17Aug
Tyra Lane-KingslandSpiritual Life 3

The Way Of The Master

A lone man methodically hanging laundry.

 

Unassuming yet powerful.

 

Those around him know there is something more beneath that quiet demeanor, something special, something deeper. After a personal attack, his true identity becomes known. A legend turns real. He is a master, the master. A young man falls at his feet in total surrender asking to be his pupil. He says to the teacher, “If you desire master, be my teacher.”

 

The scene is one from a movie called Ip Man II about the trials of a martial arts instructor. How striking it was to observe this student readily fall at the feet of this respected teacher in total submission. To come under this master’s authority, the pupil would receive guidance, training and instruction and the pupil had absolute faith that the master would deliver skills needed for survival.

 

It would behoove us to take a lesson from the student in this movie. Oh that we would be quick to fall at the feet of Jesus in total submission. Friends, that we would be QUICK to obey the Lord. As we fall, let us surrender our will and prepare our hearts to receive instruction from him. When the young man fell at the Sensei’s feet, he wanted a piece of the master. He wanted to learn how to be disciplined like him, how to fight like him, how to be like him. And as Christ followers, we to ought to want to look like, walk like and talk like Jesus.

 

A disciple is not above his teacher,

but everyone who is fully trained

will be like his teacher.

Luke 6:40

 

Likewise we must bring ourselves under the subjection of our Master. As I was working on last week’s post on discipline, it got me thinking about people we view as disciplined and martial artists came to mind. You can read that post by CLICKING HERE. In addition to being disciplined we view martial artists as obedient. The master is held in great esteem for his knowledge, skill and ability. The master is often seen as having quiet courage, gentle fierceness and absolute discipline and self-control.

 

Doesn’t our own Master possess all these qualities and then some?

 

Is Jesus not all knowing, all-powerful and everywhere all at the same time?

 

Is HE not the bravest of the brave?

 

Is HE not the sacrificial Lamb and the Lion of the Tribe of Judah?

 

Is HE not one who always does the right thing at the right time?

 

Submit to God and be at peace with him;

in this way prosperity will come to you.

Accept instruction from his mouth

and lay up his words in your heart.

Job 22:21-22

 

We obey our bosses, law enforcement officers, coaches, and doctors. We would do well to have at least that same level of obedience to Christ, submitting to Him wholly, without reservation. How many of you have received a prescription from a doctor, taken it to the pharmacy, paid your hard earned money and taken the pill all without asking the doctor any questions, without seeking alternative treatments, without researching the medicine or even reading the literature that comes with the medicine?

 

Yet our flesh screams in opposition to fully submitting and obeying Christ. Even now you might be mad at me and ready to close this post. Our flesh, the carnal man, the SELF that needs to be tamed is always at enmity with God, but praise Him that greater is He that is within YOU! The spirit at work in you enables you to submit to Christ’s authority in your life. If you are a kingdom citizen you come under the subjection of your ruler, Christ and you are expected to adhere to His commands. And Jesus himself showed you that even He submitted, doing the will of Him who sent Him. When you gave your life to Christ, you surrendered your rights.

 

I have been crucified with Christ;

it is no longer I who live,

but Christ lives in me;

and the life which I now live in the flesh

I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me

and gave Himself for me.

Galatians 2:20

 

Many see submission as:

Bondage

Prison

Suffocating

 

Submission IS:

Freeing

Liberating

Security

Protection

 

And submitting to Him, as scary, daunting and crazy as it may seem, is a sure way to be led in paths of righteousness for His namesake. It is a surefire way to have goodness and mercy following you all the days of your life. Submitting to Him is a mark of a true disciple.

 

Stick with me on this journey because I have a feeling we’ll need to dig deeper in this topic as we fall in total submission, following the way of the Master.

 

I know…this can be a tough one. Let us pray.

 

Lord you be high and lifted up above all the earth. Father I thank you. You are good and your mercy endures forever. You are faithful and communicate your love to us time and time again. Without you God we are nothing so I thank you for your promise to never leave nor forsake us. Only You can create in us a clean heart and a right spirit and that is what we need in order to fully submit to your Lordship. Without your guidance and leadership we are as sheep without a shepherd. But praise be that you are the Good Shepherd. Let us be obedient sheep that know, hear and follow your voice as you lead is in THE WAY everlasting.

 

As always, it is my prayer that you’ve been Inspired To Live Fully!

 

Photo Credit

Happy to connect with these friends sharing the Good News Purposeful Faith

14Aug
Tyra Lane-KingslandReal Life, Spiritual Life 4

Walking On Water

I am honored to share this space today with my sweet friend, Brittney Carlson. A worship leader at my church has a new song out called I Am (Miracle). Part of the chorus says, “I’m a living, breathing, walking, talking, moving miracle.” And this is what I see when looking at Brittney. I have witnessed her live out her faith. When faced with life threatening illness, I have seen her look death in the face and proclaim, “Oh death where is your sting?” Whether in a class to grow, teaching students & adults or serving, Brittney consistently ministers grace to those who come into contact with her.

