“Come this way Babe!” She said in her instructive, cheerful manner. This morning I saw a picture of the Holy Spirit in the women’s bathroom at the Atlanta airport concourse B. The kind voice was that of the restroom attendant who reminded me afresh of the Holy Spirit. She greeted each woman as they came in. She pointed out the open restrooms and would say. “Come on, Babe!” as she kept the crowd moving and opened the door for ladies as they entered the bathroom. She’d would follow the guidance with, “ You have a good day!”
She walked around the bathroom and loudly announced, “The paper towels dispense automatically! Do not pull on the paper towels because this jams the machine! ”
While I was washing my hands in the warm water, one gal rushed into the restroom very flustered pushing her suitcase and looking for her cell phone she may have left there. The same attendant pulled out her personal cell and offered help. “Here, you can call your phone from this one and then delete your number.”
She was like the bathroom’s very own airport mom, janitor, hall monitor and nearly omnipresent helper. This is why she reminded me of Holy Spirit, The Holy Spirit is comforter, guide, friend and teacher. This charming elderly woman had her routine down but somehow it felt personal like a shepherd guiding a flock of wondering sheep. I’m not sure how the other ladies felt but I appreciated how she guided everyone through the experience. It was absolutely beautiful. “Come this way Babe! You have a good day!”
“Find a penny pick it up all that day you have good luck!” Perhaps you’ve heard this saying. Anytime I spot a penny or a coin on the ground, I immediately smile, stop abruptly and reach down to pick it up. I can’t help myself! My dad did this, so I follow suit.
Do you pick up coins or even carry change? Many people don’t. A change jar sits on my kitchen counter to deposit any loose coins I’ve gotten.
While you envision a coin, I’ll explain what I consider the “Coin Principle.” The nature of a coin is it has two sides. Otherwise, it would just be a picture. A coin has both heads and tails. Many things in life are like a coin, two things exist at the same time, they’re even paired within life’s circumstances, events and situations.
Consider these three examples, there’s both:
Miracle and Mystery
Joy and Sorrow
Excitement and Relief
Let me unpack these three examples as I’ve held these “coins” in my own life.
I was healed in such a way the doctors were baffled, miracle. I’ve also been around people who haven’t received the healing they desire. This, for me, falls into the “coin principle” where I hold both miracle and mysterytogether.
I opened my eyes one July morning, years ago, it was the wedding day of my eldest son. While in that dreamy moment of wakefulness, I saw, in a flash vision, two hands clasped together and I heard God say, in my thoughts, “Joy holds hands with sorrow, Rachel.” This wonderfully joyous day was filled with much beauty and excitement yet it also carried a level of pain and sorrow for my mama heart. I missed my dauther and wished she were with us. Both joy and sorrow were held in tandem. It’s life! Things aren’t experienced as isolated incidents rather they are lived in the “coin principle.”
Just a few weeks ago, a situation made me think of the “Coin Principle” again. I was so excited to be invited to speak to a group of mamas. I was looking forward to it, preparing and praying and so thrilled and delighted to do what I love to do, speak! However, the moment I finished and walked off the stage, I was still excited and delighted as I drove home from the speaking engagement. I felt a rush, it was the feeling of relief that it was over. I was truly relieved because I can’t remain in prep mode forever! Excitement and relief!
I don’t know what you are walking through today but I do know two things may coexist together just like a coin. Let’s embrace the coin principle; it’s one thing with two sides. God is in the midst of it all. This is my hope and prayer for you. And may the Lord of peace grant you peace at all times, and under all circumstances. 2 Thessalonians 3:16.
Where might you find me two times a week in the mornings? In the studio in downtown Milwaukee where I do my strength training with a wonderful coach. Most often I drive to a park-and-ride to meet a girlfriend and we carpool from there. She’s the driver and I’m the delighted to be chauffeured, passenger. However, on occasion, I go in on my own if she’s unable to workout. I’m writing about one of those times and what I felt in my spirit as I returned home that day.
