Unconventional-not bound by or confirming to convention, rule, or precedent.

Let this word be used to describe you. And please, oh please, take it as a compliment!

I am learning more and more that some of the hardest things we go through—the toughest things that happen to us, are measured with and hinge upon something glorious we haven’t yet tread upon. They are, in fact, the catalyst to an open door to future blessing.

Let the fire you go through fan the Fire within you.

It may feel as though you have been like a completely plucked duck. But hold on, your feathers are growing back and God will remove anything that continues to pluck or try to stuff you. God’s got you! You are designed to rise high. You are golden. His Grace and Mercy are with you.

I have some specific things I discern in my heart that God is guiding me regarding my life. His theme consistent. It's going to be a lot of change. So I’ve been praying for an outside source of confirmation. I asked it come from someone who knows and hears the Lord, but knows nothing about what I am praying about. Someone who knows nothing in depth about my life. Today I received my request. (Well, yesterday afternoon...I wrote this Sunday evening)

The source is a dear woman at least 20 years my elder. I’ve known her for several years and her gifts of the spirit so similar to mine. She is religious in no way. I don’t even think she attends church. But she knows her Word. She reads her Bible. I think she may read or listen to preachers I won’t name because it doesn’t matter, on the television, and she loves God. She shared some examples of the life of one well known and esteemed minister.

Over the past month she keeps inviting me over to have “girl time”. Let me back up, I had an appointment in town last Thursday. I felt strongly the Lord direct me to make my appointment on this given day at a very specific time. It would work out nicely because I had a morning client then could go. I wasn’t sure about it because at the last moment my client cancelled leaving me stuck in town to kill time until this appointment. But I trusted God in it. He knows a lot about timing and I have ample experience with this. Well, when I got there I saw this very woman! This is so unique because she lives just down the street from me and has little reason to go into the town I was in.

She invited me to come see her yet again. But she didn't just invite me, she came over to me leaving her friends, sat down next to me, faced me and looked directly into my eyes asking how I was. Then she told me to come over to her house this weekend alone.

She’s the kind of woman who makes everyone feel special. She has a sensitive heart to the spirit of others. She “feels” them. She just knows what’s going on inside even if they are a total stranger. I totally get this for I experience it as well. On this day, and many days prior, she had been “feeling” me. Or maybe to say I had been weighing on her heart might be easier for you to understand my meaning. Then God spoke to her heart literally only one word about me and she shared it will me when I went to see her. When I say one word I mean, one word. As in ONE. And with this one word she couldn’t have been more right on. It wasn’t a stab in the dark wild guess sort of a word. It was a very specific and unique word. I knew exactly what it meant. Then she proceeded to tell me of my season of life and all the change I am about to experience. She went on a little more...she was reading my story like I was an open book. She encouraged and prepared me and told me a few stories. We smiled together. We hugged each other. We laughed. And we sobbed. I sobbed maybe a little more than she. Then she told me she was always there for me and I could call her anytime of day. Even the middle of the night.

Wow. I drove away feeling nervous about the confirmation I was receiving and also a bit refreshed. I knew I had received exactly what I had been praying for.

It's a beautiful thing when you speak life into someone ...and you see it take root...and their belief in themselves grows. It's a beautiful thing.

"But everyone who prophesies speaks to men for their strengthening, encouragement and comfort." 1 Cor. 14:3

Do you have people in your life who will come along side of you even when it’s dark outside? I promise God knows and will hand pick the people who will champion you, uphold you, pray for you, bless you and encourage you. They will always tell you the truth with absolute love. They will defend you and God will hand select and bring them to you. Champion those who champion you even if your life looks unconventional.

Unconventional is not a bad thing. It takes courage to go against the flow of popular culture, status quo or expectations of others. It takes courage to be different. Different is good, but different makes many people uncomfortable. Don’t be afraid to be different.

Are the cares of life watering down your belief? He still possess the power to turn water into wine. He saves the best for last! (Is.43:19)

Let this word unconventional be used to describe you. And as I said before, take it as a compliment!

Beautiful...

Magnificent...

Unconventionally you.

~Nicole