Ride Free

There is nothing quite like riding on the back of a motorcycle, its freeing.

Its something I’ve been missing a lot lately, more so than I could explain to myself. I see a bike or even a picture of one and I can't help saying “UGH I want to ride!!!!” so much to the fact I made that very comment to a friend of mine and she said “why don’t you learn to ride then you can go whenever you want”. This thought, while logical, held no interest to me. It took some time but I realized the reason I was as opposed to the idea of doing it on my own was, I like the feeling of being on the back, for those few hours or however long the ride lasted, I wasn't in charge, I had no responsibility for where we were going, how fast, the traffic around us or the route we were taking. None of that was a decision I had to make. I realized I love the feeling that someone else was taking charge and taking care of me and after years of living alone and taking care of myself, my house, truck and bills, it was a feeling I didn't get often and I cherished it. I wasn’t even aware that was the reason I cherished those memories as much as I did, I always associated it with the person I was with or the time in my life but when I crave the ride its not those things I miss its the feeling of being taken care of, not being in charge. The freedom.

Recognizing this and being OK with it was a lesson I've been slow to receive. My independence and self reliance is something people typically praise me for and while I didn't really see a choice in the matter and didn’t do it for the praise it got me, it became part of who I was rather than what I was doing. I thought it was a good thing, a positive attribute but I recently and reluctantly realized it was a quality God was trying to break me of. I didn't see it coming to be honest but He was trying to humble me from my mind set of not NEEDING anyone. A concept I wasn’t fond of. He started by making me realize how much I needed Him, this I was OK with and accepted easily enough really. It was the concept of needing other people that took some time. It took a loss and for God to show me I needed the people HE wanted me to have to help take care of me and it took some major humbling.

Now when I say take care of me I don't mean I get to lay on the couch with no responsibility

and have someone get me this, buy me that, pay my bills. Its a give and take and its more about the release of control and breaking the thought that I have to do it all on my own to prove that I can, who I'd be proving it to I have no idea. I realize how much I desire someone to take that drivers seat. My fear is I learned this lesson too late.

Not too late for God though. He wants to be the one behind the throttle with me on the back. He wants me to give it to Him, sit back and trust Him. There are times I will have to hold on a little tighter and know when to lean into the curve but all in all He just wants me to trust Him about where we are going, how fast, what route and He will worry about the traffic. Sounds easy right? I'm getting there and knowing its OK to let go of that control and that’s its what He wants, helps a lot.

Live to ride!

Be blessed and be kind to one another

~Brandi

But He said to me “My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is made perfect in weakness” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weakness, so that Christ's power may rest on me.

Corinthians 12:9

Sometimes it can be hard to know how to pray for others, sometimes because we don't know exactly what they are going through but know they need prayer, sometimes because we don't really know the people we are praying for and sometimes because we have to acknowledge that even if we know the person well and we know their situation well, we don't know what is best for them because only God really knows that. In times like these I like to pray a prayer that Paul wrote in his letter to the Church in Colossae, its in COLOSSIANS 1: 9-14.

Dear Father,

(Call out the name of the person you are praying for) Fill them with the fullness of Your will with all spiritual wisdom and understanding. Teach them how to walk in a manner worthy of the Christ for who they profess. Place within their heart a desire to please You in everything. So work in their life that they will bear fruit in every good work. So create a desire in their heart for You that they will be continually increasing in their knowledge and understanding of Your ways. Strengthen them with all power and might according to your glorious supernatural power, so that steadfastly and with patience they will be able to endure all kinds of trials and testing and let the motivation of their life be joyous thanksgiving for the work of grace that they are a part of Your inheritance. Translated from the kingdom of darkness to the kingdom of light. Redeemed by Your precious blood forgiven of their sins.

AMEN

I LOVE this prayer! It's so powerful when you call on the name of the Father for His will in the lives of others. Think of how His will and His mercy have impacted your life and imagine if you knew someone was praying for you to have such a gift. I personally think praying for others is one of the greatest and most powerful jobs that The Lords gives us and it just blesses my heart in a way I can't express when I see those prayers working in the lives of others.

I have a very dear friend who has been praying for a baby for a number of years. She has always dreamed of being a mother and when her and her husband met they could not wait to start their family. However it was an uphill battle for them and there were many many times she lost hope and thought this would never happen for her ( how many times have we all been there?! Some of us still are lol) and I knew how much they were praying for this baby and I joined them in those prayers. There were times I'd be at work and God would put her on my heart in a way I had to stop what I was doing and cry out to Him for His will in their lives. She called me a couple weeks ago to tell me God had answered their prayers BIG TIME... she was pregnant with triplets!! Its in those moments especially that I am humbled by His grace and at the fact that He calls upon us, his children, to pray for His other children. If that isn't a perfect example of His love then I just don't know what is.