Overall, it’s a pretty easy drive and typical parking routine. You probably know the drill: enter the parking lot where a bar prevents the driver from pulling forward but there is a machine to dispense a ticket. After you push the button, the bar raises and you head to a parking spot. On the way out, it’s the same drill but in reverse.
After my workout, my legs felt a bit like Jell-O and I could feel the dampness of my sweaty head as I smoothed my hair toward the back of my neck. Ready to tackle the rest of my day, I walked past the counter, where exit validation “follow up” tickets are available for the clients. I grabbed one. Easy peasy, this ticket is entered into the machine and automatically validates my parking; it’s slick.
So, dear reader, upon leaving, there are two tickets required to exit. One reads your entrance time to calculate the price and the follow up ticket to validate. There’s one thing to keep in mind however, the follow up ticket gets read and then is spit back out so you need to grab it and keep it in your car to dispose of later so not to litter. Once you put in the follow up ticket, the machine shows a little yellow smiley face and the screen reads, Drive safely! Then the bar raises.
On this particular day, little did I know, in the cupholder of my car’s console remained a canceled ticket that I failed to throw away. I inadvertently grabbed it as my follow up ticket and placed it in the machine. But the ticket was immediately spit out as usual but the bar didn’t go up, nor did the smiley face appear and there wasn’t a drive safely message. I was blocked unable to pass.
Oh, no! I was using a ticket that was no longer valid. It wouldn’t work. It had been canceled out, already used. Immediately I was struck with the profound and wonderful truth that any sin, mistake, transgression I made cannot be brought against me in my own thoughts or by the enemy of my soul. Those are invalid. They’ve been paid for by the blood of Jesus and the sin has been canceled and can no longer be used against me.
Who is a God like you, who pardons sin and forgives the transition of the remnant of his inheritance? You do not stay angry forever but delight to show mercy. You will again have compassion on us; you will tread our sins underfoot and hurl all our iniquities into the depths of the sea. Micah 7:18,19.
Years ago I had a mentor who told me, “If God has hurled our sins to the bottom of the sea. Don’t go scuba diving!” That’s wise advice. I often see people shame-and-guilt cycling in their life or they try to do “works” to self atone for sin. They continue to go through repeatedly the steps of:
shame,
guilt,
repent
ask for forgiveness
But that’s not in the heart of Jesus or his father who rises to show us compassion. God did not send Jesus to condemn the world but to save the world through him.
Remember, what has been purchased by the blood of Jesus, what has been canceled at the cross is no longer valid as an accusation against us. He canceled the record of the charges against us and took it away by nailing it to the cross. Colossians 2:14 NLT.
Remember, accusations will come but that ticket is NO LONGER VALID!
When perceived wasted time transitions into rich time.
Today I had a unique experience. I got stuck in traffic! I mean a major bumper to bumper backup. For me this is rare. I was on my way home from working out. What was a simple commute became a conundrum. I needed to use the bathroom while stuck on the overpass of a bridge with no exit in site. The traffic was backed up for endless miles and no movement in sight. At first it was no big deal because before I left the work out studio, I used the restroom. I know for certain because the lights were out in the locker area but worked in the individual bathroom stalls. So, I chose then to go. Phew, I’m thankful I did!
However, during my workout, I drink a great deal of water to remain hydrated. I sat in traffic. For the first 45 minutes I was content and I remained occupied, I’ll explain later. Yet, I sensed I needed to get going. You get my drift.
I sat there, statue like, traffic had come to a screeching halt. It was not going.
I mentioned earlier, I remained occupied. Here’s how. Little did I know, my car would transform into my office on wheels. While in the metal confines, I caught up on a delightful conversational volley. I noticed on my phone three “Marco Polos” a video app, with messages waiting for me from two of my friends in Pennsylvania. I wasn’t at all rushed, quite the opposite, they had my full attention, I was their captive audience and it became for me not wasted time but rich time.
I was stuck there in the endless row of cars and had ample time to listen attentively. I even left a lengthy return message. I didn’t have to worry about traffic or watching the road because I was at a complete standstill. I found later, however, I never pushed the record button! Who knows, maybe the wonderful time I spent rambling on and on, praying for them and talking to God, was a thought-prayer-process just for me. It makes me giggle, thinking the long message never reached them. Well, in the spirit realm it did.