 

Having grown up in a broken, dysfunctional, blended family, Brittney discovered the hope, peace, love and security that can only be found in Jesus Christ. With a heart for at-risk youth and broken women, Brittney serves nationally and internationally. This past year she resigned after dedicating 11 years to teaching at-risk children here in the states to pursue her dream of returning to Japan to share the gospel.

 

The Lord had recently been speaking to me about water. So when I read Brittney’s recent newsletter about walking on water, I knew I just had to share it with you. It was confirmation of what the Lord is calling many disciples to in this season. In fact, I was attending an aerospace convention just yesterday and a woman I just met there relayed that she too was trusting God and walking on water!

 

The spirit is moving friends!

 

So let’s hear from Brittney.

 

Stepping out onto the Water

 

But Jesus immediately said to them: 

“Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.”

“Lord, if it’s you,” Peter replied,

“tell me to come to you on the water.”

“Come,” he said. Matthew 14:27-29

 

The story of Peter stepping out of the boat is always brought up in discussion on stepping out in faith vs. waiting and preparing. For the past four years I have gone back and forth wondering if it is time for me to step out in faith. Each time I decided to be smart and practical. I thought about the security and certainty of the things I had: a home, stable salary, medical insurance, retirement, benefits and more. I overanalyzed all the things that could happen to me without those things. As a result, each summer I resigned my teaching contract and each year since has been like Ground Hogs Day. For the past four years, I have moved houses and changed jobs hoping that would settle my restlessness and silence the tugging on my heart and mind, but it didn’t and it hasn’t.

 

I keep hearing God’s voice: “Come. Step out of the boat. Trust me and come.”

 

So I am.

 

So I will.

 

As of June 24th, I chose unemployment; as of July 1st I chose homelessness; as of Oct. 1st I will chose to be uninsured… I chose all these things to free myself to step out of the boat. After four years of hesitation and storms, I step out in faith, confident in God’s promises. Though like Peter the winds are strong and the voices of nay sayers can be heard… “What are you doing? What about a salary? What about insurance? Where will you live? What if you don’t raise the funds? What will you do? Maybe it is not your timing? Why don’t you wait another year? Get back in the boat! What are you thinking”… I am stepping out of the boat and trusting God to guide, provide, lead, and catch me if I start to fall.

 

I am stepping out onto the water. Keeping my eyes on Jesus. Praying for God’s help as I try to ignore the sounds of the wind and waves around me. Reaching out to Him as He reaches out to me calling me to “Come”.

 

Your Sister and Friend in Christ,

 

Brittney

 

Brittney

 

 

To learn more about Brittney and to partner with her in sharing the gospel with the 2nd most unreached people group on the planet, please connect with her by visiting:

 

www.BJC2Japan.org

 

As always, it is my prayer that you’ve been Inspired To Live Fully!

12Aug
Tyra Lane-KingslandReal Life 15

How To Be Disciplined

Separating the good from the great, the almost from the achieved…

 

DISCIPLINE

 

We admire people we consider disciplined: athletes, soldiers, super heroes, martial artists, actors, and models. We may even think to ourselves, “If I could just be like them”.

 

Well let’s shed the light of truth here. To some degree we are like them. It’s not that they are necessarily smarter or more gifted but they tend to demonstrate the ability to be focused, determined, and strategic and all that requires discipline.

 

Successful people are disciplined people. Successful people not only make plans but also follow through with those plans. And discipline is the secret sauce that compels one to follow through.

 

Discipline is the bridge between goals and accomplishment.

~Jim Rohn

 

Webster’s defines DISCIPLINE as:

Training that corrects molds, or perfects the mental faculties or moral character; control gained by enforcing obedience or order; orderly or prescribed conduct or pattern of behavior; self-control.

 

An obsolete definition of discipline is instruction.

 

I am a disciplined person. There are times where I can allow fear to impede me from moving forward or following through but in general, everyday situations of life I am disciplined.

 

I am disciplined with my eating, time, money, relationships, and exercise. Even though discipline comes natural to me because of my personality type (A-Type, concrete, sequential, linear. But life has taught me to be flexible so I’m changing J), there are still plenty of times that I too have to WORK diligently at being disciplined.

 

One day my 11-year-old daughter and I were at a food buffet and I chose sautéed green beans and veggie sushi out of the plethora of fried, greasy, cheese, yummy options. She said, “Oh Mommy it’s just easy for you because you are so disciplined”. I told her, “Um…Not quite my dear. Actually I would love love love to have that mac and cheese but I CHOOSE to honor my temple instead.” I had to share with her that making that decision was not easy for me. The smells were intoxicating. In fact, there were several delicacies I wanted to get but I’d made my decision. And I walked away from that buffet feeling victorious that I had made a decision for my health, for my family and for our future.

