Hey Siestas!!! I barely have words to express how much of an honor it is for me to share with y’all. I absolutely adore Mama Beth and the community that she has cultivated here on the interwebs!
My name is Karina Allen. I am 35 and from New Orleans, LA but have lived in Baton Rouge since 1998. Much of my time here is spent at the gym, babysitting or at my local church, Healing Place. I am involved in a myriad of ministries and outreaches. I am on the worship team, a leader for High School girls, active in our women’s ministry, nursery registration team volunteer, a part of young adult ministry, and a teacher for our kids’ dance ministry. I also help with our inner city outreaches and to bring awareness to human trafficking through Trafficking Hope Inc. I taught preschool for about 10 years but I knew that that wasn’t the call of God on my life. I am a freelance writer and editor. I’m a contributor for Incourage as well as a few other sites. I am working on my certification to be a Life Coach. I long to speak, hope, truth, life, encouragement and purpose into the souls of women. My dream is for each woman to fully walk out their identity in Christ in the specific calling that He has for each of their lives.
“…and provide for those who grieve in Zion—to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the Lord for the display of His splendor.” Isaiah 61:3 NIV
Really, the whole of Isaiah 61 is incredible! It is all about the Spirit of the Sovereign Lord and what His anointing empowers us to have and to be. I don’t know about you, but most days I don’t feel empowered. I feel a bit defeated by life, others and even myself. But that is not God’s will for my life or for yours. His desire is for His Spirit to come alive in us, to overflow and impact those around us.
Recently, I was at my friend Elizabeth’s house working on some writing projects. She has this gorgeous black and white photo hanging of an oak tree from New Orleans’ City Park. And verse 3 of Isaiah 61 was beautifully written underneath it. My gaze repeatedly returned to that photo and that verse much of the night. It’s as though the Lord was trying to get my attention. I knew that this needed to be a verse that I committed to memory and needed to become embedded within my very marrow.
1.) God wants to trade the pain we acquire from this world with His good and perfect gifts. Before sin entered the world, mourning and despair were never even a concern. The world has been bombarded with evil and suffering. People cause harm and bad things happen. But God wants us to know that even in the midst of tragedy, we can experience His peace, comfort and even joy.
2.) Through the trading process, God’s dream is for us to become oaks of righteousness. Now, this may not seem like something we would want to be described as, but it should be. Oak trees are remarkable! They are strong, tough and extremely resilient. They have roots that reach down deep into the earth. When we exchange our hurt with the Lord’s goodness, this is the outcome. We dig deep into His Word and discover His promises for us. We stand firm on that foundation and the storms of life are unable to shake us. We allow Him to be the lifter of our heads and fill us with His hope. We become confident that He will work all things together for good to those of us that love Him and are called according to His purpose. (Romans 8:28)
3.) As we grow to be oaks of righteousness, we turn into a display of the Lord’s splendor. On display for all to see…that is an intimidating thought. Don’t let it be. People watch us. They watch how we live and what we say if we profess Christ. They watch how we respond in both good and bad seasons. That’s okay. As we are conformed to the image of Christ, others take notice and eventually desire to know why our lives are different. That is often how the Father draws hearts to Himself.
My Sister…
Beauty, joy and praise await you.
Deep roots are calling out to you.
His splendor is ready to be displayed through you.
For His Name and His Renown,
Karina Allen
Andrea S.
Fort Worth, TX
“Jesus said unto him, you shalt love the Lord thy God with all your heart and with all your soul, and with all your mind”
Matthew 22:37 KJV
Amy Spry
Dothan, AL
John 13:34-35 NIV
A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this, all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love another.
Ally, Houston, Tx.
“My brothers, do not show favoritism as you hold on to the faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ. For example, a man comes into your meeting wearing a gold ring and dressed in fine clothes, and a poor man dressed in dirty clothes also comes in. If you look with favor on the man wearing the fine clothes and say ‘Sit here in a good place,’ and yet you say to the poor man, ‘Stand over there,’ or ‘sit here on the floor by my footstool,’ haven’t you discriminated among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts?”
James 2:1-4 HCSB
Bette from Danville,PA
Colossians 3:12 NIV
Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.
Tracy Pratz Las Cruces, NM
I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.
Romans 8:18 NIV
Kristen Schwark, Indianapolis, IN
Luke 11:10 NIV
For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.
Tina, Columbus, Ohio
But I trust in your unfailing love, my heart rejoices in your salvation. I will sing the Lord’s praise, for he has been good to me. Psalm 13:5-6
Marie Franse, Albuquerque NM: teach me, Lord, the way of your decrees, that I may follow it to the end. Give me understanding, so that I may keep your law and obey it with all my heart. Psalm 119:33-34
Erin from Conway, AR
“In that day the Root of Jesse will stand as a banner for the peoples;
the nations will rally to him, and his resting place with be glorious”
Isaiah 11:10 (NIV)
Ps. 37:7
Do not be wise in your own eyes; Fear the Lord and turn away from evil.
