“Read the words, pray and allow God to pour himself into all the vessels you’ve laid out before him.”
-Lisa Bevere “Lioness Arising”
This year I started new journeys with so much uncertainty. I can imagine what the widow thought when Elijah told her to go and collect all the jars she could get from her neighbors. She must have thought to herself “Doesn’t make sense but okay.” That’s how I felt when I set off to create my You Tube channel and began making changes to my photography business . I did not understand the whys and I was only told to do with no further instruction.
Throughout the process, revelations came with each obedient act. And in me the purpose of God began expand and create in ways I never knew was on the inside of me. And now the Lord has been calling me to pour my time into these vessels so He may provide for me in powerful ways.
But I miss My Father’s Symphony every moment I am away from it. But I am learning to let God fill the vessels He wants to fill and not hinder the spirit. I have a work to complete and only the Holy Spirit can help me do that. Only He knows the vessels that need to be poured into greatly in this season, so that I can receive all that He has for me.
I just want you to know that when I am away it is because of the Lord leading me away. But I will always come back when He leads me back. I will be sharing more often my videos here so you can come on the journey with me. And in everything may I inspire you to follow God with your full heart wherever He leads you. Rather that be in the form of a video or a written post, that is always my aim.
I am hoping to take some time to rest before the new year is here, sitting before the Lord and allowing Him to fill me up. So that everything I do is for His glory and His praise. May God bless you in this holiday season and I pray that the new year brings you closer to Him with everything you do.
I am excited to share my first ever ministry video forLivingWoman+ The Real On Womanhood. It took a lot of courage to study these coming subjects and challenge modern Christian doctrine in order to bring us back to original will of God for womanhood. I hope it inspires you to seek the truth in your own walk with the Lord and as always never take my word for it! Get out your Bible, be led by the Holy Spirit and do your research! May God bless you!
My brother Stu at “Something to Stu Over” nominated me for this award. It’s not the first time he has done this and I am full of gratitude that he continues to encourage me and root for me! May God continue to bless you brother as you continue to be a blessing for others!
“You have been chosen for this recognition because of the encouragement and inspiration you bring to your readers.“
The way this works:
Thank the person who nominated you, and share their blog.
Think of five bloggers that encourage and inspire you and nominate them.
List five things about yourself.
Lastly, ask your nominees five questions. Why five? Because is the number that signifies grace.
5 things about Janet
My pen name is J.S. Giles but my real name is actually Johnnatta. People call me Janet for short. My whole life I have had many nicknames because it’s hard to read and pronounce my real name at first 🙂
I grew up in two different cultures and so I talk two different ways. If you ever watch my videos you will notice that!
I have struggled with insomnia since I was a little but through the Lord I am fighting to over come it.
I really really love pretty things. Clothes, shoes, jewelry you name it! But I hate shopping so I have very little of all of those things. Doesn’t make sense I know!
The Questions
1. Who in your life is your biggest encourager?
My husband hands down. Apart from the Lord he is my best friend. He has been my constant helper and leader.
2. How do you see yourself as being an encouragement to others?
I guess I just try to stay close to the Lord, do His will and share the hope of Christ. If I am a blessing to someone that blesses me.
3. When was the last time someone gave you words of encouragement?
Well Stu just did! But my husband and I have been painting the outside of the house for over a week and it’s been exhausting! I started to head in the house and he said “Good job babe!” It’s the little things, the little things!
4. When you are down, what encourages you to get back up and keep pressing on?
A lot of prayer. I still struggle with loving and believing in myself and so I know when I am getting close to a pit of despair I need to go pray. I give whatever is on my mind and heart over to God and ask for His peace. I ask that He will remind me of what He says and to never leave me. Without Him I can do nothing and I will not do one thing apart for Him.