 

Since discipline is what separates the rookies from the pros, how do we acquire it? Here are a few suggestions on how to be disciplined.

 

Keep Your Goal Before You

In being disciplined with my eating I keep my goals before me. One of my greatest reasons for choosing to eat right is to reverse my family medical history of illness and disease so that my children rewrite their DNA and with each successive generation we can eradicate certain diseases right out of our DNA. And each choice I make today contributes to or detracts from me reaching that goal so I keep that at the forefront of my mind at all times. There are times I fall short but I still aim for the target.

 

But I discipline my body and keep it under control,

lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified.

1 Corinthians 9:27

 

Positive Self-Talk

Think little train…”I think I can. I think I can.” The power of positive self-talk is transformative. Tell yourself who you are and what you CAN do. I can eat well. I can save money. I can bring my dream to fruition. God says speak those things that are not as though they were. And by His power and might, according to His will, they shall come to pass when you speak life.

 

Set Up Barriers

We all need guard rails. They are not there to hinder us but to protect us. Establishing systems and parameters keep us from straying. Budgets help keep our finances on track. Meal planning and preparation keeps our eating on track. The disciplined person always has an established set of boundaries. Even times for sleeping and waking, these all contribute to being disciplined.

 

Accountability

This is a huge piece missing from the puzzle of discipline. To whom do you report when you have not done what you said you would do? Will they hold you responsible for keeping your commitments? Will they dole out correction when necessary?

 

Keep Doing It

Discipline is not acquired after doing something three, four or five times. A successful pattern of behavior is established after doing it over and over and over. Because there will come a day when you really just don’t want to. Believe me, been there done that and have the blog post to show for it. You can read it by

CLICKING HERE. Practice may not always make perfect but practice, practice. practice will get you to your destination, imperfect and all.

 

Discipline is a thing that doesn’t always feel good at the moment. But fortunately we are not a people who allow our feelings to dictate our actions. We make decisions based on principles not on feelings so we discipline ourselves to choose well even when it hurts.

 

For the moment all discipline seems painful

rather than pleasant, but later it yields the

peaceful fruit of righteousness to those

who have been trained by it.

Hebrews 11:12

 

Think about a person you admire for their discipline. In what area(s) are they disciplined? Where do you think they got the will power to be so disciplined? What separates you from having that same level or even greater discipline?

 

You have it too. Just dig deep into THAT place. Commit to following some of the steps above for acquiring discipline. I’m here in your corner cheering you on. I know you can do it. And I don’t want to hear, “Oh Tyra, that’s good for you but I just can’t, ” Uh-un I don’t want to hear that. I can’t isn’t permitted here. You can do all things through Christ who strengthens you.

 

Let me know how I can pray for you.

 

As always, it is my prayer that you’ve been Inspired To Live Fully!
Happy to connect with these friends sharing the Good News #DanceWithJesus, Grace & Truth, WordsWithWinter

10Aug
Tyra Lane-KingslandReal Life, Spiritual Life 18

Life Is Fleeting

The antiseptic smell.

 

The incessant beeping of monitors.

 

The constant flurry of scrubs moving back and forth and back and forth.

 

Being in a hospital is quite unnerving. Even walking into the building is like being cloaked in a shroud of darkness. As I have a close relative in the hospital fiercely fighting to live, I am reminded of the fragility of life.

 

My birthday is in less than a week. Each birthday is a reason for me to rejoice, having lived to see another year. Again I am reminded of the fragility of life. My own mother died at 39. I was a freshman in college. I had just seen her as I had gone home for a holiday weekend. Sunday I said my farewell then Friday as I was planning my weekend fun I got an urgent call from my cousin telling me I had to come home again. My school and home were 500 miles apart. I told her I had just left there a few days ago and it wasn’t feasible to be running up and down, back and forth up the East Coast. Again she stated more forcefully that I HAD to come.

 

So I went to the ATM machine, withdrew money, packed a little bag and proceeded to the bus station. Little did I know I that little bag I packed wouldn’t be enough to carry me through staying an entire month. Riding that bus those 500 miles was the longest single event of my life. On that Greyhound I felt mature yet babyish, strong yet fragile as I travelled not knowing what I’d find on the other end.

 

In New York I had a bus transfer with a few hours layover. During the layover was the loneliest I have even felt. Thousands of people moving in and out of Port Authority, and here was a frightened 18 year-old girl, alone, trembling with anxiety at the thought of what awaited at the end of my destination.

