BIG Life Devotional | Daily Devotional for Women

How many of you would admit you over-complicate things sometimes? You overthink things and make things harder than they really need to be. Today, let’s let God drastically simplify a few things for us so we really get it. Yesterday we looked at that well known scripture, Romans 8:28, “We know that all things work together for the good of those who love God, who are called according to his purpose.” Other translations put it in terms we can really understand. “We are convinced that every detail of our lives is continually woven together for good. We have been called to fulfill his designed purpose.” Now today, let’s go deeper! My sister, EVERY DETAIL of your life becomes part of something good when given to God. He wastes nothing and uses everything. God doesn’t merely work around your story – he weaves through it. You can’t lose what you surrender. But, it doesn’t stop there. I usually stop there. I read verse 28 and I’m off searching for my purpose. I’m digging through the bad things in my life and reminding God they’re not good yet. But today, let’s keep reading beyond the popular verse 28. Romans 8: 29 & 30, “For God knew his people in advance, and he chose them to become like his Son. And having chosen them, he called them to come to him. And having called them, he gave them right standing with himself. And having given them right standing, he gave them his own glory.” Woah, that’s a lot. We have an entire waterfall of promises here. Don’t choke on the overflow, let’s get in the flow. Stop trying to control the river and learn to move with it. One leads to the next, then the next, flowing over our lives and flooding us with hope and assurance. Today, let’s get in the flow and receive everything God is offering us! This flow begins with those God knew in advance. And honey, God knew you before! Nothing about you has ever surprised God. He knew you before you achieved any level of success and before you screwed up. He knew you before you got it wrong and before you got it right. He knew you before. Jeremiah 1:5, “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you.” Oh yes, he definitely knew you BEFORE. He knew you before because he CREATED you with a great purpose in mind. You have been known in advance. And with that, the flow over your life begins. For those he he knew in advance, he chose them. YOU. ARE. CHOSEN. God Almighty, the creator of the universe, chose YOU. He wanted you. He knew everything about you and said, “She’s the one I want.” Girl, stop dismissing yourself! You have not been dismissed. God doesn’t regret his choice. What has he chosen you for? He has chosen you to become like his Son, Jesus. Woah – big pressure, right? Actually, no. You naturally become more like Jesus with each surrender of your own way. Every surrender makes more room for Jesus in you. When you’re living in the flow, it just flows. Ultimately, this means we’re just returning to what we were always meant to be from the beginning. Remember back in Genesis 1:27, “So God created human beings in his own image.” We were always created to bear this image, now God has chosen to bring us back to it. You are chosen to bring life to the room. You are chosen to bring hope to the people. You are chosen to bring love to the table. You are chosen to wash some feet. If you’ve been looking for your destiny, here it is. Your destiny is to become more and more like Jesus! Before God calls you to a place, he calls you to himself. The closer you walk with God, the better you learn to serve, to love, to forgive, to touch, to walk with, and to invest in God’s people. And for those God has created, he has chosen, and for those he has chosen, he has called. And this is where God got me. I am called. You are called. We are called. But, we all want to know to WHAT? Where am I being called? What am I being called to? What is my calling. Of all the questions I receive, this is probably a top 3. “Pamela, how do I know I’m being called and how do I discover my calling?” Is that a question you’ve been asking? Well first, we KNOW you have been called, because you’re in the flow of all of this. God created you, right? Because he created you, the flow tells us he chose you. Chosen to become more and more like Jesus to reflect his image. And that now leads to what God’s word says is next – CALLED. But called to what? I began studying this word, “called.” And you know what I found? I found we’ve been over-complicating it! We’ve made this a whole lot fussier than it needs to be. Think of it like this … If we were in the store together, but on separate isles and I called out to you, it would be for 2 purposes: First, I’m making it known where I am, and second, I’m leading you towards me. If you’re a mom and you call out your child’s name, they hear you, then they know where you are and they know to just come to you. And that is precisely what a calling is. To be called by God is two things: God is breaking into your awareness so you know he is there, and he is drawing you toward him. Calling is less bout finding a destination and more about following a voice. Look at our scripture today again – Romans 8:30, “Having chosen them, he CALLED them TO COME TO HIM” If you feel “called” toward a new job, that is simply because God is making you aware of his presence and he is drawing you to move toward him. This is how you step right into a new job … you follow the calling. God, I am aware of your presence in the details of my life. I’m moving toward you in faith. Where do you sense God’s presence? Move in that direction! Ahhhh, so simple. 1 Samuel 3: 1-10 shows us exactly what a calling sounds like and how we’re supposed to respond to it. This chapter in my bible is titled “The Lord Calls Samuel”. I think that’s the chapter you’re at in your life. The Lord is calling you. Oh, yes he is. How do I know? Because he created you and he chose you, and the flow from there is to be called! Samuel is a young boy and he’s living under the care of his mentor, Eli. It says: “Now in those days messages from the Lord were very rare, and visions were quite uncommon. One night Eli, who was almost blind by now, had gone to bed and Samuel was sleeping in the Tabernacle. Suddenly the Lord called out, “Samuel!” “Yes?” Samuel replied. “What is it?” He got up and ran to Eli. “Here I am. Did you call me?” “I didn’t call you,” Eli replied. “Go back to bed.” So he did. Then the Lord called out again, “Samuel!” Again Samuel got up and went to Eli. “Here I am. Did you call me?” “I didn’t call you, my son,” Eli said. “Go back to bed.” Samuel did not yet know the Lord because he had never had a message from the Lord before. So the Lord called a third time, and once more Samuel got up and went to Eli. “Here I am. Did you call me?” Then Eli realized it was the Lord who was calling the boy. So he said to Samuel, “Go and lie down again, and if someone calls again, say, ‘Speak, Lord, your servant is listening.’” So Samuel went back to bed. And the Lord came and called as before, “Samuel! Samuel!” And Samuel replied, “Speak, your servant is listening.” The people most led by God are usually the people most willing to listen. God is making his presence known. He is breaking into your awareness. If you feel God is calling to you, simply say, “Speak, Lord, your servant is listening.” For real, why would we make it more complicated than that?!!! When you sense his presence, move toward it. To step into your calling, you simply need to be aware of God and move toward him! You don’t have to have it all figured out. You don’t have to understand the next 10 steps. You don’t have to see precisely where it’s all leading. You simply ask, “God, is this you? I’m listening.” Then start taking some steps of faith in that direction. And there’s more great news standing in this overflowing waterfall of God’s goodness. For those he created, he chose. For those he chose, he called. For those he called, he gave them right standing with himself. There it is – you’ve been made forever good enough because of Jesus. Not because of anything you have done or could ever do, but because of what God has done for you. You have been made right. Ahhhhh, yesssssss. Breathe that in. Jesus has brought you into right standings with God. You have been given full access to the throne! And for those he made right, he gave them his own glory. Yes, we are to bring glory to God, but did you know he also wants to glorify us, his children? Do you know how he does that? He makes us more like Jesus! He redeems us. Your story doesn’t end in struggle, it ends in transformation! Here on earth, to be glorified means we have the privilege of seeing him in everything and being transformed from the inside out. In Heaven that means full redemption of our bodies. Honey, this body will be made glorious after your journey here is complete! Who’s excited about a new glorious body?!!!!!!!!!!!!! Whoop Whoop … it’s coming. It’s promised. Get in the flow. That’s God’s promise. That’s how this all ends!!!! Stand under that overflowing waterfall and get in the flow. The flow begins with: YOU ARE CREATED. YOU ARE CHOSEN. YOU ARE CALLED. YOU ARE MADE RIGHT. YOU ARE GLORIFIED. And God, well he is in every detail of our lives, continually weaving it all together for good. And he’s calling out to his girls. Calling out so we are aware of his presence, and we continually move toward him. Just keep moving toward him. This is living in the flow and fulfilling his designed purpose for your life. Follow Pamela on Instagram – https://instagram.com/headmamapamela Or Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/pamela.crim Find out more about BIG Life – http://biglifehq.com

Nobody loves having their plans ruined. Nobody loves seeing all they’ve been working on completely fall apart. It feels discouraging. It feels overwhelming. But what if we’re just looking at it wrong? What if all that’s happening here with your ruined plans and failed attempts is heavenly things interrupting earthly things? Think about that! You’re dealing with earthly things. You’re planning earthly things. You’re in the mix of earthly details. But God is high above it all in heavenly things. From his vantage point, he sees it all. But remember this, he not only sees it all, he can control it all. And if God steps in and rearranges a few things, don’t you think it’s because he sees what you cannot? MAY HEAVENLY THINGS CONSTANTLY INTERRUPT YOUR EARTHLY THINGS. Maybe this isn’t an inconvenience, this is a divine intervention! Many years ago I simply decided to change my personal philosophy from the victim mentality of why were things always happening to me, to believing things weren’t happening to me, they were happening for me. This isn’t naive. This isn’t clueless. This is faith. This is trusting God is in every detail, and if the details change, then either he is already at work, or he CAN work it out for my benefit. Romans 8:28 says, “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” You either believe it, or you don’t. If you believe it, then you can trust this isn’t happening to you, it’s happening FOR you, because God is working all things together for good concerning you. Why? Simply because he loves you and you have chosen to love him. Sometimes life just happens – but nothing can happen that hasn’t passed through the mighty hands of God first. The truth is, we live in a broken world, but we serve a redeeming God with unlimited power. Some things happen that God didn’t orchestrate, but he allowed because he knows he can work with it in good ways that grow your faith and trust in him, lead you to deeper purpose, and ultimately bring him glory. 1 Corinthians 2:9, “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love him.” And because God loves us, he will interrupt us. He will intervene on our behalf. He will rearrange, delay, cancel, and create a total upheaval. All to bring us into alignment with these good plans he has prepared for us that are promised to be better than our own. Do you remember the story of Joseph in your Bible? This guy had seemingly unfortunate things happen to him his entire life. As a teenager, he was thrown in a pit and sold by his jealous brothers into slavery. As a young adult, he’s thrown into prison for a crime he didn’t commit. As the continually good guy, he’s used, he’s forgotten, and he’s blamed. Where was God in all of that? VERY PRESENT! Joseph’s betray looked like destruction, but it was divine positioning. The pit he was thrown in interrupted his plans. The prison he sat in interrupted his plans. But every interruption was leading him toward a greater purpose. A purpose of God’s good plans that saved the lives of many. Heavenly plans that interrupted earthly things. MAY HEAVENLY THINGS CONSTANTLY INTERRUPT YOUR EARTHLY THINGS. Now, here’s the wild thing about God’s interruptions to our plans, we have a few options. We can live in confusion and disappointment or – we CAN actually SEE them for what they are and we can KNOW it was him working for us. How? His Spirit that lives within us. 1 Corinthians 2, verses 10-12, goes on to say: “The Holy Spirit searches out everything and shows us God’s deep secrets… We have received God’s Spirit so we can know the wonderful things God has freely given us.” Let me put this into simple terms. God works in mysterious ways, but through the Holy Spirit we have been given the gift of understanding these mysteries! The next time you lose your keys and you’re delayed leaving the house, in the middle of your panic, just pause and check God’s spirit within you. Is he saying, “My girl, calm down, I did this FOR you. I’m protecting you from what you do not see.” Maybe he’s even saying, “You’re making this a big deal, calm down and let me guide you.” The next time things don’t work out the way you thought they would, check God’s spirit within you. Is he saying, “I closed that door because I have a better one for you?” Or maybe he’s saying, “This is a lesson in trust. Will you release your grip and live in my flow?” Sometimes we’re obsessed with the destination, while God is focused on transformation. We want arrival – and we want it now. God wants refinement – and he’s willing to take the time! Take the exact disappointment you’re dealing with right now … that thing that still hasn’t happened … that unanswered prayer, that relationship that ended, that opportunity that disappeared, the timeline that fell apart, the plans that got wrecked … what is God’s spirit within you saying? Is he saying, “This is so much bigger than what you currently see. Trust me, I’m working here.” Seriously, listen to that prompting you’re receiving right now. You have the ability to hear God. You have the ability to tap into his secret and mysterious ways. That’s exactly what scripture tells us. So start doing it. He’s speaking. Listen. What is he telling you now? Leaning into the truth that things are working together FOR me helps me hear the whispers of his Spirit that remind me maybe this isn’t happening to me, this is happening for me. Heavenly things are interrupting earthly things! Heavenly things are always better! Girls, we have to look up. Look up from the mess you sit in the middle of. Look up from the plans you’re totally counting on. Look up from all you feel like has to happen next. Colossians 3:2, “Think about the things of heaven, not the things of earth.” The MSG translation says it like this, “Look up. See things from His perspective.” I’m always blown away by the fact that God is so big and magnificent to create the entire universe, and yet he is so personally involved in the details of our lives. If he intervenes, if he delays, if he cancels, if he redirects, it’s because of a higher perspective with heavenly plans. We can trust that. And we can also tap into the truth that his spirit living within us speaks, and we can see HOW he is working on our behalf. We can trade our frustrations for faith filled gratitude, knowing if God interrupted our earthly plans, it was because of his ridiculously good heavenly plans. We can hear the whispers of his spirit which calm us and assure us he’s not working against us. Remember, GOD IS FOR YOU. Well, all our anxiety and overwhelm just went right out the window. To all my control freak sisters, loosen the grip and listen to his Spirit! James 4:14, “But you don’t have a clue what tomorrow may bring.” Right … but I’m leaning in to the one who does! And the one who does know has put his spirit within me. And that spirit is what guides me to step into all the wonderful things God has prepared for me. MAY HEAVENLY THINGS CONSTANTLY INTERRUPT YOUR EARTHLY THINGS, and may you have the clarity of his spirit to receive it with gratitude! If heaven interrupts your plans, trust the interruption. Can’t you see how God is continually teaching you to move from panic to trust? Can’t you see how he is helping you release control and surrender to his higher ways? Girl, God is personally working in your life – and when he’s working, you can trust he’s doing something good! Follow Pamela on Instagram – https://instagram.com/headmamapamela Or Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/pamela.crim Find out more about BIG Life – http://biglifehq.com

Ephesians 2: 1-5, “It wasn’t so long ago that you were mired in that old stagnant life of sin. You let the world, which doesn’t know the first thing about living, tell you how to live. You filled your lungs with polluted unbelief, and then exhaled disobedience. We all did it, all of us doing what we felt like doing, when we felt like doing it, all of us in the same boat. It’s a wonder God didn’t lose his temper and do away with the whole lot of us. Instead, immense in mercy and with an incredible love, he embraced us. He took our sin-dead lives and made us alive in Christ. He did all this on his own, with no help from us! “ Follow Pamela on Instagram – https://instagram.com/headmamapamela Or Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/pamela.crim Find out more about BIG Life – http://biglifehq.com

The Lord is My Banner Exodus 17:15 Follow Pamela on Instagram – https://instagram.com/headmamapamela Or Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/pamela.crim Find out more about BIG Life – http://biglifehq.com

Life isn’t always going to get easier, but God can always offer you peace. Solutions may not come today, but peace can. Oh what a place to find yourself in life when you realize peace can be yours precisely where you are with things exactly as they are. You don’t have to live so upset, so stressed, so unsettled and so unsure. The name you need to call on is Yahweh Shalom. Yahweh, as we know from the beginning of our study of the names of God, is the covenant, relationship, promise up-holding name God reveals of himself. It is the name we speak with our breath. The name we have called on every moment of our lives by simply inhaling and exhaling. YHWH. Shalom, a word we often translate as peace – but in reality, it’s so much deeper than just peace. Shalom is a state of wholeness, completion and restoration. It’s a state where things are exactly as they are meant to be. Yahweh Shalom, a mighty and holy God who assures us with him things are exactly as they are meant to be. Now that is peace. I may not understand it. I am not in control of it. I don’t see how it’s all going to work out. But Yahweh Shalom understands completely. Yahweh Shalom is in total control. And Yahweh Shalom sees precisely how it’s all going to work out, and he’s predetermined that it will work out for good according to his eternally good plan. Yahweh Shalom, the God of Peace, invites his beloved girls to trust him knowing he’s got you and he’s got this. Your stress is unnecessary. Your worry is unwarranted. Your ‘freak-out’ is unfounded. Plain and simple, when you have a God like Yahweh Shalom, you would be foolish to not accept his peace in every situation. He will create the path for your feet. He will carry the burden for you. He will ensure the battle is won. You can trust the God of Peace. This name is introduced in scripture in the book of Judges, chapter 6. The previous chapters are a series of God’s people, the Israelites, being rescued by God, then forgetting God and going astray. They would fall into slavery to evil Kings and live miserable lives. Each time their lives would get worse and worse until finally they cried out to God again for help. Then God would rescue them, restore them, and bring them peace again. But over time, they would fall back into old ways and wander away from God in a life of self and sin. Chapter after chapter, generation after generation, it continues. They’re in trouble and they suffer – until they just can’t suffer any longer and they call out to God – God rescues and restores – life gets better – then they wander again, forgetting God – Life gets worse, and then they’re right back to trouble and suffering again. Through these chapters in Judges, sometimes we see God’s people waiting a few years before calling out to God – other times we see them waiting for 20 years. Each time, as long as they waited to call on God for help, the suffering continued and life got worse. But each time they turned to God and called on him for help, he restored their peace. Without fail, as long as they delayed calling on God, their rescue and peace would wait. But also without fail when they cried out to God, he would help. The question is, why would they wait so long? Why wait 8 years? Why wait 20 years? Oh my goodness, WHY ARE YOU WAITING? This will NOT get better without God. He’s waiting on you to call out to him! But, there’s danger in our pre-conceived notion of what it might mean for things to “get better”. Getting better doesn’t always mean fixed – getting better can mean peace in the mess and joy on the journey you didn’t expect to be traveling. My family has been in a less than favorable situation for 7 years. Life with our family is far short of anything I imagined it would be. It’s not what I would wish for, but let me tell you what it is … IT’S FULL OF PEACE. I’m no longer upset, angry, hurt or empty in the waiting. I have nothing but peace because we’ve called on God and that’s what he brings. You may think calling on God immediately fixes the situation – sometimes it does, and sometimes it doesn’t. But calling on God always brings his presence, and with his presence comes an unspeakable peace. The truth is, I don’t have to have this situation fixed to feel peace and joy … Yahweh Shalom has given me everything I need. I can trust he’s making it right. I can trust he sees what I do not see and he is actively involved to make things exactly as they should be. Here’s the truth – our God holds eternity. He’s not on your timeline. He’s not in a rush. He has all the time in the world to make things exactly as they should be … and he is! What he offers you and I in that process in PEACE every time we call on him. So, back to our story in the book of Judges. God’s people were stubborn, always straying away from God in between getting saved, continually going back to old ways of self and sin, until they finally cry out to God again for help. By chapter 6 we find the Israelites 7 years into their current unbearable struggle of life. They were hunted and haunted by their enemies and now resorting to hiding in caves for survival. Life was the hardest it had ever been for God’s people – all while God was just waiting for them to turn back to him. Judges 6:6, “So Israel was reduced to starvation by the Midianites (their enemies). Then the Israelites cried out to the LORD for help.” FINALLY – why would they wait so long? For the same reason you would wait so long. You’re just sure you can make things work, until nothing works for you. You’re sure this is just the way life is going to be, so you settle in to the normal of life just sucking. You discount God’s power to change it for you, so you forget you can call on him. Until finally, you just can’t take it anymore and God is your only way. Here’s what happens when they call out on God after 7 years of waiting … God responds. He sends help. This is where an angel is sent by the LORD to a young man named Gideon who is just trying his best to gather a little bit of food and hide it so his family can survive. These conditions were absolutely as bad as they could possibly be. That’s where God meets Gideon. And it’s here the LORD says to Gideon, “The Lord is with you, mighty warrior.” Then the LORD said to him (verse 16), “I will be with you. And you will destroy the Midianites.” Wow, what a promise from God to a young man who from the smallest clan and the least in his family , in a suppressed land struggling to simply survive, hiding in caves and starving to death. It was an impossible promise after 7 years of life getting worse and worse. But they had finally cried out to the Lord, and this was their answer. A promise of freedom, restoration, wholeness. And this is where Gideon, a small young man who was nothing but absolutely normal and easily overlooked, calls God ‘Yahweh Shalom – the God of Peace’. Had the battle been fought yet? No. Had the enemy been destroyed yet? No. Had the people even been given food to eat yet? No. But God had brought peace. Peace BEFORE the situation changed. Peace BEFORE the promise was fulfilled. Peace BEFORE peaceful conditions. While their families were still hiding in caves – while their crops were all stolen – while they were in survival mode – God brought PEACE. Peace that assured them God was making everything as it should be. Peace that God heard their cry, God was moving on their behalf, God was for them and not against them. Their enemies were still there. The oppression had not ended. But when Gideon personally encountered God, he walked away with PEACE. Peace that comes before the victory – before the change – before it’s fixed – before you have an answer. What I’ve found in my own 7 year journey of waiting is that peace can exist before circumstances change. The world will tell you peace comes when the diagnosis changes, when the relationship heals, when the bills are paid and when the uncertainty ends. That’s nothing but counterfeit and circumstantial peace. The moment you encounter the next problem, that peace will fade. But the peace offered by Yahweh Shalom is strong and steady before the change, before the fix, before the shift, and regardless of next. Jesus says in John 14:27, “I am leaving you with a gift – peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid.” If you’ve ever experienced the gift of his peace, then you know it simply doesn’t make sense, but it’s real. Philippians 4:7 tells us that God’s peace “exceeds anything we can understand.” And by golly, that’s exactly right! Yahweh Shalom says, “My peace can hold you perfectly BEFORE anything changes.” God’s peace is strong enough to exist in unfinished, unhealed, and uncertain situations! I know, because I’m in the middle of it and yet I have immeasurable PEACE. It’s here for you too, my sister. Don’t wait for things to get worse. Don’t wait until you just can’t go on. Don’t wait until you’re a shriveled up piece of who you once were. Don’t wait until fear has taken your identity and anxiety has crushed your spirit. CALL ON YAHWEH SHALOM NOW! His peace is truly available to you right now! Peace isn’t pretending everything is okay. Peace is knowing God is still with you even when it’s not. There’s divine stability for you here in God’s peace. Follow Pamela on Instagram – https://instagram.com/headmamapamela Or Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/pamela.crim Find out more about BIG Life – http://biglifehq.com

In Genesis 22, Abraham has a personal encounter with God and he walks away with a personal name for him – Jehovah Jireh. If you have a pressing need and you don’t know how it will happen for you, Jehovah Jireh is the name of God you can call on. If you’re walking in the middle of a situation where you don’t have what is required and you don’t know how you ever will, Jehovah Jireh is the name of God you can call on. If you don’t know how to give what is being asked of you, Jehovah Jireh is the name of God you can call on. Jehovah + Jireh. Two names together that radically change everything. Jehovah is a translation of the name of God in our breath. This is YHWH, the LORD who has made a personal covenant with his people. Jehovah is the one who has made promises and will be faithful to his promises. When Abraham uses the name Jehovah, he’s not just talking about “a god” – he’s referring to the personal, covenant-keeping God he knew he could trust in. Jireh comes from the Hebrew word “ra’ah” which means to see, to perceive, and to provide. It’s a word that means seeing a need is connected to acting on that need. When you put Jehovah and Jireh together, it means, “The Lord will see to it” or “The LORD will provide.” If God sees a need, he doesn’t just ignore it. He doesn’t turn his back on a need. He doesn’t just walk on by. When God sees a need, his holy power is moved with love and compassion and he takes action to provide for that need. God’s seeing always leads to action. Yesterday we learned from the story of Hagar how El Ro’i is the name of God who always sees you. He saw even Hagar, the one no one else saw. And now we learn another name given to God, Jehovah Jireh which assures us if God sees it, he will SEE TO IT. This is more than just seeing and observing. This is moving in response, this is meeting the need, this is divine provision, this is love in action showing up on the scene. You can be assured that God sees you, he sees where you are, he sees what you need, and his seeing always leads to his action on your behalf. God’s provision is never random, it is always intentional and it is personal for you. So why did Abraham call God Jehovah Jireh? It’s important to understand the setting so you can understand how Jehovah Jireh will show up for you too. This moment of naming God comes right after one of the most intense tests in all of scripture. Abraham has waited for 99 years for his promised and beloved son Issac. God’s promise for the future rested on the life of Abraham’s son Issac. Knowing this, God speaks to Abraham and says, “Take your son, your only son – yes, Isaac, whom you love so much – and go to the land of Moriah. Go and sacrifice him as a burnt offering on one of the mountains, which I will show you.” Scripture says, “The next morning Abraham got up early. He saddled his donkey and took two of his servants with him, along with his son, Isaac. Then he chopped woofdfor a fire for a burnt offering and set out for the place God had told him about.” What in the world is happening here? What’s happening here is a picture of the deepest trust and holy surrender of a faith filled man. Faith that told him his God is good and his specific promises would be upheld. What’s happening here is Abraham knowing that no matter what, God will take care of every need, God will provide precisely what is needed, and his timing will be perfect. On top of the mountain, God shows Abraham where to build the fire. Just as Abraham is trusting God enough to let go of his son, the Lord shows him a ram caught by its horns in the brush. The ram was perfectly placed at the perfect time for the substitution sacrifice. The fire was for the substitute sacrifice. Abraham’s son, Isaac, would come down off that mountain with him. The Lord saw the need and the Lord provided for the need. And right here is where Abraham gives a personal name to his personal God who has show up so personally for him. Jehovah Jireh, the LORD will provide. Now remember, God told Abraham to go to a mountain that he would show him. It wasn’t that Abraham knew exactly where he was going in advance, he was trusting God to lead him there. Abraham was willing to follow even when it was the hardest thing he would ever do. Abraham was willing to go even when he didn’t know where or how. And where God led him was to the exact place he already had a ram waiting stuck in the bushes for him. What this tells Abraham is God saw it all ahead of time, God provided what he could not provide, and God did it in ways he could have never expected. What that tells us is the personal God of Abraham is our personal God, and he will do the same for us. Jehovah Jireh – he will see to it for you – he will provide. The LORD sees everything concerning you way ahead of time. Before you ever get there, before you even know about it, God sees it. And because he sees it, he is working far in advance to provide for it. He’s already aligning everything that will be needed for you when you follow him with your steps of obedience. He will provide specifically for you in ways you could never expect. And Jehovah Jireh shows us something even deeper – he shows us he will provide the sacrifice to cover us. He will do what we cannot do. He will make it right. The LORD did not require the sacrifice of Abraham’s son – no, instead that’s what the LORD did himself – he himself gave his Son, Jesus, as the sacrifice to make things forever right. Again and again, God gives the sacrifice we could never give, all to perfectly provide what we could never supply on our own. We couldn’t save ourselves, but God saw the need and he did it for us. That’s Jehovah Jireh. The LORD will provide. The LORD will see to it. He will do it for us and he will do it perfectly. Beyond salvation, here’s what this means for you today: • God sees your situation fully. Not just one side of it. Not even just from a distance. He sees the big picture and he sees the tiny details. He sees what was, what is, and what is to come. He sees it all fully. And when God sees it, he does something about it! • God’s provision will come on time. Abraham didn’t see the ram until the moment of sacrifice. God had aligned the ram in perfect timing just when it was needed. He will do the same for you. Just because you don’t see it now, doesn’t mean God hasn’t already aligned it for you. What you need will be there when the time is right. And God will get it right. The key here is trust. Abraham had a choice to make that morning. He could choose whether he obeyed God or not. He could choose whether he got up and gathered the wood for the fire or not. He could choose whether he climbed the mountain or not. He could choose whether he brought his son or not. His trust in the LORD led him to obedience. And his obedience led him to meeting God in a personal and powerful way. His obedience led him to really knowing Jehovah Jireh, the LORD who personally provided for him. Do you need Jehovah Jireh to provide for you? You can honestly tell him your needs. He’s listening. He sees. And he is responding. You can trust him. You can trust his ways and you can trust his timing. Jehovah Jireh is inviting you into a deeper relationship where your feet move in obedience well before you have clarity of where exactly and how exactly. This obedience is what leads you to a revealing of just how personal and powerful your God really is. Jehovah Jireh is the God who sees ahead – the God who acts faithfully – the God who provides what aligns with His greater purposes. LORD, you are Jehovah Jireh – the God who sees and provides. You know what we need better than we know what we need. Help us to trust you, even when we don’t see the answer. You will provide what is right, and you will provide it in your perfect timing. Here’s my heart, LORD, shape it to follow and obey you. Follow Pamela on Instagram – https://instagram.com/headmamapamela Or Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/pamela.crim Find out more about BIG Life – http://biglifehq.com

Through studying the names of God, we understand our God is a personal God. In the past 9 devotionals, we’ve seen 10 names and we now know so much more about our God. As YHWH, God has revealed himself to be so near that he’s our very breath. As Adonai, God reveals that he is our Master, and therefore responsible for our care and our protection. As Elohim, God reveals he is our Creator who continues to create and make us a new creation even today. As El Shaddai, God reveals he is the Almighty one whose hand is in everything. As Yahweh Rapha, he tells us we can count on him to be the LORD who meets us in the bitterest of places in life and heal us. As Yahweh Mekaddishkem, God makes us forever good enough by calling us his own, making us holy and then teaching us to rest in him. God has revealed himself as a Shepherd, caring for his sheep. Through Jesus, God is revealed as Abba, Papa. Then Jesus goes on to call him Holy Father and Righteous Father. We now have 10 names for God, each that reveal his character, his power and his heart towards us. Have you been using these names in your conversations with him? Have you been calling on him by specific name according to how you need him to show up for you? He promises to respond. Now, we go even deeper. Beyond these 10 names, we read of dozens of other names given to God by people in the Bible who have had a personal encounter with him. The names they give God define how they’ve met him and what he has done for them. And my friend, if God did something for them, he can do something for you. What he did then, he can do today. We’re in relationship with the same God of the Bible. In Malachi 3:6, God says, “I am the LORD, and I do not change.” God showed up for people personally in the stories in your Bible, and he can and will show up for you personally now. Remember that as we study the names of God given by other people in scripture – he’s revealing what he did for them personally and what he can do for even YOU personally. He is the same God and he hasn’t changed. He has a personal encounter waiting for you too. One person in scripture who had a very personal encounter with God is Hagar. Yes, a woman. In these times, a woman was a second-class citizen. She didn’t have rights. She didn’t have her own life. She was completely dependent on the man of the family to care for her. And for a woman, if there was no man to care for her, she was in a truly desperate situation. Hagar didn’t have a man, she was only used by a man. (Perhaps you can relate.) But Hagar wasn’t only used by a man, she was used by everyone in her entire life to get what they wanted. She was a totally unimportant character in everyone else’s story. Have you ever felt that way? Like you’re not important enough for your own dreams, your own desires, or your own story. Like you’re stuck in the story of someone else and you’re always just along for the ride. Like the life you live isn’t your own. Like you’re forever forgotten – forever overlooked – forever unimportant. That was Hagar – that was her life and that was her story. In Genesis 16, Hagar was the slave of a woman named Sarah. Sarah was the wife of Abraham. They were a couple who had been unable to have children, and now in their old age, they had lost all hope for the family they so badly wanted. That’s wasn’t Hagar’s fault or Hagar’s problem – but she became their solution. Hagar’s boss lady, Sarah, decided she would use Hagar to give her the baby she had always wanted. Sarah sent her husband Abraham to sleep with Hagar, and so she became pregnant. It wasn’t love. It was ownership. Sarah owned Hagar, and Hagar’s body was used to get what she wanted. This wasn’t Hagar’s choice. It wasn’t her dream. It wasn’t her plan. But it became her life as she was used in someone’s else’s story. While Hagar is pregnant, Sarah begins to treat her so harshly that Hagar finally runs away. Now remember, where they are is surrounded by nothing but wilderness. Running away was a sure death sentence. There was no water, no food, and no help beyond the borders of their city. But Hagar was so desperate for something different that she runs. And there, in the wilderness, the Lord sent an angel to find her, care for her, and redirect her back home. And it was there, for the first time in Hagar’s entire life that she felt personally seen. There, she gives God the name El Ro’i. Genesis 16:13, “You are El Ro’i”. In Hebrew El is “God”, and Ro’i is “who sees me”. El Ro’i – The God who sees me. El Ro’i meets us in the moments we didn’t plan, the plans we didn’t want, and the reality we didn’t think God could be in. And right there, when life has been unfair, when the story isn’t the one you wanted, God says, “I SEE YOU, MY GIRL.” To everyone else, Hagar was unimportant and discarded. To everyone else she was someone to be used for their own gain. But to God, she was worth pursuing, worth rescuing, worth restoring, and worth giving hope for the future. For the one absolutely no one else valued, El Ro’i, the God who sees, personally saw her and declared she mattered. You know where God sees you clearest – in the places you never wanted to be. In the places where you are trying to run away. In the places where you hurt and feel lost. God’s eye is on YOU. (Remember he leaves the 99 to find the 1 who is lost and struggling – YES HE SEES YOU IN THAT STRUGGLE). Here in this place in the wilderness, where Hagar is running away, pregnant, alone, mistreated and hopeless, God meets her. If that’s the place you’re in, this is the perfect place to be found by El Ro’i! You see, he’s not the God who waits for you to figure it all out and get it together – he’s the God who meets you in the mess and calls you back to his plans for your future. Yes, the Shepherd who brings the lost sheep back home again. The Lord says to Hagar, “Return home and I will give you more descendants than you can count.” He’s not only comforting her in her pain, but he’s giving her direction and promise. He’s giving her an identity where she’s never had one before. When God sees you, that’s what happens – you get direction to your destiny! I may not know where it is you feel overlooked, but I know we all feel that way at times. We work so hard and no one notices. Our efforts aren’t applauded or appreciated. The good things sometimes seem to happen for everyone else – and where does that leave us. Oh let me tell you where that leaves you – that leaves you SEARCHED OUT AND SEEN BY EL RO’I!!!! And you have no idea how important that really is. Girl, if I see you, that won’t change your life. I might be able to encourage you for a moment, give you a hug, or make you smile, but that’s temporary – if God sees you, your whole life changes. And may I remind you, HE SEES YOU! He sees what they did to you. He sees how you were left out. He sees how you were used. He sees how it wasn’t fair to you. He sees how that made you feel. He sees how that made you question your worth. God sees you when you’re running and he calls you to QUIT RUNNING NOW. Honey, you can’t outrun the God who sees you. The angel of the Lord says to Hagar, “Where have you come from and where are you going?” Did he ask because he didn’t know? Of course not. He asked because Hagar needed to stop running and realize while she knew what she was running from (her mean boss lady Sarah and this life she didn’t want) – she had no idea what she was running to. The question is helping her see she’s running without thinking, without a future and without hope. God is helping her see the path she is on isn’t leading anywhere good. Lord, if any of your girls listening today are running – stop them. For real, stop them right now in their tracks. You see them where they are at this moment – meet them there and stop them. Help them to see the path they’re on and where it’s leading. Help them to stop running and surrender to you. You are the God who meets us when we’re running and calls us back to the future you have for us. Call her back now, El Ro’i. God told Hagar to go back. Yes, go back where life was hard but where there was purpose. Listen now – what is God telling you to do now? Will you listen for him? Will you stop running? Will you obey? Here in the wilderness, God appeared to Hagar. The wilderness where nothing else was there for her – God was there for her. This was the place of his appearance. If you’re in your wilderness, will you ask God for his appearance? He may not radically change your situation, but he will change you – that’s always bigger and better. Hagar returned home where she had that baby and then she saw God’s bigger plans unfold for her future. She went home knowing one thing for sure – El Ro’i, the God who sees her, had a future for her! If you feel stuck in a story that’s not your own – call on El Ro’i. If you feel unseen, unwanted, unappreciated or unworthy – call on El Ro’i. If you’ve been running away without direction of where to go – call on El Ro’i. If you’re in a wilderness season of life, struggling and suffering – call on El Ro’i. God wants to meet you in what you’ve been running from. How would this change if you really knew that God sees you here? What would you do if you knew God has a promise for your future? Follow Pamela on Instagram – https://instagram.com/headmamapamela Or Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/pamela.crim Find out more about BIG Life – http://biglifehq.com

