Heaven Is Here

Heaven comes to earth when forgiveness is extended without merit of it being earned.

Heaven comes to earth when grace outweighs the stench of condemnation.

Heaven comes to earth when Truth confronts the lie in the boldness of love.

Heaven comes to earth when humility breaks the chains of your pride that bind you.

Heaven comes to earth when obedience to God requires you to stand alone.

Heaven comes to earth when your prayers are sent to its gates.

Heaven comes to earth when you choose to be a peace maker in times of war.

Heaven comes to earth at every chance to love others despite themselves.

Heaven comes to earth when relationships are restored.

Heaven comes to earth when we declare our allegiance to the One True King, and lay down our sword.

All of this possible, because Heaven came to earth. His name, is Jesus.

Stefanie Calens
loveSTRONG Ministries

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No Longer Needed

“No manna appeared that day, and it was never seen again. So from that time on the Israelites ate from the crops of Canaan.” (Joshua 5:12 NLT)

At this point in the Scriptures, Joshua had successfully led the nation of Israel across the Jordan River. The Promised Land now, awaited their taking. Have you ever stopped to consider that the very food source (manna) that had been provided to Israel during their forty long years in the wilderness, was gone? Never to be seen again.

It’s as if the Word of God is screaming out to each of us to, ‘Turn the page. There is so much more that I have in store for you to eat.’

Perhaps He is. And perhaps, if you are somewhat like me, you often miss this. You see, God had miraculously met Israel’s physical needs to eat with manna yet, it was time to now eat from the land itself. Canaan was ripe for planting and harvesting crops, but Israel would require some skin in the game.

Prayer is not an alternative to preparation and faith in God to provide for your needs, is never void of your own hard work. Do you keep asking God to provide something in your life and it doesn’t appear that He is listening? There is a time and a place for everything. God will never lead you into the next journey without having first, prepared you to walk with Him. Israel no longer needed this manna because the land in which they were about to enter would abundantly provide all in which they could only dream of eating.

I wonder if today, those seemingly unanswered prayers are in reality, your own manna? Could it be that God has already provided you with the tools and soil necessary for harvest? May I encourage you today to take a moment and pause? Those unanswered prayers might not be so unanswered at all.

Today, I pray for your eyes to be open to seeing that.

Stefanie Calens
loveSTRONG Ministries

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Which One?

It's certainly no coincidence that the very first Psalm harbors a thematic backdrop in the choices of life's two roads. Here, we read about the life of the faithful person contrasted with that of the faithless.

Life is all about choices. Some may be easier than others, but nonetheless, our daily directions can be downloaded into our hearts from God.

It's no accident that at the very center of Scriptures, we find the Psalms. An entire range of human emotion expressed, confessed. From songs of praise, to crying out in pain, we read it all.

But, one simple question remains foundational.

Which road do you choose?

Psalm 1

Stefanie Calens
loveSTRONG Ministries

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Raging Waters

Sometimes, life has a way of gifting unexpected storms.
The rain pours with ferocity,
The winds take your breath away,
The waters rage.

You quickly find yourself knee deep.

The water, so cold, it's painful. The sting of each thrash. Each twist. Each twirl. It's more than you can fight.

So you let go, lay back, and ride it out.

Dead roots get pulled, dying branches rip away, and the more you experience, the more you realize, the once muddy waters you began in, start to appear clear.

The junk, the insecurities, the weights of opinions....

It all begins to float away.

At the end of your journey, you discover the beauty of the color that lies beneath. The process of being refined. Jagged edges, emerge smooth.

Polished.

Each ride produces new life. The dead is gone, and what was mistaken for broken, is revealed in all its beauty.

Every storm builds character.

Embrace them. But learning to ride.....That's the best part.

Stefanie Calens
loveSTRONG Ministries

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