Why Do I Have to Forgive?

May 20, 2021Leave a comment

What a great moment in time to renew relationships and to forgive. Forgiveness lets US out of the PRISON of pain. Unforgiveness actually puts bars around our heart and we become bound in a jail of hurt and pain. Jesus wants the keys to your heart through forgiveness and then you – the prisoner – can go free. There is a greater purpose for your life than being locked in a cell. Do you want freedom today? Are you tired of the jail cell of brokenness? Those bars will melt to the ground when you truly forgive those who have hurt you. Forgive and let go!

How do we forgive? Here is a prayer that I pray when I sense my heart is being wounded and I know only forgiveness will bring healing to my own heart.

“Dear Jesus, forgive me for holding on to this offense. I receive your forgiveness and now, today, I choose to forgive _______ for ______________________ (say out loud every pain you feel in this situation). I choose to hold _______ to no debt in my life anymore and I release them in Jesus’ name. Thank you, Jesus, for filling that place with your perfect love and washing over the pain.”

Love your neighbor as yourself. 💕💕

Love, Julaine

How Do You See YOU?

May 20, 2021Leave a comment

What if you truly saw yourself as God sees you? What if you didn’t define your life by your past mistakes or your parent’s, but rather, you define yourself by what Jesus has done for you?

People wake up every morning feeling defeated, less than, devalued wanting to give up and sometimes, end their own life. Many stand in the mirror hating what they have become. Many cannot forgive themselves for mistakes they have made in the past and unfortunately, those mistakes color every decision they make the rest of live their lives. They screen everything through the lens of defeatism and shame.

If you identify in any way with the above paragraph, you need to know that the story you are currently living is not God’s story. Everyone of us were created to live out our purpose as a loved and valued child of God. God has a unique plan for each of His children but the first step is to give up the past, repent of it and then receive what Jesus has done. He paid the price for your freedom. He longs that you will understand the fullness of His great love. Psalm 139 speaks of the deep thought God put into your creation – how He wove you into being. He took His time to create inside you everything you need to fulfill the purposes of God. There is only one “you” in all of mankind. If your “you” dies, there will never be another. You are unique and beautifully made. He loves the YOU in YOU! After all, He created YOU.

Today, come to Jesus and allow Him to take the shame, guilt, and condemnation of your past and your present and allow Him to help you live the purpose-filled life that He has for you. Surrender everything to the One Who loves more deeply and completely than anyone in our simple, little world could ever understand. You are HIS.

Psalm 139:16
Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in Your book before one of them came to be.

2 Cor 5:17
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.

John 1:12
But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.

I love you deeply,

Julaine

WHOSE ARE YOU?

May 19, 2021Leave a comment

I want to ask you, today, who do you belong to?

A sense of belonging is something that many people crave, especially in a world where the feeling of disconnection from others is more prevalent then ever due to social media etc. Being isolated because of the virus has caused many to feel lonely and those already broken to feel even more broken. There was a day when relationships were developed through chats over dinner, hugs and a handshake. Today, even those precious moments have been taken away and the desperate need for belonging and fellowship is looming over our world. Possibly you haven’t even been aware of your need to belong until this horrible virus was thrust upon you.

My love language is definitely touch. My hugs are huge because that is the way I am wired to express my heartfelt friendship. I feel desperately lost without being able to function in my love language and I find myself wanting to push the boundaries and then have to remember that for my husband’s sake (kidney transplant), I have to pull away for the greater good – his health.

I need to belong and I need fellowship.

Perhaps you are feeling lost today and do not know where you belong or who you belong to. To establish a permanent sense of belonging, we have to look beyond people and places and even our need to fellowship. We discover through Jesus that belonging is about so much more than a relationship with something but rather it’s about a relationship with someone. And what’s so moving about belonging to Jesus is that we don’t need to fit into a certain mold. He welcomes us no matter who we are, where we’re from or what we’ve done. We belong fully to Him as we give Him total access to our heart.

He becomes our Lord and we BELONG to Him.

Romans 14:8 – If we live, we live for the Lord; and if we die, we die for the Lord. So, whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord.

I am His and His banner of love and the sense of belonging forever is over me.

Embrace Him radically and HE will fill that place. Fellowship with HIM during this season and learn to hear His loving voice saying, “You are mine!”

Love, Julaine

DEALING WITH FEAR

May 19, 2021May 20, 2021Leave a comment

Did you know that fear is the root of control?

I heard the Lord say this morning, “Be still and know that I am God.”