While I was sitting in traffic, I wanted to knowthe cause of such a slow down, What’s the deal? What is the problem? Was there an accident? Is there a baseball game; are the Brewers playing today? At the one hour point my GPS said, “You are on the fastest route” and I saw the time stamp showed another 45 minutes to home. What would’ve typically taken about 40 minutes total would be over two hours duration.
It brought me some relief when I found out what was going on and why the traffic was backed up so drastically. It was an accident, so I followed the GPS which suggested I exit. I was rerouted and made it passed the bottle neck ”accident area” and was able to fly, unhindered, all the way home.
None of what I thought was going to happen on my timeframe happened the way I thought, but I was glad I remained patient and I’ve viewed my day with a grateful attitude. I even enjoyed it all. Here are some highlights:
I moved my body and worked out.
I caught up with my Pennsylvania friends.
I connected with a new friend, a Kingdom Shaker, to schedule time to record for my podcast, “the real deal.”
I also met another gal, with multiple friend connections, through Instagram and sent some encouragement and messaged back-and-forth. Something’s budding there!
I made it safely home- grateful for a car, a home and a bathroom!
Here are a few questions I reflected on today, so I’ll ask you:
What difference will it make to know or understand more?
Will it affect the outcome?
What’s rich time?
What may happen instead if we give way to letting go?
Talk to Holy Spirit, wonderful counselor, guide, helper, teacher, friend, about your waiting process, schedule, day’s agenda, or plans.
So here’s a fresh perspective for every day life. Although MY plans were not realized today, a great deal of wonderful things happened instead. It’s a perspective shift, sure…When perceived wasted time transitions into rich time.
I was sitting on the couch, feeling rather lethargic, and almost sleepy. I was trying to decide if I should rise to take a nap in my bed or just slide from my chair and ottoman to collapse right there on the floor. I wasn’t truly sleepy. I think I had just sat too long in one location when I felt a slump come over me like a dark cloud about to dump rain. I decided to find socks, lace up my shoes and go for a walk. Sometimes to feel something different you have to do something different.
Maybe that’s a word for someone, perhaps you. I couldn’t have a different feeling until I did a different thing. I have found physical demonstration often brings about emotional or spiritual release. So let me encourage you, maybe you need to do something different to manifest something different in: your relationships, your job, your current health condition, your financial situation, you’re thinking patterns or hopes.
One scripture comes to my mind Isaiah 43:18, 19 Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I’m doing a new thing! Now it’s springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland.
So how about I encourage you today to make a resolve to get going! Forget the former things stop dwelling on the past and move forward. Did any of these areas I mentioned ping your heart? That’s the area you might try to do something different.
Change it up in some way:
perhaps you’ll call a friend
Make a decision and act upon it
shift an appointment
invest in a new area
throw something away
get rid of “stinking’ thinking
believe differently
purchase what you’ve been saving for
forgive someone
reach out to a neighbor
have an awkward conversation
or fill- in-the-blank
Remember… Sometimes to feel something different you have to do something different.
This Is one my favorite lines from the movie, Top Gun-Maverick.
The line is not spoken but it’s written on a computer by the character, Ice Man, who can no longer speak without difficulty so he types this line, it’s time to let go!
Such a good advice…it’s time to let go! Yes, it fits many situations, so many circumstances and a big chunk of life. Right? It’s time to let go so Maverick/we can embrace what is new and ahead.
““Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.”
Isaiah43:18-19NIV
Even in the church sometimes people want the old ways, the same old things that were done for years, old hymns, but God says, “sing to me a new song.” There’s some thing that He’s doing for us in the new. And God makes all things new.
So don’t nail your foot to the floor of the past. Live int the present knowing God has good plans for your future. It’s time to let go!
Don’t keep yourself in your looping, reviewing your mistakes, sins, or failures, don’t hang on to shame, anger, or bitterness know that he’s made you a new creation in Christ Jesus. The old is gone, behold the new has come! God has already let go of it for you it’s time for you to let it go!