Jesus gives us a name to use for God. Matthew 6:9: “This, then, is how you should pray: Our Father…” Right there. The first two words of the prayer. Our Father. Before anything else… before the structure, before the requests, before the “give us” and “forgive us”… Jesus starts with identity and relationship. Our Father. That’s how He teaches us to approach God. He is our Father and we are his beloved daughter. Now here’s something really beautiful – It is believed Jesus originally spoke this in Aramaic, the everyday language of the people he was speaking to. The word would have been “Abun.” Later, when written in Greek, we see the word “Abba.” And these words “Abba” and “Abun” weren’t formal, distant titles. These were words a child would use for their father. Daddy. Papa. A word of closeness. A word of trust. A word of belonging. So when Jesus says, “This is how you should pray,” He is saying… come to God like this. Come as a child comes to a loving Father. Not distant. Not afraid. Not trying to impress. But close. Known. Loved. Now let me ask you…. Who is this God we pray to? Are we bothering Him with our requests? Are we even doing it right? Does the Creator of the universe really hear us… and if He does, does He really want to? Scripture tells us to talk to God about everything—all the time. Not with fancy or showy words, but with our real, everyday language. Philippians 4: 6-7, “Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done.” And this conversation with our Father, our Abba, our Papa hold tremendous power! James 5:16 says, “The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results.” That’s you. Righteous not because of what you’ve done, but because of your faith in Jesus. And your earnest prayer—the sincere one, the one that comes from relationship and not obligation—that prayer has power. Power to move mountains. Power to break chains. Power to make the impossible possible. But so many of us miss out on that power because we don’t really understand who we’re talking to. I missed out for years, and maybe you are too. All too often we approach God like we’re interrupting Him… like we should keep it short, wrap it up, or say it just right. But Jesus tells us there’s a different way and a better way to approach God … “Our Father.” That’s our Abba. Our Papa. Not a distant God. Not an annoyed ruler. Not an angry man with a stick. Our Father. I sometimes listen to the teaching of a man named Bill Lokey. At the time of his latest recording, he had been battling cancer for several years, continually given only weeks to live. And this man decided, if he was only going to live a very short time, he would actually LIVE! His final recording was just 2 weeks before what he referred to as “a step from the boat to the dock”. Yes, his final breath and step into eternity. I’m literally listening to a man in his final 2 weeks of life teach me how to truly LIVE. I’m learning many things from Bill and his legacy, but the one thing that has impacted me most is an interaction he had with God during his private prayer time. He was in the car, and he began praying as he normally did, and God interrupted him and said, “I want you to call me Papa.” This man had followed Jesus for over 60 years, and he said in that moment, he experienced a whole new level of relationship with his Creator. He’s not just God. He’s not just the Maker of Heaven and Earth. He’s not just the God of all gods. He’s not just the Almighty. He is your Father, and he wants you to call him Papa. Papa. Let that settle into your soul right now. Romans 8:14–16 (MSG) says,“This resurrection life you received from God is not a timid, grave-tending life. It’s adventurously expectant, greeting God with a childlike ‘What’s next, Papa?’ God’s Spirit touches our spirits and confirms who we really are. We know who he is, and we know who we are: Father and children.” Oh… to be adventurously expectant. Did you wake up this morning expecting adventure from a Father who loves you? Did you wake up to this new month of life remembering He is for you and not against you? That He has already gone before you and made a way? If you didn’t, it’s so easy to feel stressed or overwhelmed… worried about your future and dreading the day ahead. But you have received a resurrection life. A life that has been raised up. A life that is new and fresh. A life that can break free of overwhelm. And when God’s Spirit touches your spirit, you know who you are. My friend, may you’ve forgotten who you really are. Maybe life has gotten loud and busy and you’re just trying to keep up. Today, Abba, Father, Papa is inviting you to slow down, come close and remember again. If you’ve lost yourself along the way, pause right here. Let truth settle in to you. You are not who the world says you are. You are not who your past says you are. When His Spirit meets yours, you remember your identity. And when you know who you are… then you know who He is. Father. Daddy. Papa. We know who He is, and we know who we are: Father and children. So let me ask you…. How do you sound when you pray? Do you come as a confident daughter, trusting in His love for you? Or do you come like a beggar… hoping maybe you catch Him in a good mood? Or maybe you’ve stopped coming at all… because somewhere along the way, you lost your belief in His personal love for you. The enemy would love nothing more than for you to see God as distant, cold, and unapproachable. But God is saying, “No… I’m your Papa God.” I used to wonder… am I bothering God? Should I just ask once and be done? Should I keep it short, like a quick summary prayer that covers everything? Sometimes I think we treat God like there’s a limit, like we should hurry. But that’s not what Jesus taught. Our Father. A Father doesn’t get annoyed when His child keeps talking. A Father doesn’t say, “You’ve already asked that.” A Father leans in, listens again and does everything he can for his beloved girl. That’s who he is and that’s who you are to him. I think about how much it means when a child says “Mama” or “Daddy.” The first time… it changes everything. And it never stops mattering. When my adult children call me Mama, my heart responds instantly. And that’s just a glimpse—a tiny glimpse—of how God responds when you call Him Father. He’s not rolling His eyes. He’s not checking the clock. He’s not saying, “Wrap it up.” His heart overflows. And here’s what is so incredible… The same God who created the universe… Who holds everything together… Who is all-powerful, all-knowing, ever-present… He invites you to call him Daddy. Papa. Abba. That is the relationship He wants with you. But let’s be honest for a moment. For some, this is a hard name to hear and receive. You see, for many, this is hard because our idea of “father” has been damaged. Maybe your earthly father fell short. Maybe he fell absent. Maybe that image just doesn’t feel safe or real. And that matters. But don’t miss this… God is not a reflection of your earthly father. He is the perfection of what a father was always meant to be. A Father who chose you. Ephesians 1:5 says, “He decided in advance to adopt you into His family… and it gave Him great pleasure.” You are chosen. Wanted. Adopted. I’ve seen the power of adoption up close. To be chosen. To be claimed. To finally belong. That’s what God has done for you. He didn’t just allow you into His family—He wanted you there. You are His daughter. So what does this relationship actually look like? It looks like pulling up an extra chair and inviting Him into your day. It looks like sitting with Him… talking with Him… or sometimes just being with Him. It looks like saying, “Hey Papa… what’s next?” Not out of fear… but out of excitement. Not out of obligation… but out of relationship. What if you lived your life like that? Adventurously expectant. Waking up saying, “Papa God, You’ve given me this day… so what are we going to do together?” What if prayer wasn’t a task… but a conversation? What if God wasn’t distant… but right beside you? Papa. Feel the closeness of that. Feel the safety of that. Feel the invitation in that. You are not a burden. You are not an obligation. You are his child. He is here. He is available. And he wants nothing more than a life giving relationship with you. Yes, he is all the things that are far above all the other things. Yes, he is to be honored. Yes, he is to be respected. Yes, he is to praised. And yes, he is to be YOURS! Your Father. Your Abun. Your Abba. Your Papa. So today… pull up a chair. Invite Him into your space. Don’t worry about saying the right words. Just be with Him. And maybe start right here: “What’s next, Papa? I’m ready.” Because this life you’ve been given…. It’s not timid. It’s not small. It’s a resurrection life. And it’s meant to be lived… side by side with your Father. Follow Pamela on Instagram – https://instagram.com/headmamapamela Or Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/pamela.crim Find out more about BIG Life – http://biglifehq.com

Exodus 17: 1-7 Psalm 95: 8-9 Follow Pamela on Instagram – https://instagram.com/headmamapamela Or Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/pamela.crim Find out more about BIG Life – http://biglifehq.com

Luke 23:44 Luke 24:49 Acts 2 Exodus 33:3 Follow Pamela on Instagram – https://instagram.com/headmamapamela Or Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/pamela.crim Find out more about BIG Life – http://biglifehq.com

Luke 23:34, “Father, forgive them, for they don’t know what they are doing.” Jesus didn’t wait for them to get it right – he loved them while they were getting it wrong. He shows supreme mercy. Forgiveness disarmed the enemy’s strategy. Now, he asks us to do the same. Matthew 5:44, “Love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you!” Disarm the enemy of his strategy against you with FORGIVENESS! Follow Pamela on Instagram – https://instagram.com/headmamapamela Or Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/pamela.crim Find out more about BIG Life – http://biglifehq.com

What actually happened between the cross on Friday and Jesus’ resurrection on Sunday? 1. Jesus’ body rested in the tomb All four Gospels agree that Jesus was buried and remained in the tomb: Matthew 27:59–60 – Jesus was taken down from the cross and his body was wrapped in linen and placed in a tomb. A great stone was set in front of the tomb, sealing Jesus’ body inside. Pilate assigned soldiers to guard the tomb to ensure Jesus’ body stayed inside. He was for sure dead and his body was for sure in the tomb. This fulfills prophecy and shows that His death was real—not symbolic. Jesus fully defeated death—from the inside. He didn’t avoid death—He entered it and overcame it. This means death is no longer the final authority. No place is beyond Christ’s reach – no person is too far gone for Jesus. Even death, Jesus reaches beyond death. Redemption reaches everywhere – No failure, darkness, or distance puts someone beyond redemption. Here’s what else we know about these 3 days between crucifixion and resurrection: 2. His body was in the tomb, but His spirit was active. Jesus was actively proclaiming victory. — “Christ suffered for our sins one for all time. He never sinned, but he died for sinners to bring you safely home to God. He suffered physical death, but he was raised to life in the Spirit. SO HE WENT AND PREACHED TO THE SPIRITS IN PRISON – those who disobeyed God long ago when God waited patiently while Noah was building his boat.” Prison = Hades/Hell. Genesis tells us about a time when fallen angels (demons) mingled with humans bringing evil to the entire earth – that’s why God brought the flood to start over. Those demonic spirits are in the prison of Hell and Jesus went to preach to them – not to evangelize and bring them to salvation, but to proclaim victory over them. God won – they LOST! FOREVER! This was a completion of Jesus’ triumph over evil. THAT’S WHAT JESUS WAS DOING – CONQUERING EVIL. DEFEATING SATAN AND HIS DEMONS. Christ is declaring victory over sin, death, and evil. This allow us to live in victory today! Satan and his demons are defeated, and they know it! Jesus personally went to their Hell and proclaimed it! This period represents a real, sacred pause. Between promise and fulfillment – Jesus had promised his followers that he would be die and be raised again in 3 days – but in between they waited and wondered. They had the promise but no fulfillment yet. Between suffering (cross) and victory (life). These 3 days when we don’t see where Jesus is shows that God is still working—even when nothing seems to be happening. His followers were in grief and confusion. The disciples were hiding and afraid. Hope seemed lost. Here we see this silence and uncertainty is part of the story. What it means for us today: When life feels silent or uncertain – God feels absent – prayers seem unanswered – hope feels buried – GOD MAY BE DOING HIS DEEPES WORK IN THE SILENCE. Jesus shows us that waiting is part of faith. The disciples had to live through a day where God’s promises seemed broken and nothing made sense. Yet resurrection was already underway. Because of what Christ did in that time we know Death is not the end. Follow Pamela on Instagram – https://instagram.com/headmamapamela Or Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/pamela.crim Find out more about BIG Life – http://biglifehq.com

There is a hill outside the city of Jerusalem called Golgotha or also called Calvary. Both words for this hill mean the same thing – “Place of the Skull”. This hill was given its name because of it s shape of a skull. Do you think that was an accident? It was here on top of this skull shaped hill that Jesus was crucified on the cross. Have you ever thought about the meaning behind this? Why there? Nothing was by accident. God was in every detail as he sacrificed his one and only son so that whoever would believe in him would have eternal life. I believe this place was strategic. The cross was on top of the skull because Jesus wants to give you victory over your mind! Did you know it’s not only your soul that has been saved, but your MIND has been saved as well. The victory was won over your mind by Jesus on the skull! How absolutely strategic. The evil one fights to take back what Jesus has claimed and most often what he gets is our mind. How successful has he been in your life lately? Have your thoughts been victorious or have they been fear filled, anxious, negative, defeated thoughts? Jesus paid a high price for your victory, why would you ever allow the defeated one to defeat you in your head? Your greatest asset is your mind. Your mind paints a vivid picture and your body responds with every emotion and energy to create the picture. Every choice you make, good or bad, was first a thought in your mind. So, of course your mind is under attack. A relentless, violent, brutal attack, and it’s happening every minute of the day. Whatever gets your mind, gets you. Your thoughts are the guide, so the important question is, who is the author of your thoughts? Scripture warns us of strongholds on our mind. 2 Corinthians 10: 4-5, “We use God’s mighty weapons, not worldly weapons, to knock down the strongholds of human reasoning and to destroy false arguments. We take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.” The word “stronghold” comes from the Greek word ochuroma. This is a Greek word used to describe a prison. The “strongholds” scripture refers to are lies that the devil has ingrained so deeply in your mind and in your belief system that they now hold power over certain areas of your life. These lies create a spiritual fortress of wrong thoughts which becomes your prison. As a prisoner to these thoughts, you begin to view life through the illusion of bondage Satan has put on your mind. Thoughts of worry. Thoughts of fear. Thoughts of anxiety. Thoughts of lack. And eventually, these tangled and twisted thoughts begin to take control of your life. Now, you can’t seem to dismiss those thoughts. You can’t just shake it off. This stronghold on your mind has overwhelmed you. And if we allow this stronghold to continue, dismissing it as who we are and what we naturally struggle with, it becomes a trap where Satan mentally seduces you and imprisons you with your own thinking. My sister, does this sound familiar? Have your thoughts become twisted and knotted with worry, fear, anxiety, or negativity? This is a strong hold and it is holding you back. Holding you back, you say … from what? Holding you back from the freedom of being who you were created to be and living the life God created you to live. Holding you back from the joy of the Lord. Holding you back from your purpose and your destiny. But remember, your mind is saved! Just like your soul has been redeemed, so has your mind. You are no longer a captive here. Any strongholds the enemy has established in your mind can and must be destroyed. You have been equipped for this battle! The weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds.” Ephesians 6:17 gives us a list of battle gear, and the first is the helmet of salvation. Now how totally ironic is that … where was your salvation bought and secured? On a hill called Golgotha which means “skull”. And it is the helmet of salvation that protects your mind, your greatest asset. Girl, you have supernatural protection wrapped around your head to safeguard your mind from every assault of the enemy. You are covered. Those thoughts of fear, overwhelm and anxiety bounce right off. Phew, phew, phew. Nope, they’re not getting in. But, they do get in when we take off our helmet. What is the helmet again? It is the helmet of SALVATION. When we forget it’s not just our soul that has been saved, our thoughts are left vulnerable. When we start buying into the lie that says this is just who I am and how I think, we forfeit the saving grace Jesus offers over our minds. Here’s a simple step to remember when you know your mind is being assaulted: Tap your helmet. Yip, just give that sweet head of yours a little tap and say “you’ve been saved and you are protected.” Exodus 14:14 says “The Lord will fight for you, you need only to be still.” This is exactly what we’re talking about. The battle over your mind is real and it is vicious, but the Lord will fight for you. Stand there in your helmet of salvation and know you are protected. Any stronghold the enemy tries to use against you has been demolished! His attacks will not be successful. Your mind has been saved and it is protected. If you’ve taken your helmet off and you’ve been dancing with worries, fears and regrets, new strongholds have been established. Demolish them now. You have been given that power through Christ Jesus. Declare your mind is precious territory claimed by Jesus. Satan has no right to come marching in here! He has been banished. You’ve been saved, you don’t have to think the thoughts you once thought. You are protected, the attacks will no longer be successful on your mind. Now, keep your helmet on! The evil one is on the prowl like a hungry lion for someone to devour. He goes right for the head. But yours has been saved! Follow Pamela on Instagram – https://instagram.com/headmamapamela Or Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/pamela.crim Find out more about BIG Life – http://biglifehq.com

Have you been hurt by Church? Me too. Is it a reason to pull away from God? It could be, but it shouldn’t be. You know what Church is? Church is a gathering of totally imperfect people who claim to know they need Jesus. They’re not always going to get it right. They’re not always going to teach it right. And maybe they didn’t treat you right. I grew up not knowing Jesus because as a little girl, the country church where my family went didn’t quite do things right. My parents were hurt, so they stopped going. When they stopped going, my access to the Bible was cut off. From the time I was 5 to the time I was 15, I heard nothing of God. Church isn’t always going to be right. One denomination says it has to be this way, while another denomination says it has to be their way. We create division and differences and make our own rules on the path to Jesus. People are hurt in the process. Families walk away. Little girls grow up not knowing about God. So, what if instead of getting our doctrine from a gathering of imperfect people who need Jesus, or a person who has been hurt by people who need Jesus, or the Google or ChatGPT, or any other source of any kind … what if instead we look directly at God’s word for truth today. What does it take to be saved? What is required to gain salvation? What can we do to gain access to eternity in Heaven with God? What are the steps? What is the right way? How can we be sure? And have you screwed up so much for so long, you’re now out? We find our answer at the cross. Yes, the cross we just remembered on Easter. And it’s so simple, so pure, so powerful. For some reason, we’ve spent lifetimes twisting and contorting simple truths into rituals, rules and guidelines which Jesus came to fulfill and lift from us. Before Jesus, the way to God was complicated. There were rituals. There were rules. There were people who could talk to God and people who could not. There were certain clothes that had to be worn, sacrifices that had to be made, words that had to be spoken. A temple was built to house the Spirit of God. Within the temple, there was thick curtain that kept ordinary people out of the holy space where God’s Spirit dwelt. Only the high priest could access this space of God’s spirit, and only once per year. A blood sacrifice was required for that yearly entry. So many ceremonial rules and regulations. Back then, following God was scary. If you did it wrong, you would be struck dead. So of course we’re confused on how we could ever be made worthy of access to God. Of course we’re uncertain of our right to approach God with our brokenness. Of course we question if we could ever be good enough to be guaranteed God’s spirit to guide us and God’s forgiveness to cover us for eternity. But Jesus made everything so simple. We don’t have to complicate this. When Jesus was hanging on the cross, in his final breath, something happened. We often read the story and miss the life altering change that happened in that moment. But today, we’re not going to miss it. We’re going to see it. We’re going to understand it. And we’re going to receive it. Luke 23, Jesus is hanging on the cross between two criminals. Verses 44-46, “By this time it was about noon, and darkness fell across the whole land until three o’clock. The light from the sun was gone. And suddenly, the curtain in the sanctuary of the Temple was torn down the middle. Then Jesus shouted, “Father, I entrust my spirit into your hands!” And with those words he breathed his last.” Tucked in between the miracle of the sky going completely dark from noon to 3, and Jesus breathing his last breath, is the sentence that changes everything. “Suddenly, the curtain in the sanctuary of the Temple was torn down the middle.” This was the curtain that separated us from God. The curtain that only the high priest was allowed to go behind once a year to gain access to God. This curtain is what kept us out. The curtain was laws, rules and rituals. The curtain was separation and division. And that curtain was torn right down the middle while Jesus was giving his life on the cross. The fact that this curtain was torn was a miracle in itself. Scripture is very specific that this was a massive curtain that could not be torn. It was 60 feet long, 30 feet wide and it was the thickness of the palm of a hand. The palm of a hand is about 4 inches. Have you ever seen a curtain 4 inches thick? This curtain was so heavy, it took 300 priests to move it. And miraculously, when the sky went dark and Jesus breathed his final breath, that curtain was torn right down the middle! The curtain in the temple. The curtain that separated us from God. What happened? ACCESS WAS GRANTED. Access for you and I. Laws were fulfilled. Rituals and rules were torn down and the way was made for you and I, as messed up and unholy as we are, to approach God. Everything changed when the curtain was torn. Once Jesus fulfilled all the laws, then everything else could be lifted. The rituals were gone. The separation removed. Jesus changed it all. On the other side of the cross where we are now, what do you have to do to receive God’s forgiveness and salvation and be guaranteed an eternity in Heaven with him? Jesus showed us on that cross. He showed us while he hung there suffering and had a conversation with the two criminals who were being crucified with him. Luke 23: 39-43, “One of the criminals hanging beside him scoffed, “So you’re the Messiah, are you? Prove it by saving yourself—and us, too, while you’re at it!” But the other criminal protested, “Don’t you fear God even when you have been sentenced to die? We deserve to die for our crimes, but this man hasn’t done anything wrong.” Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your Kingdom.” And Jesus replied, “I assure you, today you will be with me in paradise.” This criminal hadn’t gone to any classes. He hadn’t joined a church. He hadn’t gone back and corrected any of his wrongs. He hadn’t cleaned himself up and fixed his life. He hadn’t memorized any scriptures. He hadn’t prayed on his knees for 30 consecutive days. He hadn’t stopped drinking or cussing. It doesn’t say he was sorry for the crimes that had brought him to his death. He had done absolutely nothing, other than BELIEVE IN JESUS. It was his belief, and his belief alone, that qualified him to be in paradise with Jesus that very day after he died. The enemy wants to confuse us and divide us. He wants to keep us feeling like what we can do will never be good enough to qualify us for forgiveness and salvation. And he’s right … nothing we could ever do would be good enough, outside of our faith. What the enemy of your soul doesn’t want you to know is the curtain has been torn. You are not separated from God by any rule or ritual. You have full access because of Jesus. And just like the criminal who had a lifetime of wrongdoing was guaranteed eternity in paradise with Jesus because of his faith, so are you and I. That’s it, Sis. Your faith. Not your perfect faith. Not your complete understanding. Not the scriptures you can quote or the rules you follow. It’s simply believing in Jesus. After that, well, Jesus has a way of working in our lives to change how we think and how we live. That happens naturally as a result of God’s spirit dwelling within us through that split curtain. But that’s not the most important thing. Your track record as a Christian isn’t anything God is counting on. He’s not counting up your failures and ready to cancel your admission to paradise. Your faith in Jesus covers you completely. Being covered changes you. But that’s just icing on the cake, baby! That’s gravy. What matters most is the fact that, just like the criminal hanging on the cross, all we need is to believe in Jesus. Do you believe? Have you told him you believe in him? You have full access and he accepts you exactly as you are! Follow Pamela on Instagram – https://instagram.com/headmamapamela Or Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/pamela.crim Find out more about BIG Life – http://biglifehq.com

We know on this day that Jesus died for us – but it was so much more than that. He was beaten. He was whipped. He had a crown of thorns forced into his head. He had nails hammered through his hands. And he hung there on the cross until his final breath. But it was so much more than just that. I think that’s what I’ve missed for all these years – the depth of what Jesus REALLY did for me. It was more than the cross. 35 years ago on Easter Sunday, I knelt at an alter in a little country church in Ava, Missouri and I accepted what Jesus did for me on the cross. But now, 35 years later leading up to this Easter Sunday, I believe I’m truly beginning to understand and receive ALL that Jesus did for me beyond just the cross. There’s just so much more! Countless others in these days died on crosses as capital punishment. It wasn’t death on a cross that changed the world. In fact, on this very day, criminals hung on their own crosses on each side of Jesus. They died that day just like Jesus. It was more than the cross, more than the nails, more than the crown – so much more. Before the cross was the garden. The garden where Jesus made his decision to be our substitute. This is where the battle took place and where Jesus surrendered to his unimaginable punishment for his perfect life. On the final night of Jesus’ life, he took his friends to a garden with him. He said, “My soul is crushed with grief to the point of death.” They’re in a garden, surrounded by beauty, all alone, and yet Jesus is saying his soul is crushed with grief. Why? Because he knew what was coming next. While his friends continually fell asleep on him, he prayed in that garden and he said, “My Father! If it is possible, let this cup of suffering be taken away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine.” The cup of suffering was so much more than death on a cross – it was the absolute weight of every sin in the world. This was what was being put on Jesus, crushing him with grief in the garden. Isaiah 53:6, “The Lord laid on him the sins of us all.” The spiritual weight of every sin, every shame, every rebellion of humanity, placed on Jesus, crushing his soul. This is where the real battle was happening – before the cross, it was the garden. Remember the garden is where humanity failed, where Adam and Eve were deceived by Satan and sin entered the world. Now, in this garden, full circle, Jesus was willing to make it right again. But not just Adam and Eve’s sin, mine and yours too. Every lie I’ve ever told, every secret shame I’ve carried, every rebellious act, every hurtful thing I’ve said, every hateful, corrupted, twisted, wrong thing I’ve ever done – that was laid on Jesus in the garden on that final night. My cup of deserved punishment was taken for me. With sin comes guilt and shame. Have you ever been weighed down by guilt? Knowing you were wrong is heavy. Shame can create an unbearable darkness. Imagine for a moment the secretly kept worst thing you’ve ever done being revealed publicly – how would that make you feel? Well, that’s what was piled on Jesus. Your guilt. Your shame. And mine. The perfect Jesus was crushed by the weight of these burdens. And there in the garden as he prayed, willing to accept every once of sin upon himself, Luke 22:44 says, “He was in such agony of spirit that his sweat fell to the ground like great drops of blood.” Jesus sweat blood. This is a medical condition caused under extreme mental anguish. When a person is under such extreme pressure, extreme agony, extreme stress, extreme crushing, the blood vessels around the sweat glands can constrict to the point of rupture, and blood comes out of the skin through the sweat glands. This is what Jesus was enduring in the garden. In a garden of olive trees where his friends were sleeping, Jesus was in absolute agony. Before the cross, there was a choice. Jesus was making the choice here – Not what he wanted, but what God wanted. Jesus surrendered there to the crushing weight of it all, sweating blood in the most extreme anguish. He began to drink the cup he never wanted and certainly never deserved, the cup of judgment, the consequence of sin for all humanity. The pounds of my sin were included. The weight of my guilt and shame were literally there on Jesus in that garden. And so was yours. Every ounce of what should have been placed on you was placed on Jesus, there in the garden. Have you ever experienced true dread? Maybe you’ve dreaded going to the dentist or the gynecologist. Or maybe you’ve dreaded facing the consequences for your wrong doing. Maybe you’ve dreaded going through childbirth knowing the pain you must endure. Or you’ve dreaded a surgery fearing what might happen. Imagine if you were facing a prison sentence, you would feel dread. Knowing it’s truly going to be bad – really bad. And when you really dread something, you want a way out of it. You wish you could change it. You rehearse it in your mind. You feel anxious about it. Jesus felt dread in the garden on the night before the cross. He knew exactly what was happening. He knew the weight of sin that would crush him. One by one, he was fully aware of every detail of every sin. Mine and yours. Shame. Guilt. Regret. Burden. He knew his Holy Father could not be in the presence of this sin, so he would be separated from the Father. Darkness was coming. Jesus is the light of the world, and that light would experience utter darkness. Oh how he must have dreaded what was to come. Feel that for a moment. Jesus said, “Father, if you are willing, please take this cup of suffering away from me. Yet, I want your will to be done, not mine.” That was for you. That was for me. This is what saved us. The decision made before the cross. The decision made in the garden. The decision that crushed the soul of our Jesus. The decision that caused such extreme anguish that he sweat blood. The dread that was faced with the decision to endure it all. Here in the garden is where Jesus fully surrendered. Here in the garden is where Jesus chose the cross. Here is the garden is where Jesus chose you. On this day we remember as Good Friday before Easter, Jesus would carry the weight of every burden, guilt and shame and stand in our place. He would accept the required penalty for sin – the judgment and separation from God, all so that we could receive forgiveness and relationship with God. As Jesus hung on the cross at noon, the midday skies fell dark. For 3 hours there was complete darkness all across the land. This is when Jesus says in Matthew 27:46, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” Understand, what’s happening here is separation from God. Jesus is entering the darkness of your sin, your guilt, your shame, your rebellion, for you. The full weight of every sin of humanity was placed on Jesus and the justice of God toward sin was being satisfied. Isaiah 53:10, “It was the Lord’s good plan to crush him and cause him grief. His life is made an offering for sin.” This doesn’t mean God took pleasure in the pain of Jesus, it means the painful plan of redemption was being fulfilled. Oh my sister, if you fully understood the price that has been paid for your life, you would live so differently. The more I understand it, the more different my life looks. Jesus is hanging in the darkness of the cross and for the first time ever, he has no sense of the Father’s presence. He has no comfort and no relief. He was literally experiencing Hell. That’s what Hell is – the absence of God. The absence of his presence. The absence of his comfort. The absence of his relief. The absence of his light. Jesus is hanging there on the cross going through Hell so we wouldn’t have to. You and I have never experienced anything like this. Every step of our lives, God has been with us. We have no idea what it truly feels like to be without God. His comfort has been with us every day of our lives. His relief has always been ours. But Jesus experienced it for us so we would never have to. We would never have to go through Hell – never experience life without God. The full consequence of sin is a total separation from God and this is what Jesus is choosing in the garden and experiencing on the cross. Not because he sinned – but because he was carrying ours. 2 Corinthians 5:21, “For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ.” Your sin was placed on the perfect Jesus – Yes yours. The sin you committed yesterday and the sin you’ll commit tomorrow. It was all placed on Jesus so that his righteousness could be made available to you. What an exchange that was made for YOU. Jesus chose it in the garden and fulfilled it on the cross. A divine exchange was made for you. Jesus knew exactly what he was doing. He felt the very human emotion of dread. He didn’t want that cup of wrath, but he knew it was required to save you from that wrath. He stood in your place, drinking the cup you deserved, bearing the crushing weight of your sins on his sinless and perfect body because God said you were worth saving, and Jesus agreed with outstretched arms. Have you accepted the divine exchange made for you on that cross? It’s so much more than what we’ve made it to be today. It’s our one and only way to redemption, forgiveness, relationship, and a right standing with our Creator. The weight isn’t yours to carry, my friend – Jesus chose to carry that for you in the garden. The divine exchange took your guilt and shame and offers you perfect righteousness. And get this, all you have to do is accept it! When you accept what Jesus did for you in the garden and on the cross, then you have a promise. A promise of so much more! Follow Pamela on Instagram – https://instagram.com/headmamapamela Or Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/pamela.crim Find out more about BIG Life – http://biglifehq.com

