Tune In

We have a million voices that swirl around us every day. We are bombarded with the temptation to believe the “NO’s” that the world pushes in our face.


No, to you becoming all that God has purposed in His heart for you. No, to you living a life of victory. No, to you living in God’s peace.

Or enticed to stand in agreement with the lie that God is not for us that He has forsaken us, and has stopped speaking promises over us.

There are too many voices. Turn down the volume on the noise.

Now, press in to what might seem like a small whisper at first…..but once you’re in heart shot to receive the ONE voice that’s worth anything it will echo as thunderous praise over you and anoint your head with fresh oil……..HIS voice will pour over you with a fresh covering…..HIS voice will run over your heart as a fresh word of HOPE…..

Let’s lean in close……..I’m starting to hear what HE says…..

“For I KNOW the plans that I have for you, DECLARES THE LORD, plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope.” Jeremiah 29:11 NAS

“The Lord your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; he will rejoice over you with gladness; he will quiet you by his love; he will exult over you with loud singing.” Zephaniah 3:17 ESV

“For Zion’s sake I will not keep silent, and for Jerusalem’s sake I will not be quiet, until her righteousness goes forth as brightness, and her salvation as a burning torch. The nations shall see your righteousness, and all the kings your glory, and you shall be called by a new name that THE MOUTH OF THE LORD will give. You shall be a crown of beauty in the hand of the Lord, and a royal diadem in the hand of your God. You shall no longer be termed Forsaken, and your land shall no more be termed Desolate, but you shall be called My Delight Is In Her, and your land Married, for the Lord delights in you, and your land shall be married. For as a young man marries a young woman, so shall your sons marry you, and as the bride groom rejoices over the bride, so shall your God rejoice over you.” Isaiah 62:1-5 ESV

“God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth should change, and though the mountains slip into the heart of the sea; though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains quake at its swelling pride. There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy dwelling places of the Most High. God is in the midst of her, she will not be moved; God will help her when morning dawns. The nations make an uproar, the kingdoms tottered; HE RAISED HIS VOICE, the earth melted. The Lord of hosts is with us; The God of Jacob is our stronghold.” Psalm 46:1-7 NAS

Are you starting to hear the ONE VOICE we should be tuning in to?? I’m becoming convinced that the God of Psalm 103 is who is speaking over me…..are you?

“Bless the Lord, O my soul; and all that is within me, bless His holy name. Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget none of His benefits; who pardons all your iniquities; who heals all your diseases; who redeems your life from the pit; who crowns you with lovingkindness and compassion; who satisfies your years with good things, so that your youth is renewed like the eagle.” Psalm 103:1-5

If you still need convincing cling to the words penned in Romans 8….

“If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare His own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? Who shall bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died – more than that, who was raised – who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is INTERCEEDING FOR US!” Romans 8:31-34

“For I AM CONVINCED that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 8:38-39

Tune in to HIS VOICE and turn down the volume on the noise of the world…..let HIM speak a fresh word, a fresh covering and a fresh anointing over your life.

“I have been anointed with fresh oil.” Psalm 92:10

Megaphone Voice

“The voice of the Lord is over the waters;

The God of glory thunders,

The Lord, over many waters.

The voice of the Lord is powerful;

The voice of the Lord is full of majesty.

The voice of the Lord breaks the cedars;

The Lord breaks the cedars of Lebanon.

He makes Lebanon to skip like a calf,

And Sirion like a young wild ox.

The voice of the Lord flashes forth flames of fire.

The voice of the Lord shakes the wilderness;

The Lord shakes the wilderness of Kadesh.

The voice of the Lord makes the deer give birth

And strips the forests bare

And in His temple cry ‘Glory!’

The LORD sits enthroned over the flood; the Lord sits enthroned as king forever. May the Lord give strength to his people! May the Lord bless his people with peace!” Psalm 29

As I read that this morning I was so empowered. I was reminded that with all the “voices” that swirl around my reality in a day – my Father has a voice….and His voice is stronger and more powerful than any other voice. It seems like about this time of year lots of great things start moving…it’s holiday season, which is so fun..but that increases activities, money talk, travel, busy, busy, busy, and all in the middle of your already busy ‘normal’ lives…..voices. Don’t forget whose voice is louder….and don’t lose heart, be encouraged because I was reminded of what it says in Isaiah 62 this morning regarding God’s voice. He’s not afraid to keep using it….and He will not stop speaking power over His princess….

“For Zion’s (I want you to put your name where it says ‘Zion’ – because ultimately He’s talking about YOU) sake I will not keep silent, and for Jerusalem’s (put your name here too) sake I will not be quiet, until HER righteousness goes forth as brightness, and her salvation as a burning torch. The nations shall see your righteousness, and all the kings your glory, and you shall be called by a new name that THE MOUTH OF THE LORD WILL GIVE.” Isaiah 62:1-2

Tune in to the voice of the Father today. He’s speaking; we just need to listen - xoxo!

One....Two....Punch.

“And let US not grow weary of doing good, for in due season WE will reap, if WE do not give up.” Galatians 6:9


Hey sweet peeps. I don’t know about you, but I could use a good pep talk today, it’s Monday. Am I in good company? If I was face to face with ya I’d be looking for a good head nod, or maybe a decent sized AMEN! I’m not down in the dumps, or discouraged….just need a good ‘ol pep talk. Ya know what I’m talking about…just a good one two punch. Here’s what I got for ya today…..

Punch One – Galatians 6:9. Whoot! Whoot on not growing weary and that in due season we will reap. Sweet!

Punch Two – which in my opinion is greater than the first punch – WE. WE will reap.

I read that in that way for the first time yesterday. It says WE. That fills my heart with abundant power because some days ya just need to know you’re not alone in the fight. WE. I absolutely love that today. WE sounds a ton better than the simplicity of me. It keeps you reminded that this “life thing” we’re doing is bigger than just a whole bunch of separate “me’s”. It’s a WE.

“Therefore, since we are surrounded by SO GREAT A CLOUD OF WITNESSES, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.” Hebrews 12:1-2

And if you read the chapter before this one (Hebrews 11) it talks for 40 verses of men and women of great faith. And the most awesome word in Hebrews 12 is THEREFORE. It implies we’re about to get a one two punch. So yada, yada, yada (you fill in the blanks of your own life yada yada)…THEREFORE….you’re not alone…..so pursue Jesus and just go for it!

That’s what I needed today. Whew. I love it when I am reminded that I’m ridiculously caught up in something that is so much bigger than the “me”. Yikes stripes when I’m tempted to get so bogged down by the “me” of my world that my view gets obstructed so much so that I can’t see or draw strength from the thought of “Therefore……surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses……let us run……do not grow weary…..WE WILL REAP!” Sister, praise the merciful love of a Great Father that PROMISES VICTORY!!!!!!!!

Today, don’t look down. Don’t even look across. Look up. When you start to look at Jesus, I promise you He’ll start to show you the great surrounding in your world of WE. It might come through a card in the mail, or a Spirit filled spoken word of Truth into your life, it might be through the powerful prayer of an amazing prayer warrior, it might be from a smile, a memory, a scripture, coffee with a friend or even in a still moment. There is a great surrounding of God’s PEOPLE that are filling the earth with praise. Today, I’m thankful for the one two punch of WE!

“But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light. Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s PEOPLE, once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.” 1Peter 9-10

Mind the Gap

When I was a junior in college I had the rich, and honestly unexpected, opportunity of traveling to Europe to visit two of my best friends that had decided to study abroad for a semester. It was one of those spring break trips that I still pinch myself when I think about taking. For several reasons it still seems like a dream…for starters it was the second flight I had ever taken – the first being a 45 minute one way flight from OKC to Dallas which I don’t know if you could really count as a flight….it’s basically an up down. Anyway, the second reason being that my parents let me go with just a group of my girlfriends…..and stay in random hostiles and not be able to call but like a handful of times. Major trust on my mom’s part because now that I’m a mom I would have totally freaked out!! The third reason was that my friend called one day and had found these crazy priced tickets online for college students and if you bought in 48 hours…the price tag was only $900 round trip!!! Can I get a witness?!! Amen! How it all worked out is still beyond me, but it was the trip of a lifetime and still almost 9 ½ years later connects my heart to those precious girlfriends that I was able to take that trip with.

