An Overflow of Thankfulness and the Faith to Move Mountntains

"Overflow with thankfulness" , "faith" , these words Christians hear often. We hear them so much because we are in constant need to have an overflow of thankfulness. We have a constant need to have a faith that believes that God is working out great things, even though we can't see them.

Being thankful opens our hearts and spirits to receive from the Lord. Have you ever had a relationship with an unthankful person? It shuts you off from wanting to give to them, but it also shuts them off from accepting what you have to give. It works the same way with our relationship with the Lord. He is the perfect giver and He is so excited to give us abundantly more than all we can ask, think or imagine. But it is in our gratitude for the goodness that He has already done that we can imagine all the goodness that He still has to give! If the only thing you have to be thankful for is your salvation, then you have enough to praise Him for eternity!!

My father in law has been a pastor for 30 years, and he recently shared a story about an older man in his congregation. Everyday when my father in law would shake hands with that man he would ask him how he was doing. That man's response was consistent, "I'm drinking from the saucer!" One day my father in law asked him what he meant. His response showed how wonderful his understanding of the Lord is. He said, "God fills us until we run over, so I'm just drinking from the saucer!" We should all be drinking from the saucer.

And faith, oh sweet faith!! If you were to ask, most Christians would say that the opposite of faith is fear or doubt. But a very dear friend "spirit slapped" me one day. She asked me what the opposite of faith is and just like any Pharisee would say, I sarcastically and mockingly said doubt. She said no and I was taken back! What is the opposite of faith?! --> Having a plan. <-- 😳👊🏻 I know right?!

Here's the deal, God has THE plan so we don't need A plan. Yes, we prayerfully work to follow His lead. That's because His lead is ALWAYS deeper into His heart. ❤️ In that following, He makes a way that we never could have imagined!! So we keep our hands off, we stop trying to control what happens, and we thankfully take each and every step that God leads us in.

“Truly I tell you, if anyone says to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and does not doubt in their heart but believes that what they say will happen, it will be done for them. Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.”

‭‭Mark‬ ‭11:23-24‬ ‭NIV‬‬

"Let your roots grow down into him, and let your lives be built on him. Then your faith will grow strong in the truth that you were taught, and you will overflow with thankfulness." Colossians 2:7 NIV

Father, thank you for your word. Thank you for reminders and little nuggets of confirmation that you give us along the way. You work ALL THINGS out for the good of those who love you. So let us not grow weary in trying to figure out the plan. Help us to take our hands off because you are more than able to exceed every plan we could think up! Help us to hunger and thirst for more of you! As we dive into your word, show us a new side of who you are. Show us a new way in which we need you! Awaken us to travel the journey deeper into your heart. Awaken us to become increasingly aware of your goodness and your provision! Let us dream big, abundant dreams, and believe you for exceeding them all! Let us remain thankful through the whole journey!!

- In Jesus holy name, amen!!

~Awaken Us~

Brenna Stanford

Young Living Member # 2645436

Oil for today: Envision

This essential oil blend was formulated to stimulate feelings of creativity and resourcefulness, encouraging renewed faith in the future and the strength necessary to achieve your dreams.

A Beautiful Song is Being Sung, Go Dance!

Do you remember a few weeks ago when I came back and thanked you all for your grace? You all have walked with me through seasons and some of which were "dry" seasons when it comes to blogging. Well I told you then that instead of retreating during seasons that I would dive in and bear my heart. So here you go. :)

 I, being the human I am, failed. I continue to try to live on yesterday's mana. I let my mind wander to what others have and what I am lacking. I stopped noticing the things I am thankful for and stopped looking for the good in my life. I only noticed what wasn't.

This was the foothold I let Satan have. As soon as I gave him an inch, he tool a mile, and then another. He was making his way to my heart and consuming my mind.

I had burning tears sting my face, thinking; NO! This isn't it. This is NOT what I'm going to live in. I felt this when I was younger, misery {there's nothing more in this world, hopelessness}. I cannot live this again!

The interesting thing is that NOTHING in my life changed. There wasn't anything that happened that "ruined" my life. I was living in the same blessings that God had given me, but I was only seeing what wasn't. I chose to allow one negative thought to snowball into a mind consuming battle.