NASB
Sheila Johnson, Beckley, WV Trust me in your times of trouble, and I will rescue you, and you will give me glory. Psalm 50:15 NLT
Danielle, Evansville IN
More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have not received reconciliation. Romans 5:11, ESV
Mary McNeal
Roswell, Georgia
“Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, whoever sows generously will also reap generously.” 2 Corinthians 9:6 (NIV)
Lindsey Buchanan St. Augustine, FL
Romans 8:28 MSG
“That’s why we can be so sure that every detail in our lives of love for God is worked into something good.”
Pamela Guins, Taylorsville, NC
1 Peter 5:10 (NIV) And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast.
Holly Barrett, Crossnore NC
“Therefore let us approach the throne of grace with boldness, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us at the proper time.” Hebrews 4:16 HCSB
Lisa Lucik Sugar Land, TX
“Therefore my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor is not in vain.”
1 Corinthians 15:58 NIV
Jill Greer, Medina, TN
“The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of our God endures forever.”
Isaiah 40:8 NIV
Vicki, Surprise AZ
“I will refresh the weary and satisfy the faint.”
Jeremiah 31:25 NIV
Shannon, Columbia, SC
“Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.”
Romans 12:21 (NIV)
Angie
Albertville AL
Slaves, in all things obey those who are your masters on earth, not with external service, as those who merely please men, but with sincerity of heart, fearing the Lord. Col 3:22 NASB
Shelly Elston, Portland, OR
“It is right for me to feel this way about you all, because I hold you in my heart, for you are all partakers with me of grace, both in my imprisonment and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel.”
Philippians 1:7 (ESV)
Cathy Pernsteiner Clarkston, WA
He brought me out into a spacious place; he rescued me because he delighted in me.
Psalm 18:19 NIV
Ella, St. Augustine, FL
“For I know the plans I have for you declares the Lord. Plans to prosper you and not to harm you. Plans to give you a hope and a future.” Jeremiah 29:11
Debbie, Tennessee
The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life; and he that winneth souls is wise.
Proverbs 11:30
KJV
Susan Young, Fairhope,AL
There is only one Lawgiver and Judge, the One who is able to save and destroy. But you- who are you to judge your neighbor?
James 4:12 (NIV)
Tina Lockhart Gulfport Ms
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied. Matthew 5:6 ESV
Julia Posel, Munich, Germany. „A final word: Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power.“
(â€â€Ephesians‬ â€6:10‬ â€NLT‬‬)
Jennifer Lane, Grand Rapids, MI
1 Corinthians 3:7 “So neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow.”
Independence, MO
2 Samuel 22 : 37 NKJV
You enlarged my path under me;
So my feet did not slip.
Melissa; Little Rock AFB.
“The Lord is my rock and my deliverer.” 2 Samuel 2:22
Sarah, Queretaro, Mexico
The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and his ears are attentive to their cry.
Psalm 34:15 (NIV)
Kerry from Houston, TX
“I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.”
Revelation 1:8 NASB
Rhonda Nelson Grapevine, TX
“Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord would fulfill His promises to her!”
Luke 1:45 NIV
Megan Watson, Dothan, AL
“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.” Romans 8:28, NIV
Lori Smith Little Rock AR
Philippians 4:12 NIV I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need
Nathalie Van Hoorebeke, Birmingham, UK
Phil 3:10a Amp
[For my determined purpose is]
that I may know Him.
Susie McNeely Russellville AR
Matthew 10:42 NIV And whoever gives one of these little ones only a cup of cold water in the name of a disciple, assuredly, I say to you, he shall by no means lose his reward.”
“They shall speak of the glory of Your kingdom and tell of Your power” –Psalm 145:11 (ESV)
Linda Wright
Sugar Land, TX
“Write down the revelation and make it plain on tablets so that a herald may run with it.” Habakkuk 2:2 NIV
Searcy, Arkansas:
2 Corinthians 10:4
4 The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds.
Eva, Knoxville, TN – I know that everything God does will endure forever, nothing can be added to it and nothing taken from it. Ecclesiastes 3:14a NLT
Meredith
Virginia Beach, VA
John 7:38New International Version (NIV)
38 Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them.”
Cindy Webster, San Diego, CA
Proverbs 15:1 NIV
A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.
Ashley Roth, Peachtree City, Ga.
There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves punishment, and the one who fears is not perfected in love. 1 John 4:18 (NAS)
Abigail Dubbe, Red Lion PA, Matthew 6:34, “Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” (NIV)
Whitney from Russellville, TN
I rejoiced in the Lord greatly that now at length you have revived your concern for me. You were indeed concerned for me, but you had no opportunity.
Phil. 4:10. ESV
Suzy Zumbro, Anchorage, AK
Heb 11:1 (ESV)
Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.
Sherry from Perry, Georgia
“Delight yourself in the Lord,
and He will give you the desires of your heart.”
Psalm 37:4 (ESV)
Adrienne, Valdosta, GA
“You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.”
Psalm 23:5 NIV