The Full Notepad

A long while back I put a little notepad inside my purse.

I first did this because God started speaking to me at the most inopportune times for me to meditate, think about, pray through the things He was saying for instance in the bathroom, during a class at Tech, a few words during worship.

I had just recently been set free from the lie of the enemy that I couldn't hear the voice of God. When I would hear things I would second guess and doubt, the enemy came in trying to steal what God had said to me.

So here I was knowing it was God, not believing the lies, and yet God chooses to speak at times when I had no way to really pay attention and dive into what He was telling me. Hence the notepad.

I kept that notepad with me everywhere I went in my purse, backpack, carrying sack, occasionally the pocket. It's ventured all over the state of texas, multiple states across the U.S. and even overseas to many countries.

This notepad is priceless to me. It has Words from the Holy Spirit that were spoken to me of truth, grace, love, compassion, discipline, vision, wisdom, etc.

Now this notepad is full.

It only tells me one thing. When we're willing to listen, God will speak. By the simple act of keeping that notepad with me at all times, I was telling the Holy Spirit, it doesn't matter when, it doesn't matter where, I'm ready to hear Your voice for my life.

Many times all I could do is jot down the words and go back to them later, but still I didn't neglect what He had to say just because I wasn't in the best possible scenario to hear Him.

I know the devil is a liar, for the Bible says that the sheep will hear the shepherd's voice. Which means I know His voice, I just need to listen for Him.

Do you want to hear the Lord's voice? What steps do you take to ensure that you hear His imput for your life?

I had an empty notepad... now it is full.

Oh how He loves me.
Be blessed,
J. Tate

A great lesson

At Cornerstone we just had our Chosen Generation conference. It's a conference for young adults that are passionate and on fire for God, most desiring to be in some sort of ministry. Three amazing spiritual leaders shared while we fast, seeking to meet with the Lord and hear from His Word.

Pastor Mike (my pastor) spoke on Friday night, Josh Siratt (worship leader) spoke Saturday morning, and Tracy Harris (a pastor in Texarkana) spoke yesterday afternoon. Each of these speakers are so very different in style as Pastor Mike tries to get you, let's say "involved" in the service, his passion is the body of Christ learning to enter into the presence of God everyday. Josh Siratt is a worshiper and inspires you to be a person who worships God daily throughout the day. Tracy is a teacher, often times you go out of his message feeling like you need to go home and reread the whole Bible! He takes it deep and really challenges you to search out the scripture.

You can imagine with the combination of the three how amazing the conference was. I want to talk about one little bitty practical aspect that I felt wow, people my age they don't know this. Trust me this was not the only thing I felt this way about, but it's some great practical revelation.

Josh Siratt was speaking Saturday morning about acknowledging the Holy Spirit daily. He discussed the frustrations of trying to find the "plan" for your life and he said this
"many times we never hear the plan God has for us, because we've already made one for ourselves"

In other words we go into prayer asking God for what He wants us to do, but all we really want is to be able to say that we prayed about the thing we'd already decided we were going to do.

Josh put it this way. Go into prayer in neutral. Go into prayer without an agenda, or a plan, and allow God to speak. Let God inform you of the plan, instead of you informing God of yours.

I liked this practical piece of information because so many people my age are in college, graduating college, trying to pick jobs, thinking about marriage, deciding where to live, some of the biggest decisions of our lives are being made...
Are we letting God make them? or are we coming to Him with our plan?

Something to think about.
Be Blessed,
J. Tate

Do we listen?- A short story

I have a short story from yesterday that still has me thinking this morning.
I was taking my shower last night and just praying. Not some great spiritual praying, but rather the just talking to my friend praying.

As I prayed I was getting more and more irritated as it was one of those times that I felt like the shower head was responding more than God was, so I just asked "God, are you even listening? Do you even hear me when I just want to talk about things that don't really matter?"

I have to stop here and point out the fact that I knew the answer to the question, I know that He listens to me, but just as we do in relationships with our peers, I said something RIDICULOUS simply because I didn't "feel" like my needs in that moment were being met. Perhaps in this whole paragraph you can sense the selfishness, pride, and bad attitude that came in that moment. Praise God, He is merciful and though sometimes I'm a BRAT of a daughter, He still chooses to abound in grace.

A few minutes went by and I just chose to finish up my shower and get ready for bed. As I was stepping out of the shower I felt that Holy Spirit nudging and His voice. (Every Christian KNOWS the voice of God, Jesus promises us this in John 10:27) He asked a question.

Do you listen when I want to talk to you and you are busy? Do you hear my voice throughout the day when I simply want to tell you, I love you?

I could use my words to try and go into how we should listen, how this impacted me, convicted me, moved me, but I feel His words are strong enough without me trying to interpret.

Be Blessed,
J. Tate

A New Year!

The start of a new year has always been an interesting time to me. It's a time when people reflect, they think about what their life has been like over the year and decide what changes need to be made, healthy choices, emotional choices, new job, new life... Something about the end of another year causes us to do some self reflection and decide if we are who we want to be.

If you read this blog, you know that I am big on self reflection, I think it's an important tool in our walk with Christ, as Paul says in Corinthians to examine yourselves to see if you are in faith (1 Cor. 13:5).

I think as the body of Christ we need to be evaluating and examining our lives more often than just once a year. All year long we should be testing ourselves, evaluating ourselves, to see if our lives match up with the Word of God. What areas need to be fixed? and unlike 90% of New Years resolutions we should change, for good. A complete lifestyle change.

Everyday gets to be the new year to the believer. His mercies are made new every morning, our past can be forgiven everyday, every sin... forgiven. I don't have to wait for the new year to be redeemed and my sins to be forgotten, all I have to do is fall upon the rock Christ Jesus, confess my sins, repent, and forgiveness comes, redemption comes, change comes.

Everyday we should be living with a "new year" mentality. The mentality that wants to get the wrong to be right. As Christians this involves us pursuing holiness. Wanting to be like Christ, evaluating, listening to the Holy Spirit, and casting off the chaff and sin in our lives.

All I know is that I want to leave a legacy for my family and those around me. The legacy of a woman who pursued whole heartedly after my Maker. I can think of no greater joy in my life than that those who know me family, friends, acquaintances would say that I love Jesus passionately, and I love people passionately. You build your reputation not based on the "big" decisions you make, but with how you live your life everyday. Am I pursuing the Lord whole heartedly? Does my heart break for what breaks His? Do I fear the Lord and hate my sin? Do I love unconditionally without partiality and regardless of circumstance?

I have a long way to go, but I know who I'm living for and I know who I want to be like.
Be Blessed,
J. Tate


Jeremiah 10:23 I know, O LORD, that a man's life is not his own; it is not for man to direct his steps.