Courage, Dear Heart

[christinabradford]

Big Day Out

Today we had a field trip to C3 Rozelle. A big part of the day was a photo scavenger hunt. Though we only achieved 2 of the destinations, the idea of the exercise, to bond with people you may not have otherwise bonded with, was so great! I was in a group with four incredible ladies that I honestly wouldn’t have went out of my way to get to know. There was not one person that I thought, “nah, I don’t really connect with you..” Part of our challenge was to share our testimonies with each other. It’s such a privilege to get clued in on someone’s life..their struggles and revelations experienced through out their life thus far. 

After our hunt, we came back together for worship, a word from Amanda Antcliff, and prayer and prophecy. Amanda challenged us to not just wait for someone to pray or prophesy over us, but to go after God ourselves. Ask God what he has his hand on in our lives. I had a few girls pray over me.. Sarah spoke a word over me that this year is where I will develop foundation. A foundation that will not be shaken. A foundation that will change my life forever. She also prophesied that there is a sharp sword was cutting straight into my soul. That I may encounter things and experience the Holy Spirit in the most amazing way possible. She then prayed over any struggles that I may be battling in my head to be taken away. This was something that I was hoping would be touched on, because I have really be struggling with the gift of speaking in tongues, and to be honest... am afraid I’ll never understand it. I then had another Sarah come and pray encouragement over me. This year is going to be stretching, and I need to remember to rely on God and she also encouraged me to find good friends, because there will be times that I need a good friend. I then had another girl.. I can’t remember her name.. She told me that I have many gifts. The Lord has blessed me with many gifts and that he’s allowing me to choose to go into whatever direction I want. She also told me that it’s okay to be selfish this year. This really didn’t hit me until later.. I’m a little older than many girls here, and because I have somewhat of a nurturing spirit, I feel the need to help them. Not that I should tell anyone I can’t help them, but it was rather encouraging that she felt God was telling me it’s okay to be selfish and focus on my journey alone! 

It was a long day today.. but it was a good one. Now- off to bed and rested for another day!

[christinabradford]

Integrity

Last night I had the privilege to hear from Andrew Kubala who along with his wife are the founders of Kubala Ministries and apart of C3 Sydney.

Job 1:6-12/2:1-10 talks about how God allows Job to be tempted by Satan. After everything, Job still keeps his integrity.

Andrew told a story about how when he was a teenager he was tempted with sex after he came to know Christ. He told her no. Long story short- 10(?) years later she calls him (he’s now married and a pastor), he invites her to church, and that night she gives her life to Christ. Later she tells him, “Thank you for keeping your integrity 10 years ago.” WOW. 

Satan is testing what’s in our heads and in our hearts.

Do you have integrity?

Andrew goes on to say:

We hold people’s souls. We can take their soul or we can rescue their soul. 

Dang. Like a bullet straight to the heart. 

Do I have integrity? Who’s souls have I taken? And who has taken pieces of mine?

At that moment I instantly had a different view on sex. I never want to be the reason someone stumbles. And how great it must feel to have someone come back to you and say, “Thank you for what you did by what you didn’t do!”

[christinabradford]

I’m gonna dance to the beat of Amazing Grace gonna hold to the promise that You made and I know whatever’s gonna comes my way You’re here with me and it’s gonna be a good day

Good Day, Natalie Grant

[christinabradford]

I Was Born To Leave

Leading up to my departure, I had so many of my friends and family ask me, “Are you nervous?” “Are you scared?” “Are you going to cry?” I would feel bad, because I would think about it.. and the answer was “no.” I would think to myself, What is wrong with me? Why am I not sad that I’m leaving all this behind? I felt like everyone wanted a certain reaction out of me that I wasn’t able to give.

Well, the answer I have come up with is: 

This is what I’m meant to do.

Now, that doesn’t really answer any specific question, haha, but it tells me that there is nothing wrong with my reactions.

I am meant to leave home. I am meant to leave people, and “safe” comfortable places. 

I was born to leave! 

That’s how I’m wired. I have been this way since the first opportunity my family was approached with moving (7th grade). Now I will admit that I have abused this action in the past. Things have gotten “hard” in past situations, so I have moved onto the next journey. But now that I’m better understanding myself and the calling for my life, I know that this is normal for me. The Lord has given me a spirit for relocation. And you know what, I LOVE IT! I love that I am able to move forward into new journey’s and travel a path less common to many.

So for those that find it odd that I didn’t cry leaving home, just “don’t take that class!” (Jim Rohn) Ha! Because this is how God made me!

[christinabradford]

I’m in the right boat!