John 13: 1-17 “Before the Passover celebration, Jesus knew that his hour had come to leave this world and return to his Father.” Jesus knew when it wasn’t yet his time – and now he was very clear, this was his time. His final night. This was the beginning of the end, knowing in just a few hours, he would be on the cross. He was fully aware of what was next, and he was fully aware of what was important now. What was most important now was to show us how to how to lead, and how to follow. How to be important and be unimportant. How to truly love and serve. “He had loved his disciples during his ministry on earth, and now he loved them to the very end.” Better translation is “Having loved his own, he had loved to the utmost” There is a love Jesus has for all people, and then there is a love for HIS OWN. His own people were the people who loved him back. You can and should love everyone, but the few who truly love you back get so much more from you. I may not know you at all, but I assure you, I love you. But some of you I have met – I have shared life with – we have memories together – you have loved me back. That love is naturally deeper. And this is what John is writing about. Jesus has a love for all people, but for the people who love him back, they are HIS OWN and that love is different. It is a love to the utmost, meaning to the extreme and maximum limit. My friends, Jesus loves you. No matter what, he loves you. If you never love him back, never acknowledge his sacrifice for you, never speak his name, he still loves you. But if you love him back, then you become his own and you experience a love to the very end like his disciples. Now, Jesus is going to show us how he loves HIS OWN – the ones who love him back. “It was time for supper, and the devil had already prompted Judas, son of Simon Iscariot, to betray Jesus. Jesus knew that the Father had given him authority over everything and that he had come from God and would return to God. So he got up from the table, took off his robe, wrapped a towel around his waist, and poured water into a basin. Then he began to wash the disciple’s feet, drying them with the towel he had around him.” Jesus was not detoured from the evil he was fully aware of. He was not distracted, in fact he didn’t even allow it to steal the preciousness of this moment. That’s how you respond when someone is being a jack wagon. That’s how you treat family vacation when one is trying to ruin it. That’s how you handle a day at work when a coworker is on a mission to kill the mood. This is how you move forward when the devil is attacking. You refuse to be distracted. You don’t give it breath. You focus on what you’re there to do. You are there to love. You are there to serve. You are there to be different. Jesus didn’t stop everything and address the one who Satan was using to betray him. Jesus didn’t let it spoil the meal. Jesus didn’t even dismiss Judas from the foot washing. Jesus was totally unbothered. Satan’s gonna do what Satan’s gonna do. And some people are going to partner in his nasty plans. You don’t have to give your time, your energy, your mood or your thoughts to that. Proceed with the beautiful things God has called you to do. Continue to serve. Continue to love. Continue to give. Girl, just choose to be unbothered! Now, notice this – it says “Jesus knew that the Father had given him authority over everything and that he had come from God and would return to God. SO …. Don’t miss that this goes together. Jesus knew his position, he knew his authority, he knew his power, he had full awareness of his identity, SO he acted from that. What was his act? “So he got up from the table, took off his robe, wrapped a towel around his waist, and poured water into a basis. Then he began to wash the disciple’s feet, drying them with the towel he had around him.” These were some dirty, nasty feet. Feet that had traveled dusty roads in sandals. Washing feet was a service offered for very practical reasons – those feet were nasty! The lowest of servants in the building were the ones assigned with this undesirable task. But guess what, here they were at the table to share this meal together and no one had washed their feet. Do you know why? Luke 22:24 tells us that the disciples entered the room that night arguing about who was the greatest. And because they were arguing about who was the greatest, no one wanted to be the lowest. If there were no lowest, there was no one do do the job of washing their feet. And there they sat at the table with Jesus with their disgusting feet because no one was willing to be the lowest. And here’s what Jesus does – knowing he was truly the GOAT (greatest of all time), knowing fully he held all the power, he chose to assume the lowest level and serve in humility. “After washing their feet, he put on his robe again and sat down and asked, “Do you understand what I was doing? You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord’, and you are right, because that’s what I am. And since I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you ought to wash other’s feet. I have given you an example to follow. Do as I have done to you. I tell you the truth, slaves are not greater than their master. Nor is the messenger more important than the one who sends the message. Now that you know these things, God will bless you for doing them.” Jesus was not referring to a ceremony or ritual here. This is about anything we can do to wash away the grime of the world for others. This is about helping was away the dust of defeat from the soul who has lost a battle. This is about washing discouragement off the depressed soul who is sitting in darkness. This is about washing away shame for the one who has been wrong and carries the weight of it all with them. This is about us truly helping others. We are quick to criticize those with dirty feet instead of washing them as Jesus has told us to do. It’s hard to throw stones if you’re busy washing feet. Every day, you’re surrounded by people with dirty feet from the journey. Those who are walking through divorce, those who are walking in grief, those who are walking in hard seasons, those who are walking in regret, those who are stumbling in darkness – and you can be the one to wash their feet. The one who smiles and encourages them. The one who sits beside them so they’re not alone. The one who prays. The one who makes them feel seen and wanted. And do you know what happens when we do? Jesus says, God will bless you. This is how Jesus spent the final night of his life. He spent it washing feet. He asks you to spend your life doing the same. Follow Pamela on Instagram – https://instagram.com/headmamapamela Or Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/pamela.crim Find out more about BIG Life – http://biglifehq.com

Here we are, the week of Jesus’ crucifixion. The week he very well knew was his last here on this earth. A week he knew would include more suffering than our human minds can comprehend. And guess what – he walked right into this week, facing it head on with intention, knowing what he was doing he was doing for me and you. Over and over again, Jesus shows us how to live in a way that makes it about others more than it is about ourselves. How can we take this example of Jesus in the final week of his life and live more like him? Let’s see how Jesus did it! All 4 gospel accounts of this final week begin in the same way, “Jesus’ triumphant entry into Jerusalem”. Now if you were making a triumphant entry, what would that look like? Oh girl, what would you wear? You have to be triumphant in your appearance. Make a grand entrance. Que the walk-up music, this has to be dynamic! Smoke and lights! Energy! All the hoopla for a triumphant entry – right? We really have a special way of making things about us, don’t we? We try so hard to be impressive. We have a hard time choosing what to wear for the flight home from vacation, let alone a triumphant entry for the most important and final week of your life. We overthink … you know why – because we’re thinking about ourselves. Really we are – even when we think of others, we’re typically thinking of how they receive us, how they treat us, and how they make us feel. It’s all about us. But Jesus shows us how to make a triumphant entry that’s all about HIM, without making it all about him. Now, let’s be clear. This really is all about Jesus. Everything in our Bible is ultimately about Jesus. It’s about how Jesus saved us from what we couldn’t save ourselves from. It’s about how Jesus changed absolutely everything for us. So, how do you show up and make an entrance when in fact, it really is about you? Answer: With humility! It was time for Jesus to willfully walk toward Jerusalem, knowing this was the place he would sacrifice his life. Knowing this was the place he would be betrayed. Knowing this was the place he would suffer. Knowing this was the place absolutely nothing would be fair for him, and he would endure it to make it right for us. And do you know how he makes his triumphant entry? Does he show up with chariots? No. Does he call out the band to play his walk-up song? No. Does he even ride in on a horse? No. Jesus chooses the most humble entry – riding on a donkey. A donkey was not a sign of power. A donkey was a sign of humble work. Jesus was making his entry to Jerusalem for his humble work of saving both me and you! Matthew 21: 1-6, “As Jesus and the disciples approached Jerusalem, they came to the town of Bethphage on the Mount of Olives. Jesus sent two of them on ahead. ‘Go into the village over there,’ he said. ‘As soon as you enter it, you will see a donkey tied there, with its colt beside it. Untie them and bring them to me. If anyone asks what you are doing, just say, The Lord needs them, and he will immediately let you take them.’ This took place to fulfill the prophesy that said, ‘Tell the people of Jerusalem, Look your King is coming to you. He is HUMBLE, riding on a donkey – riding on a donkey’s colt.’ The two disciples did as Jesus commanded. They brought the donkey and the colt to him and threw their garments over the colt, and he sat on it.” So now we see Jesus didn’t only choose the humble means of a donkey, but he chose even lower – the donkey’s colt. The colt wasn’t as strong, wasn’t as experienced, and not as useful. It’s the equivalent today of traveling on an airplane, not choosing first class, not choosing business class, not even choosing the isle or the window – but choosing row 41, middle seat – ON PURPOSE. Who does that? Nobody does that. Especially not when you have not only the power to fly the plane, but the RIGHT to fly the plane. Jesus had the power to show up any way he wanted to. He had the right to make an entrance in any manner. He could have made it all about him, and absolutely no one would have blamed him. I mean really, do you blame the person riding in first class for getting extra leg room when they can afford it and paid for it? No, you just envy them a little bit as you walk on by and get yourself to the back of the plane. Jesus knew his assignment, and he walked in it perfectly. He rode in, entering his final week of life on a donkey’s colt, with the ultimate humility. And here’s the wild thing – God had always planned it that way. Many years earlier, God had spoken to Zechariah and told him the King would come to save the world, and he would come with absolute humility on a donkey’s colt. This is now being quoted in Matthew. And remember, when God spoke those words to Zechariah through the Holy Spirit in the Old Testament, Jesus was there, because Jesus is God in human form. The trinity. With all the power in the world, LITERALLY, God planned his own entry into the world … with humility. And he planned the joy of saving his children while holding the grief of sacrificing his son. Jesus was born in humility to a virgin girl in a stable – and now Jesus would enter into his final week knowingly with that same power contained in humility. He didn’t make it about him. But let’s be clear – IT WAS ABOUT HIM. It’s all about Jesus. But do you know what Jesus made it about – HE MADE IT ABOUT YOU. Imagine going to a concert and your absolute favorite artist walks out on stage holding a sign with your name on it. And imagine every song they sing, they sing looking directly at you in the audience. THAT’S WHAT OUR JESUS DID, and he did it for you. At the end of this week, Jesus is betrayed and arrested, which he knew was coming since the very beginning. He didn’t fight it. He didn’t run from it. He endured it all with humility and a focus on us, not on himself. There, surrounded by a crowd of men with swords and clubs, being arrested and ultimately led to his death, Jesus says in Matthew 26: 53-54, “Don’t you realize that I could ask my Father for thousands of angels to protect us, and he would send them instantly. But if I did, how would the Scriptures be fulfilled that describe what must happen now?” Jesus knew his mission, and although he knew he held the power to do absolutely anything he wanted, he chose to humbly surrender to the Father’s will – even when it was hard. Jesus shows us how to live in the hardest seasons of our lives and walk with purpose. We restrain ourselves from doing the things we could do, and focus on doing what God wants us to do. Jesus doesn’t just tell us to surrender and submit to God – he shows us how to do it. Jesus is here in his final week, holding the grief of being betrayed in one hand, and the joy of walking in his purpose in his other. The grief of suffering in one hand, and the joy of knowing his suffering was temporary but forever good in his other hand. Jesus is showing us how to hold grief and joy at the same time. When you hurt, it’s okay to hurt – but there can still be joy knowing this hurt isn’t all there is. When there’s joy, you can feel the joy knowing everything doesn’t have to be perfect and fixed to experience moments of beauty. On our final night together here in the retreat house in Hawaii, we sat together and we each shared two things – what is the sweetest thing in this season of your life, and what is the hardest. We all had something hard we’re currently in, and we all had something so sweet too. We’re holding both, at the same time. One who has lost her husband. Three who are going through divorces. Many who have hard to love children. Some who battle health issues. And yet, each who have immense awareness of their blessings straight from heaven. There’s a song called “Evidence” by Josh Baldwin that says: In every season from where I’m standing I see the evidence of your goodness All over my life All over my life I see your promises and fulfillments All over my life All over my life Help me remember when I’m weak The fear may come The fear will leave You lead my heart to victory You are my strength And you always will be I see the evidence of your goodness All over my life With humility, Jesus shows us how to take the focus off self, while holding grief and joy at the same time. He reminds us of the evidence of God’s goodness all over our life, even in the midst of a hard season. Wherever you are standing, may you humbly see the evidence of God’s goodness all over your life. In every season, may you always remember it’s never all bad. Jesus faced this final week of his life, holding the grief and weight of all the sin in the world, yet he held joy knowing it was about YOU! Saving you. Redeeming you. Making a way for you. May you humbly hold your joy and your grief, and walk your path knowing there’s a greater purpose. Follow Pamela on Instagram – https://instagram.com/headmamapamela Or Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/pamela.crim Find out more about BIG Life – http://biglifehq.com

The final week of Jesus’ life shows us how he prepared for the end by living now. His final week shows us how to live, knowing our time is limited, this life is temporary, and we have a mission to fulfill. Matthew 11-15 Mark 11-15 Luke 19-23 John 12-19 Scripture: Philippians 2:5 “You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had.” We know how the final week for Jesus ends – and so did he. He knew the cross was coming, and he knew his death was not defeat, it was victory. It was mission complete. With the example of Jesus, knowing he was about to die, knowing every detail of what was to come in his final week, what if we stopped fearing death and truly lived in the time we have? What if we truly treated each day as purposeful and valuable, knowing it takes us one day closer to our reward – an eternity in Heaven. What if we could treat our time here as important, but remember this is just the beginning. When our time is up on this earth, it’s not over, it’s just the beginning of what we were truly created for. You were created for eternity. Your soul was designed for forever connecting with your Creator. Your existence on this earth is a tiny pre-show where you grow to know your Creator and choose his path of salvation so you can dwell in your forever with him. The Garden of Eden is restored. We’re back where we belong. A perpetual paradise with God. The only way we get there is with Jesus. And what Jesus did in his final week not only makes it all possible, but his final week gives us a blueprint for living well. The final week of Jesus’ life wasn’t just about what he endured – it’s about what he demonstrated. He shows us how to live with purpose. He shows us how to love under pressure. He shows us how to surrender through struggle. He shows us how to trust God completely, even when it’s hard. Jesus Didn’t Just Die for Us—He Modeled Life for Us In His final days, Jesus compresses a lifetime of teaching into lived example. Under pressure, facing betrayal, injustice, and unimaginable suffering, He reveals what a God-centered life actually looks like. We often ask, “How should I live?” Jesus answers that question most clearly in the week leading to the cross. The cross is where He paid for our salvation. But the path to the cross is where He showed us how to live. In 1 week, Jesus would finally hang on the cross and speak the words, “It is finished” … but before he said ‘it is finished’, he showed us how to begin. To begin our journey to our final destination. Final destination is where Jesus was going to prepare things for us. That’s where God’s children are destined. That’s our promised land. And this entire life here on earth is the beginning of our journey there. You’re in the beginning – already on your way to Heaven. Now, live well, my friend. This will all be over soon. This week, study the path to the cross Jesus walked with tremendous intention. He moved forward without rushing. He was fully present in every opportunity. He sought his Father through the struggle. And oh how he loved with his life. He did more than die for us. Dying for us would have been enough. But Jesus showed us how to live. To live with eternity on our mind. To love with our entire being. And to be loved by God. Follow Pamela on Instagram – https://instagram.com/headmamapamela Or Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/pamela.crim Find out more about BIG Life – http://biglifehq.com

Have you ever asked God for one thing and you feel like you got something totally different? Jesus tells us, “ask and you will receive”, but maybe you’re not so sure that applies to you because you haven’t gotten what you’ve asked for. Yes, girl, ask. He wants you to ask. He answers every time you ask – it just might not look like what you thought it would. The Israelites were hungry in the desert and they asked God to supply their needs and give them food to eat. AND GET THIS – The next day they woke up to manna!!!! We know manna as this miraculous bread directly from God which sustained the Israelites where there was nothing else to eat. But let me tell you, THIS WAS NOT WHAT THEY WERE EXPECTING. Exodus 16: 13-15 “The next morning the area around the camp was wet with dew. When the dew evaporated, a flaky substance as fine as frost blanketed the ground. The Israelites were puzzled when they saw it. ‘What is it?’ They asked each other. They had no idea what it was. And Moses told them, ‘It is the food the Lord has given you to eat.” I propose they woke up that morning and saw this white dewy, sticky substance all over the desert ground and they really said “What in the world is THIS?” I don’t know, maybe they were expecting Sarah Lee herself to appear at sunrise baking her fresh loaves of bread, but this … this is not what they were expecting. What is this and what am I supposed to do with it? Understand, nothing like this dewy, flaky substance had ever been seen before. This was totally new to them. And quite honestly, it didn’t look like the miracle they were expecting of the God they were counting on for survival. And this is why they called it manna. Manna literally means “What is it?” For real, that’s the defintion of manna – what is it? And if you don’t know what it is, you certainly don’t know what to do with it. The Israelites expected food they recognized. God gave them something they had to learn HOW to use. Sometimes the reason we miss God’s provision is because it doesn’t match our expectations. We expect things to look a certain way, but God works in the unexpected. You can’t figure him out. You can’t predict him. Your God is continually going to show up in ways that surprise you. And honestly, sometimes it’s initially a disappointing surprise. A question of, really, what is this? What do I do with this now? Can you see how what God has given you is provision, even if it doesn’t look like the “bread” you were expecting? The confusion you currently feel is the first stage of revelation to God’s answer. In the beginning, you’re asking, “Why did this relationship end?” – later you see God’s protection in it. In the beginning you’re asking, “Why did I lose that job?” – later you see God’s great redirection. In the beginning you’re asking, “Why did this happen to me?” – later you see God’s preparation for something better he had for you next. Just because you don’t understand it doesn’t mean God isn’t in it. The Israelites didn’t understand this bizarre looking substance all over the ground that morning, but it was still their miracle. Now it was time to learn what to do with their miracle. And my friend, if you’ve asked God to show up for you, he has … maybe you just don’t understand what he is doing. It’s time to learn what to do with the minunderstood miracle he has given you. In studying manna, this miraculous bread from Heaven that appeared on the desert ground each morning, I’ve learned the most practical and applicable lessons for exactly where we find ourselves today. Lessons on what to do with God’s answers that you don’t understand. It is believed that this manna was like a coriander seed covered in dew. Not loaves of bread, but a seed which could become something. Not a seed to be planted, but a seed to be ground. When worked, when crushed by hand, when grinded out, this substance miraculously covering the desert floor each morning became much like wheat and could be used to make bread. It wasn’t what they expected and they didn’t recognize its potential because IT HAD TO BE WORKED. They prayed for bread and they got something they could USE TO MAKE bread. God didn’t drop baked loaves into their hands. They had to go out each morning, they had to gather this strange substance from the ground, then they had to prepare it. Now remember, they’re in the middle of the desert where nothing grows or flows. This is literally a life-saving miracle. This was bizarre and beautiful. But it was only bizarre until they worked with it – then it became beautiful. I don’t know what bizarre thing you might be facing right now, but maybe this is God’s answer to your prayers, but some effort is required from you now to see it as beautiful. You have to get out there and gather this up. You’ve got to grind this out. You’ve got to work with this. And when you do, it will become exactly what you truly need. What if the very thing you’ve been confused about… The thing you’ve been questioning … The thing you’ve been overlooking … IS ACTUALLY YOUR MANNA?!!!! What if you’ve been asking God for bread, and he’s been faithfully covering the ground in front of you every morning and you just keep walking past it because you don’t recognize it. Well, my friend, you’ll never recognize it for what it could be if you don’t work with what God has given you! If you’ve asked God, he has heard you and he is moving on your behalf – just perhaps not in a way you recognize. But it’s here. Can you see it? What will you do with it? Follow Pamela on Instagram – https://instagram.com/headmamapamela Or Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/pamela.crim Find out more about BIG Life – http://biglifehq.com

Sometimes it feels like we don’t have enough. There’s not enough time. Not enough money. Not enough help. Not enough energy. Sometimes we feel like we’re not enough. We’re not good enough. Not smart enough. Not pretty enough. Not anything enough. So, we walk around looking at our life as if nothing is enough. We’re always lacking. Always in need. Always coming up short. Always feeling if we had more of this or more of that we would be better and do better, but we don’t. So we don’t. We don’t live better because we’ve blindly assumed we always need more in order to do so. All while the one thing we truly need, and already have, is God. If you have God, then you will always have what you need. He’s a good father and he takes care of his girls. So here’s what’s really happening – God designed your entire life around a relationship with him. If you have an abundance of everything, guess what … you no longer need the Almighty. When life is good and easy, you fail to recognize your total dependence on the One who has made every single detail even possible. Hey girl – you didn’t wake up today without God. God allows a need to bring you back to him. Your daily need actually creates a daily relationship with your Creator. Your need and his faithful provision forms a level of trust you wouldn’t know otherwise. In our study of the Israelites in the wilderness, they’re now free from slavery in Egypt, but wandering through a desert without provisions. Nothing grows or flows in a desert. They have a daily need and that daily need was designed by God to bring his people to him. Here, God shows up in really out of the norm ways to provide precisely what is needed. Exodus 16: 4-5, God says, “Look, I’m going to rain down food from heaven for you. Each day the people can go out and pick up as much food as they need for that day. I will test them in this to see whether or not they will follow my instructions. On the sixth day they will gather food, and when they prepare it, there will be twice as much as usual.” Yes, God gave them enough for the day only. Enough. Just for one day. Why? To build their trust and test their faith. Maybe that’s where you are today. You have enough, but it’s only enough for today. You have no idea how you’re going to make it through tomorrow. You don’t see tomorrow’s provisions here today. And what are you going to do next month? How the heck is this going to work next year? What you have certainly doesn’t look like enough and the truth is you’re freaking out a little. How will you make this work? How will you find the strength? Where will you go for what is needed later? But maybe, just maybe, in this season God is building your trust and testing your faith. Will you trust his provision is here for today and see that it is enough? Will you have faith he will do the same for you tomorrow too? See what God has done for you today and trust he will do whatever is needed tomorrow too. Maybe you’ve gotten ahead of yourself and that’s why you’re so overwhelmed. Your mind is already in next week, next month and next year. Girl, you can’t see God’s hand way out there, but you can see his hand right here. Just stay here with God. What happened when the Israelites didn’t trust for God’s provision the next day and gathered extra of this bread from heaven on the ground just in case? Verse 19-20, Then Moses told them, “Do not keep any of it until morning.” But some of them didn’t listen and kept some of it until morning. But by then it was full of maggots and had a terrible smell. Moses was very angry with them.” This break in trust and lack of faith created a rot in their provision. It went bad. And sister, the same exact thing happens to us now. When we start thinking God is not trustworthy for our tomorrow, we create a rot in what we do have. Things go rotten for us. What has grown rotten in your life? What has gone bad? Could it be because you tried to do this thing on your own? Could it be because your priorities got all out of order? Could it be because God was no longer the recognized provider? Could it be because deep down, you really didn’t trust God was going to show up and do anything for you? Could it be because you needed to know exactly what you would have tomorrow, and this need for security and certainty just turned everything bad? God wants us to depend on him daily. Honey if you have this whole thing figured out with your fool proof 10 year plan, why would you need God? Eventually you would stop seeking his hand because your hands are already full. So, he fills your hands, but he fills them with only enough for today. And that is enough. Yes, this is enough. Say it … I HAVE ENOUGH. Why does God work this way? So you keep coming back tomorrow. A daily relationship. A daily trust. A daily connection. That’s the whole point. God wants a daily connection with you. You were created to need him, so stop trying to build a life where you don’t need him for every day. I may not be exactly comfortable with the unknown. I may not see how in the world this is going to work out. I may not understand how God is going to show up tomorrow, next week, next month and next year. But, I know today he has given me enough. I have enough. So do you. The Israelites soon became ungrateful for their daily supply of ‘enough’ and started grumbling and complaining. Whining and wallowing. As a result, they sacrificed where God was leading them and settled in the desert for the rest of their lives. Their potential was unmet. Their Promise Land was unattained. All because what was enough for the day was not enough for their happiness. Read that again. What was enough for the day was not enough for their happiness. Oh sis, don’t let that be us. If it’s enough for today, will it be enough for you to be happy over? Don’t let us be spoiled brats complaining over the miraculous provision of God each day. Don’t let us complain over the job we hate while we’re not doing a darn thing to change it. Don’t let us worry over the stresses of tomorrow when tomorrow hasn’t even shown up yet and today is going unlived. Don’t let us waste what we have been given today with an arrogant assumption there will always be more. More time, more opportunities, more blessings. No, what we have is for today. You can’t save this time for tomorrow. You can’t hold back these opportunities for when you feel more ready. You can’t store up these blessings and hope to pull them out in the future. It’s here for today. Girl you have enough. Enough for today. Receive it with gratitude, don’t waste it, and trust that tomorrow will come with tomorrow’s provision. Enough. This is enough. It is enough for me to be happy. It is enough for me to be grateful. It is enough for me to work with. It is enough for me to trust God. This is a test. A test of trusting God on the daily. How are you doing with that test? Look around, God has given you everything you need for today. You have enough. Now gather up what God has given you and use it today because this stuff can’t be saved for tomorrow! You’ve got some living to do here and you have just enough to live today! Follow Pamela on Instagram – https://instagram.com/headmamapamela Or Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/pamela.crim Find out more about BIG Life – http://biglifehq.com

Whatever your problem is, your solution is nearby. God does not promise a problem free journey, he promises provision for every problem along the way. Look around, your solution is likely less miraculous in appearance than you imagined and actually more practical in nature. It’s the offering of the little you have which somehow becomes enough to feed thousands. It’s the marching in circles that brings walls down. It’s the singing of praise that makes chains fall off. God works miraculously through the practical. Don’t miss the solution he is offering you today as you wait for something that appears more miraculous. Yesterday we read about Moses leading the Israelites in the worship of God after he saved them from their enemies. Real worship for an audience of one broke out in the desert! Women dancing with their tambourines, praising God! Awesome – let’s see what happens next. Now the Israelites are in the desert and what’s lacking in a desert? Water. That’s a problem. Exodus 15:22-24 “Then Moses led the people of Israel away from the Red Sea, and they moved out into the desert of Shur. They traveled in this desert for 3 days without finding any water. When they came to the oasis of Marah, the water was too bitter to drink.” Here we have a real problem. No drinkable water in the middle of a desert. Imagine walking from Yuma Arizona to Tuscon with no water. That’s a problem. So, God offered a solution. A solution that looked more ordinary than miraculous. A solution that required obedience and trust. The solution could not be found in complaining. As the people complained, dying of thirst and facing the disappointment of finding water that was undrinkable, the water remained as it was. God did not respond to their complaining. As God’s people complain, their problems remain. Whatever you complain about will remain about. How much are we complaining right now, and how much is it helping anything? God isn’t drawn in to our complaints, instead I believe our complainging proves we’re not ready for what he is offering. Our complaining proves the lesson hasn’t been learned and the bitterness is still within us. The bitter water represented the bitterness of the Israelites. Even after witnessing the miraculous work of God as they crossed the Red Sea and were saved from the Egyptian Army, they fall back into complaining and wanting to return to Egypt as soon as they faced the next problem. Isn’t that us … we go from praise to complaint in the same day. Whew God you are so good … to …. Oh my gosh this sucks and I hate it. From shaking our tambourine to shaking our head. God did not respond to their complaining. Mamas, how do you respond to your kid’s complaining? Are you eager to jump in and help when they’re whiny? No! That’s what time out is for. Little girl, sit yo’self over here for a hot minute and work on your attitude. After a little time out and attitude adjustment, my kids would typically come back with a different attitude and a tender voice saying “Mama, can you help me now?” My answer … of course honey, now I can help. Papa, can you help me now? I love the Message translation of the Bible because it often refers to God the Father as Papa. That’s who he is, he is YOUR PAPA. Papa, can you help me now? The people complained and the water remained bitter. Moses cried out to God, and God guided him to a solution. Maybe your complaints in the past proved you weren’t ready, but now you’re here with a better attitude, ready to seek God for help. And THIS CHANGES EVERYTHING. God says, of course my girl, now I can help. The solution – a piece of wood that would turn the bitter water sweet and make it drinkable. Exodus 15:25, “Moses cried out to the Lord for help, and the Lord showed him a piece of wood. Moses threw it into the water, and this made the water good to drink.” What a simple solution! But how would they have known to do this to make the water drinkable without the intervention of God? That solution was always there. The tree growing next to the water had been growing for years on purpose to be used. God has a solution for all our problems before they ever happen to us. Before they ever came to the bitter water thirsty, God had provided the tree as a solution. Yes we will have bitter water as a problem in life, but we will also have a sweet tree as provision from God. With the problem comes God’s provision, but do we not perceive it? Jesus said he is going to prepare a place for us, won’t he also provide a way to get there? And won’t he be in every detail along the way? All is prepared between here and heaven, his provision has been planted, we just need to seek God with open hearts, open hands and open eyes to see it. Complaining does not open our eyes to solutions. Only seeking God shows us his divine solutions. When Moses cried out to God for help, the Lord showed him the wood. This wood would turn the bitter waters sweet and make them drinkable. It was a practical solution for a real problem. Maybe while you’ve been seeking some miraculous magical feat, God actually has a very practical solution you’ve been overlooking. God, help me see what you’ve placed right here for a purpose. Lead me to the solution. I will stop complaining and I will seek you. Guide me. After turning the bitter water sweet and hydrating them for the next part of their journey, they continued on, led by God. And look at this: verse, 27, “After leaving Marah, the Israelites traveled on to the oasis of Elim, where they found 12 springs and 70 palm trees. They camped there beside the river.” This was a place of extreme provision. An oasis of bliss in the middle of the desert. God was leading them there, they just needed to stop at the bitter water on the way to work on their complaining attitude. There was a lesson to learn before they could come to the place God had for them. God has provision waiting for you too, my sister. A place he is leading you. If you find yourself at some bitter waters complaining and wanting to go back to the way things used to be, maybe you’re here for a sweet little lesson. A lesson on seeking God over complaining. A lesson on provision in the practical found right by the problem. And on the other side of this lesson is a beautiful oasis you didn’t even see coming. More than enough. Abundance and beauty. A place surely worthy of your tambourine once again. You’re going to want to keep that tambourine sister. Pack your praise and keep it with you. God’s just working through this problem to bring you to a better place. Follow Pamela on Instagram – https://instagram.com/headmamapamela Or Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/pamela.crim Find out more about BIG Life – http://biglifehq.com

