only to find they were in your hand the entire time? Me too! My goodness, it can be challenging to keep our minds clear and organized along with our daily lives. A SPEC of Hope exists to provide encouragement and practical tools to live your optimal life while moving towards optimal health, step by step, day by day, moment by moment. Thoughts are powerful. When we are overwhelmed, we might experience 150 racing thoughts that have a theme of negativity within them. Can you think of a common unhelpful/negative thought that has haunted your mind for years, maybe even decades? Years ago, when I would work on my math homework, I would say, “I’m so stupid; I’m going to fail.” This thought pattern made it that much more difficult to concentrate on what I was trying to learn. (It also caused my breathing to become quick and stressful… leading to less oxygen in my brain and more oxygen in my main muscle groups, preparing me to fight, flee, or freeze in doubt, fear and panic). Over time, I learned to say something more helpful, “While this is difficult, I can do it one step at a time; In fact, I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me (Philippians 4:13).” I was still speaking to myself in this helpful way while I took my final math test that would go towards my doctorate degree in clinical psychology. I would say this 150,000 times as I breathed and did one step at a time. Our thought life impacts our ability to plan, to organize, and to complete the task before us. Begin to speak to yourself as you would speak to your child or a friend going through a hard time. Offer yourself encouragement and hope; it only takes a SPEC of Hope to transform your life!

Please join us for A SPEC of Hope – Dinner and Fun on Thursday, March 19th at 7:00 p.m. at The Three Blind Mice Restaurant, 1066 Killian Hill Road, Suite 100, Lilburn, GA 30078; 770-696-4139

Please RSVP at seymour.kristina@gmail.com or call my cell and let me know you are coming 678-793-4906.

http://www.tbmrestaurant.com/

It only takes a SPEC of Hope to transform a life!

Love,
Kristina Seymour

They Laughed at Him

2/24/2015

When Jesus entered the ruler’s house and saw the flute players and the noisy crowd, he said, “Go away. The girl is not dead but asleep.” But they laughed at him. After the crowd had been put outside, he went in and took the girl by the hand, and she got up. News of this spread through all that region.

Matthew 9:23-26

When I was reading this story, the fact that they laughed at Him echoed to me. After Jesus raised the girl from the dead, nobody was laughing because they were frozen in amazement. I can just imagine Jesus walking in and telling them that she’s not dead but merely asleep. Immediately a roar of laughter erupts. He just continues on with what He was planning to do before the laughter; he went in and took the girl by the hand, and she got up. He was unmoved by their laughter. He can raise someone from the dead and give them new life!

This makes me think of our own lives. How many times have you claimed something in the Name and Power of Jesus, and people laughed at you? On a personal level, how many times have you said you were going to do or try something and people laughed at you? Laughter echoes the unbelief within the heart. Many times people laugh because they don’t know what else to do. Sometimes people want to cry, but they laugh instead. Laughter helps us “do something” when we don’t know what else to do. People may also laugh because they feel extremely uncomfortable. I’m sure that the people in the room thought Jesus was delusional – after all, the girl was dead! If I had a loved one who died and someone walked in and said, “They aren’t dead, but asleep.” I would probably stand there in silence and say, “Okay……” and then I would wait for them to do something odd and I would be prepared to run for my life! The difference between “just anyone” walking in and claiming that the dead is not dead and Jesus Christ doing it is Jesus Christ actually has the power and authority to do it!

I just bet that the unbelievers of Jesus laughed at what He said, but if there was even just one believer in the room who had witnessed prior miracles, I bet they stood there silently wanting to giggle a little bit because they knew what was coming: Jesus would do what He said He would do. The believer was excited to sit and watch the crowd’s unbelief turn to amazement.

Let us not join the laughter of this world, but let us long for and wait for the miracles of our Savior. Let us expect and wait for Him to show up and raise our belief in Him to new levels!

And let us speak of His miracles, and join others in prayer for deliverance because we are not of those who don’t believe, but are of those who believe and are saved.

May the God of peace, who through the blood of the eternal covenant brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep, equip you with everything good for doing his will, and may he work in us what is pleasing to him, through Jesus Christ, to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen.

