Your DNA

Some of you may be familiar with the mid 90s movie titled The Nutty Professor. If you're not it's basically about a man who is obese and geta tired of dealing with the struggles. So, because he's a professor, he creates this syrum that makes him skinny. Sounds pretty smart right? There's a few things he didn't account for...

As the story goes he hooks himself up to his lab equipment and drinks the syrum. He goes through the dramatic process. At the end his monitor flashes the words DNA Reconstruction Complete.

Now he begins going through his life as Buddy Love. All the while dealing with the fact that his true self always comes out. It's a constant battle.

Often times we feel unworthy and useless as our true selves. We're not popular or thin. We don't have the gorgeous, voluptuous, and silky hair. We aren't built the way everyone else is. So we start to try to change who we are because we want others to like us or we want to be like everyone else. We create our own form of Buddy Love.

What we don't realize is that we're trying to change our DNA. When scripture says that God created us with a plan and a purpose for our lives. (Jeremiah 29:11) God created us as a masterpiece!! He loves us and created us in His image!! So when we try to change who we are, we're telling God he didn't do a good enough job and that He's a liar.

Catch what I'm saying here. I'm talking about changing WHO we ARE not WHAT we DO, there's a difference. We do things and make choices that are mistakes all the time. We can change our actions from minute to minute. When we change WHO we are in order to appease anyone other than God we end up with a Buddy Love.

Buddy Love is extreme! He's loud, annoying, and everything but Professor Klump! In the movie he's trying to win over a girl, what he finds out is that the girl loves him as he is! The other people he impresses along the way are phoney and only want to get what they can out of Buddy. The people in his life who love him, and really love him, love him for who he is!

So if you're struggling with loving yourself the way you are, remember that your DNA doesn't need to be reconstructed! God made you who you are for a reason!! He loves you endlessly!!

~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

Just One of Those Days

Do you ever have just one of those days? I do. Sometimes more often than not...

I want to share with you a couple of things to help turn one of those days into a great day! (Yes, it is possible!! lol)

The first thing you have to do is find a time where you can have a moment and just breathe. For me it's driving to work - I've already left so I'm not having to make sure I remember everything, my son is in the car jibber-jabbering so I'm not having to get him ready, and so on.

One thing I try to do daily, even though sometimes I forget, is to take a big, deep breath in and tell God that I'm breathing in more of him today. As I release my breath slowly I breathe out myself. Reasons: 1. Taking big, deep breaths is calming
2. John 3:30 says "He must become greater; I must become less.”

Then, I smile -even if it hurts.

Then I think about Philippians 4:8 - 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. - and I list the truth that is excellent and praiseworthy.
1. I am a child of God!
2. God loves me!
3. Jesus set me free!
4. I am a masterpiece!
5. God has a purpose for me to accomplish THIS day!

So today, if you're having one of those days breathe in God and breathe out you, smile, think on things that are truth and excellent and praiseworthy!!

~Awaken Us~
Brenna Stanford

Beautifully Glorious

This morning I was listening to the Gungor CD Beautiful Things, as the I sang loudly (because I was the only one in the car lol) to the lyrics "You make beautiful things, you make beautiful things out of the dust, you make beautiful things, you make beautiful things out of us" I was reminded of a story I want to share with you.

One day I was in the car with 2 other people, when Everything Glorious by David Crowder Band came on. The lyrics to this song started a short conversation that I haven't thought much about until today. The song says "You make everything glorious, you make everything glorious. You make everything glorious, and I am yours. What does that make me?"

I personally started the conversation by proclaiming how I love that! Little did I know what would follow. One other person agreed, then quickly following the 3rd person in the car stated that they did not like it and that it bothered them. I asked why. There wasn't too much of a response so I went ahead and pointed out the lyrics and how encouraging it is to think that I am glorious because God made me that way!

Side note: When I was a child someone would insult another person, i.e. you're short, tall, skinny, round... and the response was always "God made me that way." So it was nice to be able to proclaim that God made me glorious!!

This person quickly and in a very irritated manner said that's just being conceded!! Because of the atmospheric change we could see there was nothing we were going to say to change their mind. So we ended the conversation.

4 years later I am reminded of it and God shows me that this person did not understand their identity in Christ Jesus. Psalms 139:14 says "I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well." Isaiah 43:1 says But now, this is what the Lord says— he who created you, Jacob, he who formed you, Israel:“Do not fear, for I have redeemed you;
I have summoned you by name; you are mine."

No matter the circumstances in which you were born, you are NOT an accident or mistake. You are on purpose and for a purpose!! Jeremiah 29:11 says "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "Plans to prosper you and not to harm you. Plans to give you a hope and a future."

Today God wants you to know that you are Beautiful! You are Glorious! You are on Purpose! Say it with me: I am Beautiful! I am Glorious! I am on Purpose!

Awaken to your identity today!

~Awaken Us~
Brenna Stanford

Turn

“Friends, why are you doing this? We are merely human beings—just like you! We have come to bring you the Good News that you should turn from these worthless things and turn to the living God, who made heaven and earth, the sea, and everything in them." Acts 14:15 NLT

Why do we do such worthless things? We may not be slaughtering animals and throwing flowers and things on people, but we do apend our time making money, spending money, playing Candy Crush or Flappy Birds. We spend our energy on things that don't make much of a difference.