5. Who was your greatest encourager when you first accepted Christ?
It is sad to say but when I accepted Christ no one knew about it. I walked my faith journey alone with the Lord from the time I was 7 until I was 21. Then I met my husband and he was the first person I ever met that loved the Lord like I did. I know I keep talking about this guy but hey it it what it is! The Lord led Him to me not only for marriage but he was also my mentor. Now I mentor him… JK lol
Stu I can’t agree more these questions are perfecto and I am asking the same questions I answered as well! I am nominating all of you because your writing is such a gift to me and really help inspire me. I love you guys and God bless as you continue to do God’s plans for your life. My nominees are:
I just wanted to take a moment and say a few things to you guys before I return back to my focus of this site. Anytime I have new readers and I like to retouch on the purpose of why I created My Fathers Symphony. There are many of you from the Minds social media, Pinterest and here on WordPress that I have had recent conversations with about my new posts. I just want you all to know that I write what God wants me to write for your encouragement and potential freedom. I speak on topics that not many Christians hear about or even understand. But sometimes that is the point.
I give you what the Holy Spirit gives me and I encourage you greatly to always always seek out what I write about in the Word of God. I never write about anything I don’t have confirmation from through the Holy Spirit and God’s word. I refuse to regurgitate what pastors and minters say just because they are leaders in a church, if it’s not biblical its not factual. Everything I write on is found in the Word of God rather I write those scriptures in my posts or not. I purposely leave out scripture a large majority of the time in hopes you would do as i did when I was a young Christian, seek God’s word on what it says about everything you read or hear about.
My Fathers Symphony is a place where I share pieces of my heart and spirit with the world through my gifts that God has given me. I am always aiming to get my truth out in hopes it would lead others to their own deliverance and healing from religion, demonic oppression and the over coming of the flesh and many other subjects. These are my stories but you have your own and so let God show you how to receive what He wants for you. My ministry has always had this foundation of truth from the very moment I began :
What does God have to say about it? How does God want to do it for you?
Only He knows all things concerning you and His word is full of confirmations for your own personal walk with Him. Never ever rely on men to fill you up, never rely on men to teach you who God is. For He alone is enough and only He can show you who He is. What He says will always be greater than what others say and it is up to you to find that out with a relationship with Him. When you find out His will for you, follow what God wants for you only! I hope you are encouraged and blessed by my writing and I am always willing to answer questions. But I warn you I like to challenge you to think for yourself. That Bible holds the truth of God and the only way you will receive that truth is by prayer and reading it yourself.
After I had my son, whom I thought then would be my final child, I started to hunger for a deeper understanding for what womanhood in Christ really was. Keeping house, submitting to my husband and serving in my church and community, seemed to be what I found every where I searched for this wisdom. But I did all those things and yet who I was as a woman never surfaced inside of me. You see, I had no women to tell me or show me what womanhood was. All my life I longed for an older women to pass on her wisdom to me as I rapidly grew from little girl to young lady in a blink of an eye. To my dismay all the women in my life either abused me, abandoned me or just simply forgot about me.
After becoming a mother and years of healing that lead to many dilverances, I looked to the word of God. I started where a large majority of Christian women are referred to when seeking out this very wisdom, Proverbs 31:10 The Wife Of Noble Character. And although the scripture paints a beautiful description of a women whom embodies virtue, I felt that it isn’t at all what womanhood really is.
My first thought was Eve herself. When I decided to look at Eve I realized, well there’s not much to see. We don’t know nearly as much as I would love to know about both Adam and Eve. I’m nosy that way. So I reread the small part of her story over and over again. Moving onto other scripture sometimes and coming back to hers, and then one day, something captured my attention.
Whats in a name?
“Adam named his wife Eve, because she would become the mother of all living”
In Genesis 3:20 I notice the first clue about Eve. She didn’t choose her name, but Adam did. I saw the pure reasons why Adam may have given her that name. With my whole heart I believe that he saw her for more than just a partner, a helper or someone he would be intimate with, he saw her as life itself in the flesh. Her name alone must have reminded her every day of the power she held. That power was given to her graciously from her Creator. Despite her betrayal, He made her to do only what He can do and that is the power to create and give life. That humbled my heart. God gave such a magnificent piece of Himself to women what does that say about me as a woman?
Realizing this gave me an appreciation for the fact that I as a women, hold such a powerful gift that no man could ever do, the gift to give life. Not just in child bearing but in heart, body and spirit. It created instantly a pride in me I never possessed before not even after I birthed my own children. Every time I choose to love and nurture another human being on earth I am naturally able to spark life into them. The moment I speak up for the lost and choose to love the broken, life is being created, through love, with each word, and each action.
