How Much More

I am on a mini retreat vacation in Chicago staying with my brother and his family. I have no plans...I sleep, I wake up, I laugh with my nieces, watch my nephews play baseball...oh and have a personal massage therapist come to the house...all in a day's work!

This morning as I was sitting at the breakfast table with my brother and sister, we talked we laughed and then I opened my bible and the first verse I read was “No one whose testicles are crushed or whose male organ is cut off shall enter the assembly of the Lord." Deuteronomy 23:1. Well, that was a buzz kill to our laughter. Then I read on through Word and got to the place where Moses addresses nocturnal emissions. At this point I thought, how can it get any better? (insert sense of humor.) Not really fun to write about these verses (trust me, there is a reason and I will get to it before I share the verses about women eating their children and their afterbirth) but there was something that struck me deep in my heart through it.

If God addresses things like this, lays out rules, guidelines and how to handle THESE situations....HOW MUCH MORE will he address our daily concerns WHATEVER they are. We simply need to "Seek and read from the book of the Lord.." Isaiah 34:15

2 Timothy 3:16-17 "All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work."

The Word that God has given us, His book, the Bible is life, truth and necessary. It will guide us, teach us, and comfort us in ANY situation. Open it.... you can't live without it LITERALLY.

I would love for you to share about an issue you struggled with and where you found God addressing it in His Word and how it helped you. I would also love to hear if you are struggling to find the answer. Let's search it out together, maybe someone else has struggled and found where God addresses your particular need. It's there!

Let's Praise:

"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. For as we share abundantly in Christ's sufferings, so through Christ we share abundantly in comfort too." 2 Corinthians 1:3-5

STOP IT!!

I just finished speaking and singing at a Women's event in New York. It was amazing. The hospitality, the love and the whole day were so well thought out, prayed over and executed.

I was able to share my story, encourage others to tell theirs, sing, fellowship and pray with several women.

In response, I got to hear many stories of how God was working in their hearts and I love that. People often feel comfortable sharing with me at these events especially since I have just bared my soul in front of the masses and I honor that. I pray and as God directs me I speak truth.

It's a joy to walk along side women in that moment as God peels away layers of hurt, bitterness and shame. Today, because of the boldness the Spirit gave me and probably also a bit of jet lag and lack of filter, my response to someones sharing of all the things they were doing that were out of God's will was a simple....."STOP IT!" Every situation that was explained to me, the response was the same "STOP IT!"

As I think about it, it may seem harsh, but I know that the greatest gift my husband gave me when I was doing things that were clearly out of God's will was "Stop it!" From there, it's on me. I was told. So, I felt like sharing that same gift (along with other counsel...accountability partners, the Word of God, prayer) with my new neighbor.

Situations are different...addictions are tough, I know. BUT, sometimes, there are are situations where we just need to stop it and stop acting a fool!

*DISCLAIMER~ There is a good chance after I sleep for a few days, that I might re-think this post, but what's the fun in that. #SayItLikeYouMeanIt


"No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it." 1 Corinthians 10:13 #Truth

I'm not sure, but the fact that I was watching this video the other week, may have contributed to my new counseling tips. Enjoy, have a laugh! and if you are doing something you shouldn't.... #StopIt

Just Ask

Tree Hill Collective in the Studio  

Mia (vocals/songwriter) Adina (songwriter) Jeff McCullough (Music producer) 

Daniel (BGV's/guitar)

One of the things that I love about my music producer, Jeff McCullough, (he's the one with the Mohawk) is that he always tells me like it is. When I sound bad, he does not hesitate to let me know it. He asks me questions and guides me in searching every emotion and truth connected with each line that comes out of my mouth. "Don't sing it if you don't believe it" he says. And he covers our sessions, recording, mixing and mastering in prayer.

On this last project he said this to me. "Mia, you owe it to the writers and the audience to be totally honest in your interpretation of the song, stop listening to the voices in your head." Recording music is a ministry. It captures my heart and is forever out there for people to hear. So I don't take it lightly. There are tears shed in each recording project through the struggle over lines, notes and songs. I tend to think of Jeff as my therapist as well. Kudos for producers that have to deal with emotionally sensitive and sometimes unstable artists. They ROCK!!

THE BIG CHALLENGE HE GAVE:

My producer asked me the other week "If you could do a duet with ANYONE living or dead, who would it be?" I answered him and then he said "So what is stopping you." My reply was that I didn't ask. So I followed through, dared to ask this person and he said, "Yes!" #CRAZY. So, now my prayer is this...whatever comes out of it, I pray that it shines a light on Christ. May it be excellent and praiseworthy...... May it be my best offering to the Lord #SoliDeoGlori.

What does someone need to challenge you to do today? 
Go Nike it! #JustDoIt #SoliDeoGlori
(I don't know about you, but so much of what I do is because someone loved me enough to give me a swift kick in the butt and encourage to do it...Consider yourself kicked!!)

"You desire and do not have, so you murder. You covet and cannot obtain, so you fight and quarrel. You do not have, because you do not ask. You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions." James 4:2-3

PS, I am fully aware that my use of hash-tags means nothing in this blog...Can't help it!