Years ago my daughter, husband and I were in a skit for a women’s retreat. In this drama the daddy kept asking a little girl to give him her pearls. She didn’t want to part with these dime-store, cheapie pearls when he asked her for them. But he kept asking so that he could give her a strand of beautiful real ones. Yet she was reluctant. (It’s time to let go!)
“Sweetie, give me your pearls?”
“No, Daddy not my pearls.”
Unless she gave up the old cheaply made ones she could not receive the real, extremely valuable strand of pearls he intended to give her instead. But he didn’t tell her about the exchange; he just needed her to trust his love and kept asking.
It’s time to let go!
Is there a circumstance or situation in your life where ,it’s time to let go is an appropriate phrase? What do you need to let go of today? Ask Holy Spirit to reveal it to you. When the revelation comes, be quick to let it go so you can embrace the good things that lie ahead for you. Every good and perfect gift is from the Father, so maybe it is time to let go to receive.
She completely fell asleep on the job. It happened while babysitting. I don’t remember exactly which friend it was who told me this, because it was a few years ago, but I remember she was baby sitting for a couple of kids. When the parents came back home my friend was totally zonked out, sound asleep on the couch and didn’t even hear them return.
For some reason, as she described the story, I pictured her hair crimped on one side, with her face pinkish-red from heat and her hand print embossed against her cheek, all the while drool pooled onto a decorative pillow! Well, that’s what I pictured but maybe that’s just me.
That story popped into my head today and I was thinking about the fact that God is NOT sleeping on the job. He doesn’t sleep or slumber He’s always watching over His people!
“He will not let your foot slip— he who watches over you will not slumber; indeed, he who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.” Psalms 121:3-4 NIV
Be encouraged, God is fully aware of your season and He is working on your behalf even now! He sees you, He knows you, He loves you, He’s with you, He’s in you and nothing can separate you from the love of God.
“For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 8:38-39 NIV
God never sleeps on the job. Yet He is the one that gives us rest. The other day I considered REST. I thought about how I could purchase and wear an expensive pair of silk pajamas, sleep on high thread count sheets, lie down on a Sleep Number Bed or another expensive mattress, I could strategically place a sound machine in my bedroom along with an oil diffuser, I might also play relaxing music or the sound of waves against the shoreline, if I wished, but even with all these measures, I may not sleep! It’s because it is God who gives me rest.
I bless you with the rest today. God’s word says:
“You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you.” Isaiah 26:3 NIV
And from another version: “
In peace I will both lie down and sleep; for you alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety.” Psalm 4:8 ESV
So, know that you can lie down and sleep in peace not in pieces! Remember God is never sleeping on the job! He never sleeps or slumbers and He is the one that gives you rest and peace. So tonight, do whatever you do in the natural before bed and fully rest knowing God never falls asleep on the job. He’s got you and He is for you. I bless you with the shalom of heaven: nothing broken, nothing missing, peace.
I was thinking about the pairing of a couple of strange things that I hope will bring you some encouragement today. They are essentially props: slippers and umbrellas. I was thinking about how they relate to Psalm 121.
I want to talk about the umbrella first because I’m thinking fondly about a vacation I had recently, it was in Florida. We traveled to Marco Island, Florida to meet friends of ours.
I remember vividly, it was a big day at the beach. I love the coolness of the ocean and I love the sound of the waves. I love sitting in the sand because I like digging my heels in it as I exfoliate my feet and particularly my heels. I loved the smell of putting sunscreen on and eating while I’m there too!
I eat the whole time! I just pull out the cooler and eat, eat, eat, eat, eat . All the while I try to make sure that the seagulls don’t get any of what I intend to munch on.
The point is. I love to go to the beach! I just sit down and relax and watch all the people walk on the beach and do whatever.
It’s a big event! Getting the sunscreen, gathering the towels, finding my sun hat collecting the right chairs and getting them all loaded.
