ALL Nations

“Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit”
Matthew 28:19

When we started attending FHC over 3 years ago, I recall when Pastor stood before us and said he was believing to see people of all nations worship together. He said Africa. Last year we almost had someone join us from Africa. However, this morning………We sent off a Mission Team to Africa!!!! The team is led by Brother John Penner and his wife, Elizabeth. God is so awesome! I know that Pastor will see his vision come to pass. One day soon we will worship alongside our brothers and sisters in Christ, from Africa.

Praying blessings, anointing, favor, and a hedge of protection for the team!

She is here!

I was so excited to meet this little one! She took her time making her grand entrance. As I met her for the first time, all I could do, is thank God. It is so neat to watch Cal and Mary—–in love. Miss Charlee is so blessed to have them as her parents. Her red locks are captivating and her blue eyes…adorable. Here are some of my favorite images.

Reflection of the Year

I am so blessed to have my family. My husband and my two babies, whom I love dearly. My church family is like no other. I am thankful for my Pastors. My co-workers….wouldn’t be able to laugh as much as I do. God still has graced me with my parents, brother, and two sisters in my life. To my brother thank you for always making me laugh, regardless of what is going on. To my sister Carmen…..you inspire me-thank you for believing in me. To Nana, thank you for always trying to make me smile and for being the fashionista who comes to my rescue;) And to top it off, God has blessed me with some amazing men and women, in my life. I know you know who you are because, you will read this today or tomorrow. Thank you for pouring into my life and my dream.

Today I celebrate YOU. Each of you. It is because of you that I am able to write on this blog with a heart of thankfulness. God has intricately been at work in my life in this past year. He has used each of you to love me, believe in me, cheer me on, and……maybe just be a True friend. I am so blessed to have you in my life! I am thankful where I am in my life, today. Thankful for all the good and the hard(I don’t want to call it bad) for it all is a part of me. I thank God for another year of my life. However, it is because of it all that I can look up to the heavens today and rejoice for all that God has done for me, is doing in my life, and is going to do.

With a heart that overflows with joy and gratitude ~Veronica

Will you choose to have a heart of a child?

Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.”
Matthew 19:14

At times when I have read this scripture, I have meditated on the fact that children are innocent. Their innocence gives them the right to heaven. However, watching our children yield this week…..it did nothing but confirm that the reason the kingdom of heaven belongs to them is that they yield. They trusted Pastor Jay and Dr. Jack as they made alter calls. They quickly made their way down. No one had to beg them. The alter call didn’t have to be drawn out for them. They just came. The children yielded…worshipped with no reservations. I saw them rejoice and really dance like no one was watching. Nothing prohibited them from receiving.

As an adult so many times I only get so far in worship because I am so worried about the person next to me….I am thinking-I am not good enough…I wasn’t raised in that atmosphere…..or simply because I do not want to worship. I honestly believe that worship begins as a choice. Once I choose to worship I can let go. After I surrender, God can move. However, I can sing out loud, raise my hands, maybe even get the warm fuzzy feeling inside….but I won’t get passed that until I surrender my heart and turn off my mind. When I do……nothing can stop me….I don’t care who is watching….I can rejoice….my cup overflows with gratitude….I can receive all that God has for me. Yet, even though I get so much out of it……I believe that is when God looks down on me and is truly honored.

Lord, my heart’s desire is to worship with a true heart every time…..the heart of a child.

Background

If you missed any of the services, I urge you to get the cds of the services. My writings and photos do not even begin to display God at work. So much took place throughout the week. Healing, freedom, salvation, worship, repentance……People were challenged to change and were changed. However, our church as a whole was forever changed. The following image was the only way that I knew how to bring the week to an end. We were able to end on such a strong note because even the men of God that bring the word and lead God’s people…..became the background. Le Crae’s song, Background, is what came to mind when I shot this picture. Please read the following lyrics. I pray that as you do, it may become a song in your heart.

