I HAVE TO BELIEVE!!!!!

As I sit and write this there is  still a battle that is being waged against me today.. but I am victorious in Christ Jesus. He is the Author, Perfecter, and Sustainer of my faith. "Around every corner and up every mountain, I'm not looking for crowns anymore or the water from fountains I'm desperate and seeking frantic believing that the sight of your face is all I'm needing..I will lift my voice to you and say, You're gonna be worth it You're gonna be worth it all, I believe this..You're gonna be worth it You're gonna be worth it all..I know."~Rita Springer

Those of you whom God  has given a dream or vision for your life.. given you an assignment that at times is so hard to comprehend..today I want to encourage you.. I want to encourage you to LIFT UP YOUR HEAD! I know that it is hard and the enemy will use absolutely anything that He can to discourage you and break your spirit down. I am experiencing it write now even as we speak but we are MORE than CONQUERERS in Christ JESUS!

I don't understand why the wait sometimes seems so long but I just flipped open to Psalms 31:24 which states "Be strong and let your heart take courage, all you who wait for the Lord." I feel compelled to tell you that He loves you and believes in you and He would not call you to this just to let you be put to shame! He is a miracle worker! He is not a tease and He cannot lie Titus 1:2. He has chosen YOU to walk this out just as He has chosen me to walk this assignment out and just has He chose Moses to lead the Israelites out of Egypt our spiritual assignment is NO different..it just happens to be in 2011 where He might use youtube to speak to you instead of a burning bush..who would have thought right???  Trust me I know how difficult it can be but at the same time I don't think I want the easy assignments..
Earlier I was crying out to Him while I was in the kitchen..weeping and worshiping ( I had my ipod in)..and I started to recognize yet again..that I don't have to trust that the people on the other side are going to "figure it out" or "do their part"..I just have to trust and BELIEVE that God, MY GOD..is big enough to reveal it to them and because of HIS Mighty Power..not their's..that He will lead them to what they are also called to be apart of..there is peace in recognizing that. Recognizing that it is God and not Man that I have to put my trust in and fix my eyes upon. These are concepts that many of us say we understand and operate underneath..that is until, like today,when I personally was attacked and had to choose to believe..even when I didn't feel it.
I felt..hurt..alone.. frustrated..
I choose to BELIEVE that I am not alone..and that instead I'm surrounded..I choose to give my hurt to Him for He gladly and graciously will take it and exchange it for peace..and in my frustration because I have done steps one and two I have understanding..Praise Him.
I was led to Psalm 3 in the Message

 ^1-2 God! Look! Enemies past counting! Enemies sprouting like mushrooms, 
   Mobs of them all around me, roaring their mockery: 
   "Hah! No help for him from God!" 

 ^3-4 But you, God, shield me on all sides; 
   You ground my feet, you lift my head high; 
   With all my might I shout up to God, 
   His answers thunder from the holy mountain. 

 ^5-6 I stretch myself out. I sleep. 

   Then I'm up again—rested, tall and steady, 

   Fearless before the enemy mobs 
   Coming at me from all sides. 

 ⁷ Up, God! My God, help me! 
   Slap their faces, 
   First this cheek, then the other, 
   Your fist hard in their teeth! 

 ⁸ Real help comes from God. 

Your blessing clothes your people.

He loves you and you are not alone..Please know that. He would not call you to something just to then leave you there to fend for yourself..even when it seems overwhelming..just stand back up.

1 Peter 5:6-7 the Message

"So be content with who you are and don't put on airs. God's strong hand is on you; He'll promote you at the right time. Live carefree before God; He is most careful with you."

I don't know about you but as much as I would love to be launched into my destiny in this moment..I definitely do not desire it premature. My heart and soul genuinely long for His perfect and beautiful timing even if that means walking through the refining fire for a little longer. Live carefree before God; He is most careful with you..that is powerful and speaks volumes to me..I pray it communicates peace to your Spirit. You are loved and you are not alone! Reflect on every promise that has been fulfilled in your life up to this point. It is encouraging to look back and see all the masterpieces He has completed in my life thus far and gives me hope to press on. 

We have what it takes..and we have to believe..what other choice do we have??