One day, we rode our bicycles and we put the sun chairs with the backpack type straps on our backs and we rode our bicycles to the beach. It was so much fun but my husband had to have his umbrella along because he reaches a point where he just doesn’t even want anymore sun! Sometimes he’ll go and be sitting under the umbrella the entire time. So he doesn’t get any of the sun that we’re all craving! But the funny thing is, I realized, a little bit into this day, that I kind of wanted to get under that umbrella with him.
I wanted to get underneath the umbrella because I was getting a little too hot and I was feeling a little too crispy and even though I had sunscreen, hat and the whole deal, I was very thankful for the shade of his umbrella.
Okay, so what does an umbrella have to do with slippers? Well, I got slippers from my sister for Christmas. They’re kelly green and cute with these little dangling pom-poms on them. But the important part is the underneath side.
You need to understand, I have lots of stairs in my house! And if you slip, you do NOT want to slip down the steps because every single step would really kill your tailbone. What was important to me is that the slippers have the gripper things down at the bottom! I do NOT want to slip! I don’t want to slip! It makes you feel very uneasy, it makes you feel very vulnerable you know that you could get hurt and harm yourself and for days you’d be paying for it.
So the umbrella and the slippers both related in my mind to a Psalm I love, 121. I have been camping on this passage. I have been thinking about it as we enter back into more of “real life.”
I’ve been thinking about how it’s an anchor for my life. That God is my keeper. I even did a different video on the fact that he’s our keeper but I just want you to pay attention to the umbrella and the slippers as you read Psalm 121. Think of the ways that God is your umbrella and the ways that God is like your slippers. It may seem trivial but He is so good! And really is caring for us.
“I lift my eyes toward the mountains. Where will my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth. He will not allow your foot to slip; your Protector will not slumber. Indeed, the Protector of Israel does not slumber or sleep. The Lord protects you; the Lord is a shelter right by your side. The sun will not strike you by day or the moon by night. The Lord will protect you from all harm; He will protect your life. The Lord will protect your coming and going both now and forever.”
Psalms121:1-8HCSBI
I wrote before about God being our keeper, that He keeps us from all harm. These videos were about him being our keeper that he keeps us from all harm and keeps us even when we don’t know we’re being kept but he keeps particularly when you were following him and even when you’re rebellious or you decide, I’m gonna go my own way! he will keep your foot from slipping because he loves you so much and he has a better plan for you than you have for yourself. He keeps you from slipping and falling down the stairs and the repercussions of “hitting every step on the way down” metaphorically speaking!
Let me pray over you right now. That you would know God is the shade at your right hand, the sun is not gonna harm you by day nor the moon by night. What that means is that God‘s got your daytime covered and he’s got your nighttime covered. There isn’t a shift where God punches out! He’s never away. He’s never distant. He’s right near.
In fact Scripture tells us we can draw near to God and He will draw near to us, that’s a promise. He is near.
Father, I thank you that you are the grippers for slippers that you will not allow our foot to slip and you are the umbrella, the shade at our right hand we don’t have to worry about being struck by the sun in the day or the moon by night because you’re with us constantly 24/7.
I release peace over whoever is reading right now, that you are kept by God. He’s not only your keeper but he is your umbrella and slippers and he watches over you. So be at peace. Be at rest, in the name of Jesus, amen! Amen! So go in peace today. I hope that encourages you; have a great day!
Hey, hey everyone, it’s Rachel Inouye here! I hope to bring some encouragement to you today.
As I moved the furniture to get myself in the spot for filming a YouTube video, I found a few little pieces of the Christmas tree under my chair and couple of those tiny asian beetles that died, but that’s not the point. The point is, I’m here I am ready to share some encouragement with you.
Oh, boy! I’ve had a lot going on in my life but through it all I know one thing, God is my keeper! I know it, feel it, watch it manifest in my life and I wanted you to know know that too!
I just recently came back from Florida! It was fabulous and it was the first trip I’ve taken since the lock down. So it was about a year without flight travel. As got on a plane, it was a bit odd. Yet I’ve thought about all the ways God guided and watched over me, as my keeper. I want you to know that God keeps us. I noticed that he kept my coming and going as I traveled to and from Florida. He’s our keeper. It’s His promise.
