HOLD ON

You are remembered my friend in this moment, right here, right now. His promises are true and His mercies are new every single morning, and they are for you, I promise, they are for you from Him.

Last week I was driving down a country road listening to the song “Valentine,” by Hillsong. A few hundred feet ahead a school bus was fast approaching me. The chorus in this song stirred in my spirit and for a moment I thought, what if today is it? What if today is my last day on this earth? What if I’m going to die today because a school bus plows into me.

Then The Spirit brought to mind how hard it must be for God Almighty to know ahead of time that one of His precious ones is going to die on this date, in this way, and at this time. Yet, in His infinite wisdom He does not interfere, He does not stop it. I thought, how awful it must be for Him to choose to do nothing. The pain, the sorrow, the anguish that He must feel knowing that one of His children will soon die. But it doesn’t stop there. He knows the devastation it will bring to family members, the grief they will encompass them for days, for years, for a lifetime.

The song continued with the chorus “this world is Yours, my God this world is Yours, all You’ve made to be Yours, I know You love us so. You reign forever, You reign forevermore, My heart surrendered, You reign forevermore.”

In that moment I understood in a greater way just - how - much He loves us. He knows that pain that we will experience, the unspeakable tragedies we will face, the hopelessness we will feel at times, yet because of His GREAT love for us, He doesn’t always intervene in ways that we may witness at first. Only The One True God could do such a thing. He loved us SOOOO much that He sent His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life (John 3:16). He sent His One and Only Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins (1 John 4;10). This is LOVE! He did this. He sought an everlasting relationship with us, a people who wanted nothing to do with Him, who turned our backs on Him. Yet, He continued to pursue us in the midst of our opposing hearts, our sinful minds, and our heartbroken souls.

He chose us. He chose you! Why? Because He absolutely loves you forever. He loved you first. Nothing you can ever do will change His mind. He has always love you. But it doesn’t end there, no, there is more to the story. Through the heartbreak, through the loss, the sleepless nights, the aching pain that’s so deeply embedded in our souls, He is with us for the long haul.

Receive what He has for you right here, right now, in this moment with Him. He feels your pain, He hears your cries, your whispers when you are too weak to mutter any words. He absolutely understands. There IS hope, there truly is hope. It doesn’t have to end this way. It really doesn’t. Hold on just a little bit longer. He has promised to never leave you or abandon you (Hebrews 13:5). Choose to believe His word, His works, and His promises even though everything around you is saying there is no hope, and nothing to live for. I’m telling you - there is, there is HOPE!

OPEN HANDS

I stand before You Lord, hands open but shaking, knees trembling. Are You really who You say You are? Will You truly do the things You have promised as I release the old and wait once again for You to fill my hands with Your goodness?

I’ve had this conversation with The Lord many times over the years, and this morning we had it again. He reminded me that this is what faith is, trusting Him to bring forth new things as we do what He calls us to do. Isaiah 43:19 says “Behold, I will do something new, now it will spring forth; will you not be aware of it? I will even make a roadway in the wilderness, rivers in the desert.”

I’ve learned over the years that The Lord loves to bless His people, and He has done so in our lives. He is The Good God. He has brought forth life out of deadness. His Light has penetrated the darkest of nights, and His love has healed the deepest of wounds. He has done new things but He’s not finished yet. There is more to do. He calls us to walk by faith and not by sight (2 Corinthians 5:7).

Chad and I have been in the waiting room so to speak, as my good friend calls it, for a number of years. The Lord has grown us and shown us that He is The Great I Am as we have released things to Him, precious things, endearing things, so that He can do even greater things, new things. It’s a hard place to be, knowing that He is doing a work in us, but not seeing His purpose just yet, believing that He is calling us elsewhere, to a new place with new opportunities to bring Him the glory , but wanting to stay in the familiar, the comfortable place.

This morning as I got ready to sit with The Lord, He turned my attention to an buck standing right outside my window, only a few feet away, staring straight at me. It was a little intimidating making eye contact with such a magnificent animal in such close proximity. As I turned to get my camera, he was gone. I thanked The Lord for blessing me in such a special way. The Spirit brought to mind that the buck represents strength, power, stability - everything that I need in this moment. Then He took it a step further. He shared with me how He is all of these things and He’s got this, He’s got me, He’s got us. As Chad and I walk by faith and release the familiar things, the comfortable things, to receive new things from The Lord, He will take care of us as He always has because He is our Heavenly Father.