 

As I took that final leg, I had an intense argument with God. I guess it was less of an argument and more of a tantrum on my part as God didn’t participate in my rant. I told God I would hate Him forever if He let something happen to my mother. I cursed Him for potentially letting something happen to a mother and her two young children. At the time I had no personal relationship with the Lord. My only connection to Him was going to church on Easter and all that meant to me was the coveted “Easter outfit”. There is an old quote that people often think is scripture though it’s not which says, “God protects children and fools”. Well He certainly protected me, as I didn’t not understand what I was saying and was speaking merely out of hurt and anger.

 

When I arrived at my destination I knew something was amiss. I stepped off the bus and saw my father standing there. I hadn’t talked to my father in a few days. “How did he know I was coming home?”, I thought. He then took me to my grandmother’s house, which again I thought was quite bizarre as it was just after 6:00am. Then they delivered the dreadful news. In fact, my mother had already died when my cousin had called me the first time to tell me I had to come home.

 

My mother who I had just spent the last weekend with.

 

My mother who had been stolen from me by drugs and alcohol, but recently given back was snatched right out of my grasp once again.

 

Why, you do not even know

what will happen tomorrow.

What is your life? You are a mist

that appears for a little while and then vanishes.

James 4:14

 

Here one day, gone tomorrow.

 

Life is fleeting, but a vapor.

 

As such, let us be reminded to:

 

Love deeply

 

Give generously

 

Show compassion

 

Dole out grace liberally

 

Take eye off self

 

I do want to point out, friends, that time is of the essence. There is no time to waste, so don’t complicate your lives unnecessarily. Keep it simple—in marriage, grief, joy, whatever. Even in ordinary things—your daily routines of shopping, and so on. Deal as sparingly as possible with the things the world thrusts on you. This world as you see it is on its way out.

1 Corinthians 7:29-31

 

So as I prepare to celebrate another birthday, I give thanks for LIFE. And out of my gratitude I am prompted to be more loving, more gracious, less impatient and less knit picky.

 

While our days are in short supply, our love should run long.

 

As always, it is my prayer that you’ve been Inspired To Live Fully!

 

Photo Credit: My Dad

Happy to connect with these friends sharing the Good News Purposeful Faith, #LifeGivingLinkup, #TestimonyTuesday

07Aug
Tyra Lane-KingslandSpiritual Life 6

Go Deeper

I finally broke the pattern in my dreams. I used to have a pattern in my dreams where I would consistently be late for or miss something entirely. From missing a mid-term to missing a flight, this theme had recurred in my dreams for years. In 2014, I embarked on a healing journey with 6 other women. One of our exercises was to write down and consider our dreams. Through this exercise I came to understand why I was having those dreams. But that story is one for another day.

 

This story is one of breaking the pattern and completing what I started.

 

I dreamt that I had to swim across this vast ocean holding onto a mini replica of my car. In fact, when I went to pick up my car, it wasn’t there and I was instructed by the Director to take any car of my choosing. I chose a Mustang (I am so NOT a Mustang girl, more like a Volvo/Mini Cooper hybrid; conservative yet energetic). Nonetheless I took my Mustang in hand and began to swim across this wide channel. I started out strong, arms slicing through the water like a Ginsu knife through a tomato. I just knew I was strong and powerful and I believed I could and would make it across. Then the Lord spoke to me and said, “Come deeper”. I couldn’t make sense of that. Even though dreaming, I thought I couldn’t go deeper. I thought I wouldn’t be able to breathe, just keep slicing through the water I told myself. Again the Lord said, “Come Deeper”, to which I quickly obey.

 

And wouldn’t you know, I could breathe underwater. And instead of exerting all this energy stroking through the water, I began to do the dolphin kick. My legs seemed to become as one and my body arched up and down in a fluid motion propelling me right through the water. I went deeper still and continued the dolphin/mermaid swim. I could breathe, I could feel the depth of cold of the water but I was making it across that great expanse. With the car held in my two hands out in front I me, I rocketed to the other side. I obediently went deeper and the pattern was broken.

 

For months the Lord has been calling me to come deeper.

 

When He had stopped speaking,

He said to Simon, “Launch out into

the deep and let down your nets for a catch.”

Luke 5:4

 

 

I believe it is the mark of discipleship to have an ongoing, vibrant relationship with the Lord in which He continues to make mysteries known to you. He wants to lead you and guide you in paths of righteousness for His namesake. And to traverse some of those paths requires us to go deeper. And when we obediently take up our cross and follow Him deeper, He makes His mysteries known to us.

 

Diving deep into the ocean we find mysterious sea creatures that stand in stark contrast to their present reality. In the inky blue/black of the deep sea live bioluminescent sea creatures. 12,000 feet below are astounding animals that shine bright in stark contrast to their dark surroundings. Chemical reactions in their bodies cause them to glow.

 

As you go deeper in the Lord, His glory shines, flooding you with light and causing you to glow even in the inky blue/black situations of life. Because of your willingness to follow Him into the deep, He makes the mysteries of life know to YOU. This type of revelation is not for all but for His TRUE disciples because TRUE disciples follow and obey His commands

 

 

He answered and said to them, “Because it has been given

to you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven,

but to them it has not been given.