Be blessed, and be kind to one another

~Brandi

“Therefore confess yours sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective”

James 5:16

Moms' Night Out- Review

I was excited to see this movie, not just because it's about moms, but because I knew it was connected to the same people that brought us Fireproof, Courageous and Facing the Giants. All of which are amazing movies that you should check out immediately! Plus, I may or may not have been madly in crush with Sean Astin, when I was a kid (GOONIES NEVER SAY DIE!). The cast is pretty great: Patricia Heaton (Everybody Loves Raymond), Sarah Drew (Grey's Anatomy), Trace Adkins, Alex Kendrick (Courageous, Facing the Giants) and Logan White. There are some of the usual faces from Kendrick movies as well.

Allyson (Sarah Drew), is a mother whose battery is seriously drained. Seeing this, her husband (Sean Astin), who is often away on business, encourages her to have a girl's night. Things get a little crazy after that! Missing cars, missing babies, bikers and cops... OH MY! It honestly reminded me a little bit of Adventures in Babysiting but with a Christian message laced through.

My favorite character is Bones (Trace Adkins) and honestly I was shocked because I've never been a fan of his but he was HILARIOUS! Dopey, crazy but able to drop some serious wisdom on you when you least expect it. They seriously could have made a movie just about him and I'd have been spellbound! Even if you only watch the movie for Bones, it's time well spent!

I didn't walk away from this movie feeling pumped up about my walk with God, like I felt with the other Kendrick movies I mentioned earlier. There was never that WOW moment. But it was enjoyable and it did make me laugh. Plus, anything I can actually watch with my entire family that isn't about animated animals singing in the forest is a good time to me!

Grab this movie on September 2nd,  pop some popcorn and enjoy the family fun!

-Lexi



"My soul glorifies the Lord  and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,  for he has been mindful of the humble state of his servant. From now on all generations will call me blessed," Luke 1:46-48

The Small Things

Good Hello! My name is Lexi, and I'll be contributing from time to time on Walk in Faith.


Now, I feel I should start off by stating I've never had a calling or special gift for Evangelism. I know some special people who are well gifted by God in this way, but this is not MY gift. My God given gifts, which are beautiful and wonderful, lay in other arenas. Because of this, most of my posts will be small tidbits from the wonderful things I learn at my church, http://thesprings.net/, mommy stories and verses that meant something to me in the week.

For my first post I wanted to share a message I attended a few Sunday's ago. This message hit my heart with such an impact it was all I could think about for days.

Handing the reigns of your life over to God can sound terrifying. Relinquishing even the smallest control of your life over to anyone, even God, can be panic inducing. I struggle with this on a daily basis and I have a sneaky feeling I'm not the only one. BUT if we can remember that God is our Father, our daddy, we can come to him with anything and everything. Lay our lives in his hands and know that he will help us through whatever the challenge may be because he loves us. Always. Without restraint. Without condition. Our God, our Father, our daddy, is always there for us..... All we have to do is come to him.

PLEASE click on the following link to watch this special message. I promise you will not regret it. Now! Go grab a snack, maybe even a juice box and watch with the enthusiasm of a child :)

CLICK TO BE BROUGHT TO VIMEO.COM

"Then Jesus said, "Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest." Matthew 11:28

Can't win for losing

Do you ever feel like you can't win for losing? Like the enemy is perched on the overpass and you can't get by without getting pelted by the stones he is throwing? You try so hard to fight the good fight and walk the right path, you forgive when you are supposed to, you give support and fellowship when the opportunities come to you, you set a good example, always trying to better yourself and your relationship with The Lord and yet, you are getting beat up. You get home at night bloody and bruised and wonder “Am I missing something? Is there something else I should be doing? Seeking? Forgiving? Counseling? Shoot where am I going wrong?” When in actuality you’re probably doing it right. One of the enemy's greatest tricks is doubt. You doubt yourself, you doubt God. Even when we shoulder the doubt and think “What am I  missing that You want to show me” the doubt is still there. Its hard not to doubt though, when we know we are fallible and susceptible to sin, but take comfort knowing the enemy attacks the ones doing God's work and nurturing their relationship with Christ. It's easier said than done. I can say all of that to you and know the truth in the statement but when I come home bloodied and beat up I ask the same question. The enemy is clever, he is good at what he does and he has had years of practice at it. I hate to give him that credit but it's true and it's important to know what we are up against. But God is much much better at what HE does and He has far more experience in loving and teaching His children. Listen to Him instead, read His word His promises and PRAY. Always talk it out with God, He wants to hear from you and He wants you to rely on Him. Be open to listening to God if there is something He wants your attention in. Its ok to tell God “ I don't like this, and I don't get it” but be sure He knows you also TRUST Him and know He will bring you through it and He will use this to teach you and help you grow in Him. Oh and one more thing... remind me of this when I come home beat up.

Be kind to one another

~Brandi

“We know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose” Romans 8:28

God is my hope