Dear Depression

Dear Depression,

  You are a lie. A lie that slips out of the mouth of the accuser into the hearts and minds of the children of God that whispers "be sad, be defeated, have a heavy heart, just because." You bring your friends fear and anxiety to step in and make everything worse. They cripple our hearts, bodies, and minds from going, from doing, from being, from loving. Our hearts become a restless pit of questions and emptiness. We become numb and weak, feeling as if there is no reason to fight. You cripple our dreams and passions and say "no." You kill, steal, and destroy. But not anymore. For God refuses to let the enemy shout in triumph over us. (Psalm 30:1). And depression is the enemy. I have watched you enter into my life slowly and silently. I have listened to your lies that cloud my vision from the truth. I remember those times you used to take away my appetite, my sleep, my passion. But I serve a victorious God who promises to take back everything that the enemy has stolen. And that is exactly what He has done for me through Jesus. The blood of Jesus has redeemed my mind back from the pit. His sufficient grace has proven to be strong in my weakness. His Word that is full of promises for my life has out shouted your screams. One night that I'm sure you're very familiar with, I was sitting in my friends bathroom crying out because I had let you hurt me so much, and with the power of the Holy Spirit the words "Depression you can't have me," came out of my mouth and I felt a release. In that moment I felt the hands of depression let go of my neck in fear as if I had just pulled a weapon on it. Because I did. You like to silence our voice so that we can not proclaim victory with our mouths. But Jesus did not die on the cross for us to be swallowed up in defeat and for our mouths to be silenced. His love casts out all fear. When Jesus was nailed to the cross He took our depression on Him. For those agonizing hours that He was on the cross He felt the weight of our depression, He felt the crushing emptiness of its attacks. But when He rose from the grave He threw of the weight of depression. So today I stand with confidence that as depression tries to defeat me, tempt me, and cloud my vision it will only end up shrinking back in fear at the blood of Jesus that covers my mind and my life. Depression you have been defeated.

I wrote this to speak to the hearts of those that have been battling depression. It is real but it is also a lie and I wanted your hearts to know that Jesus has come to set you free and that depression does not have to win or take mastery over your everyday life as it tires to do. I know that it is a fight but you are not alone. God sees you and knows you and has come to part the waves of your depression as you victoriously walk through them and turn to see your enemy swallowed by the waves. Praying that every lie of the enemy is silenced and that your mind is healed in Jesus' Name. "The thief comes only to steal, kill, and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full." - John 10:10

  -Sofia

Laughing At His Promises

Happy Thursday! I feel like it has been so long since I last posted. College is no joke. Seriously I never have a day where I have no homework, projects, assignments, etc. I'm thankful for all of it though. I'm getting a world class education and once in a lifetime opportunities so I fight to be grateful. God is faithful guys. I can never say it enough. As I see His promises unfold I get filled with wonder but also look back at myself a  few months ago and say "Man, why didn't I just trust Him." Has God ever said something to you and you just laugh because of how crazy it sounds. Reading Genesis 18:10-14 strikes familiarity in my heart "Then the Lord said, "I will surely return to you about this time next year, and Sarah your wife will have a son." Now Sarah was listening at the entrance to the tent, which was behind him. Abraham and Sarah were already old and well advanced in years, and Sarah was past the age of childbearing. So Sarah laughed to herself as she thought, "After I am worn out and my master is old, will I now have this pleasure?" Then the Lord said to Abraham, "Why did Sarah laugh and say "Will I really have a child, now that I am old?" Is anything to hard for the Lord?" Sarah laughed at God's promise and I have done the same thing countless amounts of time. When God speaks the impossible into our lives and does not operate according to our timing or plans we can shrink back in disbelief. That's what Sarah did. She laughed at the thought of having a child because of her old age. Personally when this happens to me my disbelief turns into fear, my fear turns into doubt, and walls are built around my heart. It's a deadly cycle. I look back over these past few months and see how God has been so faithful to carry me through and provide in ways I didn't even think of. I was terrified of coming into this new semester of school. I was fearful of the unknown, uncertain of the promises of God, and elevating the lies of the enemy and opinion of man. Nothing was going the way I planned yet God's plan remained perfect and in place. God never once says to Himself, "Oh no I have to change this now because this didn't work out, what am I going to do!?" Instead He says "I have known all along, I go before you and behind you, before you are even in the next season of your life I am already there preparing the people, the place, and everything in between." It is a fight to trust. The enemy will always whisper the lie of "You can't trust God." But I hear the Lord say to me, "I am silencing the lies with My love." What lie have you believed? What promise has God spoken to you that you have laughed at? Be honest with yourself. I've believed the lie that I can't trust God, so therefore I must take things into my own hands. I've laughed at the fact that God has told me He will provide me with EVERYTHING I need, even when my circumstances say otherwise.I have so many times been Sarah. I have laughed at what God has told me because it is to big, to radical, to miraculous.  But that is the God we serve. We serve a God who takes or mundane broken lives and does the miraculous with them. We serve a God who cares about us so much and has no limit to how much He cares for He is love itself. God is a promise keeper. If God has promised you something and you still haven't received it, do not stop waiting. He is faithful. The enemy will tell you in the waiting that God won't come through, but that is a lie, God ALWAYS comes through. Jesus adores you. Your name is on the palms of His hands. You have not been put on standby you are always before Him. So when God gives you a promise laugh not with doubt but with expectation, because as crazy as that promise sounds "He who promised is faithful."(Hebrews 10:23).
-Sofia

Breaking Strongholds of Fear that leads to Depression.

       "Don't you think I hear the whispers, those subtle lies, those angry pleas. They're just demons, demons, wishing they were free like me."- ( Diamonds)