As we enter back into a more regular season of life, as the lock down lessens or while we begin to go out more because our regular rhythms, although modified, resume, I wanted to share with you a little bit about directions and that God is our keeper.
Concerning the direction part, I don’t know if you ever feel like you don’t know which way to go. Well, Scripture tells us He will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go.
Have you ever felt directionless or disoreinted? You don’t know where to go while driving in your car or you lose your sense of direction altogether. You’re not sure where to head next because you’ve become turned around and confused somehow.
My husband, Michael, has one particular place in our town where, no matter what, he gets mixed up. Whenever he drives in that area he gets kind of turned around. I think it’s because when we first moved here, 20 years ago, he got turned around in that exact location. Has that happened to you before? Do you feel like you’re getting turned around or you’re not sure and you’re confused and disoriented? Perhaps it’s because you’ve had a great deal of change going on in life and have lived in a global pandemic.
But be assured, God isn’t confused! He’s got the best GPS! He is always re-calculating you and He knows where he wants to go and He’ll get you there. He has a destination in mind for you.
So when it comes to directions, know that God promises to guide you…it’s one of His promises- I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go I will counsel and watch over you. One version says with my loving eye upon you!
So when it comes to directions or when you’re not sure where you should go, know that God is working for you and he WILL, not might, He WILL instruct you and teach you in the way you should go.
The verse that follows says, don’t be like a horse or a mule that needs to be guided by a bit or bridal…So don’t be stubborn when He’s leading you, submit to Him and go where He’s going! Remember that because he’s got the best GPS ever! God is instructing us. He is teaching us and he has his loving eye upon us.
I hope that helps you today. That you’d just be guided by Him. You don’t have to be stubborn, you can submit to His Lordship and you can submit to His directions. He’s got your destiny in mind. So as we begin to go out more know that He’s your keeper! 🥰
“The Lord will keep you from all harm— he will watch over your life; the Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore.”
Psalms121:7-8NIV
“I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my loving eye on you.Do not be like the horse or the mule, which have no understanding but must be controlled by bit and bridle or they will not come to you.”
Psalm 32:8-9
You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on you!
Long time no write, right? I’ve been v-logging more lately instead of blogging. You may read my thoughts below, if you’d rather.
⬆️ I’ve included the video link above so knock yourself out!⬆️ 🎧
I hope to debunk a lie and bring some encouragement to you today. I also have a recommendation. My encouragement is that you do hear from God. In Scripture it says, My sheep hear my voice, I know them, and they follow me. ( John 10:27) God is always speaking. You hear voices, voices of condemnation come in sometimes and we can hear those. Voices that tell us we are less than or not enough, we can hear those.
God is speaking to us, too. He is drawing us by His voice. He is the WORD! How can you be THE word and not keep speaking?
Some people don’t believe God speaks to us today. He only speaks through the word of God. Please understand this, I am a big fan of the word of God! But, if what they propose is true, then I don’t know what to do with the Scripture that says, “Today if you hear hisvoice do not harden your heart.” Even our conversion happened because we listened and heard the voice of God. So it’s important to read the word of God and the more we read the word of God, we’ll hear him speaking to us.
He speaks to us so don’t limit yourself from how His voice will come. It could be through a friend, it could be through music, it could be through nature, it could be just His presence. He speaks, He’s always speaking to us! He is always speaking His voice of love over us and you are wired to hear from God!
So don’t think of yourself as one who’s disqualified or can’t hear or is distant from Him. He is always speaking, it’s in your DNA to hear from your father. He created you He made you and He wants you to hear him. So I would like to just debunk the lie that you don’t hear or the thought that you’re not worthy of it because he’s always speaking. One of the stories that I love from the Old Testament is the story about Samuel. He was a young boy who was taken to Eli and was to live with him.
Samuel was laying down at night when he thought Eli had called him from another room because he heard,”Samuel, Samuel!” and he got up and he went to Eli‘s room and he said, “Did you call me?”
