It's so easy to see when things don't go our way as a failure.  No one likes failing.  None of us like being humbled and waiting for God's timing and ways.  It's hard.  In Judges 20 the Israelites show us a powerful process to victory even when things in the natural looked as though they were failing and losing a battle.

They asked the Lord what He would have them to do- "Fight"

Two times they did as they Lord instructed and in all terms of the natural it looked like failure, felt like defeat.

The third time they went to the Lord- they fasted, prayed, and worshipped.  The word remained the same as the two previous times,  but this time He would hand the tribe of Benjamin over.

If you are in a moment or season where it feels like failure or you are questioning that you heard God wrong, ask again.  Wait.  And as soon as you hear the directive, go- you never know what victory obedience will lead to!  God causes all things to work for good!  I'm cheering you on.

Stay Focused. Keep Fighting.

-Danielle

This one thing will keep you stuck if you don't change it.  We all go through valley seasons, or middle moments that we don't like and wish we could move through quickly, but I've come to realize both in my own experiences and women that I have worked with is that one thing dictates the length of those tough seasons.

Mindset. 

The way we think about things changes everything.

What we focus on expands.

Regardless of season or circumstances, we get to choose whether we elevate what we are experiencing in the natural or declaring God's truth and promises above all else?

Join me today as we talk through these middle moments, some ways to re-write the narrative from victim to victor, and a few questions that will help you reset your mind to thrive in any season.

God has called you to freedom.  Stay focused. Keep Fighting!  You can do this!

-Danielle Wingate

Each of us were created with a purpose, but somewhere along the way we either get lost, confused, or distracted with understanding what we have been created for and how to do it.

In today's episode Danielle Torrez joins me as we talk through how we discover our God-given purpose in every season and how we build a strategy to do so.

The principles that we share are ones that we live by each day.  Proven strategies that will help you live with intentionality each day.

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A solider would never head into battle without proper protective gear.  As a marital artist I have engaged in countless fights, always with padding + a mouth guard, and I would never choose it any other way.

Ephesians 6 tells us that we are in a battle every single day, a war that is raging around us.  

Do we suit up for battle every day or do we head out + about our day unaware and unprepared with what is happening around us/ to us?

These armor pieces that Paul shares gives us solid pieces that we can claim for protection, defense, and how to fight back, but it's crucial that we don't get those three categories confused.

Whether you have grown up in the church or not I hope there is something that resonates or encourages your spirit as you listen!

Thanks for listening! Rise up, friend!  God has won the battle, do not let your heart be troubled!

-Danielle

Our enemy operates best in deception and distraction.  Have you ever thought about why Satan chose to tempt Eve first?  The Hebrew name given for woman is Ezer- Kenegdo which translates to, "one who rescues or saves.  One who responds to cries for help."  There is something so powerful about Eve and not only who she was, but how she was made and what she represented.

After God created Eve, something about her brought this completion and wholeness together and in that the first institution was created- marriage.

This symbolism we see carried out through the rest of the Bible where God uses Christ as the groom and the Church as His bride for the type of sacrificial and selfless love God has for His sons and daughters.

We need godly women to own their femininity and godly men to own their masculinity.

What would you do, how would your thoughts and actions change if you knew that there was an enemy in your midst?   What if you have been identifying or fighting the WRONG enemy the whole time?  No wonder you can't obtain peace.  No wonder you feel stuck, angry, offended, and confused.    “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places” Eph. 6:12 There is a battle raging against us everyday but it's probably not what you think it is, we are simply experiencing the physical manifestation of it.  Here in part one we are diving into the root of it all, the real enemy,  and some practical tips we can do today to train and fight the right fight.  

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Have you ever heard the term that the Bible is living?  There’s a term, Rhema word which means word, but the Greek word is attributed to the Holy Spirits revelation to you of a meaning or conviction in your life.  It’s the difference in reading a text and absorbing information and reading information and your spirit encountering wisdom from the Holy Spirit to reveal new truth and revelation about God to you.

The Bible is composed of 66 books, a variety of authors written over the course of 1,500 years.

The Bible is literature, the oldest and truest form, each book congaing information for us to discover and uncover about the character, nature, and heart of our Heavenly Father.

-Today we will talk about the 8 different genres that the various books are written in

-The 5 questions we should ask when reading a book

-Encouragement for where you are and how to grow

Enjoy today!

In the Western world, we have paired the term "wilderness season" with something that is negative, tough, and heavy.  More than likely it's a season in your life that you do not want to be in and are desperately working to get out of as quickly as possible.

Luke 4 began to challenge my thinking when I realized that just after Jesus was baptized, he was led into the wilderness by the HOLY SPIRIT.  God's Spirit led Jesus into the wilderness for 40 days.  

Why would He do that?  

Why are wilderness seasons necessary?

What can we learn from these wilderness places?

How does this change your lens now?

Sometimes it feels like God is not present.

All the gospels share an account of Jesus calming the waves.  When the waves are calm there is peace.  Chaos has to bow to His authority.

Mark 4:35-4 Morgan reads this story where Jesus rebukes the wind and waves, turns to His disciples, and says, “Why are you afraid, do you still have no faith?”

Just because there are things going on around us doesn't mean that He is not present.

When we lose sight of the fact that Jesus died and rose again to send the helper, one better to live with us always, we can know that He is faithful.

Regardless of hardship or circumstance, we have to cling to his presence and promises.