So many amazing memories flood my mind when I get reminiscent about that trip. The overwhelming emotions we all had as we stepped out of the London Gatwick Airport into the streets of London. The powerful presence of those buildings etched with history. The great energy of Victoria Station, ambiance of romance in the museums, the cobbled streets, the clothes, the food, the richness of a culture that has stood for thousands of years that you are only just now seeing. It was awesome.

I remember funny moments too. Traveling to Scotland on a bus for 6 hours and based on my overwhelming good luck I got sick the ENTIRE time. Memorable to say the least. Getting to Scotland, finally feeling better but freezing our booties off and having to wear literally every piece of clothing from our suitcases to stay warm in our hostile that night. Great pics! The pink curtains and Scottish plaid decorations of that hostile were classic too, seriously considering doing our new baby room with that look in mind :). Lights out London is no joke. The refreshingly beautiful ride we took on the top of a double decker bus one evening through Piccadilly Circus. And then how could any of us forget the bus ride from the bus station to the airport in the middle of the night in the white wall rain with the bus driving literally going 100 mph and sitting next to a very hairy toed shoeless man eating curry food the entire ride. Memorable. Truly it’s a miracle we made it…never been more glad to get somewhere stationary in my life.

There are a million and one moments that aren’t included in that description because if I wrote everything it would look more like a chapter in a book than a blog post. It was the trip of a lifetime, and one of those trips that reminds your spirit and soul that you are alive and the world is really a beautiful place. But one of the happenings that stuck with me the most was a simple moment in our everyday during that trip as we took the rail, the sub system. As you waited the rail would come racing through the tunnel and make an abrupt stop, the doors would open and then all at once before you could take a step through the doors a man’s voice with a deeply British accent would come over the loud speaker a say, “Mind The Gap”. Without fail I would die laughing. Why you might ask? Because the “gap” he was talking about between the deck we were standing on and the rail doors was either totally massive or so slight the warning seemed ridiculous. It was so very obvious that you had to “mind the gap” and step across onto the rail. Obviously that was not the case and somewhere down the line someone forgot to mind and must have tumbled right into the gap. But it was, and still is as I catch myself chuckling, hilarious to me. We probably found a million reasons on that trip to reuse that phrase. I still do, and of course I always say it in my own version of a high pitched squeaky British accent voice seeing as “deep” really isn’t a part of my voice range. :)

Today I’d like to suggest that there are just as many gaps in our lives that if we aren’t careful to “mind the gaps” we could fall right in between the platform we’re standing on and the rail that has the capability to take us to our next “God sized promise”. Ladies, it’s no joke out there. Life is stinkin’ hard and if it isn’t, quite honestly you’re probably not breathing. I don’t mean everyone’s life has to be labor intensive…but what about emotionally, spiritually and mentally just tough.

I have a precious life with all sorts of beloved blessings….but if you think for a minute my life is worry or problem free you’re bubble is about to bust. It’s not. For starters my husband is a coach and our life in a literal sense is dictated by winning and losing, which has the potential to make us all sorts of emotionally high and low. In the last several years we’ve committed to becoming debt free….so of course there have been a number of things come up that have threatened that vision. At this point we’re taking risks that are challenging every part of our lives and God is asking us to step where there is little to no light to illuminate the path. We have times when we feel uninspired to start the day or share a thought. There have been several health issues we have had to overcome in the last year. We have relationship struggles that tear at our heart strings, we have worries, we have major doubts at times of God’s will and God’s purposes and if we don’t mind the gap we can throw off all sorts of Jesus and just fall right into the gap of despair…we can lose our vision. The temptation to recklessly throw off a life of faith and loose heart is all too present.

I’m reminded of the scripture in 2 Corinthians 10:5. I know I use it often when writing to you, but it really is so very crucial to living a gloriously full life as a daughter of the King. “We are DESTORYING speculations and EVERY lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and we are taking EVERY THOUGHT captive to the obedience to Christ.” That’s not going to come easy and if you read it close it is full of action verbs…that means it doesn’t conclude it is an on-going action. Even if you think, like I did about the gap between the platform and the rail, that there is no way we could miss seeing Jesus in every situation in our lives I think we make a huge mistake. I think if we live laughing at the warning of 2 Corinthians 10:5 we give way and opportunity to the enemy to blind us and shift our focus just enough to where all at once one day what was a small gap becomes a massive chasm between us and God and we fall right in. We still need to be reminded no matter how deep you get into your faith journey. No matter how spiritual you might have become – you have to have a warning. There is no arrival this side of Heaven. Someone, something, some circumstance, some perceived failure, some struggle, some message, some email, some unclear communication will try to create a gap between you and the Love of your Father if you leave it unsubmitted and uncaptivated. I’m not trying to create despair in your heart…..I’m trying to tell you the importance of 2 Corinthians is a for real thing. Taking someone or something captive takes strength you have to have a strategy to overcome the enemy. Keeping our focus intently on Jesus is our strategy to minding the gap.

Think of it like this…a deep loving Jesus voice coming over the intercom of your life every day and reminding you “Mind the gap, Cari”. Be looking for Jesus and take EVERY thought, project, situation, dream, job, relationship, emotion and role and make your heart obey His will. Mind the gap by pushing God’s love to come to the front of your marriage, of your job security, and of your financial mistakes. Mind the gap by pushing God’s love to come to the front of your uncertain future, of your health crisis, of your hopes and dreams. Mind the gap by pushing God’s love to the front of the lost affection you desire, your addictions, your hardened heart of sin, your fear, your worry, your regrets, your doubt, your church, your worship, your friends, your kids, your insecurity…..EVERYTHING.

Sweet sister it will take a determined faith to push God’s love to fill the gaps, but the overwhelming promise is that He died to take our place. He doesn’t care if your gap looks like a sliver or you’re staring down the Grand Canyon. Please don’t laugh at the warning signs…listen in, submit and receive what God is trying to tell you in Love. He is zealously anxious to mind the gaps of our lives, but it’s up to us to submit to His Love. I wish I could say that I was speaking this word from a mountain top of strength, and at times by God’s grace I have spoken to you out of Divine Strength, but if this is “real sister talk” today I’m just leaning in on God’s promise to fill in the gaps right alongside you. Today my prayers over you are from Psalm 28:7-9…

“The Lord is my strength and my shield; My heart trusts in Him and I am helped; Therefore my heart exults, and with my song I shall thank Him. The Lord is their strength, and He is a saving defense to His anointed. Save Thy people, and bless Thine inheritance; Be their shepherd also and carry them forever.” Psalm 28:7-9

And remember….Jesus is minding the gap (just imagine me saying it with a thick British accent :))

I love the next generation

Okay...so here's the deal....a most special heart friend encouraged me to listen to this message and I'm telling ya right now click on the phrase "I love the next generation" and open your ears and your heart to get a ridiculously amazing message in to your life.  I heard a phrase yesterday that is my new favorite phrase and it fits this message perfect...."it will be like a punch and a hug".  I know that's exactly what it was for me.  This message is seriously MY DEEPEST HEART PASSION!!!!!!!!  I am calling all Glorious Daughters to take this message in and make a decision to cross the line and pour into the next generation....please, please take it as a challenge.  With God all things are possible....let's roll up our sleeves and let Him do the work....but please don't let someone slip through the cracks because we didn't fully submit and allow God the opportunity to work through us as a Paul and be loved on as a Timothy!  I love you all dearly....like seriously....I'm so proud of you and I could not imagine my life without your faces and hearts in it.  You are my joy and I am honored to be taking this journey with you. 

xoxo!

Marginalized.....

Marginalized Women.  Just that phrase alone with no other words behind or before it breaks my heart.  Close your eyes for just a second and think of all the ways you don't fall in that category.  Think about the blessings of your family, friends, church, future, your passionate relationship with a loving God, your home, your protection, your provisions, your resources, your health, your abilities..........oh ladies will you please just entertain an overwhelming moment with me this morning.  Will you please not read this post looking for elegant words or passionate verbiage.....honestly I don't have it this morning.  All I have is this overwhelming burden in my heart for the phrase "marginalized women".......oh that the Lord would rip out all the selfishness that has resided in my heart and press each and every one of us to do more than just read those words, feel burden and then go on with life.  I have linked up the blog post from The Tapestry Project about the beloved women they serve.  Please take a second and read it, it's short......and when you do read it and imagine a face, a mom, a sister, a best friend - put someone dear that you love with your whole heart and imagine the label "marginalized" over her life.  Immediately I would be moved to action.  Let's do the exact same thing with those we don't know yet.

