Stepping into Radical Obedience

When I look back on last year, 2024, I can see God's hand in every part of it, in every little detail.

I walked into the year full of brokenness, unforgiveness, bitterness, misunderstanding, confusion, depression, and hatred towards what God had called me to. I left the year 2023 not knowing what I was to do with what I had experienced, which is what left me carrying all the above-mentioned things into 2024.

Thats where I started, and by the grace and faithfulness of God that is not where I ended. In January 2024, I got sick the week before I was to leave on a mission trip to Thailand. Nothing too bad just a sinus infection, so we all thought. After a week of medicine, I was better. I went to Thailand as planned. While in Thailand all the progress made over the past week quickly declined in three days. Over the course of being there for ten days I refused to sit out or go to a doctor, since I was not contagious. I knew the Lord would heal me in His time. The second to last day of the trip I was miserable, and all the over-the-counter medicines were no longer helping so I went to see a doctor. I got some prescription medicines and went back to where we were staying and had to sit out a whole day on ministry, no fun. (You can read more about this trip in the blog post called, "The Thi Tea")

Out of this trip I learned, Obedience is key to a closer relationship with Christ.

By the time February came to a close, I had been sick for 5 weeks. Thats how my year started. Throughout February I went back and worked for our local homeschool co-op at my church teaching 3-year-olds. I also taught that class for church for three services a week. Although I love 3-year-olds and have a heart to serve them, going back to teaching them all the time was sending me into 3-year-old burnout very quickly. I asked to switch to the babies for one service out of the three church services I served at just so I could have a break. This was a blessing! Also, in February the Lord led me to sign up for a mission trip to Guatemala! (You can read all about that trip in the blog post called, "...something about Guatemala")

 I wrestled with the Lord throughout the spring semester because where I was, wasn't where I wanted to be. However, the Lord showed me a lot about teaching pre-school. I came to realize that even though I have a heart for them and even a passion for pre-school ministry it's not what I'm called to forever, but it is for now. I had two options, do what the Lord has called me to do for the here and now, or live in bitterness because I'm not where He has called me to be eventually. I hate to admit how long it took me to come to terms with the first option, but in the end, it was the best option.

I came to realize, the Lord is always working and always positioning us for His kingdom.

When the summertime rolled around, the Lord provided an opportunity for me to be in a leadership role with the homeschool co-op. Though this was more responsibilities and most of the time more mentally taxing, it got me out of the classroom and provided the much-needed rest, and reset I needed to function. I enjoyed this time. It also provided time to grow closer to my co-workers and to be a light and encouragement to them. Being out of the classroom taught me how much I love teaching God's children and pouring into adults. The Lord taught me to rely on His word and not my own understanding. He taught me how to handle criticism better and to rely on who He says I am and not what people say I am.

In June I attended a women's retreat. During this retreat the Lord ignited some spiritual gifts that I needed for war! He also healed some things in my heart, and I was able to forgive some things. God started tearing off the blinders I had been wearing for so long.

In July I went with our youth group on their beach trip to babysit the pastor's kids. This was a sweet time to grow closer to the Lord in ways that I was not expecting. The Lord brought to me the realization that though I want to be a mom one day, there is still much for me to do while I am single. This week taught me that it's okay to be 25 and not married with kids, and that its okay to wait on what the Lord has for me, and to keep living while I wait.

Waiting didn't mean pausing!

I also attended Deliverance Ministry classes. My spiritual mentor taught us what true deliverance is, what we need to be delivered from according to God's word, and how we can be delivered and stay delivered. Through these classes the Lord brought to the forefront some things that I had been pushing down and not wanting to deal with. The Lord delivered me from the emotional soul ties I had un-intentionally created. He also delivered me from generational curses that had been passed down through my bloodline.

The good Lord is faithful to heal, set free, and deliver us from the things that don't belong to us!

At the beginning of August I went to Guatemala, you can read in full detail about that trip in the other post, but I felt some of the things that happened there are worth mentioning here again. The Lord delivered me from unforgiveness fully! Things I had thought I had already let go, I finally allowed the Lord to come and dig that out and truly set me free.

He opened my eyes and heart to see those people in the way that He sees them.

The group I went with is a forever family I am so thankful to be a part of who 6 months later still reach out, pray for, and encourage each other. I fell in love with the country and can't wait to go back!