Together, we’ve been studying the book of Exodus, telling us of the great exodus by the Israelites from their 430 years of slavery under the rule of Egypt. After plagues troubled Egypt, the Egyptian ruler Pharaoh demanded the enslaved Israelites leave immediately. They left in a hurry. And wouldn’t you after spending your entire life in slavery? Freedom was finally offered that night, and they ran. What follows is God’s people witnessing his mighty hand in personal and powerful ways. God guides them on the correct path through an unknown wilderness with a pillar of cloud in the day and a pillar of fire at night. God literally parts the water for them, making a path of dry land through the middle of the Red Sea, then swallows up all their enemies in the water after them. For the first time in 430 years, God’s people were truly free. The bodies of their enemies washed up on the shore, proving this was really it for them. What do you do when the battle is finally over? What do you do when you look back and see all God has done? You praise God! Exodus 15:1-2, “Then Moses and the people of Israel sang this song to the Lord: ‘I will sing to the Lord, for he has triumphed gloriously; he has hurled both horse and rider into the sea. The Lord is my strength and my song; he has given me victory. This is my God, and I will praise him – my Father’s God, and I will exalt him!’” The people stopped everything and they sang. But who were they singing to? THE LORD. This song is for an audience of one. My friends, that’s what our worship is supposed to be. All for God and only for God. It’s not a show. It’s not a performance. It’s not a check box. It’s not a ritual. It’s praise for an audience of one. Let me ask you, is that what your worship is? May I be vulnerable with you here? Sadly, my worship changes depending on who I’m with. I often think more about what others might feel than I think about the one it’s really all about. I will dumb down my worship if I know those around me might be uncomfortable. I’ll hold back my praise if I think I might be considered weird. While I know that’s not right, it’s something I often struggle with. What does praise for an audience of one really look like? What does worship with a wholehearted focus on God look like? Well, it looks a whole lot like Exodus 15. For 18 verses, the Israelites sang their praise for their audience of one. And it’s recorded word for word here for us to understand what worship looks like. I’ve gone through their recorded song of praise and here’s what I’ve found – it’s a FOCUS ON GOD. Not a focus on self. Not a focus on others. A focus on God. That is worship. 7 times the words “he, him and his” are used. 26 times the words “you and yours” are used. What are they saying? Ain’t nobody but God did it! Their worship was all about God. They recognized God didn’t just give them strength, GOD IS THEIR STRENGTH. (Verse 2) There’s a difference. Strength is not a well to tap into, strength is your God to know, to connect with, to lean on, to trust. God IS your strength, continually, never-ending, forever and always. He is your strength for whatever you’re going through. He’s not just giving you the strength, he’s showing up for you personally AS your strength. That should give you an unshakable level of confidence to face whatever it is you are facing. God IS your strength. Their song says, “The Lord is a warrior. You raised your right hand and the earth swallowed our enemies.” They’re remembering what God did. They’re remembering the parting of the sea and the impossible way God saved them. Their song says, “With your unfailing love you lead the people you have redeemed. In your might, you guide them to your sacred home.” They’re remembering more of what God did. They’re remembering how the pillar of cloud guided them during the day, and the pillar of fire perfectly guided them at night. When they were lost, God showed them the way to go. And here’s what they know – they know nobody but God did that. And when you remember it was all God, then you can worship him fully. One of my favorite songs right now is “God Did It” by Toby Mac & Jamie McDonald. It’s like the modern day version of Exodus 15. Could you sing these words today for an audience of one? Ain’t nobody but God did it There’s no way around Some things you can’t explain away It’s too good for me to doubt Said nobody but God did it Showered me in love When it looked like it was over He went and did just what He does God did it What did God do? No for real, what is it in your life that you can’t just explain away. There’s something that’s just too good for you to doubt. Ain’t nobody but God did that! God went and did just what he does, and he did it for you. Now give him the praise only he deserves. Let’s get real – whoever it is that causes you to hold back your praise has become a block between you and God. You have allowed them a space that God has requested – what’s that space – your focus. If your worship has become limited in the presence of others, then your focus is on them more than it is on God. Now, is God asking you to fix that? Is he asking you to put him back in his rightful first place as your audience of one? Some of the most powerful spiritual moments at our retreats are our times of worship. I blast worship music and I encourage everyone to go find their own private space to be with God. Sometimes that’s what we need. A time when family isn’t around. A time when no one else really knows the depths of our story. A time when our focus is all on what God did. And really, when you realize what God has done for you, you just can’t help but praise him. That’s what Moses and the Israelites are doing on the other side of their impossible. They’re recognizing the impossible things that couldn’t be explained away. They’re voicing the things that were too good for them to doubt. They’re remembering when it looked like it was all over, God went and did just what he does. And let’s be real clear – it REALLY looked like it was all over for the Israelites. With an impassable sea on one side and their enemies charging towards them on the other, they stood completely helpless with nothing to fight with. But GOD WAS THEIR STRENGTH. God did things that simply could have never happened without him. God did things they didn’t even know to ask for. God brought them a victory they had never even imagined. They’re standing in the shower of God’s love and voicing nobody but God did it! And they don’t care how it looks to anyone else – they are overcome with praise for the God who did what only he could do, and he did it for them. Now here’s the really cool thing – over 1,300 years after God’s people sang this song of praise and worship, John writes in the book of Revelation telling us about a vision of the end times to come. Guess what this chapter in the very end of your Bible is titled – “The Song of Moses and of the Lamb”. God shows John what is to come in heaven when the final victory is won – guess what will be happening?!!!! “All the people who had been victorious over the beast (that’s satan) were singing the song of Moses!” Guess what, girls – we will be singing this song of victory in the end! We too will stand in heaven knowing ain’t nobody but God did it! When it all looked like it was over for the world, God went and did just what he does – HE SAVED US! But how about we don’t wait until the end to sing our song of praise? How about we start worshiping for our audience of one right now. We already have evidence in our lives of what only God could do, don’t we?!!!! It’s time, my friends. Time to really worship God! Follow Pamela on Instagram – https://instagram.com/headmamapamela Or Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/pamela.crim Find out more about BIG Life – http://biglifehq.com

I trust God, but sometimes I like to give God suggestions. You know just in case he was 50/50 on what to do, I like to interject by bright ideas and tell him how he could make things work out really good. I occasionally even tell God how he could do “cool things”, as if he was sitting on his throne in heaven stumped over how he could pull off something cool today and he was waiting on me to help him. Do you do that too? I wonder what God thinks of our ideas of taking the path of least resistance. I wonder how God views our tendency to desire what is fastest and easiest. I wonder how God feels about our complete avoidance of hardship, struggle, and suffering. Well, there just so happens to be a story in the bible about this exact thing. Let’s read it together. Matthew 16, Jesus is walking along with his disciples. They’re doing awesome miracles together and making a huge impact every where they go. In fact, they had just finished feeding the crowd of thousands with a small amount of bread and fish. Now they know his power. The disciples know Jesus is the One. They’re all in. Verse 21-23 “From that time on Jesus began to explain to his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things at the hands of the elders, the chief priests and the teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life. Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. “Never, Lord!” he said. “This shall never happen to you!” Jesus turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; you do not have in mind the concerns of God, but merely human concerns.” Understand, Peter was just trying to save Jesus from suffering. He was trying to find an easier way. He was trying to fix this. And Jesus said, THIS SUFFERING DOESN’T NEED TO BE FIXED. THIS HARDSHIP DOESN’T NEED TO BE AVOIDED. That’s a hard pill to swallow. I want my suffering and your suffering to be fixed. Like immediately. I don’t want times to be hard for anyone. If there was something I could do to ease my friend’s pain after her loss, gosh I would do it. If I could lift the suffering of my friend whose world has fallen apart, I would do it. If I could make your marriage problems go away, I would in a heartbeat. If I could solve your financial problems, boom, it would be fixed in an instant. If I could lift your burdens… If I could clear the way… If I could bring you healing … If I could restore what has been broken… I would be like Oprah. You get a new car. You get a good marriage. You get health. You get a whole family. You get a bonus. You get a baby. You get your answers. You all get EVERYTHING! No suffering. No struggle. No waiting. All your problems are fixed and there’s nothing but sunshine and glitter ahead, my friend. I really would fix it all for you … If I could. And to that, Jesus would say to me, “Satan, get behind me!” Why? Because just like Peter, I’m focusing on the wrong thing. I’m focusing on human concerns and overlooking the fact that God’s concerns are bigger, greater, and far beyond anything I can imagine. God is in the eternal game where current suffering will be redeemed. I tend to play in the right now game where suffering is always avoided. In your effort to avoid the suffering, go around the hardship, and skip the waiting line, have you become a stumbling block? Remember, that’s what Jesus called Peter. He was a stumbling block. His attempt to fix everything was in the way of God’s good plan. Honey, what if your attempt to fix everything is in the way of God’s good plan? What if God doesn’t need us to fix anything, and instead he needs us to partner with him in the bigger picture of what he is doing. What if this isn’t about what you’re going through right now, this is about what this will create for the future. What if God has magnificent plans that are so far above and beyond your scope of imagination, but the only way to get to them is through this stuff that doesn’t make sense? You know, this stuff you want to avoid. This stuff you want to skip. This stuff you’ve been giving God “suggestions” on fixing. Okay God, so this is going to fall apart? This is going to hurt? This isn’t going to work the way I had hoped? Now isn’t the time? I don’t like it, but I trust you. I will not try to fix your plans. I won’t get in the way of your work with my suggestions of an easier way. God has been trying to clear the way in your life, and you know what he’s been trying to move? YOU. You with your ideas of how it is supposed to be. You with your plans and good suggestions. You with your complete avoidance of current suffering that are for eternal purposes. What? You think you are above current suffering used for eternal purposes? You think you should be exempt from that? Dismissed because you’ve been a good person? Well, Sis, Jesus wasn’t dismissed and I’m pretty sure he was maybe even a little bit of a better person than even you. If Jesus wasn’t above suffering, why would we ever believe we are? I don’t want to be that stumbling block. I don’t want to be in the way of God’s plans. If God says I have to go through this, then I trust it’s for a purpose greater than my comfort. If God says this has to fall apart, I trust he will be doing something new on the other side of this and when I get there I’ll be more like the woman he created me to be. So, here we are Lord, trying our best to get out of the way. Here we are, surrendering to your plan that doesn’t make sense to us. Here we are, trusting you give and you take away, and our hands are to remain open. Here we are, counting on your timing to be better than our own. Here we are, trusting if you don’t fix it and we can’t avoid it, then you’ll carry us through it. Follow Pamela on Instagram – https://instagram.com/headmamapamela Or Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/pamela.crim Find out more about BIG Life – http://biglifehq.com

I read a great analogy on life that really puts everything into perspective. It’s deep. Grab your pen, I think this is for you today and you will want to write this down. Life is like a helicopter. I don’t know how to operate a helicopter. Gosh, life can be complicated and confusing sometimes. There has to be a button you could press to get out of this tailspin, but you’re not sure which button is the right one. You’re staring at a dashboard of flashing lights and sirens warning you of immanent danger, but you don’t know what to do to get out of this. Maybe right about now you want to hit the eject button. You want to get out of this. You want to jump from the disaster. But here’s the problem, helicopters don’t have eject buttons, and neither does life. You can’t just escape this. You can’t wish it all away. This tailspin in your life is seen by God, and he is equipping you to handle it. Now, Sis, handle it. You don’t have to continue to spin out of control. You don’t have to be stuck in the same ol’ round and round going down. You have been given the power to change things in your life. You have been given authority over every choice you make. You don’t think you know how to fly this helicopter, but God is asking you to learn. He’s asking you to take responsibility for the choices you make, take control of your thoughts, and demand better of yourself. How do you live this life well? You look to the example given to you! 2 Peter 1:3 MSG “Everything that goes into a life of pleasing God has been miraculously given to us by getting to know, personally and intimately, the One who invited us to God.” When you get to know Jesus, you get to see how to start living your life better. He starts showing you how to take control of this helicopter and stop the tailspin. He shows you how to take your wild thoughts captive and make them obedient. He shows you how to forgive and move on. How to fight and conquer. How to love and let be. How to seek and find. How to move forward and overcome. How to rise up and break through. Jesus has miraculously given us absolutely everything needed to live a life God can be pleased with. You are lacking nothing! You think you don’t know how to operate this life, but actually, YOU DO. You can do all things through Christ who gives you strength, including fly this helicopter of a life you have been given to live. This confusing and complicated life is yours to live. As you grow closer to Jesus, he will teach you how to better live and stop the tailspin. Your answer is Jesus. Seriously, he is the one who will show you how to raise those wild banshees you call your kids. Jesus is the one who will show you how to love your husband and yourself enough to no longer enable this behavior. Jesus is the one who will guide you to make the choices you don’t know how to make. Jesus is the one who will strengthen you to make the changes you know need to be made, but you’ve been avoiding. Jesus is the one who will take control of this helicopter and set the course … if you will ask him. When you get to know Jesus, things start changing. How do you get to know Jesus? You simply start seeking him. Start talking to him. Start reading about him. Start listening to others who know him. Start studying his words. Getting to know Jesus not only changes your circumstances, but it changes YOU. 2 Corinthians 5:17 “Anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!” Your life becomes different because honey, you’re different. You’re not who you used to be. Getting to know Jesus changes how you see things. It changes how you show up. There’s nothing in your life that won’t be positively affected when you get to know Jesus more. A totally new life is possible when you’re growing closer to Jesus. I met a podcast listener recently who told me the life she was once living was busting the gates of hell wide open. She was living all wrong and she was doing it big time. She created sheer disaster in her wake. She was carrying around hurt and shame and living in complete fear of what others thought about her. That girl’s helicopter was out of control. Then, she met Jesus. And she not only met Jesus, but she got to really know Jesus. In the process of getting to know him, her life radically changed. Life stopped spinning out of control and she leveled out. She changed her choices and habits. She fixed some messes. She accepted grace and mercy, and made space for the new life Jesus offered her. Now, she uses her story to shine the light in the darkness which has surrounded others. A familiar darkness she once lived in, but Jesus got her out of. For my sister listening today who is in a tailspin of disaster, please hear me now: JESUS CAN CHANGE THIS! This doesn’t have to be your story for another day. This life doesn’t have to crash and burn. If you will take one step towards Jesus, I promise he will take a thousand steps towards you. He will show you how to regain control and stop the tailspin. As you get to know him, he will show you how to make better choices and change your habits. He will renew your confidence and strength so you no longer settle for less than his best for you. With Jesus, you have absolutely everything it takes to live a life God is fully pleased with. With him, he makes all things new and your life is changed. Yes, life is like a helicopter. I don’t know how to operate a helicopter. But I know how to lean in to Jesus and he can show me. Getting to know him is the ultimate answer! Follow Pamela on Instagram – https://instagram.com/headmamapamela Or Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/pamela.crim Find out more about BIG Life – http://biglifehq.com

Today I’m going to share with you the sweetest scripture I’ve ever read. A scripture so powerful in its sweetness that it stopped me in my tracks. Psalm 27:8 “My heart has heard you say, ‘Come and talk with me.’ And my heart responds, ‘Lord, I am coming.'” Woah. Does that touch you the way it does me? God says to your heart “Come and talk with me.” Let your heart simply respond “Lord, I am coming.” On a weekly basis I receive messages asking about prayer. How do you pray more meaningful and powerful prayers? How do you find the proper words to say that bend the ear of the creator of the universe? What exactly do you ask him? Have we turned prayer into a formal communication for which we do not know the language? Have we complicated the connection and in the process disconnected from the Almighty? David, the little shepherd boy who defeated Goliath, then grew to become a great King with the favor of God, is believed to have written this scripture. He knew. He knew the promptings within that bring him to his Maker, and he knew to simply respond. God says “Come and talk with me.” That’s not an agenda. That’s not a script. That’s not a formality. That’s an invitation to a conversation. A two way conversation. Talk WITH me, not just TO me. I have things I want to tell you, and there are things I want you to tell me. Today, don’t you hear your Father saying to your heart “Come and talk with me.” Yes, you do. Now maybe you’ve allowed the busyness to distract you, and maybe you would first have to tread through layers of guilt and shame before you could bow your head, but today all of that can be removed. Today you can respond “Lord, I am coming.” I’m coming to talk with you. I don’t know exactly what to say. I don’t even know how to start. I don’t even know how to listen for you and be sure you’re talking to me. But I am coming. I didn’t always talk with God the way I do now. I felt distant from him, even unimpressed by him. I honestly felt like he was going to do what he was going to do, and my communication with him wasn’t going to change anything. But I was wrong. My communication with him changed everything. After God saved me from a stroke at 19 years old, I found a relationship with him that created a hunger within me for more. I craved reading God’s word. I wanted to understand. I wanted to spend time with him. I had a green study bible at my work desk and I highlighted nearly every page as I studied. I prayed the promises I read and believed them to be true. I grew immensely. But somewhere in the midst of being completely well and life going on, I lost the sweetness of that relationship, and prayer became an obligatory 3 sentences I would repeat before my meals. Then struggle hit in my early 30’s. Business failed, success ceased, doors closed, and my heart grew bitter. I was angry God had allowed these hardships. I had grown distant and distracted as I tried to fix these problems on my own. But nothing worked as it all fell apart. This was a turning point. This was the day I prayed for the first time in a long time. What was my prayer, “God, I’m so angry. I can’t believe you’re letting this happen.” Yip, I literally started talking to him again through my anger. To my surprise, God didn’t turn from me. Instead he responded to my anger with a gentleness and peace I can’t describe. To return to that peace, I began spending more time with God. Instead of just whispering my prayers, I began journaling my prayers. Writing my praises and my requests. Recording the promptings I felt within my spirit. And goodness gracious if our whole world didn’t start changing. We went from parking our car in the garage to hide it from the repo man, to building our dream home with the resort style backyard. We adopted 2 little girls from an orphanage in Mexico. I ran marathons. I met my mentor and he taught me how set goals and live the life I had always wanted. And I did. I kept talking with God … until I didn’t. Life got blessed and busy, and I got distracted. Distracted by all we had and all we were working to get more of. Distracted by all the goodness of the trips and the toys. Sadly, I allowed my blessings to crowd God right out of my life. I no longer had time to journal prayers, that time was filled with more pressing things in a growing family and business. One day I stopped and realized I had totally lost the sweetness of my prior relationship with God. There was no connection. I no longer knew how to talk with him. I didn’t hear him in my life anymore, and I didn’t know how to start again. Struggle had first hardened my heart to God, then success distracted me from my destiny. Then came the game changer. My friend Suzanne taught me the 4 sentence prayer. A simple way to talk with God that came with no strings and no pressure. Just 4 simple sentences and you’re done. The very day she taught me, I went into my closet, I closed the door, and I hit my knees and I talked with God for the first time in a long time. Sentence 1: Tell God what you’re grateful for. Sentence 2: Tell God where you’ve messed up and ask him to forgive you. Sentence 3: Tell God what you’re worried about. Sentence 4: Ask God for help. Sometimes you just need an icebreaker to get a conversation started. Sometimes you just need a clear place to start. That’s what the 4 sentence prayer can be – the beginning of the best conversations you will ever have! If you’re wondering where to start with prayer, this is your answer. It’s not the ONLY answer, but it’s an answer here for you now. 4 simple sentences to begin talking WITH God in a truly effective way. For me, I found going to a quiet place on my knees and actually speaking in a whisper really changed the conversation. My mind didn’t wander off as much. If that’s a problem for you, try it. God is saying, “Come and talk with me.” Oh girl, how I hope you’re saying now, “Lord, I’m coming”, and get yourself to a place where you can start talking with your creator now! Write those 4 sentence prompts on a sticky note and get started. God is calling, answer! Within a few weeks of starting this daily conversation of 4 simple sentences with God, he clearly told me to start hosting devotionals. I hadn’t read my Bible in over 20 years. In fact, I didn’t even have a Bible anymore. I didn’t even know what a devotional was supposed to look like. And I couldn’t possibly be expected to tell people about Jesus … I was an emotional hot mess and couldn’t speak his name without crumbling into a snotfest. But, he wouldn’t release me from this continual nudge, so I agreed to hosting a devotional conference call for 1 week to prove I wasn’t possibly the right girl for the job. 13 years and THOUSANDS of devotional later, it would take nothing short of God’s loud booming voice to make me stop! How did all of this start … I’m just a girl who’s struggles AND successes BOTH had pulled her away from a relationship with her creator, and I simply responded to God’s whisper in my heart when he said “Come and talk with me.” Now, this gets me really excited for you. If God is saying to you “come and talk with me”, what could he have waiting for you? What amazing adventure could he invite you into? What incredible movement could he be ready to show you? What purpose could he reveal? What blessing could he bring? What promise could he fulfill? Maybe you’re in the struggle … see God here. He hasn’t abandoned you. His eye is on you, his hand is here for you, and he has good plans for you. Hear him call to your heart “Come and talk with me.” Let your heart respond “Lord, I’m coming.” And if all you have to come to him with is anger, then bring it. If all you have are questions, bring those. If all you have is a prayer of “help”, then say it over and over again. Help. Maybe you’re in the success … see God here. You’ve been busy and distracted, surrounded by all the things you once prayed for. Don’t let struggle be the only thing that brings you back to your knees. Get yourself there today sister. Respond to his calling and talk with him. You have a whole lot to tell him thank you for. Start there. Thank him for every single blessing you recognize today. Talk with him about the goodness of these details. Did you know you don’t have to close your eyes while you pray? Sometimes when I’m praying over a delicious meal, I look at it intently and smell its wonderful aroma and pray while I take that first bite. Sometimes I open my eyes and look around at all that is good and right and beautiful in that moment and talk with God about my blessings. Today I received the sweetest news that my friend who has been praying for a baby for many years is officially pregnant with a little miracle. I went on a praise walk to thank God for what he has done. I just listened to praise music and worshiped God as I walked. Everywhere I walked today on this little trail were chickens with their brand new, freshly hatched baby chicks. As I praised God, I could see reminders of new miraculous life everywhere. That’s prayer. Closing your eyes is not required for this conversation with God. In fact sometimes I think he wants us to open our eyes, see what he is doing and talk with him about it right there. Philippians 4:6, “Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done.” The moment you begin worrying about something, it’s an invitation to just talk to God about it instead. Is it possible to really pray about everything. Yes – it’s an open continued conversation with God where you’re looking for him in the details, praising him for the goodness, and seeking him first. It’s a mindset and a heart posture. Won’t you respond to the whisper in your heart that says “Come and talk with me.” And just keep coming back. Keep coming back to this relationship with him where you are strengthened in the struggle and grounded in the success. Follow Pamela on Instagram – https://instagram.com/headmamapamela Or Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/pamela.crim Find out more about BIG Life – http://biglifehq.com

We’ve all heard the nightmare stories of child stars who become wildly rich and famous and grow up to live a wreck of a life. We’ve seen the stories unfold. In a world where kid’s primary goal in life is to become famous, we know where that road can lead. This is the result of the Instagram and the TikTok. But wait … actually it’s not. God has been warning his children of the pit of ungrounded success for thousands of years. One of those stories is the life of King Uzziah. If King Uzziah would have been living in the 21st century, he would have been Insta-Famous and a top TikTok influencer. And his story is a lesson for every single one of us today. A lesson that meets us exactly where we are. You’ll find Uzziah’s entire story in 2 Chronicles, chapter 26. It’s summed up in 3 headings in my Bible: Uzziah the King, Uzziah’s Achievements, and Uzziah’s Disease. Uzziah became King of Judah at just 16 years old. Verses 4 & 5 say, “He did what was right in the Lord’s sight just as his father Amaziah had done. He sought God. During the time that he sought the Lord, God gave him success.” Where did Uzziah’s success come from? God! How did he achieve success? He sought God. He put God first. God was his priority. He spent time with God. He asked God for help and guidance. He followed God’s promptings. Now, the next section, Uzziah’s Achievements. Verse 7 says, “God helped him.” He fought battles and he won. He built cities and they flourished. He gathered armies and they became powerful. Everything he did was successful. Verse 15, “His fame spread far and wide, for he was greatly helped until he became powerful.” GREATLY HELPED. Oh, God can do that! God wants to do that! Do you understand that God wants to GREATLY help you? He wants to do wonderful things for you. He wants to offer his supernatural powers to do impossible things for you. And he will, as long as you seek him. What could God achieve through you … well, there are no limits. We serve an unlimited God who’s powers cannot be contained and who’s plans are greater and bigger than our wildest imaginations. And the way he has so graciously chosen to work is THROUGH US! And he will work through you in this way, as long as you are seeking him. But what happens after success? What happens after you get what you’ve been praying for? What happens when it all finally comes together? You’re grateful … right? You’re humbled … right? You’re happy … right? But do you stay grateful? Do you remain humble? How long until you need more to be happy? I’ve lived that story of rags to riches. Now mine was less dramatic on the rags and less extreme on the riches, but still it was a journey from a nobody to a somebody in some small circles. And when I became the somebody with the house and the car and the closet full of clothes, I lost myself. God had helped me so much UNTIL I became successful. Then, in success, I no longer felt the daily need for God’s provision. I had bread for the day, I didn’t have to seek him for it. And that’s the danger of success. When I no longer counted on God for my daily bread because I had plenty, I stopped seeking him like I had during the hard times. I know I’m not alone in this struggle. The ups and downs that create our unsteady walk with God. Our wavering little hearts that seek, then they run off chasing their own things. And just like Uzziah, I had been given success as long as I sought the Lord. But, that success threatened to trip me up and make me busy. Too busy to seek God first. Uzziah was greatly helped UNTIL he became powerful. Why the word “until”? Did something change when he became powerful, successful and famous? Yes. And here’s our warning. The next section in my Bible is titled “Uzziah’s Disease”. Verse 16, “But after Uzziah became powerful, his pride led to his downfall. He was unfaithful to the LORD his God.” In his pride, he acted in unfaithful ways, pushed his way in to the sanctuary of God and began doing things he was not chosen to do. And suddenly, leprosy broke out on his forehead. He became a leper. The life of a leper was one of exclusion, suffering and loneliness. They were forced to live on the outskirts and were denied access to everyone and everything. And sadly, this was the life of King Uzziah, the once wildly successful leader, until he died. Not a happy ending. And I have to wonder how short this ending fell from the good plans God had for the young King who once sought him in everything. I wonder what COULD HAVE BEEN in his life if success wouldn’t have caused him to become prideful and then unfaithful? Oh Lord, please block any future success in our lives that would cause us to become prideful and then unfaithful. Remove anything that would get in the way of us seeking you. I will be honest with you, since my first failure of handling success well, I’ve been afraid of wild success. When I woke up one day and realized my entire world had become wrapped up in what I had and what others thought of me, I knew I needed a drastic change. That’s when we sold everything, gave the rest away, and started over in a life with two suitcases. I would rather have God than that big house. I would rather have God than a single other living soul know my name. I don’t want to fail that test again. But what happens when we become the girls who, no matter what the circumstances, no matter the success, no matter the power, we simply WILL NOT STOP SEEKING GOD? No matter the increase, we still humbly bow to God and seek his will over our own … what could happen then? What happens when we are unshaken by success, unchanged by fame, and undistracted by the noise? Could God continue to greatly help us? Could he be glorified even more?!!!!! Proverbs 3: 5-6 “Trust in the LORD with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take.” You can trust that. You can live your life counting on that. You will NOT be let down by this. Now, understand the warning it gives if you don’t live like this. If you don’t trust the Lord with your whole heart, if you start depending on your own thoughts and your own ways, if you stop seeking his will in everything you do, you will be endlessly confused. You will be completely overwhelmed. You won’t know what to do, when to do it, or how to do it. Your paths will be a tangled web of a mess, and you’ll get lost in it. And there you will be stuck in confusion, overwhelm, disappointment and disaster. You will be like King Uzziah … from being supernaturally guided and blessed by the Almighty, to disappointed with the outcome and stuck in the wilderness. This doesn’t have to be us. This isn’t God’s good plan for us. We don’t have to lose ourselves in success. And as long as we keep seeking God, we don’t have to be afraid of success. Where are you in this? Are you in the middle of a mess, not knowing which way to go? Stop everything and seek God with your whole heart. Open up your hands, let it all go, and trust God to guide you. He will. Are you in the middle of success, but recognizing in the process of waking up to answered prayers, you’ve stopped praying like you used to? Girl, hit your knees today. Return to seeking God first and fully. Are you holding back and playing little because you’re afraid of success? Talk to God about that. Don’t let fear cheat you from your destiny. Seek God in creating daily routines and accountability partners that will keep you aligned with God, no matter where success may take you. Trust God and his unknown ways. Keep seeking him first in everything. He will show you the right way. Faithfully take the next step. Follow Pamela on Instagram – https://instagram.com/headmamapamela Or Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/pamela.crim Find out more about BIG Life – http://biglifehq.com

The answer for the problem you are facing is Jesus. The answer for the hurt you are feeling is Jesus. The answer for the person you can’t fix is Jesus. Whatever you are going through, whatever it is you’re struggling to understand, whatever you’re trying to overcome, whoever or whatever you may be waiting on … the answer is always the same. Jesus. The singular point of everything God has planned, aligned, orchestrated or allowed in your entire life is to show you Jesus. When others have let you down, God wants to show you that Jesus will not. When everything else has disappointed you, God wants you to see that Jesus will not. When nothing else has helped you, God wants to show you that Jesus will. When you just don’t know, Jesus does. Right now, take the most uncertain situation you’re facing … through this, God is pointing you to his son Jesus. The sooner you see Jesus as the solution, the sooner you find the solid foundation for your next step, your peace in the middle of the storm, and your joy on the journey. My friend, why is this happening to you? Some would say you’re under attack. And maybe you are. Some would say these are the consequences you have to face for the choices you’ve made. And maybe so. Some would say you live in a fallen world and sometimes bad things just happen to good people. Sure, sometimes. But one thing is absolutely certain – NOT A SINGLE THING will touch your life without first passing through the hands of God. If he allows it, it’s because he can use it to bring you closer to his Son, Jesus. It’s to see more of him, know more of him, experience more of him, and trust more in him. On our journey of life, all of us are learning about the true grace of God. We’re coming to understand how much we truly do need him. We’re growing to see just how involved Jesus really is in the details of our lives. 2 Peter 3:18, “You must grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.” Let me explain it like this … A child raised in a good home by good parents doesn’t necessarily understand how good their childhood was. They don’t know to appreciate everything their parents have done for them. Until they grow up and real life begins to touch them. Then they realize it. My son never once said thank you for all of the hard work of parenting him well. But that first letter from Basic Training in the Army was literally tear soaked with gratitude because he was finally aware of what we had done for him his whole life. This is what God is allowing in our lives now. He’s allowing us to see what he’s always done for us. He’s allowing us to grow in the knowledge of his grace over us. He’s letting us see our absolute dependence on him and his faithfulness every step of the way. God is showing us our need for the one true answer – JESUS! And we’re learning to really appreciate him! Remember a few weeks ago when we read about God instructing the Israelites to smear the blood of a perfect lamb on the doorframe of their house? In Exodus 12, God was going to pass through the land of Egypt with an act of vengeance, but wherever he saw the blood, harm would not fall. His people were protected by the blood. And this is what Jesus has permanently done for every soul who chooses to believe in him and follow him. His blood covers us. When God looks on those who have accepted his son Jesus, he only sees the blood and they are protected. No harm can cross over the blood against the Father’s will. Nothing can touch your life that God has not permitted because of that threshold. If it touches you, God has allowed it so that he can use it for good. Again, what is his plan of goodness? To show you the forever answer for everything in your life – JESUS. How can you better parent your teenager? Seek Jesus for yourself and point your teenager to Jesus. Again and again. Over and over again. The answer is Jesus for them and for you. How can you find the right spouse or the right career? You look for Jesus. Where do you see Jesus showing up? Where is his light being reflected? Where do you see his fingerprints on the details that simply can’t be denied? How can you heal from this hurt, this loss, this betrayal? Jesus. Only Jesus. He alone is the healer of your heart, every other feel good source is a temporary bandaid. Do you want a temporary feel good solution, or a permanent healing? Turn from every other offering and seek Jesus fully. Does that sound radical? Maybe. But let me tell you something, Jesus is a radical dude! He says in John 14:6, “I am the way, the truth, and the life.” That’s radical. If you’re going to find your way through this, you must fully turn away from everything else and radically seek Jesus – he is the way. If you’re going to really do this right without stumbling and screwing this whole thing up, you must look at everything that is not Jesus as NOT FULLY RIGHT and therefore leading you wrong. Jesus is the truth. If it’s not Jesus, then it’s not truth. If you’re going to really live life fully, walk in your purpose, fulfill your calling, follow God’s divine will and experiences the life you were created for, you must come to the realization that anything that is not Jesus is not real life. It might be exciting, it might look good, it might feel good, it might be what everyone else is doing or what everyone else wants – but it’s not real life. If you want real life, then it’s only through Jesus. Jesus is the way. He is the way you get through whatever you’re going through. He is the way you heal. He is the way you forgive. He is the way you find the right people. He is the way you end up in the right place. He is the way you do the right thing. Jesus is the truth. Jesus holds the truth about you. He is the truth about your future. He is the truth about the world you live in. Jesus is the only truth. Jesus is the life. Every other source that might make you feel alive is an imitation. Only Jesus is THE life. He is the life you most desire. He is the life you crave. Because he is the life you’re truly created for. I once heard we’re each created with a God shaped hole inside of us that only God can fill. That’s by design. God designed you to need Jesus. And everything he aligns in your life, orchestrates in your life, or allows in your life is for the sole purpose of pointing you to the eternal need you just can’t get away from. Jesus. At 50 years old, do you know what I wish I could go back and do different in every single area of my life? I wish I would have realized earlier that Jesus was always the answer. If I could raise my 3 kids over again, I would have sought Jesus more and directed them to Jesus more. I didn’t – and therefore a whole lot of totally optional hardships were required to teach our whole family that Jesus was always what every single one of needed. Did I have Jesus? Absolutely. I just didn’t allow him first place. Did my kids have Jesus growing up? You bet. But they didn’t know Jesus was the divine source for everything they needed and everything they would ever go through. If I could go back and start my business again, I would have built it on Jesus instead of tried to use Jesus as a sprinkle to get his blessings. It would have likely saved a whole lot of hardship. My hardened heart had to be chiseled away at for 15 years. My jacked up priorities had to lead to massive failure and a total fall apart so that the foundation could be rebuilt on Jesus. If I could speak to every friend again who sought my advice, I would tell them to forget everything else I said and START WITH JESUS. Jesus is your way. Jesus is your truth. Jesus is your life. For my dear friend who has been betrayed by the one who was supposed to love her the most, my friend, Jesus is your answer. For my friend who is hurting for her struggling child, Jesus is your answer. For my friend who wants a baby more than anything else, Jesus is your answer. For my friend who wants a good husband to share life with, Jesus is your answer. For my friend who is grieving, Jesus is your answer. For my friend who is in literal pain, Jesus is your answer. Why is that so hard for me to say? Why does that feel like such a cheap answer? Why does that feel like an unclear direction and a let down? Because that God shaped hole within us has believed the lie that something or someone else can fill it. It simply can’t. Jesus is the way. Jesus is the truth. Jesus is the life. So, what was that identified uncertain situation you’re facing … can you see that God is pointing you to his son Jesus? The sooner you see Jesus as the solution, the sooner you find the solid foundation for your next step, your peace in the middle of the storm, and your joy on the journey. Maybe that was the whole point. Follow Pamela on Instagram – https://instagram.com/headmamapamela Or Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/pamela.crim Find out more about BIG Life – http://biglifehq.com

