Do we listen to God's whispers? Do we feel thought that tug at our heartstrings? Or are we too busy to know it's Him?
I now realize He tried so many times to get my attention and I was way too busy with life to know it was Him... This image was taken by me on January12, 2015... It has no edits. It was captured on church grounds in West Palm Beach, Florida. The quote was mine. I hid behind the GW initials because I was too timid to share. In 2017 we moved from Florida to Tennessee and that is when I had a Holy Spirit Encounter that rocked my world... And He gave me wings to fly.
It's when I look back, I can see the little hints He was dropping all along the way... I now only wish I would have listened to my heart sooner... Because He has shared the most amazing LOVE I have ever grown to know... It is so difficult to put into words... It's beyond human understanding.
Do not miss those soft whispers... They are not coincidences... He is knocking at the door of our hearts. It's up to us to open it !!
It's Him, He is the most amazing and relentless pursuer of our hearts. It's always been HIM...
It's on the mountain that God reveals to us our weaknesses and insecurities. We find in our relationship with him a strength we didn't know existed. - Jarrett Stephens...
Meaning of mountain - a large natural elevation of the earth's surface rising abruptly from the surrounding level.
Mountain formation refers to the geological processes that underlie the formation of mountains. These processes are associated with large-scale movements of the Earth's crust.
The word mountain is referred to 55 times in the Bible.
When we look at the word mountain we can stand at the foothills or rise to the beautiful peaks.There have been times I have stood at the foothills and looked up to what I felt were impossible odds. I have cried and asked my Heavenly Father to remove this mountain before me!! I have opened my eyes and I thought nothing changed... I felt alone, unsettled, and felt like my prayers went unanswered.
But as I traveled this path of life. I knew “I” would need to prepare myself with everything I could think of for this difficult climb. Ropes, climbing shoes, gear... And with an uncertain heart, I began my journey living life one day at a time. As difficult as some of the terrains became to overcome I found comfort, the strength I did not know even existed. There were days that were without challenges smooth and unencumbered. But then there were treacherous places that I wanted to quit, throw in the towel..and just withdraw from my very existence.
But like most I too have been guilty, in final desperation, we seem to cry out to our Heavenly Father help me I need you !!!
Only to realize at that moment He has been traveling beside us every step of the way. He has danced with us through the beautiful light and through the darkness of despair.
He held us tighter when we began to slip and lose our grip... and as He holds us we can hear “Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you or forsake you” ( Deuteronomy 31:6).
In my journey, I have stood at the foothills and traveled to the mountain peaks... I find that He is always at my side. there are times I think .. where are you? You are so distant! He was always there ... I am sad to admit it was me who moved.
But to my surprise I found that He is my constant, He is my rock at the foothills and the wind beneath my wings at the mountain peaks.
So grateful that He plans on never letting me go...I have been on a spiritual climb each and every day...So much to see, So much to hear, So much life to live... With Him, mountains are a beautiful path to the heavens gate.Where we can feel Him in the wind... See Him in the beauty of the open sky ... and hear Him whisper to our soul.
It’s Him, it’s always Him
I lift up my eyes to the mountains— where does my help come from? My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth. Psalms 121:1-2 NIV
Photo design & Written by Lori Garner Bible Verses From KJV, Easy /
“Love is like the moon: if it's not waxing, it's waning, but it's the same as the last time, always the same.”....
The meaning of Waning and Waxing: Waxing means “growing” or expanding in illumination, and waning means “shrinking” or decreasing in illumination.
When we look at these words they seem to point us to the moon phases…
I truly have no idea why they tugged at my heart today… I can only say that I seem to feel those same types of pulls on my heart and soul.
Our Creator seems to have placed a force that keeps every little detail of creation in its place…. The total Universe seems to be affected by what we know as gravitational pull…
He created the moon to be the tidal force that causes Earth—and its water—to bulge out on the side closest to the moon and the side farthest from the moon. These bulges of water are called high tides. These tides interact with our earth's surface...
