Category Archives: Exodus

Refining in the Hardship

1 Reply

We live in a world where we can get anything we want with the simple touch of our fingertip. It even includes 2 day shipping. There are so many times I get upset because I am not seeing myself progress in a “timely” manner. There are moments I get mad because my plans aren’t panning out.

In those moments I am reminded of Moses. He put in a lot of work. He endured a lot of hardship and listened to A LOT of complaints. After dealing with all of that, he didn’t even get to see the promised land. 

Friend, life is so hard. Can we just take a second to acknowledge that? It makes you ugly cry and want to scream into a pillow. It can bring out the worst in you.

There are times that God will ask us to sit in the hardship. We may not be able to see it but the misery is changing us for the better. The hardship leaves us with bruises and scars that remind us just how human we are.

We will fall down and make mistakes. But we will get back up and keep going. We will push ourselves further. Even when we don’t feel like moving anymore. We will look towards that cross because it is full of grace, mercy, forgiveness, and endurance. 

Consider me your virtual cheerleader. I’m waving around pom-pom’s while you take another step. I’m on the sidelines holding up a sign that says, “go girl!” and jumping up and down with excitement because I know you can win this battle.

We serve a faithful God who has a perfect plan for you. As you take life on like a boss, my prayer is that you somehow find His faithfulness woven into your steps.

~ Lovelle ❤

 

God Knows The End Game

Leave a reply

 

EndGame

{These graphics are free for you to enjoy}

Then Moses went back to the Lord and protested, “Why have you brought all this trouble on your own people Lord? Why did you send me? Ever since I came to pharaoh as your spokesman, he has been even more brutal to your people and you have done nothing to rescue them!”

~ Exodus 6:22-23

The Lord and I have a very real relationship. At times we have screaming matches. When I say screaming matches I mean that I shake my fist up to heaven and yell in frustration because I don’t understand what the heck is going on. Not God, just me.

I am in a season of dryness. I read my bible and don’t feel filled. I feel like I am walking in a wilderness and at every turn theres a door that is slammed shut. Right behind the door is God and I just can’t seem to get to Him. The key doesn’t work and I am exhausted from banging on it trying to get to Him.

I want to act like a five year old, cross my arms, go sit in a corner and pout. At times, I actually do. As I was reading exodus I came across this conversation between Moses and God. Really, it was Moses getting real with God and not holding anything back. Oh, how we serve a patient God.

There are two things I noticed in this passage: The first is the word, “protest”. It doesn’t say, “asked or inquired” It implies an argumentative, sinful human pushing back and questioning God’s choices. The second is the explanation point. You can clearly see in this text that Moses was pretty ticked off at God and for good reason.

He already doesn’t feel qualified but does what God says and then the people he’s trying to help get punished by Pharaoh because of his actions. If the guilt isn’t enough, the obvious frustration from a ton of Israelites will make anyone go off the deep end.

Life is full of seasons where we can’t see the end game. You know, those times when we listen to God and things go the complete opposite of what we thought because we can’t possibly comprehend God’s reasoning. 

We try to help but only make matters worse and then think, “why the heck is He having me do this when I am so useless??” We question God and His motives. Like Moses we tell Him what He should do. This day in age it would probably include a word document with drawn out instructions full of bullet points.

It’s okay to voice our frustrations without holding anything back. We serve a pretty patient God. We just have to remember that He knows best. If we don’t voice our opinions, we might not get the encouragement we need to get us through. I needed to see this verse and I’m pretty sure God knew that.

I needed to be reminded that I’m not horrible for being real. Most importantly, I needed to be reminded that God knows the end game. It may have some dark turns but hey, if the Israelites can manage 40 years of them then surely I can handle a few as well.

~ Lovelle ❤

P.S. I am booking speaking engagements for 2018. I know right??? It’s here already! If you’d like me to come speak at your event or church click on over here and I’ll prayerfully consider your request.

Getting Through Growing Pains

5 Replies

Joy of Life

{These graphics are free for you to enjoy}

I was in the middle of a very intense conversation with God. When I say intense I mean I pointed my finger up to heaven and said some pretty mean words. To sum up my 30 minute rant, I pretty much got on to God because I felt like He wasn’t doing anything.