Exodus 14: 20-30 Throughout the night the cloud brought darkness to the one side and light to the other side; so neither went near the other all night long. So the people of Israel walked through the middle of the sea on dry ground, with walls of water on each side! Then the Egyptians—all of Pharaoh’s horses, chariots, and charioteers—chased them into the middle of the sea. But just before dawn the Lord looked down on the Egyptian army from the pillar of fire and cloud, and he threw their forces into total confusion. He twisted their chariot wheels, making their chariots difficult to drive. “Let’s get out of here—away from these Israelites!” the Egyptians shouted. “The Lord is fighting for them against Egypt!” When all the Israelites had reached the other side, the LORD said to Moses, “Raise your hand over the sea again. Then the waters will rush back and cover the Egyptians and their chariots and charioteers.” So as the sun began to rise, Moses raised his hand over the sea, and the water rushed back into its usual place. The Egyptians tried to escape, but the LORD swept them into the sea. Then the waters returned and covered all the chariots and charioteers—the entire army of Pharaoh. Of all the Egyptians who had chased the Israelites into the sea, not a single one survived. But the people of Israel had walked through the middle of the sea on dry ground, as the water stood up like a wall on both sides. That is how the LORD rescued Israel from the hand of the Egyptians that day. And the Israelites saw the bodies of the Egyptians washed up on the seashore. Follow Pamela on Instagram – https://instagram.com/headmamapamela Or Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/pamela.crim Find out more about BIG Life – http://biglifehq.com

Exodus 14: 5-22 When word reached the king of Egypt that the Israelites had fled, Pharaoh and his officials changed their minds. “What have we done, letting all those Israelite slaves get away?” they asked. So Pharaoh harnessed his chariot and called up his troops. He took with him 600 of Egypt’s best chariots, along with the rest of the chariots of Egypt, each with its commander. The Lord hardened the heart of Pharaoh, the king of Egypt, so he chased after the people of Israel, who had left with fists raised in defiance. The Egyptians chased after them with all the forces in Pharaoh’s army—all his horses and chariots, his charioteers, and his troops. The Egyptians caught up with the people of Israel as they were camped beside the shore near Pi-hahiroth, across from Baal-zephon. As Pharaoh approached, the people of Israel looked up and panicked when they saw the Egyptians overtaking them. They cried out to the Lord, and they said to Moses, “Why did you bring us out here to die in the wilderness? Weren’t there enough graves for us in Egypt? What have you done to us? Why did you make us leave Egypt? Didn’t we tell you this would happen while we were still in Egypt? We said, ‘Leave us alone! Let us be slaves to the Egyptians. It’s better to be a slave in Egypt than a corpse in the wilderness!’” But Moses told the people, “Don’t be afraid. Just stand still and watch the Lord rescue you today. The Egyptians you see today will never be seen again. The Lord himself will fight for you. Just stay calm.” Then the Lord said to Moses, “Why are you crying out to me? Tell the people to get moving! Pick up your staff and raise your hand over the sea. Divide the water so the Israelites can walk through the middle of the sea on dry ground. And I will harden the hearts of the Egyptians, and they will charge in after the Israelites. My great glory will be displayed through Pharaoh and his troops, his chariots, and his charioteers. When my glory is displayed through them, all Egypt will see my glory and know that I am the Lord!” Then the angel of God, who had been leading the people of Israel, moved to the rear of the camp. The pillar of cloud also moved from the front and stood behind them. The cloud settled between the Egyptian and Israelite camps. As darkness fell, the cloud turned to fire, lighting up the night. But the Egyptians and Israelites did not approach each other all night. Then Moses raised his hand over the sea, and the Lord opened up a path through the water with a strong east wind. The wind blew all that night, turning the seabed into dry land. So the people of Israel walked through the middle of the sea on dry ground, with walls of water on each side! Follow Pamela on Instagram – https://instagram.com/headmamapamela Or Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/pamela.crim Find out more about BIG Life – http://biglifehq.com

Wouldn’t it be great to have a foolproof, absolutely ‘can’t possibly miss it’ type of sign as guidance for your journey? For real, have you ever prayed for flashing signs and illuminated arrows? God, make it clear. Don’t let me miss it. Show me your path in an unmistakable way. Can God do that? Absolutely. Does he do that? You bet! That’s precisely what he did for the Israelites. On their roundabout way through the wilderness from Egypt to their Promised Land, they depended on God for guidance day and night. They had never traveled through the desert. They didn’t have a map for this route. No one in their group had ever gone this way. It was all a complete mystery to them, but not a single step was a mystery to God. So, God showed up in miraculous ways as their guide. The Israelites’ equivalent of flashing signs and illuminated arrows was a moving pillar of cloud during the day and a glowing pillar of fire at night. For real, this is how God guided their steps for their journey of faith through the wild and unknown wilderness. Exodus 13:21-22, “The Lord went ahead of them. He guided them during the day with a pillar of cloud, and he provided light at night with a pillar of fire. This allowed them to travel by day or by night. And the Lord did not remove the pillar of cloud or pillar of fire from its place in front of the people.” Imagine this for a moment. This massive cloud continually moves to stay right in front of them. It shifts from the left to the right, guiding them with which way to go. And at night, a column of fire appears giving them light so they can even continue walking in the surrounding darkness, knowing precisely the direction to go. They didn’t have to wonder if they were on the right path, God made that clear. They literally SAW God’s guidance in front of them. Wow, wouldn’t that give you divine confidence and strength for the journey. If I know God is guiding me, I can follow with boldness. If I know God is right there with me, I can face the impossible without flinching because with him nothing is impossible. Well I don’t know about you – but I haven’t woken up lately to a pronounced pillar of anything moving right in front of me. There have been no signs in the clouds, no arrows pointing east or west in the flames. As much as I would love that visible sign, I simply haven’t seen one. So, where does that leave us? Are we wandering on this journey alone? Are we responsible for making our own way until God gives us a sign of his way? It’s easy to read the Old Testament with God’s wonders and signs and wish he still showed up for us like that. It’s easy to question if God still moves today like he did back then. But here’s what we miss … God doesn’t have to guide us with a cloud or a flame because he’s given us something so much greater. What we have today is the indwelling of his Spirit. God’s Spirit no longer lives in a fancy box hidden behind curtains in a tent like it did in the Old Testament. God’s Spirit is no longer limited to divinely visiting just one person to speak to on a rare occasion. Because of Jesus, we now have God’s Holy Spirit literally living WITHIN US ALL THE TIME! Why is it different now than it was in the time of the Old Testament? Because of one thing – Jesus has made us righteous. The blood of Jesus has covered us and redeemed us, and now we are deemed worthy of God’s presence. The way God would divinely speak to one chosen person and give direct guidance for a journey is now available to every follower of Jesus. I don’t need Moses to tell me what God has said. I don’t need an interrupter of dreams. I don’t need a pillar of cloud or fire, nor do I need a flashing sign or illuminated arrow. I have BETTER! I have the Spirit of God right inside of me. Here’s what God’s Spirit does for us: 1. The Spirit leads us. Romans 8:14, “For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God.” And you can flip that sentence as well. All who are children of God are led by the Spirit of God. As his children, we’re not led by our circumstances or our feelings, we’re guided by the inner leadership of his Spirit. We are SPIRIT-LED, meaning we are divinely guided by Heaven, step by step. My friends, that’s better than any pillar of cloud in the sky! 2. The Spirit teaches us. John 14:26, Jesus said, “When the Father sends the Advocate as my representative – that is, the Holy Spirit – he will teach you everything and remind you of everything I have told you.” We have an internal teacher that brings truth and right knowing to mind exactly when we need it. The Spirit connects God’s word to real life moments for us. Have you ever felt an inner prompting of knowing what is wrong and what is right? Yeah, that’s the Holy Spirit! And That’s far better than any flame of fire showing up in the night. 3. The Spirit guides us into truth for the future. John 16:13, Jesus said, “When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own but will tell you what he has heard. He will tell you about the future.” Jesus knows the way to God’s good plans for you, so Jesus has the Holy Spirit deliver those steps to you with an inner prompting and knowing of truth for your future. I mean really, how cool is that? That’s so much better than a flashing sign. 4. The Spirit prompts and restrains. Acts 16: 6-7 tells of Paul and Silas traveling through specific areas and being prevented from going to some towns and held back by the spirit from stopping there. God’s Spirit was prompting them to continue moving forward and restraining them from wandering off from the path they were supposed to be on. That’s what God’s Spirit does for us. He opens some doors and closes some others. He makes some things happen for us in fast timing, and other things he delays out of protection or redirects from a heavenly viewpoint of what is best. How absolutely amazing to realize as a follower of Jesus, I never just stumble into things. His Spirit is constantly restraining me from what isn’t right, and prompting me toward what is. That’s better than any glowing arrow. Maybe you’ve taken for granted the unmatched gifting of the Holy Spirit. Maybe you’ve been waiting and wishing for a flashing sign saying “THIS WAY NOW: – when all this time you’ve had something so much better inside of you. Do you want to better hear from his Spirit and know his voice apart from your own voice? There’s one guaranteed way to do that – GET IN HIS WORD! The more you allow God’s word to get in you, the more you hear his voice clearly. Every moment you spend in God’s word is access you’re allowing the Holy Spirit to have within you. The more access you grant, the more guidance you receive. Sure it must have been amazing to be one of the Israelites following this pillar of cloud in the day and pillar of fire at night, watching it move in the direction they should go. But how much more amazing is it that you don’t need an external sign of an internal supernatural guidance you have today! What if we stopped praying so much for signs, and started praying more for an awareness of his voice and obedience to his promptings. Grant access to the Spirit by spending time in God’s word. Practice listening. Practice following. Jesus is continually guiding you to the Father’s best plans through the inner voice of the Holy Spirit. Follow Pamela on Instagram – https://instagram.com/headmamapamela Or Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/pamela.crim Find out more about BIG Life – http://biglifehq.com

My GPS continually takes me on the roundabout way. It’s laughable at this point. I’m not sure what hidden setting I have that makes my Apple Maps think I always want to go through the ghetto to my ultimate destination. I call it my Adventure Setting. I’ll eventually get to where I’m supposed to be, but the route there is scenic to say the least. And honestly, sometimes I feel God and I are on that Adventure Setting too. Rarely have we ever had a straight path, it’s a roundabout way through the trenches to get to where he’s ultimately taking me. But I have two choices on this adventure with God, and so do you: Choice #1. Hate it, rush it, and be miserable in it. Choice #2. Trust and embrace it. Choosing the second choice doesn’t feel natural, but it’s God desire for us. We don’t get to control this journey. We don’t get to make our own way. You’re not the way maker – HE IS! God says in Isaiah 43:19, “I will make a pathway through the wilderness. I will create rivers in the dry wasteland.” Who will do it? God will. Who does that mean isn’t reponsible for making the way? You. You’re not the way maker. God is. It’s his way. And here’s what we absolutely must learn to lean into – whatever way God is taking you, it’s for a greater purpose than you’re aware of. Trust him. In our study of Exodus, we’re now to the point of the Israelites being set free from captivity in Egypt after 430 years. They didn’t set themselves free – God did that. And now that they’ve marched right out of Egypt, they’re on the journey with God and to their surprise, it’s totally not anything like they expected it to be. You see, the Israelites knew there was a direct route from where they were in Egypt to where they were going in Canaan. They must have been so excited to finally go to the land God had been promising them. They must have wanted to get there absolutely as fast as possible. BUT THAT’S NOT THE WAY GOD TOOK THEM. The second half of Exodus 13 is titled “Israel’s Wilderness Detour” in my Bible. My guess would be the last thing they wanted was a detour, but a detour through the wilderness was God’s plan for them. Sometimes God’s plan doesn’t feel good – that’s just the truth. Sometimes God’s plan doesn’t make sense – that’s another truth. But every single time, without fail, God’s plan is best. If there’s a detour, there’s a purpose behind the detour. What could that purpose be? Verse 17-18, “When Pharaoh finally let the people go, God did not lead them along the main road that runs through Philistine territory, even though that was the shortest route to the Promised Land. God said, ‘If the people are faced with a battle, they might change their minds and return to Egypt.’ So God led them in a roundabout way through the wilderness toward the Red Sea.” Yes, this was the longer route. Yes, this was the harder route. And no, this isn’t what the Israelites would have chosen. Instead of the coastal route which was the shortest way with easy roads, food and water, God lead them in a totally roundabout way right through the wilderness, dead-ending into the Red Sea. A route with no food. A route with no water. A route with harsh conditions. And quite honestly, this must have felt like punishment. But this harder route wasn’t punishment, it was God’s protection. God knew that on the easiest route were enemy forces that would quickly discourage his people. Out of protection, God leads his people on the longer route to avoid what they were not yet ready to face. If you’re on the roundabout way, detouring through areas you would have never chosen, can you see that maybe God is protecting you from things you aren’t ready for? And even if you can’t quite see it, can you trust it? Can you dare to believe God sees what you do not see and he has been protecting you? Can you tap into your faith over your fear that this isn’t punishment, no matter how it may feel? There was a battle on the easier, more direct way you would have chosen, and God lovingly protected you from that battle – Now how about you try not to be a brat about it. God’s mercy doesn’t always feel like mercy. Sometimes God’s mercy feels like delay. Sometimes it feels like the most disheartening detour. Sometimes it feels like sheer disappointment. But I’m learning to be grateful for God’s mercy dressed in those delays and detours and disappointments. There are several journeys I’ve been on that I wouldn’t have chosen – but looking back I would have missed some of my sweetest blessings. The same will be true of your journey and if you can’t see it yet, you will one day. I would always choose the coastal route, but sometimes God chooses the wilderness route. Sometimes he takes you right through the ghetto. And some of his most merciful and powerful work is done along the roundabout way. How sad that we tend to act like brats about it. Let’s decide now we’re just going to do better about trusting God’s plan, God’s path, and God’s timing. Lord, I won’t be a brat about this. I’ll see this as an adventure with you and I’ll just stay close to your side. Follow Pamela on Instagram – https://instagram.com/headmamapamela Or Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/pamela.crim Find out more about BIG Life – http://biglifehq.com

God is working something out in your life. And while it seems to be taking entirely too long for you, you can be assured his plan of deliverance and completion will happen in his pre-appointed divine timing. His plan for you will not fail. It will not be too late. Our God holds all time and power in his mighty hands. He has always seen the end from the very beginning. Nothing is impossible for him. And when he speaks a promise over you, that promise will come to complete fulfillment. Guaranteed. You can rest your weary soul in his guaranteed promises while you wait. The Israelites waited for 430 years for deliverance from their slavery in Egypt. I don’t know how long you’ve been waiting for whatever you’ve been waiting on, but my guess is it’s probably not quite been 430 years for you. So here’s what you need to know, my sister – your wait isn’t too long for God’s timeline. He hasn’t given up on his promise for you. It’s not too late. He still holds the precise MOMENT of completion in his hand. God is making a way to that moment and you will arrive in his perfect timing. 430 years of waiting for freedom, all while God worked every detail together to bring the Israelites moment to reality. Freedom was always on its way to them. Their path out was always in the making. Their long wait was always one day closer to being over, until finally the day came. We read about their day in Exodus 12: 40-42, “The people of Israel had lived in Egypt for 430 years. In fact, it was on the last day of the 430th year that all the Lord’s forces left the land. On this night the Lord kept his promise to bring his people out of the land of Egypt.” Oh my gosh, do you see that? It was on the exact LAST DAY of the 430th year of their captivity that the Lord led every last one of them out of Egypt to freedom. God had himself declared they would not be there for a single day into the 431st year and he made sure of it. Time matters to God. He has set divine boundaries on trials and struggles and without us even knowing, we’re divinely protected from our hardships continuing for a single moment beyond his will. Where God says it will end, it will end. And my friend, he knows exactly when this struggle will end for you. He already knows when this hardship will come to a close for you. He already holds the future day when you wake up for the last time to this problem. He has already aligned the moment when you will walk out of this free, whole, healed, and renewed. That moment is coming! God’s decisive moment of deliverance for you. But for now, you may be waiting. You may be waking up to another day with the problem still looming over you. But do not lose hope that your loving heavenly Father has already set the boundary for you and he’s leading you right to the day when you walk out of this free. Free from this hurt. Free from this hardship. Free from this unfair struggle. You will be free. In a display of God’s attention to detail, he ensured every last one of his people marched out of Egypt on that last day of the 430th year. No one would be left as a captive in Egypt on day 1 of the 431st year. No matter how stubborn Pharaoh was. No matter what the weather did. No matter who had been procrastinating. God would make sure his promise was kept fully and perfectly in his timing. And his promises of fulfillment and perfect timing stand for you too today. He has already held the future day you’re waiting on. He’s already designed it’s details, aligned the sun to rise on that specific day, and all moving parts to be in their assigned place, and you may wake up that day totally unaware that is the last day you’ll be waiting. On that day, the wait will end and it will happen through the power of God’s mighty hand just as he always planned to do. For my friend waiting for the legal battle to end, that day is coming. God has already held that day. He’s already assigned that moment. You can trust his timing. For my friend waiting on the pain to end, that day is coming. God has already held that day. He’s already assigned that moment. You can trust his timing. For my friend waiting on the blessing they’ve been praying for, that day is coming. God has already held that day. He’s already assigned that moment. You can trust his timing. Oh to just know the one who created you with such loving care and designed good plans for your life already holds the day you’re waiting on, and he’s perfectly aligning it’s moment to dawn for you. If you could only see how God has the timing already put together for you and it won’t be a single day late. It’s coming. Notice verse 42 reading in NIV, “Because the Lord kept vigil that night to bring them out of Egypt …”. The Lord kept vigil, meaning the Lord was watching. While his people were waiting, God was watching. God was wide awake that night watching over the very moment of deliverance to come. All while Israel had been waiting, God had been watching. He was watching over the very night deliverance would come, and he had known it was coming for 430 years. That’s how God is watching you while you wait too. God has his eye fixed on the night freedom will arrive for you. It’s coming. He’s faithfully keeping vigil. And notice this, God’s people went into Egypt as slaves, but they walked out as his army. A transformation happened in their wait. Something incredible is happening within you in this wait. While you wish God would just remove this struggle, he choosing to allow you to walk through it so you can be transformed and come out radically different. God’s not just freeing you, he’s redefining you. Imagine for a moment how Moses must have felt. He had heard God’s plan. He had felt his own immense inadequacy to be part of God’s plan. He had questioned how God would ever fulfill his seemingly impossible promises for his people. And now, the day has come and he’s seeing it all happen. God was right – they would march right out of Egypt. God was right – he would be their leader. God was right – they would never be alone. God was right – the impossible would happen. And it happened right on time. The way Moses must have felt in this moment realizing the Lord kept his promise to perfect fulfillment is happening right here in Exodus 12: 40-42. It really happened. And Moses woke up for the last day in Egypt, never again to be there. Freedom was here. And your moment is coming too, my sister. The Lord will keep his promises over you in perfect fulfillment. You will wake up one day and it will be your last day in this struggle. Freedom will be here for you. God will faithfully do for you what he did for his people on that day. He will fulfill his every promise. He will set you free. His deliverance will come in its appointed time for you, and it will be the perfect time! The sun is already scheduled to rise on that day for you, my sister. It’s promised. It will come for you. One day you will wake up and it will feel like just another day in the struggle you’ve been carrying. But Heaven will know something you do not yet know. It will be the last day you wake up to that pain, that waiting, that battle. Because the same God who watched over the final night of Israels’ captivity is watching over the final moment of yours. He has already set the boundary, already marked the day, already prepared the path out. And when that moment comes, you will look back and see that through every day of waiting, God was working, God was watching, and God was faithful to bring you out – right on time. Follow Pamela on Instagram – https://instagram.com/headmamapamela Or Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/pamela.crim Find out more about BIG Life – http://biglifehq.com

All things are under God’s control and he has the divine authority to allocate or reallocate absolutely anything he wishes. Where does he send his blessings? To the hands where he will get the glory. Where does he open heaven’s storehouses? Where his kingdom work is being accomplished. The question is, will he get the glory if his blessings go to your hands? Will his kingdom work be accomplished if the storehouses of heaven are opened to you? It’s easy to assume the opportunity to have MORE would allow you to honor God more, but sadly, humans have proven for generations that we simply do not fare well with easy, comfortable, abundant lives. It’s like giving a brand new sports car to a 16 year old … that typically makes that teenager one thing – DANGEROUS! We are often dangerous when we are given more. We make life about the pursuit of more, showing off more, caring for our more, and then getting newer and better of our more. We forget it’s all under God’s control and divine authority, and anything God has given, he can quickly take away. He can reallocate your blessings to a different set of hands so fast that your head spins. It might be yours today, but can you be trusted with it tomorrow? It might NOT be yours today, but God is always looking for where his blessings can go and bring him glory. In our study of the book of Exodus, we see the Egyptians had become very wealthy. Pharaoh lived in absolutely luxury. Anything he wanted, he could have. But Pharaoh continually refused the Lord. He denied the power of God’s hand over and over again. And God allowed it – for a season. He allowed Egypt to accumulate wealth. He allowed an overflowing abundance in Pharaoh’s palace. And all while God allowed it, never forget God was still in complete control of it all. God had a plan for his resources. He had a plan for his blessings. He had a plan for his power. No matter what the circumstances might look like, God’s plan stood and it would unfold perfectly. Let’s look at the plan. First, God promises Moses in Exodus 3 that he would transfer the wealth of Egypt to the Israelite slaves. Now that makes absolutely no sense at all. The Israelites had nothing of their own. They lived in poverty. They had no army to fight for the possession of anything. Eygypt not only had all the wealth, they had all the man-power to protect it. And yet God makes it very clear that his plan is to reallocate these blessings Egypt temporarily and ungratefully held, to the desperate, god-fearing Israelites. After the plagues hit the Egyptians, God reveals to Moses in Exodus 11 how his previous promise would take place. He says, “Tell the Israelite men and women to ask their Egyptian neighbors for articles of silver and gold. (Now the Lord had caused the Egyptians to look favorably on the people of Israel.)” Then, the time comes for the Israelites to believe God’s plan and actually DO IT. Now that’s important – they had an active role to play. God had the plan, but they had a part. (My sister, God always has a plan, but you always have a part too! Don’t miss that.). Exodus 12, the Israelite slaves ask their Egyptian owners for their treasures of wealth, and everything they asked for was given to them. They completely stripped the Egyptians of their wealth! There was no war. There was no battle. There was a divine reallocation of what always belonged to God. God said it would be given to the Israelites when they asked – so they asked, and it was all given! Amazing. Right about now, you might be thinking to yourself, “Gosh, it’s about time I ask for a raise!” Or, “Hey, I need to ask for even more in this situation.” It’s funny how human minds work. But God is not fooled. God knows who can be trusted and who can’t be. He knows what more blessings would do to you. My mentor once shared a valuable piece of wisdom with me. He said, “Pamela, more money only makes you more of who you already are.” If you’re already stressed, more money will make you more stressed. (I know if you’re currently struggling to pay rent you’re thinking that can’t possibly be true, but it’s human nature and it’s never wrong.) If you’re already greedy, more money will make you more greedy. If you’re already self-conscious, more money will make you more self-conscious. If you’re already wasteful, more money will make you more wasteful. But, if you’re already generous when you have so little, more money will make you more generous. If you’re already at peace with little, you’ll have even more peace when you have more. Money reveals the true hidden nature within us. It doesn’t cure anything, it only magnifies everything. What if we worked harder on becoming a better person within instead of all the effort we put into chasing money, chasing beauty, chasing comforts and chasing applause. God has a plan for all that is his, and remember, it’s ALL HIS! His plan stands and will never fail. If God can reallocate the wealth of Egypt to their Israelite slaves, then you better believe he can pour out a few blessings on you when you get your heart right and your hands open. And I don’t mean open hands as in “gimme-gimme-gimme”, I mean open hands as in, “God, it’s all yours, I hold nothing back – I trust you fully.” Why would God’s plan be to give the 2 million slaves the fortunes of the people who had held them captive for 400 years? Justice? Repayment? Yes, perhaps – but it was bigger than that. Let me show you God’s bigger picture in the promise – flip forward several chapters in Exodus to 25 and you’ll see why God reallocated his fortunes and blessings from the Egyptians to the Israelites. The Lord said to Moses, “Tell the people of Israel to bring me their sacred offerings. Accept the contributions from all whose hearts are moved to offer them. Accept gold, silver, bronze, stone and jewels … Then have the people of Israel build me a holy sanctuary so I can live among them.” Now where exactly would these former slaves now living in the wilderness possibly get all this gold, all this silver, and all these jewels? Oh yes – they had taken it with them when they left Egypt! They had followed God’s instructions and asked for the wealth of Egypt and now with open hands they would offer it back to build a holy sanctuary for the Lord! The entire point of it all was so that God could be in close relationship with his people. He moved the wealth from the people who wouldn’t honor him, to the people who would. He moved his blessings from a greedy ruler to a people who would give God the glory. This was the big picture of God’s plan! He made the promise to Moses in chapter 3, he gave the instructions for action in chapter 11, the people did what God said in chapter 12, and now in chapter 25, we see what God was doing all along. God’s abundant resources, his treasures, his blessings were for the purpose of bringing his people closer to him. Now, the transferred wealth of Egypt was being used to build a sanctuary where the Spirit of God would live and his people could seek him. This is what God is still up to today. He moves his blessings and reallocates his treasures to those who will give him the glory. He opens the storehouses of heaven to where his kingdom work will be prioritized. He opens the doors that will bringing his people into a closer relationship with him. He knows who he can trust – and he knows who will be consumed by the blessings and make it all about them. I once had a successful business with a whole lot of money. Funny thing was, I spent more money than I made. The more I made, the more I spent. I totally lost myself in the process and God was crowded right out of my busy schedule. My entire life became about the show. My well-dressed little family was part of the show. The big house looked great in the show. Then God let it all come crashing down. Someone else now lives in the big house we built. Someone else now has the business I traded an entire season of my life for. THANK GOD HE DIDN’T LET ME STAY IN MY SELF-ABSORBED SUCCESS!!!! Eventually it all came crashing down and we were wildly humbled. That’s when God went to work on me. He realigned my priorities and taught me what was truly important. He allowed me to be broke, allowed my formerly perfected body to go through menopause, allowed me to be talked about, allowed my heart to be broken and disappointed. And it left me with a will that desires his will above everything else and open hands that can be trusted. None of it is mine – it’s all God’s. And he holds the divine power and authority to allocate or reallocate what is his at absolutely any time. He has a plan. His plan is to send what is his to the hands where he will get the glory. His plan is to send his power to the places where his kingdom work will be done. He did it in Exodus – and he’s still doing it today. Check your hands, Sis – because God certainly is. Follow Pamela on Instagram – https://instagram.com/headmamapamela Or Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/pamela.crim Find out more about BIG Life – http://biglifehq.com

When God sees you, he sees something you don’t see. He doesn’t see your past. He doesn’t see your future. He sees one thing – He sees the blood of his son, Jesus. That is, if you have accepted his sacrificial, redemptive blood over your life. That’s the single most important question of your lifetime – have you accepted what Jesus has done for you? Is your life covered in his blood, redeeming you and making you holy and righteous? It’s a simple surrendered decision of faith that changes every thing about your future for eternity. The decision to accept what Jesus has done personally for you forever changes the way God sees you. With the blood, you are forever good enough. Forever holy. Forever redeemed. Forever destined for paradise. Forever set apart. But I wonder if you really live your ordinary days knowing you’re set apart by God. Do you know what you’ve been saved from? You’ve been promised a special protection from the destruction coming. Oh it’s coming, but it will pass right over you. Why? Because of the blood. The first Passover happens at this point in our study of the book of Exodus. Moses is sent by God to free the Israelites from slavery in Egypt. However, the Egyptian King, Pharaoh, leads with a stubborn heart and refuses to release God’s people. So, there are 9 plagues sent by the hand of God onto the Egyptians. Each plague worse than the one before as a display of God’s power over every false god Pharaoh and his people worshiped. Each plague a warning and an opportunity to come to faith. With each plague, Pharaoh is miserable and seeks relief from God. The moment relief comes, he returns to his hardened heart and resists any God-prompted change. God-prompted change. Hmmmm … how bad do you resist that? Disaster comes when we have a death grip on the things we think we can’t live without. Disaster comes when we put anything, absolutely anything, before the will of God. Let that sit for a moment. If God has been stirring your heart with a change that terrifies you, resist the urge to ignore it, resist the impulsive rush and coverup, and allow your softened heart to be bare before God. You really can trust him to get this right. If he takes something away from you it’s because he has something better for you. But you’ll have to release what he’s asked you for before you see what better thing he has aligned next. Check your hands right now – are they feeling clingy and clenched in fear? Dare to open them and say, “God, you can have it.” Maybe he really wanted it – or maybe he really wanted to know if he COULD have it, then you can keep it. God really wanted his people free from slavery in Egypt. He knew Pharaoh’s hardened heart would not allow his hands to open and release them – even with all 9 plagues. So finally comes a sweep of God’s power that would break Pharaoh’s hardened heart wide-open. Exodus chapter 11 is titled “Death for Egypt’s Firstborn.” God knew this is what it would take. Verse 1, “The Lord said to Moses, ‘I will strike Pharaoh and the land of Egypt with one more blow. After that, Pharaoh will let you leave this country.’” Verses 4-8, “This is what the Lord says: At midnight tonight I will pass through the heart of Egypt. All the firstborn sons will die in every family in Egypt, from the oldest son of Pharaoh, who sits on his throne, to the oldest son of his lowliest servant girl who grinds the flour. Even the firstborn of all livestock will die. Then a loud wail will rise through the land of Egypt, a wail like no one has ever heard before or will ever hear again. But among the Israelites it will be so peaceful that not even a dog will bark. Then you will know that the Lord makes a distinction between the Egyptians and the Israelites. All the officials of Egypt will run to me and fall to the ground before me, ‘Please leave!’ They will beg. ‘Hurry! And take all your followers with you.’ Only then will I go!” The final plague was coming at midnight, the plague of death. But the Israelites, God’s people, were set apart. There would be nothing but peace among them in the middle of sheer terror and destruction. The plague of death would pass right over their homes. They would survive, untouched, unbothered, unshaken, and finally be set free! Moses was given special instructions by God to mark his people as set apart and passed over in this plague of death. What was the mark? Blood. Exodus 12:21-23, Moses tells his people, “Go, pick out a lamb or young goat for each of your families, and slaughter the Passover animal. Drain the blood into a basin. Then take a bundle of hyssop branches and dip it into the blood. Brush the hyssop across the top and sides of the doorframes of your houses. And no one may go out through the door until morning. For the Lord will pass through the land to strike down the Egyptains. But when he sees the blood on the top and sides of the doorframe, the Lord will pass over your home. He will not permit his death angel to enter your house and strike you down.” The pure blood of the sacrificed lamb would set God’s people apart. The coming punishment would pass right over them as they were kept in perfect peace. And my friends, this is exactly what Jesus did for us, PERMANENTLY. John the Baptist introduces Jesus in John 1:29 as “the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!” Punishment and judgment are coming on this world. The book of Revelation tells us about the destruction, the horror and the terror – much like the plague of death sent to Egypt. But for those marked by the blood of the Lamb of God, we are passed right over and perfectly protected with peace. My friends, Jesus radically sets us apart. He marks us as his own, bought with his blood. Not because we’re worthy, but because we’re his chosen ones. He chose us first, now we get to choose him back. If you’ve accepted what Jesus has done for you, then God sees one thing when he sees you – he sees the blood of his son. And because of that blood, you are seen as holy, righteous, redeemed, worthy, and destined for an eternity by his side in a perpetual everlasting paradise! Oh Lord, may you see the blood of Jesus ALL OVER ME!!!!!!!!!!!! Less of me, more of Jesus. May every bit of my character, all of my choices, all my desires, all my tendencies, and every thing I ever do be fully covered in the blood of Jesus so that when God looks at me and sees how I live, what I do, what I say, where I go, how I lead, and how I follow – may he see only ONE thing – the blood. The blood that sets me apart. The blood that makes me forever good enough. Is that what God see when he sees you? If you’ve accepted the offering of Jesus, then that’s absolutely what he sees! And oh how he loves the soul covered in the blood of Jesus. Oh how he has good plans for that soul. Oh how he desires an eternity with you by his side. And maybe, just maybe, we can start seeing ourselves a little more like this too. Instead of seeing our faults and everything we hate about our reflection, maybe we can see a girl that was so totally and completely loved by her Creator that he gave his only son to save her and cover her forever. That’s a girl who is really forever good enough. A girl set apart. A girl marked by the blood. That girl is YOU. Follow Pamela on Instagram – https://instagram.com/headmamapamela Or Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/pamela.crim Find out more about BIG Life – http://biglifehq.com