The Upside of Depression

My father would always find the positive in any situation and so I try and model that example in my life. Sometimes it is harder than at other times, but today this is what I gleaned from a week of struggling with depression. For those that don't know, I have struggled most of my life with depression, sometimes needing medication, but in the last decade it has been completely manageable without. The bouts are shorter and the lows (for this bi-polar chick) are not as great as in years past-Praise God!

Positive #1 I lost 5 pounds. Hey I'll take. I am not advocating depression as a form of weight loss, but simply stating the fact that I lost 5 pounds which I have been trying to do for the last month through healthy food choices and exercise with no luck. Now if you know me you will know that I say this while LOL with a smile.

The real joy that I saw is that through this emotionally tough week that was filled with sadness, much weariness, trouble getting out of bed, more sleeping that normal and a great of amount of just being lethargic with many tears is this, God is Good ALWAYS and in the midst of the struggle God still uses me to do His work, to glorify Him, to worship Him to give Him praise and to remind me that He is my only source for strength, hope, love and forgiveness.

My time in the Word was powerful, His ability to work through me in my writing, recording and ministering to others does not stop because I feel a certain way. This week I was finalizing some writings that I was working on and in it, I discussed how often times we feel disqualified. There was a time in my life where I would allow my depression to disqualify me from pressing on, praising Him and getting out of bed.

But today, through the brokenness, through sadness, through tears........ God's will be done. For that, I thank Him. He is my strength, my light, my hope. So today as I travel to go and minister to people through music, I know that even though there is a heaviness that I can't shake, my God is Good, My God is faithful, always present, close to the brokenhearted and so in love with me.

May God work through you in any season of your life and in any situation. May glory always be given to Him the lover and comforter of our soul.

Be blessed, friends.

This is what the heart of David sang during his trouble. May it bless you.

Psalm 6

O Lord, Deliver My Life

1 O Lord, rebuke me not in your anger,
nor discipline me in your wrath.
2 Be gracious to me, O Lord, for I am languishing;
heal me, O Lord, for my bones are troubled.
3 My soul also is greatly troubled.
But you, O Lord—how long?


4 Turn, O Lord, deliver my life;
save me for the sake of your steadfast love.
5 For in death there is no remembrance of you;
in Sheol who will give you praise?


6 I am weary with my moaning;
every night I flood my bed with tears;
I drench my couch with my weeping.
7 My eye wastes away because of grief;
it grows weak because of all my foes.


8 Depart from me, all you workers of evil,
for the Lord has heard the sound of my weeping.
9 The Lord has heard my plea;
the Lord accepts my prayer.
10 All my enemies shall be ashamed and greatly troubled;
they shall turn back and be put to shame in a moment.

Before & After -A Photo Shoot

I love looking at before and after shots. Sometimes they are so drastic that I spend more time than is necessary trying to figure out if that really is the same person. You can see some similarities, but the transformation, most of the time through weight-loss, makes them look like a whole new person...on the outside.

As I was spending time in the Word of God today, I was struck by change. Jesus changed lives. When He touched them, they were never the same, sometimes on the outside, but mostly and most importantly on the inside. He cleansed the lepers, He drove out demons, he healed the sick, he raised the dead and HE FORGAVE SINS.

Through the past decade or so, I have gone though changes. I have lost weight drastically, but even though I looked really good, my heart was in a bad place. God changed my heart during that time, I gained weight back, but more importantly, I was brought back into a right relationship with Christ. He healed me.

Recently, I have put on a nice 40 pounds, which I am working to loose through balanced exercise and wise eating choices, but regardless I know where my heart and my trust lie.... In Christ Jesus.

I think about the times when I lacked discretion and I mad really poor decisions that almost destroyed my family, left me out on the street and separated me from fellowship with other believers.

I may have looked really good to some, but the reality is that I looked like this (see picture below) to my husband.

THE BEFORE & AFTER

Proverbs 11:22 "Like a gold ring in a pig's snout is a beautiful woman without discretion."

All those years ago, I lacked discretion, I made horrible choices, BUT GOD healed me. It is because of God's healing hand, redemption and forgiveness that I was able to begin to make wise choices, choices for life and not death, choices that allowed my husband to look at me and see the AFTER version of me in Christ.

Yes, drastic change. I am not who I was.
I am a child of God, an heir to the Kingdom of Heaven. 

I am a child of the King!

Who are you?

Do you know the truth about your identity?

 If not, ask me and let me tell you about my Lord, let me tell you about YOU!

FROZEN

This is the verse that continues to minister to my heart especially today, 2 Samuel 23:10

"He rose and struck down the Philistines until his hand was weary, and his hand clung to the sword. And the Lord brought about a great victory that day, and the men returned after him only to strip the slain."  ESV

The NIV version uses the words "frozen to the sword". I love both. The beauty and the reality of it blows me away.

In the battles of life we often grow weary, but it is what we cling to in the battle that brings about victory in our weariness. I am clinging to the Word of God. It is life to me. May I be frozen to it!

What are you clinging to today? Victory is here!

I love this quote I came across at  Suburban Stereotype
"At the end of my life, I want it to be said that I fought with my hand frozen to the sword"

Declaration

"But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. 

I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God on the basis of faith. 

I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead. 

Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me."

Philippians 3:7-12 NIV