Natalie Grant & Jordin Sparks - Human ~ 41st Annual Dove Awards

Positioned for a purpose

I have worked for my company for about 2 and half years and in that time I have had the pleasure to work alongside Amy. Amy and I share an office, she sits about 5 feet away from me and seriously has rocked my world. Every time she takes a PTO day, I miss her dearly, she is one of the most humble, serving, loving people I know and there is absolutely nothing I wouldn't do for her. If you met her you'd know that she talks at only one speed, incredibly fast, she can never answer a question with just yes or no, she loves to talk, she has the ability to make you feel comfortable in an instant, she has the funniest laugh, she has very poor taste in movies (she likes spoof movies), she's pocket-sized and her favorite phrase is, "what can I do to help". She is a gem and I adore her.

But tonight while preparing for my bible study I realized something new about my job. See, my role at work is human resources. I have absolutely no prior work experience doing human resources. My degree is in marketing/advertising. And 99% of the time I have no idea what I'm doing. I am solely responsible for my entire companies' payroll, health/medical benefits, new hire orientation, security clearance processing and 401K. Oh and did I mention I have no experience in any of this. There are so many times that I sit at my desk and question God, "Jesus, how in the world did I get here?", "How in the world do I do this or that?", "Are you sure I can do this?". I have had the privilege to go to fancy restaurants, amazing conference centers, presentations at some of the most luxurious country clubs all on other people's dime because of my position. And usually I'm the youngest person in the room by like 20 years, it's insane. And every time it reminds me that God hand-picked me for this specific job for a purpose.

For a while I'm not gonna lie, I was like God, okay what am I supposed to learn here. Obviously you brought me here for a reason. Is it to learn about payroll? Or to learn how to do benefits? Or how to deal with employee relations? And tonight I realized why....it's for Amy.

Matthew 5:16 "In the same way, let your light shine before me, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven."

Amy doesn't know Jesus but she know that I do. She knows that I go to church. She knows that I serve at my church but honestly that's about it. I will admit I haven't done a great job of showing her Jesus, of showing the goodness of God in my life. I have allowed myself to get so focused on the job, on the tasks set before me that there are times I hardly say a word to her, or get in her world. It's like I mentioned in my post before, without a vision, the people perish. I hadn't seen my job in terms of the bigger picture, the greater purpose and that is to bring Amy to know Jesus. It's not to have her come to my church or even to say she's a christian. But for her to know the goodness of God, for her to feel the love of Jesus, for her to know that she is loved, that she is never alone. For her to feel blessed by Jesus. And God has placed me at my company to serve as a conduit to show his love towards her.

This has literally opened my eyes. It has changed the way I view my job. It has caused me to want to make some changes. I am human and when I don't have enough sleep I can be really quiet, introverted, and closed off. Not cause I'm mad or anything but because I'm exhausted and just want to be left alone. And if I'm honest I have been exhausted for a few months now. So I will be going to sleep earlier, I want to be fully present at work, I want to be awake and energized to engage with Amy throughout the day, to be able to not only do my job but help relieve the burden from her at times, to surprise her with lunch, to serve her, to do life with her, to laugh, to talk, to share our world. I have been positioned at a job that I am not qualified for but that I have been chosen for to reach God's daughter, to reach His precious baby, to reach the love of His life, to speak encouragement when the world tries to beat her down, to take the weight off her shoulders when she can't go any further. I am positioned for a purpose.

Jesus, I am here, I am willing, use me. Take control of my schedule, take control of my emotions, give me rest, give me joy and show me daily how to love your daughter to you.

Do you know why you are at your job? Have you been positioned for a purpose? I bet you have, ask Jesus who you are to bless.

Rooting for you always.

