Hola Mi Amor!

Hola Mi Amor!

¿Donde has estado toda mi vida?! (Where have you been all my life?!) LOL How ya 🐝 my love? Right now in St. Louis, MO, USA it is 50 degrees and my app says it feels like 48. All I know is that within the last hour I finally turned off my little electric heater and TURNED ON the heat in mi casa! 😳 Ya girl was under a sheet + 2 throws (blankets) and was still pretty cold! 😂 Mind you I had been outside-ish most of the day at the farm. Anywho…

I cannot believe that the first time EVER this week I completed not one, not two, but 3 audio books. The hunger and desire to hear and learn more was at an all time high. Honestly I’m really proud of myself. For my whole life I’ve always said “I’m not a reader, I’m a writer.” But this entire year God has almost forced me into loving books in a new way from His Word, to leadership, horsemanship and everything in between.

““Write this letter to the angel of the church in Laodicea. This is the message from the one who is the Amen—the faithful and true witness, the beginning of God’s new creation:

“I know all the things you do, that you are neither hot nor cold. I wish that you were one or the other! But since you are like lukewarm water, neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth! You say, ‘I am rich. I have everything I want. I don’t need a thing!’ And you don’t realize that you are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked. So I advise you to buy gold from me—gold that has been purified by fire. Then you will be rich. Also buy white garments from me so you will not be shamed by your nakedness, and ointment for your eyes so you will be able to see. I correct and discipline everyone I love. So be diligent and turn from your indifference.

“Look! I stand at the door and knock. If you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in, and we will share a meal together as friends. Those who are victorious will sit with me on my throne, just as I was victorious and sat with my Father on his throne.

“Anyone with ears to hear must listen to the Spirit and understand what he is saying to the churches.””
‭‭Revelation‬ ‭3‬:‭14‬-‭22‬ ‭NLT‬‬
https://bible.com/bible/116/rev.3.14-22.NLT

Note: This letter was written in red letters so if you’re familiar with the bible this indicates that it is Jesus speaking. Red for the blood of Jesus and to cause His words to stand out.

Tonight I’m going to share a few things with you that have been illuminated for me this week…

Today specifically I didn’t know how I was going to dress to go to the farm because the high was supposed to be 60 degrees and I wasn’t sure if we would be riding outside for my 1:00 class. At times the indoor arena can be colder than it is outside. The tank top, t-shirt, long sleeve athletic pullover and a sweatshirt + a pair of capri length leggings under my lightweight sweatpants proved to be exactly what worked for me both inside and outdoors praise God. I was neither hot nor cold all day besides during my drive.

Can we just pause and appreciate how stinkin’ HANDSOME my Ace is?!! This is the first selfie like this that I actually got his eyes in and he’s looking at the camera! 😂🤩🙌🏽🥰 We had 2 amazing sessions today. He greeted me with all the kisses this morning! Oh and his winter coat has been coming in for the last two weeks so he looks extra furry and huggable. 😍

Yesterday we had a family day at an outdoor shooting range. This is a favorite past time of mine besides being therapeutic and so freeing! Oh if you didn’t know- ya girl is smooth with it behind a firearm and as we all learned last week apparently with a crossbow as well. Not exactly why God blessed me with these skills yet. It could be the fact that I wanted to go into the military but my Mami broke my heart and wouldn’t let me go or because God knew my Daddy loves, loves, LOVES hunting and only having one daughter (+ 5 boys*) who he can also share those times with would bless his whole heart. Who knows?! 😅 Either way, I’ll take it!

Fun Fact: I strangely have always been far more comfortable shooting the larger firearms than a small one. Go big or go home!

Something I observed about my own actions and interactions with the fam was at first I would shoot one of the guns and then I would look back at them and be like “how’d I do?” I wasn’t even thinking at all- girl, you have a whole scope on the gun you just shot. Smh. Eventually I realized and looked for myself. Sometimes it’s the obvious things and even people that we miss or look right past.

