Vulnerability is probably not my favorite thing in the world. But it seems I am much better at writing out my vulnerabilities than I am speaking them. And some how some way the Lord uses it in ministry. How many of us are going through the Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego fire these days? It’s getting really hot and I’m getting tired of it. Everywhere I turn there is yet something happening. I have been working on using my phone less and focusing more and more on prayer in my spare time. Our bills are going up and I am on my knees begging God for a way over these mountain. I’m either going over or through it! I’m too tired to walk around it. After the tears I began to do what many may deem the oddest thing.

I laughed.

I laughed so hard right in the face of the enemy and told him, no matter what you and your cohorts are up to my God is greater in me than he that is in the world! And guess what? That’s you! He’s greater than all of this and He has already made a way for us to escape this. I got up and started doing some work. When I finished that I went outside and replaced an alternator on my car with my husband and rested for the rest of the night. I was tempted to fall on my face and began crying again but I refused and just confessed peace. I cannot even lie to you, this is a hard time we are living in. But you can also see it as this: an opportunity to test your faith in the Lord. Do you know the Lord says he wants to “test” our faith that it may be refined? Many times people look at testing as overcoming trials but when God speaks of testing, His saying “I want to put this gold in the fire and make it even prettier than it is. I want to make it shine so much that it radiates light!” It’s so we can get stronger, for the message to become clearer in us and that we would not easily be broken. When our faith becomes stronger we can begin to see the mountains before us fall and provisions come we never thought possible. I keep imagining the hands of Jesus in Matthew 17:24-27 holding that coin that Peter took out of that fish’s mouth. Lord if you can provide like that for your son and I am his heir you’ll take care of me too! Brothers and siters have faith! It may be your day off because of the Holiday but make sure you don’t take a day off with Him. Give Him more of your time in this hard season. Praise the Lord in the storms and laugh at the devil because he holds no power over God’s people! And when you get up you’ll begin to watch that mountain fall in the most glorious way. I believe it. Do you?

Much love

Johnnatta