Tag: Living Water

what’s in your cup?

Karla Lees

I am an avid tea drinker.

Oh, don’t get me wrong. I love a good Americano, a perfectly balanced dark cup of coffee with a hint of cocoa & cherries, and I make a mean latte as a former barista.

But tea is my thing.

Whatever is in your cup in the morning will be customized by you, I can tell you with absolute confidence. You will add what you like, fix your cuppa just right before you sip from it. And if its perfect, you will consider that an added bonus to your day.  If not, it will leave a twinge of a bad taste in your mouth. Literally too.

We are designed to be holders of more than coffee or tea, Beloved.

We were meant to carry His Presence with us.

As His vessels (for the same of argument, a coffee mug or tea cup) we are meant to be filled with Him anew each day, and then overflow onto those around us.

Uhuh.

Unlike coffee or tea, which when spilled stains, irks or causes pain, sharing His Presence leads to increased peace, greater joy, and a sense of being unlike anything else. Even better than the perfect cuppa coffee or tea.

There are a few keys to keeping your cup (yourself) filled with Him.

1. Read the Word.

Let it steep within you, flavouring everything you are with His truth.

2. Spend time with Him.

Worship Him, let His intoxicating aroma surround you as He draws near.

3. Invite Him in. 

Without water, tea leaves and coffee beans cannot be released to become as intended.  Without Living Water, we do not unfurl into who He desires for us to be. Ask Him to soak you as only He can.

4. Follow the Leader.

The best coffee masters and tea sommeliers know that without a skilled instructor who can both show you & offer their wealth of experience, your effort may be in vain as you attempt to put into practice what is only head knowledge. Learning anything new requires depending upon your teacher.  Holy Spirit dwells within us to teach & guide us.  Learning to follow Him as He leads us on will help us keep our cups topped up.

5. Stop for frequent top ups & refills.

Taking the time to recharge & refilled.  Don’t allow yourself to become drained.  Allow Him to remind you when you need to pause and become topped up. We are always free to drop by, for God is open 24/7 for all eternity, and the cost has been prepaid.

Today, take a moment and ask Him to fill you. Invite Him to use you to spread blessing into the lives of those around you.

Caffeine has nothing on His Presence, Beloved. Ask Him to prove it!

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let it flow

Karla Lees

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Five years ago, I hit a bit of a harder patch than ever before. Injuries, illnesses & secrets revealed combined in an attempt to soak me dry to the bone.

Without God, the enemy would have succeeded in fully leaching the life out of me.

As it is, God held me even closer, spoke to me more clearly, and poured life into me, each & every day.

He keeps doing so with each new today.

The hardest part for me each year seemed to always hit around my birthday.

And quite frankly, without God, my kids & my best friends, there wouldn’t have been anything worth celebrating.

My hubby, post two major surgeries without full resolution of all his problems, got some good news this week. They may know what is causing his last plaguing symptom.

I ended up with an unexpected tax bill this month, which slapped me silly for a few hours before I could hear God whisper, “I got this. I told you breakthrough is coming.”

Hubby got one of his best tax refunds back within 6 days of filing. Which more than covered my bill, the two main needs we have needing repair, and knocking off 1/4 of our debt.

Numbers don’t mean that much to me. Relationship is more important, and always will be.

But the weight I was still carrying over our finances was quite a load, and God told me this week its His to carry, so hand it over & stop taking it back. He set me free.

So far this past 48 hours, God has been knocking my socks off with an outpour of blessing I have not been expecting, but am so grateful for.

My hubby, daughter & son all amped up and blew me away with their gifts of love, and time.

My besties rocked me again with blessings wrapped in laughter & care. They have kept me close through the rocky days, and loved me as I needed to be loved all the way. My chicks, my heart sister gifts God knew I would need in my life? Abundant blessings, each one.

My coworkers sang me happy birthday, and threw me an apple themed party (apple crumble, apple coffee cake, sour apple can’t & apple danish!).

My parents are taking us all out to dinner tonight, and have been so supportive to us all over this past long haul that tears well up from thinking about their love shown in action.

What I have learned, and celebrate today?

I have always had blessings growing around me, because of His handiwork.

He has been the giver and keeper of my life.

He is the Water I need to drink in every day, to keep life flowing in my spirit.

He is the Word I crave daily, to fill me up and direct me how to life & get to know Him more.

The garden of my life will never run dry when I choose to ask the Gardener to keep pouring Himself into it. The pruning, uprooting and straightening out that occurs under the Gardener’s hand may be painful, the pests attack may try to permanently damage, but I celebrate the Life Giver has me.

Not just my back.
He’s fully got me.

And so, even when the bad days try to gray out all the Son, I can still water my garden, with His love, grace and mercy, and hope for the new day’s blessings to come, as He has planned for me!

Every day, not just our birthdays or anniversaries are worth celebrating! So pull out your nice dishes, fave tea cup, recipe you save for a special occasion.

Jesus has you.

Worth celebrating every moment of every day!

Don’t forget to allow Him to water your garden daily. Keep your eyes on the new growth each season. Let Him bring to life a new you as you sink deeper into Him.

when the pain cries out to be heard

Karla Lees

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I woke up this morning to my worst overall pain day in a long while.

I am not going to tell you exactly what hurts, because I had a revelation about pain earlier today I need to share.

I have spent too much of my life listening to pain’s voice speak louder than God’s voice.

NO. MORE.

I am standing on my belief that God is more than enough to get me through whatever is paining me whether physically, emotionally, mentally or spiritually.

I am taking the megaphone away from pain and handing it back to God:

the Song who wants to sing His strength into me.

The Love who wants to pour His heart into mine.

The Peace who wants to bring solace to my spirit.

The Truth who will never leave me or forsake me, who is always with me, and eternally keeps His promises.

The Living Water who wants to splash His Presence over my pain, until He is the focus of all I can see, hear & sense.

The Eternal One who will never fail, whose goodness abounds from everlasting to everlasting!

Recently, God gave me the revelation that when I am able to abandon myself before Him in worship, my pain ebbs away, and often completely disappears in His Presence.

If pain ebbs or goes in His Presence, then I intend on keeping myself close to Him.

Not just because I feel better, but because He wants to take away my pain.

Jesus went to the cross not only for all sin & shame, but pain, infirmity & illness.

He reigns over all of it, this amazing loving awe-striking Saviour, who came to meet ALL our needs…

I choose to listen to the One who is for me, over the voice of the one who tries to tear me down.

Now is the day to tune in to His voice first, making it the loudest voice you hear each day.

All of heaven resounds with His voice…and as I align myself with His best for me (hearing Him first) I believe, I know my pain will be put in its rightful place by my Maker, Saviour, Healer & King!

I believe You’re my Healer,
I believe You are all I need.
I believe You’re my portion,
I believe You’re more than enough for me, Jesus You’re all I need!
-Kari Jobe, Healer