That’s why its much more natural for us to do because it’s apart of who we are! That was the moment I saw differently how I could impact my household as well. By embracing this gift in me I now know how to pray over myself and my family in times of much needed spiritual warfare. Who says we’re not super woman? Okay maybe not that one but you know what I mean.
The Breath of Life
“With the help of the Lord I have brought forth a man.” Later she gave birth to her brother Abel.
After reading this scripture in Genesis 4:1-2, I realized Eve knew who her God. She knew that He was her helper and her strength but she also knew by the birth of Abel, that God held their very life in His hands. Abel’s name has been said to mean “Breath” now I believe that’s exactly what it means. But every where I have researched it says his name was given, because like a breath he would not live long. I am not going to go into a rant on that vague speculation. But what I do know is that Eve knew how her own existence came into being.
I know good and well that child birth can give you a whole new perspective on life. It’s terrifying at worse and humbling all around. And I am sure once she went through it under the curse for the second time she knew that God is the giver of life and therefore named her son after the same Spirit that was breathed into her as well. Therefore his name most likely means “Breath” not because of a short life but because of the Life Giver.
Eve knew who her God was and that in Him, He creates life, death, darkness and light. He is able to save and He is able to destroy and there was nothing she went through that had not already passed through His hands. He’s got her back! Though Eve was a woman created to give and create life, she knew that without her God none of it would be possible. These two powerful lessons are the first I have learned about who God made me as a women.
I may have inherited a fallen flesh, but I am a Queen forevermore redeem by my Savior, restored to my former glory through the Creator.
I hold the power of life within myself and I am able to bring that life into my arms and in the world around me.
A power that creates love, unity and justice that leads to humble hearts and stories of forgiveness.
That same power allows me to be the head and never the tail. And to have full authority over everything God places into my hands.
It gives me the ability to no longer be the victim, but the warrior that fights for the freedom of others leading them to their own victory.
All of this is what Eve taught me and the Holy Spirit gave me. This is the woman that God sent his son to die on the cross so that we may be restored back to. Daughters of Zion behold your God and let Him bring you into true womanhood!
Last year I turned 30 years old and boy was I excited! I remember when I was a little girl, I always said that my 30’s would be my golden years. I had goals guys, big dreams and big goals. I wanted to be settled down, in my life, in myself and better off than what I was raised in. And I can proudly say that I have achieved that in many different ways. But my plans changed over the years, about 100 times as they do when your young. But as I got to know the real me, I realized that there was much more to womanhood than I knew.
I created the section I Am Woman here on my blog, to share the journey I have had as a christian women in today’s society. A place where I can unload as I continue this journey of womanhood that will go with me even into eternity. I will always be evolving and growing as a women of God and I have daily struggles that will help create the future me. I hope it inspires and blesses all who come across these posts and as always these are my opinions and thoughts. They are meant to encourage and to be shared so if your going through what I am, you know you’re not alone. I can’t promise what’s to come because honestly I don’t know. I will do my best to remain true to my heart and I will always be on the side of truth. May you, through my testimony and God’s love, come to do the same
Daughters of Zion let us all remember that the God of our youth, the God of our being and the God of our hearts, Loves us, Sees us, Hears us and Knows us.
Long ago I sleepily entered an old church in Downtown Cincinnati. It was Sunday and the early morning dew met with my black dress shoes as I entered the side door. This was not my favorite place. Unwillingly I had been here many times, but I had no idea that day would be different.
As a child church confused me and greatly terrified me. There was never a place more isolating to me than the place of worship. At the start of church we would first gather in the sanctuary. The sanctuary was where I felt more comfortable because the crowds swallowed me up. I could hide and not be seen and blend in. But Sunday school was a whole different story. There was not many kids there and being extremely shy I had not one friend. It was a constant reminder of how alone I really was and brought up my feelings of abandonment.
One Sunday a crowd of kids showed up. It must have been Easter Sunday because that was the only time our Sunday school room was so full. I did as I do in crowds and hid among the many excited kids waiting for the lesson to start. At the end of the presentation the leader began to speak of something I heard every Sunday after the lesson was done. Salvation. But this time my ears were opened and I met my God for the first time.