“Background”

[Chorus:]
I could play the background
I could play the background
Cause I know sometimes I get in the way
So won’t You take the lead, lead, lead?
So won’t You take the lead, lead, lead?
And I could play the background, background
And you could take the lead

[Verse 1:]
It’s evident you run the show, so let me back down
You take the leading role, and I’ll play the background
I know I miss my cues, know I forget my lines
I’m sticking to your script, and I’m reading all your signs
I don’t need my name in lights, I don’t need a starring role
Why gain the whole wide world, If I’m just going lose my soul
And my ways ain’t purified, don’t live according to Your Word
I can’t endure this life without Your wisdom being heard
So word to every dance, a foe, a pop star
‘Cause we all play the background, but mine’s a rockstar
Yeah, so if you need me I’ll be stage right
Praying the whole world will start embracing stage fright
So let me fall back, stop giving my suggestions
‘Cause when I follow my obsessions, I end up confessing
That I’m not that impressive, matter of fact
I’m who I are, a trail of stardust leading to the superstar

[Verse 2:]
I had a dream that I was captain of my soul
I was master of my fate, lost control. and then I sank
So I don’t want to take the lead, ’cause I’m prone to make mistakes
All the folks who follow me, going end up in the wrong place
So let me just shadow you, let me trace your lines
Matter of fact, just take my pen, here, you create my rhymes
‘Cause if I do this by myself, I’m scared that I’ll succeed
And no longer trust in you, ’cause I only trust in me
And see, that’s how you end up headed to destruction
Paving a road to nowhere, pour your life out for nothing
You pulled my card, I’m bluffing, You know what’s in my hand
Me, I’m just going to trust you, You cause the dice to land
I’m in control of nothing, follow you at any cost
Some call it sovereign will, all I know is you the boss
Man, I’m so at ease, I’m so content
I’ll play the background, like it’s an instrument

[Bridge:]
I know I’m safest when I’m in Your will, and trust Your Word
I know I’m dangerous when I trust myself, my vision blurred
And I ain’t got no time to play life’s foolish games
Got plenty aims, but do they really Glorify Your name
And it’s a shame, the way I want to do these things for You
Don’t even cling to you, take time to sit and gleam from You
Seems You were patient in my ignorance
If ignorance is bliss, it’s ’cause she never heard of this

Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.
Matthew 24:35

Will you yield??????

Last night we worshiped and listened to the message. Then Pastor Jack led us into a time of reverence.

Webster’s Dictionary defines reverence as
1 : honor or respect felt or shown : deference; especially : profound adoring awed respect
2 : a gesture of respect (as a bow)

I truly believe that it was in that time that I was able to allow God to invade my heart. Not one distraction. Complete silence. No movement. To be sitting in God’s presence in complete awe. I could do nothing but allow Him to speak to me…..for me to yield. I saw how much more I need of Him. My heart cried out. I sat there on my knees as I began to TRY to comprehend His goodness.

“Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.” Psalm 46:10

So many times we get all hyped up in our mind for service and do not prepare our heart…..and we miss it. We might have heard a good message, good music, and maybe even challenged. We might even dance, shout a few things……but the Word remains stagnant in our life. There is no fruit. There is no change. It is not a once a year “crazy revival” that is going to change your life. It is the complete surrender, the state of expectancy, the hunger for truth, the desire to change, and the obedience to God that is received that week that allows change to take place.

Every night has been completely different from the previous one. Which leads me to say this….God will change your life at any point and time if YOU are willing. The Spirit can move in a ‘regular Sunday or Wednesday service’ and cause that ‘crazy revival.

To rejoice in God’s presence is the most freeing feeling in the world!!!! Thank you Lord, for You invaded my life last night. Chains have been broken, lives have been changed, clarity, direction, peace, healing…..worship with an open heart has taken place throughout this week.

Hallelujah! Praise God! Gloryyyyyyyy!!!!!!!! REVIVAL IS HERE!!!!!!!!!

Saturation

Our church has been in revival all week. We have experienced complete saturation of the Spirit. God has moved in HUGE ways! People are being set free, healed, saved and challenged to grow. Thank you, Lord!