Glorious Daughters is not a church, we are not a service organization, we are not a charitable "box check".....we are an equipping ministry.  So with that being said, let's start equipping.  When I bring new projects God is in the midst of doing to your attention my intention is to give you an opportunity as a daughter of the King to USE your position, feel equipped to love and then be inspired to DO IT.  With The Tapestry Project your first opportunity will be Tuesday night at Glorious Daughters.  Please go through your closets and find gently used winter coats that you would be willing to donate and BRING THEM TO GOD SIBS THIS TUESDAY NIGHT!!!  We will have a team from Edmond that will be taking them back and dropping them off at Tapestry.  I will also be announcing other ways that we can be involved with this incredible ministry.  This is what becoming all glorious within is all about girls.  Yes, it's about study and growing closer in our knowledge of our Father...but it won't amount to a hill of beans if all we do is keep it to ourselves.  We, a generation of daughters are called to seek out the lost.......they are LOST which indicates we have to GO and FIND them.....then God has made it the easiest thing in the world because He does the healing.  Just giving someone a hug you mean has more healing power than "knowing" all the right stuff.

So pass on the info that this coming TUESDAY night go through your closets and bring a winter coat (any age) to donate!!!!!!  And remember to really READ the phrase "marginalized women" and let the Holy Spirit mess you up from the inside out so much so that you can't wait to GO, FIND and Lavishly Love with the Love of Jesus!

I love you and can't wait to see you Tuesday night at God Sibs,
Cari

What in the world is God Sibs you might be asking yourself?

For the last several months what is now known as God Sibs was known as Chick Chat. (With those familiar we are now the artist formally known as Chick Chats :)) But somewhere along the way the Holy Spirit started bugging my heart. He’s been known to do that in my life. As the Lord pressed my heart about what He wanted from this ministry I came across the definition of gossip. And even more important than the definition was the origin of the word gossip. The word as a noun came from Old English as something like godsib. In a literal sense godsib meant just that God-sibling. It was a relative in God, a friend, an encourager, a mentor and a spiritual supporter. Unfortunately as the years progressed the definition changed and a godsib transitioned into a gossip. The word godsib had begun a transformation from merely supporting spiritual growth to an individual that was usually sharing information that was none of their business and had become largely associated with women. That is no good ladies!! God wants to take that word back for His glory!


As the Holy Spirit revealed His heart for this ministry and the passion behind Glorious Daughters I think nothing suites us better than God Sibs. Just as Barnabas put his name and approval on the life of Paul as he began his ministry (Acts 9:26-28) we want to stand beside others that are pursuing the King. God Sibs is a time when we can come up alongside other sisters as multiple generations and allow the Lord to encourage and inspire us to be strong, brave, bold and beautiful daughters of God. (And yes I ended it just like the soap opera on purpose hoping you won’t forget the slogan! :)) In essence we are deciding to put our names on others lives in front of our peers no matter what their background or present story might be and saying “She’s with me!” It models what Christ did for us. HE put His Name on our lives in front of the world and says, “She’s with me, she is my daughter and a rightful heir to My Throne.” That we are growing not as gossips, but as God Sibs!!!

Come and join us on the first Tuesday of every month in Weatherford, OK at the Fairfield Inn at 7pm and find out all about God Sibs! We spend time with sweet friends chatting about life, laughing, singing, playing ridiculously fun games, eating something with chocolate in it, of course coffee and receiving fun gifts as well as gaining strength and encouragement from an in depth study of God’s Word. Mostly we celebrate being a daughter of the Most High King!

Projects that need to be in your life!

Well, the last several posts have been all about announcements….but there are a lot of really sweet projects God is putting in front of me that are just too precious and making a powerful impact on my heart. Can’t help but share them with you!

1. I had the privilege of attending First Baptist Church El Reno’s Spin Cycle Fall Ladies Conference this past weekend! It was so refreshing and everyone had an amazing time. The speaker for the event was Jen Hatmaker, and I’m gonna tell you right now if she is not a part of your life……what are you waiting for!!! I was laughing so hard I was snorting (probably scaring all the precious ladies I was sitting with :)) at all her relatable stories about life. Then I was sharpened in my spiritual life as she proclaimed some powerful Truth about the state of the church right now in America. There is incredible favor over her message and you are guaranteed to be blessed, strengthened and pushed as you listen to God’s heart through her. She also has several books that I totally suggest you getting your hands on asap!! Right now I am reading Make Over, Revitalizing the Many Roles You Fill. Yeah, you know you need it! :) She is relevant and in the trenches with you. She isn’t trying to be some sort of superhero, she’s just submitted to the Lord. She lives a real life and in the midst of that she is willing to share her journey. I gained a ton of inspiration just from the introduction to the book!

“I’m a pastor’s wife, a mom of three (ages eight and under), a friend, a daughter, a sister, a writer, a teacher, a neighbor. I have no nanny, no housekeeper, no parents in town, no assistant, no free babysitters, no free ride, no time, and often no clue. So I won’t be writing while the nanny takes care of my kids and the maid cleans my house. I’ll be typing with a three-year-old lying in my lap putting tape on my face.”

Can I get a witness?!!! Seriously, she has some incredible truth to share and if you are anything like me your life is moving at supersonic speed and knowing that someone is rising above to share the Truth of God’s Love in the MIDST of it all inspires me! So leave this blog and check out http://www.jenhatmaker.com/ as soon as you can!

2. On Friday night my family had the BEST evening with an absolutely incredible woman of God. Her name is Charity Teal and she took the most precious pictures of my family. As a family we had never had professional pictures taken and so with this being our first experience we didn’t know what to expect. I am here to tell you that at the end of the evening I could have cared less how the pictures turned out. As a family we had just had the most rewarding time laughing and enjoying each other. A huge part of that was based on Charity’s professional, organized and peaceful spirit. She is someone that I have known since college and when I found out about the story behind her photography business I could not wait to support her and pass on her story to you! And now I am telling you and sharing a few pics to support her and encourage you to consider using CAT Photography.

All her proceeds go to raise money as her family seeks to adopt siblings from Uganda. Her and her husband, Roger, have a beautiful daughter Mary Katherine and are now seeking to share the incredible love they have with those that are in need. Please visit her website and blog to read more and please, please, please contact her today for information on booking her to record the special moments you want to capture! http://www.yourcatphotography.com/

3. Finally, I want to just fill you in on a project that is already touching so many families in the downtown OKC area. God has this amazing ability to reconnect and cross paths at the perfect moment in our lives. While I was attending the Spin Cycle Conference last weekend I had the privilege of running in to someone that I had not seen since college. We lived on the same dorm floor our freshman year…so as we reconnected and caught up on life I found out how absolutely incredible God’s grace and redemptive power really is! Amy Newberry is the Executive Director of The Tapestry Project in Oklahoma City and along with her husband they are telling their marvelously awesome story and helping make the community livable again. I HIGHLY suggest you checking out this website, supporting their cause, getting involved and become an active mentor in helping train and love those that are recovering from addictions, reclaiming a life from years of abuse, taking ownership of their first apartment, and discovering just how lavish the Love of Jesus really is. So again, please, please take the time to check out this website to learn more and find out ways you can get involved. http://www.thetapestryproject.org/ It just takes a few people committed to seeing a generation changed for Christ…….let’s be a part!

Oh and I’m so excited because our next God Sibs meeting is just ONE WEEK away!!!! Please make plans to attend as well as bringing someone with you! I promise this stuff is too good to keep to yourself! I have talked to the couple of incredible women that I will have sharing testimony of how the King is loving them as daughters and I promise you don’t want to miss hearing their hearts. More to follow, so stay connected and remember we are counting on you to spread the word and bring a friend. A road trip is much more fun with your best friends along for the ride….and if you don’t have a bestie to come with….come anyway, you just might be surprised who you meet!! As always I love you with all my heart and am honored to serve the Lord and to serve you through Glorious Daughters. You’re pretty stinkin’ awesome!!!!!!

xoxo

Announcements, Announcements, Announcements!!!

