Know who your enemy is ...

This week has been a somewhat difficult one -- for a variety of reasons ~ I won't go into detail because the details are not worth mentioning anymore so than the details from an unwanted dentist appointment. You had to go through it for your own sake and now you're just glad it's over. But here is the premise and the events.

This last Sunday was our first year anniversary (literally) of leading worship at the church plant in North Oceanside, which has now become our church for the meantime, affectionately known as Generation North O'. The service we experienced last Sunday was nothing short of about equally as emotionally draining as the first one a year ago -- like a nice "Happy Anniversary" Kiss from you know who (hence the title of this blog). All in all, there was tension, there was needed resolution and the resolution experienced was not promising, rather it was heart-hurting (for me). But life goes on, and life is messy and you do what you can to keep going forward. Mostly for me, it's drawn me to be praying and seeking more and just getting close to God again. Which is always a good thing, no matter what the situation.

This week I was reminded of WHO my enemy is.

Ephesians 6:12

¹²For our struggle is not against flesh and blood (us), but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.

Sometimes when people seem to hurt you, you need to look past the present and realize that there is a lot of confusion, despair and out-of-balance-control. It says in the Bible that the Devil comes to steal, kill and destroy. But we must not give up or give in -- and I felt like it this week.

I felt like leaving this tiny church plant we've come to know and struggle (sometimes) to love. My feelings told me to throw in the towel, because life is so much easier without confrontation. It's easier without relationship and without vulnerability. But if we do, we will lose the life that has been bought for us through Christ and His Sacrifice. A sacrifice I truly believe in. If we choose in those times to forfiet our free gift of freedom from condemnation, and our freedom of CHOICE, we have let our unseen enemy sink his claw in, to wrap his chain further tightly, to cover our eyes with his darkness.

and though, ofcourse, it is so easy to write these things and so much more exponentially harder to practice them ~ I got to this week. It was not fun, but I feel free. I feel His freedom. Though I still feel like I am struggling to fit into this church full of people who are different walks than me, I am choosing to continue to lead them, as long as the Lord lets me or until He calls me elsewhere, whether they decide to enter in or not -- it's up to our hearts, to let Him free our minds.

I pray that He continues to do so for me, and protect us too, through this journey, both Jay and I. For there were flaming arrows this week and with His shield we stood firm. Bless you this coming weekend!

Till Next Blog ~ love, a.