From the mind of a Joint-Heiress with Christ

9 Now Jabez was more honorable than his brothers, and his mother called his name Jabez saying, "Because I bore him in pain." 10 And Jabez called on the God of Israel saying, "Oh, that You would bless me indeed, and enlarge my territory, that Your hand would be with me, and that You would keep me from evil, that I may not cause pain!" So God granted him what he requested. 1 Chr. 4:9-10 NKJV First of all this is my season for new territory. God said it. I believe it. That settles it. We used to quote this scripture every Sunday after offering. We knew that the prayer worked and that God's proinciples for seed time and harvest worked - still work. The Lord spoke to me that this is the season to "Decree a thing". Its funny how you don't even unerstand what that means until it begins to happen. Let me first deal with what a decree is then I am going to really delve into this scripture as God broke it down to me. Decree according to Webster's dict...

Today has been such a hard day for two reasons... One, this was such a long and tiring weekend. I did not get to bed before 12 am any night since Thursday. Two, God moved so mightily with me yesterday. I sang my heart out at a musical. I got a needed Word from the Lord. It was powerful, awesome, amazing. Like water to my thirsty soul I received what I was in need of. I just feel like this is the beginning of the blessings of God that are going to overtake me and my family. I am so elated about everything. I feel like I finally have a few people in my life I can call real friends. I have a new job that I just started where I am so much more relaxed. Things aren't prefect but at least I have what I need. I don't need much. I could always hope for more but right now I am so content. I am not dismayed or frustrated. Why? God has got my back , front and my sides. I just keep writing music and now I have a band. Omigod ! I have a band! How exciting is that? So exciting! I am so hap...

Okay so in case you have been looking for it but have not found anything...I have been so busy that I haven't the time to blog. I have been doing what people call "moving and shaking". I absolutely cannot afford to allow grass to grow underneath my feet. I have too much that I have to accomplish for the kingdom. In essence, a sistah been moving around making contacts and talking to the right people at least the people I have been led to talk to. Its kinda moving fast but necessary. I know that sometimes for me it seems things are moving either too fast or not fast enough but the truth is that when it all comes it comes at once. From musical connections, to relationships they all seems to fall into place when the Lord wants them to...Anyway, I just wanted too let everyone know that I am still alive and well. Hopefully I can start celebrating my 26th birthday since it is April and all... XOXO Erica Standley aka The Heiress

Behold I stand at the door and knock, if any man hear my voice, and open the door, i will come in to him, and will sup with him and he with me. Revelation 3:20 God is calling us. He is asking us when will we respond to His gentle beckonings. I wrote a song recently called Waiting and it was just about God wooing us. God wanting us sinner and saint alike to hear what He was saying. When we take an inventory of our life's endeavors have we done all that God has asked of us? Is there something now that God wants us to do or get rid of that we have failed to heed the instruction? What will it take for us to stand up and recognize that life is life because of God. You are alive and well because of His grace. You have a second chance to do something right because of His mercy. I know this sounds like a cliche but someone didn't make it to work this morning, to school or even home last night. Yet God has given us another opportunity to live again. So I ask you when is enough, enough?...

"I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies it produces many seeds." John 12:24 Being painfully honest, I recently lost some friends, but solidified some other relationships that have always been there. Being painfully honest, I buried those past relationships as I could not have move forward if I had not done so. I do miss those old ties, but I missed my life more. I want to live and since I want to live that means some things that will keep me bound have to die. I cannot fully enjoy all of my life without mourning the relationship, letting it go and burying it. I had to process all of this as a woman who loses her husband or a parent who loses a child. Friendship loss is just as painful (although we never talk about it in our culture) it can be overcome. We can definitely rebound. Anyway, God is a God of restoration so I know that although I have grieved and sometimes its still saddening to know...

Today marks a new chapter in my life...I have felt like everything has been on pause since about 2 months ago. The hotel I have been managing flooded on Jan. 3rd, 2008 and we will re-open on Mar. 6th, 2008. It seems like its been forever. I have hired some new staff, as I lost a few along the way. The "sabbatical" gave me a chance to question some of my life choices. I realize that I am not destined to be in Hotel management for the rest of my life. I found my calling. I was able to record a demo, work with some really talented producers, work with people that are trying to do what I am trying to do, start working with a vocal coach, got the confidence to audition for another Gospel group, and really just start working the gift I have been given. I also made some really BIG mistakes along the way. I almost ran ahead of God and in the process angered a few people who didn't understand what I was doing or why. I took a break from some things and people so I could clear my...