   Fear is a prison. As I've made it through my first week back in college I've realized this. I look back at this past summer and see how captive to fear I was. I see even more clearly the walls of fear that imprisoned my heart because I chose to believe the lies of the enemy over the promises of God. I have also discovered that depression and anxiety reap a harvest of fear. As I submitted to it the walls of fear begin to rise up around my heart and blur my vision. I see that I was no loner looking through the lens of faith but through the lens of this dreadful fear. How did it all begin? A seed of fear was planted and I let it take root. I began to allow the enemy to water that depression with fear, doubt, and anxiety, and it began to grow all through my body, almost as if it was a parasite. The crazy thing is that I didn't even realize what was happening. I didn't realize that fear was overtaking my heart and mind. As the summer continued the fear got stronger. I listened to every voice that fueled my fear and rejected every voice the tried to crush it. It's as if fear became my crutch. I listened to the voices that said "Sofia the promises of God don't apply to you,\."Sofia you're never going to be in a relationship that God has ordered because you won't be able to handle it."Sofia you're not supposed to be here, it's impossible." Sofia you're not going to be able to pay for school, why are you going to Liberty." Sofia are you sure of your major, are you sure that's what you're supposed to be doing it doesn't seem logical, you might just be wasting your time. Sofia you should stay home and not go back to school because your family is not in the best spiritual condition and you're supposed to carry them." Sofia I don't know if he is the right guy for you." FEAR. FEAR. FEAR. That is what each and every one of these statement put in my heart. They crushed me because I submitted to their weight and the walls went up around my heart and shut out Jesus. I didn't know what voice to believe and what voice to deny so I just shut all of them out. I felt heavy and is if the affection of the Lord was slowly drifting from me. But oh what a lie from the pit of hell that was!! It was towards the end of summer in the month of July that I talked to a special friend of mine on the phone, crying my heart out because of the pain I was in, and through their voice Jesus spoke to me and said "Sofia you have walls around your heart and I want to get in. I am repairing your voice and I will tear down every wall if you let me." The transformation began when I surrendered. When I realized all of the fear that I had built up around my heart and all of the lies I submitted to I began to say "Fix it Jesus!!!" Please God tear down these walls I give them to you.  I began to watch a sermon series from Elevation Church entitled "The Will of God is Whatever." And Jesus began to tear down the walls! I had this revelation that my mind needed to be corrected by God's Word and my heart needed to be directed by it. So I began to have conversation with God through reading His Word. I just say "God can you show me things in Your Word to break down fear." And He did just that. It was amazing. I could literally physically feel my hardened heart being softened. As I came back to school I was more confident but still struggling with some doubt. Even as I began seeing God's promises and faithfulness unfold in front of me I still would say to myself "Is this for me?" It was just a few days ago that a friend I had made my freshman year of college, who I hadn't talked to in months and who knew nothing of my situation, texted me out of nowhere this "The Lord has really just given me a heart for you the last several days and I want to say thank you for standing firm and praising Him whatever your lot showing and pointing to His always and forever love that goes on. He is bringing victory in your life. I sense it. Strongholds demolished and chains of fear broken for he has heard your cry and seen you seek His face and He is coming. For He does not delay!" When I tell you I started breaking down in tears right in the library. I literally felt the presence of God so strong and so thick that I began to get hot in my face and started shaking. Jesus is breaking through my fear, and doubt, and helping me to run towards His promises and commands with an open heart. Jesus is crushing my depression and rebuking my anxiety with the loud sound of His voice. Jesus is repairing my voice that I might not shrink back in fear to His voice that calls me deeper and further into the unknown with Him,but that  says "Yes God!" He is giving me a war cry that shuts the lying mouth of the enemy and the voices of the doubters in my life. As I fight against fear I know that the war has already been won by the blood of Jesus. I know that God is for me and that even as Satan tries to throw his flaming darts of depression, fear, and doubt at me, my shield of faith that has been refined from suffering and the truth of God's Word, will take those flaming darts and quench them before they can even take root in my heart and mind. I just want to encourage those of you that are struggling with fear or who have struggled with it. His perfect love cast out ALL FEAR. Jesus is for you. You don't have to be scared, you don't have to withhold your heart. This morning my pastor said "Sometimes you can only see the wilderness, but God has a Promise Land waiting for you." Believe the promise guys.Don't let the opinions of doubters or Satan dictate your decisions. If I would've listened I would not be at Liberty University right now and I would not be chasing after everything God is for me and has for me. I've come to realize this, It's not over until God says it's over. I'm not moving until God says move. As long as the Lord's provision stays and His Spirit continues to lead me in that direction I will follow. Fear is a prison and Jesus holds the key to set you free. He has done it for me and continues to do it for me. I know there will be days when I will feel the fear creep in and start to whisper lies but I know that Jesus is right next to me saying this over my life "You are precious to Me. You are honored, and I love you." - Isaiah 43:4 May you all have a blessed week full of the chain breaking love of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. - Sofia

"All your curse will surrender, every damning word will kneel, They're just mountains, mountains, about to turn into fields." -(Diamonds)

Depression, Anxiety, and Becoming A Yielded Vessel.

What a summer this has been. It doesn't seem real that it's getting ready to come to an end. Not what I had intended, this summer was hard. Of course it was full of awesome moments, beautiful blessings, and comforting friends and family. But it was also full of waves of depression, anxiety, and an inner war on my heart that caused me to shrink back in fear from the only Voice that calms all fear. Inner battles are exhausting, and if you don't stay rooted in God's Word they will piece by piece break you down. I knew this truth, but I let the fear cripple me, I let the season of not feeling God's presence press me into the lie that the joy of the Lord isn't my strength. How can it be if I feel nothing? How can I feel so hollow and dry, so confused and despaired, so broken and lost but believe that He is my strength? These are the battles I fought continually in my mind. And then the question is raised "Am I even in God's will?" How can I possibly be feeling this way if I am living in God's will for my life? Am I supposed to be attending this University? Am I supposed to be majoring in this, pursuing this, going here, doing that?" These questions raised in my mind and screamed from my heart as I tossed and turned at night and woke in the morning. As I gave in to these questions and emotions I felt the walls slowly start to build up around my heart and shut my Savior out. Unintentionally, even without my thinking my heart slowly became like the inhabited city of Jericho before its walls came tumbling down. As scripture describes Jericho "No one went out and no one came in" (Joshua 6:1). And then came the thoughts of "how can this be me?" Because I don't feel like me. I'm Sofia. The radical, Jesus loving, demon chasing, tongue speaking, blood pleading, Holy Ghost fired up girl. But that girl seemed lost and there I was giving in to myself. Clenching my hands so tightly around things rather then the Creator. Blaming myself and trying to figure everything out instead of asking Jesus to break down the walls around my heart and heal me. My voice seemed gone. I became broken before the Lord. I worshiped and prayed and fasted and did everything else that I could think of but I still was empty because the walls around my heart were high and sturdy and my trust had withered. A few days ago I realized I need to ask Jesus to tear the walls around my heart down. To crush them, so that my heart may once again be yielded to my Savior, because quite frankly I can't make it without Him. I gave into the lie from the enemy that I could. I gave into the lie that the still small voice that whispers away the fear can't be trusted, and it crushed me. I'm thankful that in the midst of these seasons the Holy Spirt remains the same and still speaks to us. I cried out and said "Jesus will you march around my heart and bring down these walls like you did in Jericho." For me that was the Spirit of God living on the inside of me that cried that out. The same spirit that cries out ABBA sat in me and said "Father help her." What a summer this has been. So I've begun to read the story of Jericho. Although it's not the first time I've read it, it feels as if it is. And day by day my gracious, loving, holy Father, is marching around my heart, blowing His trumpet, and taking my walls down. It's a process. Joshua and his army had to march for seven days before the walls of the city came down, but they didn't stop until it was done. And Jesus is not going to stop until it's done. He is jealous for my heart, He longs to sit on the throne of it and have it completely yielded to Him. So that's what He will do. Jesus is going to march around my heart until all the walls have come tumbling down and in the process his amazing love is going to release my heart from fear into freedom because that's what He does. His blood still works. And in all of this I am becoming a yielded vessel. I write this today to say that I have failed. I gave in to lies, I turned from trust, and I slowly started to depend more on the world and less on my God. But oh the beauty of Jesus when He reaches down to me and says "I do not condemn you." So if you're out there struggling, if you feel guilty and hurt, lost and confused, broken and despaired I want you to know, Jesus wants you to know, that He is going to march around that stubborn, bruised, broken heart of yours and say "Walls come down for this is my child whom I have bled for and the enemy will not win." Even in my depression God is good. Even in my anxiety and fear of tomorrow He is good. Jesus is the Healer of broken hearts, even if we caused them to break, and I believe that He is not only going to heal mine but yours to. Thank You Lord. -Sofia "When the people gave a loud shout, the wall collapsed; so every man charged straight in, and they took the city." - Joshua 6:20