Hebrews 13:20-21

Dark Eyelashes, Bright Eyes

12/17/2014

I was noticing the other day that when I put my eye-shadow on, the powder from the eye-shadow makes my eyelashes light and my face looks like it’s missing something. It’s like my face is dusted into non-distinction. It’s even more obvious after I put powder on my face. Where did I go? Ah, but then I find my eyeliner and my mascara. Before I put my mascara on, I take a Q-tip and I wet it, then I rub it across my lashes to get the eye-shadow dust off of them. Now, my eyelashes are prepared to receive the distinction of the dark mascara upon them. Boom! There it is! In seconds, my eyes have distinction, a nice finishing frame of dark, in contrast to the light eye-shadow on my lids. It is this contrast that makes my eyes look clear, clean, crisp and ready for the day. Likewise, I consider the Word of God as clarity to the eyes of my soul. When I wake, I feel somehow blurred into the length of the night and the fog of the morning. But then, I find distinction and clarity of the Word. As a result, I feel equipped to dust darkness off of my shoulders because the light of the Word brings revelation to my soul and firmly places the Sword of the Spirit in my hand. In so doing, I am able to rest in shadow of His wings because I know that His powerful light will become evident upon my faith.

You are my lamp, O Lord; the Lord turns my darkness into light.

2 Samuel 22:29

He is the Prize

11/30/2014

Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. Therefore I do not run like a man running aimlessly; I do not fight like a man bating the air. No, I beat my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.
1 Corinthians 9:24-27

I like to run so I’ve always loved the visual that the above scriptures provide. I always envisioned Jesus ahead of me, encouraging me to keep running towards Him. Recently, however, Jesus impressed upon me a very important point. Regardless of the battle, the victory, or the circumstantial race that I am in, He is right there with me in it. This new level of insight changed how I envisioned this scripture. It was as if I saw Jesus standing right where I’m standing rather than ½ a mile ahead of me. You see, I’ve always thought of the race as a process of obtaining the prize at the end of the race. While this may be true of this world, God wants us to run differently than the world. To help us do so, He sent His son who through the process of salvation within us, resides in us, and makes us His home. He lives is in us as we run the race; He takes each step with us, within us. Hold on; there’s more…

What is truly exciting about this is this: He is the prize! God wants us to run the race in such a way as we KNOW that while yes, we must run the race, we’ve already won! Jesus is the prize! Running with this truth allows us to run in present victory rather than run with the hope of eventually obtaining the future prize. Do you see how this perspective allows victory to be present-centered rather than future focused? As Christians, we are to live in such a way to let the world know that we know that we’ve already won. Have you ever heard that saying, “If you are saved, remind your face.” ? It seems that a bunch of us, me included, have been running around as if we “hope” to win - when in fact, God is saying, “I’ve already won! My Son paid the price; now, walk in that victory, child. – No, run!”

Let’s add another layer to this lesson. Since life is “all relational,” we know that the prize in any situation (whether we win or ‘seemingly’ lose) is not the earthly prize that is obtained, but the depth of our relationship with Christ that results from the victory or ‘defeat.’ You see, when we look at Jesus as the prize in any situation, we don’t trip by the worldly results that we see before us. In this way, even if we “appear to have lost the race,” if we have pressed into Christ, and relied on Him, talked with Him, and trusted Him through the process, our relationship with Him becomes more intimate and He responds to our deep need for Him. As a result, our relationship with Christ grows to new levels. And that, my fellow runners, is the prize! Do you see? He is the prize! Jesus is our prize in any race, any situation, any circumstance, any victory or apparent “defeat” – He is the prize. When we get a hold of this truth, we truly can run in such a way as to show that we already know that we have obtained the prize in Christ Jesus. It is the process of trusting in Him that allows us to obtain the prize right now in the present. It’s a beautiful gift, and it has been graciously presented to those of us who race towards eternity, but who know that we can live victoriously now!

"It's all relational..."

11/27/2014

I recently experienced a very deep disappointment. I had faith that I would be successful at something, and I wasn’t. It hurt. My pride was not as harmed as my faith. I knew that this was not an issue about whether I “won first place in the race,” as much as it was about how much I trusted God. I had a broken heart, but what concerned me the most was that my faith took a beating. For 3 days I cried. I cried out to God too. I was upset that He had not “helped me win this race.” More so, I was upset with Him and I needed Him all the more. I’m just being honest here. It’s kind of like how our kids must feel with us. They want to be so mad at us because we don’t let them have their way, but they also know that we are the ones driving them to school the next morning and buying their next pair of tennis shoes. They can’t stay mad at us forever. Well, they can, but it ends up harming them more than being mad helps them – so, eventually, they soften towards us again. I felt this way about my relationship with God the other week. After 3 days, and after I came back to my spiritual senses, I was talking with God (not really expecting Him to answer. After all, I had been rather rude the last few days). But God is such a loving Father, and He is so forgiving. He spoke, and what He said to me really made me think. I’ve been thinking about it for a week now, and I keep gaining more insight in regard to what He said…

He said, “It’s all relational.”