Love,

Michelle Nicole

Pointed Prayer

In early July, I was laying in bed one night talking to God about my future husband. Asking him, what's he gonna be like, where is he, what's he doing right now, does he think of me? And at the same time praying for him and feeling somewhat guilty that I didn't pray for him more often. I thought, God, please help me to be more consistent in praying for me husband. But I knew that wouldn't be enough. I knew that my daily prayer would probably go a little something like this, Lord, be with my husband today, give him strength for the day and bless him. Amen. Just being honest but I know myself. So I asked God to give me a topic for everyday of the week that I could pray for my husband about, and He gave me one for everyday of the week. Monday's I pray for his friendships, Tuesday's health, Wednesday's job and finances, Thursday's his leadership ability and being submitted to God, Friday's his relationship with God, Saturday's his family and our future family together, Sunday's protection from temptation, protection of his heart, mind and body and I speak words of faith over our future marriage. But that still wasn't enough. I needed accountability to make sure I didn't forget not one single day. So, I called my bestfriend Stacy and told her about my commitment to pray daily for my husband and that everyday I would text her after I was done praying for him that way she could keep me accountable. And not only did she agree but she decided she wanted to pray with me, because where 2 or more are gathered, there in the midst of them is God, so she decided that every time I texted her she would pray for him too and her husband as well. Absolutely precious!!! It has now been 2 months since we started praying for our husbands daily and I know that God is not only doing something in our future husbands but He's doing amazing things in our lives.

Prayer changes things, it aligns your vision with what God wants. God has been so faithful in these last two months to give me direct prayers to pray everyday concerning the topics of prayer for my husband. And I now will definitely know when God reveals my husband to me. Why, because it will be a direct reflection of the prayers that I have prayed. I have prayed that my husband be a man that is submitted to God, that He be a man that is lead by God, that He be a world changer, that his heart would be sensitive to the heart of God, that His family would be sold out to God, that His money would be God's money, that He would be surrounded by friends that would pour into him, that they would pray for him, that they would keep him accountable and guide him in the right direction. When you begin to pray these kind of prayers, you get a vision of what God has in store for your life and at the same time it makes it exponentially difficult for the enemy to bring a counterfeit into your life.

A few weeks ago, I was at the mall and this guy approached me and started chatting me up. Asking me what I like to do for fun, where I was from, what I did for a living, etc. Basically he was trying to let me know that he was interested in getting to know me better and after about 30 minutes of interrogating me (seriously) he asked me if I would like to go out sometime. Well in that 30 minutes I told him I went to church and asked him if he did and he said, um yeah I have gone a couple times but my schedule is crazy so I don't really go too often. And in that moment I very quickly confirmed in my head that yeah this wasn't the man I had been praying for. My husband isn't going to have a haphazard relationship with God, he is going to be a man on fire for God, someone who is running 100 miles after God. The enemy is sneaky though because on paper this guy wasn't bad but when aligned with the prayers I have prayed and the things God has confirmed in relation to my future husband this guy fell way short.

Prayer gives you a vision. And like the bible says, where there is no vision the people perish (Proverbs 29:18). We have to have a vision for our future. Whether that is a vision for your future mate, your future job, your future home, your future (you fill in the blank). Without a vision for your spouse, the enemy will bring you junk, he will bring you a fake, he will bring you heartbreak. But with God's vision you will see through that. I'm sure this man in the mall was a great person, but he was not the man for me. Had I not been praying for my husband for a month before that, I could have got myself wrapped up in a relationship that God never intended for me. I could have got distracted but my God loves me so much that He placed it on my heart a month ahead to pray for my husband. And he loves my future husband so much that he protected my heart, his future wife's heart from someone else.

If you're single, take this and make it your own. Ask God to give you specific prayers to pray for your future spouse, get someone to keep you accountable and wait for God to bring that amazing spouse into your life. Because I know that my God is faithful. He has great plans for my life and yours. I pray you are blessed and encouraged.

Love,

Michelle Nicole.

Life happens....then there's God

Life happens. Days turn into weeks, weeks turn into months and months into years all in the blink of an eye it feels sometimes. It's like that Nationwide commercial....Life comes at you fast. And for me when life starts to happen, when I get caught up in the day to day tasks, in going to work, going to the gym, coming home and getting up the next day to do it all over again, staying up super late on the weekends to catch up with girlfriends or catching a concert...it all starts to blur together and I get run down. It's in those moments when I sometimes can get distracted, when I forget that this is not the end of the road for me, God has called me to greater. While none of those things are bad, they can wear on you if you don't hold on to the promises God has told you and continue seeking His strength and guidance on how to get there.

4 years ago God spoke some pretty huge things into my life. He spoke the nations into my heart, leading/speaking at huge global conferences, having a school of leadership for under-privileged children in countries without mentors, training or opportunities. Literally speaking life into those that the world has tossed aside and made think that they are forgotten. That's huge.