I have been trying to capture what God has been doing in our church. The anointing is so strong. At times, I have found myself frozen not able to move with my heart in complete worship. Other moments, I am sobbing with camera in hand. Many of the images were distorted with a white haze above them. I checked all settings and all the technical side was set to produce a perfect picture. You may say, “Well it was the camera-the lack of lighting-camera shake.” I think not. Coincidence? Sure! All I can do is figure that God will only allow me to capture what He wants to display. Many people question the move of the Spirit. Many bash, ridicule, and even question when we choose to live a radical life. We do not need to dissect what God is doing. We need to surrender and obey. I can tell you without a shadow of a doubt that God’s glory has fallen upon us each service. If you were there you know. If you watched by livestream you know. If you happen to get the cds you will experience it as well.

Overwhelmed, overflowing cannot contain all that God has done, is doing and is to do in my life!!!! For last night, I was set free to operate on a higher level. I have made the choice to believe–who I am in Christ. I press forward with authority proclaiming….I AM ANOINTED!!!!!! He has chosen me and will use me…therefore I am confident in Him to be used to touch and change other’s lives!!!! Lord, I choose to be used for YOUR GLORY!!!! WHOOOHOOOOOO!!!! Watch out world….He is just getting started! Praise God! Hallelujah!

Rejoice in the Lord!

Our church has begun revival services this week. All I can say is if you want to be forever changed, go. However, you cannot just attend to spectate…..you have to attend EXPECTING!!!! Believe me, you will receive so much that God has for you. Last night, there was a turn in my destiny. I learned to rejoice. I will be so loud that God will know it is me. I choose to ponder all of the times God has met my needs, given me the victory, provided, allowed me to overcome, and all that He has restored. Never again will I be defeated! My God has the victory! I will be thankful and I will meditate on God’s promises. As I try to put this post together, I can only reread this passage over and over. I can only rejoice because only HE can make the light shine out of darkness.

“Therefore, since through God’s mercy we have this ministry, we do not lose heart. 2 Rather, we have renounced secret and shameful ways; we do not use deception, nor do we distort the word of God. On the contrary, by setting forth the truth plainly we commend ourselves to everyone’s conscience in the sight of God. 3 And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. 4 The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel that displays the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. 5 For what we preach is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake. 6 For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,”[a] made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of God’s glory displayed in the face of Christ.

7 But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. 8 We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; 9 persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. 10 We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. 11 For we who are alive are always being given over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that his life may also be revealed in our mortal body. 12 So then, death is at work in us, but life is at work in you.

13 It is written: “I believed; therefore I have spoken.”[b] Since we have that same spirit of[c] faith, we also believe and therefore speak, 14 because we know that the one who raised the Lord Jesus from the dead will also raise us with Jesus and present us with you to himself. 15 All this is for your benefit, so that the grace that is reaching more and more people may cause thanksgiving to overflow to the glory of God.

16 Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. 17 For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. 18 So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.” 2 Corinthians 4: 1-16

Oh Lord, may you saturate me with Your Holy Spirit. Quench my thirst. Let Your presence flood me. Alter my life in such a way that I never look back. Help me not to cap off my faith. Grow my faith. Help me to have new eyes every time I read Your word. Thank You for breaking me. Thank You for healing me. Use me for Your kingdom. Lord, I want to see Your Greater Glory!!!

Waiting on God’s Best

Last Sunday as the praise and worship team led us into a worship song, I happened to glance over and see Shauntya and Benjamin worshipping alongside each other. It overwhelmed me. The tears rolled. I thanked God out loud for their union. They will be married in July. My joy overflowed for them. Marriage is hard and you have to work at it. However, these two have cancelled out so many odds. Waiting on God’s best can do that for you.

“Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness?” 2 Corinthians 6:14

I was so blessed to attend Shauntya’s bridal shower later that afternoon. Michelle Chaney hosted the event in her home. Shauntya was welcomed and blessed with many gifts from our church congregation. The table was adorned with their initials and goldenrod roses with accents of royal blue ribbon. In attendance were friends and family of the Delays. So thankful to be a part of such a great family and church congregation!

Congrats Benjamin and Shauntya!