It’s horrible, I know but hey, He knew what I was thinking anyway so why not shout about it as I was attempting clean my house. My house is a spot on reflection of my life, it’s a hot mess.

I was sick of waiting. I was sick of confusion and I wanted answers. Like a teenager who thinks she knows everything, I was trying to tell God what I needed even though God already knows me better than I know myself.

I was impatient and rude. The funny thing about wilderness moments is that they put us in a situation where we are forced to depend on God in a way we haven’t previously.

I may have complained but I know God was glad that I wasn’t trying to do things on my own. I may be somewhat of a control freak but I am not one to give up on God’s promises. I have seen God perform so many miracles in my life.

I’ve seen Him provide a home on two different occasions when I was homeless and I’ve seen Him provide finances when I didn’t have anything. I will wait for God to do His work and I will follow His lead, even if that means I have to have some very real conversations with Him.

After my crying session where I literally cried all the makeup off my face I was okay and you know what? God was gracious and patient with me because that’s the kind of God we serve.

Like a parent, He takes us kicking and screaming into some hard situations. He understands our confusion and is there guiding us the whole time, even if we don’t feel or see Him. 

Are you going through growing pains? Are you being molded by God in a way that kind of hurts? Do you feel like screaming at the top of your lungs?

Can I just take a second to say that God’s got this? He doesn’t waste anything and I promise you, it’s going to be okay. When it comes down to it, we find our joy in God. He knows just what we need.

~ Lovelle ❤

God Knows When We Don’t

10 Replies

 

Wilderness Moments

{These graphics are free for you to enjoy}

Have you ever had one of those seasons where you just don’t know what to do? You know, when you don’t feel like the Lord is directing your path and you are just waiting in limbo for Him to respond so you can move? Well that’s been me for the last six months.

I am about to graduate college with a broad degree, and I have a background in every single job you can imagine. I knew that God had a specific plan for me that aligned with my past and my passions but I just couldn’t figure out what that was.

I felt like I was in a box. I was in a situation where I literally had to take it one day at a time and wait on the Lord to tell me what to do. In what seemed like a million years and some, He did! Kind of…

I thought to myself, “Yea! no more wilderness for me! This season is FINALLY over.” Well…  I was wrong. Now I know what to do I just have to wait. My wilderness season involves me knowing His plans, but being patient and trusting that God will work everything out.

I am learning that life is full of wilderness moments. In Exodus we see  the  Israelite’s wandering in the wilderness and I tend to think of that as a one-time thing but as I am relating it to my life I am noticing they actually experienced quite a few.

They were in a wilderness when they were slaves. They were in a wilderness when they were leaving Egypt and escaping, not knowing if they were going to get out alive. Every day they had to trust that God had a plan and that He would provide for them.

They had some up’s and down’s but God was with them the whole time and HE DID lead them to their promised land.

It’s the same way with us too. I’m holding on to the promise that God doesn’t waste anything. Will you join me by remembering that promise for your life as well?

His plans for your life are good. A God that knows the number of every hair on our head certainly knows the outcome of our situation.

~ Lovelle ❤

 

Video: The Purpose in Our Wilderness Moments

6 Replies

I’m finally back to posting videos! This week I am going to expand on my last blog post which highlights this verse:

“So God led them in a roundabout way through the wilderness toward the Red Sea. Thus the Israelites left Egypt like an army ready for battle”
~ Exodus 13:18

In this video I am going to talk about:
* Exodus 13:18
* The Israelites
* How God provided for them in their wilderness
*How we can learn from our struggles
*How their is hope in your current wilderness

~ Lovelle ❤

{Subscribers if you can’t see the video click here}

P.S. If you need a speaker for the upcoming year I would love to chat with you about it. You can find me here. I hope to hear from you soon!

The Purpose to Our Journey

5 Replies

DoorPhotoShopPhoto1

{These graphics are free for you to enjoy}

I stared at my computer screen in disbelief with tears rolling down my cheeks. I got an email telling me that I got turned down from a job I really wanted for what seemed like the millionth time. With this many devastating blows, the rejection seemed almost unbearable.

I was so confused. It seemed the more I tried, the more the world told me I wasn’t good enough.  I have had a job (or two) since I was 16 years old. How can it be this hard to get one now. Especially when I have a degree? 