I received salvation in a baptist church around the age of 7. It was just me and the Lord and no one knew about it. And as I grew up with a new awakened Spirit in me, no one also knew the struggle I had with the church itself. There was my love for it, because it was the only public place I could feel the spirit of God move and hear the word of God preached. The only place I saw people gather and encourage each other no matter how rare those occasions were throughout the year.
But as I grew up, in my heart, there also grew a hatred for it. The pressures each denomination placed on me to be what they said was Holy. The hypocritical people that were open about their sin, causing constant turmoil and pain in the church walls. So at the age 16 I ran away from all forms of congregation. I was angry but in truth, I set off to find out who God was on my own. To this day I have never regretted that.
But when I was 22 years old I rejoined a congregation with my husband and first daughter. That church split and we went with those who left. Soon we were given heartbreaking news that the pastor was giving up. And so I found myself confused and lost not knowing where to go. We eventually settled into a new church home where we served for a few years only to be, this time, called away from that congregation. It was exhausting to say the least. And I see now more than ever, I am not alone in my experiences. I know many of you have been hurt by people in a congregation. And I get that. In fact, it was professing Christians that betrayed me, used me and rejected me.
So believe me when I say I truly understand. I want you to know that your feelings and pain does matter. I would never tell you that your wrong for feeling what you do. But do not let you pain overtake you to the point where you turn your back on God. God is not the church and I can say for a fact that He would never call you anywhere that would hinder your relationship with Him.
I am not saying to do what I did. My family and I chose to do what God called us to do. But what I am saying is, never let the pain of what someone has done to you be the basis of your decisions. My first break from the church was not based off my anger, it was my hunger to know who God really was. As daughters and sons of God, we are to be led by the Spirit not by our feelings. To those who do judge others for leaving the church and never returning, we also have no right to judge what God calls His own to do.
If the Lord calls you to a church I want to share with you what He showed me: Jesus never commands me to be apart of a church. Men may, but He does not. But if He does call me to be apart of a church I have to understand that the church has nothing to do with my relationship with God. A church is a place to serve and do the will of God no matter how I feel about the people there or what they try to do to me. I am there for Him and Him only, therefore my leaving is according to His purpose for me.
Because of me understanding this, I was able to serve in a church with my full heart until I was eventually called away. I will not return to a congregation, not because I have been hurt, but because I go where God leads me only. God is wherever I am and my place of worship is forever held in my heart. Though I was in a church when I received salvation, the fact still remains that it has always been just me and my Abba from the beginning. And that will be all that matters in the end.
When the sea moves back to the deep, I will sink and crash into You
I wrote this on our way home from Virginia, where I learned again to release my control over my life and give it back to God. From recent traumas I had picked back up what I had laid down because of fear. I struggled with myself and God because I lost so much and the thought of letting more go was hard for me to swallow. Before this trip I had been giving Him control again little by little and hoping He would give me mercy. I am so glad He is rich in it because I was struggling so hard with my flesh. But one night on this trip the battle ended and I once again rested in familiar waters. There will be moments like these in our lives. It is important to understand that you are human and will frequently go through trials that may test your faith greatly. You may have to re do some things you’ve already done. But don’t ever think these are setbacks in your faith. For some seasons there may be some familiar bridges we have to cross again, but once you cross them they lead to another place you never were before.
Psalms of My Heart #3
No desire is more greater
Than to be at the shores you call me to
No hunger is more fiercer
Than to be able to climb the mountains where I can hear You
Yes this is where my heart sleeps
Where I lay it all before You
When the sea moves back to the deep
I will sink and crash into You
When I am surrounded by hills in the valley
I will not shake for I choose to see
Only You can make something that beautiful in me
I’m moving from what was
And now I’m accepting what is
I haven’t always listened
But now Lord I am all ears
I have walked far
This journey has been so long
But no matter where I go
No matter what I see
Your home is always where I belong
J.S Giles
When I am surrounded by hills in the valley, I will not shake
Christmas for my family and I hold a very different meaning than it does for the Christian community and the world. My husband was raised in all the traditions of Christmas, pagan and Christian both but I was not raised to think one way or another about it. I come from a traumatizing past, so I have said, but what I have not told you is that it was not always that way.