What Is Pentecost?

Happy Sunday everyone! I hope you all have been enjoying the weekend. Today has been wonderful! After a long week of work ( I mean really long) I got to go to church today and just get filled up on the Holy Spirit! I always look forward to going to my home church Calvary. It's one of my favorite places in the world. Today was Pentecost Sunday (I have to be honest every Sunday at my church is like Pentecost haha) but anyways it was so powerful! Seeing hundreds of people filled with the Holy Spirit for the first time is AMAZING. I love being reminded of the day that the Holy Spirit came to dwell on the inside of believers. The day the Holy Spirit filled us with a prayer language that would shake this world and make the devil shrink back in fear. God made available to every single believer the power to witness to the nations about the amazing love of Jesus. He gave us the power to cast out demons, raise the dead, heal the sick, and see an abundance of miracles, signs, and wonders all through the Holy Spirit. Tongues are powerful. They don't save you, nor are they a requirement to salvation, but they empower you to do the things of God on a whole nother level. There are times when I am to weak to pray my own human words, when I am to broken and I need the Holy Spirit to step in and pray on my behalf, that's where my heavenly language comes in. The fact that God has made available to us sinful humans to literally have God Himself pray through us, will never cease to amaze me. As amazing as speaking in tongues is, the power that it releases is even gretaer and the Holy Spirt behind it surpases it all. They Holy Spirit does more than pray through us. He leads us, speaks to us, comforts us, brings things to our remembrance and so much more. Pentecost is about receiving power. Not power to do as our flesh wills, but power to carry out the miraculous things of God and deny the flesh. I am thankful for Pentecost. I am thankful that on that day God gave us Himself in a new and fresh way. I pray that my life is constantly an outpouring of Pentecost and that I continue to be bold in the supernatural things of God. I also pray that the church as a whole does not shrink back into the cessationist view of "this is not real or for today." but that we boldly dive into the power of God and watch what happens when we let the Holy Spirit have full control. Lives will be saved, people will be healed, an no one will walk out of church feeling the same.  Like my pastor said in church today " So much of the church has been to Calvary for pardon but has not been to Pentecost for power." We need this power guys! I pray that each of you encounter Him in a new way and are filled with this powerful gift. It's for everyone! -Love Sofia

When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them. - Acts 2:1-4

You Are Life

The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. - John 10:10

Happy Saturday everyone! Today I just wanted to take a minute and share these amazing photos taken with my best friend in the whole wide world! Shonda and I are obsessed with the ministry/clothing line/song...called You Are Life. Founded by Taylor Madu (who we are also obsessed with) this amazing ministry literally screams the amazing restoration and redemption of Jesus Christ. Jesus is life guys and He has given it to us freely. Seriously when I wear this shirt I am reminded that I'm not just here but that I am revived by the resurrection power of my savior and that no matter what I go through or what hardships I face I am alive because Jesus lives in me. I highly reccomend that each and everyone of you visit taylormadu.com to get more information on this amazing minstry, read her testimony (it will levae you on your knees) and check oput the amazing merchandise that Shonda and I are rocking in these pictures! Join the You Are Life movement why? Because it's a Jesus movement and there's nothing better to be apart of!  Thanks so much to Shonda's cousin Orien Henry for taking this awesome pictures!! Oh and another thing, Black is beautiful, White is beautiful, biracial is beautiful, EVERY ethnicity is beautiful. Life is beautiful. Just thought I should add that in there. - Love Sofia.

Outfit Details:
Me: Shirt- You Are Life white v-neck
      Skirt- Forever 21
      Shoes: Converse
Shonda: Shirt: You Are Life black and gold
            Skirt: Forever 21
            Shoes: Target
            Hat: Forever 21

Struck Down. But Not Destroyed.

"The Benjamites came out of Gibeah and cut down twenty-two thousand Israelites on the battlefield that day. But the men of Israel encouraged one another and again took up their positions where they had stationed themselves the first day."- Judges 20:21-22

