Recently I was at VOUS Conference in Miami Florida, where I heard a message by Christine Caine called “There’s something about Mary.”

I was very impacted by the idea she presented- That Mary the mother of Jesus is not just a story, but instead an example & a mandate of who God has called us to be. These are some of my takeaways, notes, & lessons from the message- I hope it helps you, encourages you, & inspires you… So much about this message & the thought process behind it- Has changed me forever.

The story is set in LUKE 1:26-57… The interesting thing in this scripture is that Mary is not even shocked at the fact that there was an angel in front of her. She was instead simply surprised by the greeting this time from the angel… So the thought here is- What if angels visited her all the time & it was normal to her. (What an interesting thought)… Angels could have been an everyday part of her life.

Mary’s example in the story, as well as the mandate on her life is a picture of our purpose, this is who God made us to be- WE ARE CALLED TO CARRY GOD TO OUR WORLD.

I have never thought about Mary as an example like this for my life. Yet the Bible says, those that “know” their God will do great things for him. God wants to use YOU… He is not looking for new | hyped up | never messed up | perfect kind of person… HE JUST WANTS SOMEONE WHO IS FAITHFUL- People who will choose to see God as bigger than what you go through & know Him as greater than what has happened to you. & it is when you choose this thought process & take action in life for God… MIRACULOUS THINGS CAN HAPPEN.

(DANIEL 11:32)

“…but the people who know their God will display strength and take action.”

We are called to be FAITHFILLED… Not fearless… When you are FAITHFILLED- You may have fears, yet Gods truth overrules any realities infront of you… FAITHFILLED means that you choose God over what is seen | heard | known to the human mind. FAITHFILLED doesn’t get hung up on the [what-ifs]- You simply choose to make what you KNOW about God… Bigger/greater/more influential than what you don’t know about the future!

God never made us to compromise who He made you to be in order to accomplish what He created you to be/do. You will WIN every time if you put God before your own way… EVERY TIME! The enemy wants you to be fearful because he knows that when you are fear-filled- You are crippled & stunted- It is fear will keep you from carrying God to the world & those who need to know Him. We can’t see it in a moment but many times we choose the perception of the enemy instead of the reality of God in our life/situations.

God will NEVER ask you to do something possible. God will only ask you to do the IMPOSSIBLE- Because that’s where God begins. [He exisits in the impossible, He specializes in the impossible, He desires us to live & operate in the realm of the impossible…] If you do not do the impossible, you do not need God!

God is looking for people who will say YES. But a YES will cost you everything… Saying YES will require you to give up all that you want | any dream | any selfishness inside of you in exchange for what God has! & if you say YES to carrying God- There will be pain | you will be uncomfortable | & there’s going to be stretching…

God wants to do something in you & through you… It most likely will make you seem foolish just like I’m sure Mary felt. Yet we don’t wanna look foolish for God- We want to look cool for God.

THE IMAGE OF GOD DOESNT NEED YOUR BRANDING- HE DOESNT NEED YOUR HELP TO MAKE HIM APPLICABLE TO OTHERS.

All God needs/wants/asks is that you would be a willing vessel. The question is… Will you enable yourself to be interrupted & uncomfortable? We ask for signs | wonders | miracles… We want God to do something GREAT – Yet we avoid anything that makes us uncomfortable.

God will always interrupt your plan with His purpose.

(Christine Caine)

If God is going to really use you… You must choose to let go of how you want God to use you & how you want him to do it. God has favored you to carry Him to the world. Our life was given to us not for us… Are you okay with that? Because if you are going to be used by God- You must realize… God has favored you- Just like Mary… But He favors us not for ourselves.

Favor is for purpose- not for status.

(Christine Caine)

God is asking us today- Can you be available… Will you let go of your way… Can you give up how you think God should do things & decide that whatever happens in you | around you | to you… ALL YOU ARE | ALL YOU DO | EVERY THING YOU HAVE BEEN THROUGH IS SEED for what God wants to and will do, He is filling your arsenal with weapons… Yet these are not for yourself.

I think a lot of our life & our perspective in life would change if we tried to see things how God does. What if God wants to occupy a space or do something in/through you that makes you uncomfortable… Because if God is going to really work in/through your life- YOU WILL BE UNCOMFORTABLE. Things will seem to many times not make that much sense… That is not like a what-if… It is a WHEN.

When you carry God [like when you carry a physical child inside of you]- It will dictate what you eat | what you smell| what you feel | what you wear | how you feel | how others see you | how you walk | how your body functions | EVERYTHING CHANGES… & that’s how life is when you truly carry God.

If you want to be used by God & carry God- Be willing to be inconvenienced- Make the decision to choose Gods way over your own way- Understand that what God is birthing inside of you is to be given to the world. It’s not for you… We want to dictate when God is shared & how He is delievered. BUT WHEN A BABY COMES- YOU ARE ON THE TIMING OF THE CONTRACTIONS. We get so frustrated when life hurts, when things don’t go how we want them to. We look for answers & for our way to trump Gods birthing schedule for you.

What if that rejection | loss | hard time… Is simply a contraction? What if God is about to do something in & through you that you cannot bring into the world with your own timing & your own way. Are you okay if the birthing process has some pain? I have never had a baby- [I do have two dogs]- But I have never talked to a mom that has said that the birthing process wasn’t worth their child’s life or the joy | love | gift they recieved on the other end of that pain. Think about that next time life hurts… WHAT IF GOD IS TRUSTING YOU ENOUGH TO BRING HIM INTO THE WORLD LIKE NEVER BEFORE?!?

That makes me excited!!! Living for God is not just for you- Your life & what you face is not meant to be kept to yourself… God wants you to carry Him to the world. & this is done when you let Him have EVERYTHING! All of your life… Your bests/& your worsts. Jesus went before us on this journey… We have a path. & it looks like the cross. It doesn’t just represent freedom & salvation… Jesus died on a cross which represented [HIS/OUR WAY]- & it is only because Jesus was willing to give up His way & recieve Gods plan- He had a choice too… & He chose what God was trying birth through His death- Over what was comfortable for Him. [I AM SO GLAD HE DID!] Jesus was the greatest example- & Mary is an amazing example, we even can see this in the disciples lIves as well… & you too can be a great example of how “we no longer live”- But Christ lives in me!

(GALATIANS 2:20)

“I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.”