I overcame some fears of abstraction in what turned out to be a more impressionistic work. This piece will be up for auction the 18th of May.

Keys: a seasonal observation on prayer and deliverance

In this season I have been encountering places in myself, and in loved ones, where we have given keys or authority that we need wrongly to another. I am finding that this is a bondage of agreement. Either through fear, manipulation, coercion, or control--especially any of those deceptions operating under the guise of wise council, mutual benefit, flattery, or false humility. Agree with me in asking for God to show us the places where we have allowed a "gatekeeper" to step in.
gate·keep·er  (gtkpr)

n.

1. One that is in charge of passage through a gate.

2. One who monitors or oversees the actions of others.

By bestowing our rightful authority to another we enter a pattern of confusion, codependence, and strife. This is not Godly accountability. Good news! Your full power and authority can be instantly restored to you! If this has stirred up in your heart, if you have been dealing with a gatekeeper in your life, I encourage you to dismiss the gatekeepers and walk in boldness through all of the "gates" you encounter:

God, I repent of places where I have given over keys and authority you have placed in my hand to another. I fall out of alignment with that pattern, and choose now to take up my full authority in Christ Jesus. I command any keys held by a gatekeeper to turn to ash in their hand; I release the gatekeeper (whether a physical person or spiritual entity or both) from their position in my life, and shut out their access and their gaze. I declare that I have received the keys to the kingdom of heaven, my gate is called beautiful, and the Lord blesses my coming in and my going out! I have been given this heavenly authority in Christ and will not relinquish it to another. I will operate and make my path according to the truth of my salvation. I will direct my feet and stand firm on the belief and the promises God has placed in my heart. Open my eyes and ears to see and hear potential gatekeepers that would seek to bind my destiny to them. Give me strategy, wisdom, and discernment that I might not fall prey or align myself or my purposes to them. Give me grace to keep the keys you have given me firmly in my hands, walking my journey without fear. Amen.

Today I made a smoothie so wonderful that my current active social media addictions lacked the ability to contain it. So after texting my boyfriend, tweeting, and updating my facebook status about the genius of this smoothie I finally landed here dear blog to impart to you the recipe for this delightful drink...If I can remember it. I think it goes something like this:
You will need-
-patience to read my writing since basically every ingredient has the word "organic" beside it, an annoying but important detail I find. Feel free to modify as your dietary needs require.

-a Vitamix Blender (I love you Hippo! Yes, my blender is named Hippo)
-1 scoop of powdered chocolate flavored protein mix (I recommend Rainbow Light Protein Energizer Powder Chocolate)
-1 organic banana
-1 cup frozen or fresh organic blue berries
-1/2 cup plain greek yogurt
-2 Tbsp organic spirulina
-2 Tbsp organic coconut oil
-2 tsp of cinnamon
-1 tsp raw ground cocao nibs
-1 tsp raw organic local honey
-10oz water and ice

Blend until smooth. ;) Or 1 minute on high if blending via Vitamix. Serve and enjoy immediately! Seriously do this now, its a good one. I'm like the smoothie whisperer today.

This is a list of declarations I am believing for this year:

Prophetic Delcarations 2012

• 2012 will be a Defining Year.  Over the course of this year, You will be defined.  Things in your life will be defined This will be a year of definition.  Your edges will become sharper and you will "find your lane"
• A year of personal significance.  People will discover their personal signficance and from that place, they will be able to create what's really in your heart.
• Significant Steps will be taken.  Signficant decisions will be made that will shape what we see in the future.  Some foundational blocks that will affect our future will be established this year.
• Significant changes will happen for people... (Specifically in the area of occupation.)  Once you align to your passions and to what's in your heart, it moves you on the inside so things will change on the outside.  It moves you from a place of 'safety/comfort'... to a place where you're living with passion and freedom
• "Sing the song of your heart"... In order to sing the song of your heart, it may require some change.  The sing that is inside of you, you'll be able to sing it with passion without limitations!  Limitations being taken off.  God will re-unite us with the passions of our heart.  (Ask yourself- "If I pursue what's REALLY in my heart, what will happen?)
• There will be an increase in drive in passion but also tenderness and compassion.
• Family, the power of family and unity will come alive in 2012. 
• Storms are clearing... You are going to actually smell the scent of rain in the air in your life.  People have been dealing with storms will begin to see them clear this year.
• Hopes renewed like a sunny new day.  People who have felt hopeless in areas of their life, will have hope renewed.
• Relationships will be restored. There will be no more ruts in the road.  For people who feel like, in relationships, they go down this certain road, this certain way, those ruts will disappear because new fresh soil will be poured in those ruts and you'll begin to establish new pathways inside of those relationships.
• Life long love will be discovered... where you really knew what love looks, feels, tastes like.  It will be like a treasure discovered in your life.
• Creativity will be sparked in your life.  (Like a 'sparkler' on 4th of July)
• Laughter!  Laughter being found in very odd places... There will be laughter in your home, your workplace, with certain relationships, in places where you go where laughter is not acceptable, there will be laughter there.
• Wardrobe changes.  Changes in vocations will cause change of wardrobe... people's wardrobe will change and it will feel like who you really are.  You will be what you really wanted to do and will feel very good being in those clothes.
• We will be returning to the Joy of our salvation.  We will begin to encounter God with each other and inside of community.  There will be a joy in encountering God with one another.
• We are entering a season where we will have continual momentum that will never stop.  We will begin to live in the momentum and fruit of what we've been preparing for both personally and corporately. 
• This year will be the beginning of the movement that never dies. -Bob Jones
• Key people that we have seen in our families will begin to unlock doors.  The 'key people' will begin to come into Kingdom alignment and it will unlock doors and give people in the family the opportunity to choose new ways.
• Hope renewed.  "Every place you don't have hope, you're believing a lie."  The Lord will begin to show us where we're believing lies so that we can live lives of hope.
• Key words- Light and exposure.  "Nothing is created in darkness."
• Joy will bring health.  Healing coming to us in new ways. (Mental and physical)
• It will be the year that the orphan (heart/mindset) dies.
• "Learning how to do it His way"
• We will begin to process our dreams with one another.  We will get to work through and process what's really in our friends and our families hearts.

Hello Blog, I have been avoiding you. I know, but please don't take it personally. It's not you it's me. I have trouble narrowing down my thoughts, but this is a new season and I think that is changing for me. This is going to be a defining season, one where the rough edges are sanded down. One where I create because it makes me come alive. One where I am not afraid to share because I am not afraid to be seen for who I am. So bare with me or bear with me for those who have no regard for homophones and like to imagine me standing next to a teddy.
See what I mean, not a coherent thought in the bunch, but times they are a changing, ...I think.