Wow. I can't believe that my freshman year of college is almost over. This is my last full weekend  at Liberty before I head home for the summer and the more I think about it the more I cry (tears of joy of course). I had no idea what to expect this school year. It's funny because when I look back at all of my worries before leaving home to come to Virginia, I see how they were so small compared to what God was going to do with them. "What are my roommates going to be like?" "How am I going to pay for all of this stuff?" "How am I supposed to take medicine without my mom?" "What do I do if I have to go to the doctors?" "Wait I have to buy my own groceries?" "Where am I going to church?" "Are my roommates going to think it's weird that I speak in tongues?"  "What do I wear when it's snowing?" And the list goes on and on and on. I'm glad that I can look at these questions now and laugh because of how I have seen God provide for each one of them. He has been so faithful! It blows my mind how much has happened from August till now. I have grown so much. It hasn't been an easy journey. I have shed many many tears and have gone through different painful trials. I've experienced fear,doubt, heartache, worry, depression, and the list goes on. But in the midst of all of these things that have come in these two semesters of college God's love prevails them all. I can not even begin to imagine how I would have made it this far without Jesus. When God places you somewhere He makes that holy ground and sets it apart for Himself to work miracles and I have seen that come true in my life here at Liberty. I always say that I go to the greatest school on planet earth and I mean it. Seriously Liberty University has exceeded every expectation that I had when coming here. It blows my mind every time I think about the amazing people that I have encountered and built relationships with all based off of Jesus. Never in my life have I been surrounded by such an awesome body of believers that seriously care about every little detail of my life. To me it's God's way of showing how He loves us. The verse I used above struck me because of how much it relates to my life right now. In this chapter of Judges the Israelites are going to war against the Benjamites because God has told them to. The thing is though when they first enter into battle the Israelites are cut down 22,000 people, leaving the Benjamites with the victory. Why in the world would God tell them to go and fight and then let them get cut down? The Israelites didn't give up though, they encouraged each other and together they approached the Lord asking if they should continue fighting. Again God says yes. So they obey and go to fight again, this time they loose 18,000 Israelites! When this happens to us in life we get so confused. "God you told me to come here and do this but I keep getting defeated! Why?" I feel like this has been my mindset during certain times at school. I would be going through something, having a bad day or week and I would think "Jesus why did you bring me here? What was the point if I'm just going to keep getting knocked down?" But as I keep reading I see the Israelites crying out to God, praying, fasting, and seeking His face on what their next move needs to be. Again God says go but this time he adds "For tomorrow I will give them into your hands." (v 28). So the Israelites again go to war against the Benjamites this time getting the victory and striking down 25,100 Benjamites! I guess this spoke to me so much because I can relate to the Israelites, especially after facing the unknown in college. I know what it's like to have God tell me to do something and when I do it I get knocked down but then He tells me to do it again. I believe this makes me stronger and even more dependent on Him. I also believe it makes the victory even sweeter. What a sweet victory it is that I have made it through my first year at college.  I'm hundreds of miles away from home living in a different state, meeting new people, and experiencing new things and God has been so faithful. Sometimes it can feel like everything is against you but  God is for you and in the end He always gets the victory. I am so thankful for the encouraging people that God has placed in my life this school year. I have made friendships that I value so deeply and I can't wait to see what God does with them. Jesus is AMAZING. I have no idea what the future holds but I know who holds my future. I'm excited to come home and pour into my family, friends, and strangers. I'm excited to go out and use everything God has taught me this semester. But I am also excited to be back at Liberty. I haven't even left to go home yet and I'm already saying "Okay when do I get back to Virginia?" God has done exceedingly above all I could ask or imagine. Thank you Jesus. Remember guys "When Jesus says yes nobody can say no."- Sofia Oh an p.s. My roommates are amazing, God provided money, I learned to take medicine without asking my mom, I survived going to the doctors without a parent, I've become a grocery shopping pro, God placed me in a beautiful church, my roommates love Jesus and tongues,

and I'm still learning the snow clothes thing, but I'm getting there! (Just to answer all of the questions I put in the beginning). 

Trusting Him in Emptiness.

I have to be honest, I feel like I need to be ministered to more than I need to minister in this particular moment. I feel like I've been so poured out that my cup of offering is empty. I think we all have these different times in our lives when life seems to constantly be against us. Everyday it's something different and by the end of the week we find ourselves with all of these things stacked against us. Times like this leave me in a place of brokenness. Having a mandate to be in full time ministry is hard but I think learning to trust God to fill you up when your empty is harder. "I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint. My heart has turned to wax; it has melted away within me." -Psalm 22:14  Trusting God to come in and bring restoration through His power and love when we feel like this cry of David is hard. Actually it's more than hard, it can seem unbearable sometimes. As I continue reading through this scripture though I see that David continues to praise God and declare His goodness over the nations. David stays in this posture of worship even when He is under so much torment that he feels as if his heart has melted away. He then comes to the revelation of "You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows."- Psalm 23:5.  How do we go from "I am poured out like water," to "my cup overflows." I don't have the answer to this and it's hard to discern what it might be while you're in the thick of things, but I do know that David never stopped worshiping. Even while he was in the middle of physical and spiritual affliction beyond belief he continued to worship. And somehow out of that sacrificial worship David went from being poured out like water, and crushed down, to overflowing with anointing. He came to this mighty revelation that God has purposed things in His life that the enemy can not stop. I'm hearing God say that He wants me to trust Him with EVERYTHING I have. He wants me to trust Him with all of my life, with all of my heart, with all of my things. He wants me to lay it all down at His feet and walk even if I don't know where I'm walking. It's times like this in life where your faith is really tested and where you really have to say "Okay Jesus I can't see but I know you can." I really just wanted to come from a place of vulnerability with you guys today. Life isn't perfect and it's most definitely not easy. I think we become ineffective in ministry if we are only willing to share the good things with people.We have to be willing to share the hard parts of life, and show people that we don't have everything together. Sometimes when people ask you how you're doing you need to be truthful and say how you're really feeling. That's what I'm doing now. I just want to minister today to the heart that is hurting because I know what it's like to have a hurting heart. A word of encouragement is this "I know whom I have believed, and am convinced that He is able to guard what I have entrusted to Him for that day." - 2 Timothy 1:12. I have entrusted Jesus with my life, my heart, and with the people that enter into it, and I know that He is able to guard it ALL. I know that my Redeemer lives, even if I don't feel like it. And I know that Satan is defeated and that my head is anointed with oil. The Holy Spirit has the power and I will continue to say "Jesus I trust you." even when I am pressed in on every side. Praying for restoration and victory for your guys lives!- Sofia

Craving Jesus. Loosing Comfort.

