Who Led You to the Lord?

Thank you so much to all of the women who have written their stories of finding faith thus far. What a blessing to hear your journey to Christ. We did have a last minute change in our scheduling of guest writers and so we thought the preface of my book, “Because He Said So: Discovering Who The I AM says I Am" might work as a post. It's my story of finding faith and growing closer to the Lord. I pray that that it blesses you.

"In that day you will know that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you." John 14:20

Some of my earliest memories include Jesus and are set in sunny, warm Orlando, Florida where we lived the first few years of my life. I remember so vividly, riding to church on Sunday mornings in my mom’s yellow Chevy Vega with the windows rolled down. She drove us to service each week and would sing along with me as I belted out some of my favorite children’s church songs: Jesus Loves Me, This Little Light of Mine, Deep and Wide, and Jesus Loves the Little Children of the World.

Around the age of 13, I officially accepted His gift of salvation. Although I wish that I could share with you that BIG moment, that “Kumbaya” type moment, that so many have when they find Jesus, I can’t. That was not my experience. The best illustration of my life with Jesus is more like a cup placed under a dripping faucet that slowly fills to the rim with water and then overflows. I have always had a Bible nearby. I have always thanked Him for the food that I ate and the blessings that He has given me. I have always prayed to Him during times of need and moments of desperation, and I have always sung to Him in praise. I’m so grateful to have known Jesus my entire life.

My significant “A-HA” moment didn’t come until my mid-forties when I stepped out of my comfort zone and made two decisions that would forever change my life. I became a certified speaker, coach, and trainer with The John Maxwell Team, and then my childhood best friend, Dayna Curtis Moseley, and I gathered about twenty of our friends together for a forty-day prayer journey. I had no idea what God would do through these two new endeavors, but it didn’t take long for Him to reveal Himself. He began opening opportunities for me to connect with women who were looking to know Him on a deeper level, an authentic level. And, that small group of twenty women that Dayna and I started, grew to thousands of women and became what is now known as Soul Sisters Ministry. Soul Sisters serves women, globally, through daily devotionals/blogs, prayer posts, retreats, service projects, and local group meetings. (You can connect with Soul Sisters at https://www.facebook.com/groups/soulsistersministry or at soulsistersministry.com )

It wasn’t until I was speaking to and with women from all over the world that I had my moment of understanding. I was pouring the truth of Christ’s love and sacrifice into these women in hopes that they would understand how much they were loved and adored by their Heavenly Father. I was praying that, through the truth in His Word, they would recognize that they were created ON purpose and FOR a purpose.

Then it hit me like a ton of bricks. I realized that I passionately believed all of what I was sharing was true for THEM, but I was not confident that it applied to ME. I was sharing that YOU are loved, YOU are forgiven, YOU are called, and YOU are equipped. All the while I was questioning if I was worthy of His love! I tried to fill in the blank for my own life, “I am _____. “ But I couldn’t do it because I was so accustomed to thinking of myself and speaking to myself in negative ways. It didn’t feel like His truth applied to

me personally.

I knew from my experiences and many conversations that other women were fighting the same battle of believing that God’s truths were for them. I now recognized that I needed to believe His truths as well. After all, how could I pour into others if I wasn’t confident that what I was sharing with them was true for everyone, including myself. I felt God calling me to write a book about believing that God’s truths and promises are for all of us. But how? How could I believe it? How could I write about it? I was fighting the enemy, the world, and even my own negative thoughts. Sister, the struggle was real.

Everything changed when God woke me up one cold November night and told me why I should believe that His promises were as true for me as they were for others. He spoke four words into my heart, “Because I said so!” Isn’t our Lord wonderful? With these few words, He answered the question in my mind using words that He knew I would understand! You see, I grew up in the south. In my neck of the woods, it’s a known fact that when you asked your mom or dad “Why?” they would reply with the same answer. Every. Single. Time. “Because I said so”, and that was it! No more questions to be asked, you simply did what you were told because of their authority. And, because God is the ultimate authority, THE I AM, I can believe everything that He says about me. Why? Because He said so! THE I AM says I am! And thus, the title of this book was born.

I began praying and searching for the evidence of who I am in Him through scripture. I journaled each verse and I knew that His words could be trusted. But it still wasn’t easy to believe His words were for me because simply knowing the truth is not enough. I had to meditate on His word. I had to bombard my thoughts with His promises and guard my tongue from negative self-talk. Through this process I began to believe that I am who He says I am. I will tell you, however, that it is a process that takes practice. I know that the voices of the world will invade my heart and mind if I don’t seek Him first every day and remind myself daily who I am in Him.

During our journey, I will share with you the proof, through scripture, of who you are in Him. But, as I stated earlier, knowing won’t be enough. You must change your thoughts and the words you speak. (Proverbs 23:7 and 18:21) You must begin to think of yourself like God thinks of you and speak to yourself as God speaks of you! This book will guide you in this process by leading you to focus daily on His Word and claim forty God-firmations, affirmations of who you are in Christ. Through the practice of becoming more like Him and trusting that you are who He says you are, the strongholds and self-limiting beliefs that the enemy uses to separate you from Him will begin to fade. Everything in your life will begin to change. Make no mistake about it... this book is not about thinking more of yourself - it’s about thinking more of God. It’s about believing Him, growing in relationship with Him, and taking the right steps in all the things He calls you to do in His name – big things and small things.

So, Sister, are you ready? I’m praying for you over these next forty days. I’m praying that you change your thoughts and your words to be more like His. My prayer is that in believing Him completely, you will experience the abundant life that He came to give you. (John 10:10) Let’s go! Let’s begin the journey with God that has the power to transform your life and can become the catalyst to cause a ripple effect of change in the lives of everyone you meet. Let’s do it...because He said so! (Because He Said So can be found on Amazon at: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1736068202)

Additional Reading: Proverbs 23:7 and 18:21

Dear Lord, I’m so thankful for my mom who introduced me to Jesus. Thank You for all of the people in my life who “dripped” Jesus on me. Thank You for the fact that I don’t have a single memory of not knowing that “Jesus Loves Me”. May all of us who are Your adopted daughters let Your light shine in us and through us for all the world to see. We want all who see us to see You. In Jesus’ name and for the Father’s glory. Amen.