When you know that God has placed greatness within you, you also have to know that there is an awesome price that comes with it. Many times, I think of Joseph. I think about how in Gen. 37 when Joseph dreams the dream about his family bowing down to him. He shares the dream with his family. At this point, his father rebukes him and his brothers envied him. Isn't funny how people act when you have a dream? The very idea that he had the very audacity for such a young man to even dream such a dream! How dare he? I think of how they rejected his dreams and the hatred that filled his brothers ' hearts as they plotted to kill him. Time and time again, when God has called is to greatness people feel the same way about us. How dare they think this and so? Haw dare they think themselves greater than us? How dare they dream that BIG? You cannot contain the blessing of God on your life so others may have a hard time swallowing it themselves. They cannot stop what God is trying to do. If o...

Forgive: To let go of resentment. To pardon one's transgressions... Forgiveness is the hardest thing in the world for us to do. Between forgiving ourselves , our best friend, parents or even God, its so difficult to let go of the resentment. Even some of us Christians, we cannot pardon anyone including ourselves for the mistakes made. Today, I challenge you to try your best to forgive everyone in your circle (or outside your circle) and ask for forgiveness if you have done something to hurt someone else. Its not always easy...sometimes the enemy makes it especially difficult to let go, as we use this as a crutch to keep us from getting closer to someone we think may hurt us again. The truth is that in life you will be hurt, there will be disappointment, people will say things that will offend you. The question is so what do you do now? Do you let it go on and on forever without resolution? Do you harbor it in your heart like unfired artillery missiles to remind the person of the h...

When you realize that life is more than one second, one minute, one hour of one day then you can accept that this place that you are in be it chronologically, mentally, or emotionally won't last forever. You also realize that you have to make deliberate movements towards the next point in the journey. Sometimes life throws you a curve ball i.e. lost job, sick relative, death in the family, or an ugly turn in an otherwise wonderful relationship. These things are not always easy to rebound from but are not the end to your life by any stretch of the imagination. Its hardly enough to say that one's life is over due to the set back. I know for a fact that things are gonna get intense as I get closer to reaching my goals. As I attain to press towards the mark which is the high calling of Jesus Christ, I will have things that happen to me. There will be people in my life that I thought loved me that I will find won't be with me. There will be issues along the way but that doesn...

Sometimes when you are weathering the storm you will go alone. You will be alone. You will feel alone. Even though you want people to be in the middle of the situation with you they can't. Even though sometimes you want people to understand you, they won't. They're not God. People will always do what seems right & okay to them. Doesn't make someone a bad person, it just makes us human when we do. Will everybody weep when you weep or rejoice when you rejoice? NO. As much as you would like them to...sometimes God designs it that way on purpose. Just like Daniel in the Lion's den. I am sure that he wanted someone, anyone to be there with Him, but God was. The truth is that when you are learning to truly, truly trust God no one else can be there for you 24-7, 365. When your mind is not sound, when you are all out of "shouts", "hallelujahs", & "praise His names", God is still there. When you make mistakes or when you take a hit, G...

So shall they fear The name of the LORD from the west, And His glory from the rising of the sun; When the enemy comes in like a flood , The Spirit of the LORD will lift up a standard against him. - Isa 59:18 So today is not exactly starting out like a day one could call "great"! The truth is that most of the time as a believer you have to believe what the Word says even when you have a list of things going wrong in your life. Does it make you "less spiritual" if you are sad, frustrated, disgusted? Not at all just makes you human. The question is how I am gonna respond to the opposition...that is where the word comes in. I can't do anything but just release my own ideas and embrace what is happening. It doesn't feel good, but I have to trust God's Word about this. I have to remember what I know and use that as my advantage. I am a worshiper so I need to use that gift as a weapon of warfare. Even when I feel like crying and am in pain. I gotta use...

I just want to preface this by saying that sometimes when you are called to do something its not always easy. From time to time I will post some of my most intimate thoughts to encourage those of you in various stages of the transition period. I pray you are blessed. ~~~~~~~~~ Written in my journal Feb. 16th, 2008 I think that at this stage in the game I am beginning to feel some birth pains. I started wrestling with the idea of - did I even want to go to TX. When I first realized that I was going I was excited, now it’s like, "what in the world did I get myself into? I only know 2 people and I am going head long into a ministry that I don't even know if I am prepared for." I am already starting to get dates for engagements that need to be considered. The hard part for is that some days (just here lately) I don't want to even be bothered with anyone. Maybe it’s just my nerves. I'm kinda scared about all of this, but I feel like I have to act all tough in order to...

