God - The Greatest Believer...

For those who you who have given me the opportunity to speak and to share know that I love speaking words of life, hope and encouragement (Like the one in the clip above). The other day, I found myself feeling overwhelmed at the journey ahead of me… Who am I Lord? What sacrifices must I make? Can a man make it to the finish line without ever seeing the harvest? Do I have what it takes? Feeling downcast, I sensed the voice of God telling me that I am going to have to start believing some of the things that I so boldly declare to others.

I am a child of God (John 1:12). His very creation of this life of mine demonstrates that God believes in me more than I could ever believe in Him. God does not make crap, and did not design me desiring that I should fail or disappoint, but formed me with passionate expectation and intentionality. Before I was born He knew me, and had hopes and purposes to be accomplished in my life and through my life (Jeremiah 1:5). Even though I have failed, He risked the life of His own Son, to redeem me. In hopes that I might turn back and embrace the person He believed I could become.

A person who has been uniquely created by God, with gifting and talents and passions that are waiting to be unleashed. My life is marked by the fingerprints of the creator of the universe Himself. I was created to reflect the awesomeness displayed in Christ - it is the birth right of every child of God. He has given to me more than enough and I will not hold back from who he has crafted me to become. “His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness…” (2 Peter 1:3)

“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you.

We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It is not just in some of us; it is in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.” (Marianne Williamson, from her 1992 book, "Return to Love", supposedly incorrectly attributed to Nelson Mandela n the past.)