And if I'm not careful, if I get too busy running the "rat race" I will get numb to those things and that's exactly what the enemy would love. But thankfully, I have women in my life who know me, who see me (see past the facade) and remind me, Michelle you are not just a girl who does human resources for a huge company, you are not just a girl who serves in her church....you are called to the nations. My friend Caitlin told me the other day, Michelle I don't know who this girl is with the grown-up job because I never met her, I only know Michelle, the woman of God who is called to the nations, who has a mighty calling on her life to do something huge to impact this globe. I know what you're thinking, and yes I have some pretty amazing women in my life.

But then there's the other end of that, my mom who says, "Michelle, why are you serving in that area of church when that has nothing to do with your calling?" To which I reply, "Mom, just because God has called me to something huge doesn't mean that I can turn my nose up at the small beginnings, at the baby steps that God has entrusted to me." So it's a balancing act, be an amazing server at church, be a fantastic employee at work, take care of your body by working out, pour into those around you that you love.....oh and remember you were made to impact the nations. Believe me, I'm not complaining about any of it, because all of it is such an incredible blessing but how do I not let life happen, how do I make sure I don't let life get in the way of the dreams in my heart.

I don't take my eye off the prize. I run this race with the goal in mind. Everything I do, whether it has to do with work or pouring into the amazing women in my life, I have to remember it's all for a purpose. And even if sometimes it doesn't make sense now, I know that His ways are definitely higher than mine and it will all make sense one day. My Jesus is funny that way. I'm sure a huge aha moment lies ahead but in the meantime I won't let life and the sometimes mundane feeling get me off track. Gotta push ahead baby!

Have a great day...I'm off to the gym now. Gotta be in shape cause the nations is huge, it's not just a specific region, the nations is a lot of freakin' land. Hmm maybe I should order new tennis...hahaha

Michelle Nicole

Sermon Notes

At the end of July I went to a conference called Avivanos. And without me even expecting it, the word of God that was spoken and the way in which it was taught completely blew me away. Below I have typed up some of the notes from the conference. I was reading over them again tonight and felt that I needed to share them with you. I pray they encourage you, open your eyes and draw you nearer to God.

Love,
Michelle Nicole


Claudio Freidzon
Psalm 23

Matthew 22:37-40

Colossians 3:23-24

Do not despise the small beginnings; get excited about the word the Lord has said over you, even if with your eyes you don't see it yet.

Prepare yourself because something great is coming to your life.

God wants to stir up revival in your heart. And that fire, ministry, strength, dream will be revived.

What causes the fire to be put out?

1. Lose the purpose and the reason for being a christian.

-Losing the purpose for your life. God has saved you and he has a plan, destiny and reason for you to live.

-The purpose is to worship Jesus, spend time with Him.

-You have been chosen and called. God has a plan.

-He who began a good work in you will perfect it and bring it through to completion.

-Do not forget what God spoke to you when He saved you.

-When the enemy tries to stop you with lies, remind him that God has a plan and purpose for your life.

2. Talent/Gifts not taken advantage of; not using the gift God has given you.

-Use the gift God has given you.

-Live your life differently, let people see the change God has done in your life.

-Wherever you go the glory of God inhabits.

3. Bad management of your time. Not giving God time.

-Give God praise and thanks in all things at all time.

-Do not lose sight of the things of God, of spending time with God (praying, fellowship, serving, communion)

4. Sins that have not been confessed.

-Do not ignore problems/issues, bring them before God.

5. Living a solitary life. Moving away from counsel.

-Surround yourself with those who will lift you up when you begin to fall down.

6. Conflict that has not been resolved. (ex. Jealousy, resentment)

-Resentment undealt with will result in bitterness.

-Testify to those around you of what God has done in your life.

-Don't speak ill of others.

-Talk about Jesus.

7. When you become lukewarm

-Return to your first love

-Love the Lord you God with all your heart

-When someone does you wrong, they didn't do it to you , they did it to Him. Give it to Him, give Him your pain and failure. Let him take revenge. You serve those who have done you wrong.

Lindell Cooley

Psalm 132:13

You were made to worship, you will worship something or someone, you choose.

God will take you out of your comfort zone, take you out of your set mindset to do something new.

God will tell you what you're gonna do, what he's gonna do through you, but we create our own plan as to how to reach it. But God has his own plans and only his plans please him.

God sometimes will call you to do "crazy" things but when you are obedient his glory will come down.

