The Uncaged Journey

We all go through seasons when it feels as if our backs are against the wall. Circumstances around us scream in our face and demand our attention, yet regardless of how long we stare in their direction, nothing changes. At times, we feel powerless. We fight the enemy with declarations of God's Word, we fast and pray, and do everything in the natural to fix what we can, only to wind up exhausted. God Has a Better Way Every opposition we face must be met with faith. We know this. As believers, we've invested our lives in believing what we cannot see with natural eyes or understand with the finite mind. So what do we do when we've done everything we can and feel like our faith has been hijacked by terrorists? The answer—we rest. Rest goes against our fight-or-flight instinct. It feels counterproductive and impractical. Let's be honest—when you're in a battle, resting does not come naturally. Surely the only way to victory is by fighting! Yet right here, in this pl

Today's article is an excerpt from my book, Prayers on Fire , which I wrote with Brian Simmons. I pray it's a blessing to you. ~Gretchen    I’m mesmerized; awestruck over the beauty of your creation. The evidence of your creative genius streams from the heavens with glory. All of earth echoes your name. There is no denying that you are the Master Artist who set before us your most beautiful works of art.  The moon and stars are dazzling, brilliantly glowing against the night sky like jewels mounted in their settings. Still, I’m awed by something even more splendid than the wonders I see above. God, though you’re famous—great and powerful— you know me by name and call me your child. I am your masterpiece. My Father, whose name is known throughout the universe, you have created me to be just like you. Filled with glory, I’ll shine in the darkness, illuminating the world with your splendor and compassion. Crowned with majesty, I’ll stand in authority before

There it is—that wall that has been standing in front of you, for longer than you care to remember. It taunts you. Tries to intimidate you. Reminds you of what hasn't happened. It arrogantly proclaims that its power to hold you back is greater than God's ability to thrust you beyond it. What that wall doesn't realize is that it was erected on a foundation of lies. It doesn't stand as a true representation of your situation. It is an illusion—one that you were created to rise above. Scarlet Lily Photography If you look closely at this barrier to your breakthrough, you'll see that it has protrusions—small steps for you to climb. God took what the enemy built to oppose you, and made a way for you to use it to your advantage. Scaling this wall will strengthen you. As you clamber your way to the top, it will scream, emphasizing the impossibility of your conditions. But you were made for the impossible! Every fiber of your being will want to quit; to succumb t

Life is made up of moments. Some fill the space of seconds, while others span years; even decades. These moments—these encounters with miracles, brushes with tragedy, or pains of heartbreak eventually weave themselves together to form a lens, which we see life through. Often, they  serve as taskmasters, fighting to beat us down and strip away our hope, our dreams, and a healthy way of viewing life. But if we take all of these flashes of pain and submit each one to God, then they must bow. They must yield. Traumas submit themselves to the omnipotence of God, who blows away the dry, crusted remains of tears and miraculously turns them into strength and joy. Scarlet Lily Photography The very fabric of our being and the way we interact not only with others, but with our own thoughts, viewpoints, and expectations, is altered when we surrender the collection of these moments before the sovereignty of God. Our perspective leaps into His frame of reference and suddenly the past looks d

Have you ever had a moment ? You know, one of those moments when you are on the verge of losing it, because the enormity of a problem is screaming in your face? Yes, I have too—just the other day. I'm happy to report that God, in His great mercy, took my moment , graciously pulled me close and brushed off the pollution of discouragement.. Scarlet Lily Photography As a matter of fact, that one encounter with the Lord changed my perspective on trials. I realized how grateful I am for them. Yes, grateful. Don't get me wrong—nobody enjoys suffering! Process with me. How would you know that God is faithful if you never needed Him to come through? How would you be sure how devoted you are to Him, if that love was never tested? To discover His power, you must first need it. God is a good God, and He will never inflict suffering or sickness to prove that He can overcome, but He will prove His love and unlimited power despite these things. Trials reveal where our fa

All of us have at least one thing we are standing in faith for. Day after day, we pray. We stand. We worship and we declare God's truth. Until the manifestation comes, we wait and we believe—sometimes through tears and sometimes with tenacity. Always, by His grace. This morning the Lord gave me flashbacks of moments in my life that literally changed everything. Scene after scene, I was reminded of the power that one moment holds. One word I'd waited to hear, one decision, one touch of healing, one revelation, one tragedy—life, radically impacted in an instant. The Lord is encouraging us to be in expectation mode, especially if we've recently been knocked down. The enemy loves to thrust our attention toward the problem and away from the One who holds the answer. Regardless of how long you've believed for your breakthrough, do not give up! Your breakthrough is a moment away—a mysterious, inexplicable, precious point where God's will and your life converge. Sc