Hello Glorious Daughters!!!!  Oh me oh my it has been way too long!!  So much has been happening and I couldn't wait to hop online and finally update you about all that God is in the middle of doing with Glorious Daughters!  First, a huge thank you to all of you that prayed and helped while I was super sick.  Your encouragement meant more than you know.  It was so hard to be away from connecting with you all for so long, but rest was mandatory and I am much better for it!!  So hello to you beautiful! :)

Okay so announcements!! 

1. Pass It On event at First Baptist Church Weatherford went AMAZING!!!!!  The room was full of almost 300 women representing multiply generations all of which were BEAUTIFUL!  I was blown away by such an amazing heart-ready group of women and am still living on the overflow of that evening.  God did some amazing things in some very special hearts that night and reminded us how important it is to Put It Down, Put It On and Pass It On!  (if you want a little insight into the evening go back and read the Plastic McDonald's Crown blog post)  Thank you to all the Glorious Daughters at FBC Weatherford for providing an incredible evening of praise, fellowship, and amazing insight into the King's desire to see us rise up as a generation wholly yeilded to the King!  Amazing and I will never forget our special time together!  Love you all so very much!

2. I am so honored and excited to have been invited to join the Destiny In Bloom writing team!!  This is an incredible online magazine for women that promises to encourage your walk with God no matter where you're at!!  There are some brilliant writers that express new parts of God's unending character and love every week.  And TODAY my article is posted!!!  This is a very special peice to God's place in my life and how HE never fails to connect the dots in our lives.....there is purpose in EVERYTHING He does!  What a promise!  It will so bless my heart if you could take a second and go from this site to the Destiny In Bloom site and read my article as well as post a comment!  So go right now and check out http://www.destinyinbloom.com/ and please let me know your thoughts!

3. Another bit of exciting news is that an article I wrote will run in October's issue of Home Life Magazine!  Entitled Family Hugs it is yet another experience that is so very near and dear to my heart.  Home Life Magazine is a wonderful resource for families and it is an honor to have been included in the already amazing articles they run.  It has been such a rich encouragement for my family and I hope that our family's experiences will encourage others...again it's all about PASSING IT ON!!  So run by Lifeway or Mardels and pick up your copy of Home Life or check with your local church and see if they don't have a copy you can grab.  Can't wait to hear your thoughts on that too!

4. Chick Chats has officially changed to God Sibs!  What in the world is a God Sib you might be asking yourself??  Well, come and join us on the first Tuesday of every month at 7pm and find out!  Please make note that the scripture that Glorious Daughters is based on is Psalms 45:13 and that means YOU!  And continue to check back because website updates are COMING SOON!!

5. And the BEST news I have saved until last......drumroll.........we are PREGO!!!!!  I am so excited to announce that we will be having a precious little baby April 12th!  Cannot wait for a new baby cakes to join Team Trotter - as my mom and grandma said it's like the sweetest little Easter basket!  I couldn't agree more and it seems so fitting to celebrate new life as we celebrate our Life in Christ :)  Prayers would be awesome for a healthy pregnancy and no complications.  Again, you sweet prayer warriors are amazing!

And finally I just want you to know that I love you.  That the King of Kings loves you.  Don't listen to the voice of the Deciever...even for a second....flood your heart and mind with God's goodness and take every thought captive (2 Corin 10:5)....He has abudant Life to give you, don't let the enemy have a single inch (John 10:10).  The bugger can only take what you give him, so don't give him anything.  Ladies, I want you to know I'm speaking that word from the trenches right now....again, we're in this together.....it's worth the fight.  You are worth the fight.  Be Lavishly Loved and Extravagantly Filled by God's powerful presence today.  And it's been great to catch up.  Talk soon and love you richly!!!

xoxo

Prayer Pearls

Okay ladies it's Tuesday and that means it is a PRAYER PEARL DAY!!!!!!!  YAY!!! 

As the Holy Spirit leads please pray for the following:

That the King would express boldness, bravery, tender hearts, willing spirits, celebration, leadership, healing, hope, vision, and authentic beauty through the ministry of Glorious Daughters. 

Please pray that the Name of Jesus would be proclaimed and that generations of daughters would be blessed, strengthened and established for generations to come.

Here are a few of the scriptures being prayed by Glorious Daughters today.   

Jeremiah 17:7
Joshua 1:6-9
Psalm 25:4
Psalm 51:10-12
Proverbs 3:5-8
Psalms 145:4-7
Psalms 18:1-3
Psalms 31:3-5 and 7-8
Hebrews 11
Psalms 45:13-15 and 17
Psalms 136:1-9 and 23-26
Luke 1:46-50

Your prayers and passion for Jesus are pearls to my heart.  I love you dearly sweet sisters and will be praying for you all day.  Praise the King for His faithfulness and I'm looking forward to following Him in that faithfulness through prayer today!  Have a Beautiful day!

Princess Bracelets

I only have a chance to get a few quick thoughts down this morning, but I wanted to encourage you today!  I just got back from running several errands with the little people (who started my morning off VERY early and when we got to Walmart we were the ONLY ones in the building....it was early people!) As we finished up and were leaving I let the kids pick out a package of these little rubber bracelets that are all the rave right now.  There are like a 100 that come in a package and they come in all sorts of shapes.  Cade picked out some that looked like footballs, helmets and foam # 1 fingers.  Ainsley picked out the ones that were all pink of course and were in the shape of cheerleaders, mega phones and pom poms.  As soon as they started to put on the gazillion rubber bracelets ( to which Cade informed me that his were NOT bracelets but bands lol!) they started to transform.  Cade shouted from the backseat, "Mom, now I can play tough football" :) and Ainsley, "I'm pretty now momma!"........

"Be transformed by the renewing of your mind..."  Romans 12:2

"Create in me a clean heart and renew a steadfast spirit within me...restore to me the joy of salvation and sustain me with a willing spirit."  Psalm 51:10 and 12 (my paraphrase)

The thoughts are quick so I hope you are already ahead of me ladies........Allow Christ to transform and renew you just as quickly as those bracelets and bands :) transformed and renewed my kids.  Don't give way to the whisper of the enemy, strike him down quick and put on the full armor of Christ (Eph 6:13-18).  Don't mess around and meander in a pool of mediocrity today....let Christ transform your perspective and sustain you with a willing spirit.  Be strong, be brave and be beautiful today!

ps...I got some princess bracelets! :)

I can't get over it

“For when one says, ‘I follow Paul,’ and another, ‘I follow Apollos’ are you not being merely human? What then is Apollos? What is Paul? Servants through whom you believed, as the Lord assigned to each. I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth. So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth.” 1 Corinthians 3:3-7


Ladies, forgive me if I’ve said this before. I can’t seem to remember yesterday from today, so much is happening in Trotterville right now; however I don’t think there could ever be enough blog posts, sermons preached, books written and thoughts shared on our absolute soul poverty without the radical Love of Jesus. We are NOTHING compared to His limitless love. We are considered sluggards compared to His matchless energy and strength. His peace, mercy and compassion do not yield, slow down, let up or run out.

We are human. He is God. Period.

“God doesn’t need you and me to do his work. We are expedient messengers, ambassadors by his kindness, not by our cleverness. It’s not about us….And we entrusted with the gospel dare not seek applause but best deflect applause. For our message is about Someone else.” –Max Lucado, It’s Not About Me

I love what Paul says in 1 Corinthians when he is holding the church accountable as they seek to prioritize their “favorite church leader”. He basically says, “Who cares?! So I planted it and then my buddy here, Apollos watered it. It’s of no consequence because God is the ONLY one who has the power to make it grow.”

It’s so very liberating to know and understand that we are merely empty vessels that just have to submit and receive the complete awesomeness of Christ. He will fill us with all HE needs to do HIS work.