"Lord, help me to crave You more than I crave comfort." The Holy Spirit deposited this prayer in my spirit yesterday as I was sitting in the doctors office waiting room. I instantly wrote it down. It's funny that this very prayer that I would not fall into always being comfortable made me feel very uncomfortable.  I think it's really powerful when the Holy Spirit gives you something to pray because it's not your own will or flesh, but it's God praying through you. The last prayer Holy Spirit gave me to pray was "Jesus I want to live in your heartbeat." For some reason I feel like I'm getting ready to enter into a new season, even though it feels like I've only been in this season for a short amount of time.One thing I've learned is that when the Holy Spirit gives you something to pray and you are obedient to praying that God begins to move in ways you've never experienced. When I submitted to the prayer the Holy Spirit gave me back in January, God wrecked my world with His amazing love like I had never experienced before. In just these short two months my heart has touched Jesus' heart in ways that I never knew possible. God stepped in and redeemed all of the time that I spent not giving my heart fully to Him and restored every promise that the enemy had convinced me I lost. I'm so thankful that I serve a God who never forgets or breaks His promises to us even when we forget or break our promises to Him. He is so merciful! So now I sit wondering what this next season is going to bring. I have to be honest that this prayer scares me a little. I know I'm not alone in saying that I like to be comfortable. I like feeling secure and in control, but I know that God's plan for my life is not that I feel in control or secure because of myself. His plan is that I am terrified of myself being in control and finding security in earthly things. God wants me to find security in nothing else but Him. He wants me to have no control so that I can know it is my King who has all of the control. This is so hard! My flesh fights with my spirit daily over wanting to have control. My flesh so badly wants to have security in earthly possessions. I want to have a nice career, a successful ministry, a big beautiful family, a nice house, an awesome husband, and so on. There's nothing wrong with wanting these things but the problem is that my flesh wants to find security in these things. While my flesh is fighting to find security in these things I hear the Spirit of God say "No, find security in Me." I know that this prayer is dangerous to the kingdom of darkness because when a Christian asks God to be taken out of their comfort zone miracles happen, people get saved, Satan gets crushed, and the church breaks out in revival. So of course as this prayer comes out of my lips daily, I will face spiritual warfare. I believe if there's anything the enemy wants more than unsaved people, it's Christians that are afraid to live radical lives for Jesus. My message to Satan is basically the same as Jesus' "Get thee behind me!" The devil has absolutely NO authority. This past Sunday the guest preacher at my church said something that convicted me greatly. "Fear is idolatry." If you fear something it's because you think it is powerful, which means you are worshiping it, which is idolatry. God has called us to fear Him only and to worship Him only.  So with boldness I rebuke Satan and say bye to the spirit of fear. God has called me to something so much bigger than myself. He wants to know that He can have my heart fully which means I may have to go through some things that show that He does. It can be scary thinking that but I have to trust that God is sovereign and nothing happens that He does not allow. If we are always comfortable we may never know what it truly means to fully rely on Jesus. This does not mean that we should live in fear of what's to come, God is a good Father and I am learning to trust in that truth daily. I have a radical spirit, and I want to see that radical spirit overflow out of my life. I know that God has called me to preach and that He wants to push that radical spirit and birth a wave of glory everywhere I go. From what I've seen and heard giving  birth is not pleasant experience, it's painful, but oh the joy that overwhelms the parents when they get to hold that baby. I think it's the same thing in the supernatural. Birthing things in the spirit realm may be painful, but the immense joy that comes when the delivery has taken place! I'm in the business of kicking Satan's butt and seeing God's people restored with the power of Jesus Christ. I'm praying right now that I will relentlessly pursue Jesus and that God takes me out of my comfort zone so that revival can brake forth. By the power of Christ in me I want to be able to don anything for Jesus! I pray that this sparks something in you guys reading this. That you will get on your faces before God and say "Jesus what do you want me to do, where do you want me to go? I say yes!" Know that when you ask God this you may get an answer that you did not expect and you may not be comfortable with it, but also know that God loves you so much and He is not going to bring you anywhere that He is not. He is your Father, your awesome Dad who is your holding your hand and is going to bring  you to places you could never go on your own. I'm still learning this and even as I type God is opening my heart to His love. God may take us out of our comfort zone but He will never take us out of the comfort of His Spirit. Step out of comfort and into Jesus' heart beat today. It will reap an eternal reward that no devil in hell can steal. Thank you Jesus! -Sofia

"Do I bring to the moment of birth and not give delivery? says the LORD." - Isaiah 66:9

Living in His Heartbeat (Divine Healing)

The blind man said, "Rabbi, I want to see you." "Go," said Jesus, "your faith has healed you." Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus along the road. - Mark 10:51-52

Healing flows out of the heartbeat of Jesus. As I sit at Jesus' feet and live in His heartbeat His love for us and infallible Word to us becomes clearer to me and so much more tangible. One thing that God has pressed on my heart so passionately is divine healing. I've grown up in church where healing is a normal thing. I remember being young and laying hands on sick kids and praying that God would heal them. I've always been passionate about healing, but God is showing it to me in a new way. He is revealing it to me through His eyes. I can say with great joy and thankfulness that God has placed me in two churches, one back home and one here at college, where people are getting healed of sickness left and right. It is truly one of the most amazing things to witness, and I believe that is how God intended for the church to operate. In Mark 16:17 Jesus says "And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; they shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover." I believe with all of my heart that healing, signs, wonders, tongues, and the whole shabang is just as real today as it was when the Apostles were living. Jesus said that these signs will accompany those who believe, if you are a believer of Jesus Christ these things are made available to you for the sole purpose of glorifying God. The lashes that Jesus took for us were not just so we could enter the kingdom of God but so that healing would be made available to us. God's very essence is healing. When Jesus was on the cross He took on all of our sickness and infirmities. He took our sickness so that we could be made whole. Not just our spiritual sickness but our physical sickness as well. God is passionate about seeing His children healed. As I spend more time in His presence and Word this truth continues to ring in my spirit. The enemy wants the church to go into confusion and think that it is God's will when someone gets sick. It is not God's will for someone to get sick. We live in a fallen world full of sin, that's why sickness exist. When you live in the heartbeat of Jesus and spend time at His feet He reveals His heart to you and you come into the truth that He has set His affection on you. Imagine if you had children or if you do, would you ever in your will want them to be sick? Probably not. So how much more would your perfect heavenly Father want that for our lives. Jesus' heart is healing because He is the healer. As I've spent time in His presence and as He has poured His heart out on me I've experienced His healing power enter my life like never before. If you're sick or know someone who is, whether spiritually or physically, I encourage you to lay hands on them or yourself and pray for healing. Not without boldness or in a begging manner, but with the confidence that you or whoever you are praying for is already healed in the Name of Jesus! Healing is your portion because Jesus is your portion and Jesus is a healer. I know that there can be many disputes on this topic but I don't so much care about getting caught up in theological arguments, I care about chasing after the heart of Jesus and letting Him humble me as He reveals His heart and Word to me. I don't want to be looked at as a typical, safe, church girl. I want to be looked at as a radical, Holy Ghost filled, Jesus chaser who isn't afraid to actually do what the bible says, and that includes laying hands on the sick. I pray that through this lifestyle of mine Jesus is glorified above all, and that others are compelled to experience Him in that way. Sit at His feet today and ask Holy Spirit to reveal to you why healing flows out of Jesus' heart. He will blow your mind. Let us be like Bartimaeus who longed to see Jesus and had great enough faith to believe that he would. Remember that Jesus' heart beats passionately for you and that by His stripes you are healed. - Sofia

Living In His Heartbeat (Purpose)

The more that I find myself going deeper into the heartbeat of Jesus, the more I find His heart and purpose for my life being revealed. A few years ago when God met me where I was and completely wrecked my life with His presence He spoke this bible verse into my spirit.