Now, the times I wasn’t recording my baby brother and grabbed the binoculars they were always blurry to me. The focus that was set for another family member wouldn’t work for my eyes. I had to turn the dial until I gained full, crisp and clear sight through the lenses. It was on the drive leaving the range that this came to me. My natural vision (well corrected vision with my contacts in) wouldn’t be enough for me to shoot with the accuracy that I desire to my target at 40 yards away. This is exactly why we have a scope on all of them.

Immediately following I thought about how I was clowning on my baby brother when he was shooting the 22 because to me it sounded so “dainty” like a little “pume, pume, pume.” 🤣 But then my Daddy said, “Jana take off your ears and then listen.”

So of course I did as he said and the sound was completely different! With the protective ear wear on I could only hear a distorted version of any gun shot going off at the range. Thank God I was wearing them 99.8% of the time because we were mostly shooting 308s + those around us were all shooting constantly as well.

So while peering through the thick woods on our drive out I heard, “now think about your spiritual eyes and ears.” At the range I was sitting in the exact same spot, holding the exact same rifle, but I could see with a completely different vision with my natural eyes vs. what my father provided me to look through. I stood in the exact same spot with my earmuffs as I did when I slid them off of my ears to listen as I was instructed by my father and heard completely different sounds. Selah.

The temperature had dropped significantly from the time we arrived to the time we left. Once we decided to stop for dinner on the way home we were cranking up the heat to warm up. The cold air heading into the restaurant told my brain- hey you better use the restroom. If you’ve ever been cold and then remove your clothes you’re quick to realize how cold your body really is! It makes me cold just thinking about it.

Wednesday night it was raining yet the temperature was nice. We were having our monthly bible study night at The Advancing Church. Well this evening we actually had worship and intercessory prayer. By midweek I had already had 6 appointments around my health, so having prayer that night was exactly what I needed to say the least. As our ministry leaders interceded for our church, our Pastor, members and God’s will over everything, I wept and prayed in the Spirit from my seat the entire time. What seemed like a few minutes before we were to close my entire body started to tingle from head to toe. I continued to pray, but I didn’t want to leave the sweet presence of God that filled the atmosphere.

Now tonight as I sat watching worship music “Rompan El Techo” on Youtube I was filled with gratitude as tears flooded down my face with my arms raised. I thought about all of the things God has brought me through hallelujah! I also reflected on the times in the few years before when I began listening to worship in Spanish because I was basically protesting English due to the pains I had endured. I would listen, but I was numb so I barely reacted in any way if I did at all.

Remember earlier when I said I finally turned my heat on? Baybeeeeeee 🤦🏽‍♀️ Well it got too hot up in here! I had to strip down, throw off my covers and cut the thermostat down to 70 degrees. Since, I’ve found a happy cool temperature- not hot, not cold but just right for me on today.

Finding my happy place with my own hormonal and post virus changes is an excellent thing for me for sure, but being cool or lukewarm in our faith and acting self-sufficient is a huge no no with our Father God. Turning the heat back up on my commitment to my health and creative means of therapy is excellent, where if one is only praying or praising God when you feel like it is no bueno. It’s called the sacrifice of praise for a very good reason.

When was the last time you decided to completely rely on God, putting your full trust in Him to lead your life as He wills?

God wants us to be and stay on fire for Him. We should be growing in our faith, day by day fanning the flame within us so that it continues to burn and so that we can hear God’s voice and will for our daily lives more clearly. He wants to commune with you. What are you waiting for?

Today, reflect on where you were spiritually a year ago, 6 months ago and the current temperature of your faith and reliance on God. What areas of your life and faith walk do you need to surrender and where can you turn the heat up in this week? Don’t just fan the flame within you and others, feed the fire to let it burn bright- On Purpose!!!

Have a blessed day- On Purpose!

Love & Blessings,

Janabee 🐝