I question,
Do we have a similar pull that interacts with our Creator? Did our Creator put this gravitational pull into our very DNA? Are we all on this spiritual migration home?
As I travel on the quest to unlock this mystery and grow closer to my Creator … my first love.. I have come to the realization of the similarities between the ebb tide of the ocean and our relationship with our Heavenly Father.
I will admit there are times I feel Him so strong that it is difficult to contain the tears as they stream down my face. I can feel this beautiful yet mysterious gravitational pull that He so lovingly placed within the depths of my soul.
But then there are the times I feel He has placed some distance between us… and the closeness I once felt is lifted, and it grieves my soul … My soul longs for His presence… The struggle to find Him is real…
And then I remember that beautiful day in May when I felt a love so strong that it left me forever changed… He gave me a gift that filled my soul with a love far beyond my own understanding…. So, When we try to rationalize these moments in our mind, it can become a heartfelt perplexing feeling….
There is no way I can not deny His existence… I can only trust Him.. and wait… waiting is the most difficult task… longing for His presence is such an emotional quickening of the soul …
The Waning and Waxing becomes a beautiful dance of the heart. It's a love story between me and a precious soul that has loved me before I was even born…
He illuminates my life like the beautiful moon on the darkest of nights…
I so love the moon...
It’s Him, it will always be Him!!
Dance with Him like no one is watching - slow, quick, quick. Your life will never be the same.
Job 26:
He makes the moon wax and wane, putting it through its phases.
When you Run alone, It's called RACEAnd When GOD Runs with youIt's called GRACE! - unknown...
The meaning of cautious is careful to avoid potential problems or dangers.
We located 7 verses that speak of the word cautious...
Are we just being cautious? Do we tread lightly when we are unsure? There is so much to digest these days... So many instabilities... So much uncertainty? So many “experts” ???
I don’t know about you but it makes my head spin?? Am I being overly cautious or am I just dizzy from too much information from the so-called “experts”? Are we truly being bamboozled?
We have truly taken our eye off the ball? If we look at the Bible we see many parallels...
We see hate and discord with the Government. We see a division within the general population. Political, Race, Gender... We see blatant judgment...
Centuries ago we had the opportunity to witness and love Jesus and we let Him slip through our fingers??? Was He cautious in showing His love? I say NOT!
I do believe we must be cautious as we travel in our broken world... We must uncover all the facts... We must sift all things through our Saviors heart and our Father’s words... We must hear His protective cry before we take action... We must diligently pray for guidance.
The vision that comes to mind is a horse race... So much training goes into each race. So much trust in his jockey. Winning the prize is the ultimate goal.. and one of the best pieces of equipment the horse will wear are blinders...This helps him focus and only see what’s ahead...
Again parallels. We are all in a race we call life... We are all training for that lifetime opportunity... We all must grow and learn to trust Jesus... Never, Never take your eye off the prize. We must wear our spiritual blinders..and must stay focused on the days ahead.
It's His presence that will give us peace in our hearts in the midst of our uncertainties...
Trusting Him has given me the ability to throw caution to the wind and blindly focus on Him!!! The prize of eternity with my Savior is my Heavenly goal... We do need to be cautious of the fleeting things of our world... One day they will all fall away. But His gift of Life and LOVE will never fade... It can only grow stronger in our hearts as we approach the starting gate, and the final bugle call is blown... and the race is on... mud flys.. and you can almost hear the announcer calling the positions of the race... Are you in first place ?? Or dead last? And as you go under the wire... in a faint small voice, we can say thank God I made it !!!
It is there in the winners circle our focus becomes clear...
It’s Him, it’s always been Him!
So take diligent heed to yourselves to love the Lord your God. Joshua 23:11
“By this is love perfected with us, so that we may have confidence for the day of judgment, because as he is so also are we in this world.”