Easter Sunday is a day for us to turn our hearts and remember the single greatest act of love the world has ever known. Yet the beauty of Resurrection Sunday, extends far beyond one day. The revelation of this perfect, extravagant love, must become so real that we are aware of it every day of the year.  Jesus’s unrelenting love has no conditions. It desired us and saw our beauty, even in our most miserable mess. It has the strength to silence every lie and the tenderness to draw us near. It’s passionate—willing to pay the greatest price to prove its devotion. This is the mystery of perfect love that burns within our souls. It causes us to bow in gratefulness, worship with abandon and shout our praise. The substance of His love can permeate every aspect of our lives and radically transform us.   The One who taught the stars to dance and lifted mountains to majestic heights, not only thought you were worth dying for, He believes that yours is a life worth living. He is continually

The other day my daughter told me about a woman who believes she is a cat. It seems safe to say that the attack against identity is running rampant. It also seems safe to say that discovering our true identity is on the Lord’s heart. Recently, at a routine doctor’s visit, two of the questions they are required to verbally ask, surprised me: 1.      Are you a female, male, or other? 2.      How would you like us to refer to you: she, he, or other? After I laughed and made sure they weren’t asking because they couldn’t tell the answer, it hit me—lack of identity has become an epidemic. Confusion about who we really are, is so acceptable that society pats us on the back and tells us it’s normal to be perplexed. But God is very clear about our identity and He longs for us to be, as well. ScarletLilyPhotography Discovering who we are and how the Lord sees us, are life-altering truths. They affect our calling and our entire outlook on life. In a world that bombard

I saw a fiery blue flame resting on our hearts. It was burning with faith and power, stirring our resolve. Beneath it, flowed a stream of peace melting into the deepest caverns of fear and unbelief. Then I heard the Lord say, "Declare your victory! Stand in confidence and shake off the dirty rags of doubt. You are more than a conqueror! I created you for victory! You have the power to change things! Drench your soul, not with thoughts of what has gone wrong or what could go wrong, but with anticipation of good. See with the eyes of faith I've given you! Put My Words on your lips and believe in their power! Agree with My Word and put an end to doubt. "My passion for you is both a fire and a river. Able to burn away what contradicts Kingdom truth, while bringing peace that surpasses understanding. Soak your heart in the rivers of My love and invite My fire to go deeper than it has before. Let it consume your heart until My passion annihilates wrong mindsets. It

This morning, as I was getting gloriously "sucked" into that place of worship where nothing else matters, I felt the Lord speaking to my heart: "This is the place I have created you for. The invitation for peace and total release from stress, is always available. There is only one reason why you have days when you can't seem to shake the relentless thoughts—it's because you haven't gone far enough into love. Fall deeper, past the shackles of this world that bind you to the cares and concerns that plague you, into My arms. Become so focused on Me, so filled with My love that all fears, insecurities, questions, and frustrations, cannot be found. My love is powerful enough to drown them all, but you must let Me. Only you can choose how much you will release to Me. Only you can decide how far into My presence you will go. I will never block the way. Trust Me. Come closer."

This morning I felt a rumble in my spirit—like thunderous clouds announcing the coming lightning. The image of God rising from His throne and planting His feet forcefully on the ground ran through my mind. The Father was about to address the chaos. In my spirit I heard these words, "Enough is enough! Declare the victory! Stand firmly with your feet planted in My truth. In faith and boldness, declare My promises over your situation. But once you have done that, REJOICE! Stop looking at what you see with your natural eyes and see with the eyes of faith. Truly believe that every plan of the enemy is not only going to be crushed, but that I will flip things around and bring the opposite result.  Laugh! Allow joy to spring up within you. I truly am a good God! Let faith fill your vision and overtake every fear, discouragement, and anxious thought. Fill your spirit and your mind with what you know to be true according to My Word. Shake off the heaviness of this last season. My vict

This morning the Lord spoke to me about His breath. I pray that His words, which settled so sweetly upon my heart will bless you: "I am the breath that steadies the heartbeat of your life. I am the the breath that sustains you. My breath lifts you above the littered terrain that causes you to stumble, when you live in the lowly state of unbelief and fear.  Rest now. All ow M e to take control. T he breath of M y Spirit will direct your life, propel you forward, and guide your steps. Let go of everything that is cluttering your mind and invite My cleansing breath to blow away the thoughts that don't agree with My Word.  Trust Me. Let your words and your thoughts agree with Mine. You will see My breath come with the strength of a hurricane to clear away all that is not of My Spirit. I am with you. I am working on your behalf. I love you. Only believe."

This morning I heard the Lord say,  "Don't look behind you to see what was. Turn your eyes with expectation to what lies ahead. With each step forward, pave the road before you with words of faith and declaration. Let words of fear, doubt, and disappointment be left behind—otherwise they fall from your lips like quicksand upon a path that is meant to be paved with golden truth. With your eyes upon Me and your faith in line with My promises, I will lead you forward. Trust Me. Release the past. I love you and I hold the answers that you need."