“Now the word of the Lord came to me, saying,

‘Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you; I appointed you a prophet to the nations.’ Then I said, ‘Ah, Lord God! Behold, I do not know how to speak, for I am only a youth.’ But the Lord said to me,

Do not say, I am only a youth; for all to whom I send you, you shall go, and whatever I command you, you shall speak. Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you to deliver you, declares the Lord.

Then the Lord put out his hand and touched my mouth. And the Lord said to me,

Behold, I have put my words in your mouth. See, I have set you this day over nations and over kingdoms, to pluck up and to break down, to destroy and to overthrow, to build and to plant…..I am watching over my word to perform it.” Jeremiah 1:4-10 and 12

It wasn’t about Jeremiah, it wasn’t about the work…..it’s about God. He is the only one capable of carrying out His plan and He is watching over it as it is performed. I love what John says in John 1:6-8 “There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. He came as a witness, to bear witness about the light, that all might believe through him. He was not the light, but came to bear witness about the light.”

You and I are NOT the light. We’re just here to bear witness about the Light.

Your intellect, your patience, your physical abilities, your schedule, your plan, your commitment level, your compassion, hope, faith, bank account, willingness, experiences, understanding, availability,……it will all run out. “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him and he will make straight your paths.” Proverbs 3:5-6 The King NEVER runs out of goodness and peace and reassurance and unfailing love and compassion.

The title of Isaiah 45 in my ESV Study Bible is perfect for what I’m talking about today – Cyrus, God’s Instrument.

“Thus says the Lord to his anointed, to Cyrus, whose right hand I have grasped, to subdue nations before him and to lose the belts of kings, to open doors before him that gates may not be closed; I will go before you and level the exalted places, I will break in pieces the doors of bronze and cut through the bars of iron, I will give you the treasures of darkness and the hoards in secret places, that you may know that it is I, the Lord, the God of Israel, who call you by your name.

For the sake of my servant Jacob, and Israel my chosen, I call you by your name; I name you, and through you do not know me. I am the Lord, and there is no other, besides me there is no God; I equip you, through you do not know me, that people may know, from the rising of the sun and from the west, that there is none besides me; I am the Lord, and there is no other. I form light and create darkness, I make well-being and create calamity, I am the Lord, who does all these things.

Shower, O heavens, from above, and let the clouds rain down righteousness; let the earth open, that salvation and righteousness may bear fruit; let the earth cause them both to sprout; I the Lord have created it.

Woe to him who strives with him who formed him, a pot among earthen pots! Does the clay say to him who forms it, ‘What are you making?’ or ‘Your work has no handles?’ Woe to him who says to a father, ‘What are you begetting?’ or to a woman, ‘With what are you in labor?’

Thus says the Lord, the Holy One of Israel, and the one who formed him; Ask me of things to come; will you command me concerning my children and the work of my hands?

I made the earth and created man on it; it was my hands that stretched out the heavens, and I commanded all their host. I have stirred him up in righteousness, and I will make all his ways level; he shall build my city and set my exiles free not for a price or reward,” says the Lord of hosts”

Absolutely astounding. He doesn’t have to use us, and yet He wants to. He calls us by name, shares His heart with us and offers us the opportunity, to not only take part in the offering, but be ambassadors in telling others about it. Better still all we have to do is be submitted and keep pointing back to Him. It’s like the best gig ever. We are the clay and He is the Potter. We are merely His instruments. I don’t know about you, but there could be no greater title in life for me than that. Cari, God’s Instrument. The Lord of hosts calls me by name and sends me out to be a carrier of the Light. Ladies, I am overwhelmed yet again by Christ’s unbelievable mercy in naming me His daughter and then letting me involved in the conversation (Isaiah 6:1-8).

I hope I never get over it.

Prayer Pearls

Okay....so gum gets old, yucky, stale and sticky.

While zipping around W’ford with my daughter and getting some much needed errands done this morning she found some pretty gross chewed up old school gum stuck to the side of her car seat. Granted our Suburban, affectionately known as the “Burb”, is not in tip top shape right now. It’s pretty dirty; however, nasty old gum is not on the regular Burb treasure list. Come on you fellow moms out there in the e-void – can I get a witness??! It doesn’t surprise me.

Ainsley has been on a “pink bubble dum” kick lately. I mean she can roll through a pack of Double Bubble in like 30 minutes. We have to cut her back. So as she looks up at me like that old, yucky, stale, sticky mess (that she put there mind you!) - That only just one day ago she was smacking away on – is now the most disgusting thing she has ever seen I’m surprised. She loved it yesterday, what changed.

It got stuck behind something else and changed into an old, yucky, stale and sticky piece of gum.

To keep a piece of gum going you have to keep chewing! I had a friend that used to sleep with gum in her mouth. (Totally not safe and definitely not suggested – however it drives home my point today :))

I don’t want Glorious Daughters to become like old, yucky, stale, sticky gum that gets found under an old dusty pile of emails someday. I want the Lord’s Spirit through it to keep going. I want it to keep its elasticity, flavor and color. I want it to continue to offer Life. The only way that’s going to happen is if we keep chewing it up, better said praying it up!!

Tuesday has officially become Prayer Pearl day! I will be reminding you each Tuesday of our prayer time. As the Spirit leads, Glorious Daughters would be so thankful to have your prayer support. There is power in prayer and unified purpose. God promises to be faithful.  Our job is just to follow Him in the triumph of that faithfulness, but in order to know where He is walking we have to seek Him in prayer.

Today, and every Tuesday from now on, I would love you to do just that. Pray. Allow the Spirit to lead your prayers for protection, provision and the purposes of this ministry…this expression of the King’s heart. I am so thankful for your prayers, support and constant encouragement. God is good and I am humbled to have your fellowship!!

Make it a great day and keep chewin’! LOL! I mean prayin’!

xoxo

Gold Hawaiian Princess Dress

“Fifty, nifty United States from thirteen original colonies….” Melodiously echoed through my 4th grade elementary school hallway one exceptional spring evening. The crowded hallways of my elementary school were lined with 4th graders dressed in various regional costumes like corn husks, pilgrim hats, mountain men, waving wheat and the Statue of Liberty all representing the Fifty Nifty United States. There had been so much eager anticipation for the evening and the musical that would conclude a most important elementary school year, the last year spent in the “younger” hallway. At the end of this year we would all be graduating to the much coveted 5th and 6th grade hallway. We had practiced, worked, crafted and looked forward for months to this night and our little 4th grade hearts were ready to go out there to our cafeteria stage and break a leg. As a class of 4th graders we had been divided up into states and were required to make a costume to represent that state. I was so excited when it had been announced that I would be one of the Hawaiian princesses, meaning I would represent one of the islands of Hawaii. Our teachers had randomly selected each student to represent a nifty part of our fifty states, and the group of girls that were selected as the Hawaiian princesses felt unique and very special. There is just something about the word “princess” that speaks straight to a little girl’s spirit. I can’t remember which island I represented, but I can remember the color I was assigned. Gold. Gold is a beautiful color, however in my diminutive 4th grade perspective gold was not the most beautiful color. Of course the most lovely and feminine color was pink. Pink was the most charming royal color to any little girl’s heart and at that deeply introspective point in my life that is exactly how I felt. That’s how we all felt. That color was assigned to my friend. It was definitely an honor to have been selected as one of only 8 total island princesses and we were all very happy, but there was something extra special for my friend that was the pink princess.


I can remember on the day of the show standing in the hallway while my mom snapped a picture of me in my gold princess dress and lei made of gold Christmas tinsel. I recall shopping with my grandmother to select the fabric for my dress and then going to her house and watching that loose fabric transform into the most radiant Hawaiian princess dress. I loved it so much I decided to go Trick or Treating in it the following year. I loved it.

Standing there in that hallway I was grinning from ear to ear and looked proud as punch to be representing my gold island. And yet without even realizing it I was making a vow in my heart that day. I can see myself smiling for the picture while out of the corner of my eye looking at my friend in her pink princess dress and thinking with a twinge of sorrow in my moldable heart, “Its okay I’m happy to be the gold princess. I can be okay that I wasn’t good enough to be the pink one. I really wanted to be the pink princess, and to me pink is the best most lovely color ever, but that wasn’t for me. I’m happy for my friend. It’s okay, I can accept that I’m just not worthy to be THAT princess.” I was standing there proud of my gold dress. I was not jealous of my friend at all. She was precious and I adored her, but in my own human nature I was making a personal vow and receiving a whisper from the enemy of my soul that I was not worthy. Mind you when selecting the colors, the girls, the islands etc the teachers had simply made random selections and in their minds no one color or island was better than the next. The thought that pink was superior came from within my own frame.