When I was first adopted it had seemed I finally found a place to belong after years in foster care. We moved twice and the second time would become my very first home. The last peaceful memories I had in that house was of Christmas. I had no idea I was not alone there. My brothers said that was the same for them. Christmases continued for a little while even during the abuse. At one point I believed in Santa Clause. No one really taught me to in my home but there was enough in the world to encourage my beliefs. I eventually found out about Santa, and it broke my heart and angered me for many years. No one likes to be deceived. But it was not those things that made Christmas special in my heart. It was not the story of the birth of Christ and it was not the Christmas lights that stilled my soul. It was the only time abuse did not happen. It was the only time of the year I experienced peace ,rest and joy.
When my first born was born I began to think seriously about why and how we celebrate every holiday. It took us years to sift through everything but we now have come to a conclusion. My husband had his own experiences and he too wanted to do things differently for his children. We began to think “What do we want to sow into our children in these early years and what will it produce in them in their present and one day future?”
Christmas began to be our focus holiday because if we were going to celebrate something we should know the truth about it. We learned that Paganism is closely tied to the origins of Christmas in the church and at one point there was no Christmas at all. We found no mention in the Word to celebrate the birth of Christ only to remember His sacrifice in frequent communion. We read about the pagan rituals the birthed the songs and things we use every Christmas in our house hold. In the end we were mortified by everything we found and decided we would not celebrate it religiously but in a different way.
We rarely use the word celebrate and now instead treat it as any other season of the year.
When I was researching I found something that brought up my memories of Christmas to the fore front of my mind. I watched a video on Christmas in Europe and was intrigued by the history of it there. There was no such thing as Christmas at one time but they treated it as a seasonal time of family togetherness, thankfulness, rest and goodwill. This is exactly what Christmas is now for our clan. We still hang up the tree, stockings, garland and decorate the house with lights. In the corner of our T.V stand you will find a nativity that is specially set up by only me every season. But there are no Christmas beliefs tied to any of it. We just want to create an environment of comfort and Joy.
I will always remember how I felt those winter months sitting on the couch with my brothers. The feelings of peace and safety were such a gift to me that no toy ever gave. I watch my babies every year light up with wonder and when I asked them this year what they like most about this season, I was surprised by the answer. My Izabella looked up with those brown eyes and a smile and said “I love that we are together and we can snuggle.” My cup runneth over.
Fall is finally here! But it still doesn’t feel like it here in Kentucky yet. Mother Earth what’s going on with you this year? I’m so confused!
How I feel about fall is exactly how I feel on the inside these days. I see what’s happening around me I can even outwardly feel it but I still don’t understand it and I don’t know how to feel about it. I took a break by the leading of the Holy Spirit. He had something to say to me and needed me to sit still in order for me to receive it. I struggled to obey but the Spirit in me that wants nothing more than to hear from my God won over my defiant flesh. With a violent past like mine, it takes years to get on the path of deliverance and standing in the season of healing and The New. I am now standing in The New but it doesn’t feel like it. Have you ever been where I am?
Your past has always been apart of who you thought you were. You wore your pain as your identity. Thinking you would never be truly free of the demons that haunt in the night and stalk in the day. So you embraced it and told yourself “It’s just who I am.” But here you stand now on brink of freedom, in a new place and a new you. The old cannot come. It shall not enter here! But you can’t see how what you were will never be who you are becoming. It’s hard to see yourself a fully NEW creature. Your Mind just cant umderstand it but your heart knows…it knows your exactly where your supposed to be.
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Guys I tell you the truth….. I have recently stood back, looked at myself and thought who is that? I don’t know her. I have always been a person afraid of the unknown but I am realizing more than ever in this season of my life that the unknown is exactly what I want. No matter how uncomfortable it makes me. I may not understand myself like I used to or know myself like I once did but this is exactly where I want to go.
In the Freedom of The Unknown there awaits Adventure and The New.
I will forever be that curious girl with the big brown eyes venturing into the very thing that scares me just find out whats there. And it will be for the better for me. Because It’s a place my Creator designed for me to walk into.
It’s strange…. but it’s SOOO GOOD! I hope if you are where I am, you will follow the Holy Spirit’s breadcrumbs so you may be lead to the bread. The feast! The New!
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