We are told to let our light shine, and if it does, we won't need to tell anybody it does. Lighthouses don't fire cannons to call attention to their shining- they just shine. - Dwight L. Moody.
The meaning of obvious is easily perceived or understood; clear, self-evident, or apparent.
The word obvious can be found in twenty-one places in the Bible.
As I look back on my journey, I found so many wonderful signs from God. Some were so obvious even a blind man could see them!!!! If this is true why did it take an encounter with the Holy Spirit to see them!!! Are we so busy that we miss the obvious signs, messages, and wonders of God??
I must admit, I too am guilty!!! Until my encounter, I skipped through life missing all the important clues... I ask myself why? Why didn't anyone tell me of His undying love and affection? Why did I not know that you had a "personal relationship" with God? Was it so personal you could not share Him?? Why didn't anyone share their personal story? Perhaps they did and I missed all the clues... It was my fault I was not listening with my soulful ears. I was blinded by our world!!! I was spiritually clueless?? I was not ready to open my heart to His spiritual presences. I was too busy...
When we finally start to see Him do we become closet lovers of Christ?? Do we stay there afraid of what others may think?? Will we be labeled as strange, perhaps a little eccentric, or even crazy...
Can people who do not understand our walk ever know that sharing God and His love is the greatest gift we can ever feel and share? I think I would be safe in saying many shun believers for lack of knowledge? Or walk away from a soul on fire for Christ... Because of fearing the unknown!!
The best example I have heard, I heard from my mother. If I teach you about childbirth from a textbook and I tell you of my experience, you would have a clinical understanding of the process. But until you feel that tiny life growing inside you. Until you feel the pain associated with the miracle of birth. Until you lay your eyes on this miracle's tiny face... You will not fully understand.
When we have been touched by God’s love it should be obvious...
It's not a label we wear on our clothes. It's not the act of carrying a Bible to church on Sunday mornings. It's not a bumper sticker on our car!!
It should be obvious that He has written His name across our hearts. Because His love is so sweet it is beyond our world and it's so difficult to contain. It should show on our faces... It is heard in the loving words spoken from our lips ...it should show in our kindness and compassionate actions...
It should be so obvious that you have been set apart. Chosen... Chosen to carry His name boldly!! Carry Him with pride!!! Valor!!! And Honor!!! Shout it from the mountain tops... For the world to witness.
In our quest to seek approval from others do we miss God’s clues?? Do we hide our love?
I believe when we come in contact with other souls they should walkway knowing without a doubt that we have been kissed by God...
Be Bold. Be loved. Be obvious... Do not be a closet lover of Christ!!! Let Him set you Free!!!
To go boldly where others before you have traveled...
It's Him. He is the one who frees our souls!! He opens our fearful hearts!! And yes, He gives us the words and boldness to share His love.
“Lord God, unlock my heart, unlock my lips, and I will overcome with my joyous praise! The fountain of your pleasure is found in the sacrifice of my shattered heart before you.... Psalms 51:15, 17 TPT
Everyone who heard about it kept thinking about what had happened and asked, "What will this child become?" because it was obvious that the hand of the Lord was with him. Like 1:66
You show that you are a letter from Christ, delivered by us, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts.
2 Corinthians 3:3
Look at what is obvious. If anyone is confident that he belongs to Christ, he should remind himself of this: Just as he belongs to Christ, so do we. 2 Corinthians 10:7
“Father, Son, and Holy Spirit remind us that there is always more of God than we know, always more of God than we can explain, always more of God than we can show. The Trinity says God is not in a box but is bigger, much bigger than we imagine. God is more powerful than we sometimes want to believe or remember, but there is great comfort in remembering.” ― Thomas R. Steagald.
The meaning of 1 - The number 1 represents newness, movement, and the possibilities that await us. In spiritual symbolism, it is the number of creation and the birth of all things -- the divine origin of the universe.