 But blessed are your eyes for they see, and your ears for they hear;

for assuredly, I say to you that many prophets and righteous men

desired to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear,

and did not hear it.

Matthew 13:11, 16-17

 

This topic of going deeper isn’t new to me. In fact, one of my top 5 favorite movies, The Abyss is about going deeper.

 

In the movie, one of the lead characters, Brigman goes deeper than deep to detonate a nuclear bomb. He thought it was the end for him. In fact, he said going down deeper was a one-way ticket. And we may feel like that sometimes when trusting God and walking in faith. We may feel like we are plunging into darkness with no way of escape. But as happened with Brigman, he was standing right on the brink of breakthrough. He was just feet away from the light. Saving himself, his loved ones and the entire planet was within his reach.

 

Oh friends we would do well to trust God. To walk out in faith and not give up before our breakthrough. It’s right there on the brink. You are standing on the precipice of deeper revelation, deeper knowledge, deeper love.

 

In addition to Israel Houghton’s Deeper, I’ve been blessed to have a song that encapsulates this journey of going deeper. The song is called Oceans by Hillsong. The lyrics read:

 

You call me out upon the waters

The great unknown where feet may fail

And there I find You in the mystery

In oceans deep

My faith will stand

 

And I will call upon Your name

And keep my eyes above the waves

When oceans rise

My soul will rest in Your embrace

For I am Yours and You are mine

 

Your grace abounds in deepest waters

Your sovereign hand

Will be my guide

Where feet may fail and fear surrounds me

You’ve never failed and You won’t start now

 

So I will call upon Your name

And keep my eyes above the waves

When oceans rise

My soul will rest in Your embrace

For I am Yours and You are mine

 

Spirit lead me where my trust is without borders

Let me walk upon the waters

Wherever You would call me

Take me deeper than my feet could ever wander

And my faith will be made stronger

In the presence of my Savior

 

Oh, Jesus, you’re my God!

 

I will call upon Your name

Keep my eyes above the waves

My soul will rest in Your embrace

I am Yours and You are mine

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FBJJJkiRukY

Yes. That’s where we find Him, in oceans deep. Feet may fail in oceans deep but faith equips us to breathe underwater. Totally immersed in the rivers of living water is where I want to be.

 

Last year He told me, “I need water walkers”. And like Peter I walked out to meet Him. Since then, He’s calling me deeper, deeper, deeper.

 

Yes Lord, I am coming.

 

As always, it is my prayer that you’ve been Inspired To Live Fully!

 

P.S. This subject of living waters started out as a single post but it just would let me go. This is part three of the series on Living Waters. Read parts 1 & 2:

Rivers of Living Water

Tapping Into The Source

 

PhotoCredit

 

Happy to connect with friends sharing the Good News #DanceWith Jesus, Grace & Truth

05Aug
Tyra Lane-KingslandNourishing Life 2

Eat Your Water

Since water comprises 60% of your body weight, you can’t live without it. The body goes through a constant cycle of losing and replenishing that water. Water helps your organs function as designed, eliminate waste, regulate body temperature, aids in digestion and more. Ensure you keep hydrated and supply your body with this necessary fluid.

 

We’ve been taught to drink 64oz of water a day. But drinking water isn’t the only way to get your water intake. Water intake varies for each individual based on height, weight, environmental conditions, health and more. We’re accustomed to drinking our way to hydration, but let’s add eating to that equation.

 

Eat Your Water

 

Fruits

 

Watermelon

About 92% water per volume.

High in lycopene and highly alkaline this fruit is a summer staple. So refreshing and cooling on a hot summer day, it’s a fan fav at BBQ’s and summer parties.

 

Strawberries

About 92% water per volume.

High in antioxidants and vitamin C, also a good source of vitamin A, manganese and potassium, these sweet, succulent berries are best when consumed in season. Their softness, ripeness and sweetness in season can’t compare. One cup of strawberries contains 160% of your daily value of vitamin C. And you were always told to eat oranges for C. Eat these and get your C and water in one swoop.

strawberries 1

Grapefruit

91% water per volume

When eating grapefruit you not only hydrate but also burn fat and control cravings. Now who doesn’t want that?! And grapefruit are encouraged for heart health.

 

Cantaloupe

90% water per volume

One serving will not only hydrate you but also give you 100% of your daily value of vitamins A & C. One of my favorite ways to enjoy is having cantaloupe/sweet potato juice.

 

Vegetables

 

Lettuce

95% water per volume

While iceberg gets a bad rap, it is the lettuce with the highest water content. Other lettuces have slightly lower water but are more nutrient dense. Most lettuces have are high in vitamins A & K and high in folate. From salads to smoothies and juices, lettuce has many uses.