Do you realize just how patient God has been with you. During your wandering, he has been steady. Through your silence, he has stood ready to speak. When you have been unfaithful, he has remained faithful. He has always held the power to come through for you, but sometimes you’ve failed to come to him. Time and time again, he has been patient offering grace and mercy even when it was undeserved. While God isn’t giving up on you, what are you giving up in your delayed surrender and obedience? Really – what are you missing out on as you fight for your own way? My great-grandpa was a tiny little man with the brightest blue eyes. Cecil was a brilliant business man, owning the country store in a small farming community every local family came to for supplies in the 1940’s, 50’s and 60’s. He was much like Mr. Oleson on the show ‘Little House on the Prairie’. And interestingly enough, his wife Beulah (my great-grandmother) was much like Mrs. Oleson on the show, a sharp tongued, harsh woman. But Cecil was kind. He was hard-working. But, his heart was hard towards God. He refused to surrender to the Lord. He spent his whole life refusing God’s way over his own. He built his wealth and his success and kept God at arms length. Every Sunday he would go to the church to build the fire, but refuse to stay and hear God’s word. He didn’t have time for God or a need for God. At 90 years old, coming to the end of his life, he called the family into his bedroom and wept. He regretted an entire lifetime spent without God. And that night, he finally gave his life to Jesus. God had never given up on him. He was patient for 90 years awaiting the full heart of my great-grandpa, Cecil, and now he finally had it. As a fragile little old man, he was baptized by the local pastor with the help of my Daddy. He spent the final weeks of his life leading our family in prayer. It was beautiful. But it could have been beautiful for decades instead of just weeks. He had forfeited a lifetime of God’s goodness in his stubbornness and resistance. Oh how he wished he could go back and do it all again. He would do it right. He would surrender to God sooner. Life would have been so much better for him and for our entire family. I wonder where you might be holding back on God and one day you’ll wish you would have surrendered sooner. One day you’ll see how much better life could have been if you would have given it all to him. Well you can’t go back and change what has already passed, but starting today, you can do this different. Today can be your day. This is your opportunity to change every future day with your decision to seek and obey God fully. But here’s what we often do – We wait for things to get so bad that we can’t fix them on our own, so we cry out to God. God comes through and saves us, carries us through those hard times, but then as soon as life gets better we forget God. We hit our knees when God is our only option, but on the other side of the problem our knees aren’t on the floor. We pray to God when times are hard, but when it’s easy we withhold our heart. And what are we forfeiting in our stubbornness? What good plans of God are we sacrificing as our temporary surrender is replaced with self-will and forced timing? In our study of Exodus, we see what happens when we are stubborn to the will of God. We see what temporary surrender leads to – it leads to temporary relief followed by destruction. In God’s great mercy he gives us chance after chance to turn to him fully, but when we refuse, he allows things to get worse – wayyyyy worse! Pharaoh, the King of Egypt, has seen the mighty hand of God. He has heard the words of God through Moses. He’s experienced destruction because of his disobedience and hardened heart. And through the process of 9 plagues by the hand of God against Egypt, we see a pattern. The pattern of seeking God’s relief in the hardest of times, but as soon as relief comes, a hardened heart leads right back to disobedience. The plague of frogs is brought to Egypt by God as a sign of his power. The Egyptians are miserable and desperate because of these frogs everywhere. So here’s what Pharaoh does – Exodus 8:8, “Pharaoh summoned Moses and Aaron and begged, ‘Plead with the Lord to take the frogs away from me and my people. I will let your people go, so they can offer sacrifices to the Lord.’” Great. Pharaoh is miserable and desperate so he surrenders to God’s will. And with that, it could all be over. The Israelites could have walked out of Egypt into their freedom and peace could have filled the land. It could be that easy. But it was never easy because the moment Pharaoh felt a bit of relief from the plague of frogs, he went right back to his old ways. Verse 15, “But when Pharaoh saw that relief had come, he became stubborn. He refused to listen to Moses and Aaron.” So guess what, things get worse. More plagues. More destruction. More problems. Now the Egyptians are facing a plague of flies. Have you ever been bothered by a fly? A single annoying fly that won’t leave you alone can drive you crazy. If that’s a biting fly it can turn paradise into torment. Now imagine your home being filled by flies. Imagine swarms of flies covering the ground. When Pharaoh once again becomes miserable and desperate, he surrenders to God’s will. Verse 25, “Pharaoh called for Moses and Aaron. ‘All right! Go ahead and offer sacrifices to your God.” Moses prays to the Lord for the flies to disappear and the next day, the flies are gone. Not a single fly remained. Then guess what – in the absence of misery and desperation, “Pharaoh again became stubborn and refused to let the people go.” And this continues as a pattern of plagues followed by seeking God’s relief, and the moment relief would come, that hardened heart would take over and disobedience would follow. Every disobedience directed by that hardened heart would bring the next plague of worse conditions and the hand of God would once again be sought. The moment relief would come, that hardened heart would once again take over. It’s easy to read the story of Pharaoh and shake our head in disbelief, but my friends, we do it too. We pray to God when times are hard, but when it’s easy we withhold our heart. And what peace, what blessings, what good plans of the Lord are we forfeiting in the process? When will we stop this? When will we no longer require desperate circumstances to realize we are always desperate for God? You have the biopsy and await the results and you’re on your face begging for God’s touch. The biopsy returns and it’s benign, no cancer. You’re overcome with gratitude because God came through for you. But how quickly does life just return to normal? How quickly do you get busy and no longer have time for your knees to be on the floor in search of God? Without threat, you’re no longer desperate for God. It’s not just a biopsy – it’s the missed paycheck, it’s the threatened relationship, it’s the car problems, it’s the forecasted storm. We seek God desperately when there’s a threat, but the moment the threat passes, we’re no longer desperate for God. What we don’t realize is every moment of our lives is totally dependent on God. Without his breath, we don’t take our next breath. Without his hand of provision, we don’t eat. Without his light, we cease to exist. We’re desperate for God, but we’re living as if we’re not. What would life look like if you lived every moment in awareness of your desperation for God? There’s a great song by Jamie McDonald called ’Desperate’. It says: Oh God, Im desperate Down on my knees Send help from heaven ‘Cause that’s what I need I’m not asking, I’m begging Lord, come through for me I need heaven and I’m desperate How bad would things have to get before you call out to God in desperation? You’re desperate for God whether you realize it or not. And God is his infinite wisdom and divine mercy will allow things to get as bad as they need to get for you to realize your desperation for him. He’s more concerned about your character than your comfort. With each relief offered by God, Pharaoh would quickly return to his hardened heart and disobedience. The plague of hail comes in chapter 9. Everything is destroyed. People, animals and crops are destroyed by the hail. Verses 27-28, “Then Pharaoh quickly summoned Moses and Aaron. ‘This time I have sinned,’ he confessed. ‘The Lord is the righteous one, and my people and I are wrong. Please beg the Lord to end this terrifying thunder and hail. We’ve had enough. I will let you go; you don’t need to stay any longer.’” Guess what happens next. You’re right – God comes through with relief and Pharaoh goes right back to his old ways. Verses 34-35, “But when Pharaoh saw that the rain, hail and thunder had stopped, he and his officials sinned again, and Pharaoh again became stubborn. Because his heart was hard, Pharaoh refused to let the people leave, just as the Lord had predicted through Moses.” So, things continue to get worse. Don’t let that be you, my sister. Don’t waste more time. Don’t go back to old ways when God brings relief. Stay desperate. Psalm 63:1, “O God, you are my God; I earnestly search for you. My soul thirsts for you; my whole body longs for you.” This is desperation. God desires our hearts to remain desperate for him even when the problem is resolved, even when the threat is removed, even when the misery is lifted. Don’t go back to your old ways. Don’t return to your busy distracted ways of living. Don’t start living like you don’t desperately need God just because life is easier again – No, girl, you desperately need him for every breath in every day. Let’s stay desperate. Let’s realize our dependence on God and live in full surrender to him, his way, his timing, and his word. Then, we can come to the end of our days without the regret of wasted days and missed opportunities. Desperation leads to surrender. Surrender leads to obedience. Obediences leads to blessings. Now, don’t let your blessings take you out of desperation for God. Follow Pamela on Instagram – https://instagram.com/headmamapamela Or Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/pamela.crim Find out more about BIG Life – http://biglifehq.com

Every supernatural occurrence is not by the hand of God. When we chase the supernatural, we are subject to confusion. Sometimes we’re dabbling in a dangerous darkness while thinking we’re tapping into godly powers. My friend, you have to know, not every power is godly. There are dark powers in this world. These are not my own ideas – these are God’s warnings directly from his word. God is capable of mysterious miracles that cannot be explained. No doubt we’re surrounded by his power at work every day of our lives and it’s truly remarkable. We are also surrounded by a fallen angel who constantly tries to undermine our mighty God with imitation miracles and wonders. What we need to decide with absolute conviction right now is, IF IT’S NOT FROM THE HAND OF GOD, I DON’T WANT IT. There’s not a single magical, mysterious, seemingly awesome thing I want if it doesn’t come from God. Honey, if it’s not from the light, then it’s from the dark. If a power isn’t from God, it’s from our adversary the devil. And he is capable of absolutely NOTHING good. It might look good for a moment, but it simply is NOT good. It’s dangerous. The powers offered from the pits of hell do one thing – they pull us away from our Creator with a divided and confused heart. And in that space of distance from God, created by confusion and division, the enemy attacks. If your heart has gotten divided with dabbling in powers not offered by God, it’s time to rid your life of those things with supreme urgency. If your heart has gotten confused by mysteries lacking the fingerprints of God, it’s time to recognize the author of those mysteries as the enemy of your soul who’s objective is to kill, steal and destroy. James 4: 7-8 MSG, “Yell a loud no to the devil and watch him scamper. Say a quiet yes to God and he’ll be there in no time. Quit dabbling in sin. Purify your inner life. Quit playing the field.” How easy it is to say, “Well there’s nothing wrong with dabbling in this.” But the better question is, “Is there anything truly good with it?” There’s nothing wrong with the day and month you’re born, but thinking your birth sign determines a single moment of your God-given, miraculous life has absolutely NOTHING good in it. And when there’s nothing good in it, God’s not in it. If God’s not in it, there’s a whole lot of room for alternate forces to reside. You don’t want that. We’re supposed to be yelling, “Devil, get behind me”, not “Hey Devil, this is kinda fun.” Eve made a terrible mistake – She entertained the offerings of Satan. She gave him permission to speak into her life, and when the devil speaks, he lies. He twists truths. He confuses thoughts. He hardens hearts. And he brings chaos to God’s intended paradise. That apple smelled like Hell, but Eve never paused long enough to smell it before she ate it. Eve quite simply shouldn’t have entertained a conversation with that slimy snake in the garden. He had nothing good to say, and never does. “Hey Eve, why can’t you eat this apple? Don’t you want to taste it and see?” Have you been entertaining seemingly innocent conversations with the enemy of your soul? It’s straight up never innocent on his part – He knows exactly what he’s doing. He’s bringing confusion into your life. He’s hardening your heart to God’s true power and tricking you into a perversion of power. Sadly, just like Eve, we fall for it. Yes, the devil has power. To think he doesn’t is foolish on our part. But he never has power to do good. Only God holds the power for good. In Exodus, Moses is sent by God to Pharaoh, the leader of the Egyptians to rescue the Israelites after 400 years of slavery. Pharaoh is stubborn and doesn’t want to let go of his free labor, so he refuses. God directs and empowers Moses in very specific ways to display his miraculous acts as a warning to Pharaoh. Exodus 7: 10-12, “Aaron threw down his staff before Pharaoh and his officials, and it became a serpent! Then Pharaoh called in his own wise men and sorcerer, and these Egyptian magicians did the same thing with their magic. They threw down their staffs, which also became serpents.” And there it is my friends – we’re not making up alternate powers at work in this world. It’s real and it’s deceptive. The magicians were operating under a different power, and the display of their power confused the already hardened Pharaoh even further. Moses was under God’s power and turned the staff into a snake. Pharaoh’s magicians were under another power not of God and did the same thing to seemingly undermine the word of the Lord. Next, God sends the first plague on Egypt as a warning. He turns the water of the Nile River into blood. But here come the Egyptian magicians and they too turned water into blood. Further convinced the powers he trusted in were just as powerful as the powers of Moses’ God, Pharaoh ignored the warnings and continued to do wrong. The next plague from God brought frogs everywhere. Again, a warning of how bad things could get for the Egyptians if Pharaoh didn’t obey God and let the Israelites go. But again, the magicians were able to do the same thing with their magic. They too caused frogs to come up on the land of Egypt. Why would God allow Satan to have powers? That’s a great question, and not one I can answer. But here’s what we know – we know Satan has power here on Earth. But we also know his power is limited. Here’s the part we so easily miss. Yes, the magicians could tap into a power other than God to do harm, but they could never tap into that power to stop the harm or to do good. God could stop the frogs, the magicians could not. God could bring peace, any power outside of God cannot. God brings healing – Satan cannot. Satan kills, Satan steals, Satan destroys. His power is second rate and only for harm. You don’t want that in your life! Trust me, that smells like Hell! This is how we know every supernatural occurrence is not by the hand of God, it’s in God’s word. Just because it’s mysterious and magical does NOT mean it’s of God. Let us not be fooled. Take a whiff – does it smell like Hell? Satan wants to work through awes and wonders and mysterious works to confuse us. And he will – IF WE ENTERTAIN IT. Girl, if you open that door, he will waltz right into your life and bring a parade of chaos with him. He will steal your peace. He will fill your mind with anxiety. He will disturb your dreams. He will darken your thoughts with fear. But here’s what God will do when you only entertain his truths, his promises, his plans, his ways and his words – He will fill you with unspeakable peace that doesn’t even make sense. He will calm your mind and send those anxious thoughts back to hell where they belong. He will bring you rest and allow you to wake up refreshed with his new mercies each morning. He will give you every reason to believe, to trust and to hope so abundantly that there’s simply no room for fear in your heart or mind. Here comes Satan with a tarot card – are you going to entertain that? Here comes the devil with a crystal, a fortune, a palm reading, a healing ceremony, a saence, a voice from beyond, a mystical connection – are you going to entertain that? There’s nothing good in this and there could be a whole lot of bad in it. Shut it down. Yell a loud NO! Throw it out. Evict it now. Exit yourself from those circles. Slam the doors on the confusion of darkness. Stop dabbling. Would you be so bold as to ask God to reveal to you any door you have opened to the power of darkness in your life? It doesn’t mean you’re a bad person – it simply means you’ve been tricked somewhere and Satan has slipped in through the backdoor of permission and he’s been attacking from within without you even knowing it. Lord, please forgive us and help us. We have unintentionally subjected our hearts and minds to a power that is not from you. Here’s the truth – I had done that in my own life. I had given the enemy access and I wondered why I was feeling a lack of peace and constantly battling chaos. I can admit that to you. But here’s what’s really hard to admit – I didn’t want to shut it down. It had become my normal. I liked my little daily practice. And I struggled with God for over a year as he told me to stop. It looked not only innocent, but it actually looked good to the most of the world. But within, I knew God was saying it wasn’t good for me. Sadly, I tried to reason for entirely too long and continued in disobedience for a season. But the immediate peace that came once I surrendered to God’s promptings and eliminated that gray area from my life was so sweet, I’ll simply NEVER go back. I know God’s power. It’s unmatched. It’s always for my good. And I also know the power of darkness. It’s real. It’s always lurking. It will try to creep in to create a distance between me and God. It will try to confuse me, distract me and sidetrack me. And it will never be good for me. And I’ve decided I want absolutely NOTHING to do with it. No matter how normal the world makes it look. No matter how innocent it may seem. No matter how dressed up it might be, it still smells like Hell to me because that’s where it came from. How about you? Will you take a whiff of what you’ve been dabbling with, allowing, or entertaining and see if it smells like Hell? And if it does, what are you going to do about it? Once again, James 4: 7-8 MSG, “Yell a loud no to the devil and watch him scamper. Say a quiet yes to God and he’ll be there in no time. Quit dabbling in sin. Purify your inner life. Quit playing the field.” If it smells like Hell, yell NO! Follow Pamela on Instagram – https://instagram.com/headmamapamela Or Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/pamela.crim Find out more about BIG Life – http://biglifehq.com

Luke 8: 22-25, “One day Jesus said to his disciples, ‘Let’s cross to the other side of the lake.’ So they got into a boat and started out. As they sailed across, Jesus settled down for a nap. But soon a fierce storm came down on the lake. The boat was filling with water, and they were in real danger. The disciples went and woke him up, shouting, ‘Master, Master, we’re going to drown!’ When Jesus woke up, he rebuked the wind and the raging waves. Suddenly the storm stopped and all was calm. Then he asked them, ‘Where is your faith’. The disciples were terrified and amazed. ‘Who is this man?’ they asked each other. ‘When he gives a command, even the wind and waves obey him!'” Jesus was certain of one thing – they were going to the other side of that lake. He didn’t say, ‘maybe’, he didn’t say ‘if we can’. He said, “let’s cross to the other side of the lake.” With Jesus, it was going to happen. Without him, maybe not. I don’t know what you’re going through, but if Jesus says you’re going through to the other side of this with him, then honey, you’re going to get through this. He is certain. Regardless of how bad the circumstances may get. No matter the struggle. No matter what forces of hell may come up against you – you’re going to get through this with Jesus. He’s never had a doubt because he’s never not been in total control. Jesus said in John 16:33, “Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.” Every problem you will ever face has already been overcome by Jesus. He’s already made a way through it. He’s already seen the end of it. And Sis, you’re going to make it to the other side with Jesus. No matter how big this storm may get, if Jesus is in your boat, the storm will be overcome. But the storm is real and the disciples are in it. This section of the lake was 5 miles wide to cross which means all they can see is water. They can’t see land. The boat the disciples were on with Jesus was likely about 26 feet long, 8 feet wide, with oars and a small sail. This was not a ship, this was not a yacht, this was a fishing boat. In this boat were experienced fishermen who had spent the majority of their lives on this exact lake. They knew this water. They knew this boat. But they did not know this storm. Scripture says these professional fishermen were terrified of this storm, which has to mean it was a radically bad storm. The boat was filling with water. The danger was real. They weren’t having a freak-out moment for nothing. They were going down. And Jesus is asleep on the boat. How in the world can Jesus be sleeping? It’s not like there was a private space for him on this small boat. He was fully aware of the waves. He felt the water rising within. He was getting soaking wet. And yet he was so at peace in the storm, he was sleeping. There was absolutely no freak-out in Jesus. There was no stress, no worry – he already knew no matter how bad it looked, they were making it to the other side. Wow – what would you give for that level of peace in your storms? Let me tell you something, my sister – it’s here for you! Jesus said in John 14:27, “I’m leaving you with a gift – peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid.” That’s peace that can face the wildest of storms in a boat that’s taking on water and receive rest. Jesus is offering that level of peace, HIS PEACE, to you as a gift. But it will cost you something. Yes, it’s a gift, but it comes at a cost. The cost for this level of peace is you releasing control. You releasing the habit of stress and the addiction to worry. Jesus’ peace can rest well in a wild storm with a sinking boat – Jesus’ peace can wait for the diagnosis without fear. Jesus’ peace can reside in the turmoil of these relationships without sacrificing your happiness. Jesus’ peace can faithfully steward what is far too little while God makes it enough. Jesus’ peace can be surrounded by the drama without allowing the drama to get inside. Jesus’ peace can look the reality square in the eyes and still see the other side of the lake where you’re promised to go. This peace is the peace Jesus gives you. Faith can be in a storm with a sinking boat and not freak out. Your freak out is optional, and Jesus is not impressed when you choose it over his peace. Here’s the truth about this particular storm in scripture – it was likely a work of Satan himself. What other opportunity would Satan have to take out not only the Savior of the world but every person who was going to tell his stories and change the entire world. They were all in one boat. These waves were an assignment from Hell. These winds were under the direction of Satan. And still they were silenced immediately with one word from Jesus. Let’s talk about your storm. Some storms are self-created in our own disobedience. That’s how Jonah ended up in the belly of a whale. God told him to go to one place, but in fear he went in the other direction. On his boat going in the willfully wrong direction, a great storm came and Jonah was thrown overboard. He was given 3 days in the belly of a whale to get things right. That was a storm of disobedience. But this storm the disciples were in this night was not a storm of disobedience. They were with Jesus, literally! They were following his every step. They were listening to his every word. It was Jesus’ idea to get in the boat. This was a storm of obedience. Understand both happen. If life is turned upside down for you right now, ask – have you been disobedient? Is there something God wants you to change and this is getting your attention? Fantastic – when you know better you can do better and storms help us know better FAST. But maybe this storm is happening while you’re living in obedience. Maybe Hell is coming against your obedience to try and detour you. Will you let Hell win here? Maybe it’s just life happening to you right now – or maybe it really is a full on attack with the schemes of Hell behind it – no matter what Jesus is in control here! Jesus can calm this storm – but remember this – no matter what, Jesus has already given you the gift of his peace for this storm. You can rest in this. You can still find joy in this. You can know with absolutely certainty Jesus’ plans will not be cancelled and you will get to the other side where he is leading you. You will get there, and you can have peace while you go! Follow Pamela on Instagram – https://instagram.com/headmamapamela Or Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/pamela.crim Find out more about BIG Life – http://biglifehq.com

God, if you’re in it, I want it – If you’re not, I don’t. Seek God’s hand. Moses said to God in Exodus 33:15, “Lord, if you don’t personally go with us, don’t make us leave this place.” MSG – Lord, if your presence doesn’t take the lead here, call this trip off right now.” GOD I WANT YOUR HAND, AND ONLY YOUR HAND. IF IT’S NOT BY YOUR HAND, I DON’T WANT IT, NO MATTER HOW GOOD IT LOOKS. 4 examples of what “Hand of the Lord” means: 1. Ezekiel 1: 1-3, “The heavens were opened and I saw visions of God. I felt the hand of the Lord take hold of me.” • Commissioning for a task – 2:3, “I am sending you!” • Prophetic revelation – God showed him exactly what would happen, what to do and what to say • Divine empowerment (strength, miracles) – Ezekiel means “Strengthened by God” 2. Ezra 8:31, “And the gracious hand of our God protected us and saved us from enemies and bandits along the way.” • Protection from enemies 3. Nehemiah 2:8, “And the king granted these requests, because the gracious hand of God was on me.” • Favor with leaders or authorities 4. Luke 1:66 – speaking of John the Baptist, “For the hand of the Lord was surely upon him in a special way.” • Commissioning for a task – Sent on a mission PRAY FOR GOD’S HAND – THE PRAYER OF JABEZ 1 Chronicles 4:10, “He was the one who prayed to God, ‘Oh that you would bless me indeed, and enlarge my territory, THAT YOU HAND WOULD BE WITH ME, and that you would keep me from evil, that I may not cause pain!’ So God granted him what he requested.” GOD’S ANSWER Isaiah 41:10 TPT, “Do not yield to fear, for I am always near. Never turn your gaze from me, for I am your faithful God. I will infuse you with my strength and help you in every situation. I will hold you firmly with my victorious right hand.” Do not yield to fear – let fear go first while you wait. NO! Never turn your gaze from God – look for God, turn to God, seek him ALWAYS God is faithful – forever, even when I am not. He’s always right here, always near. Infused with God’s strength – His strength is poured in me and I then have what I could never have on my own Help in every situation – that means THIS situation – there is help for me here, and God is that help Held FIRMLY in his victorious right hand – I’m safe and secure here and there’s guaranteed victory for me Follow Pamela on Instagram – https://instagram.com/headmamapamela Or Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/pamela.crim Find out more about BIG Life – http://biglifehq.com

What is one thing God has done for you specifically? How do you know he is real? Where have you personally seen him work? THAT IS YOUR TESTIMONY. How do you share your testimony without making it about you? MAKE IT ALL ABOUT JESUS. Here’s the truth – nobody really wants to know all the details about how bad things were for you. Nobody needs to hear a 45 minute long story that proves your life was worse than theirs. A testimony is not a competition of the worst beginnings. Testimony is a life so changed by God that your lifestyle becomes the evidence. You tell them what God did for you, then you live in a way that shows it’s true. I first started going to church when I was 15. My parents were trying to make up for lost time, so we went not only on Sunday mornings, but on Sunday nights for double credit. Oh how I dreaded testimony time every Sunday night. Without fail there were the same old women that would stand up and say the same exact things every time. One woman was Irene Davidson. (Her husband was Harley Davidson.) Irene would be the first to stand during testimony time and she would say, “I just had to share how good the Lord has been to me. He’s never left me a single day.” Then she would give a recap of her day. “I had oatmeal for breakfast and it set on my stomach good, praise the Lord. I worked in my garden today and the sun was shining on my back, praise the Lord. Harley is still walking and here with me tonight, praise the Lord.” Then the next little old woman would stand and share her testimony. It all meant nothing to me. What’s the point? But one night, my Daddy stood up and gave a testimony. He said he was a sinner saved by grace and every blessing in his life was because of Jesus. That one hit me. For the next 3 years I went most every Sunday night and testimony time became something different for me. It became a time when I struggled with the Holy Spirit who continually prompted me to share my testimony. But here’s what held me back – I didn’t know what my testimony was. I was a good girl with a good family, living a good life. What had Jesus really done for me? Was it anything worth talking about? Does anyone else feel that way? You feel that either there’s nothing worth talking about, or nothing you would be willing to talk about, so your testimony isn’t shared. Or when you have shared your testimony it was just a story of how horrible things were for you and Jesus was a little sprinkle on top to label your self-story time as a testimony. Today, we will open our Bibles and read precisely what a testimony looks like and the affect it can have. Then, you will receive a challenge to prepare your 2 minute testimony. I wish someone would have told 15 year old Pamela that she had a testimony of how Jesus changed my life and gave me the tools to craft it. 50 year old Pamela can still benefit from that today, so today she’s going to get it! In John 4 we read of Jesus encountering a woman at the well. This woman was drawing water in the heat of the day all alone. Why was that? Because she was an outcast. She was talked about by the other women, looked down on as ‘less than’, and unwelcome to be at the well with the others in the morning when it was cooler. So, she labored in the full sun alone at the well. One day, Jesus met this woman at the well and asked her for some water. This sparked a conversation between the woman and Jesus. Jesus addresses her shame, knowing exactly why she’s at the well alone. He says to her in verse 18, “You have had 5 husbands, and you aren’t even married to the man you’re living with now.” Why would he do that? He wanted this woman to know he knew everything about her, and yet he still chose to be there with her. Then, for the first time, Jesus reveals his true identity. He says in verse 26, “I am the Messiah!” The whole world had been waiting for the coming of the Messiah, the one who would change everything. And this is the woman chosen to hear from Jesus himself that it was really him. And he wanted to make it clear that he knew her life hadn’t been easy. He knew she was shamed by her community. He knew she carried deep hurt. And he chose her to be the very first one to know who he really was. He says, “I know who you really are, now let me tell you who I really am.” That’s what Jesus wants to show us. “Here’s who you really are, and this is who I really am.” That’s what changes your life! Who are you, and who is Jesus. That’s your testimony! After her encounter with Jesus, the woman returns to her village and she shares her testimony. What was it? Verse 40, “He told me everything I ever did!” That’s it. She didn’t have to rehash how horrible life had been. She didn’t have to place blame on her previous 5 husbands who had likely left her over infertility or aging. She didn’t have to recount the shame of now living with a man she wasn’t even married to. Her testimony was as the woman who was hidden in shame, the Messiah knew everything about her and chose her to speak to! JESUS KNOWS ME. A simple testimony. Could that possibly have any value or effect? YES! Here’s what this woman’s simple testimony of “He knew me” did – Verse 39, “Many Samaritans from the village believed in Jesus because of what the woman had said.” MANY lives were changed because she no longer hid in shame and shared that Jesus knew everything about her and spoke to her any way. Jesus knows everything about you too, my sister. And he wants to save you too. He wants to bring you out of that shame. He wants to heal you from that trauma. He wants to turn you away from your past and point you toward your future with him. Jesus knows you and he chooses you. That simple truth shared in a way that doesn’t make it about you and makes it all about Jesus can have the power to bring an entire village to Jesus! We’re so quick to assume we have nothing worthy of saying or sharing and God couldn’t possibly use us for his work. We’re SO WRONG. All this woman said was, “Jesus knew me.” In her pain, in her shame, in her hiding, in her loneliness, in her struggle, in her darkness, JESUS KNEW HER. Could you say that? I bet that’s your story too. Jesus knew about you when you were struggling. He was there with you. He rescued you. He strengthened you. He began to change your life, and he just wouldn’t let you go. That’s a testimony, and that testimony could be used by God to save an entire village. Stand up and say it, Sis! At our retreat this past weekend in the Florida Keys, we gathered under a gazebo on the most picturesque white sand beach on the shores of calm turquoise waters and palm trees. We read this story of the woman at the well, we considered the power of a simple 2 minute testimony that doesn’t make it about us, but makes it all about Jesus, then we practiced choosing ONE way Jesus has proven that he knows us, and we shared it. Oh the power in those short stories of, “Jesus knows everything about me.” There were souls sitting in that circle that needed to know Jesus knows them too, because until that moment they felt forgotten, unseen and unimportant. But women just like them dared to share how Jesus knew them and it showed in their lives. When you know Jesus knows you, you begin to change from the inside out. You speak differently. You treat others differently. You view your entire life differently. And it shows. Now, what is your testimony? Can you craft a 2 minute story that begins with who you are, how Jesus knows you, and what a difference it has made in your life? There’s no need to make it worse or bigger. God is already big enough in your story. He’s perfect in your story. You are not. Don’t make it about you, make it about Jesus! Choose ONE. I know there are likely many ways Jesus has known you and shown up for you, but choose one to simply point to him, then start saying it. Here’s my testimony: I’m just a little country girl with absolutely nothing special about me. But, Jesus knew me and called me to be a vessel for his power to flow through. I would have settled for far less, but he called me to so much more. Now I live a life with him daily that is better than anything I could have ever imagined. He has filled my ordinary with his extraordinary and I get to see him work every single day. Girl, what’s yours? Jesus knows you! There’s unspeakable power in that, but it’s up to you to speak it and release that unspeakable power! Follow Pamela on Instagram – https://instagram.com/headmamapamela Or Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/pamela.crim Find out more about BIG Life – http://biglifehq.com