I wish I could say the inner vow I made that day started and stopped in the hallowed hallways of my elementary. Now, I went out and rocked the show being the best gold princess I could be that night. I laughed, sang, said my lines and played my part. No one, not even I really, recognized or knew the inner vow I made that day. It wasn’t until recently that the Holy Spirit even recalled that memory to my soul, let alone connecting the dots to feelings of unworthiness in my heart.

Now fast forwarding several years into my adulthood the Lord would reveal a scripture that has become the basis for the ministry at Glorious Daughters. As the Lord revealed His heart for me and the ministry through this scripture I have devoured its truth. I have studied it inside and out. I have read commentaries about it, read it in every translation, asked numerous women of all ages what their feelings are about this certain scripture and had so many intimate moments with the Father over this specific text. This part of scripture is personal to me. I say all that to represent the amount of time I have dwelt on this scripture. It has become a part of my very being, and yet there was an intentional piece, a specific word, that I have missed that only the tender love of the Holy Spirit could have cultivated.

I was talking with my husband recently after a worship service and relaying the story of the gold dress to him. I was in the middle of telling him that the Lord had cultivated the vision of me standing in the hallway and making the inner vow of unworthiness and how parts of my life had been lived based on that vow. I had played the part, bowed and accepted applause in my life but never viewed myself as worthy to be a daughter of the King. I had lived boldly as a servant in His House, but never as an heir to His Throne. I had never received the position to live like a daughter of the Most High King.

In the middle of our conversation I gasped dramatically! I cupped my hand over my mouth and whispered, “I’ve been missing it!” To which my husband, bless his heart - not being in my brain and although wanting to cannot read my thoughts, was like “What?! What is it Cari!?” I scrambled underneath my chair to get my Bible as quickly as I could. I was trembling as my fingers flipped madly through the Word trying to get to the scripture I had been led to start a ministry with. It was a scripture I had read a thousand times and could it be that I had missed the most important part that The King wanted to speak to my personal heart? Had I been missing it all along?!

“All glorious is the princess in her chamber, with robes interwoven with………….. gold.” Psalms 45:13

Gold. It was gold all along. As a princess of the King I have been adorned with……..gold.

To say I started weeping would be an understatement. Probably scared my husband a little bit, but those passionate stinging tears of healing could not be helped. I was worthy. In that moment of revelation it didn’t mean that pink wasn’t a royal color, it meant that the King had chose gold for THIS princess. It’s not about pink, purple, blue, magenta or silver. It’s personal. The King is personal to His daughters and He knew that only He would know that memory in my heart and that only that moment would connect the dots of worthiness in my life as His daughter. He had chosen to adorn me with gold because I was HIS princess. That’s far better than any pink Hawaiian princess.

Don’t miss that the King has selected you to live as HIS princess. He has chosen to adorn you with gold. Please don’t accept that you are unworthy, it couldn’t be further from the truth. What the King sees is a beauty worth lavishing with the life of His Son. He sees a creative genius just waiting to be expressed. He sees beautifully worn out hands and feet that are anxiously awaiting an opportunity to carry a cup of Life offering Refreshment to the broken hearted. He sees tenderness for people placed in a heart that at its weakest, most submissive, most vulnerable place is actually quiet radiant. He sees His daughter becoming all glorious within. And He is just waiting to adorn you with the royalty and grandeur of the color gold.

p..s..I do have a so awesome picture of this most crucial night in my elementary school life to post as soon as I can figure out how to scan it in here and get it uploaded.....check back in the days to come for the gold Hawaiian dress picture! :) Or take a peek at our Facebook page - love!

Praying for you sweet sisters

Precious Lord,

Today I woke up and don't really know what direction you would like us to go in my sweet Jesus....so I'm going to pray and spend some time chattin' with you and anticipating that you will position my heart to hear you word.

Father please equip your daughters in the midst of our days.  Surprise us.  Train our hands for battle (Psalm 144:1).  I ask that you would speak to feelings of inadequacy this morning.  Inspire us to lean on you and your understanding.  Lord, I feel led to pray today that you would make the ministry of Glorious Daughters like Gideon's army (Judges 7:2).  Cut us down and trim away all the fluff and stuff that we could so easily boast in our own power.  Make us lean warrior chicks that are alert and awake to your instruction and directions.

Equip us with a word to encourage those that need to be rescued with a simple word of hope today.  Give us eyes to see what you see and a heart that's unafraid to feel like you feel.  Prepare hearts to receive a word today, prepare the fields of hearts and minds for Jesus' rain.

Align us with your will.  Open our eyes to see where you want us today.  Lord give us the confidence, hold us in perfect peace (Isaiah 26:3), patience and grace to give to to others.  Give us wisdom and understanding.  Articulate your heart to us today.  Separate what seems like just dry journal entries of thoughts strung together into sentences and paragraphs that inspire change from the inside out.  In your mercy offer us an interpretation of your Word today that might pull together all those loose thoughts into muscle and bones and then breath and finally motion and energy to Live for Christ as an awesome army (Ezekiel 37:1-10).  Pushed by the promise of abundant Life. 

Show us your heart, your ways and your glory today Mighty King.  You are beautiful and lovely and full of every good and perfect gift.  May you be praised and adored today by your daughters.  Appropriate your Blood over the weak areas of our lives as we lay our burdens at your feet where your love covers all that we've done.  Give us power to live strong in this day.  In Jesus Name, Amen.

Mary's Praise

"My soul maginifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has looked on the humble estate of his servant.  For behold, from now on all generations will call me blessed; for he who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is his name.  And his mercy is for those who fear him from generation to generation." Luke 1:47-50

I love this girls, sweet Mary is overcome with worship and adoration. She has been met with a God sized challenge and overcoming odds...and her response?  Praise.  She actually was met in the middle of her everyday life by an angel of God and told that she was to be the mother of Jesus.  Pretty intense to say the least...and pretty sure at this point the cards would have not stacked in her favor with winning the approval ratings of too many friends in town.  To put it in modern day terms she would have probably been de-friended on Facebook because of her "situation" and how being associated with that kind of woman that was prego before vows were exchanged would make anyone look bad. 

And yet....in the immediate midst of her situation she brought praise to the Father.  She didn't magnify her worry, fear, sorrow, death of the perception of her purity or the sorrow over what could have the potential to alienate her from every relationship she had ever known.  As a woman, and a teenager at that, I'm positive she had a few thoughts, suggestions and a few thousand questions...but what was in the deep deep soul part of Mary is what rises to the top at this life changing moment.  She brought praise.  In pure adoration and surrender she raised the praise of her soul and she adored the King.  She brought praise.  Her response was praise.  And then not only that, she trusted in the Lord's faithfulness by declaring with great confidence that generations after her would call her blessed.  Whoa, to have that kind of trust, confidence, release and immediate obedience to offer, to act, to humble herself and willingly bring praise...that is awesome, that is worship. 

It says in my study text of my ESV study Bible that Mary's entire being is caught up in praise to God.  The only thing I get caught up with most days is my worries, anxieties, fears, to-dos, deadlines, parenting, phone calls, emails...etc...etc...etc...you know the drill.  Fill in the blank with your own.  We all get caught up in a day.  It can even be with good things.  I can get caught up with love and adoration for my cutie hubs.  I can get caught up with serving my kiddos every need.  I can get caught up with pleasing all the precious peeps in my life that I absolutely love with all my heart.  I can get caught up Facebooking until I have reconnected with every human known to man, or texting so much that I never ever have to actually make a face to face connection again.  Are you caught up?  What are you caught up in?

Mary was found in the middle of her everyday moment.  What moment would Jesus find you in and how would you respond to His calling?  I don't mean how would you feel, I mean how would you respond?  Mary didn't respond based on how she felt, she responded based on who she knew.  She recognized her humble state, that she was the least of God's servants, the weakest daughter and yet she didn't get caught up in all of that.....she got caught up in the ONE that was calling her, not who He was calling. 