I said, “How can that be? I don’t even HAVE a relationship with this person.” (a person involved in me “not winning the race).

God didn’t need to speak again because as soon as I spoke, I understood what He meant.

God impressed upon me that even when we don’t think we have a relationship with someone, we do. The difference is found in the “depth” of the relationship. I thought of people I know, but don’t know very well, and I realized that I do have a relationship with them; it’s just not a deep one. I thought of mean people I don’t particularly like and I realized that I do have a relationship with them; it’s just not a “friendship” type of relationship…. I thought of people who have persecuted me and I realized that I had a relationship with them too…. Interesting, I thought, “I guess it truly is all relational and it all boils down to the “depth of the relationship.”

God had more to teach me, however, and a few days later He said, “All of your relationships exist or flourish based on your relationship with Me.”

Wow! Now I was really excited because I thought of a recent year-long battle I had with someone who persecuted me, and God impressed upon me to love them and serve them and pray for them, despite their actions of persecution towards me. I did as He directed me. It was one of the hardest things I’ve ever done. Now, a year later, I have a deep friendship with the person who persecuted me. I now see that my relationship with them started out as them being the bully and me being the victim (and wanting to take revenge). It was a relationship. It just wasn’t a healthy one – or a deep genuine one. Now, the relationship has flourished into a friendship, but only because of the relationship that I have with Christ. You see, me and myself - we aren’t capable of loving mean people. Me, myself and I just want to run very far from mean people, but God has a different agenda, and it is by His strength and His grace that I am saved, and it is by His grace and His strength that any relationship exists.

God is such a beautiful teacher! I see now that It is all relational, rooted in Christ.

So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in him, rooted and built up in him strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.

Colossians 2:6-7

These are the shadow of the things that were to come; the reality; however is found in Christ.

Colossians 2:17

After reading this devotional, I challenge you to read the entire 2nd chapter of Colossians, and while you do, consider this lesson: each relationship that you have exists, and/or flourishes based upon the depth of your relationship in Christ. When He is the centerpiece on the table of our life, we are able to serve others – not of our own strength, but through His love, His grace, and His strength. Then, each person that we touch, serve, and come in contact with is impacted – not based on our self, but based upon Christ as our centerpiece. He is the vine, we are the branches, apart from Him – we are nothing.

"I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. If anyone does not remain in me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you. This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.

John 15:5-8

Regardless of the person(s) we come in contact or circumstances we face, it is our relationship with Christ that is exposed. We often lose focus and think that the battle is with the person before us. The authenticity of my faith in any situation or outcome is a reflection of my relationship with Christ. Now, I see why I was struggling so much last week. I was upset about the state of my faith because I knew (though subconsciously at the time) that the condition in which I found myself was a direct reflection of the depth (or lack thereof) of my relationship with Christ. As a result, I asked God to help me wrestle down a new essence of my faith. I believe He has.

Love,

Kristina

How do you know?

11/26/2014


"How do you know what?” You ask.

Well, I’ve been thinking about this question because many women have been asking me this exact question lately. They ask it in different contexts, of course. Some ask it in regard to changing jobs, taking a job, enrolling their child in pre-school, or changing the pre-school in which their child is currently enrolled, sign up their child for extra-curricular activity, reduce the amount of extra-curricular ….. One wife asked me recently, how she was supposed to know if she married the right man…. To which I quickly replied, “You are married to him now, so that is no longer a question.” Rather, let’s dig into the Word and ask God how He wants to go about seeking Him and His will where you are now.

My answer to all the women is this: “Let’s see what the

Word has to say about that.”

The truth is, I don’t have all the answers, but God does. God very beautifully has laid out His heart for us in His Word. So, as you prepare to face a New Year, I encourage you to not worry soo much about making New Year’s Resolutions. Rather, have a new resolve to seek Him in His Word, daily. I guarantee you that after facing a new year asking The All-Knowing God your questions, you will no longer wonder “How do you know?” Plus, you will know God more, and that’s a blessing beyond measure!

Love,

Kristina

God placed Rahab's home in the city walls for a reason...

3/24/2014

I love Rahab because she is a redeemed prostitute. I considered myself redeemed as well. I have been redeemed from the prison of serving the lusts of this world on a continual arrogant and ignorant basis. Now, sure, I still mess up, but prior to knowing Christ, I did it 24/7 without knowing there was a better way. God’s love continually guides us within a better way, within the light of His grace.