 

Zucchini

Over 95% water per volume

A good source of vitamin C and potassium, this versatile vegetable can be added to nearly everything. From raw noodles to juicing, when these are plentiful during summer, make full use of them. You can even shred one and add to pasta sauce to up the nutritional value.

 

Celery

95% water per volume

High in water and very low in calories rich in vitamins A, C and K. It hasn’t always been one of my favorite vegetables because its flavor is so strong but I always keep it on hand because I know how good it is for me. From soups to juices, celery is a household staple.

 

Cucumber

96% water per volume

High in vitamin K and powerfully fighting free radicals this vegetable is also an anti-inflammatory food. Research even shows that drinking watermelon or cucumber juice after a workout is twice as effective at hydrating the body than water. So post workout grab your watermelon/cucumber juice and drink up. (And it isn’t surprising their so hydrating. They belong to the same botanical family as two above items: zucchini and melons).

 

For more on water, check these out:

8 Benefits of Lemon Water

Life Water {Coconut Water}

 

As always, it is my prayer that you’ve been Inspired To Live Fully!

04Aug
Tyra Lane-KingslandSpiritual Life 2

Tapping Into The Source

Their survival depended on it. They needed to access fresh water. This tool would give them access.

 

spile

The Spile

 

Like Katniss Everdeen and her crew from The 75th Hunger Games, receiving the spile was a lifesaver. In the event of a natural disaster, we could use spiles today to tap trees for water.

 

Oh friends we are the trees planted by rivers of water and God’s word is the spile that penetrates our hearts and permits rivers of living water to flow. He and His word are one.

 

While water tapped from trees is only good for 24 hours, God’s word is good and true from everlasting to everlasting. But we need to tap into it daily to prevent it from becoming stale in our hearts.

 

In The Hunger Games, wealthy benefactors gift needed supplies. We have the ultimate Benefactor who gave Himself as the gift that we might have life and have it more abundantly. Because of Him we have boldness and access with confidence to not only approach the throne of grace, but to tap into His unlimited power supply. And the combination of His living water coupled with His power will not electrocute us unto death but will act as a defibrillator, creating in us a clean heart and renewing a steadfast spirit within us.

 

So exactly how do we go about tapping into the source? The methodology may be a little different for each of us but here are some simple, practical tips. We don’t have to be SUPER spiritual, or SUPER deep. We just have to come to God with clean hands and a pure heart. I thank God for purging me with hyssop and for presenting me without spot or wrinkle then I eagerly run on to tap in.

 

Tapping In

 

Worship Music

Music ushers me right into the presence of God. For the first few years of my salvation, I didn’t really understand how integral the role of praise and worship was to the Sunday church worship experience. It was one of those things I just didn’t GET until I got it. When I look back now, I can smile and say to myself, “Girl, you really had no clue.” And I follow that up with, “Thank you Jesus for being patient with me.”

 

Today, I can listen to the same song on repeat umpteen times throughout the day. I let the spirit guide me to the song. And sure enough the song speaks to my heart and serves as the gateway to worship and intimate fellowship with the Lord.

 

“Lord I reach for you, lead me to your heart. And I thirst for you, draw me deeper still. Deeper into the water. Deeper until I’m under. Ohhh Oh living water flow and overtake us. Ohhh oh healing water flow and overtake us”, sings Israel Houghton in one my absolute favorite songs, Deeper. Needless to say with all that’s churning in my spirit right now, this song is the current soundtrack to my spiritual life.

He goes on to sing, “God give us a heart, give us a heart, give us your heart. God gives us a heart. Deep cries out to deep.”

 

Mmm. Those lyrics right there. Each time I sing them, it’s like I’m putting on the mind of Christ and I come into alignment with Him. We begin walking step in step and my will becomes His will and we are ONE. Our hearts beat in unison. And the music is the metronome that keeps our hearts beating with synchronicity. And my response is, “Yes Lord. You are calling me deeper. I am coming. Getting closer with every step”.

 

Scrap The Legalism

My daily tapping in always involves scripture. Because I am a systematic, linear person, I tend to use structured materials for my scripture reading. Bible reading plans, day-by-day devotional books, topical studies, etc. My natural nature can hold me hostage to completing these materials in a robotic fashion, blocking up the flow of the spirit. So I’ve had to learn to not be legalistic in my approach to tapping in and to give God room to communicate what He desires in the way that He desires, even if He says step away from those materials and sit still. Sometimes He’ll call a word up in my heart. Sometimes it’s a scripture sung in a song. Sometimes he’ll have me turn to a specific scripture, chapter and verse. But I had to crucify my need to tick off or not skip a day of scheduled reading to not miss Him in how He chose to show up in my quiet time.