WELCOME

Hello Everyone,

I’m introducing InHisNameblog.com to family, friends, and the world today. I invite you to join me as we share our hearts through God’s Word, encourage one another through the difficult times by the power of The Holy Spirit, and remember who He is in every circumstance.

These past few years have been a road of discovery, trials, growth, and a new awakening to The One True God who is for me and not against me. I’m particularly thankful to The Lord for placing a special couple in my life who have helped make this blog become a reality. Thank you Scott and Lindsay for your hard work behind the scenes in putting this all together. The Lord has blessed me in ways you can’t even begin to imagine through your dedication and patience. I’m also so thankful to my dear sistas who have been praying, waiting, and watching with anticipation to see what The Lord will do through the poems that will be shared. Thank you sweet friends for believing that God is who He says He is, and for faithfully standing with me along the way. You gals are such a precious gift from Him. My heart continues to pour out gratitude to The Lord for my family who has believed that such a thing could be possible through Him. Thank you Lord for my husband as well who has believed in me, prayed for me, and challenged me to keep moving forward in this journey with The Lord.

I invite you to join me. You are worth far more than you can imagine to The God who created you and calls precious regardless of what the enemy whispers to you in the night. Receive what He has for you. His hands are reaching out with a heart full of true love for you. Enjoy Him.

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and The Lord Jesus Christ (Ephesians 1:2)

Kerry

TRUE LOVE

Heavenly Father - You died so that all could receive Your love and experience the One True God. You are The Maker of heaven and earth.

What is holding you back from His love my friend?

What lies have you made to be the foundation of your world, which intensely sways at the slightest of breezes?

God wants to breathe life into every hurting, abused, shameful, dead, forgotten, evil, and lost part of you.

Come to Him. His eyes are on you with outstretched arms to receive you.

You are worth so much to Him.

Will you step forward and say yes to The Great I Am because He says yes to you.

DIFFERENT BUT ACCEPTED

I see you among the many others grasping for air, thinking, believing that they have no one, no hope, and no purpose left in this life.

 This is not the truth for them or for you. 

You are worth more than you can imagine, to Me.

You belong, to Me.

You are My creation and I take great delight in you.

You have not been stolen so far out of My reach that I can’t come get you. I will, I am running after you. 

STOP!

Look around. What do you notice?

Listen. What do you hear?

Reach out your hand. What do you feel?

IT’S ME!

Open your heart for I have much to give you. Will you let Me in?

I’m right here.

Choose to believe My promises dear child.

Take what I am offering. I spared nothing. I paid the greatest price for you My precious one. It cost Me everything. I risked it all for you and I would do it again to have you come into My fold forever.

I love you always and forever.

THE LORD GAVE ME THIS PICTURE...

All I saw was His hand inviting me, inviting you, His child, to come walk with Him. He LOVES spending time with us.

The journey is not always easy or lovely like this picture portrays. Sometimes, and more often than not, it’s full of sickness, questions, doubts, frustrations, heartaches, and disappointments, but one thing remains the same, ALWAYS, He is here in our midst. He NEVER leaves regardless of what the enemy or this world tells us. We must choose to believe and tell ourselves The Truth. 

HE is for us.

HE is with us.
HE fights for us.

HE will never abandon us.

HE calls us His own, and wait there’s more…this world is not our home. He is preparing a place, a home for us and He will come back for us. He is The Promise Keeper

John 14:1-4

FORGIVENESS

What if the very thing we’ve been yearning for, striving for, crying out for, believing God for, and clinging to Jesus for is the very thing He has already made available to us?

We all desperately want to be loved, touched, and held, yet we push away The One who is right here and can do what our heart aches for. 

We demand to be healed yet we prevent others from receiving the same through our lack of un-forgiveness for them. 

We love because He first loved us.

What if the very thing that is preventing us from moving forward is the very thing God is asking you to do?