All the while God was there, my best friend, quietly reminding me that he has already won this war. This chaos in my mind, he already quieted it, but I have to choose where I am going to stand; in the chaos or in the peace.

At this the devil yelled! I chose God already. What I am living in is because of others. "They" made me this way, "they" did this! Oh, his yell roared! My rock was strong, but when their sand swirled, it effected my foundation. I should be mad!

And my friend, still quiet, full of peace, kept calling me. His voice so tender and sincere, carrying a melody that my heart longed to dance to. One that was familiar, yet new.

So, we danced. We danced to a song of humility. Because, while meekness can seem so humiliating in the definition we know, there is nothing more empowering. The ones around me, who see the very worst of me will either see a savior who loves like uno other, or a crazy woman.

Nothing about this journey makes sense. I am learning to be okay with that. My challenge, and maybe yours too, is to not try to plan and put together an entire puzzle with only one piece. My dance, the song He is singing over me, is to live each moment with new mana, enjoying all the qualities of that puzzle piece. I am to praise Him with a thankful heart, laying down all of my weakness as well as all of my dreams. My dance is to enjoy with full gladness everything I have and everything I lack, knowing that He is constantly singing over me.

Today, I pray that you find peace. May my weakness show off God's strength! Let Him strengthen you too!

Father, my best friend, thank you for singing such a beautiful song over me. I ask you to sing over everyone of your children. May they hear your song and respond with humility and joy to your love! You know right where they are and everything they are facing. May they hear your quiet whisper through the enemy's roar. In Jesus' name, Amen.

~Awaken Us~

Brenna Stanford

Scripture:

• "For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God's glorious standard." Romans 3:23 NLT
• "If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us." John 1:8 NIV
• “I will rain down bread from heaven for you. The people are to go out each day and gather enough for that day." Exodus 16: 4 NIV (whole chapter here)
• "Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things." Philippians 4:8 NIV
• "For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline." 2 Timothy 1:7 NIV
• "Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it." Proverbs 4:23 NIV
• "Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour." 1 Peter 5:8 NIV
• "And after the fire came a gentle whisper....Then a voice said to him," 1Kings 19:12-13 (whole chapter here)
• "Oh give thanks to the LORD, call upon His name; Make known His deeds among the peoples." 1 Chronicles 16:8
• "Bless the LORD, O my soul, And all that is within me, bless His holy name. Bless the LORD, O my soul," Psalm 103

God's Ways are Higher than Ours. Where is He Leading You?

I want to ask you, what is the avenue that God is using or is trying to use in your life? If you would have told me 3 years ago that the ministry God was building through me was through a network marketing company I would have laughed in your face and wondered what type of drugs you were doing. I'm reminded of Isaiah 55:8-9, "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways," declares the Lord. "As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts higher than your thoughts."

I hope that you find encouragement in this. It is truly in obeying God in the little things that leads to the "big" things.

{I apologize for the abrupt ending. 😬 And all the moms said amen! 🙏🏻 Thank you for your grace!}

I wouldn't be able to share this testimony of God's plan if I wouldn't have first said yes.

My first yes was in 2009 when I said yes to coming home after a LONG summer, on one condition, I had to go to church. My next yes came just a month or two later when I said yes to Jesus. All he wanted was for me to let him love me. After that came many other yeses, all of which took my on a new adventure of some sort. 

While the introduction of Young Living in my life wasn't anything "miraculous", it was God's hand in it after. The freedom from sickness that he brought my family. The subtle pulling on my heart deeper into this company. Then the Spirit speaking to me saying, "If you trust me. I will use this to bless you." Now I get to pray for and with so many people! I get to stand in front of them, representing and glorifying Christ in all of it!

There has been opposition along the way. Satan does not want God's love to be extended to people. Through this ministry it is happening! It goes so far beyond me, but I get to play a piece in it. Here is a video showing the bigger ministry.

So today, I want to ask you, where is God pulling your heart? Are you following Him? Part of my purpose is to help others follow God and where He is leading them. If there's anything I can pray with you about and for, comment below or send me an email. This is a safe place for us to seek God and let Him awaken purpose and passion into our lives.