   "Therefore this is what the Lord says: If you repent, I will restore you that you may serve me; if you utter worthy, not worthless, words, you will be my spokesman. Let this people turn to you, but you must not turn to them. I will make you a wall to this people, a fortified wall of bronze; they will fight against you but will not overcome you, for I am with you to rescue and save you," declares the Lord." -Jeremiah 15:19-20

At the time I didn't realize that God was placing a prophetic Word in my life that would soon birth in me a passion to preach. I didn't realize that this was a calling from my Savior to step into the purpose for which He has birthed me. Over the years I've gone through trials that have tested my faith and worn me out. I've submitted to my flesh rather than submitting to the Spirit. I've failed and have been disobedient. Through all of these things God has brought me closer and closer to His heart. Through each trial He reveals to me more of His purpose for my life. I wouldn't say that I have it all figured out and know exactly where God is going to call me. But I do know that I have a divine purpose and that as I sit at Jesus' feet more and more that purpose has been revealed. Jesus' heart beats for our purpose. Why? Because the purpose for which God has planned for us will glorify Him, bring souls into His kingdom, release revival, and send out His unrelenting love to every place that our feet step. You don't have to be called to be a pastor in order for these things to happen. Because these things are God's purpose for each of our lives. The enemy loves to send confusion into our lives so we become worried as to what our calling/purpose is. When I was in high school I would always hear people talk about what they wanted to have as a career and I would get overwhelmed because not only did I not know what I wanted to do but I did not feel a passion for what would be considered a normal job. When I got hung up on this confusion it turned into frustration which then led to me being upset with God. That's exactly what the enemy wanted. But I've found that submitting to the confusion of the enemy only brings you further from your purpose. Instead of submitting to the enemies confusion I started siting at Jesus' feet and saying "Lord this is your life take it, use it, do whatever you want because I have no idea what I'm doing." The more I do this, the more I find that Jesus is just as concerned with our purpose as we are. He wants to see this life that He has birthed flourish in His joy and Spirit. He wants to see the things which He has set you apart with before the beginning of the world come to fulfillment. You guys, the more that we spend time with our King the more His purpose begins to unfold in our lives. It's a supernatural process that requires of us to be faithful because we may not always be able to see where we are going. But it is so worth it. I am a strong believer that God has set a divine purpose for your life. He knew what it was before you were even growing in your mom's womb. Don't let the world tell you any differently and don't submit to the lies of the enemy. Go and sit at Jesus' feet and say "Jesus dream through me, breathe through me, have my life and let the purpose for which you have created it come to fulfillment." I promise that when we do this with open hands and open hearts He will allow us to see ourselves through His eyes and will place us right in the center of the purpose for which His heart beats. You have purpose beyond your understanding. Instead of seeking the purpose, seek the One who has created the purpose. -Sofia 

Glory Sunday's

Happy Sunday everyone!! I hope you all have been having a refreshing weekend. This weekend has definitely been eventful. Spring break has begun!! Me and my lovely roommate/best friend made the 3 hour treck from Liberty to DC Friday evening and having been relaxing and preparing for our week of adventure in the Nations Capital ever since. Today we visited Awakening Community Church/Prayer Furnace and it was AMAZING. I love traveling to different churches, meeting new people, and experiencing the manifest glory of God right here. We saw the kingdom of God become present in our very midst in church today and it was so awesome. I love when I go to church and people are dancing, jumping, singing, falling out under His glory, and just loving on Jesus. Both Katarina and I had such a joyful time and fell in love with this body of Christ. The kingdom of God is not a matter of talk, but power! I can't wait to come back!

Since the weather was so beautiful and our outfits were picture worthy we decided to have a mini photoshoot.  I am wearing a Forever 21 cable knit sweater (I'm obsessed), an added waist belt, flower print dress, tights, and booties.
Kat is wearing a Forever 21 dress (we're twins) and cute knee boots. I love dressing up and these outfits definitely express our individuality. Kat is a boho hippie and I'm super girly. I love how fashion can so much about a person! Hope you guys have a great week full of God's glory and presence and tons of adventure! - Sofia

Streams In The Wasteland

"For I will pour water on the thirsty land, and streams on the dry ground; I will pour out my Spirit on your offspring, and my blessing on your descendants. They will spring up like grass in a meadow, like poplar trees by flowing streams." -Isaiah 44:3-4

 I am so captivated by God's heart for us. Over the past month I've been experiencing His heart like never before. At then end of January I was coming out of a hard season in my life where I wasn't really listening to God and I just kind of did my own thing. God spoke to me, when I finally admitted my wrongs and surrendered, and told me He wanted to place the Bethel anointing in my life. At the time I didn't fully understand or know what that would look like but now I am in the thick of it and it blows my mind. I've been experiencing the love of Jesus like never before. He has brought me into such an intimate season with Him and I don't think I've ever been so in love with Him. Most recently He has been giving me visions. It's the same vision over and over but it is so powerful and always leaves me in greater awe of God. In the vision Jesus is sitting in a chair at a table and I'm sitting at His feet with my knees up to my chin staring at Him with this childlike love. He looks at me with these eyes that are burning with love and wonder. He begins to laugh the most incredible laugh and  I join in. We began talking, I have no idea what we're talking about, but we are just laughing hysterically. I'm sitting there at the feet of my King and He is taking delight in me. There are times when He reaches down to me and takes my hands in His and He cries. In my spirit I can feel that He is crying tears of joy and wonder. "My Child." that's what He calls me. This is the most intimate vision I've ever had and it has changed my life. Jesus is constantly changing my life with His amazing love, but this is so incredible. I mean I just saw myself sitting at the feet of my King. My King who I have disobeyed, denied, fought against, given up hope in. And He is taking delight in me. He is laughing with me, comforting me, and crying over my presence with Him. And there I am sitting at His feet in complete wonder and awe. My heart feels so full it could burst and then He weeps and calls me His child. I am so wrecked by His love. Even as I'm typing this tears stream down my face because I am overwhelmed by my God. I share this with you guys because this is how God looks at us. Jesus is madly in love with us. He just wants us to sit with Him, to rest in His presence, to tell Him about our day and laugh with Him or cry. He wants me. He wants us. I want you guys to see that Jesus wants to sit with you and take delight in you. Isn't that one of the most beautiful truths to discover. That Jesus takes delight in us. Even though we can be so annoying and disobedient and wrong. He still delights in us. There is so much found at the feet of Jesus. Peace, joy, love, restoration, quenched thirst, healing. Just look at the story of Mary and Martha. When Jesus went to stay at their house Mary sat at Jesus' feet listening to Him and soaking in everything that He said, while Martha was distracted and ran about doing work. Martha got frustrated with Mary because she was sitting at Jesus' feet and not helping her. She complained to Jesus and this is what Jesus said "Martha, Martha," the Lord answered, "you are worried and upset about many things, but only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her."(Luke 10:41-42). Jesus wants us to sit down at His feet. He wants to pour His Spirit into us and over us. He want to take all dry ground in your life and water it with His love causing streams to flow through everything that was once dead and dry. God wants to take the dry things in your life and make them quenched. He wants to breathe life into everything in your life that is dead. He wants to give you streams in the wasteland and cover you with flowing streams. All of these things come by sitting at Jesus' feet. I encourage you guys to encounter the heart of Jesus today. Just pray "Jesus I want to be in your heartbeat." If you are desperate and in need of a fresh wave of glory from the lover of your soul, get on your face before God and ask Him to flood your dryness with living water. Jesus doesn't just want you to be saved, He wants you to be filled with His love. He wants to laugh with you and bring redemption and restoration. He loves us so much guys. I pray that everyone who reads this encounters God's heart like they never have before. I pray that you guys experience His supernatural love for you and that your dry grounds become streams of living water as you long to get at His feet. Jesus is calling us to the table because He wants to lavish His love on us as we lavish our praise on Him. Come to the feet of Jesus, it will change your life.- Love Sofia. 

