Lean Not On Your Own Understanding

I love, love, love to design! Since the day we bought our first home I have explored!! Whether it be furniture, textures, paint, building, and or learning some new tools or techniques I love to try to make things come to life! This last little while Jamie and I have been working on designing a fun little project and although it’s been tiring, it’s been FUN! We have a great team putting their hands on our designs and are bringing them to life!!! While Jamie’s been working I’ve been living in his truck, hauling lumber, picking up lighting, barn board, tile... you name it... the trucks seen it!! I’ve always said my dream vehicle would be a new truck! But for now I drive Jamie’s when he’s at work!! This season of our journey has been an interesting one! It says in Proverbs ‘A man plans his way but The Lord directs his steps.’ Well this morning I was up at 4am. I couldn’t sleep...I had a ton to do today so after laying in bed until 5am I decided it was go time! First, I grabbed my bible and coffee and asked God to speak to me. I opened a newer bible that hadn’t been packed yet, put it on my lap and randomly opened it before turning to where I was reading... AND this one verse LEPT off the page! ‘Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding!’ This is a verse I know well. learned it at a young, young age. Yesterday, I had shared with our congregation how God speaks to each one of us in and through His word and reveals things to us that we need to hear! His Word is personal, full of wisdom, truth and POWER! Out of the thousands of verses recorded in the bible this timely one spoke to me today, a Rhema Word! It’s what I needed today! God is personal. He knows what we need, when we need it and it causes joy to abound in and through us when He speaks so personally!
Today I’m reminded that I am a surrendered life and that He is directing my path! 💛 How awesome to know He’s in control?! Here’s a sneak peak at some of our project!
1st Picture- Before
2nd Picture - Mid Reno
3rd Picture- His Word! 😍
4th Picture- How I feel when I lean on my own understanding!! #17to40#rhemaword #leannotonyourownunderstanding

Family Ministry

Sunday’s are a full day for our family. Jamie was ministering in Michigan so I had the honour of bringing the Word to our house. Jase was up bright and early as he wanted to go on the journey with his dad today to minister. I love that the children love to be a part of our family ministry. It’s not just Jamie’s Ministry and it’s not just my Ministry. When God called us, he called the whole Paton crew. 
Tonight I’m thankful for our church, friends and family, and for the love and encouragement they bring to us. I’m thankful they allow us to be the leaders God’s called us to be, and to do the things God’s called us to do! Today, I’m thankful the children love to be part of what God is doing! #18to40

Looking more like my Father

Today was quite the day!! It started out full , then midday I was working for my cousin in a super chill environment and then all of a sudden around 3:30pm life just became crazy!! So many things that were out of my control but directly effecting us took place. Of course to add to the hoopla of it all, this was happening during rush hour traffic in North West London. Speaker phone and handsfree would have been ever so lovely if I could skip over using Siri. Honestly I think she finds enjoyment out of watching me say, ‘Call Jamie.’ and then randomly say something back to me that sounds NOTHIIINNNNGGGG LIKE WHAT I JUST TOLD HER!!! She causes my blood to come to a complete boil in a matter of .0098765 seconds. Yep pretty amazing that a robot can have that kind of effect on you!! (Does anyone ever raise their voice to Siri?)

As I’m typing I’m thinking of a parallel. How many times has God given us instructions and we’ve completely skirted around them responding as if we didn’t hear what He said? I know how frustrated I become when people don’t listen to instruction, counsel or misinterpret what’s been said. When we’ve been given a task and misinterpret it, our ever so Faithful Father speaks the instructions again, and unctions us to go the right way.
I desire the gifts of the spirit to be evident in my life.. but even more than that, I desire the FRUIT of the Spirit to be evident in my life. I want to exemplify the character of Christ! The FRUIT of the spirit is different from the GIFTS of the Spirit. I’ve seen some powerful ministers, but if they’re operating with the gifts and there is no evident fruit, I become concerned.

Galatians 5:22-23 But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives. Love, joy, peace, patience’s, self control, goodness, faithfulness.
1 Corinthians 13 sums up the importance of the fruit with the gifts.
It’s not saying the gifts aren’t vital, it’s simply saying, If you have the gift of Prophecy, if you have faith that can move mountains, if you give all you have to the poor BUT DO NOT have love, you gain nothing!
Love is patient, love is kind. 💛
So I encourage you, ask the Lord to let your character be reflective of His. Cry out and ask him for help. Ask Him to fill you with the fruit of the spirit and that it would be evident to all those who surround you.
Galatians 5:25 ‘Since we are living by the Spirit, let us follow the Spirits leading in EVERY part of our life!’
#21to40 #desirethecharacterofChrist #fruitoftheSpirit

If you lead, learn to follow.