Number one appears significantly, but I was unsuccessful in getting a word count for this word...
One of the most mind-boggling concepts for many who study the Bible is the Trinity Himself.
On this amazing journey, which I have been blessed to travel, I have grown to know Elohim, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit in this order. Just who are they? And what is this oneness that they possess?
Initially, it was so confusing to me that I asked who we should pray to. Some say I pray to my Heavenly Father; some say they have an intimate relationship with Jesus; therefore, they pray to Jesus. A few stated they pray to our Heavenly Father in Jesus' name. The Holy Spirit seemed to be mentioned the least—or not at all—when speaking of prayer.
I am not here to disprove any of the above ways to pray... I can only share how my journey unfolded and how I understood my Triune, or LOVEs, as I lovingly call my 3n1.
Each one of them plays a significant role in our lives... Each is just as important as the other... They are all part of one deity, mind, heart, and spiritual being.
I started by asking many questions, and a family member who has studied the Bible almost her entire life said these words... You are Lori, you are a wife, you are a mother, you have many jobs, but you are one... Armed with this simplistic logic, the pieces began to come together...
Let me preface by saying my journey started with a Holy Spirit Encounter (at the time, I did not know It was Him).
As my journey began to take flight, I began communicating with my amazing Heavenly Father. I called Him Elohim... It was that name that spoke to my Heart... It was Elohim who taught me about Jesus. He showed me His compassion, His depth of love for all mankind... and He taught me that Jesus was indeed a beautiful human facet of God the Father, my Elohim... And then, as I traveled deeper into my understanding, He seemed to hold my hand and disclosed things one beautiful piece at a time... I spent hours just loving and communicating with Him... I still look back and have trouble understanding how this happened. But feel so blessed that I have had the privilege of knowing Him.
At the beginning of this amazing walk, I asked. I hear many people say they love God the Father, and many love Jesus, but I never heard anyone say they love the Holy Spirit. Why? And then, like always, I started my search... He pointed me to an article that said many love the Holy Spirit, but I was too new at this to know this fact. However, I was surprised when I read this article at the bottom of the page. It said another word for the Trinity is Triune...
And at that moment, I was so surprised that I was speechless. I had my spiritual encounter on a country road in Triune, TN, which happened to be a pivotal moment in my life. It was a beautiful revelation; the word Triune spoke to my soul. All I could say was wow.
My journey unwrapped each one of the facets of God—the facets we all love and admire.
Elohim showed me that each facet of Him is equally important. They are all God. But each one has a different job. Each one relates to us differently... When we need a Father figure, most relate to God the Father... when we need to be held, or we need to relate to someone who has walked through what we are experiencing, or we need to be loved for who we are, we look to His human side Jesus ... And one of the most amazing spiritual experiences is the very breath of God we know this facet as the “Holy Spirit” it How God communicates with His Children... I envision the Holy Spirit as an eternal hotline directly connected to God our Father... It is the most intimate call you can ever make ...
My journey has been amazing, and I do not take credit for what and how He taught me. I can only thank Him and love Him for who He is.
I stand in awe and see Him as one... But I love and relate to each beautiful facet of Him...
It depends on what I need in that given moment who comes... I call them LOVEs because they are one in my heart and soul. I love each precious facet of Him...and He knows better than me which facet of Him I need to relate to at any given moment...
To add one more mind-blowing thing, the week of my encounter, I started addressing this presence I knew was God as “Elohim.” At this time, I had little to no religious background, and this was a Hebrew word. I am not of Jewish descent. So why this name? How did this happen? Later in my search, I found out this.
Elohim is God in plural? One God that wears many hats ...
It's Him. It’s always been Him...
The one I love, the one who rescued me. The one who taught me to love Him beyond what my mind can comprehend... He is my 3N1.
I am open to Him relating to me with whatever facet of Him speaks to my heart and soul... It does not matter who comes because I love surprises; deep down, I know it’s Him.