In that moment I was very real with God. By that I mean, I cried and yelled at Him for the confusion and another closed-door. I then began to  cry some more and once I pulled my emotional self together, I apologized for being a know it all when really, God’s ways aren’t mine (Isaiah 55:8).

 After some TLC from my amazing husband, chocolate, and a call to my wonderful parents who prayed for me and filled me with tons of encouragement, I hopped into bed and forced myself to open my bible. My eyes immediately found this verse:

When Pharaoh finally let the people go, God did not lead them along the main road that runs through Philistine territory, even though that was the shortest route to the promised land… God led them in a roundabout way through the wilderness toward the Red Sea. Thus the Israelites left Egypt like an army ready for battle.
~ Exodus 13: 17-18

 Windy roads and closed doors are sometimes part of journey. If it was easy then how would we grow? I can be irritated and upset or I can be thankful that God is putting me in a position of growth where I am forced to depend on Him.

Sometimes, it’s not about where we are going. It’s about how we get there.

I am writing this today to hopefully encourage anyone who is going through a wilderness. Is it a job situation? Girl, I feel you. waiting is always the hardest. An adoption process? Salvation for a family member? Maybe even an illness that won’t go away or doesn’t have a good prognosis…

Waiting is difficult and walking a roundabout way is sometimes hard too. I don’t know about you, but I am going to try to embrace the journey because God is going to grow me. I know that I will come out on the other side as an overcomer and you will too.

~ Lovelle ❤

Believing God is Not Limited

24 Replies

Birthday Present
{These graphics are free for you to enjoy}

I remember it like it was yesterday… Two years ago on this day I was holding a giant birthday cake at my local Boys and Girls club. I had given a speech to some kiddos and because it was my 21st birthday, they decided to celebrate with me.

This woman I had grown close to attended my speech. I didn’t really understand why she came, because no one ever came to my events but I didn’t object. As I sat there holding a cake that said, “happy birthday Lovelle” this woman with the most gentle spirit and beautiful smile looked at me and said, “Mark and I want to be your parents.” 

IMG_2310

In that moment, I felt worthy and wanted for the first time. To this day, I still think it’s the greatest birthday present God has ever given me. What can I say, It’s pretty hard to top getting parents. 

Every year, I look back at that moment and I am reminded that we serve a God who knows no limits. If you have read any of my posts lately, you will see that I am in sort of a wilderness and i’ve been tempted to just give up and settle on the dreams God has laid on my heart.

At times it’s hard to see Him working in the background but today I want to encourage you to keep pressing forward because God doesn’t waste anything. If He puts a dream on your heart, it will come to pass. It may take over ten years like it did for my parents, or 21 years like it did for me but the wait will be worth it.

~ Lovelle ❤

God: The Ultimate Fixer-Upper

1 Reply

Every Detail

{These graphics are free for you to enjoy}

“… Aaron raised his staff and struck the water of the Nile. Suddenly, the whole river turned to blood! The fish in the river died, and the water became so foul that the Egyptians couldn’t drink it. There was blood everywhere throughout the land of Egypt. But again the magicians of Egypt used their magic, and they, too, turned water into blood…”
~ Exodus 7: 20-22

Aaron an Moses did what they were supposed to and God fulfilled His promise to them. He performed a miracle right in front of Pharaoh and the Egyptians. As all situations go, it seemed as though the Egyptians one-upped them because they could turn the sea into blood as well.

I can picture Moses and Aaron walking away embarrassed. Had God really come through? It seemed like the power God had given them was not effective because everything they did the Egyptians could do too.

God doesn’t waste anything. He had Moses and Aaron perform that miracle knowing what would happen because ultimately, the Egyptians would have to let down their pride and ask for help. Their hearts may have still been hard but the glory would still go to God.

Deep down they would know that God was the only one that can fix their situation. 

I have to admit that sometimes I tend to be like the magicians. I am a fixer. I tend to be a bit of a mother to my friends and family with a get-er-done personality but as I am studying the book of Exodus I see how dangerous that can be. 

The bible says that the Lord delights in EVERY detail of our lives. How sad is it that I forget to let Him get involved… 

As I was studying and asking the Lord what steps I should take in order to make sure that I don’t try to fix things on my own He showed me a three step process from Matthew 7:7 and I will discuss this next week. Let’s just say my mind was pretty blown so stay tuned.