Submission isn’t submission until you disagree. This was a quote I heard when I was a young leader and it has stuck with me over the years. Often times we are afraid to share our dreams and plans with fathers and mothers in the faith for fear they’ll quash them. Sometimes their wise words take the wind out of our sails and feel like a blow. But it’s important to know great leaders are first great followers. It’s important to have those in your life who genuinely love you, and who want God’s best for you, so when you share your dreams, concerns or desires with them you know the counsel they give may be hard to hear but is crucial for growth. Surround yourself with those who are living their own dreams so they aren’t trying to live through yours. There is value in Godly counsel.

Without counsel plans fail, but with many advisers they succeed.
Proverbs 15:22

The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, but a wise man listens to advice.
Proverbs 12:15

#23to40 #toleadwelllesrntofollow

Stop Waiting Start Running

Farmers who wait for perfect weather never plant. If they watch every cloud, they never harvest. Ecclesiastes 11:4

So many are waiting for the perfect season, the perfect scenario, a bigger pay check, a bigger sphere of influence, the children to be grown, a bigger congregation, a better worship team... come on somebody kick it in high gear and put your hand to the plow! The time is short, the labourers few. Many have opinions and are casting judgement on the Harvest but few have manure under their fingernails! Get your boots dirty and your hands calloused.

Let’s stop watching every cloud and waiting for perfect weather or the perfect scenario. If we keep making excuses we will be excused. It’s time to RUN with purpose in every single step!! You can do it, all of heaven is cheering you on!!

Since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us! Hebrews 12:1.
#24to40 #runwithpurpose #stopwatchingstartrunning

Trust God's TIming

Keep your hands off Hagar! Ishmael’s a plan that smells like you.’- J. Paton

Hear the promise, trust the process, wait for His timing and perfect plan.#25to40 #knowthepromise #trustGodstiming

Turn Yourself AROUND!

Learn to Laugh and Turn Yo-self around!!!!

Well today my good friend Andrea and I decided to hit up Hobby Lobby in the good Ol' US of A! I usually love to drive because I like to be in control, but she has a new set of wheels so was eager to put some miles on it. Now, I need to preface this story by giving you some important information. One thing about my friend is she loves to talk to herself. Whether she's mixing your hair colour, throwing a party and making food, or driving, you WILL hear her rebuke or encourage herself. This is one of the funniest things about her. You'll often hear things like, "Oh Andrea, come on! Andrea you can do it, Oh Andrea, not that way!' Now, back to my story... So today we went to Hobby Lobby and spent over 2 hours in there. Walking the isles, breaking horns of deer, and asking the poor sales associate to please take another big item to cash. Finally it was time to check out, we had a young man roll the trolly to the door where we packed the van to the gills.

We had dinner, then geared up to head home. You know how it goes as you start approaching the border you plead with the Lord for favour. Well, it never fails, I always end up in the slowest line. Finally it was our turn, we pulled up to the window and the guard was great. She asked us where we live, what we bought, how much we spent, if we had any alcohol, tabaco, firearms etc..etc..etc.. Seeing as we each spent well over our daily limit, we were told to pull off to the right and to go inside to give the guards more detailed information about what we spent and to pay taxes. (Let's just talk quickly again about how official the border is. They have the ability to rip EVERYTHING out of your car, including you. No one really smiles and the guards are wearing vests and strapped with firearms.) Back to my story... So Andrea has NEVER been pulled in before. So as we pull away from the booth and are to be pulling to the right, she doesn't get into lane farthest to the right. She starts driving up the ONE WAY EXIT! Oh man, believe me when I say I was trying my hardest to to tell her to go right, but I couldn't communicate as got struck with fear and laughter. I could NOT contain myself, I was done! I LITERALLY had to cross my legs for fear I was going to pee myself! I was trying my hardest to point but I could no longer see as the tears were streaming down my face. I couldn't even get my laugh out because it was sooo intense and SOO funny. The more I saw painted arrows on the road going the opposite way we were, the more I I died laughing. Sure enough, Andrea begins, 'Oh Andrea, what are you doing? Oh no! Oh Andrea, you're going the wrong way! " Game OVERRR!!! The more she talked to herself, the harder I laughed...I honestly thought I was going to have to get out of the car with wet pants. Then I see it, I see the guards walking briskly towards us. Their chests are puffed ooouutt!! The closer they got the more I lectured myself in my head. 'Pull it together, Paton!' The more I lectured myself, the harder I laughed. They started to approach my window. I tried my best to get composed and to apologize for our ever so evident mishap. I think my tears of laughter and Andrea's white face was enough to allow these kind guards to extend us mercy.

I couldn't help but instantly parallel this to our lives. How many times have we been given instructions and gone the wrong way? How many times have we lectured ourselves when we've realized we missed the route we were to take? Sometimes it's accidental, sometimes it's because we think we know a better way. Regardless, God comes to us where we're at extends his mercy.

I think if when we missed the mark, we sought forgiveness and learned to laugh at ourselves instead of shame ourselves we could quickly put ourselves into park, turn around and go the right way a LOT quicker!

Know that God isn't waiting to haul us in to strip us of everything. He's quickly walking towards us, trying to get our attention and trying to get us realigned on the right path!

1John 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.

#26to40 #learntolaughandgetyourselfontherightpath