Sisters, stop getting caught up in the one Jesus is calling.  Stop responding to God's call based on who you are and start praising the Mighty One that has done great things for you.  That's all He's after, He just wants your lovin'....He'll take care of the details of your life.  Mary knew that and I love that.  As a "generation after her" I am blessed today by Mary's obedience to not just surrender, but to bring praise in the midst of her calling.  I want to bring praise in the midst of the enormous calling over my life, but I want companions with me.  Get caught up in praising the mighty things God has done for you and let's worship the King together.

Joy-Full

God will make a way where there seems to be no way

He works in ways we cannot see, He will make a way for me

He will be my guide, hold me closely to His side

With love and strength for each new day

He will make a way, God will make a way

Love that old school praise and worship song. I woke up with it on my heart and I couldn’t resist sharing it with you girls this morning. The encouragement is quick because the song says it all. God will make a way. No matter what’s on your plate today, God promises to make a way. Not only does He desire to reveal Himself and make a way to your heart and through your day, but He wants to fulfill your day and your life with deep and abiding Joy. Over and over and over again in 3 chapters of the book of John Jesus pleads that we abide in Him so that our Joy may be made full. How precious to serve a God that wants us full to the brim of Joy all the time!! I was reading some of my fav scripture this morning out of John 14-16 and I want to leave you with my own compilation of what it says. I encourage you to go grab your Bible, a cup of coffee or tea and cozy up with this Word of comfort from sweet Jesus….like I said, this is my own quick sum up of 3 chapters of scripture so you’re going to have to go read it for yourself to get all the goods that it has to offer! Don’t deny yourself the opportunity to get full to the brim with Jesus Joy when it’s right there for the taking. Snag the Word and fill your soul tank before you hit the ground runnin’! :)

“Don't let your hearts be troubled. Believe in God. Peace I leave with you, my peace I give to you. Abide in Me so that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be made full. The Spirit will come and guide you into Truth.  I will reveal myself to you again and your hearts will rejoice and no one will take your joy from you. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be made full. In this world you will have tribulation, but take heart for I have overcome the world.”

–my personal heart collection of John 14, 15 and 16

May you abide, dwell and keep your minds stayed on Christ (Isaiah 26:2-4) today and find yourself FULL to the brim of Jesus Joy that no circumstance or person can take away from you. 

Have a beautiful day!!!

Your true identity

Okay ladies...today I need you to put on your imaginations. More than likely you will not find yourself on this Thursday searching for blood diamonds, or living in the African bush or signing on to serve in the R.U.F. However you will find yourself sifting through any number of issues in your everyday life looking for a single diamond that will make your day worthwhile. If you are engaged in life at any level you have to battle feelings of abandonment, rejection, or being left to fight alone. And you for certain have to make a conscious decision not to join up with the lies of the enemy that I know swirl around your pretty little brain all day long. So, with all that being said put on your imaginations and walk with me here.....

If you've already watched the clip I've posted that's fine, but I want you to watch it again after you've read my heart. Blood Diamond is one of my all time favorite movies. I don't know that it would necessarily get the Dove seal of approval or voted most Family Friendly :). It is a pretty heavy movie and it definitely doesn't sugar coat or soft sell the state of the world. It doesn't tie everything off in a big pink bow and leave you feeling all warm and fuzzy inside. Its message will crawl up into your noggin and totally mess you up. It will leave you changed and honestly it's hard to get it out of your mind. I actually hope that I never get it out of my head, and especially my heart. As a believer it should get you all fired up about not just growing in knowledge about world issues and watching movies, reading articles, books or listening to stories like that over and over and over again, but it should inspire you to let the Lord train your hands for battle (2 Samuel 22:35) and get involved in the conversation.

Obviously with a movie like that there are a million different angles I could take our emotions in today. The social injustices happening in Africa are so overwhelming it could make you want to throw up and then the greed that has infiltrated the world is undeniable. However today, for us as daughters that are becoming all glorious within I want to allow the King to use this specific clip to remind us of our true identity. Yesterday I was on the phone with a dear friend and we were discussing an upcoming event for youth girls that I will be speaking at in Fayetteville, Arkansas. We discussed how they are dealing with popularity, body image, boys, future plans, friends, gossip, etc. We were tossing several topics and possibilities around but kept coming back to the same root.....finding your whole identity in Christ. I’m kinda squirming in my chair as a I type because I’m thinking how many of those same issues are still coming up in my own life as a grown woman. Everyday those matters might have gotten a little more “grown up” but they are still seeking to kill, steal and destroy me finding my WHOLE identity in Christ. Yikes!

How many of us as daughters have gotten distracted either intentionally or unintentionally and just walked our heart and souls away from the beautiful inheritance that is ours to have. Ladies I'm preaching to the choir today on purpose. Those of us that are in the body of Christ are sometimes the worst ones, because we can put on a pretty good front. We can walk around like we have it all together, go to church, be involved, worship our little hearts out and be lost as a goose when it comes to receiving who we really are in Christ. We get offended, we get hurt, we get manipulated, we offend, we hurt, we manipulate, and we get caught up in the world just like everybody else. In the deep parts of our hearts events have occurred and we have allowed those events to take up residence in our lives and discourage us from ACCEPTING and LIVING OUT the beautiful inheritance that is rightfully ours. We’ve accepted a standard of living that is well below our God-given potential and the saddest part about it is, is that we’re okay with it! Yikes again!

Today when you watch this clip I want you to close your eyes and RECEIVE. No you are not in Africa and no your name isn't Dia Vandy....however is it so far off base that we need to be retold who we REALLY are sometimes??!? Are we pointing a gun of pride and fear at the very source that wants to love us back to the truth of our inheritance? I watch this scene and tenderly cry every time. I most definitely need to be reminded who I am and then most importantly that the King is my Father. He’s my FATHER, my tender, affectionate but powerful and fully capable FATHER and He has come to rescue me, His daughter, and take me home to live with Him. Pretty people are you pumped up!!!?? If you aren't you should be and today, this day, we should all be challenged as daughters to put down the gun and submit to the leadership of lavish love the King is offering! Seriously.

Take the time today to ask two simple questions and then give God the space to tell you...

"Who do you see that I am Father? And would you remind me who you really are, my King?"

"He sent from on high, he took me; he drew me out of many waters. He rescued me from my strong enemy, from those who hated me, for they were too mighty for me. They confronted me in the day of my calamity, but the Lord was my support. He brought me out into a broad place; he rescued me, because he delighted in me." 2 Samuel 22:17-20

"The Lord is my chosen portion and my cup; you hold my lot secure. The lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; indeed, I have a beautiful inheritance. I bless the Lord who gives me counsel; in the night also my heart instructs me. I have set the Lord always before me; because he is at my right hand, I shall not be shaken. Therefore my heart is glad, and my whole being rejoices; my flesh also dwells secure. For you will not abandon my soul to Sheol, or let your holy one see corruption. You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forever." Psalm 16:5-11

You have a beautiful inheritance to live in precious daughters. Remember the King is wild for you. You are treasured above all of His creations and you are perfectly crafted to live abundantly within the walls of the Kingdom. May you be encouraged and strengthened to stand in the King’s perfect peace as you receive your birthright today. I love you all so very much!

xoxo

Home Life Magazine

I am so humbled, honored and excited to announce that an article that I wrote based on the most tender of moments from the Lord will be in the October Family Focus of Home Life Magazine!! The Power of Hugs was actually a blog post, entitled Family Hugs, I wrote several months ago after one of the most precious exchanges of my life. It was an experience that I think of almost every day and it reminds me that everyone, including myself is just looking for an intentional touch from the Lord. We, as daughters of the Most High King, have the power to give that touch. I pray that the Lord will continue to use it to encourage others....because that's the point. If it's just a "neat and sweet story" and inspires nothing more, it's missed the intention. I am praying that you all receive an intentional touch from the Lord from a seemingly "random" exchange with someone in your everyday moments. For me, I know some of the best encouragements come from the random individuals the Holy Spirit places in my life to interrupt my everyday with a word of hope, love, faith, prophecy, strength, inspiration....or simply a handshake..and the list goes on and on and on.