What is He asking of you right here right now?

You know, He knows, so why not say yes to Him?

What is holding you back?

Who is stifling the fire God has placed in you?

What lies are you choosing to believe over The One who has His best for you.

God is speaking. Do you hear Him?

Shhhh, precious child, quiet your mind. Turn your face to Him unafraid knowing that you stand in His glory. 

Allow Him to finish His story in you. Let the forgiveness He has shown freely flow through you to embrace the ones He has placed in your path.

It’s worth it my friends to walk in forgiveness knowing that nothing and no one has power over you. You have been purchased by The Only One whose sacrifice pleased The Great I AM.

He has more for you than you can imagine. Let down your guard to Him. Receive all that He has for you, for it is great!

I STILL SEE YOU

I remember you My child.

Look here. See, I hold you in the palm of My hand.

I have inscribed you on My heart. 

Your face comes to My mind often and it brings Me great joy.

Your sins I hold not against you, for My Son paid the greatest price.

The soulful healing you long for My Son made possible when He rose from the grave to conquer death and every single lie the enemy has tempted you into believing.

There is victory My child found in Me alone.

Come as you are, I accept you.

I love you.

CHOSEN AND REMEMBERED

I chose you before the foundations of this world.

I knew you before others knew of you, and, I loved you.

I was excited for you to come.

In fact, I couldn’t wait for your birth because I had great plans for you, and you know what, I still do. Those plans have never changed because I have never changed. Just because this world is corrupted with sin and your heart has grown far from Me doesn’t mean that I don’t hear your secret cries reaching out to Me. I feel your longing heart yearning for Me to restore you to Myself. And I am doing just that. 

You don’t yet see it, but it’s happening. 

Trust me, turn your heart to Me.

I won’t break under the pressure you put on Me.

I won’t abandon you after you unload all of your grief.

I’m strong enough to carry your past mistakes.

I will walk with you in the present.

I will lead you into the future.

 My promise to be forever yours remains unchanged.

SHE'S ALONE

The night is late. It’s cold outside.

She sits alone hiding from the shadows that linger in her mind.

She is alone.

Darkness is on all sides.

Fear has made its home in her heart.

Restlessness is resting comfortably in her mind.

Her thoughts overpower her.

She wants to scream but finds her lips sealed shut from the pain and agony she has inflicted on others.

She’s alone.

It’s dark outside but darker inside where no one sees.

The floor moves beneath her. Her feet slip. She falls once again into the swallowing pit of despair, anxiousness, and worry.

There is nowhere to turn, nowhere to hide. 

She’s alone.

The walls are caving in. They crumble. They cover her completely.

She can’t breathe.

The air is thick, musty, and angry. It pulls her in.  She fights, but it engulfs her.

She flails for help but reaches nothing to grab onto.

She goes around and around, nothing to stop her.

Her head hurts. Her heart is dying. Her tears are ice. A coldness has set in.

A hardness has consumed her.

She’s alone.

Her eyes are bitter. There is only filth, guilt, and hatred left.

She cries once again hoping for it to consult her. But it never comes.

She yells, but it walks away turning its disappointed back to her.

She runs after it thinking if she could only catch it all would be better.

But it seeps further and further away.

She’s alone.

She slows. She stops and looks down. She crumbles any evidence of her beauty.

The puddle outlines her breathtaking Creator. He has created her. He has loved her.

But she hates Him. She gnashes at Him with her teeth.

She’s alone.

So many years have passed. So many tragedies have caused her to slowly decay.

She is fragile inside but only He knows it, yet He does nothing, or so she thinks.

Where was he when she was left for dead?

Where was He when she buried her eyes pretending not to see?

Where was He when she sheltered her ears from the screams and cries?

Where was He when the pain was so endangering that she nearly lost all reason to call herself a woman?

Where was He when she wanted to be healed but all hope was lost?

Where was He when she wanted to forgive but the words were like razors that cut every inch of her mouth when she tried to speak?

Where was He when she whispered His name only to find shouts of “I hate you” scream back at her?

She’s alone.

She walks to the end.

The time has come. Life is over. All is lost.

