Undercover Princess

The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, heirs also, heirs with God and fellow heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, in order that we may also be glorified with Him. Romans 8:16-17

As a little girl I was fascinated by crowns. I remember my mom having a round powder container that had a metal ring around the outside that was about the same size as my head. So when she had used all the powder I worked all afternoon trying to break the plastic and free the metal circle that looked like a crown. I finally succeeded and would play with that make believe crown for hours. I would pin it to my thick hair with Bobbie pins and pretend that I was a princess. I would also play with my mom's old prom dresses. I loved the ones with the crinolines. I just knew that I was going to marry Donny Osmond. (right!)

I am an heiress. A co-heir with Christ. A co-heir with the Prince of Peace. Doesn't that make me a princess? I believe that it does. It is so easy to forget who we really are. We think that the life we have here is reality and that eternity is a distant dream. When really this world is surreal and bizarre and eternity is reality. Who we are in eternity is who we really are....now. I am not really a middle aged squishy women. (really I'm not) I am an eternal woman of God. A Christ follower. A princess and I will spend all eternity in the court of the King of Kings in worship and fellowship and sharing in His glory. The reality is that being a princess in the spiritual sense is not about frilly gowns and magnificent crowns and the pomp and circumstance that we think of here. It is a life that looks like Christ. A life that shares in His sufferings.

We are undercover princesses here. Sufferings................then glory.

Confident of one thing!

For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus.
Philippians 1:6 NASB

Have you ever felt the movement of God so heavily that it almost makes a low hum. Not a audible sound, but a rumbling in your spirit that God is perfecting His good work. I see Him moving in lives all around me. I see Him moving hearts closer to Him. I hear people asking questions about Him that I never thought I would hear. God is on the move. He is pursuing people everywhere. My heart is pounding at the pure adventure of it all. What a privilege it is to be apart of what He is doing. It is also a scary place to be in if you just look at it from the world's view. But with God all things are possible. He fed 5000 in one sitting from just a few fish and loaves. He can provide for us with more besides.

I am confident in my God. He has a plan and He will see it come to pass.

The God of the impossible. The God who uses the ordinary simple people. The God of adventure. The God who is pleased by my faith.

You are a faithful God. I will trust You absolutely......

A weekend to Remember!

We had a blast with you this weekend in Niagara Falls. God proved Himself faithful as usual. We pray that God richly blessed you as you sat at His feet listening to Him speak. The prayer walk on Saturday morning was a blessing as I got the chance to visit with women I hadn't met before and to exercise some out of use muscles. The pajama party on Saturday night was more fun than I could have ever imagined. Way to go with the fashion show. I am looking forward to even more creative outfits next year.

God is calling you by name.....You are not alone and He is the restorer of joy. Staying where you are may cause you to miss what He is about to do. The proper response is to go quickly to where He is calling you from and fall at His feet in total surrender just like Mary of Bethany. Jesus is the Resurrection and the Life. We have no life apart from Him.

My prayer is that as you go back to the real world this week that the refreshment that you received will remain and deepen. Spend time each day seeking Him. He has something to say to you through His Word and He wants to hear what you have to say as well. The cool thing about God is that He doesn't think that you talk to much. (I take great comfort in this as I usually have lots to say). The key is to be quiet as well and hang on the words He offers you. He is listening intently to what you have to say ....give Him a chance to respond.

I would love to hear what the Lord said to you this past weekend and also what your response was to Him. Please feel free to comment on this blog spot or if you would rather e-mail me at anita@AHFministries.com.

We are praying for you as we meet on Monday nights and look forward to hearing from you all. Thank you for being so very amazing this weekend and we look forward to seeing you at our fall day conference.

There's no place like home!

I don't know anyone who's mind does not immediately go to the Wizard of Oz when you say Kansas. I have been called Dorothy more times than I can remember. While I do not collect Wizard of Oz trinkets I do have a few treasures that remind me of where I came from. I have a pair of ruby red slippers on my fridge. It reminds me that there is no place like home.

Several years ago I went with Kimberley McGibbon to see Martina McBride, a female country artist and fellow Kansan. She is a little bitty thing with a huge voice. She is my favorite singer. At this particular concert she did "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" accapella. The hair on my head was almost standing up on end. It was by far the best thing that I have ever heard. Wow! I still get goose bumps when I think of it.

