Abandonment? Answered!

Alrighty! So here is my discovery on the whole "Abandonment?" post that came from Mark, chapter 1. The definition of living in full abandonment of my selfishness for my life wasn't necessarily a tangible thing. Yes, there are times that I have to make choices to do or not do something in order to abandon my selfishness, BUT the majority of the time it is an attitude thing.

When I am doing the natural, routine, daily things that I do, with what attitude am I doing them? Am I complaining? Am I slowing down or putting it off? Am I worshipful? Am I glorifying God? Am I thankful? The list could go on and on!

So here is my little nugget on living a life of abandonment for the Lord: Look at the season of life God has you in and prayerfully decide what it is that God is calling you to do in that season. Then, do whatever it takes! However it takes! You may not have to give up a physical thing, or you may. You may or may not have to give up your time or your attitude. But whatever it takes do that! 

Have a great day!!

~Awaken Us~

Brenna Stanford

Abandonment?

I shared with you a few weeks ago a couple of things from my study in Mark. I must admit my reading and blogging have taken a backseat in the newness of business that has overtaken my life in the past few months. But I will never give up and will continually work for all that God has placed inside of me and in front of me. At this point in time there seems to be more in front of me than inside of me. So please don't hate the sporadic-ness (not sure if that's even a word) of Awaken Us To Motion. 

Okay off of that side note and back on topic! The book of Mark! This is my favorite book of the gospel (with Luke following close behind!). I had just finished reading it for the first time in about a year. After contemplating what book of the Bible I should dive into next and a couple of discussions with some wise people I decided to re-read Mark. This time I would go through it more slowly and really digest what is being said and compare my life to the word.

There are several beautiful moments right at the very beginning of chapter one. Moments that show God's glory and eternity! Moments that prove God's promises will always be fulfilled! But it wasn't those verses that I had to compare my life with. It was verses 16 - 20 where Jesus calls the four fishermen. In these verses there were a couple of things that stood out to me.

The thing that I had to really stop and look at was in verse 18 & verse 20. The first few words of these verses we "At once" and "Without delay". There is an abandonment that these verses portray. I had to ask myself if I was following Jesus with the same abandonment. The answer? No.

I couldn't think of how I was abandoning my selfishness and what I want during my day-to-day life. So over the next (however long it takes) I will be on this scripture and looking for ways daily to abandon myself so that I can show more Jesus in my life. I invite you to do the same! Join me in this journey and together we can live in abandonment to Christ!

~Awaken Us~

Brenna Stanford

No Turning Back

"I have decided to follow JesusNo turning back

No turning back

The cross before me

The world behind me

No turning back

No turning back"

A couple of days ago I was in a small worship service and they sang Christ Is Enough by Hillsong. As this song was playing I felt a word come from the Lord. It was like He was making it very clear to me that there is a separation. When we choose to follow Jesus we are different. We are no longer of this world. We are made new. From then on "there's no turning back."

So now that we know that we are set apart ("Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart;" Jeremiah 1:5) we can live life set apart. God says in 2 Peter 1:3 that He has given us everything we need to live a godly life.

Now go out there and live set apart! Like there's no turning back!

~Awaken Us~

Brenna Stanford

Journal Entry - Mark 1:25-26

Mark 1:25-26 NIV

25 "Be quiet!" said Jesus sternly. "Come out of him!" 26 The evil spirit shook the man violently and came out of him with a shriek.

Thus shows the power of Jesus. His instructions were simple and to the point. Be quiet! Come out of him!

There was no long lengthy speach or prayer. It was simple. We have the very power living in us as Christians.

The next time your facing whatever demons are tormenting your day. Remember the power thar you have in the name of Jesus!!

~Awaken Us~
Brenna Stanford

Fear and Convenience

I have been reading in the book of Acts, currently I am at the point where Paul is in prison and is going from one man to another to be tried. At the end of chapter 24 Paul is telling Felix about faith in Jesus Christ and about righteousness, self-control and the judgement to come. Verse 25 says that Felix became afraid and made Paul leave. Felix also told Paul "when I find it convenient I will send for you."

These two things stuck out to me, 1. Felix was afraid and 2. It had to be convenient for him.

How many times do we (christians or not) become afraid about something that challenges us or that we don't fully understand. So many times when what we know to be right is challenged by a different way of thinking or a truth that was unknown to us we just shut it down. It is foreign to us and we are comfortable in what we already know.

This leads me to my second point, we're lazy. Our world has created a culture of comfort. I am just as subject to this as anyone else. I enjoy being comfortable. Who doesn't? Felix told Paul that when he found it convenient that he would send for him. How many times have you pushed away something or someone because it challenged your comfort zone? What all have you missed out on at the sake of being comfortable?

Felix was afraid and pushed away the person who had a word for him that could save his soul, his eternity. He was uncomfortable by what he was being told. He was uncomfortable having to examine his self, his heart. Felix missed out.

I do not want you to miss out. When you find yourself becoming afraid or uncomfortable because you're being challenged in any area, please take a moment to look at the truth. Step out of your comfort zone to look at all sides and examine them closely before you choose.

The thing about truth is that it's consistent. It never changes. Let the truth find it's way into your heart. Seek it out. Do not be deceived!

~Awaken Us~
Brenna Stanford

Today's Journal Entry

So last night I started reading the book of Mark. (that's where last nights entry Supernaturally Beautiful came from) In this first chapter there is so much good stuff going on I could blog about each scripture!! But I won;t do that to ya! You just need to go read it and let it speak to you!

I am going to talk to you about something that just shot chills all through me! It's  verses 16 - 20. This is where Jesus calls the disciples. The scriptures say that Jesus simply said 'Come, follow me'. Then these men just left everything to follow him. Every other time I've read this portion I've always been amazed at the faith and total abandonment of these men. I still am, but this morning it was something else that stuck out to me. If you notice there was no one else going and telling those men they needed to follow Jesus and here are 20 reasons why. It was Jesus who called them. Just as he calls you and I today.

You see there are people that I know who do not know Jesus. They know of him but are not following him. Where I struggle is that I want to go around telling them that they need to just give in and follow him and here are the reason's why. The scriptures say in John 6:44 (AMP) "No one is able to come to Me unless the Father Who sent Me attracts and draws him and gives him the desire to come to Me, and [then] I will raise him up [from the dead] at the last day." 

This was a great reminder for me today and I hope it is for you too!

~Awaken Us~
Brenna Stanford

Supernaturally Beautiful

A little piece of my journal today!

Mark 1:4-6 MSG

John the Baptizer appeared in the wild, preaching a baptism of life-change that leads to forgiveness of sins. People thronged to him from Judea and Jerusalem and, as they confessed their sins, were baptized by him in the Jordan River into a changed life. John wore a camel-hair habit, tied at the waist with a leather belt. He ate locusts and wild field honey.

This dude wore camel hair and ate bugs! You know he wasn't pretty, with a diet of bugs and honey he was probably looking a little rough. Not to mention back then people were just dirty and John was more than likely abouve average on the dirty scale because he lived in the desert. Yet, people were still drawn to him... Why?

John had a beauty that was more powerfuk than any other! He was supernaturally beautiful. He had the Holy Spirit drawing people to him. John wasn't going into the big stadiums in the big cities. He was out where no one went, bur they came.

I want to have an inpact on the kingsom that is even greater than that! I want my beauty to be supernatural!

~Awaken Us~
Brenna Stanford