She looks over her shoulder for the last time hoping deep, deep down inside that it might rescue her again. But it has died. No one is left.

She turns forward again, only to be stopped.

She tries to move forward but something prevents her.

She can see the end. It’s within her reach.

Her heart has stopped beating. She is dying. Her sadness rips and tears apart all sanity.

“I want to die!” she yells. “Why won’t You let me die?”

“You are beautiful” she hears.

“I want you to live” she hears.

“I give you life, I give you a purpose, this is not your end.”

The voice gets louder. It’s a sweet, gentle, yet majestic voice. 

It warms her.

She bleeds. Her pain is crying out for touch, His touch.

His presence captivates her.

His beauty pursues her.

He fights for her because she is His very own.

She knows now that she has never been forgotten. She was never an afterthought in His eyes.

She was once lost, but now has been found by The Great I AM!

BE MY AROMA

I hedge you in behind and before. 

I have laid My hand upon you.

I have greater plans for you than the defeated life you are chained to.

I died victoriously so that you may live in victory.

My death came through great sacrifice so that your life would come freely.

Choose this new day the gift I graciously give to you – the gift of life.

What will you do with it?

Who will you touch in My name?

How will you impact this world through My Spirit?

Unite your heart with Mine.

Allow Me the freedom to fill you with My love, My purpose, My will.

Let Me touch your soul, your heart, your mind for all eternity so that you will be a fragrant aroma this world may breathe in.

THE LIGHT AWAKENED

The waves crash all around, but I am at peace. 

The peace of God is in me 

and The God of peace surrounds me with watchful eyes, 

not allowing the enemy to infect what is no longer his.

I'm a new creation.

My debt has been paid in full.

Grace is showering down upon me.

God's presence dwells within, 

and I can now stand firmly fixated on The One, My Savior,

who rescued me from darkness and death.

He has cleansed my blood stained soul, 

and healed the holes torn in the depths of my soul.

He has pursed me with His unfailing love,

and fervent vision, and held me close when I wanted to flee.

He has raised me up for such a time as this.

He calls me His precious child, no longer one who belongs to His wrath.

He is The Redeemer and has blessed me with open arms and a safe place my head and sit a while.

What words can I say beyond "Thank You?"

What actions can I show my Savior in appreciation?

Lord, what do You want from me?

"Remember Me," He says and "love others through My resurrecting power."

With a majestic voice He bellows "I have no regrets!"

He pulls me close and gently whispers in my ear "I would do it all again to make you My own."

Friends, this is Who has saved us.

This is Who is fighting for us.

We are not alone.

Remember who you are and Who you belong to.

You are children of The Almighty God.

You are chosen, not forsaken.

You are loved for all eternity.

I AM CLOSER THAN YOU THINK

I Am

I Am Closer Than You Think

I live in you.

When you breathe, I breathe.

When you feel, I feel.

When you hurt, I hurt.

When there is chaos all around, remember, there is Peace inside you.

 I am Peace and I dwell within.

I have never left you.

I am The Holy Spirit.

Friends, we are not alone!

He is with us.

He is in us.

Jesus has left us with Peace.

The Peace is The Holy Spirit.

 He is The Triune God.

We are not alone!

A MAN

A man full of shame, embarrassed, and exhausted.

A man too weak to cry for help, yet too broken not to.

A man full of regrets and “have nots.”

A man with dreams buried by the lust of sinful flesh.

A man forgotten.

A man with unfulfilled promises and fallen hopes.

A man in need of a Savior.

A Man came to save you.

A Man came to die for you.

A Man came to redeem you, to give you a future and a hope, to give you abundant life.

But there’s a catch – you must come to Him just as you are – humiliated, condemned, and hopeless.

Because only then can He truly save you from the bondage of death that awaits you.

You were created for more than this life of wreckage.

You were created to receive the peace that only comes from God through His Son Jesus Christ.

Jesus waits for you. He is earnestly waiting for you to fall into His welcoming arms.

Will you receive Him this day?

Will you put your pride to rest?

Will you accept The Only One who can and will save you?

He will save you in ways you can’t begin to imagine.

Come as you are.

Cling to The One who knows you personally.