 

Dialogue Not A Monologue

When we tap into the source, we have to give Him opportunity and room to flow. If I stick my spile into a tree then fill the spout with debris, I will certainly muddy and impede the flow of water. And the same is true when allowing His truth to flow through our hearts and mind. When communicating with the Father it is not a monologue but a dialogue. There is a time to speak and a time to listen. We cannot hear from the Lord if we have endless internal chatter. It is critical to silence the chatter. This requires much practice and disciple. But God is a very present help. He will help you take those thoughts captive so that you can be quiet and clear your mind so you can hear from Him. For more on quieting your thoughts, CLICK HERE.

 

He longs to communicate with you. His voice will flow.

 

And behold, the glory of the God of Israel

came from the way of the east. His voice

was like the sound of many waters;

and the earth shone with His glory.

Ezekiel 43:2

 

Write

Writing has always been therapy for me. It is the way I receive, communicate, find clarity, vent, heal, and more. Writing helps me think and process. So after I sing and meditate on scripture, I write. I write whatever scripture I’ve been led to. I may write some of the lyrics to the song I listened to. I sit and I listen to what the Lord has to say then I write His response.

 

These are a few of the strategies I employ to tap into the well that never runs dry.

 

You’ve been invited to tap into the source.

 

COME!

 

DRINK.

 

And thirst no more.

 

The Spirit and the bride say,

“Come!” And let the one who hears

say, “Come!” Let the one who is thirsty

come; and let the one who wishes take

the free gift of the water of life.

Revelation 22:7

 

P.S. I try to keep posts shorter than this as I don’t want you to skim the post but to read in its entirety. But the water has overtaken me once again. To read Part 1 of The Living Waters series CLICK HERE

 

Glory to God I’m going deeper!

 

Will you join me?

 

As always, it is my prayer that you’ve been Inspired To Live Fully!

03Aug
Tyra Lane-KingslandSpiritual Life 5

Rivers Of Living Water

What an incredible parallel, a simple two atoms of hydrogen combined with one atom of oxygen, creates the very thing that is necessary to sustain life.

 

WATER

 

Water gives life.

 

Water sustains life.

 

Water is life.

 

 

While our world is almost covered with water, nearly all of it is unsuitable for drinking. With water all around us, 97% is undrinkable as is. And most of that which is drinkable is locked in ice.

 

Such is life. While there are many things that vie for our attention and try to meet our needs, there is but ONE we were created to desire above all. Drinking contaminated water will make you ill. Likewise, trying to fill your longings with people, food, or stuff will make you spiritually ill.

 

Jesus, The One, is the only ONE capable of quenching your thirst.

 

Our thirst, an unquenchable thirst can only be satiated by taking a drink from the rivers of living water. You can survive weeks without food but only days without water. And my soul is thirsty for a tall, cool, refreshing drink delivered directly from the Master’s water pot.

 

You, God, are my God,

earnestly I seek you;

I thirst for you,

my whole being longs for you,

in a dry and parched land

where there is no water.

I have seen you in the sanctuary

and beheld your power and your glory.

Psalm 63:1-2

 

And when I beseech Him, He supplies. He supplies all my needs and I am satisfied.

 

A sip from His cup pours:

~Patience in my heart for my children

~Love and affection for my husband

~Words that edify for the women I serve

~Physical stamina to carry my cross

 

His nourishing waters incite action. Trees grow, flowers bloom and succulent fruit hangs heavy with growth.

 

Oh Father, plant me. I want my roots to go deep. Like the mighty, strong baobab tree, let my trunk be thick and filled with your living waters. I am the tree planted by rivers of living water. My leaves will not wither. Rooted in you I am fruitful.

 

And the blessings will flow from generation to generations. As the rivers of living waters flow, they will reach even to your children’s children.

 

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

 

Thanks be to our Lord and savior Jesus Christ for being our Living Water. He alone supplies EVERYTHING we need to sustain life. When we drink deeply from His cup, our thirst is quenched and we are imbued with everlasting life.

 

“But whoever drinks of the water

that I shall give him will never thirst.

But the water that I shall give him

will become in him a fountain of water

springing up into everlasting life.”

John 4:14

 

Even now as I type, the rivers of living water are overtaking me. I go with the flow, go with the current and am overtaken by the sheer magnitude of His love. My heart is so full and I have so much to say on this subject. I have a feeling this will go on to be a series. My spirit is free and soaring and my thoughts are moving faster than my hands can type.

 

beach

 

 

Friends, I pray you do not allow yourselves to become dehydrated. Most often, when we realize we are thirsty, we are already nearing dehydration. If you’ve been encouraged to drink 64oz of water a day, how much of Jesus should you be drinking daily? In fact, if you are a believer, the water is in you. Just like reaching water in the desert, you may have to dig deep for it. Your body is composed of more than 60% water. So dig deep into yourself. Crucify your flesh and it’s longings to release the water (for more on releasing your spirit CLICK HERE).