As I came back home and wrestled with what to do next the Lord provided a part time consistent babysitting job, partnered with the work I do at church, He provided everything I needed. He also allowed me to meet a sweet friend who had been working for the elementary side of the homeschool co-op all summer, but I had just recognized. I helped her with her classroom surrounding meet the teacher night and that was the first night of our ever-growing friendship. I didn't realize I was missing a close in age, close in location, close in life friend!

The Lord so graciously blessed me with this sweet friend, MP!

September brought much needed, sweet time spent with my oldest sister and my new niece. For the second year in a row, we were blessed to attend the LO Sister Conference with Saidie Robertson-Huff. This was an indescribable blessing. I had been struggling with Identity issues I thought I had already dealt with and was over. However, I was not over them.

The Lord dealt with my heart and brought into focus who He says I am. He calls me worthy, loved, fearfully and wonderfully made, He says I am more precious than diamonds, I'm made in His image, He calls me redeemed!

When I went back home, I was empowered to walk in His grace and Purpose more than ever before. So, I thought.

October quickly came and I was getting ready to take a trip with my spiritual mentor and her kids. We went to Dallas for the EITI (Eagles International Training Insitute) Nationwide Worship Conference. This week was a week of supernatural shift and acceleration. The first full day I attended a class about how to unlock your prophetic destiny. We learned about prophesying and what a prophet is and does and how that intertwines in our walk with Christ. During this class we had a time set aside to hear from the Lord and in this time the Lord gave me a vision which led to a classmate confirming what the Lord showed me in that vision. That was to sell/get rid of everything I had in storage so that nothing from the past will hold me back from what He has called me to do. WOW! That was just day one! The whole week was filled with encounters of the Lord! At the end of the week as we were driving home, the Lord continued to use my special mentor and His nature to speak to me. Once we got back to my hometown, we went to the church where my car was parked. Before leaving, there was a supernatural shift in my prayer language and in my relationship with my spiritual mentor, from mentor to mama. The Lord was so good to accelerate this relationship, and it has been one of the biggest blessings out of 2024. Also, that night we went to war with the enemy over my voice. The enemy had been trying to silence me for a long time.

But that night we won the war over my voice and God, my Lord and Savior, has the final victory.

This led to some time in prayer, seeking what the Lord wanted me to do with my voice. I heard the Lord calling me to get serious about the book He uploaded to my mind a few years prior and had given me the title of in September 2023. He also provided the avenue of holding me accountable and getting it published through EITI Authors course, which I am currently enrolled in. The book with be published October 2025 and I will graduate as an Eagle.

By the end of November I got rid of everything in storage and started my Authors course.

In December, the Lord redeemed the day I had dreaded for the past seven years. On December 9, 2024, the 8th year anniversary of the servere nerverous breakdown I experienced, the Lord redeemed it. I went the whole day not realizing what the day was I must have written the date down at least 20 times, as I was substitute teaching.

It was as if ever time I wrote it, the Lord redeemed it.

The Lord was so faithful in that, I had finally allowed Him to work in that day.

From then to now it has been an uphill, accelerated, joy and growth with my relationship with Christ. Not every day has been easy or glorious but everyday has been an opportunity to grow closer with the one who created me and the universe. Everyday has been a sweet blessing I often times have taken for granted. Everyday has brought new and exciting things about my Lord and Savior, everyday has been a step towards true freedom in Christ.

As I walk into 2025, I heard the Lord say, "This year will be a year of radical obedience."

Out with all the old things I took into 2024, Praise God! I have been set free and delivered of those things. Praise be to God for the growth and spiritual maturity, and though I have a long way to go and there's more growing to do, more souls to win, and more Kingdom to seek, I praise the Lord for all the details He was and still is in. 2024 was a year of God is in the details. All the ways He came through, provided, and accelerated. Every breathe I took is all thanks to the God of the universe, the one and only High King of Heaven.

My prayer for you as you walk into 2025:

Dear God, may the person reading this see your hand in every little thing. May they seek you in all they do. May you receive all the glory, honor, and praise, as you alone are the only one worthy of it all. Thank you, father God for creating me and the reader. May we grow ever so close to you and be a useful vassal willing to sacrifice and humbly serve you, in Jesus name, Amen!