There no place like home! I love Kansas. But I love my real home even more. I haven't yet experienced it but it will be spectacular. Sometimes when life gets hard I wish it was as easy as clicking your heels together. Peace settles over me as I ponder the fact that somewhere over the rainbow---the promise of God---is my forever home. This is just a vapor, a blip in eternity. I can't wait for my heavenly home. We must look at this life through the glasses of eternity. Yes, sometimes there are wicked witches and flying monkeys and irritating munchkins but there is also an emerald city with a mighty wizard. An all knowing, all powerful, ever present God who is preparing a place for us. If He went to prepare a place for us then He will come for us. Oh, there is no place like home and I am homesick.


....................He has also set eternity in our heart, ..........Ecc. 3:11

Sunflower Girl

I grew up in Kansas. I am a mid west farmer's daughter. Except my dad was not a farmer. He sold bolts and nuts to farmers for their grain silos. That's as close as I get to being a farm girl. I grew up in the suburbs of Kansas City. I know very little about rural life although I am fascinated by it. I remember when we use to drive to Colorado for vacation and we would drive through western Kansas where you could see for miles and miles. It was flat as a board.You knew it was bad when the occasional herd of cattle was cause for excitement. One of the things that I remember is the endless fields of sunflowers. It was stunningly beautiful. The Sunflower is the state flower of Kansas so this particular flower has a special place in my heart.

The neat thing about sunflowers is that they lift their heads to greet the sun. My prayer is that I will lift my head to greet the Son each morning and that feeling the rays of His love of grace will be enough for me.

I am a sunflower girl..........a Kansas chick!!!!!

Who's in charge here?

If your old sinful nature controls your mind, there is death. But if the Holy Spirit controls your mind, there is life and peace.
Romans 8:6

When I picture this verse I see an outline of a head of cauliflower representing my mind and I see the contrast of old Anita (this is not referring to my age) in the drivers seat with worry taking up the entire area and the look on my face is twisted with fear. Then I see the same cauliflower outline with the Holy Spirit in the driver's seat and me sitting beside Him in passengers seat, the look on my face is free and easy. Smilin' like a fool. Relaxed and confident in the driver's ability to get me where I need to be.

Oh Lord, help me to see when I have not yielded my mind to the Holy Spirit's control. When I have allowed worry to fill me with fear. I choose to trust You because You have been faithful to me in the past and I know that Your character will never change. I know that apart from the Holy Spirit's work in my mind there will be no peace. Renew my mind and transform my life. Help me to take all thoughts captive to the obedience of Jesus Christ. Help me dwell on whatever is true, honorable, right, pure, lovely, and of good repute. I will meditate on your Word Lord.

I have lived long enough to figure out that I do not want to drive this journey. I choose to ride in the passenger seat, along for the ride. I do not want a life where I am in control. I want to ride beside the Master and listen to His stories and look as He points out the points of interest. He knows where we are going and I want to arrive at just the right time...on His arm.

Oh God, You are in charge here!!!!!!

Only One Thing Going for Me!!!!

Yesterday was Easter.
Resurrection Sunday.
The day Jesus Christ the Son of God rose from the dead.
We serve a risen Savior.

I have been thinking today of the Resurrection power of Christ which He exerts over believers, the same power that raised Jesus from the dead and have remembered with thankfulness the times in my journey where I have experienced this power afresh. It started when I accepted Christ as my Savior and Lord and my life became new. And I have experienced it numerous times throughout my life in broken relationships that were made new and tragic circumstance that seemed impossible. He is the acclaimed fixer of all things broken, the healer, the lover of our souls. It is amazing to me that He chose process over an instant becoming like Him. He wants to be in relationship with me. He wants me to be dependant on Him. He wants to hear from me and for me to listen as I walk. To experience Him in the good times and to have my faith stretched to the max in the times of trial. He is using all things, good and bad to change me and to make me more like Him. He is an amazing God and an unfailing friend. He loves me and wants the best for me. He understands my heart and my motives when others have questioned them. He has planted things in my heart, things that are pleasing to Him and are part of his overall purpose in this world. There is no one like Him. He's True!!!!!! He has shown me His true colours again and again. His character is matchless and firm. He is totally reliable.

Thank you Jesus for the sacrifice you made on our behalf which allows us to be in right relationship with God the Father, and for the joyous privilege of serving you. You are my best friend and I am thrilled that I get to spend all eternity in your presence.

After this Easter I have the come to the understanding that really I have one thing going for me.
The priceless blood of Christ that covers me and because I am covered with His blood God sees His Son when he sees me. That's it. That's all........That's enough. I am loved. I am accepted. It is to much for my mind to comprehend. Thankfully I have all eternity to contemplate it and the cool thing is that in heaven I will be able to contemplate it with Him sitting across from me hopefully over a ice cold diet coke. Oh ya forget the diet part.