 

Be proactive.

 

Dig deep.

 

Stay hydrated.

 

Take a deep drink from the Master’s cup.

 

As always, it is my prayer that you’ve been Inspired To Live Fully!
Happy to connect with friends sharing the Good News Purposeful Faith

31Jul
Tyra Lane-KingslandReal Life

Free To Be {A Spoken Word Poem}

Free To Be {A Spoken Word Poem}

 

Authentic.

 

Real.

 

Transparent.

 

What’s apparent is that we can’t recognize real. Buried in Sheol like the “Los 33”. Trapped under layers and layers of fraudulent fabrication. Self-adorned, one dimensional, wash and shrink flea market finds.

 

New realities created.

 

New identities established.

 

Fake ID by way of your Gravatar, your avatar has become the new you. This carefully guarded new persona is shallow at best and when put to the test will prove defective. That plastic armor does not guard but suffocates. Check the warning label on your grocery store plastic bag.

 

Choking out your gifts, snuffing out what makes you uniquely you.

 

While your spirit smothers, your souls smolders and the soot and ash render you unrecognizable.

 

But when you KNOW that your identity cannot be shaped by:

LIKES

COMMENTS

SHARES

FOLLOWS

FRIENDING

UNFRIENDING

THUMBS UP

THUMBS DOWN

HEARTS

 

You are unrestricted and unshackled. Like the grotesque beings removing their outer casings at the dawn of A Brand New Day, you are free to give rise to your true self. No longer caged, the bird sings and I know why.

 

Delivered from confinement, mind, body and spirit come into alignment. With jet propulsion, rocket boosters thrust, power ignites and takes flight.

 

The course is set. Charting to free.

 

You are free to BE.

29Jul
Tyra Lane-KingslandNourishing Life

Eating Clean On Vacation

Last week I took a 9 hour road trip and I’ve got another coming up soon. Highway rest stop are a bane to the clean eating lifestyle, so what is one to do?

 

Proper Preparation Prevents Pitfalls

 

For the road trip and during my vacation I commit to not falling off the wagon. I do grant myself a cheat meal while on vacation but I try to limit that to one day. Vacationing is not a reason to scrap all the hard work and discipline I’ve invested. In fact, it’s all the more reason to continue honoring my temple through proper nourishment, rest and exercise. With the relaxed schedule of vacation and away from the pull of regular home commitments, I certainly have the time to devote to honoring my temple.

 

Tobin Bridge

On The Road

When on the road my mission is to get to my destination as quickly as possible. Minimizing stops allow me to do that and that also keeps me clear of the dozens of fast food joints along the way. Here’s what I pack for the road:

~Water

~Watermelon Juice (which I freeze as it starts to melt it gets slushy and is quite refreshing)

~Green Smoothie (made w/ coconut water to hydrate)

~Hummus

~Carrot Sticks

~Fruit

~Raw Revolution Bar

~Nuts

Watermelon juice

Raw-Revolution-Organic-Live-Food-Bar-Heavenly2

 

During My Stay

When on vacation, I nearly always select a property that has a kitchen. Most vacations I’m travelling with my children and this just makes it easier, healthier and more cost effective to feed this family of 7. Before we leave, I follow my usual practice of creating a meal plan and grocery list. Again, just because we are on vacation doesn’t mean we succumb to the trap of eating poorly. We do give the children at least one night of eating out otherwise it’s home cooking. And while that may be contrary to me “vacationing” and possibly getting away from kitchen duty, it’s a job I don’t mind carrying out. But it can be a little challenging, as I’m not in my own kitchen with FULL use of my kitchen tools, gadgets, spices and pantry. Again, this is where proper planning helps. When planning the menu, I streamline the offerings, selecting meals that are uncomplicated and require fewer ingredients. I stick to my smoothie or fruit & granola for breakfast, salads for lunch then a light dinner of soup and salad or salad and baked sweet potato. I even cook before I go and freeze meal then store them in thermal travel bags. Here’s what I pack ahead of time:

~Spices (Virtuous Living are the best because the blends truly season a whole dish. No need for bringing many spices)

~Himalayan Salt

~Pepper

~Garlic Powder

~Cumin

~Maple Syrup

~Olive Oil

~Homemade Granola

~Homemade Salad Dressing

~Freezer Meals (Chipotle At Home, Baked Pasta Dish)

~My Ninja (Ok this may be taking it too far but I normally use it everyday. There are times when I feel like it’s cumbersome and I worry about it getting broken and bumping around in the car. But it’s truly a member of the family so it has to come)

~Evolution Juices (When I don’t bring the Ninja)

Evolution

 

Also check out my post HEALTHY EATING ON THE GO

 

Following these tips will ensure you’re eating clean on vacation.

 

As always, it is my prayer that you’ve been Inspired To Live Fully!

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