I love Him with my heart and Soul, so my mind has no choice but to follow.
“The only way you can reach your full potential is if you open up and allow yourself to be exposed to how you really feel.” ― Turcois Ominek
Meaning of exposed: open to view: not shielded or protected
The word exposed is in the Bible approximately 74 times
When we expose our true raw feelings to the world it can be a difficult, heartfelt task. We share and then hold our breath. We sometimes start to second guess ourselves ...
But then we ask ourselves what is our motive? Why are we opening our hearts for possible rejection, ridicule, or negative comments?
I can only speak from experience... God gave me a story to share... and not sharing His story would grieve His soul... and that would wound my heart for longer than I care to even imagine.
As I began to study this word my mind drifted to my youngest grandchild. She is such a refreshing delight... But the one thing I have discovered about children is that they do not hold back they will tell you what’s in their hearts and on their minds.. without any filter.. even if it scares, hurts, or makes you laugh... and then they let it go .. without another thought.
So what happens as adults? And why do we find it difficult to talk openly about so many subjects? Subjects like God, Jesus, or the Holy Spirit. This subject makes many uneasy. Or uncomfortable. Some engage willingly and it brings joy to their soul, some run. The conversation about our Creator should be as natural as enjoying a beautiful breakfast or taking a shower. But it is not. So many hide and many do not talk about the most important relationship in our lives.
The ones that bravely step out and open their hearts and souls. Take that chance, but they do feel exposed and have moments of insecurity.. they feel vulnerable.. a word I have grown to respect.
But there is a beauty in exposing one's true self if you can share the most incredible love to anyone willing to listen ... It is like taking a deep breath of fresh air into your congested lungs. Your heart becomes lighter and your soul feels freedom like never before. I find it’s much like childbirth... there are pain and suffering but when they lay that beautiful child in your arms, and you look upon their tiny beautiful face... the pain and suffering become a faint memory and soon fade from existence... He heals our hearts, loves us through the pain ... He loves us far beyond our imaginations!
He has exposed hearts with His love since the beginning of time... it’s what we do with this love that matters most...
It’s Him, It’s always Him.
“You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven. Matthew 5:14-15
So Jesus said to them, “The light is among you for a little while longer. Walk while you have the light, lest darkness overtakes you. The one who walks in the darkness does not know where he is going. John 12:35 ESV
Like the tiny spark of fire that consumes a forest, the spark of love is all you need to experience love in its full power and glory - Deepak Chopra...
Meaning of spark a small fiery particle is thrown off from a fire, alight in ashes, or produced by striking together two hard surfaces such as stone or metal:
The word spark seems to appear approximately 4 times in the Bible...
Have you ever felt hopeless? Void of life or just plain stagnant? Life can sometimes throw you a curve... Your heart may ache... depression and anxiety may seem to be your only friend ??
What or who can come to our rescue? If you have experienced life.. then at some point you have yearned for someone to throw you a lifeline...
Before my Holy Spirit Encounter, I was trying to reestablish my life because of a move from Florida to Tennessee... And I had an empty stagnant feeling deep within my soul. I wore my I am ok mask and shuffled my feet to get through each day. And as I felt this stagnant feeling I questioned if I made the right decision...
Little did I know God was watching... Did you know He brings people into your life for special missions? I had a messenger surprisingly call me and ask me to lunch and as we embarked on this newfound friendship she began to shine a little light in the shadows of my life. And the colors of life began to shine through...
But God was not finished with me yet... He had a bigger plan...
He was getting ready to wow me. He was going to impact my life in a way that would thrust me into an amazing life-altering adventure...
I was behind the wheel of my car. Driving on a beautiful road in Triune, Tn... And it was there that God poured a generous dose of love into my soul... I had never felt anything like this in my life... I felt a warmth... a bright light and a LOVE like I had ever known... It ravished my mind, heart, and soul... I stopped my car and had to compose myself as I basked in this amazing moment...I did not realize at the time the magnitude of this gift... I was given His gift of heavenly love. In the days ahead, I found it difficult to explain but even more difficult to contain. I remember calling my newfound friend and telling her of this love... And she told me that I did not understand... It was the love inside me that was emerging. And I responded, maybe, but if that was the case she was the spark...
