Lisa K. Spivey

Real Faith for Real Life

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Abiding In Christ!

This past weekend I was honored to serve at our Women’s Spring Conference at Calvary Chapel in Oceanside. Our theme for this conference was ABIDE and I feel like I am still relishing from all that God poured into us.  As I sat listening to our warm, funny and very relatable speaker Donna Jones, she reminded us that GOD CHOSE US.

John 15:5 says “I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing”.

It is the vinedressers role to care for the vine and to attend to each of it’s needs.  Even to the point of lifting it off the ground and reposition it so that it will bear sweet fruit.

You see, because the real truth of it is ABIDING in CHRIST happens in every moment of everyday life and sometimes that gets messy.  It’s in the moments where a phone call comes and a diagnosis has been given that doesn’t make sense.  But GOD.  It’s not understanding why my children aren’t following Christ, but knowing I get the honor to stand in the gap for them.  It’s knowing I serve the GREAT I AM, the keeper of my heart and there is no turning back and I choose to ABIDE no matter the cost in every circumstance of my life.  It’s where my roots are deep and I will not be shaken because of CHRIST in me.

Gods love sets us free as we release and align ourselves with the one who is in complete control.  May we continue to trust as we ABIDE in CHRIST!

A Good Place To Start

Have you ever looked forward to something with anticipation only to be let down once the event happened?  It’s like someone took the wind out of your sail, the balloon burst and everyone ate the birthday cake without you.   But at the heart of it all is the ROOT of everything.  In chapter one of my book, Big Girls DO Cry, I talk about Loss and Living and basically how I went through the motions for years trying to convince myself and everyone else that I was “okay”. The truth. I was a dead woman walking around on this earth and not living Free in Christ.

Plain and simple the running from God had to stop.  The walking in denial had to stop.  A good place to start was with God, the one I had been going through the motions with.  I wanted so much more for my relationship with my Heavenly Father, but felt I was now unqualified because I was listening to another voice. Ever been there?  The enemy will try to convince you that God does not love you and God can not use you in His Kingdom.  I want you to know that those are complete lies and if you are hearing these things they are not from God at all.

As I began to walk in the freedom of knowing WHOSE I was in Christ it was like coming up for fresh air.  I have the confidence of knowing that GOD is in control and my faith is growing.  Are some days a struggle?  Sure.  The difference is I know on those days I stay in the Word longer, pray harder, and speak out His promises more.  I am choosing to keep my eyes on the eternal as I prepare for the BEST party ever in Heaven and the celebrating will never end.  Are you ready?  I guarantee you there will be lots of cake and everyone will have a piece!

With All My Heart!

Happy New Year!  Something about the first day of the new year brings a readiness to begin again. Yesterday is gone and just like that there is a brand new blank canvas in front of you ready to dream BIG with God and paint something beautiful for the year ahead..which in this case happens to be 2017.

Anyone who really knows me knows that I LOVE HEARTS and I have since I was in my teens.  If you come over to our home you will see them around our house, I wear heart jewelry and yes I enjoy putting my heart into things. But sometimes I have found that I put my heart into the wrong things…it’s the split second decision that I make and unfortunately it is the wrong one.

So as I began seeking God for my ONE WORD for 2017  and I was not surprised when GOD confirmed that word would be ABIDE.   What I love about this is that God is always wanting and waiting to be in relationship with me. It is I who have chosen other things at times and not made God a priority.  How thankful I am that I can start fresh each day with all my heart.  God’s Word says New morning, new mercies~Lamentations 3:22,23.

Jesus is the answer.  He is the One that fills the gap between Heaven and Earth for us. He is everything and it does not get anymore personal than this.  I pray as you begin 2017 you will trust God as you let Him direct not only your path but your DREAMS in every season!

 

The God Of Every Circumstance

the-god-of-every-2This past weekend I had the joy and honor of speaking at Calvary Chapel Oceanside Women’s Christmas Tea.  What a fun way to kick off the Christmas season.  It’s always wonderful to get together with a bunch of women and enjoy good food, a lot of laughs, share God’s heart and have outstanding music by “Hilary and Kate”.

As I had been preparing for this event I knew I was going to be marrying two different things. Mary and Joseph being turned away at the Inn, and my own personal testimony based on my book, Big Girls Do Cry.  Both have to do with rejection and trusting if God ordains it, He will surely make a way!

When Mary and Joseph were turned away at the Inn, I’m sure it had to be a little jarring for them no matter how strong their faith.  Isn’t life like that?  Sometimes you don’t know what’s coming around the corner and many things we endure on this earth we won’t have answered until we get to Heaven, but what we do know while we are here is God is a God of EVERY circumstance, yes even the most painful, because GOD IS THE KNOWN IN OUR UNKNOWNS.

Mary and Joseph trusted God with their complete circumstance even when it looked grim.  We don’t hear about them getting upset at the innkeeper, but rather they put their faith in God and walked it out.

May we choose to do the same knowing the power of FAITH reflects the immeasurable power of GOD!

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