Perspective

This morning in my time with the Lord I was sitting on the ground in my kitchen praying.  I looked out of the window and could see part of the fountain in our courtyard, as well as some of the roses on one of our rose bushes. As I looked at the view, in front of my eyes, the Lord spoke the word perspective to me.  As I looked again, I asked the Lord to reveal to me what he was trying to show me.  He said Vicki most of what you believe and what you see is limited in breadth by your perspective. Imagine if I lived in the house my whole life and never walked out into the courtyard.  I would miss the vastness of the fountain and wouldn't see the hundreds of beautiful roses that are blooming.  I would only ever see a piece of a fountain and two roses. So much of my life I walk around focused on what I am doing - my perspective is focused around how what I see affects my life.  And so I see everything through this perspective.  When I walk into a store to buy gas I miss that the cashier has a broken arm, that I could pray for healing, because all I see her for is her job of ringing up my gas.  I walk into the doctor's office and I don't see the grief in the receptionist eyes and offer encouragement or prayer because I see someone who takes my co-pay so I can see the doctor.  The Word says in 1 Corinthians 2:9 that no eye has seen; no ear has heard; no mind has understood the plans he has for those that love Him. As I have been reflecting on that verse I wonder if the reason I do not see, hear,or understand is because I am not looking, I am not hearing, and I thus have no understanding about things that are around me everyday. We serve a God who came to bring freedom to those in bondage, sight to the blind, hearing to the deaf, peace to the oppressed, joy to despair, and hope to the hopeless. How much would my life change if I began to see these needs and have compassion as Jesus did when he walked on the earth.  I believe it is TRUE when the Word says we will do greater things than Christ. If we want to see the Lord begin to move in power we are going to have to begin to see the world as He did. Lord give me a NEW perspecctive so that I can live with purpose, bringing hope and transformation to those I encounter in my life.  

Drawing Closer to My Beloved

Everything that can be shaken will be shaken.  This is what God has been speaking to me about this week.  He has been showing me that he wants to shake off/strip me of anything and everything that keeps me from deeper intimacy with Him.  I have begun to recognize that my selfishness, self righteousness, lack of disciplne, own agendas, stressful nature, etc... are keeping me focused on things other than Him and enjoying my life and THIS IS NOT ACCEPTABLE TO ME.  I realize that for many people when they come to the point where God says "You can have more of me if you will deal with everything in you that keeps you from coming to me" THEY RUN.  Me - I am running closer to the Lord and I am willing, however uncomfortable it is, to deal with and face all my stuff.  I desperately want to have a more intimate relationship with my Father in Heaven. I say this like it is easy and IT IS NOT.  I have had to see alot of stuff about me and my life the lasst few weeks (and I know this is just the beginning) that I do not like and I realize it is going to take awhile to work through it.  The good news - deeper relationship with the God of the Universe who loves me perfectly is on the other side.  I am not satisfied with being a Christian who goes to church, reads the Word, and loves God.  I MUST see miracles, healings, JESUS FACE TO FACE.  He has made us to know Him and see heaven on earth and that is what I want.  I am so excited at what is to come.  God has many mysteries to reveal to me and I know that as I push further on the journey I will realize the depth of His love for me in a way I have never known.  Watch out - the Kingdom is gonna feel the impact and it is gonna be amazing and NOT because of Vicki Ellis but because I am coming to a place where I hope to die to self and see God work through me.  WITH HIM ALL THINGS ARE POSSIBLE.  Life is GOOD!!!!! 

Choices

Good morning!  I cannot believe I have not blogged for a month.  Take that back - I can believe it but wish it were not so.  Last night I watched the movie The Adjustment Bureau.  One line in the movie has been ringing in my head since - "All I have are the choices I make!" And so that brings me back to this blog.  I chose not to blog for a month because I chose to let other things keep me distracted from shouting of the glorious wonder of His amazing love for me and us.  How is it possible that anything in life (work, kids, husband, free time, fill in the blank) every seems more alluring and important than spending time with my God and Father in Heaven.  I will tell you.  I make a hundred choices every day and I let myself believe the lie that what has to be done NOW is more urgent than time with Him.  Well I say nothing is more important than time with Him and as soon as I make the CHOICE to act like it my world is gonna change.  I cannot wait to get caught up in love with Him and start to see more of my time spent on that and less on the all consuming everything else.  And I cannot wait until I choose to see Him and rejoice in Him while I am doing the all consuming everything else.  My daddy loves me and I want to rejoice over that and dwell in that all day long!  I can CHOOSE that if I want.  Stay posted!

Madly, deeply in love with you

Remember everytime a question of your worth comes up that God is forever madly, deeply in love with you.  There is no height, no depth, no width, no breadth that can seperate you from His great love.  Soak it up every moment, all day long. He delights in you.  He longs to spend time with you.  He longs to pour his love over you. It is His love that brings peace, comfort, joy, exuberance, passion, and purpose.  Purpose to allow Him to love you more today and as His love flows from you others will ask you what is it that makes you shine and have joy in every circurmstance and you can say - "It is because I am completely, wholly loved without reservation." What joy!!!!!!  

He Is All Around Us

Lately the Lord has been revealing to me how much what I see and what I think impacts who I choose to be.  I know it says in the Word as a man thinks in his heart so he is.  Well, lately I have being thinking on HIM more and looking for revelation of God's presence all around me and can I tell you that I am changed.  It is amazing how many ways God can display himself in my day to day life as I look for him.  The other day, I was walking down the steps at my house and there was a beautiful purple flower on the steps.  When I looked at it God said to me, "I am unexpected blessing."  As I walked home from the office this week, down the gravel drive, the Lord said to me about the rocks beneath my feet, "I am God - even the rocks will praise me." He is all around us - reminding us that he is present and that he is in all things.  Lord, I thank you for your faithfulness, for your revelation, and for your presence.  Teach me to see you more - that as I see you I will be transformed more into your image.  What an honor to know that you made me to reflect you.  I am so grateful to have your character. I am love - strength - peace - joy - understanding - grace - mercy - boldness.  Help me to remember these things in the midst of everyday life.  I love you!

The Love Zone

My 5 year old son Gabriel and my 3 year old son Jesse have been learning the love chapter.  I am not very good at verse memorization but I felt it would be really good for all of us to learn because we have really been focused on loving each other and those around us.  So a few days ago Gabriel tells me that he wants to put up a sign outside the house that says that only people who are loving can come in the house.  He says our house is the LOVE ZONE.  So maybe it sounds a little harsh to to say no one who isn't loving cannot come in the house but what a wonderful heart.  He wants our house to be a place where loves dwells.  I am so excited that God is teaching my kids what it means to be loved by Him and that it is so wonderful to them that they want it to permeate their home.  I desire greatly that my kids know our love for them, His love for them, and that they love others with God's love.  What an honor to be loved by a perfect and wonderful Father in heaven.  I learn so much from my kids.  I love them!

Your daddy is the King of Kings

Kings and Queens - remember today that your father is the King of Kings and you are royalty in Him.  Walk with confidence, authority, grace, charm, and boldness.  He has given you authority - in Him - to fufill your calling.  Your life has purpose and was designed to honor Him and impact those around you.  You are called to love as He loves.  So today take the time to look around and SEE as He sees.  You will see hope, fear, pain, joy, life, death, need, and so much more.  He can meet those needs through you if you let Him. BE BOLD & STRONG! And don't forget that you are royalty - live like it!