The song "I have to Believe" by Rita Springer is VERY encouraging! I had it on repeat earlier! Make that purchase on Itunes it will speak to your heart when you choose focus on the truths of the Father I promise! 

"I drink from the Holy cup of God, I'm surrounded"~Moving with the Lamb by Rita Springer

   

"SUN STAND STILL!!"~Joshua

When it comes to spiritual matters, I'm a fighter. I want to slay demons in half and send them back to the pitt that they belong in. Joshua was also a fighter and he got to fight many spiritual battles in the physical rhealm. We all do as well it just may not look like an actual battlefield as Joshua's did.

In Joshua Ch.10 it says.. "On the day the Lord gave the Amorites over to Israel, Joshua said to the Lord in the presence of Israel: ' O sun, stand still over Gibeon, O moon, over the Valley of Aijalon.' So the sun stood still, and the moon stopped, till the nation avenged itself on its enemies, as it is written in the Book of Jashar.The sun stopped in the middle of the sky and delayed going down about a full day."

PAUSE: Reread that..

YES the SUN and the MOON stood still until Joshua defeated His enemies.

WOW.

We should probably note that he did this in the presence of Israel!! Which translation..means while they were LISTENING..which communicates that He was walking in CONFIDENCE!! Not his confidence but in the confidence of the one who could make the sun and the moon stand still!! Woo! That is awesome!

Donna Carroll, who is an amazingly anointed strong woman of the Most High, shared this with me..
"Joshua and his men had marched all day and night without sleep, yet he didn't stop to rest. Instead, he prayed for God to stop the sun to prolong the day because he KNEW (God told him) they were going to win! Joshua couldn't have come up with that thought on his own. God placed it there and that's why He honored Joshua's so-called 'command' for God to cause a natural phenomenon!!!"

"Delight yourself in the Lord and He WILL give you the desires of your heart" Psalm 37: 4
  You know why because THEY'RE NOT your desires anyway..if you are lined up with the heart and will of God He is placing these dreams and visions in your heart and life! AH THE BEAUTY!!! That takes so much pressure off of us to perform and make things happen! #GLORY

(back to Joshua)..Then it goes on to say in v)14
" There has never been a day like it before or since, a day when the Lord listened to man. Surely the Lord was fighting for Israel!"

Did you catch that..the LORD was fighting for Israel.

When I was in Colorado a few weeks ago I had the privilege of going to New Life Church in CO Springs, during worship their worship pastor said that the night before the Lord really pressed it upon His heart to share with us how to often we try and battle out things ourselves when there God is warring for us..and all He desires for us to do is rest.

Rest Lord when there is a battle going on? What does that even mean? and more than that what does it look like? This is a new concept that the Lord is trying to teach me and yes there are times when He beckons us to battle..but there are also times when we need to lay down our weapons and "hide ourselves in the shadow of His wings." Psalms 57:1 (paraphrased)
In Psalm 63:7 It says.."Because you are my help, I sing in the shadow of your wings." HOW COOL!! When we let Him take over..and we run and hide ourselves in the shadow of His wings, in this context for safety purposes, we then have the freedom to rest and sing. Yes. Beautiful. "Come rest in me and be made whole.."-Beloved by Kari Jobe

This afternoon I was driving to the bux to grab myself a nice little white chocolate mocha..my favorite:).. it was so beautiful outside and I was quickly reminded how big the world is..and in my carnal mind I began to get overwhelmed while thinking of this vision the Lord has given me.. I felt so small..How in the world would they ever find me in a world so big..and with so many girls named Brittni? Sounds silly..but a very real feeling..all God is calling me to do right now is rest..but that means fully depending on Him to reveal everything to the other side..the way He revealed it to me..then for Him to lead them to me..which, once again in my carnal mind, seems like saying hey go find that "one" piece of sand on that one seashore..over there..AH!..but then I was quickly reminded that I'm not to put my trust and dependency on man to find me..but to set my eyes upon the one who created all of us out of sand..yeah He's big enough to do what HE HIMSELF placed in my heart. I didn't come up with these things on my own..PRAISE GOD! If He can cause the sun and the moon to stand still so that He could deliver Joshua into the land that He had PROMISED to Him..He can lead me/them to each other to do the work that only together we can do for HIS kingdom..because that is what He has promised me He would do..He's so much bigger than my fear..and it is by no accident that he reminded Joshua over and over "Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go." Joshu 1:9
and not to mention it was a command not an option..