Eli said, “No, I didn’t call you go back to bed.” He did this repeatedly, until finally Eli got it! Oh, God’s talking to him! He told Samuel, “Go back and lie down but next time you hear it, when you hear it say, ‘Speak Lord for your servant hears.’”
Sure enough, Samuel went and lay down and as he was lying there, he heard again, “Samuel, Samuel,” and he said, “Speak Lord for your servant hears.” My encouragement for you today is just to understand He still speaks. You may know I wrote a book, He Speaks – Hearing the Voice of God through Journaling and I thought it was so great that the song “The Voice of God” came out at the same time. The song talks about all the ways that the voice of God comes to us. I was just amazed, did this song come out at the exact same time? Holy Spirit, thank you for your genius in that! I highly recommend that song to you.
And so I am unashamed to recommend my latest book to you. Even right now God is speaking to you; He’s always speaking. The book is called He Speaks – Hearing the Voice of God through Journaling. What do I mean by journaling? I mean I simply quiet myself, look to Jesus, calm down and then whatever I hear, I write down. I never write down anything that is contrary to His word. or opposite of the Scriptures. I’m always in the Word of God. I love the word of God! He speaks to me in and through it.
I’d like to share an entry from He Speaks and tell you I also wrote another book called, I’m Listening; a companion journal for He Speaks. So I’ve written things down and the cover of the book has photographs of a few of the actual journals that I’ve written in. Once you practice the art of listening, I hope you’ll gain momentum, or maybe you’ve done this for years, I wanted to make sure people could keep the momentum going and new entries could be kept in the I’m Listening companion journal. I’m Listening journal and He Speaks both have a place for you to write what you hear from God.
Let me include an entry as an example, I just picked Entry Number 15… I always start with “The Lord says my Love…” there are great explanations in the book’s Introduction and How to Use this Book sections in the beginning. It’s quite important to read those sections to get the most out of the book.
Hear from God as you read these words: The Lord says my Love…come close and lean in. I am near to you. I’m right here! I see you, I see every tear you cry, every encounter with a friend, every laugh that comes from your belly and every move you make. Each day I delight in who I made you to be. You are mine! I love you! I made you to be blameless, pure and holy. Come to me for my blood has cleansed you. I desire to make you strong, firm and steadfast. I desire to give you the joy of the Lord because I am your strength. Stand back and watch me work! I will released you from the bondage to decay. Keep praying and casting your cares and trusting in me. The victory that I have for you is better than you could ever ask or imagine. My ways are higher than your ways. Remember to trust in me and do good. I am right here, I can be found in the warmth of the sun, the chirping of the birds, the beauty of the flowers, the waves on an ocean, gently falling snow, the touch of a child and the cry of a baby. Drink in my goodness and mercy today.
The way that I formatted the book, there’s always included in each entry : • Scripture to Embrace
• Question to Consider
• Prayer
• Declaration
Then after, there’s a place for you to sit and practice the art of listening for yourself! Let me continue reading from entry #15:
Scripture to Embrace: “Though He brings grief, He will show compassion, so great is His unfailing love. For He does not willingly bring affliction or grief to the children of men.” Lamentations 3:32, 33
The Question to Consider: In what life situations or circumstance can I yield to the truth of God‘s ways being higher than my ways?
Prayer from He Speaks: (I pray this over you right now)
Lord, thank you for being right here with me and seeing me. Thanks for another day. Fill me with joy today and allow my strength to soar. Help me to see you in everything around me as I drink in your goodness and mercy. Amen
Declaration that you say aloud: Stress and strife have no voice or power over me! Holy Spirit, I welcome you to lead me today!
So dear one, that’s just an example from book I wrote called, He Speaks – Hearing the Voice of God through Journaling and its companion journal, I’m listening. I recommend both of these to you!🥰
They are available on Amazon or you can go to my website: Rachelinouye.org I am really excited that it’s going lots of places and I hope that it goes to every state and every nation all around the world!
I believe you can hear from God! so I wanted to bring encouragement that you can! Be blessed to hear from God because the love He has and the way He wants you to hear Him is particular to you. He’s so wired you for that.
You’re set up for success not failure! Bless you today!
rachel inouye 