"And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up. So then, as we have OPPORTUNITY, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith." Galatians 6:9-10

I wonder if you really know My King?

Glorious Daughters on Facebook!

Good Morning Glorious Daughters!! Okay so I wanted to let you know that Glorious Daughters has started a Facebook page!!!! I am so excited about this because I want it to be a space that continues to connect all the INCREDIBLE ways that the King loves on His glorious daughters! If you haven't already joined, please hop on Facebook and look for the Glorious Daughters page and JOIN in on the conversation!! The more the merrier, and the more encouragement your "established testimony" of faith and hope can encourage someone else. So please make comments on what the King is doing in and through your life. It will also be another place for announcements, updates on Glorious Daughters events, photos from the Chick Chats and Prayer Pearls.

To those precious daughters that have already joined, I'm overwhelmed. Many of you are dear, dear heart friends that I am fortunate enough to see regularly and I love you so very much. You are Glorious Daughters. Thank you for your unending grace and support for what God desires to do through the ministry of Glorious Daughters. Your love, eager hearts to volunteer, support and encourage me means more than I could EVER express this side of Heaven. You are kindred spirits to my heart sweet sisters!! And I just might break out my high school fight song at a Chick Chat again to really show the love! LOL! xoxo!!!

To the special beloved friends that are supporting this ministry from other states and places - I am blown away by your love. You represent a group of women that I am honored to know and have involved in my life. Thank you for your grace in loving the most imperfect version of me and pressing me to be wholly surrendered to the King from the inside - out. You are beautiful and I am so blessed, rewarded, humbled and inspired to keep going in my pursuit of the King because of your love, friendship and support. With all my heart, thank you.

And now, to the overwhelming overflow of love from those daughters that I don't even know on a personal level yet that have joined in on the conversation........I STAND AMAZED. Literally, I am standing as I type. :) Seeing all your radiantly beautiful faces on that Facebook page brought tears to my eyes. I know we haven't met face to face, but I want you to know that I love you so much and I am praying for you and CANNOT wait to serve you in your pursuit of the King. It is an honor to be a part of the journey that you are taking with the Father. I have chills when I think about the awesome, awesome things that the Holy Spirit fills my heart with about all the ways you represent a generation of women that are going to light the world on fire with the love of the King!!!!!!!

To those that haven't joined in....we cannot wait to meet you and hear your glorious story of redemption, beauty from ashes and security in the King! The best is yet to come ladies so pass the word on of all the ways you can get involved...the King promises to be faithful, as Glorious Daughters let’s just follow Him in that faithfulness!!!

You pretty ladies ROCK!!!!!!!! I love you and I cannot wait to chat again soon!!!

xoxo,

Cari

You have a Sweet Heart

"Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart." Ps 37:4

My prayers for myself and for you today is that we will submit ourselves to get up under God's lavish love and recieve Spirit filled faith, hope and love.  That we will be not be bound by chains, but we will be captivated by the Love and Redemption of the King.  I am praying that the Lord will tenderly remind each heart of the desires and dreams that He has for us.  I am praying that we will be held together and inspired to operate in God's love today.  May the King be quiet in His love and speak with a reassuring Voice to each heart.  Please join my prayers that every daughter would accept that the King delights in her beauty and that as we submit and release ourselves to God's protection, provision and authority He promises to fill our hearts with good gifts .

It NEVER gets old for me to spend a blog post reminding us of how very much the King desires us and loves us.  That He is pleased His daughters and that He thinks our hearts are BEAUTIFUL!!!  I always need a ready reminder that I can accept the King's love and that I am an heir to the Throne.  Be brave and be challenged to accept that same Great Love.  Your heart was created to be loved and to give love....so be loved by your Father, the King, and then give that Love to someone else today!

Love you big time pretty ladies!!!

xoxo ~ Cari

Your testimony can mold a generation....

So I just started reading an incredible book by E.M. Bounds and ran across a quote this morning that applies to my blog post yesterday. I have decided to let it speak for itself, and rise up in the hearts of those that connect with the quote and know what I mean when I say that the King is at work to establish a testimony in you.

“Paul termed it “my gospel”; not that he had degraded it by his personal eccentricities or diverted it by selfish appropriation, but the gospel was put into the heart and lifeblood of the man, Paul, as a personal trust to be executed by his Pauline traits, to be set aflame and empowered by the fiery energy of his fiery soul. Paul’s sermons – what were they? Where are they? Skeletons, scattered fragments, afloat on the sea of inspiration! But the man Paul, greater than his sermons, lives forever, in full form, feature, and stature, with his molding hand on the church. The preaching is but a voice. The voice in silence dies, the text is forgotten, the sermon fades from memory; the preacher lives…..It is not great talents or great learning or great preachers that God needs, but men and women great in holiness, great in faith, great in love, great in fidelity, great for God – men and women always preaching by holy sermons in the pulpit, by holy lives out of it.

These can mold a generation for God.”

–E.M. Bounds

God is faithfully crafting and establishing a beautiful testimony into your life, let Him have His way today. He loves you!!

xoxo

Establishing...

“He established a testimony in Jacob and appointed a law in Israel, which he commanded our fathers to teach to their children, that the NEXT GENERATION might know them, the children yet unborn, and arise and tell them to their children, so that they should set their hope in God.” Psalm 78:5-7

There is a wonderful praise song that Toby and I absolutely adore. We Will Overcome. Incredible words, that beat perfectly into the rhythm of my heart for us today.

And we will overcome

By the Blood of the Lamb

And the word of our testimony

Ladies, think with me for just a moment on the generations that have either come before you or even the ones that you see ahead of you. No matter what generation you are in there is a 100% guarantee to be one before you and one after you. Look back up at that scripture out of Psalms….”He established a testimony in Jacob..”

I just talked to a friend today about how the Lord had blessed and established an incredible testimony in the life of their family, and they are handing that testimony to their children. I’ll be honest a testimony doesn’t come easy….the ESTABLISH part definitely has a little elbow grease involved and if I’m a guessing woman the King isn’t finished establishing this daughter’s testimony. I can say with all the heart and soul God has been working in me that I will and do overcome all my temptations, struggles, obstacles and limitations by the BLOOD OF THE LAMB first and then re-telling the WORD OF MY TESTIMONY. If the Lord has overcome an addiction in your life, appropriate the blood of the lamb and establish your testimony. If you have walked by faith with the Lord consistently throughout all life’s struggles, appropriate the blood of the Lamb and establish your testimony. You may not be called to share it to thousands; it might just be establishing the word of your testimony so it settles within the chambers of your very own heart.

Regardless, Christ is establishing a testimony in you and it is for the purpose of not only overcoming personally, but to reach forward to lend a hand to the generations that will come after you. I have gained so much strength and power from men and women that are willing to share the “established testimony” of Christ at work in their lives. Every time I recall their bravery in sharing their testimony I am inspired to keep going that I’m not alone and that generations of faithful men and women have gone before me.

I can also say that when I have been a mentor to someone I have been so sharpened. I mean I have been asked some hard questions that quite honestly I haven’t had the answers to, which only inspires me to dig deeper and seek the Father more earnestly.

But one thing is true with either reaching back or reaching forward what people what to hear is YOUR STORY! They want to know how YOU have become an overcomer and an heir to the Throne. They want to know how YOU have had peace, hope and joy in the midst of overwhelming odds. They want to know how YOU have joy in all circumstances.

I am so excited about next Tuesday, July 6th @ 7pm, night’s Chick Chat because we will be discussing the Dazzling Darkness. This is a very powerful place for me in that it is a part of my established testimony.

Your testimony is the most important tool you have. I want to encourage you to start establishing your testimony as it is happening, because life will continue to evolve and you will constantly have to add chapters to the testimony of YOU. One thing is for sure, and I will say it again and again and again if I have to so that we all get it memorized :)…all your testimony is establishing is that you are becoming all glorious within and that you are a daughter, a princess, and an heir to the Throne of GRACE! So keep pressing in and keep establishing, it’s making you beautiful from the inside out!!!!

“All glorious is the princess in her chamber, with robes interwoven with gold. In many colored robes she is led to the king, with her companions following behind her. With joy and gladness they are led along as they enter the palace of the king.” Psalm 45:13 ESV