truth – Collective Circle Gathering

Blooming In Off Seasons

January 26, 2020January 26, 2020 Hannah B.

This winter season has been unusual to say the least. I have heard stories of flowers blooming this month because of the much warmer temperatures that are not expected in a cold January. It’s supposed to be snowing, frigid cold, and signs of plant life are supposed to be anything but blooming. Expectations for winter seasons are already set for us. When things happen out of season, we tend to get confused, scratch our head, and ask, “why?” We often get stuck on thinking it’s not supposed to be this way.

Perhaps there is a lesson we can learn from the blooming flower in the off season. Naturally, we think the flowers are confused because this is happening against the season. The flowers did not question the season they were in, but they bloomed as they were created to. They know the conditions needed to produce blooms and they spring forth into action.

Like the flower blooming in the off season, we may find ourselves in seasons we do not understand but we must find a way to spring forth into action.

The Word of Truth is needed in a believer’s life to produce fruitfulness, steadfastness, and new life. When we are in relationship with God by engaging in His word, prayer, fasting, and worship we are then in right balance with the creator. When the word is implanted in us, it is deeply woven in every part of us. We won’t be able to stop the growth and we will want to live a life pure and undefiled. This kind of life leads us to be doers and hearers of The Word as James instructs Christians to be.

James teaches us that every believer will experience trials in life, but trials are a blessing. They are opportunities for growth and to see the Father of Lights who created the light that rule the days and seasons. His nature is unchanging, and His promises are secure. Through creation, we can see exactly how faithful and unchanging God is. Therefore, it is so important as believers to be deeply rooted in Christ so that when these off seasons do come, we will not be swayed but we will spring into action as we were created to. Off seasons are opportunities to truly learn where our faith stands when resources have dried up, time is against us, and there isn’t any light at the end of the tunnel. These seasons are where we meet opposition, lack, frustration, and maybe even wonder if we had faith at all?

But we were created for this.

It’s the place where we find out who we truly are, what our character is made of, and the condition of our heart. In this place, we see God, place our trust in Him, and surrender.

We must find a way to stay focused on God and our relationship with Him in every season of our journey so that when these off seasons do come, we will not find ourselves stuck or wavering.

God is at work in all of our seasons, spiritual growth is a process and growth happens most in the seasons that seem out of balance.

He is there and we can trust that He has a great purpose.

Qualities Needed In Off Seasons

Be swift to hear

Slow to speak

Slow to wrath

Be a doer of The Word

Read James 1 here:

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=James+1&version=NIV

With all of my love and encouragement,

Hannah B.

Barefoot Devotions

My Story | Rejected To Perfection

August 6, 2018May 10, 2022 Hannah B.

Three Days Ago

It’s Friday, everyone should be happy right? I have felt off all day but I kept telling myself that it was because my mom was having surgery and I was uneasy since I wasn’t there. Then the enemy popped in and reminded that it is because I can’t control the situation in case something went wrong. As he placed this thought into my mind, I kept thinking of every situation that could go wrong. Luckily, my sister called and let me know that my aunt and uncles were at the hospital with my mom. Immediately, I was relieved because I knew they were praying and would be there for my mom. I prayed and submitted my concerns to God and told Him it’s better that He has the control instead of little ‘ol me. Done. Submitted to God. Let’s get this day started!

Wrong. I guess the devil didn’t like that I didn’t open his package.

The day continued with screaming kids – wilder and louder than normal. Figures.

I thought that getting “ready” would make me feel better. I put on real pants that you can wear in public, makeup, and was about to curl my hair. Then I looked into the mirror.

As I looked at myself, I didn’t feel good about what was looking back at me. My make up didn’t go on smoothly, my blemishes were still there, and my flaws were showing. I was not on point. If you know me, you know this is out of character for me. If I leave the house, I am always dressed to impress, makeup perfect, hair perfect, and completely accessorized.

All I wanted to do was make a video and talk more about strongholds and get “ready” for the day.

One minute in and I turned the camera off. It was turning into an unknown testimony that I didn’t know I even had.

I said, “Screw it, I’m scrubbing my face.” Yes, out loud as I stomped to my bathroom. I scrubbed. Harder than I should have but maybe the harder I scrubbed the flaws would fade. I was angry and upset that I was struggling with the blemishes on my skin, with my weight that I allowed to get out of control, with my hair color that has faded, and my overplucked eyebrows that are now growing in gray.