The vibrant blue colors in my skirt and sweater inspired today's post. I love how Jesus uses fashion to remind me of Him.

Peace of Mind is Your Portion.

  "Where jackals once lay, grass and reeds and papyrus will grow." - Isaiah 35:7

(Where there used to be no peace, victory, or flourishing. God promises He will replace it with flourishing land, peace, and His glory.)


Do you ever feel like you're constantly being tested? Just as soon as something starts going right in your life something else crashes in and makes every good thing seem like it has lost its goodness. I think this happens to all of us. We go through seasons and days where we feel like we are constantly being attacked and most of the time it doesn't even make sense. For example the other day I spent my morning worshiping on my face. I love getting down on my face before God,I experience Him in such an intimate way when I do that. Anyways I spent that morning seeking God's face and asking Him for nothing more than to wreck my life and fill me up till I'm overflowing, basically I was just crying out for more of Him. About ten minutes after leaving that posture of worship I found myself being spiritually attacked in my mind. I got upset and confused and said "God why am I feeling like this and thinking these things, why is my family struggling, I just came out of worship with you I don't understand." A few minutes later I heard Him say to me. "Sofia I don't think you understand you've asked me for the most dangerous thing against the enemy." The Holy Spirit began to deal with me and I realized that asking God to fill me up and take complete control is a serious weapon against the kingdom of darkness because seeing God's face is what sparks revival. It's what breaks chains and causes men and women to rise up and radiate the glory of God that others may get saved and come into the kingdom. Seeking God with this earnest abandonment of the heart causes reverberations of his glory to go out into your city, household, church, workplace and so on. The enemy can't handle that so he attacks. You know one thing the enemy love is a stale Christian. He loves a Christian that isn't burning with passion for the gospel and the tangible glory of God. Why? Because this kind of staleness produces churches where people walk in sick and leave sick, where people walked in dead in their sin and leave even more dead in their sin, where people walked in depressed, stressed, and worn out, and leave the same way. If Satan can't get someone to be a non believer he will try with all he can to get a believer to be dry. If you ask me that's even more dangerous. So when the cry of our hearts becomes "Fill me up God" we become an even bigger target. I have to be honest I struggle a lot with my mind. As the stress piles in and I get caught up in my flesh and everything else that's going on around me the battlefield of my mind begins. Thoughts of worry, anxiety, pain, and tragedy will randomly pop up in my mind. Things that shouldn't consume my mind consume it and I begin to get frustrated with myself. This is why God's Word is vital. When attacks like this start to flood my atmosphere there's two things I do  1)Plead the blood of Jesus. You can call it old school but I promise that it works. The blood of Jesus is what saved you and me from hell and broke every chain of sin and condemnation off of our lives. What makes us think it still is not just as powerful to take charge over our minds and say "Not today Satan I plead the blood of Jesus over my mind which is renewed in Jesus, these thoughts do not deserve to enter me, I am a child of God." 2) Declare the promises of God over your life. The promises of God are found in His word so in order for this to take place you must read His word. These words have life and power. When Jesus used the word of God against Satan in the dessert the devil had to flee. Satan can not stand against the wonder working power of the blood of Jesus and His word. Use it. 

It's not as easy as it sounds. Sometimes I would much rather cry and just sit in my thoughts and sometimes I do. We are human and it will happen. But I hold on to the fact that God is refining me. That through the battlefield of the mind and trials and tribulations God is building me and fighting for me. That's why this life can sometimes seem like a war. Because God and His angle armies are literally fighting for our souls and minds every single day as the kingdom of darkness tries to overtake it. The good news. Jesus has already won and the devil has been defeated. Praise God! Even when it may feel like Satan is winning know that is a lie from the devil himself. He will never win. Your portion is not a disturbed mind your portion is Jesus and Jesus is "Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace." (Isa 9:6).  Prince of Peace come and sit on out hearts and minds today. Transform us God and help us to pick up the sword of the spirit and shield of faith so that every attack on our minds from the enemy is  brought down to your feet and removed far from us. Fill us up God, so much to  the point that we are overflowing. In Jesus Name!

I pray that this doesn't just encourage you guys but that it makes you realize the power that lies within you and that we need to be people that seek the face of God and put the enemy in his place. We are not defeated. We are victorious. -Love Sofia.

Sweet Victory.

