Can Your Faith Fail?

This is the title of a book by Charles Capps that I spied atop my parents' file cabinet this evening while stopping by for a visit. I thought it a very curious and intriguing book title, considering all that I've been going through for the past few years. I intended to bring it home with me to read in the hopes of gaining some insight on my own faith.

As I sat in my room pondering the book's title and asking all the questions one asks when you don't see immediate responses to your prayers, insight came.

Can your faith fail? No, never. Whether you're believing in good or evil, expecting a favorable outcome or an unfavorable outcome, your faith always work. Be it unto you according as you have believed.

Live. Grow Stronger. Fight Another Day.

I don't watch very much television nowadays, but there was a time when I did. Among one of my favorite programs was Highlander: The Series. If you've never seen it, you should check it out. It's about a race of immortals competing, in rather bloody fashion, for the ultimate prize: dominion of the earth and mankind.

I love the historical aspects of the series as it travels through time exploring significant events like the Crusades, the French Revolution, the American Revolution, the Civil War, the Salem witch hunts, the Jazz Renaissance in Paris, from the perspective of the immortals. I also liked watching the ever-eternal battle of good versus evil. Plus, the series was filmed partly in Paris, and what woman doesn't like Paris! Ooh, la, la! The series' hero is Duncan McLeod, an extremely handsome, moral, yet flawed, immortal who really wants no part in the battle—over the centuries he's grown tired of all the bloodshed—but soon realizes that by remaining on the sidelines, he allows the evil that he abhors among some of his fellow immortals to flourish.

While I enjoyed watching the character of Duncan battle his external and internal demons every week (something each of us does daily), one of my favorite characters in the series is the immortal named Methos, brilliantly played by actor the enigmatic Peter Wingfield. Methos is initially revealed to be a 5,000 year-old immortal, who disguises himself as university graduate student named, of course, Adam. But as the series progresses, it's later revealed that his true age is unknown. It's hinted that he may have been alive during the time of Methusaleh. (Definitely a topic for another post because, really, because I cannot even imagine it—what does a 900+ year old man look like?)

My affinity toward Methos was immediate, from his first appearance when—in the actor's perfectly beautiful British accent—he utters one of the most awesome lines of the series: "Remember, Highlander: Live. Grow stronger. Fight another day." (Actually, he utters a number of awesome lines during the series' run, many of which make me swoon. Fellas try this one on for size when trying to secure a date and the woman asks why you want to go out with her: "Because the alternative is unthinkable." If you can say it with a British accent, trust me on this, that date is yours!)
Live. Grow stronger. Fight another day.

Awesomely, powerful words from an unlikely source. They are among my arsenal of affirmations to get through life's rough patches. When the trials and challenges of life threaten to pull me under, these words are my call-to-arms, awakening the warrior spirit in me.They help restore my focus and my strength and bring me back to a place of hope and possibility, a place where magic can happen.

I encourage you to add these words to your arsenal of positive affirmations: LIVE. GROW STRONGER. FIGHT ANOTHER DAY. Because sometimes to traverse this journey we call life, you need a warrior's spirit.

Meditation #7—One

God's life is now my life. His strength is my strength. His power is my power. His love is my love. His peace is my peace. His joy is my joy. His abundance is my abundance.

In Him, I live and move and have my being. I am in Him and He in me. Wherever I am, He is present. We are one.

Blessings Are Mine

Sometimes God uses rather unconventional means, at least by pharisees' standards, to speak to me. I realize this shouldn't surprise me at all given the fact that He once used a donkey to convey a message to a prophet. And yet, He really does surprise me with some of the ways He'll let me know He hears and sees—a random Internet search, a church billboard, a soap opera, strangers on the street. Whatever works.

However the messages are transmitted, they provide exactly what I need—encouragement, motivation or a kick in the pants—precisely when I need it. For this, I'm very grateful. I particularly appreciated getting today's perfectly timed message amid what has been a challenging and sometimes heartbreaking few weeks. An email that I almost didn't read because I just wasn't in the mood led me to a page with the following on a Post-it note like graphic:

There's about to be a shift in your life. Get ready for your Blessings! You've been through enough and breakthrough is on the way. Don't doubt it; just claim it.

For over a week, I've been praying for a major change in certain areas of my life. And just a few days ago I decided I wanted to walk in all of God's promises. This morning I woke up asking not only for strength, but also to experience who I am in Him. He sees and He hears.

So, I say "Yes, Jesus. Blessings are mine! Bring it on!"

Meditation #6—No Ordinary Love

"Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee."  – Isaiah 60:1

My Father loves me with a fierce, passionate, all-consuming, "I-will-die-for-you" love. From before the foundation of the earth, he knew me. He formed me in my mother's womb. He knows when I get up in the morning and when I lay down at night. He knows all of my thoughts afar off. The deepest desires of my heart—that I keep hidden from even my closest companions—He knows. There is nothing of me, in me, or about me that is hid from Him.

My Father numbers the very hairs of my head. To every concern, great or small, He gives attention. Each tear I shed, He sees and captures. When I am sad, when my heart is broken, He comforts me. And when I rejoice, He rejoices with me. When I am in danger, when I am threatened, He unleashes legions of angels to protect me. When I say the wrong thing, do the wrong thing, royally mess up, He is quick to forgive. Nothing can separate me from His ever-abiding love; He has vowed to never let me go. "I am embracing you with Mine own hands," He whispers reassuringly to me.

Before I speak, my Father hears me; while I am asking, He answers. I am His beloved. His treasure. His pearl of great price. The apple of His eye. The workmanship of His hands—fearfully and wonderfully made in His image and daily being transformed into His likeness. I radiate with His beauty and glory as He is in me, and I in Him. 

In my Father's eyes, I am beautiful. In my Father's eyes, I am without blemish. In my Father's eyes, I am enough. I am His vessel of honor. I am his temple—His Holy of Holies.

His grace surrounds me continually like a shield, and His blessings overtake me. I've done nothing to deserve so great a love. There is nothing I can do to earn this kind of love. It is His gift to me; it is who He is.

Security in Who I Am and To Whom I Belong

I am now who I have always been—a beautiful, blessed, highly-favored daughter of the Most High God, fearfully and wonderfully made in His image and likeness. Your negative opinions of me take nothing away from me. And any good opinions you may have of me, while much appreciated, are unnecessary. I am beloved of the Father and daily being transformed to look and be more like His Son—altogether lovely, radiant, and full of strength and great compassion. Herein is my peace. Herein is my security.

Make A Lasting Impression

It's funny to me sometimes how very easily I can be distracted from a task. Tonight, I was working on some cover letters, and while trying to find an older one to work from (because why reinvent the wheel?), I found some much needed inspirational messages from Mother Teresa that I'd saved to my laptop a little over two years ago. I was/am a huge admirer of Mother Teresa—I think she is one of the most beautiful souls to have ever graced this planet. So, while her messages may not help we write my cover letters (which I should probably get back to), they did remind me that often the best way to make a memorable impression is through pure acts of kindness and grace.

"Let no one ever come to you without leaving happier." - Mother Teresa

"Every time you smile at someone, it is an action of love, a gift to that person, a beautiful thing." - Mother Teresa