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by Alison Lewis

Opportunities for Growth Living in Quarantine

How are you?

Perhaps the shock of our new way of life is starting to wear off as you establish a new normal for this season.

I would encourage you to pay attention to what emotions bubbled up over the past week. It is very likely that many of us were triggered in some way by an emotional memory or traumatic event and that’s okay.

The Lord allows us to be triggered in areas where He knows we are ready for Him to bring healing. He invites us to bring those feelings to Him and dialogue about them.

Yes, I really do mean dialogue.

Expect Him to speak back as you quiet yourself and listen for His gentle impressions, still small voice or highlighted verses as you read the Bible or devotional resources.

The Holy Spirit is a real person and wants to bring you comfort and peace. There is a reason He is called the Counselor. He longs to bring truth and understanding to what is going on inside of you because He knows and cares. He loves YOU!

Since most of the world is in quarantine, we have a unique opportunity to slow down and simplify our lives to what matters most. The quarantine forces us to face ourselves and our internal reality. We have a choice: to fill our time to “just get through” or to seek to grow.

I believe many of us need to grow emotionally, spiritually, relationally or even intellectually.

I have been reviewing my journals over the past year to see what bible verses, songs or quotes have really been speaking to me. What have I heard the Lord say to me over the past year or so? What has He been teaching me?

This is important because I believe He has been uniquely preparing each of us for this time. He has equipped us with biblical truths that He wants to become a reality in our lives in a new way. This is when we go from simply mentally agreeing with biblical truth, to actually experiencing it in a way that it becomes a deep part of our life.

I have been listening to songs that have touched my heart in the last few months and asking the Lord to reveal some of the reasons He has highlighted these song to me. I then put these songs on periodically throughout the day and worship until I once again believe the truths they declare and fortify my peace.

I truly believe we have a unique opportunity for the Lord to firm up our foundations so we can truly abide in Him like never before. He wants us to be so anchored in Him that others take notice and want to know the Jesus we do.

We must choose to believe He is who He says He is and who He has demonstrated Himself to be in the Bible and in our lives up until this point.

“Jesus, the Anointed One, is always the same—yesterday, today, and forever.” Hebrews 13:8 TPT

Our circumstances are changing, but Jesus is not. Let Him keep you anchored in this storm so that you may stand even when things are shaking all around you.

So now, beloved ones, stand firm and secure. Live your lives with an unshakable confidence. We know that we prosper and excel in every season by serving the Lord, because we are assured that our union with the Lord makes our labor productive with fruit that endures.   1Corinthians 15:58 The Passion Translation

I want to leave you with this powerful song by Bryan and Katie Torwalt, “Prophesy Your Promise,” to encourage you to declare the truth of who He is in the times when it may be hard to remember.

“Fear can go to hell, shame can go there too,

I know who’s I am, God I belong to you.”

What verses or songs have been strengthening you recently?

Feel free to share them in the comments as it may encourage someone else.

Blessings to you and your family for good health and peace.

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Follow A Secret Spring on Facebook or Instagram

for daily inspiration and encouragement. 

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Copyright © 2020 Alison Lewis, A Secret Spring.

All rights reserved.

Worship at sunset
by Alison Lewis

Worship Your Way into the Weekend – March 13th

Hi friends! I wanted to share another new song with you that I have had on repeat since it first came out last week.

I believe the Lord is reaching out to all of us during this time and inviting us to experience the Peace of Christ like never before. We are invited to combat any anxiety with the truth of God’s Word and engage in praise and worship as much as possible so we may abide in Him and walk in new levels of freedom.

I invite you to listen to Brandon Lake’s “We Praise You” and let faith rise up within you.

“We’ll see You break down every wall

We’ll watch the giants fall

Oh, fear cannot survive when we praise You

The God of breakthrough’s on our side

Forever we lift Him high

With all creation cry, God, we praise You”

Let’s fill our minds with the truth of how big and powerful our God is and how He IS in control!

Let’s praise Him for how good and merciful He is and how He is working through the circumstances that are facing the world right now for our good and His glory. He has already made provision and is walking with us because we are His children and He has promised to never leave or forsake us.

Let’s represent Him well and love one another by looking out for our neighbors in every way. 

Have a blessed weekend and receive all He has for you!

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Follow A Secret Spring on Facebook or Instagram

for daily inspiration and encouragement. 

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Copyright © 2020 Alison Lewis, A Secret Spring.

All rights reserved.

by Alison Lewis

Before and After Tag

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I would like to thank jesusluvsall for the tag.

Rules:

Use the image at the top of the post;

Answer the 10 questions;

And tag the people you’d like to answer the questions.