The supernatural world and the natural world run parallel. The way you treat your mate is the way you treat your God. For example, do you do stuff only to get something from your mate? You probably treat God the same way.

Worship is meant to pull a sound out of you in worship/praise to God from your spirit.

Get your body and soul in line with your spirit, the spirit of God. You body is a slave to the spirit God has put inside of you.

Remember the goodness of God, remember the great things God has done in your life to get happy when you don't feel like it.

Marcos Barrientos

Isaiah 61

What is ministry or "to minister"?

-It is not leading worship, it is not being an usher, etc.

-It is what Isaiah 61 says: You are to lift up the brokenhearted, set the captives free, following what the spirit of the Lord says.

-When ministering, remember the tone in which you speak to those around you. Speak in a tone that will heal their hurts, in a tone that will comfort.

-You ministry is the not the same as your function.

3 Things that can encourage you

1. Have confidence in the work God is doing in your life.

-If you look at your condition today you might disqualify yourself even though God hasn't disqualified you.

-But if you hold on to the words and promises of God they begin to resonate in your spirit, then it ministers all the way deep down inside of you

-Do not let go of His promises.

-A good memory is important for your spirit in your life.

-Psalm 103:3-5 quote it to encourage you when you start to feel down.

-He who began a good work in you will bring it to completion.

-Inside of you are songs of healing. Other people are dying to hear them and if you don't sing it they will die. You telling your story ministers to others.

2. Make yourself available to be used by God

-Although we can't help we can position ourselves to be used by God to reach/heal others.

-Psalm 23

-The confidence needed to minister by the power of the holy spirit comes from the experience you've had with the Lord. Taste and see that the Lord is good. Because you can't take people where you haven't already been.

-Never succumb to the negative news you hear, God has good news.

3. God gives you the correct medicine

-He fills you with what you are lacking.

Betty Friedzon

-The times of frustration are not to kill your dream but to make your feet firm on God's foundation.

-If you are single, be obedient to God, grab hold of Him and see that the best is yet to come. He has the best for you.

2 Kings 4:8-37

-Make your heart a place of God's dwelling. Welcome the Holy Spirit into your life, into your heart everyday.

Claudio Freidzon

Colossians 4:14-15

Philemon 1:24

2 Timothy 4:10

-Demas: literally means, "he that can lead, govern others"

-Demas started well but ended bad.

2 Conclusions as to why Demas did not end well

1. A good start does not guarantee a good finish.

-Don't let life get in the way of finishing well, of having a passion for God.

-Your heavenly father will come in when you start to feel weak so that you can finish the race.

-It doesn't matter what happened yesterday because God makes all things new.

2. Lost having a purpose, stopped having a dream

-Protect the dream/gift that God has given you.

-Lift up the hands of those who are losing the battle and give them words of encouragement, they will not stop the race of life halfway.

-Do not get stuck in your sin, ask God to help you, ask those around you for help.

Cash Luna

Luke 5:17-18, 20-26

-You can be under the anointing to do something but not actually use it. (Jesus in this story had the power to heal but wasn't healing.)

-You might be anointed to do something but you need to ask God how to administer it, how to use it, when to use it.

-Learn to see what others don't see. Do not trust your earthly vision but your supernatural vision. Follow God not your emotions. Do not assume things about other people.

-God is faithful, He answers our cries but He does it on His timing. But He always answers.

-You can't quit halfway through a trial, you have to stay to see the miracle happen.

-How many times do you think God has allowed trials to come to your life to increase your faith and you've thought it was the devil. He increases your faith because He only moves by your faith.

-If you're gonna be a woman of God you've gotta get over your prejudice of asking.

-When you are ministering you need to ask God for a sensitive heart towards the spirit.

-We must learn to see and then to say and then see what God does.

-There doesn't need to be music or emotion for the anointing to be there, there only has to be faith and the anointed will move according to the faith you have.

-When ministering, living your life in a way that will minister to others you have to balance your life w/the word and the power of God.

-You won't know your faithful until you are tested.

-God will bless you with money to see what you will do with it. What you do with it is what you'll do with God's power/anointing.

-He is testing to see your administration.

-God gives you a spouse to see how you treat them because that is how you will treat His bride, the church.

-The mind is used for thinking, but the heart is used for believing.

-To see if you are loyal and trustworthy of His presence, of His anointing He will see how you administer parts of your life (finances, your house, etc.) - do you buy everything you can or what you should.