Its so amazing how God can turn a situation around in a matter of weeks, days, hours, minutes or even seconds. I was wondering if I could get what I needed to move and I told someone I needed to sell my furniture. I am practically giving it away because I can't take it with me. Anyway, I just happened to be talking about it to a lady whose sons just moved out and need furniture. She told me that she would speak with them and called me tonight and told me consider it sold. They don't live here but they are willing to come pick it up and everything! LOOK AT GOD!!! He is so amazing. I just want to write a song about Him. Fresh lyrics to represent my feelings. He is so present in our now. He is so present in our trouble. He loves us even when we are acting like spoiled children feeling sorry for ourselves or struggling just to see our way through our situation. Thank you Lord. I love you and I owe you everything!

Now I know just like anyone else that is gets hard to trust God when things are hard. I will give you an example. Currently, I am trusting God for a miracle to get to Fort Worth in a few weeks. I am not really living it up financially since the hotel that I managed flooded last month I cannot bonus because we are not open. My cell phone bill is due and I don't have the money to pay it. I had another bill due but I got it delayed. (Praise the Lord!) I need to buy a plane ticket to Fort Worth so I can take this interview for this job on the 3rd of March. Oh and my brakes are starting to go out. All the while, I am really just trying to wait on God to provide me with what I need. There are a few times I almost called my natural father and asked him for money, but every time I almost did I felt the Lord stop me. He would remind me who He was to me. Now, this sounds so stupid if you have never been here before. If you have though, you know what I am talking about. I am talking about th...

"Now faith is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen." Hebrews 11:1 We always talk about the just living by faith (Heb. 10:38) and what faith is made of (Heb. 11:1) and how impossible it is to please God without faith (Heb. 11:6), but until you really understand what it is like to live by faith you don't know how difficult it can really be. I will be honest it is the hardest thing in the world for me to do sometimes. To let go of the idea that I have to somehow contribute to the process of my healing, wealth or overall well being is engrained in me like spelling my name or remembering where I live. Its so "natural" for me to lean on myself. The problem with leaning on yourself is two-fold. I don't know the end from the beginning nor do I own everything like He does. So its easy for me to get discouraged. I am trusting God for a huge move to TX and everyday its a step of faith. I have a deadline of when I need to be there perman...

Sometimes life comes at you fast. Sometimes you are ready and sometimes you are not so ready! So much has happened to me to change my life in the last year but I got a feeling more is going to happen to me this year to change my life than any year I have seen yet. I plan on making a BIG move VERY soon. Honestly, I don't even know why now but I guess when you trust God's plan you move when He says move and you don't give it too much thought. To give it too much thought would think me right out of the direction the Spirit is moving in. Never thought I would see that day when I would be okay with leaving Kansas City for awhile. I know nothing in life is permanent but I never thought I would have the guts to go even though I always knew that change had to come so that all the things that are within me could come out. As Theo always says, "God is coming after His investments. The things He has placed within you, He wants a return on." Boy oh boy is He right about that....

Today is another day when I wake up and realize that I need to be elsewhere other than at my job. I appreciate what God has done but I sometime wish that I could be in somebody's studio putting in some work. I would get so frustrated if I wasn't just thankful that at least I have a job. I believe that God is up to something. Who knows what? At least He is moving and I feel like something is going on versus the times I just had to wait it all out and wonder when things would start happening. Anyway, I can see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.

Energized by His passion. I have a new love for life. I am so excited about God's music in me that I wanted to let you read a conversation my brother and I had via email about what is happening to us both! E rica Standley wrote: Jesus.....Oh my I am trying to contain myself but I wanna pray in the Spirit. I wanna spend some time just basking in His presence. I wanna sing Him a new song. I wanna love on Him like I never have before. I wanna pursue His heart with a passionate so real and so rare. I can't do anything but think of Him. I can't sleep cause I wanna get closer. I can't eat cause I'm so lovesick. Jesus, Jesus, Jesus. My God what are you doing to me? Theodore Bray theo_bray2002@yahoo.com > wrote: There is an overflow of worship...Springing up out our bellies...As deep calls unto deep...God wants to reveal Himself to us...I concur...It is ur season...Woman of God...Ur worship (lifestyle)...Even in uncertain times...Moves God...He just loves it!!!The s...

With the new year all rolled out, I am in awe of everything. Ok, let me say it how I really feel it EVERYTHING! My life is now been turned upside down with so many things going in different directions. I have laid to rest my ideas of how life is supposed to go. Between work, church, family and friends I no longer hold on to the idea that there is one specific way life will turn out. I am in a place where I need to take an inventory and see if things are going the way I want them to. Is this the career path I want? Am I happy with where I am in the ministry? Is there more that God is calling me to do? Am I fulfilled? Am I living up to my full potential or can I accomplish more? Someone once told me that when you have destiny on your life its like a pregnant woman waiting to deliver a baby. My destiny is weighing very heavily on me....I know that God has so much more in store for me than I can even imagine. Here I am working everyday with a job that is just okay. It pays the bills but I ...