I did a bit of research and found that in the Hebrew the word “still” doesn’t necessarily denote “quiet meditation” but rather it means to let go and surrender. It is in that moment when we are sitting before Him that we give up and allow Jesus to take over. After all He really knows what is best. Yes, we get choices but during those moments of stillness – quiet surrender – the Father shows us a better way. We still get to choose but allowing God to be in total control helps us experience all of God’s goodness.

Wow! As long as I hold on to my life and try to control it, I will operate out of fear trying to keep all my “ducks in a row.” That is exhausting. Have you ever tried to control the circumstances in your life and still maintain peace? Fear robs us of peace and it steals our dreams. We put our dreams on hold because we are afraid to try.

Being in control is not a gift but rather bondage to fear. The world teaches us how to control all of our circumstances while our heavenly Father says, “Give up and know that I have this!”

Letting go and humbling ourselves before God will bring us the greatest fulfillment we could ever experience here on earth.

Today, be STILL. GIVE UP! SURRENDER AND EXPERIENCE ALL OF GOD’s SUFFICIENCY.

Love, Julaine

Say “no” to the Sugar Cookie & “yes” to Jesus!

December 13, 2018December 13, 2018Leave a comment

(THIS IS NOT A DIET MESSAGE, I PROMISE!)

Today, as I watched people hustling about at the outdoor mall, I had the sense that many were scurrying around Christmas shopping just to hide pain and pressure. Somehow just walking into stores and browsing seems to dull the ache and memories. I am writing, today, to all those who are having trouble with the holidays because every Christmas reminds you of a wound you have experienced or a pain you remember from childhood or you are on stress overload. You look at all the pictures posted on facebook, instagram and all forms of media and conclude that life is good for everyone but you. You dream of a life depicted by social media but decide that for you, it is going to be another season of battling through loneliness and heartbreak. You may have lost your job, your family has been broken and/or you are all alone. Quite possibly you took a run through the drive through coffee shop or ate a sugar cookie just to try and numb the pain. However, after several cups of caffeine and a sugar cookie high, you feel more distraught than ever.

If you fit any of these categories,
I have a word for you today.

Christmas is NOT about the things you see, touch or feel. Christmas is not about trees, lights and peppermint. It is not about shopping, friends or even family.

The Christmas season is highlighted to announce and remind us of a Savior who came to bring hope and salvation to all nations. Jesus Christ, the Savior of the lonely and brokenhearted. Jesus is the Savior of the downtrodden and hopeless. Jesus Christ, the Savior of the world who came and continually comes to bring JOY to all mankind. I am not talking about the joy that we experience in a moment of family fun, or laughter or even the joy of a new born, but rather a joy that comes from deep within at the knowledge of the ONE who gave everything for us.

It says in John 1:26-26, “I baptize in this river, but the One who will take my place is to be more honored than I, but even when he stands among you, you will not recognize or embrace him! I am not worthy enough to stoop down in front of him and untie his sandals!” This all took place at Bethany, where John was baptizing at the place of the crossing of the Jordan River. (Passion)

John baptized at the Jordan announcing a new era for Israel. This place of crossing is likely where the children of Israel crossed into the Promised Land when the Jordan River parted and they passed through on dry land. (Joshua 3) This place became a powerful reminder of crossing over into a new day, a new era for Israel. This was the place chosen by God for John to baptize. As the Lamb of God, Jesus was publicly washed and proven to be without flaw or blemish, ready to become the sacrifice for all the world. Although he would become the Lion of the Tribe of Judah in resurrection power, John points to him as the meek Lamb, a willing sacrifice for our sins. (Passion) Today, right now, grab unto the fact that this can be a new crossing over season for you, a crossing over into the internal joy of knowing Christ in an intimate way.

Christmas points to the One, the Lamb of God, and the only one who can bring true joy. Happiness in this world is fleeting but joy always comes from within at the knowledge of what He did for us and continues to do everyday as we look to Him to take the sorrow, the pain, and to bring the prodigals home. It is the joy that knowing that one day, all sorrow will pass and you will enter into eternity truly hearing the angelic song of the Lord, “Worthy is the Lamb!”

Today, as you look away from yourself and to Him, you will sense the real joy of Christmas begin to fill your heart and soul. As you focus on His goodness, the presence of the Father will fill your heart. Most importantly, as you learn to trust Him in all things, true joy will manifest in your heart. After all, He is the best dad in all of heaven and earth and we are certainly His kids. Daddy, thank you for Jesus. You really do love us!

Put away the sugar cookie, the wasted time trying to run from pain, grab a cup of hot chocolate and sit with the One who will bring peace to your heart. The Prince of Peace has come to the earth and sits right there with you today. Offer Him your heart, your stress and your hurt. The comforter has come!