God has taken my heart and hand and given me a greater understanding of who He is and how He can orchestrate people in our lives to fill a void and to deliver His spark of life back into our souls...
It is with a sad heart that I admit my newfound friend could not stay to see His work...
But with time have grown to understand her mission... Although short it was her job to deliver His spark. A spark that would prime my soul for Him to work in my life...
We have all heard that saying. "People come into our lives for a reason some for only a season... or maybe that person was a messenger that God utilized to help us find ourselves and draw us closer to His beautiful heart... He knew that His spark was what I needed to start a flame 🔥 A flame in my soul.. a flame that would burn for Him... and Him alone.
There will be times in our lives that we will be in transition and feel confused maybe even a little lost... We may feel that things are hopeless and He will send a spark or a lifeline to be delivered by a surprise messenger.
Not all messengers will understand their role or even realize they were part of a much bigger plan... Some will stay and enjoy the overflow of LOVE, Some do not understand and run.. and some will come with a genuine curiosity and He will deliver yet another spark to another dormant soul... And His circle of life and love will continue to grow into a beautiful flame...
Our Heavenly Father knows it only takes one spark to ignite a flame that will ravish our... mind body and soul... and it will ignite our heart right where we are standing at that amazing moment in time.
Get lit 🔥 and burn your light bright for Him your life will never be the same...
He wows me... Whoo Hoo
It’s Him, It’s always Him.
He is the spark to an amazing adventure of life and love.
And the strong shall be as tow, and the maker of it as a spark, and they shall both burn together, and none shall quench them. Isaiah 1:31
May the glory of the Lord endure forever; may the Lord rejoice in His works -- He who looks at the earth, and it trembles, who touches the mountains, and they smoke. – Psalm 104:31-32
Wonder is mentioned in 8 books and occurs 15 times in the Bible.
The meaning of wonder: a feeling of surprise mingled with admiration, caused by something beautiful, unexpected, unfamiliar, or inexplicable.
How do we wrap our heads around the word wonder? My research pointed me to the 7 wonders of the world? I found myself in of course Wikipedia? Where much to my surprise the 7 wonders are many different lists?? How can this be??
I don’t know when things became so complicated?? I will try to simplify it. You may or may not agree. But without God, there would be no list. So, when I look at the word wonder I go to the source.
And I can only speak from my experience and my heart. My Journey has been filled with wonder, the Triune surprises me at every turn.
With each passing day. I discover more about God, The Son, and The Holy Spirit … Holy Moly if that is not the greatest wonder we will ever know??
How did He come to us in so many different ways?? How has He sustained a following since the beginning of time?? How does He become ingrained in our soul? How does He have the power to heal? How did He give up His life? How did He become alive again?? How? How does He LOVE His children so much??
I stand in awe most of the time. He takes my breath away and leaves me speechless.
I can’t help but wonder what does He want with us? Why hasn’t he given up??
I think He is like any great artist He falls in love with His work. He admires what he created from nothing. He places great value and will take special care of each and every one of His priceless creations.
Imagine if this is true… this beautiful essence of the word wonder is reciprocal, and It holds a Love that bridges time and space. How can we not admire and love Him with our very last breath? How can we not give Him our heart? I stand in awe! I wonder why we are so blessed to have Him?
It's Him! It is always HIM!!
If there arise among you a prophet, or a dreamer of dreams, and giveth thee a sign or a wonder, Deuteronomy 13:1NIV
And they knew that it was he which sat for alms at the Beautiful gate of the temple: and they were filled with wonder and amazement at that which had happened unto him. Acts 3:10 NIV