Have you ever been so in awe of God that you just can't stop laughing and rejoicing?! You find your breath taken away and can't seem to come up with words to describe the goodness of what He has just done. Yep that's me right about now. Last night I went to a strip club. Never did I think I would be standing outside in the dark night submerged in 18 degree weather, huddled in a circle with girls (and one guy) standing outside of a strip club in the middle of no where singing "How He loves." Declaring His promises, and singing praise over such a dark place that the enemy has invaded was incredible. It was amazing how as we lifted up the name of Jesus outside of the club with a guitar, voices, prayer, and God's Word chains of darkness began to fall off that place and it was made into Holy ground. This process started last year. A girl on my hall, Katelyn had a vision and heart for reaching out to girls suffering in Human trafficking and prostitution. She made an announcement during our hall meeting asking if anyone would be interested in praying with her and seeing what the Lord wanted to do with this dream placed in her heart. Two fundraising clothing stores and 4 group meetings/time of prayer later we all loaded up in two cars with 20 gift bags completely unaware of what was going to happen. Only having the knowledge that Jesus is sovereign and is in complete control. We show up at the club around 9 pm and started off in prayer and worship. I've never been so cold in my life but I've also never felt so close to the heartbeat of Jesus. It was beyond humbling. I mean think about it, Jesus suffered so much for us because He is passionately and endlessly in love with us. It was amazing to see Him place me in a spot where there was suffering and a passion for souls. After praying and worshiping together for about 15 minutes. Two of the girls who have been our leaders through this took the box of gifts inside as we all waited in the car outside off the doors interceding and praying that God would do a work in that place. (Side note: the gift bags were valentines day themed and had chocolate, nail polish, face wash, hand written letters declaring God's promises and love towards the girls, and new testament bibles.) They were inside for about 25 minutes. We were honestly expecting nothing more than for our girls to deliver the gifts to the manager of the club and then leave but of course Jesus always does exceedingly above or beyond anything we could ask or think. When Kendall and Katelyn came out of the club with a man we were all a little shocked, but it turned out to be something amazing. This man was one of the managers of the club. He came to walk them out and say thank you. He wanted to let us know that he is going to make sure every gift gets to every girl and that he is glad we came to do this because the girls need hope. Not only that but he invited us back  and gave us discount cards to get in the cub so we could share our testimony of Jesus Christ with the girls face to face! The head manager took down our leaders e-mail just in case some of the girls at the club wanted to get in contact. The crazy things is, is that this is exactly what we prayed for. We prayed that the managers heart would be softened and that doors would be opened for us to build a relationship with him so the girls at the club could be ministered to. Look at God!!! Oh and the manager even opened up about his spiritual life and where he is with God, which then led him to say that because we came there he will be in church this Sunday! UMMMM JESUS!! We were all so pumped and overwhelmed by the power of prayer and the power of our awesome God. Because of Jesus 20 strippers are going to get a gift that tells them they are loved, valuable, precious, and the King of the universe is passionately pursuing them. I believe those girls are going to get saved because I believe a seed was planted last night and God is going to water it with the only living water and make it bloom into salvation. Gosh the sweetness of Jesus is amazing. Guys never underestimate the power of prayer. Never in my life have I felt so unworthy and so unseen yet so engulfed in Jesus' heartbeat. Who I am that I get to go and stand outside of a strip club crying out to God and asking Him to break chains when I am no better than the men and women inside of that club. That's how our redeeming Savior works. He is a miracle worker. I pray that this testimony encourages you guys to be passionate for souls and willing to go into the lowest of the low so that people can get saved and experience His amazing love. God wants to do marvelous things through you, you just have to be willing to say yes. Please continue praying for the girls in this club, the manager, and our team that went out. We are going to continue pursuing God's heart and seeing where He wants us. But while we are pursuing we are praying. This ministry didn't stop with us giving the gifts and leaving , it has now just begun for we have been given a mandate to pray for these women and men and trust God to have His way in their hearts. Satan is defeated and every chain is broken in Jesus Name.

- Cause I loved you before you knew what was love

And I saw it all, still I chose the cross

And you were the one that I was thinking of

When I rose from the grave,

Now rid of the shackles, My victory’s yours,

I tore the veil for you to come close

There’s no reason to stand at a distance anymore

You’re not far from home. (Steffany Gretzinger)

Preparing the gifts and praying over them!

The coupons the manager gave us.

Purpose Behind the Glory (pt 1)

"Then the Lord said to Moses, Behold, I will rain bread from the heavens for you." Exodus 16:4

 Something that the Holy Spirit has been teaching me, God's glory has different forms but always has purpose. I've found that as I pray over and over for particular things God teaches me on what I'm praying for almost as if I'm in Sunday school. What's amazing about it though is that all the teaching is literally being delivered by the Holy Spirit. I'll find the Spirit taking me through scripture and placing verses heavy on my heart and He will begin ministering them to me and bringing a fresh revelation. A lot of the time I find this happening before the prayer is answered. It's like God is saying, "I'm going to answer this prayer but first I want to teach you something about what you're praying because you really have know idea what the purpose for what you're praying for is." I find myself thinking, "God of course I know why I'm praying for this or else I wouldn't be praying for it right?" and then of course He's like "Sofia no you don't stop questioning and be a vessel that I can pour my word into, I'm trying to equip you and mature your spirit and mind, will you let me do that or are you going to continue questioning me?" At this point I'm like "okay I need to take a step back and listen to Jesus before I miss out on what He is trying to speak into my life." So last night I began praying for fresh bread from heaven to fall. Previously I've been praying for the glory of God to fall so hard and just completely wreck us and take over our hearts. This morning God said to me "There is always a purpose for my glory and when I send my glory I send instruction." Look at Moses. From the time he first encountered God's glory in the burning bush, to when he continually approached Pharaoh, to when the Red Sea was parted and the people were led out to the desert, God's glory was poured out and Moses was always receiving instruction from it. It was a humbling and wrecking process. We need to be humbled and wrecked by the Holy Spirit constantly so that we can be people that are instructed by glory. God's glory is always poured out for purpose. We can not drive away from that purpose. When God sent His glory in the form of manna to the Israelite community it came with purpose/instruction. "Then Moses said to them, "No one is to keep any of it until morning." (talking about the manna). (Exodus 16:20) but they disobeyed the instruction. "However, some of them paid no attention to Moses; they kept part of it until morning, but it was full of maggots and began to smell." (Exodus 16:20). We must obey God"s instruction on His glory! If He is telling us to give it we must not keep it to ourselves or else it will leave a stench and rot just like the manna. When we pray for fresh bread we should also pray for a heart of instruction on what should be done with that glory. God's glory results in salvation, healing, breakthrough, direction, hearts humbled and wrecked from the spirit, victory. Worship is the key into His glory and brings the cloud, and aroma of His presence. His banner begins to surround us as we worship. He becomes our Jehovah-Nissi. God said to me "We need to have glory saturated lives so Jethros can be birthed." Jethro was Moses' father-in-law. When he found out about what God had done for Moses and all of the Israelite people he "Jethro was delighted to hear about all the good things the Lord had done for Israel in rescuing them from the hand of the Egyptians. He said, “Praise be to the Lord, who rescued you from the hand of the Egyptians and of Pharaoh, and who rescued the people from the hand of the Egyptians. Now I know that the Lord is greater than all other gods, for he did this to those who had treated Israel arrogantly.” Then Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, brought a burnt offering and other sacrifices to God, and Aaron came with all the elders of Israel to eat a meal with Moses’ father-in-law in the presence of God. (Exodus 18:9-12). Jethro worshiped God and proclaimed His glory and encountered His presence. God was glorified and that is always the purpose. Now the question is are you willing to loose everything for Jesus? That His glory might be displayed as you say yes to Him and dive into the river of His instruction, power, and Spirit. I want to see this generation taken over with the glory and instruction of Jesus so that more Jethros may be birthed, that souls will come into the kingdom, and that we might be constantly changed, offering sacrifice, praising God, and encountering His presence, just like Jethro. I pray that God opens your hearts to His supernatural glory and that you receive His instruction and that will take you to a place beyond your imagination. -Sofia