Thank you Father for loving me enough to remind me of your mighty power and strength! You are victorious! Help me not to think carnally but to think in the Spirit and move in the Spirit always. I pray for those reading this that they will tangibly be able to feel your presence in their lives. Let us always be led by you Lord, so that we know when to pick up our weapons and when to lay them down and find rest in you..I love you so much Father, thank you for choosing me! I believe, even when I don't feel it, I choose to DECLARE it!
I love you daddy,
                         
                           Britt

He is the SAME..then..now..tomorrow.

Joshua 4: 23-24

"For the Lord your God dried up the Jordan before you until you had crossed over. The Lord your God did to the Jordan just what He had done to the Red Sea when He dried it up before us until we had crossed over. He did this so that all the peoples of the earth might know that the hand of the Lord IS POWERFUL and so that you might always fear the Lord your God."

People..it doesn't say that His hand was powerful..it say that it IS powerful! The thing that always rocks me about these two accounts apart from the obvious..that He PARTED the sea..but the fact that they walked accross on dry land. It could have been mushy and it still would have been just as cool and breathtaking. What that communicates to me is that the Lord doesn't do anything halfway..or operate inside of accidentals..which He has gone to extremes to show me..but I will that save for another post:)

Hebrews 13:7-8
"Remember your leaders, who spoke the word of God to you. Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith.  Jesus Christ IS the SAME yesterday and today and forever."

Isolation

Last fall, October 13 to be exact, GOD SPOKE..really He whispered but what He whispered I will forever treasure in my heart, soul, and mind.

I was sitting outside on the back porch talking on the phone to one of my friends from Baton Rouge.. we were discussing how God had stripped us from EVERYTHING and,currently,isolation was all we knew.

As we were talking through all of these things it hit me..

Think of this..

You are newly married and the Lord sends you and your brand new husband off on an adventure a little different than you pictured.. you’re off in the mountains ISOLATED from people, places, anything and everything really..except for the Most High God..nature..and each other..for, lets say, 6 months.I don’t know about you but I don’t think it would really bother me to be with my husband in isolation. We would have an opportunity to get to know each other in a way maybe we hadn’t been able to before amongst all the noises of the world. We would get to walk and talk with the Lord.. growing strong together as we are in full and complete unity with our Creator.

Even the mere thought of it romances my tender heart.

Right now in this time of isolation the GOD of the universe wants me to Himself. Wow. It’s hard to even fathom. I was so excited when this realization hit me. God had drawn me away from the twelve to mentor me one on one! I was satisfied growing amongst some amazing hearts chasing after the King; but He knew there was so much more I could learn if He had me by Himself. I quickly jumped out of that pity party and leapt into the arms of my Father. Through this experience, which is still not over, I have learned that He truly is MORE than enough.

Every moment waking up with Him and only Him my heart has the ability to overflow with all surpassing joy..but I must choose Him..every moment of every day. Choose to let Him be enough for my soul and spirit.

While discussing Isolation I feel it to be appropriate to tell you why I chose the blog name "Camel Skins and Chocolate Covered Locusts." While discussing this topic with some friends a couple of nights ago we began to talk about John the Baptist..if you are not familiar with the story parts of it can be found in Matthew Ch.3 but John went off into the wilderness for YEARS and YEARS to be with the Lord..and during that time he wore camel skins and lived off a diet of wild honey and locusts..My friends then informed me I should wear camel skins and I said 'oh yeah and eat chocolate covered locusts!' 'That would be a great blog name!' Lilee exclaimed..and there you have it!!

Praise God for He is infinitely MORE than ENOUGH!! 

Tell the heavens and the earth

   to start singing!

   Tell the mountains

   and every tree in the forest

   to join in the song!

   The LORD has rescued his people;

   now they will worship him.

   Isaiah 44:23 (Contemporary English Version)