Father, thank you for your goodness. Thank you that you have a purpose for each of us. We praise you because your ways are higher than ours and your thoughts are higher than our thoughts. We do not trust in our own understanding, but we stand firm in faith that you are leading us deeper into your heart. Make us aware of your presence in our moments today. Lead us through each one with fresh eyes for your purpose. In Jesus' name, Amen!

~Awaken Us~
Brenna Stanford

God's Promises for Me Thousands of Years Ago!

Leviticus 26:3-13 NIV

“ ‘If you follow my decrees and are careful to obey my commands, I will send you rain in its season, and the ground will yield its crops and the trees their fruit. Your threshing will continue until grape harvest and the grape harvest will continue until planting, and you will eat all the food you want and live in safety in your land.   “ ‘I will grant peace in the land, and you will lie down and no one will make you afraid. I will remove wild beasts from the land, and the sword will not pass through your country. You will pursue your enemies, and they will fall by the sword before you. Five of you will chase a hundred, and a hundred of you will chase ten thousand, and your enemies will fall by the sword before you.   “ ‘I will look on you with favor and make you fruitful and increase your numbers, and I will keep my covenant with you. You will still be eating last year’s harvest when you will have to move it out to make room for the new. I will put my dwelling place among you, and I will not abhor you. I will walk among you and be your God, and you will be my people. I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt so that you would no longer be slaves to the Egyptians; I broke the bars of your yoke and enabled you to walk with heads held high."

This is the end of Leviticus. If you've ever read this book you know that it is a book of the Laws. This is after God has brought the people out of their slavery in Egypt and is having to give them laws to govern them. He does this through Moses. These are the laws that, in the new testament, the Pharisees and Jews refer to as the Law of Moses or the Laws of Our Ancestors.

I had a discussion with a wise Pastor yesterday because there have been things that I wonder why it is in the Bible. Why is this necessary for me to know? There are things like the sacrifices they used to have to make, I know it is important for me to understand what had to be done so I can understand what Jesus meant as a sacrifice for me. I can look at how detailed God's instructions to them are and understand that even then God wanted hearts that were willing to do anything and that revered him enough to know he's worth even the tiniest detail. But why do I need to know that they weren't allowed to wear garments made of two different kinds of hair?

The conclusion we came to was that we need to read and understand the strict law that was once there, and without Jesus would still be here today, so we can understand and appreciate the freedom Jesus brings to us! Jesus is the fulfillment of the Law for us. So in Him we are able to be worthy of God!

So when I read the scripture quoted in the beginning of this blog, I read it knowing that with my Faith in Jesus Christ and my attempt everyday to live according to His word and walk next to Him through this life accepting His grace that I am able to receive those promises from God!

Today I want you to read that and read it in context to your life!

“If I (name) follow God's decrees and am careful to obey His commands, He will send me rain in its season, and the ground will yield its crops and the trees their fruit. My work will continue until grape harvest and the grape harvest will continue until planting, and I will eat all the food I want and live in safety in my land(I will have plenty and God will provide everything necessary to live and live safely in my home, at my job). God will grant peace in the land(in my home and at work), and I will lie down and no one will make me afraid. God will remove wild beasts from the land, and the sword will not pass through my country(there will be no one or nothing to terrorize my home or my family or my job). I will pursue my enemies, and they will fall by the sword before me (I have the victory in all of my battles). Five of us will chase a hundred, and a hundred of us will chase ten thousand, and our enemies will fall by the sword before us.  God will look on me with favor and make me fruitful and increase my numbers, and He will keep His covenant with me. I will still be eating last year’s harvest when I will have to move it out to make room for the new (His favor will increase everything I need to the point where I will have MORE THAN ENOUGH). God will put His dwelling place among me, and He will not abhor me. God will walk among us and be our God, and we will be His people. God is the Lord our God, who brought us out of Egypt (our bondage and addiction) so that we would no longer be slaves to the Egyptians; He broke the bars of our yoke and enabled us to walk with heads held high."

BELIEVE it!

~Awaken Us~
Brenna Stanford