Walk with Him.

Rest in His tender mercies.

Jesus died for you and then rose again so that you may have life everlasting.

There is HOPE. His name is Jesus.

SONSHIP (SONG)

My grace is for you because I am for you.

My eyes are toward you.

My hands are outstretched before you.

 Reach up, I’m right here. 

 I can see you. You are not alone. 

I can feel your breath. I can hear you trembling.

Stand up my child. Follow Me.

I will not lose sight of you, not now, not ever.

I am The Promise Keeper.

I WANT YOU

A man alone sitting in a corner. 

Silenced by a dunce cap placed purposefully on his head. 

“Stupid is my name,” he whispers.

“Nowhere is my destination,” he bellows.

“No one is my family,” he cries.

I don’t belong.

I don’t fit in.

Why was I even born?

All questions I have but no one has answered.

How can it be?

Is this all there is?

A woman without a name, voiceless, powerless. Betrayed by many, an outcast of sorts, pushed aside, forgotten, disguised by the world, raised as one who knows nothing, is nothing, and can accomplish nothing of significance.

Is there more than this?

Is there any glimmer of hope?

Can I one day breathe in life?

I am dying here, someone help me!

A Savior born of humble means, crucified to conquer sin, rose to defeat death so that we would walk in freedom.

Yes, there is life, abundant life found in Jesus Christ!

WHAT IS YOUR HEART LONGING FOR?

As everyone passes by us with shouts of rebukes and condemnation, Jesus bends down and asks “What do you want Me to do for you?”

So today I ask you the same question friends. What do you want Jesus to truly do for you?

He’s not a genie. Neither is He a wishing well or the big man in the sky.

He is Redeemer.

He is Healer.

He longs for the inner most parts of your heart.

What do you need from your Savior this day? He is right here right now waiting to embrace you. He was there in the beginning before you were born and His is still here in the waiting with you today and in this moment.

What do you want from Him?
He longs to touch you, to heal you, to make you whole.

Will you let Him?

NOTHING IS BROKEN FOREVER

Shattered lives,

Crushed dreams,

Spirits broken,

People forgotten.

All that’s left is shame, despair, and disappointment.

But I can do more, because I see more, I know more, 

I am The Great I AM.

I take your emptiness, the deadness you feel, the numbness deep in your heart, and I give you life, I give you a glimmer of hope. You are not lost to me because I have found you.
I see you, I know right where you are. 

Let Me hold your brokenness.

Trust me with your pain and your deepest hurt.

Let Me make you whole.

Join Me in this journey, I can do this.

I love you My precious one.

IS IT WORTH IT? (SONG)

Is it worth it to follow the One who called you from darkness, who rescued you from the domain of hell, who held you as you fought and tried to flee?

YES

Is it worth it to stay committed to the one He has ordained for you, to be invested in the ones He has gifted to you, to be gracious to those He has entrusted to you?

YES

Is it worth it to fight the good fight, to stay in the race, to not lose heart, to have faith and believe that what He says He will do?

YES

Is it worth it to struggle through the tears, to cry yourself to sleep, to question why in times of great loss and tragedy?

YES

Is it worth it when things don’t go your way, when plans are consumed by the enemy, when backwards seems quicker than forwards?

YES

It is worth it my friends!

He has saved you to be free.

His ways are not like our ways, but they are always the best, believe this truth.

COME, SIT A WHILE

I see you sitting alone, may I join you?

I enjoy our time together.

How’s your day?

Share your heart with Me.

I’m listening.

I have no place to be.

I’m in no hurry.

Stay a while, won’t you?

I’m inviting you into a deeper place with Me, a special place.

Yes, it may be a bit uncomfortable and make you uneasy and it may even be a bit scary at times because it’s unfamiliar, but I have more for you.

I don’t want you to keep sitting alone.

I have created you for more than isolation.

I am The Life Giver and am pouring My Life through you to water others so that they may grow and reach their full potential. See, there is purpose in your life, in YOU, My precious child. I alone have given you value and no one and nothing can steal it away. It has been there all along. 

Will you let Me reveal just how beautiful you are?

Can I show you how much I love you?

I’m ready, are you?