Again, in a seemingly ordinary moment of reading the Word, God showed me how He placed Rahab’s home within the city walls long before the spies were sent to her.

"So she let them down by a rope through the window, for the house she lived in was part of the city wall." (Joshua 2:15)

Do you ever wonder why you are where you are? Why you are living in the particular place you are in at this very moment? Wonder no more, but praise God that He can orchestrate every beautiful little detail of your life, causing circumstances to line up with the divine order of Christ!

As this story goes, Rahab helps the spies, and she and her entire household were spared. Rahab later had a so named Boaz who married Ruth. And Ruth (mother-in-law, Naomi), gave birth to a son named Obed who begot Jesse, and Jesse begot David the king. David begot Solomon. Solomon begot Rehoboam, Rehoboam begot Abijah, and Abijah begot Asa. Asa begot Jehoshaphat, Jehoshaphat begot Joram, and Joram begot Uzziah. Uzziah begot Jotham, Jotham begot Ahaz, and Ahaz begot Hezekiah. Hezekiah begot Manasseh, Manesseh begot Amon, and Amon begot Josiah. Josiah begot Jeconiah and his brothers about the time they were carried to Babylon. And after they were brought to Babylon, Jeconiah begot Shaeltiel, and Shealtiel begot Zerubbabel. Zerubbabel begot Abiud, Abiud begot Eliakim, and Eliakim begot Azor. Azor begot Zadok, Zadok begot Achim, and Achim begot Eliud. Eliud begot Eleazar, Eleazar begot Matthan, and Matthan begot Jacob. And Jacob begot Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus who is called Christ (Matthew 1:1-16).

I’ve never been so excited about all the “begots” in the Bible. Ever get bored with begots? Ever wonder why all the names listed are listed? It’s very exciting when the lineage lines up with the divine order of Christ! It’s also very exciting to know that no matter how hard or how boring your place of dwelling may seem, consider Rahab. God placed her home within the city wall, knowing full-well that she would be in the perfect position to receive His ultimate blessings.

Focus not on your circumstance you are in, but rather, focus on how God has you in a place to receive all He has for you. And by the way, the “place” is a willing, submissive heart – you need nothing else – He’s got the rest covered!

Love,

Kristina

We don’t get to choose

1/23/2014

I was sitting with someone who was suffering with a medical condition that rendered them unable to control their body, often having seizures that made it unable to control their bladder and bowels. It’s an intensely humiliating thing to live in fear that one will have a seizure in public, which means that anxiety, depression, and isolation can quickly become the tormenting bullies within one’s mind and one’s every day existence. In addition to this, the physical disabilities resulted in an inability to work and provide for their family. With financial pressures causing this person’s physical world to cave all around them, we sat together in the silence with tears in our eyes. Tears often fill the bottom crest of my eyes as I sit with those who suffer in such breath-taking ways. I use “breath-taking” in a new way within this context. At some point, the person with whom I’m sitting takes a deep, labored, almost stuttering inhalation, which echoes the pain and the struggle of suffering within their heart and their physical lungs to the external world in which they are attempting to survive.

As we continued to talk, this particular person discussed the possibility that they did something in a past life or that maybe God was punishing them for being thoughtless and insensitive in his 20’s, concepts by the way, with which I did not agree; however, I could see their process of rationalizing in their current state. We talked about their attempt and all peoples’ attempt to “find a reason” for their suffering. And often, we blame ourselves because we are the most easily accessible person to blame. We also typically have this concept that if we continually punish ourselves, it somehow pays the atonement for our wrong doings – the wrong doings that must be the reasons for which we are currently suffering. Oh, it’s all so tormenting and exhausting! My heart went out to them. They continued to talk about God and the Bible so I asked if they were familiar with John 9 – the story about Jesus healing a man born blind. In this story, Jesus’ disciples asked Him what this man or his parents did that was so bad that caused him to be punished with blindness. I love what Jesus says, however. Jesus states that it was not that this man sinned or his parents sinned, “but this happened so that the work of God might be displayed in his life” (John 9:3).

This conversation created some space for them to consider some new possibilities in regard to their current sufferings. And, together, we discussed that one does not get to choose the ways in which the works of God might be displayed in one’s life – rather, only whether we will join Him in the process.

If you are suffering in some way today, I invite you to seek God for His will and His blessings. I invite you to join me on a journey of healing in my book, Patient in Affliction Faithful in Prayer. May the message minister to you in your time of need and may you seek the Throne of Grace to find help and grace to breathe, less belabored, freer with more hope in the midst of all that which you cannot control, and even more importantly in the midst of that which you can.

Love, Kristina