I entered into a conversation with God, “Why do I cover myself with makeup? Why at this very moment do I hate everything about me? Am I really this flawed? I thought I was supposed to be fearfully and wonderfully made.”

The Revelation

He revealed why I dress the way I do and why everything has to be perfect. He revealed why I was so unhappy with myself at that moment. Then came the cause.

It’s an illusion of being perfect that I strive for because somewhere along the way of living with an addict, I thought that if I sit pretty, look pretty, and act pretty then maybe my dad wouldn’t leave me for the next binge or the next prison sentence. Maybe if I was pretty enough and made everything perfect enough then I could mask our dysfunctions and everything would appear to be as a happy and functioning family. I didn’t realize that I spent my whole life trying to cover up every flaw that came up in life because it was learned at such an early age it appeared to be normal.

At this point, my flesh wanted to run and say, “Nope, not today!” If I was at any other stage in my life, I probably would have. This is why God chose this moment in my life to reveal this to me because I was at a point of needing freedom. At this moment, John 8:32 became so real to me – the truth does set you free indeed. I’ve surrendered my life to Him because He gave His for me and if this is what He needs to me to do to move forward, then I will. Now that I am aware of this action that comes so normal to me, I can act when certain situations arise because I know the enemy will throw this back in my face. When he does, I can say, “Nope, that is a lie!”

John 8:32 | “Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

The Truth Sets You Free

When you look in the mirror and acknowledge the person who you didn’t want to become, the person you don’t like then we can then confront the issues, then confront the underlying strongholds with the truth. It isn’t pretty but once you accept what it revealed to you, and surrender to God then you can be changed. Don’t live in the lies, there is bondage. Acknowledge the truth and you will be set free!

Previous blog mentioned in the video:

How To Slay Your Mental Strongholds

Raw and Real Footage After My Revelation:

VIDEO: Stronghold Discovery: Rejected to Perfection

Xoxo,

Hannah B.

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Barefoot Devotions

No Longer Held Captive To The Fear of Becoming Whom I Am Called To Be

June 15, 2018June 15, 2018 Hannah B.

There are times you are stopped on your path as you look back at the steps you have made to overcome who you were, an addiction you had, or a life you are not proud of. Sometimes the reminders of your past are harsh and come suddenly when you are least expecting it. They come from people you least expect to rub it in your face, places, smells, and thoughts.

You are reminded of weaknesses that you fought to overcome, to be reminded that one person or one trigger can cause everything you have worked so hard to put to rest and leave it in the past to become real again. The enemy knows how to dangle your past in front of you and bring the shame and guilt that you once felt to the surface. What you once thought was dormant has now reared its ugly head. The enemy will speak lies to you, surround you with fear, and will do everything in his power to hinder you from moving further into your calling.

The devil knows that God has a plan for your life and he knows that it is a good and divine plan that will heal you, grow you, and carry you into your purpose and beyond your wildest dreams. Therefore, you are going to face the devil’s tactics and encounter his fiery arrows.

I am reminded of the story of Lot and how his family was rescued by God from their city that was doomed.

As they fled, the angels warned them,

“Escape for your life! Do not look behind you, and do not stay anywhere in the valley; escape to the mountains, or you will be swept away” (Genesis 19:17).

“But his wife, from behind him, looked back, and she became a pillar of salt” (Genesis 19:26).

The Hebrew for looked back means “to regard, to consider, to pay attention to.”

As I see the parallels between this story and applying it to our lives, Lot’s wife turned and looked back at her past; even though it was her life that she was mourning, she still looked back at what God brought her out of, away from doom, and gave her the path to safety. She just had to run into her faith toward God and not look back.

Perhaps the same can be said for today? Our pasts are often our cities that are doomed but rescued by God and we are allowed to flee. We escape our sin, our reputation, who we used to be before we were renewed, washed in Jesus’ blood, and put on our new self.

and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness. – Ephesians 4:24

The devil knows our Sodom and Gomorrah and when he reminds us of our past, he is trying to cause you to look back and pay attention to your old self. If we look back we can find stones around us that prevent us from moving forward because the weight is too heavy. The discouragement is too much to bare. The pits of depression are too deep with pain. Just like the pillar of salt, you aren’t going anywhere.

Instead of allowing ourselves to be consumed by the things of the past that God has carried us out of and we look back, place your past mistakes beneath your feet and use them as a stepping stone to grow into a better you.

Be Courageous. Be Brave. Don’t look back. God warns us for a reason because He knows what’s best for you.

Xoxo,

Hannah B.

P.S.

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