I do this too. Not one of us is innocent. We put our trust in our bank account, our ability to have a job and make money. We put our joy in games - that will be removed from the market or that gets lost when our phones break. We put our self worth and love in people who either walk out on us, let us down or die.

What if we put our financial security, joy, love, hope, identity in the LIVING GOD - Jesus Christ? What if when we lose our job there's peace. What if we have joy in the midst of a life storm? What if we spent our time loving people? What if we let God show us what love really is? What if we listened to who God says we are rather than who the media says we're not?

What if we allow Jesus to live in us? What if we allow Jesus to awaken something extraordinary in us? Let's turn from these worthless things for the good news; that Jesus Christ rose from the grave, defeating death and Hell, and is alive, seated at the right hand of God interceding for us so when God looks at us he doesn't see our mess and our sin, he sees the perfection that Jesus is for us!

Let us awaken to that realization and live it out everyday!

~Awaken Us~
Brenna Stanford

A word of encouragement!

I wanted to share with you all just a little tid bit of inspiration. Lately our luck seems to be running against us, weather it is the consequences of a choice or the daily things that can go wrong. Have you ever heard the saying "When it rains, it pours"? Well that's us.

If you are feeling discouraged today be encouraged and know that God works everything out for the good of those who loves him! Just like Joseph, really crappy things happened to him like being sold by his own brothers then being put in jail for something he didn't even do! In the end God used him to prove the power and faithfulness of God!!

He has worked out some of the things we've faced and they're better than they were before. The other things we're still waiting on. But in God's perfect timing it will work out!!

~Awaken Us~
Brenna Stanford

Count the Cost: Taking Pains

" For we are taking pains to do what is right, not only in the eyes of the Lord but also in the eyes of men." 2 Corinthians 8:21

This was originally posted over a year ago. I have been a dedicated Christian for just over 5 years. It is still hard!! Someone told me once that I "binge Jesus". The statement struck a chord and ticked me off, on days like today I go back to that statement and wonder if it's true...

Then I have to remember God's word,  "For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers and authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavily realms." (Epheseians 6:12)

"For what do righteousness have in common with wickedness? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness?" (2 Corinthians 6:14)

"Beloved, I urge you as aliens and strangers to abstain from fleshly lusts [anger, defeat, sexual immorality, drama, tv shows, music, books...] which wage war against the soul." (1 Peter 2:11)

It hits you like a brick wall.

Reality

The reality of being a Christian is hard. Jesus tells his disciples more than one that there is a cost to follow him.

Luke 9:57 starts one scene where a man declares that he will follow Jesus wherever he goes! Jesus responds by telling him that foxes have holes and birds have nests but those who follow him have no place to rest their head.

Luke 14:25 starts his next teaching where he tells them your love for your family must look like hate compared to your love for me. A very quoted verse is found in this mix, verse 27 says that a man must take up his cross daily in order to follow Jesus. When we see a cross we see freedom, because of Jesus has done. When Jesus said this a cross looked completely different. A cross meant a very brutal and agonizingly painful death!

He goes on to tell a story of a man who wants to build a tower. He explains how in order for the man to build the tower he has to set down, figure out how much it will cost and then look at himself to see if he has enough to build it. Jesus says the man has to "count the cost." He uses the same story line to tell about a king who wants to go to war...he has to "count the cost."

In verse 33 Jesus says "In the same way, any of you who does not give up everything he has cannot be my disciple." He ends this at the end of verse 35 by saying "He who has ears let him hear."

Jesus has been telling us from the get go that being a Christian is not easy!! Jesus says that we must count the cost!! He uses the Parable of the Rich Young Ruler as another example. We have to be willing to give up EVERYTHING, our jobs, our money, our contentment, our friends, our family, even our spouses and children! He tells us, count the cost! He who has ears let him hear --- make sure you really hear me!! COUNT THE COST!!! Do you really want to follow me?! Are you really willing?!

For us it may be the physical of giving up our homes to go live in a foreign place and plant a church or go live an evangelistic life. For the rest of us it might be that God is asking you not to blow up at your spouse for lying to you. Don't leave your spouse because they had an affair or have an addiction to some substance or another, no matter how legal it is! It might be loving your children even though you do not agree with the discussions they're making! You might have to forgive someone who hurt you and let your pride be put to shame! You might have to be laughed at, picked on or talked about. The Bible tells us that there will be a time when Christians will face persecution again.

It is hard to be a Christian. But it is extremely worth it!! No other lifestyle can give you the same peace when your whole world turns up-side-down. No other lifestyle can give you grace enough and strength enough to give others grace. No other lifestyle can free you from you past, from your addictions, from your thoughts!! No other lifestyle can offer you a God who loves you deeply and intimately!! No other lifestyle was wiling to go through Hell and back as an atonement for you!!

So have you counted the cost?!

Psalm 13:5- 6 But I trust in your unfailing love; my heart rejoices in your salvation.
I will sing the Lord’s praise, for he has been good to me.

John 3:16-17  For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.

Life has the opportunity to get rough everyday. But we have the opportunity to get tough everyday. "And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. (but you have to bear it) But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it." 1 Corinthians 10:13

"Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers and authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist,with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints." (Ephesians 6:10-18)

 I am adding Paul's personal request to his brothers and sisters, because it is my personal request to my brothers and sisters. "Pray also for me, that whenever I open my mouth, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should." (Ephesians 6:19-20)

~Awaken Us~
Brenna Stanford