Are there parts of you that are hidden away? A secret shame, a private hurt, a lonely fear that resides in the darkness you don’t talk about. Jesus knows about it and he wants to heal it. Hebrews 4:13, “Nothing in all creation is hidden from God. Everything is naked and exposed before his eyes.” The parts of you that are hidden away in darkness are seen by your loving God. Now, he calls them out of the cave, out of the pit, out of hiding. You’re not a whole person when parts of you are still hiding. Jesus wants ALL of you. He calls all of that secret shame, all of that private hurt, and all of that lonely fear out of the cave of exiles. In his presence, those parts of you are healed and you are made whole. The cave is not the place for you, my sister. It’s not the place for any part of you. God sees it all now. And guess what, he’s not turning away from you! Why is it we hide things as if we can fool God? We can hide that shameful part of us from the one who created us – we can look whole – we can appear healed – while there are pieces of us exiled in the cave we don’t talk about. Jesus stands at the cave and calls every piece of you to come follow him. This past weekend at retreat, a beautiful soul named Michael shared the pages of her journal with me. She is an extremely talented artist and she paints visual images of scriptures within her journal. One painting she titled “The Cave of Exiles”. At the mouth of a dark cave stands a little sheep, staring into the abyss. Next to this sheep is Jesus, the great Shepherd. He too is staring into the abyss. Jesus stands ready with his staff. Ready to go into the cave and rescue what has been hidden. Ready to capture the pieces that may run and hide. Ready to restore the broken pieces of the sheep and make that precious sheep whole again. Michael told me that sheep is her. She had hidden away her shame, her fear, her loneliness, the abandonment, the criticism, the failure, the rejection and the trauma. The dark cave held the pieces of her she didn’t know what to do with. The pieces of her that haunted her. She thought she could be fractured like that and live whole – but she was wrong. A piece of her was always exiled in the cave. So Jesus showed her how he is her Shepherd and he would go into that cave to gather all the exiled parts of her hidden away in darkness. And he would call each one out. “Come, shame. Come, fear. Come, loneliness. Come, abandonment. Come, criticism. Come, failure. You come, rejection. Come, trauma.” Some would come to the call of the Shepherd easily, but one would hide. One would run deeper into the cave, lost with no way out. But Jesus would not leave this exiled broken piece of his sheep in that darkness. He would go into the deepest, darkest parts of the cave and use his staff to find the part that would run the hardest. For her, that was the rejection. Every other hidden part of her had responded to the call of Jesus, but that rejection had hidden and it had hidden her entire life. She may have looked whole to the rest of the world, but a part of her was still in the Cave of Exiles, wandering, hurting and alone. But Jesus wanted his girl WHOLE! Using his shepherd’s staff, he would capture that rejection from it’s hiding, call it out of the cave, and restore his sheep to be whole again. The healed rejection would reveal a greater purpose in her story. The hidden rejection would have forever left her unwhole with a piece of her still exiled in the cave. Colossians 2:10 tells us, “Our own completeness is now found in him. We are completely filled with God as Christ’s fullness overflows within us.” We are not complete when parts of us are still hidden away. Jesus wants his girl whole with nothing left in the cave! Scripture tells us caves are often where people would hide. David hid in caves while King Saul sought to kill him in a jealous rampage. Years of David’s life was spent hiding. Hiding what was under attack. And really, don’t we do the same? We hide what is under attack. The enemy has zeroed in on those weak parts of us, attacking that wound, reminding us of our hurt, stirring up our fears. So, we hide it away. These hidden parts of us leave us fractured and unwhole. We try to continue on with life like it doesn’t matter, but it does matter. As long as a part of us is still in the cave, we are not whole. The shame remains. The fear resides. The abandonment curls up in the darkness. The rejection sits alone in the cave. As far away from that cave as you have tried to go, there’s a part of you still in there. You’ve tried to fill these holes with relationships, with successes, with pretty things, but nothing has worked – at least not for long. And that is why Jesus stands at your Cave of Exiles with you now. That is why he’s prepared to go in and get every part of you. His girl is hurting, no matter how hard you try to hide it, and he wants you healed and whole. So hear the voice of the great Shepherd of your soul as he says, “Come, shame. Come, fear. Come, loneliness. Come, abandonment. Come, criticism. Come, failure. You come, rejection. Come, trauma. It’s time for you to be put back together again in healing and wholeness.” There’s a cave near the Dead Sea called the Cave of Horror. The remains of men, women and children were found there. Exiles hidden away in the darkness. They died while hiding. Pieces of you want to die hiding, but Jesus wants every piece of you healed and living. You see if it just dies, then its wasted and leaves a hole in you. But if it’s called out by Jesus, cared for by the Shepherd, and healed in His presence, then you get to be made whole. His desire is for no part of you to be exiled. No part of you to die hiding in the cave. For every part of you to come to him, be healed by him, and be fully restored in you. And those healed, no longer hiding, pieces of you become your greatest tools in Kingdom work. In Luke 15, Jesus tells the Parable of the Lost Sheep. Jesus says the man with 100 sheep would leave the 99 sheep to go find the one that is lost, and he wouldn’t give up until he finds that one. You know that story. But have you ever thought of these words of Jesus as the pieces of you that get lost? If there’s 100 pieces of you, and 1 of those pieces is hiding away in the Cave of Exiles, hurting and alone, he will go after that piece of you to rescue it and heal it and bring it back with the other 99. Jesus has not given up on a single piece of you, precious girl! Psalm 147:3, “He heals the brokenhearted and bandages their wounds.” Let him heal you completely. He’s coming into the cave of everything you’ve exiled and he’s calling it all out. Let him bandage those wounds. Let him make you whole again. Jesus is the only one who can. Follow Pamela on Instagram – https://instagram.com/headmamapamela Or Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/pamela.crim Find out more about BIG Life – http://biglifehq.com

Isaiah 14:27, “The Lord of Heaven’s Armies has spoken – who can change his plans? When his hand is raised, who can stop him?” 1 Corinthians 1:9, “God will do this, for he is faithful to do what he says and he has invited you into partnership with his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.” Follow Pamela on Instagram – https://instagram.com/headmamapamela Or Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/pamela.crim Find out more about BIG Life – http://biglifehq.com

You have a job to do. A job that often gets twisted in a way that either puffs you up with pride making you think you’re better than someone else, or your job gets twisted in a way that makes you carry the burden of changing someone else. Let’s be clear – saving someone is not your job. Girl, you are not Jesus. Nor can you make everyone happy. You’re not a taco. Your job is simply this – SHOW THEM JESUS. In this world, you reflect the light, the love, the power of Jesus. That’s your job. How it is received and what others do with that simply isn’t your business. Gosh, we get that all twisted, don’t we? And when we do, it becomes more about us than about the glory of God. And it becomes our burden to carry, our stress to worry about, and our pressure to make them change. Moses was called by God to speak truth to Pharaoh. The truth was, Pharaoh was holding God’s people as slaves. The truth was if Pharaoh didn’t let God’s people go, terrible things were going to happen to him and his people, the Egyptians. Moses job was to be a representative of God to Pharaoh, but his job was not to change Pharaoh, convince Pharaoh or save Pharaoh. Anytime Moses got his job twisted and took on undue pressure and stress, he wanted to quit in frustration. Yeah, that’s what happens when we make things about us instead of about God. First, Pharaoh had refused to listen to God. Exodus 5:2, Pharaoh declares, “Who is the Lord? Why should I listen to him and let Israel go? I don’t know the Lord, and I will not let Israel go.” So, that’s when God uses his servant Moses to reflect his glory, speak his words, and deliver his message for him. Exodus 7:1, Then the Lord said to Moses, “Pay close attention to this. I will make you seem like God to Pharaoh.” When Pharaoh wouldn’t acknowledge God, he continually sent him an example in Moses. A man he could see and hear who represented God. Moses didn’t have to come up with the plan on his own, he simply had to represent God. Moses didn’t have to speak words of his own, he simply had to represent God. Moses didn’t have to change Pharaoh, he simply had to represent God. And God made Pharaoh to see God in Moses. My friends, that’s our job. As followers of Christ, we are to represent him. Your mission today is to show others Jesus. You, my friend, you are God’s love letter for the world to read. It’s YOU God wants to use for the person who will never read his Word otherwise. You get to bring Jesus to that table! You get to bring Jesus to that room. You get to bring Jesus to that gathering. That’s your job. 2 Corinthians 3: 2-3, Paul writes and says, “Your lives are a letter everyone can read and recognize. You are a letter from Christ showing the result of our ministry among you. This ‘letter’ is written not with pen and ink, but with the Spirit of the living God. Is is carved not on tablets of stone, but on human hearts.” What Christ has done in your life is now his letter to the world. You are his example. You are the letter they will read, and you get to show them Jesus simply through the way you live. What a big job we have! And the moment you put the weight of that job on your shoulders, then it makes it about you more than about Jesus. That’s not the way to do your job. You aren’t writing the letter. Jesus is writing the letter. It’s a letter written in your heart. As you live from the heart, everyone can read and recognize the author of your story. Your entire life then points to Jesus. And THAT is what we’re here to do as his disciples. How someone interrupts the letter Jesus has written in your heart is not your problem. What a single person does with the letter of your life is none of your business. If it were, then it’s about you. This isn’t about you. This is about the work of Jesus and your willingness to let his work show in you. Much later in the book of Exodus, Moses goes up to a mountain and comes face to face with God. He spends time with God. And when Moses comes back down from the mountain, his face was radiant. The glory of God was shining in Moses face. His encounter with God on that mountain changed him. It changed his presence. He literally reflected the light of God. And this isn’t just some Old Testament miracle that doesn’t apply to us today. No, actually, the same thing happens to us now. When we spend time with God, our face then gets to shine his glory! We become the letter perfect strangers read and learn about Jesus! We become the letter our loved ones who have strayed read and experience the life-changing love of Jesus. Not because of who we are, but because of who HE is in us. Later in 2 Corinthians 3, Paul writes in verse 17-18 (MSG), “Nothing between us and God, our faces shining with the brightness of his face. And so we are transfigured much like the Messiah, our lives gradually becoming brighter and brighter and more beautiful as God enters our lives and we become more like him.” My friend, are you brighter than you were last year? Are you becoming more beautiful? I’m not talking about your botox, I’m talking about your heart. Is your inward life more beautiful today than it was a year ago? If you are growing in relationship with God, spending time with him and seeking him, this is naturally happening. You’re not manufacturing beauty, beauty is growing within you. You’re not manufacturing light, the light of God is reflecting from him onto you for others to see. It’s not about your light – it’s about HIS LIGHT. You are simply a reflection. So, your face changes. Your face becomes radiant like Moses’ face after his time with God on the mountain. Your face shines with the brightness of God’s face. How absolutely amazing is that?!!!!! Paul also wrote in Philippians 2 that God is working IN you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him. It’s not coming from you, it’s coming from God! God is changing your heart, then he’s giving you the power and strength to change your life! And as you do, you become his bright light in a world of darkness. Not your own light, but simply a reflection of his light. It’s not about you. It’s about Jesus in you. Don’t assume the responsibility of having to say the right thing to save someone. Remember, that’s Jesus’ job, not yours. You’re not the savior. You’re not even the light. You’re a representative of the savior and a reflection of his light. Assuming the responsibility in your own power will leave you exhausted and disappointed. Paul seems to know something about reflecting the light of Jesus instead of trying to be the light. Remember, Paul was a man who’s life had been radically changed by an encounter with Jesus as he was marching down a road on his way to kill Christians. Jesus did a radical work in his life, now Paul’s entire life was a letter telling the story of Jesus’ saving power. It wasn’t up to him who read the letter or how they received it. It wasn’t about his light, it was about Jesus’ light reflecting in him. His job was to show Jesus. Paul writes in Colossians 1:27 (TPT), “Living within you is Christ who floods you with the expectation of glory! This mystery of Christ, embedded within us, becomes a heavenly treasure chest of hope filled with the riches of glory for his people, and God wants everyone to know it!” If you allow Jesus to work in your life, you become his TREASURE CHEST of hope. Your life is filled with the riches of his glory and God wants everyone to know about it. You’re not given this treasure chest to hide, you’re given this treasure chest of hope to share. Again, God wants everyone to know about his glory that’s inside of you! Moses had God’s glory inside of him. His job was to represent God to Pharaoh. Moses became the Bible Pharaoh had never read. Moses became the light of God that Pharaoh could either receive or reject. Either way, Moses job wasn’t to convince or change anyone. Moses’ job was to be the treasure chest of hope everywhere he went. His face was to shine the light of God, and it did! Did Pharaoh change? No. Did Pharaoh listen? No. But that wasn’t Moses’ job. That’s God’s business. And God used it all for his radically good, miraculous works! Maybe you’re stressed and feeling all the pressure because you’ve forgotten your role in this is to simply reflect the light of Jesus. You don’t have to manufacture the light. You don’t have to say the right things. You don’t have to have all the answers. Your only job is to let others see Jesus in you. I have a sticker on the front cover of my Bible that says, “Lord, let them see YOU in me.” That’s my one mission. It’s not about anyone seeing me. It’s not about my words or my works. It’s about Jesus IN ME. There’s no pressure in that. There’s no exhausting work in that. There’s a freedom of being a treasure chest of hope, and the treasure isn’t even mine – it’s all God’s and I just get to hold it and reflect it. This isn’t about you. Don’t make it about you. This isn’t up to you. Don’t insert yourself. This is about the light and power of God, and that lives IN YOU as a follower of Jesus. You are his letter. Now, just don’t hide it! Follow Pamela on Instagram – https://instagram.com/headmamapamela Or Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/pamela.crim Find out more about BIG Life – http://biglifehq.com

God has promises for you. His word is full of promises over your life. But have you read his word to know his promises? Is it important to know God’s promises for you? Absolutely. But it can’t stop there. This has to go beyond just knowing. Now, you step into believing his promises. Trusting his promises. Living absolutely dependent on his promises. Where in your life are you completely depending on the promises of God for you? You need to know God isn’t just a promise maker, he is the promise keeper. Do you know God as YOUR promise keeper? Do you know him as the one who will never fail you? If you do, he will lead you into wild, faith-filled spaces you could never reach alone. But if you don’t know God as your promise keeper, you will get stuck in your wilderness questioning his power and questioning his faithfulness. That questioning isn’t failure … but here’s what is … questioning that leads to doubt, doubt that leads to fear, and fear that leads to disobedience. And that’s exactly where it will lead you. Here’s the root of our disobedience – we question if God will really get it right. We question if God will really follow through on his promises for us personally. We doubt we’re that known and that loved by a God this big. And when we don’t know God as our promise keeper, then we don’t believe he can really get it right for us forever. Can God really get it right for you forever? Can you trust him that much? Let me tell you what that level of faith looks like – that looks like staring down the impossible and believing with God it’s still possible. That means refusing to allow your mind to be overwhelmed with discouragement when there’s every good reason to believe there’s nothing more or better for you. That means stepping in faith when you can’t fully see the step and you don’t know how your foot will land. And when that foot lands wrong, faith is willing to step again. When we left off yesterday in our study of the book of Exodus, we see Moses’ obedience was met with a stubborn Pharaoh who doubled down on his harsh treatment of God’s people as his slaves. This left the Israelites without hope and desperate. This move of God had only made things worse for them with not only more work, but harder work. It’s easy to believe and trust God when he’s making things better. Yay, Lord – you can do it! But what about when God’s plan makes things worse? What about when things get harder instead of better? Let’s be clear – that can happen and that does happen. Just because things have gotten harder for you doesn’t mean God has turned his back on you or cancelled his good plans for your future. Everything you’re experiencing right now is temporary. This hardship is temporary. This struggle is temporary. This setback is temporary. God holds an eternal good plan and you can trust he is leading you there no matter how hard this specific step may be. At this point is where God gives 7 promises. 7 statements of “I will”. Do you know if God says he will do something, all the other powers in this world combined can’t stop it even for a second. When God says he will do something, it’s as good as done. You can count on it. You can know it for sure. You can plan your entire life around it. Every one of his promises will be fulfilled. He’s not only the promise maker, he’s the promise keeper. The 7 “I will-s”, listen for them. Exodus 6: 6-8: Therefore say to the people of Israel: “I am the Lord. I WILL free you from your oppression and WILL rescue you from your slavery in Egypt. I WILL redeem you with a powerful arm and great acts of judgment. I WILL claim you as my own people, and I WILL be your God. Then you will know that I am the Lord your God who has freed you from your oppression in Egypt. I WILL bring you into the land I swore to give to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. I WILL give it to you as your very own possession. I am the Lord!” Now remember the reality of the circumstances and conditions when God is declaring HE WILL do all of this. God’s people are slaves. They’ve always been slaves. For 400 years they have been nothing but slaves in Egypt. They’ve made peace with being slaves. They think as slaves, they walk as slaves, they talk as slaves, they work as slaves. It’s all they’ve ever known for generations. They don’t know how to receive a promise of freedom. They don’t know how to believe a promise of anything different. All they know is they had just gotten their hopes up for the first time ever and believed Moses was actually going to lead them to freedom and just when they were willing to follow him out, the chains got heavier. Pharaoh and their slave masters are now relentlessly brutal, punishing them for even thinking they were going to get a day off work. The Israelites hear God’s 7 “I will” promises, but they can’t receive those promises. They only know God as a promise maker, not a promise keeper – Not for them. Verse 9, “They refused to listen anymore. They had become too discouraged by the brutality of their slavery.” They couldn’t receive a promise as God’s people because they couldn’t see themselves as God’s people. They were only Egypt’s slaves. They were nobody with nothing. How did God respond to their discouragement? With tremendous grace and mercy. He commanded Moses and Aaron to lead the people of Israel OUT OF EGYPT. God had spoken promises and God was going to fulfill those promises. His people couldn’t see themselves as anything other than slaves, so God was going to show them the truth – the truth that he was FOR them, not against them. The truth that he isn’t just a promise maker, he is the promise keeper. The 7 ‘I Will-s”: I will free you. I will rescue you. I will redeem you. I will claim you. I will be your God. I will bring you into the land I promised you. I will give it to you. And that’s precisely what God did! Every promise was fulfilled. Every “I will” was completed. God would prove he wasn’t just a promise making God, he was a promise keeping God. Let me tell you the end of the story, my friend. You need to know the end of the Israelites story, because it’s the promised end of our story too. Joshua 21: 43-45, “So the Lord gave to Israel all the land he had sworn to give their ancestors, and they took possession of it and settled there. And the Lord gave them rest on every side, just as he had solemnly promised their ancestors. None of the enemies could stand against them, for the Lord helped them conquer all their enemies. Not a single one of all the good promises the Lord had given to the family of Israel was left unfulfilled; everything he had spoken came true.” Do you know why the story of God’s people being rescued, lead, redeemed and blessed is so important for us to read over 3,400 years later? Because his promises still stand. He’s still working. Through all these generations, he’s been heading straight to YOU. To rescue you. To lead you. To redeem you. To bless you. You’ve always been on his mind. This is a story about you and about your future generations too. A promise over your life by the promise maker AND the promise KEEPER. GOD FULFILLS HIS PROMISES. Read verse 45 again. “Not a single one of all the good promises the Lord gave was left unfulfilled; everything he had spoken came true.” My friend, that’s how your story ends too. Guaranteed. Yes, I can tell you the end of your story. It ends with every promise being fulfilled perfectly. You can count on that. The promise keeper has spoken for you and spoken his promises over you. You’re covered on every side. The journey may be hard at times, but the ending is already written. Follow Pamela on Instagram – https://instagram.com/headmamapamela Or Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/pamela.crim Find out more about BIG Life – http://biglifehq.com

Walking in God’s will should make life easier, right? Being on the right path should always feel good, right? Surely God’s divine will comes with guarantees, stamps of approval and fast passes, right? Nope. Not in my Bible. It’s easy to say things like, “If it’s God’s will, he will make it happen.” Okay, so what does that look like exactly? Does it mean the money will just be there? Does it mean the blessings will just pour down? Does it mean you’ll supernaturally always feel so good about it all? Let me tell you honestly, if it’s God’s will, you may have to endure massive hardship to walk in it. If it’s God’s will, you may feel stuck and still not see things change. If it’s God’s will, things may first get worse. And that’s where we’re out. If God’s way takes us through things getting worse, then we quickly decide our way is far better. We’re so quick to settle for less if God’s ‘more’ first means hardship. But what are we forfeiting when we do? Plain and simple – you’re forfeiting God’s divine will, which is always BEST. This is a hard sales pitch. But if I paint God’s way as the easiest way through every obstacle, you’ll continually wonder why things are sometimes hard on the journey of following God. You cannot determine God’s direction by feeling or conditions. Just because your boss is a difficult beast doesn’t mean you’re at the wrong job. Just because you’re going through health struggles doesn’t mean you’re doing something wrong. Just because your kids are on the wrong path doesn’t mean you were a horrible mother. And just because the journey is hard for you doesn’t mean you should turn around and go back to where you were. We’re so quick to put words in God’s mouth. Did God say turn around and go back? Did God say to quit? Did God say to assume the guilt? Or was that your own voice in your head? Here’s what I’ve come to learn … I simply can’t trust that voice in my head when things get hard. When I’m running, the voice in my head becomes an absolute diabolical liar. That voice starts telling me I don’t have time for this run. When that doesn’t work, that voice will then begin telling me how hard it is to breathe. But it wasn’t hard to breathe until that voice started saying that. That voice in my head will begin telling me about my knees, and then dang if I don’t start noticing every little ache and pain. That little voice can talk me out of every workout every time … if I let it. But, it’s much bigger than just running. Any time things get hard, that little voice can stop me in my tracks. And my voice has learned me so well, because it will even say things like, “It must not be God’s will because this is just so hard.” But I’ve checked that voice with the word of God and it ends up it’s simply NOT TRUE. God’s word tells me his divine will and holy plan will take me right through the threat of the sea, right through the barren wilderness, right through every reason I never wanted to go in the first place … and his plan for me through it all will be good. It may not feel good in the process, but my feelings cannot sit on the throne. God’s will was for Moses to lead the Israelites out of slavery in Egypt and into God’s promised land. God had warned that Pharaoh’s heart was hard and he wouldn’t make it easy on the Israelites. God’s promise was to be with them through it all, but they would still have to go through it. Is that enough for you? Is God’s promise to be with you through it all enough for you to walk with him in this? Or are you still waiting on his promise to make it easy for you? That promise will never come, my friend. He will be with you, he will make a way for you, he will strengthen you, he will guide you, but there will be some ridiculously hard days along the way. And never miss those hard days are for a purpose. God is doing something in you through the struggle. Moses obeys the Lord and goes to Pharaoh and delivers the divine message. And if Moses is obedient to God, things should go good – right? Actually, no. Things are about to get worse. Exodus 5: 1, “Moses and Aaron went and spoke to Pharaoh. They told him, ‘This is what the Lord, the God of Israel says: Let my people go so they may hold a festival in my honor in the wilderness.'” Verse 2, “Is that so?” retorted Pharaoh. “And who is the Lord? Why should I listen to him and let Israel go? I don’t know the Lord, and I will not let Israel go.” Now, things get worse because of Moses’ obedient ask. Verses 6-9 “That same day Pharaoh sent this order to the Egyptian slave drivers and the Israelite foremen: “Do not supply any more straw for making bricks. Make the people get it themselves! But still require them to make the same number of bricks as before. Don’t reduce the quota. They are lazy. That’s why they’re crying out. Load them down with more work. Make them sweat! That will teach them…” Now God’s people are still slaves with even more work. Listening to God only got them worse conditions. In their minds this wasn’t the way it was supposed to work. And honestly, don’t you kindof think the same way? If God’s in it, it won’t get worse, it will get better – but sometimes before it gets divinely better it gets devastatingly worse. Does devastatingly worse mean God’s not in it? Does devastatingly worse mean you’re doing it wrong? Does devastatingly worse mean it will always be this bad? No, it doesn’t. God was in it. God knew this would happen. And God was working through it. Can you trust God if it gets worse? Well, what’s your alternative? Really – do you just not trust God and do it your own way? Do you not trust God and stop trying to seek freedom? Do you not trust God and just settle into a life he’s trying to lead you out of? Most of the time, yes – that’s exactly what we do. And what do we forfeit? Let this be our prayer today: Lord, don’t let me quit. Imagine how Moses must have felt as he watches his people get punished with more work because of his obedience in asking Pharaoh to let them go. Of course Moses wanted to quit after his seemingly failed first attempt. Moses comes to God and says in verse 22-23, “Why have you brought all this trouble on your own people, Lord? Why did you send me? Ever since I came to Pharaoh as your spokesman, he has been even more brutal to your people. And you have done nothing to rescue them!” Fair feelings. Listen to me – God can handle your fair feelings. He wants you to bring those feelings of disappointment and frustration right to him. He will guide you right through it. Here’s what we learn – sometimes God allows things to get worse to set us free. Because honestly, would we seek his freedom if things didn’t get worse? Really, wouldn’t you just settle right in and make peace with it all if God didn’t allow it to get worse? Things getting worse didn’t mean they were out of God’s will – it actually meant God was working to set them free. He was getting ready to show them his power at work all around them in miraculous ways. He was setting them apart by his hand. And ultimately, he was making a way for them to walk out not only free, but blessed! This time of hardship was necessary. Not desirable, but necessary. God was working here. The truth is, God could have freed his people without this hardship. He could have done it instantly. If he wanted, he could have struck every Egyptian dead in a day and his people could have walked out of their 400 year captivity instantly. But God knew the promises he had for his people required testing and stretching first. Moses had to learn he could really trust God. It’s like ziplining. If you’ve ever been ziplining you know they put you in a harness first. That harness isn’t attached to anything, it just rides up on you in awkward places. Then, they attach that harness to the line and they let you test it. You put your weight on the harness first and you see that it’s got you. Until you test it out, you don’t feel secure. But once you have put weight on it, stretched out that line, then you know you’re safe to jump. God was showing Moses he could be trusted through this. Moses was learning to put his weight on the Lord, stretch out that line, and ultimately jump. Exodus 6:1, The Lord told Moses, “Now you will see what I will do to Pharaoh. When he feels the force of my strong hand, he will let the people go. In fact, he will force them to leave his land!” God is saying, you can trust me in this trouble. My sister, you can trust God in your trouble. He’s right here with you. He’s already seen the way through this. And if the way through it means things get worse first, then you can still trust him. Test that harness. Rest in him. Lean on him. He’s got you. You’re safe to jump with him. Lord, don’t let me quit. Continually remind me I can trust you in this trouble. Follow Pamela on Instagram – https://instagram.com/headmamapamela Or Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/pamela.crim Find out more about BIG Life – http://biglifehq.com

Your heart is up to you. How you perceive things, how you feel about things, and what you do about those things is completely your own choice. God will not force your heart to change. Proverbs 4:23, “Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life.” If your heart gets hardened or twisted, everything you do becomes tainted. A hardened heart will have you doing things you said you would never do, showing up as someone you never wanted to be. Protect that heart of yours, my sister. It’s constantly under attack. As we study the book of Exodus, we see God’s plan to set his people free from the captivity of the Egyptians. But there’s something in the way of their freedom – an Egyptian King called Pharaoh with a hardened heart. A Pharaoh considered themselves a god. They were to be worshiped. They were above everyone and everything else. They had been raised and trained to thrive on ego and pride, and destroy anything that threatened their god like status. That heart was hard with no room for care or concern for anything other than their own success, comfort, gain or praise. When it all becomes about YOU, what you can do and what you can have, you get yourself a heart issue. Check your heart now, Sis. Has it become about you? About YOU being right? About you winning? About this being easier for you? About your comfort? About your gain? About your appearance? If it has, then it’s become a heart issue. And the condition of your heart determines the course of your life. God knows your heart. He knows what has become a priority in your heart. He knows if it’s all about what you want. He knows if it’s all about how you look. He knows if your heart has become so full of ‘self’ that there’s no room for him. And get this – HE WILL ALLOW THAT! God will allow a hardened heart and the destruction it brings. He will never force your heart to change, that’s always up to you. God has called Moses to speak to Pharaoh about letting his people go. But God already knew the condition of Pharaoh’s heart, so he warns Moses. Exodus 4:21, And the Lord told Moses, “When you arrive back in Egypt, go to Pharaoh and perform all the miracles I have empowered you to do. But I will harden his heart so he will refuse to let the people go.” Can I be honest – this has always confused me. Why would God harden Pharaoh’s heart? Why would God impose this difficulty? Why would God make someone so difficult and stubborn? Ahhhhh … he didn’t. God didn’t CAUSE Pharaoh’s heart to be hard, but God ALLOWED Pharaoh’s heart to do what HE WANTED. God didn’t force a change of his heart. The Lord knew how hardened and prideful his heart had become, and he simply allowed Pharaoh to determine the course of his life from that heart. Was God ever out of control? Not for even a second. He already knew the course ahead. He knew exactly what it would take to free his people. He knew how he would use Moses. He knew how Pharaoh’s heart would respond, and he determined to display his miraculous power through it all. In 10 chapters, we read of 12 separate times Pharaoh’s heart condition caused him to create problems for everyone around him. Did you know this really is a heart condition? We’re all dealing with a heart condition. A heart that is stubborn. A heart that wants it’s own way. A heart that has gotten hurt so it’s become calloused. A heart that has built walls. A heart that has gotten twisted. A heart that is puffed up and selfish. And did you know that heart condition of yours affects everyone around you? Maybe you’ve been affected by the heart condition of someone around you. When someone you love gets a hardened heart, gosh they can hurt you. When someone you love gets a twisted heart, they can create massive messes and you end up right in the middle of that mess. You can see how their heart condition created problems for you – but recognize your heart can do the same thing to others. Pharaoh’s hard heart created a disaster for his own people. They were attacked by 10 plagues. Each plague worse than the one before. And after each plague, Pharaoh would beg for relief, and relief would come. But the moment relief came, his heart went right back to being hardened again. Gosh, is that us? Our hardened, stubborn heart meets hardship, so we crack a bit. We let God in. We seek his help. We surrender to him. But the moment our circumstances get better, we go right back to our old ways. Yip – that’s us! That’s a heart issue, my friend. One of the plagues was an infestation of frogs. Frogs were absolutely everywhere in Egypt – everywhere but where God’s people were. Pharaoh’s palace was overrun by frogs. Pharaoh begs Moses to plead with the Lord to take away the frogs, and if he does, he will let the Israelites go. So, the next day, God causes all the frogs to die. The Egyptians pile the dead frogs up into great heaps and a terrible stench fills the land. But guess what – as soon as the stink goes away, here’s what happens. Exodus 8:15, “But when Pharaoh saw that relief had come, he became stubborn. He refused to listen.” His heart went right back to hardened again. Again and again, as things continue to get worse for the Egyptians with one plague after another, the moment there is relief, Pharaoh’s heart is hardened and he becomes stubborn, refusing to listen, refusing to change, refusing to release what God has told him to let go. Who are you holding captive, my friend? Like for real – God has told you to let it go, but you can’t – or really, you just won’t. You hold on to the pain they created. You hold on to the anger you have against them. You hold on to your need to be right and prove them wrong. You hold on to some weird sense of comfort it brings. Every time you’re suffering you decide to let them go, but the moment you get a little relief you just pull them back in again. Over and over again, you succumb to your heart condition and create the messiest course for your own life. And let me tell you how that will end for you – That will end in DISASTER. If you allow your heart to remain hardened, if you allow that stubborn streak to always gets it’s way, God will let your heart get what it wants and it will be an absolute disaster for you. And here’s the really sad news – it won’t only be a disaster for you, it will create a disaster for your people too. The hardened heart of Pharaoh caused him to chase the Israelites all the way into the Red Sea, where he and his entire army were completely wiped out. His heart condition did that. God didn’t cause that hardened heart, but he let Pharaoh’s heart do what Pharaoh had wanted to do. May our genuine prayer be this today: “Lord, please don’t let me do what I want to do. Don’t let me be stubborn. Don’t let me harden my heart here. Don’t let me have my way. Save me from myself.” How bad will things have to get before you fully submit your heart to God? They will get absolutely as bad as they have to, that’s always up to you. How about you decide this is truly it – you won’t wait for it to get worse. You won’t wait for it to get harder. You won’t wait for the mess to grow. Right here and right now, ask God to take any bit of hardness that has been growing in your heart and mold it into the the heart he desires for you. Surrender that to him. Lord, don’t let me get what I want. Follow Pamela on Instagram – https://instagram.com/headmamapamela Or Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/pamela.crim Find out more about BIG Life – http://biglifehq.com