~ Lovelle ❤

 

Looking To God In The Wilderness

8 Replies

GoingHisWay

{These graphics are free for you to enjoy}

“Get out!” Pharaoh ordered. “Leave my people- and take the rest of the Israelites with you! Go and worship the Lord as you have requested.”
~ Exodus 12: 31

Finally, Pharaoh gave up. In this moment we see him demanding that Moses take the Israelites out of Egypt but it didn’t come easy. Right before this verse the land of Egypt went through 8 different plagues; one of blood, frogs, gnats, flies, livestock, festering boils, hail, and locusts.

On top of that the Egyptians endured the deaths of all the first born males and it was all because of one man who refused to submit to God’s authority. As the Egyptians packed only the necessities I can only imagine the fear they must have felt and the many questions that must have running through their minds.

What will happen to me in the wilderness?
Will I survive?
Where are we even going?

They had been in captivity for so long. Could there really be a light at the end of the tunnel? For forty years as they wandered in the wilderness after this, I bet they asked God that same thing every single day.

Life is full of wilderness moments. We get confused, suffer hardship, and sometimes the only thing that gets us up in the morning is the assurance, that even though we can’t see it God is leading us to our promised land (at least it’s that way for me).

Exodus 12: 36 says, “The Lord caused the Egyptians to look favorably on the Israelites.” After all, that is how they got out and managed to get everything they needed for their long journey ahead.

God is looking at our situation right now and although it may not be going our way, it’s going His way. 

Are you going through a wilderness moment? Are you confused and uncertain of your future? I am too.

Can I tell you a little secret? The land overflowing with milk and honey isn’t a story just to make us feel better.. It’s real and in God’s time, WE WILL arrive there. I am holding on to that promise in the wilderness season I am in and my prayer is that you do as well.

Is there anything I can pray for, regarding your wilderness moment this week? Feel free to comment below and I will add it to my prayer list.

~ Lovelle ❤

 

God’s Plan For Our Life During Change

4 Replies

Coffee

{These graphics are free for you to enjoy}

“Is that so?” Retorted Pharaoh. “I do not know the Lord, and I will not let Israel go.”
~ Exodus 5: 2 NLT

In this verse I see a stubborn, cocky man who is stuck in his ways. He knew of the Lord but he did not have a relationship with Him. You see, Moses was called out and chosen to save the nation of Israel and right before this extremely sarcastic comment that Pharaoh made, Moses had asked him to free the people so that they can go worship God.

I can just picture it in my head… Pharaoh, a wealthy ruler who could do whatever he wanted with his head high and intimidation blaring as he stood above a Shepard counted as nothing at all in the land of Egypt.

I can see him sneering at Moses, thinking to himself maybe even saying it out loud, “who do you think you are?”.  Pretty awful right?

Here’s the kicker… The way that Pharaoh acted can sometimes come out in me. 

When life is going wrong and things don’t seem to go my way,  I am that girl that is very real with God and will stick up my fist and say, “You shouldn’t be doing this!” 

When my husband doesn’t do something right, this hot headed woman can easily overwhelm the poor man and get all righteous.  It’s not intentional but my sinful nature just comes out sometimes. I can sit here and pretend to be the Moses in this thing we call life but sometimes I am not.

I am the sinner.
I am the cocky, yet insecure little girl that wants to do things my way.
I know the Lord, yet I don’t want to give my situation to Him.

Where does that get me? ABSOLUTELY NO WHERE.

The cool part of this is that even though Pharaoh was stubborn, Moses was persistent and the people did end up going free it just caused a lot of destruction to the land of Egypt in the process. 

In the same way the Lord is persistent with me too. He drags me kicking and screaming, never leaving my side. When I am finally done with my little tantrum of bad choices and mistakes, He is still there and His plan for my life never changed.

As I go through a season of completely unknown I am learning to have grace with myself and I am remembering that even though I can’t see it, The Lord is at work in my life. Friend, I hope you know I am praying this over you too.

What we do doesn’t define how God sees us. In the midst of chaos and change it’s so good to know that Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever (Hebrews 13:8.)

~ Lovelle ❤