  1. Who was family for you growing up? I grew up with my mother, father and younger sister and close by almost all extended family. My grandparents watched my sister and me 2 days a week. I was on a traveling soccer team and I would consider the girls and their families a part of my extended family during my formative years.
  2. Who is family for you now? My family is primarily my husband and two children (along with 1 cat and 3 kittens!). We thankfully still live near both sides of our families so our kids can grow up with their cousins and grandparents near by in addition to our church family.
  3. Where did you grow up? I grew up in a suburban town in the Northeast.
  4. Where do you live now? I live 15 minutes from where I grew up, but it is more urban.
  5. What did you want to be when you were younger? I wanted to be a lawyer for the longest time (to help people) and then in sports medicine to help injured athletes like myself.
  6. What do you do now? I am a wife and mother and I homeschool my two children (this is our 3rd year). I also read a lot and write my blog to share what God is teaching me.
  7. What’s your earliest memory? I remember hiding under my parent’s bed because I was scared of the fuzzy blue slippers my aunt wore when she visited, because I thought they were cookie monster. I was around 2 or 3.
  8. What’s one of your most recent memories? When I felt seen and loved by God in such a personal way by His provision for me and my family. (I blogged about it Provision: One Day at a Time.)
  9. What do you consider your greatest achievement? It is not my achievement really, but I would say my restoration and healing from the my “crash, burnout, breakdown, depression” of February 2018 that I am still recovering from by the grace of God.
  10. What is your biggest hope in this life? To know Jesus and to share His love (because those are eternal) and to see all my friends and family walking closely with Jesus as much beloved sons and daughters in freedom and their authentic self.

If they want to participate, I am tagging:

Kate Duff

Crystal

Julie

Amy

Pastor Jenn

Heather Dawn

Sara

Worship at sunset
by Alison Lewis

Worship Your Way into the Weekend…..

I really sense this is a season the Holy Spirit is encouraging many of us to dig deep into the Word of God and discover His Presence like never before.

There is power in our praise because He “inhabits the praise of His people” (Psalm 22:3). It is the Presence of God that distinguishes us from other people and where we find rest (Exodus 33:13-18).

However, I have had seasons of life where I was too weak to worship and could only let worship music wash over me and strengthen my spirit until I had received enough to actively participate. (You can read more about that season in Receiving When You’re Not Okay.) If that’s you, I invite you to listen to this song, or any other worship song that declares the truth about the power of Jesus and the victory He has won for you.

The first video is a message from Natalie Grant about her new song “My Weapon” and the power of the song to become a battle cry in whatever we (or our loved ones) are facing.

This next video is the official music video for the sacred version that is performed with a live orchestra. Personally, I find the orchestra to add a new dimension to the song, like the instruments are singing their own lyrics that can only be discerned by our spirits. When you have the time, it really can be an empowering experience.

I hope this song can be a weapon in your arsenal to fight against the schemes and lies of the enemy. When we focus on the goodness and power of God, we are encouraged and strengthened to persevere until He brings the victory. Let’s declare the power of Jesus’ name over every circumstance!

Have a blessed weekend and receive all He has for you!

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Follow A Secret Spring on Facebook or Instagram

for daily inspiration and encouragement. 

*****************************************

Copyright © 2020 Alison Lewis, A Secret Spring.

All rights reserved.

 

by Alison Lewis

Provision: One Day at a Time

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My grandmother

This past weekend we celebrated my grandmother’s 100th birthday! What a milestone! She is the mother of 4, grandmother of 9 and great-grandmother of 4. She has modeled a life of prayer and service and is deeply loved by all who know her.

Already in a reflection mode, I retrieved some scrapbooks from the attic that I had recently rediscovered.  The other night we decided to look through them as a family. It was fun sharing our baby pictures and upbringing with our kids.

In addition to the scrapbooks, I also rediscovered letters I had handwritten to my kids during their first few years of life. They were labeled by name and age and included the date they were written.

abstract black and white blur book

Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

I read out loud the first letter I had written to each of my children. It detailed my love and joy of my firstborn at 3 months old. It shared what she was able to do, what she was learning and what she was discovering. It also shared my hopes for her relationship with Jesus and the future.

After not seeing them for over 13 years, it was so amazing to go back in time and be reminded of some things we had forgotten. We laughed at the similarities that were evident at such a young age and still very true today.

We did the same for my son, although his letters started at 6 months, and were just as amazed.  Again, we laughed and marveled at the time capsule gift from what feels like ages ago. The reminders stirred up more memories and stories. Of course the kids wanted me to keep reading letters, but we decided we would only read one letter a night.

While I enjoyed the letters for all the same reasons my family did, I was even more struck by the content and how each letter highlighted areas that each child is currently struggling with. The letters repeated key themes for each child that they needed to hear and be reminded of regularly.

woman doing hand heart sign

Photo by Hassan OUAJBIR on Pexels.com

I was amazed at the provision of the Lord to inspire me to write and address areas long before there were actual traumas to heal and challenges to overcome. I praised God for His care for my family! He knew we would NEED those letters on multiple levels. What I thought was just a neat idea (from somewhere) was actually His leading and showing His personal care for me and my family. While He didn’t prevent the heartaches and bad things from happening, He has walked closely with us through them and promises to continuing to do so: one day at a time.

So we are convinced that every detail of our lives is continually woven together to fit into God’s perfect plan of bringing good into our lives, for we are his lovers who have been called to fulfill his designed purpose.  Romans 8:28 TPT

May we all have the gift to see the ways the Lord has been present and made preparations ahead of time for the hard times we have walked through or may be walking through now. He truly IS in control, and has ALWAYS been in control, working ALL things for our good.

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Follow A Secret Spring on Facebook or Instagram for daily inspiration and encouragement. 

*****************************************

Copyright © 2020 Alison Lewis, A Secret Spring.

All rights reserved.