Does God ever get frustrated with us? Is there ever a point where our loving heavenly Father gets angry with his girls? Yes – but it’s likely not over the things you’ve been worried about. We screw things up. We fail to get it right. We struggle. We fall short. These are the things we worry about within ourselves, so we continually dismiss ourselves. And let’s be clear – that’s not what God is upset over. Girl, he knows you struggle – he created you to need him. He knows you fail – he forgave you before the first misstep. You can get over all of that, because God certainly has. So, what is God upset over? When does he look at you with anger? It’s not when you’re unable – it’s when you’re UNWILLING. The unwilling mind that continually makes excuses reveals the unwilling heart that simply DOESN’T WANT TO. You don’t want to be the one God chooses. You don’t want to be the one he sends. You don’t want to be the one called to do that work. And really you don’t want to be available because you don’t want to change. You don’t want to be uncomfortable. This is where God grows angry with Moses. Moses didn’t want to be the one because he didn’t want to leave his comfortable life. He preferred to stay exactly where he had been hiding for 40 years. Why? Because there he was safe. No one hated him. No one was hunting him. His days were predictable and controllable. I wake up and I do the same things every day and I go to bed every night in the same way. Moses had a sense of control over his simple life with his family and the sheep. He was unwilling to give up his comforts, but ultimately he was really unwilling to give up control. Is that you? You don’t want to be uncomfortable. And you certainly don’t want to be UNcertain. You need a sense of control, of knowing what’s going to happen and how it’s all going to work out. So any hint of discomfort, you just dismiss yourself. Any uncertain loose ends you’ve tied into knots that hold you steady (and stuck). You’re driven by a desire to control it all far more than a desire to follow God in it. Ugly truths we don’t talk about. It’s easy to paint it pretty and declare we’re being faithful where we are with humility and perseverance … but sometimes when you chip through that paint you find an unwilling spirit to do anything different. And THAT is what frustrates God. This is what gets him angry with his girls. Maybe you’re not unable, you’re really unwilling. The Lord tells Moses to return to Egypt and lead his people to freedom. He’s promised to be with him. He’s promised his hand of victory over them. He’s even shown him 2 very clear miracles to give him confidence in God’s personal power over this mission. And here’s what happens next – Exodus 4:10, “But Moses pleaded with the Lord, ‘O Lord, I’m not very good with words. I have never been, and I’m not now, even though you have spoken to me. I get tongue-tied, and my words get tangled.'” Moses had an insecurity. Ultimately he didn’t think he had anything good enough to say to the Israelietes to convince them to leave, or to the Egyptians to convince them to let his people go. So he points out his inadequacy to God. God didn’t get mad about it. He understood Moses’ fear. He understood that he felt inadequate for such a huge job. And here’s God’s response to Moses, verses 11-12, “Who makes a person’s mouth? Who decides whether people speak or do not speak, hear or do not hear, see or do not see? Is it not I, the Lord? Now go! I will be with you as you speak, and I will instruct you in what to say.” How awesome is that? God reassures Moses. Moses, I made you exactly as I wanted you. If you can’t do something it’s because I wanted to do something different through you. Remember what God says in 2 Corinthians 12:9, “My power works best in weakness.” God knows how he created Moses, and he knows if there’s a problem with his ability to speak – that’s just room for God to speak! That’s a person who is not self-sufficient so they can be God-sufficient! God isn’t angry with Moses for not being self-sufficient. He’s reminding him he won’t have to do the speaking by himself – God will do it through him. Girl, I don’t know what you’ve been saying you aren’t good enough to do – but maybe you need to be reminded right now that God’s power works best in your weakness. The exact areas where you’ve struggled and where you’ve failed can now be the perfect space to display God’s power. Here’s the thing – I really don’t need to be impressed by all you can do. That doesn’t help me at all. In fact your super power of being self-sufficient simply leaves me feeling lacking and unworthy. What I really need to see is where you fall short, but God comes through. What the people around you need to see is how you can’t do it all, but God can. They need to see where you have struggled, God has provided. We desperately need to see that what you didn’t have the power to do on your own, God did it through you. What – you think I wake up know exactly what you need to hear each day? Girl – NOT AT ALL. I fall so miserably short when I try to do this on my own. This is God’s space. I’m simply a mouthpiece for the Holy Spirit. This has been a journey of me showing up to do the work while staying out of the way. The second this becomes about me, I fail. You have to know, no matter what, this girl speaking to you every morning is just an ordinary girl like you with a Bible I’m willing to study and time I’ve created for the Holy Spirit to work every single day. Is it easy for me? No. I struggle every morning when I sit down to write the first word. You know why? Because I CAN’T DO THIS. Moses couldn’t do what God was asking him to do. But it can’t end there. When God says, “Nope, you can’t – but I can”, that’s when you drop every excuse and make yourself available! Now, we will see what happens when you don’t drop your excuses. Verse 13-14, “But Moses again pleased, ‘Lord, please! Send anyone else.’ Then the Lord became angry with Moses.” God wasn’t angry with Moses’ insecurities and questions. He lovingly reassured Moses that his power would work through him. God became angry when Moses was UNWILLING. “No, Lord, send anyone else. I don’t want to do this. This so uncomfortable for me. I can’t be the one. I really just want to stay here in my predictable life where I’m in control.” God can work with your inabilities. That’s not a problem for him at all. What is a problem for him is your unwillingness to step into the unknown, leave your comforts, and follow him into the hard stuff that’s out of your control. What’s God asking you to do? Where has he asked you to get involved in his work? He’s not burdened by your doubts. He can handle your doubts. He’s not upset over your shortcomings. He sees room for his power all in you. But what he’s angry about is your unwillingness to follow him. If you keep reading in the story, you see that ultimately God allows Moses to take his brother Aaron with him as his mouthpiece. God would tell Moses what to say, and Moses would tell Aaron what to say, then Aaron would be the one to say it. Okay, seems fair. So did God finally agree that Moses wasn’t good enough for the job alone? Did God need more than just Moses? No – actually, Aaron became more of a problem than a help. God didn’t want that problem for Moses, he would have been far better to just trust God to speak through him directly. Aaron was more of a chastisement from God that Moses brought on himself when he was unwilling to go alone. I don’t want to create problems for myself. I don’t want to do anything that makes the journey harder. So what God is showing me is I have to drop every excuse and believe he will do everything he says he will do, and he actually CAN do it through me. I must continually keep my heart open, my mind open, my hands open, and my plans open so I am WILLING to do anything and everything God asks of me. It’s so easy to become busy, then my busy-ness leaves me unwilling. It’s so easy to become comfortable, then my love of comfort leaves me unwilling. It’s so easy to become lazy, then my laziness grows into a complete atrophy of what I was once able to do and everything gets so hard, that always leads to me being unwilling. Busy has got to go! Clear the schedule. Make space. Remain available. Girl, you keep canceling where God is assigning you because you’re just too darn busy. Stop that! Comfort is not your calling. When is the last time you did something hard? Stay ready! Be willing! That laziness is rendering you incapable of simple things and the enemy is playing in your head as you just sit there. As you scroll, he’s eating away at your strength. Get up. Do something. Stay willing! Don’t make this harder than it needs to be. If God says he’s with you, that’s enough. If God says his power will work through you, awesome, trust that. If God is prompting you to do something, be bold enough to tell him you’re in! Follow Pamela on Instagram – https://instagram.com/headmamapamela Or Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/pamela.crim Find out more about BIG Life – http://biglifehq.com

Fear cripples us and keeps us stuck. Fear has our mind thinking thoughts we have absolutely no business thinking. Fear has us playing little, assuming the worst, and dismissing ourselves from the wild, faith-filled spaces God is calling us to. Do you want to taste the fullness of life God really has available for you? You must overcome the fear that has held you back. Do you want to experience God’s power unleashed in your life, leading and guiding your every step? You must break free of the fear that has sold you on less. There’s more in you. There’s more for you. You’re capable of more. You’re created for more. But fear will always steal your ‘more’ and trade you for far less. You must decide if you’re going to stand by and allow that to continue in your life. Fear shows up everyday as your worry-filled thoughts. Worry is the nasty little off-spring of fear. And here’s what that looks like in real life: The average person on an average day has about 40,000 thoughts. 80% of those thoughts are negative, fear based, worry filled thoughts. And of those 32,000 worries, 85% of them never actually happen! 27,200 absolute wasted thoughts on negative things that never even happen – ON A DAILY BASIS. We are on a perpetual loop of worrying about things that don’t matter and, get this, probably won’t even happen! All while there is so much MORE in us and for us. What a waste of the MORE we are capable of and created for. God’s looking for a few girls who will decide to grab those fears by the tail, stare them down and realize they have NO POWER over you. You see, until you do, you run around afraid of things you could have conquered a long time ago. Until you dare to overcome those fears, those fears overcome you, then what are you missing? What life does God have available for you if you would get out of the negative, worry filled loop, and replace it with big faith in action? Oh girl, he would lead you to some wild, faith-filled spaces you could never reach alone and you would discover how much MORE there always was for you. Moses had spent 40 years living in fear. Back in Egypt he witnessed the Egyptian slave master abusing one of his own people, and in anger Moses killed the Egyptian. When the King found out, he came after Moses. Moses fled hundreds of miles away to the region of Midian. There in Midian, he chose to forget the palace he came from, and opted for a life of hiding as a shepherd in the fields. He lived a quiet, simple life – but all that time there was so much more in Moses. I wonder what MORE is in you, but you’ve been running from it. You’re afraid of what comforts you might have to leave, what sacrifice might be required of you, and what failure you could face, so you’ve stayed right where you are. You don’t dare answer the call for more. You don’t dare pursue a deeper passion within you. No, you just stay right where you are and dismiss everything else. Hmmmmm … seems to me there’s more in you, my sister. And it seems to me God might be calling you out. Here’s the truth: God doesn’t need one more of his girls to play little, go with the flow, fit in and do what everyone else is doing. No. God wants some of his girls to refuse those negative, fear based, worry filled thoughts and take them captive, just as his word tells us to do. 2 Corinthians 10:5, “We take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.” Your thoughts aren’t going to just change, you will have to MAKE THEM! No, worry, I will not allow you to flood my mind today. No, negativity, you don’t get a seat at my table. No, fear, you’re not welcome in my home. Now, what will you think about instead? What will flood your mind? What will get a seat at your table? What is welcome in your home? You get to decide that. If 85% of the things we worry about never even happen, then how about we stop worrying about them. How about we start focusing on the good things that can happen? How about we start dwelling on the promises of God we hold? How about we start seeking the good plans of God unfolding here for us and intentionally start stepping smack dab in the middle of them with an open heart, open mind and open hands. Yes, Lord – I’m ready for what you have for me. Fear will not hold me back here! So here’s Moses, hiding in fear for 40 years in Midian. Reliving his mistakes and failures, knowing he can never return to his home in Egypt because of what he’s done. And this is when God shows up! God acknowledges that Moses alone cannot rescue his people from Egypt, that this is a job for God’s own mighty hand. God promises Moses that he will raise his hand and strike the Egyptians. That his hand will cause the Egyptians to even look favorably on him and the Israelites and they will walk right out of Egypt, free. Not only free, but carrying the wealth of the Egyptians with them. Hearing all of this, Moses still has fear. Fear because now he is a nobody. He’s done nothing but shepherd sheep in pastures for the past 40 years. He’s been playing little for a really long time and this all seems way to big to him. God, surely you have the wrong person. It can’t be me! I remember 13 years ago God showed up for me, much like he did Moses, and he told me to start hosting a devotional call. Y’all, I didn’t even know what a devotional was. I was absolutely the least likely and most under-qualified person for that. And I argued with God, much like Moses did. God, it can’t be me. You’ve got the wrong girl. I don’t know your word. I can’t pray out loud without crying. After a wrestling match with God, I decided I would make a ONE WEEK commitment to hosting a live conference call with a short devotional. One week, and only one week. I was convinced during this one week that God would surely see I tried, but I wasn’t his girl, then he would move on and choose someone else. So, I showed up that week. It was cring-worthy as I plagiarized straight from a Joyce Meyer devotional book (I’ve asked forgiveness), and I was quite miserable. I continually dismissed myself in fear. The week came and passed, and God never cancelled my calling, it only grew and demanded I grow with it. No more plagiarizing, I had to write these devotionals on my own. No more playing little, I had to show up with the power of the Holy Spirit and let it flow. 13 years and over 3,000 devotionals later, I understand I actually AM GOD’S GIRL and my fear almost caused me to miss this! Fear may be threatening to cause you to miss the most beautiful blessings and greatest callings on your life. Are you going to let that happen? Moses was facing more than potential failure and embarrassment – he was facing complete annihilation, destruction and death. Of course he had fear. But fear could no longer have him! Yes, you will have fear – that’s natural. But will fear have you? Will fear rule your mind? Will fear run the board meetings in your head? Will fear make your decisions? Will fear be your leader? Only you get to decide. That brings us to Exodus 4. Moses is still arguing with God, still questioning how he could possibly be good enough to return to Egypt after 40 years and help set his people free. Fear had Moses, and God knew it. So that’s when God does something amazing! Verse 2, The Lord asked Moses, “What is that in your hand?” “A shepherd’s staff,” Moses replied. “Throw it to the ground,” the Lord told him. So Moses threw down the staff, and it turned into a snake! Moses jumped back. Why did Moses jump back? Because it’s a snake. We hard hard-wired to fear snakes. It’s part of our DNA. It is natural to have fear when you see a snake, but God wants to show Moses he has a choice here. A choice to NO LONGER ALLOW FEAR TO HAVE HIM! Verse 4, Then the Lord told him, “Reach out and grab its tail.” So Moses reached out and grabbed it, and it turned back into a shepherd’s staff in his hand. Here, Moses is learning it’s okay to have fear, but don’t let fear have you. He learned to do what God told him to do even when it’s uncomfortable. This was the exact lesson Moses needed to follow God into those wild, faith-filled spaces where he was being called. I have to believe you too are being called into some wild, faith-filled spaces. Spaces where fear is natural, but if you’re not careful, that fear will cause you to miss everything God has for you here. God isn’t telling you to not have the natural feelings of fear as you step out in obedience to follow him – he’s saying grab that fear by the tail and watch it become powerless over you! Have you ever laid in bed at night and been terrified by the noises? It’s literally the washing machine – but at night, it’s a potential threat to your very life and the hairs on your neck stand on end. You have the power to get up and turn on the light, or lay there afraid. What will you do? 80% of your thoughts are negative, fear based, worry filled thoughts. And 85% of them never actually happen! Are you going to allow fear over the things that will never even happen keep you from showing up for the things God has already ordained as possible in your life? Girl, grab that thing you fear by the tail. Stand up. Find your voice. Move forward in faith. God is with you!!!!!! Follow Pamela on Instagram – https://instagram.com/headmamapamela Or Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/pamela.crim Find out more about BIG Life – http://biglifehq.com

There are some things you can work your way through. There are some things you can talk your way out of. And then there are some things that no matter what you do, it simply will never be good enough. You do not have the power to change this. You do not have the strategy to fix this. And maybe you’re facing one of those situations right now. There’s nothing you can do to change the trajectory of where this is going. It’s going and you can’t stop it. That can truly leave a person feeling hopeless. Like you’re in the middle of a whirlpool and regardless of what you do, you’re getting sucked in and going down with this. For the hopeless soul listening right now who has watched every hope they were holding on to go down the drain, may I remind you that Romans 15:13 says, “May the God of HOPE fill you with all joy and peace as you TRUST in him, so that you may overflow with HOPE by the power of the Holy Spirit.” The God we love, the God we serve, the God we are here to hear from today, is the God of HOPE. He holds hope. He reigns over all hope. Our God is a hope dealer! Overflowing hope fills us when we trust in him. My friend, this situation may feel hopeless, but the God of HOPE is here to fill you with hope again. Hope that while you can’t change this, GOD CAN. And let me tell you HOW God can change it: With his hand! As God is giving Moses instructions on leading his people out of slavery in Egypt and into their promised land, God knows it’s truly a hopeless situation. Hopeless without God’s hand. There’s no way the Egyptians are going to allow their 2-3 million slaves of free labor to walk right out of captivity. There’s no way the Egyptian Pharaoh is going to just hand over the Israelites that have slaved away for 400 years. There’s absolutely nothing Moses could say to convince Pharaoh to let them go. There’s no war they could wage against their captors that would set them free. It was impossible. Impossible without God’s hand. But with God’s hand, it was already done! God says to Moses in Exodus 3: 19-22, “I know that the king of Egypt will not let you go unless a mighty hand forces him. So I WILL RAISE MY HAND and strike the Egyptians, performing all kinds of miracles among them. Then at last he will let you go. And I WILL CAUSE the Egyptians to look favorably on you. They will give you gifts when you go so you will not leave empty-handed. Every Israelite woman will ask for articles of silver and gold and fine clothing from her Egyptian neighbors and from the foreign women in their houses. You will dress your sons and daughters with these, stripping the Egyptians of their wealth.” God’s hand would do the impossible here. God’s hand would turn this situation around. Again, a situation that had been absolutely as bad as it could possibly be for 400 years. At this time, the Israelites had never known anything but slavery. Their great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-grandfathers were slaves here. It’s who they were and what they did. It was their lot in life. Nothing had ever been different for them, so why would they even dream of something different now? I bet there’s something that’s been passed down to you that’s always been. You don’t even know to dream of something different because it’s never even crossed your mind that there might be more for someone like you. BUT THERE IS. There is more. It doesn’t matter if the thing you’re facing is the thing that the past 10 generations in your family has faced, it can change here. It doesn’t matter if you’ve always been the one to screw it up, that can change here. How will it change? The hand of God! The hand of God will cause impossible things to become possible. The hand of God will change minds, cancel agreements with evil, and set prisoners free. The hand of God will break chains, terminate assignments of Hell, and cause the demons to flee. The hand of God will open doors, part seas, and make a way through the wilderness. Only the hand of God. Only the hand of God over this will change it, and the hand of God is all you need to change it. How do you get the hand of God on you? Is there a criteria for being good enough? Is there a list of things you have to do, give up and change before God’s hand is over your life? That’s certainly what I used to think. I was so caught up in a performance mindset, always trying to earn God’s approval and applause, just hoping everyone else would like me too. God totally wasn’t impressed with me either. I struggled to live in grace because I was performing to earn what is only given to the undeserving, and I had to be humbled to understand I was undeserving no matter what I did. Ezra 7:9-10 says Ezra “had the gracious hand of God on him.” (Then it tells us WHY.). “This was because Ezra had prepared his heart to seek the word of God and do it.” Girls, this is HUGE!!!!!! As you’re here listening today, seeking God’s word so you can apply it to your life, you are inviting the gracious hand of God to be on you! That gracious hand holds all power and can make the impossible possible. That gracious, powerful, mighty hand can change what you could never change! This is the hand that was over Moses and the Israelites when facing the Egyptians. It would never make sense for the Egyptians to just let their slaves leave after 400 years, but God’s hand was already in motion with the precise series of events and miracles that would not only set them free, but bless them on their way out! 9 chapters later, the impossible happens exactly as God had told Moses. Exodus 12:31, “Pharaoh sent for Moses and Aaron during the night, ‘Get out!’ he ordered. ‘Leave my people – and take the rest of the Israelites with you! go and worship the Lord as you have requested.'” Verse 36, “The Lord caused the Egyptians to look favorably on the Israelites, and they gave the Israelites whatever they asked for. So they stripped the Egyptians of their wealth!” What in the world?!!! How totally awesome is that?!!!! What happened in the 9 chapters in between to bring them to this moment of walking right out of the place where they had been held captive for 400 years? What happened in those 9 chapters was everything that had to happen BY THE HAND OF GOD. This was a job only the hand of God could do, and he did it! You may be facing a job that’s only for the hand of God – okay, great, then get his hand! How do you do that? Go back to Ezra 7: 9-10 again. “Ezra had the gracious hand of God on him. This was BECAUSE Ezra had prepared his heart to seek the word of God and do it.” Get yourself in God’s word. I mean dive in. Read. Study. Surrender. Abide. Obey. Go. Follow. Repeat. Read. Study. Surrender. Abide. Obey. Go. Follow. Repeat. God already knows what his hand can do in your life. His hand can change the trajectory of where this is going. His hand can stop this. His hand can fix this. And when you know his gracious, powerful, mighty hand is on you as your heart seeks his word and does it, then something incredible and unspeakable happens. Something that won’t even make sense … You will be filled with hope. You will have joy right in the middle of the chaos. You will have peace with the problem still present. You will overflow with hope as God’s hand moves in the unseen, and before you even seen it, you will know HE IS DOING IT. May your heart seek the word of God and do it. Then, may the gracious hand of God be on you and change every single thing that needs to be changed for you, for your family, for your future, and for his kingdom. Follow Pamela on Instagram – https://instagram.com/headmamapamela Or Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/pamela.crim Find out more about BIG Life – http://biglifehq.com

Within your breath, God has given you a divine gift. A gift that taps into the greatest of powers and deepest wisdom. Yes, right here in your breath. From the moment you were born, you’ve been doing it, without even being aware. Right now, it is happening. And today, God says, “My girl, I want you to now know what you’ve been doing your entire life and start doing it with intention.” At this moment, take a deep breath in. Now, slowly let that breath out through your mouth. Do it again, notice the sound of your inhale and your exhale. This sound is not an accident, it is divine. This sound is the call of God’s name. Do it again and listen. Breathe in. Breath out. This is God’s name. With each breath, you’re calling to your Creator. Your inhale makes the sound of YH. Your exhales makes the sound of WH. Together, inhale and exhale, we speak YHWH, the original Hebrew name God revealed of himself to Moses. Your Bible likely adds a few vowels to make a word we can pronounce, Yahew, but God’s intentions were for us to continually breathe his name. Open your Bibles, let’s check this out! Moses had an encounter with God in Exodus 3. God appears in a burning bush and calls out, “Moses! Moses!” “Here I am!” Moses replied. Then God proceeds to tell Moses he is aware of his people’s sufferings and he has come down to rescue them. God says to Moses, “Now go, for I am sending you.” But Moses protested to God, “Who am I to do this?” God answered, “I will be with you.” But Moses protested again, “The people will ask me who sent me.” So, God replied to Moses, “I Am Who I Am. Say this to the people of Israel: I Am has sent me to you.” God also said to Moses, “Say this to the people: YHWH has sent me to you.” What a bold move for Moses to ask God for his name. He feels so unqualified for this mission. So lacking. The imposter syndrome must have been screaming within him. “Moses, can’t rescue anyone. The last time you tried to help your people, you ended up killing someone. Now you’re running and hiding. There’s no way God is calling you.” But God says two things to Moses that give him the confidence he needs to step into his purpose. 1. Exodus 3: 14, “I Am Who I Am.” (we studied this yesterday) This means God has no equal. If you put God on one side of the equation, there’s absolutely nothing that can be equal to Him on the other side. God equals Only God. It has been said that our God is the “becoming one.” I never understood that until I took God being the “I Am” literally. God becomes whatever is lacking in our time of need. When we say we are too weak, God says I AM your strength. When we say we are stuck, God says I AM your way out. When we say we are hurting, God says I AM your healer. When we say we are in need, God says I AM your provider. God is mysteriously and miraculously always able to become everything you need. He is continually BECOMING your I AM. Moses felt completely unqualified, but God is telling him, “I AM QUALIFIED! I have everything you will need. I have the strength. I have the plan. I have the provisions. I have made the way. Trust me, I Am.” What do you need today? Can you lean in and hear God as he whispers to your soul, “I AM.” It’s who God is. It’s what he does. It’s his name. 2. Exodus 3:15 (NLT), God also said to Moses, “Say this to the people of Israel: Yahweh, the God of your ancestors, has sent me to you.” This is the name Moses’ ancestors have called him by. This wasn’t new. This was the God he has heard about his entire life. He is YHWH. Moses’ mother’s name was Jochebed which literally meant “YHWH is glory.” And now God is showing Moses, with every breath he takes, he is calling out to God. Inhale, YH. Exhale, WH. Without vowels, only the consonants of YH and WH, it’s a name we breath. We are literally created to breathe the name of our creator. YHWH represents breathing sounds. When pronounced without vowels, it sounds like breathing. A baby’s first breath speaks the name of God. YHWH. God hears, God draws near, God responds. And think about this, what about when tragedy strikes. You know, when life hits you so hard you can do nothing but moan and gasp for air. The harder you try to catch your breath, the louder you speak the name of God. Inhale, YH. Exhale, WH. Within the past few years, I’ve received phone calls from two of my best friends after each of them unexpectedly lost their husbands. They couldn’t speak. I only heard these deep, moans and gasps. They cried out in pain. I didn’t understand it then, but I do now, they were calling on the name of God. And God met them there in the worst moments of their lives and he has carried them through. Remember that when you’re crying out in pain and anxiety. When you’re fighting for every breath and you hear the sounds of your labored inhale and exhale. You’re calling on the very name of God. YHWH. Psalm 92: 15, God says, “When they call on me, I will answer; I will be with them in trouble, I will rescue and honor them.” With every breath, God is answering you. With every breath, God is rescuing you. Those times when it’s hard to breathe and every inhale and exhale is loud and labored, you’re calling even deeper to your rescuer. YHWH. Hasn’t he always gotten you through? Seriously, he’s never not given you the strength to make it through even you hardest days. Hasn’t he always provided? Hasn’t he always rescued you? You’ve never once been abandoned. Your God has always responded to you as you call his name. Job 12:10, “For the life of every living thing is in his hand, and the breath of every human being.” There’s a song I used to sing in Church that said, “It’s your breath in our lungs, so we pour out our praise, pour out our praise to only you Lord.” We are literally speaking the name of God when we breathe! Now, God wants us to breathe with intention. All your life, you’ve been breathing out of habit, speaking his name without knowing. But now, God has made you aware so you can grow even deeper in your relationship with him. Now, when you breathe and speak his name, you are more aware of his power filling your lungs. Not only is your body filled with his breath, but your mind is renewed with clarity. God has responded by breathing into you so you can live this life with his power! You can respond to his calling and step into your purpose. Just like Moses, when God calls, you can speak with confidence and say, “Here I am, YHWH!” God uses Moses to lead his people out of 400 years of captivity. He worked through Moses in miraculous ways, and no doubt, everything Moses wasn’t, GOD WAS. How? Remember he is the I AM. He is the becoming one. He becomes whatever is lacking in our time of need and fills us to overflowing so we are MORE THAN CONQUERORS THROUGH CHRIST JESUS! And when we have completed our earthly mission and God promotes us to an eternal paradise, we will take one final breath and call out his name. YHWH. And with that, God will respond with our final rescue. How incredibly divine that God gave himself a name we can’t help but speak every moment we’re alive. All of us, everywhere, all the time, we have the name of God on our lips. And now, we speak his name intentionally with our breath. God is everywhere. In every breath of every living creature. YHWH. We are fully dependent upon him, for without God, we have no breath. I don’t know about you, but I don’t think I will breathe the same. Follow Pamela on Instagram – https://instagram.com/headmamapamela Or Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/pamela.crim Find out more about BIG Life – http://biglifehq.com

Right now, if you’re taking notes, write God, and an equals sign. God (=). What does God equal? What equals God? One cup plus one cup equals two cups. They are the same. One is no greater than the other. So what equals God? Could you put holy on the other side of that equation? God = Holy? God is holy – yes, but holy does not equal God. God is so much more. How about power? God = Power? God is power – yes, but power does not equal God. God so much more. Oh but the greatest is love, right? God = Love? God is love – yes, but love does not equal God. God is so much more. There’s only one thing that can hold it’s weight on the other side of this equation. God = God. There is simply no one and no thing that can equal God, but God. There are no words to properly describe him. No number to measure him. No description fully fitting of him. God is God, the highest, the greatest, the most powerful, the never-ending, always was and always is. And our human minds struggle to comprehend that. We need a beginning. We need a measure. Because we only think in limits. But God is limitless! When God spoke to Moses in the burning bush and called him to lead his people out of captivity in Egypt, he tells Moses to tell the people he was sent by “I AM”. Well what does that mean? Exodus 3: 13-14, “But Moses protested, ‘If I go to the people of Israel and tell the, ‘The God of your ancestors has sent me to you’ they will ask me, ‘What is his name? Then what should I tell them?’ God replied to Moses, ‘I AM WHO I AM. Say this to the people of Israel: I AM has sent me to you.” In these days, anytime someone had personally heard from God, they came back with a name for God. When Rahab was thrown out into the desert and miraculously provided for by God when no one else cared about her, she calls God El Roi, the God Who Sees Me. When Abraham is about to sacrifice his son on the mountain, and God sends a ram for the sacrifice in his place, Abraham calls God Jehovah Jireh, the LORD Will Provide. When Gideon encounters an angel, he calls God Yahweh Shalom – The Lord Is Peace. So understand what Moses is asking God here – He is asking God what he should call him after this encounter. He’s being sent on a mission, but what will your name be on this mission, God? God answers, “I AM WHO I AM. You tell the people, I AM has sent me to you.” What could that possibly mean? Well, quite simply, it means EVERYTHING. You need to understand who your God is in your current situation, your current problem, and your current need. How will he show up for you? What will he do for you? How can you count on him? Answer – In every way, in every thing, for all things. God will show up for you in every way in this. He will do every thing he needs to do for you here. You can count on him for all things, there is absolutely NO FAIL in God because there is no equal to God. Nothing is bigger. Nothing is greater. Nothing is too hard. Nothing is too far gone. I once heard it put like this, “God is the becoming one.” What does that mean? That means God becomes whatever is lacking in our time of need. The name, “I AM” invites us to fill in the blank to meet our need. I need strength right now. God says, “I AM strength.” I really need provisions right now. God says, “I AM provisions.” I just need peace here. God says, “I AM peace.” I just need to know they way through this. God says, “I AM the way through this.” I need answers. God says, “I AM the answer.” I need healing. God says, “I AM healing.” I need help. God says, “I AM your help.” My friend, whatever it is you need today, GOD IS your answer. He becomes whatever is lacking in your time of need. There’s absolutely nothing he can’t do, no need he can’t meet, no emptiness he can’t fill. So, this is God’s invitation to you. What do you need today? Really, what is it? Big or small, just say it. Yes – for real. Speak it right now. Acknowledge that need. Big or small. Nothing is dismissed here. What do you need? Now, here God say to you, “I AM”. I am your answer. I am your strength. I am your peace. I am your way. I am your healing. I am your help. I AM. Moses’ question to God is what name should I give you for this specific impossible situation, Lord? Your people have been stuck in slavery for 400 years. We are beat down and broken. We have no way out. The Egyptians aren’t going to just let us walk away. This won’t just get better. What specific name can I use here for you, God? God, what will you equal here for us? God’s answer? God = God. I will equal everything for you. I will meet your every need. I will guide your every step. I will make the impossible possible. I will become everything that is needed every moment of this journey. I AM. I am your guide. I am your deliverer. I am your healer. I am your redeemer. I am your provider. I am your way maker. I AM. And if you know how the story ends, you know God delivered in every single way. Through mysterious acts and miraculous feats, through huge impossible moves and tiny unseen details, GOD WAS. He delivered his people. He provided for his people. He guided his people. He healed his people. He made a way for his people. God alone did that. God = God. The I AM. He became in every way, in every thing, for all things. But this isn’t just a story for us to read and remember what God did thousands of years ago. This is a reminder for us of who our God still is today. Of who he is today for us personally. FOR YOU, in your situation, with your problem. God says to you today, I STILL AM. In every way, in every thing, for all things, I AM. He has heard your prayers. He has seen your tears. He knows your heart. Now he extends an invitation to you to go with him and experience who he really is for you. He’s not just the God of the Bible, he is YOUR GOD in your real life. He’s not just the creator of your existence, he is the caretaker of your existence. He’s not just the rescuer of your soul, he is the He is the redeemer of your story, the healer of your hidden wounds. He is the one who walks with you through every valley, and he’s right here with you today saying, “MY GIRL, I AM YOUR ANSWER! YOU CAN TRUST ME WITH THIS.” Now, what will you do with that? Follow Pamela on Instagram – https://instagram.com/headmamapamela Or Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/pamela.crim Find out more about BIG Life – http://biglifehq.com