I have been so overwhelmed the last two weeks trying to prepare for this transition, but now as I sit here on this plane, traveling 17 hours into the future, haha, I am now seriously overwhelmed with joy and excitement thinking about this path that is ahead of me!

Yesterday morning my church sent me off in prayer. In this prayer Pastor Brandon spoke something that has been an unshakable truth to me over this decision to move into this next journey. He said, “Thank you for her willingness to step out of the boat!”

On Jan 2nd, Pastor Brandon’s message was about Peter walking on water to meet Jesus (Matthew 14:22-33). When Peter took his eyes off Jesus and started to sink, when he “messed up” and got distracted with the waves, Jesus didn’t tell him to go back to the shore and start over. He didn’t say, “you’re not good enough for this boat.” No! He took him back to the boat, because they still needed to go to the other side! WOW! 

He got back into the SAME boat!

I’m stepping out of the boat to meet Jesus! And you know what? This isn’t the first time I’ve stepped out of it. I have stepped out to follow this calling several times and I have sunk. And I have sunk not because of anything or anyone else, but by my own allowance for distractions. But what a special truth it is to know that I don’t have to go all the way back to the shore and start over, or that I don’t have to give up on what my heart desires. All I need to do is get back in the boat! Because I STILL NEED TO GET TO THE OTHER SIDE!

I haven’t allowed Jesus to be what He wants to be in me. But that’s changing. It’s changing with the same truth Peter had: I am meant for THIS boat.

“This is the moment [I] awake, come feel your heart burst into flames, shine like the sun in brilliant rays, this is the moment, NOW”

The Moment - Fellowship Creative

[christinabradford]

Excel: (Greek: hyperbole or hyper ball) To soar beyond our ordinary into God’s Extravagant Extra-ordinary & receive the good things God has prepared for those that love him.

On NYE Pastor Keith Craft of Elevation Life Church spoke over the congregation the word EXCEL for 2016. There is no doubt in my mind that this is going to be my year of excellence!

This year for me is all about being proactive. I’m the worst at knowing all the right things to say, but never actually putting that knowledge into action. It probably doesn’t shock anyone for me to say that I’m pretty outspoken on my undesirable feelings toward being apart of the ordinary. I believe that it’s God’s voice that tells us as humans that we are Made For More. I understand that everyone’s journey is different, and that my desire of an “extravagant extra-ordinary” life more than likely looks different than yours. And that’s perfectly okay! We each have different desires and goals placed upon our hearts, but whatever that may look like, I believe, the Lord has spoken over each of us that we are meant to SOAR!

S- Surpass past limitations

It doesn’t matter what I have given up on in the past, or what negativity I have allowed the enemy to influence me by, this year I am going to break the glass ceilings! I’m not going to allow anyone or anything to steer me backwards.

O- Overtake the ordinary with the extravagant

Be outside the box! Especially your own. There are so many things that we tell ourselves that are not possible for ourselves to accomplish. Screw that! And there’s also a box that some of my friends and family think I should be in.. Screw that too! How are we suppose to change the world if we allow limitations in our lives!?

A- Abound in good things. 

I’m trying my hardest to keep the good and lose all the rest! I want to bring light into people’s lives, not darkness with negativity.

R- Receive and release.. By the power of the Holy Spirit

Become so filled with the Holy Spirit where you can’t help but overflow onto others. I want to be a difference maker! I want to be mentored and invested in, so I can invest in others! And Thank You Jesus that we are able to freely do so! 

The church in unison made the best statement: “You have to say what you hear, so you can see what you say.” 

I love that! No longer can I keep all these promises the Lord has given me to myself. Doing that keeps me in my box. I have to speak the Truths Jesus has stated over my life and live them out for others to see! Mostly because I need to be reminded that He is Good and faithful to what he has called my life to! I want to SOAR! I want to fly among the eagles and live such an extravagant extra-ordinary life that others believe that they can too!

[christinabradford]

The Lord has blessed me with an incomparable friendship!

As I turned 25 I found myself convinced that there was no one like me - no one that really understood my life goals. I’m a single female with big dreams to change the world! My prayers were cries of strength and persistence to follow on the path less common. This past year my path intertwined with this beautiful lady and the Lord validated the plans that He had for me. When she spoke about her passion to end human trafficking, I started to really grasp how much this world needs a Light. I started to understand that my life is different for a reason. She is my sign in big bold letters that says, “Anything Is Possible!” She is my encouragement that speaks Hope and Favor. She is the friendship that I needed to push me into movement.

Thank you for your faithfulness in Christ, the light that you continue to shine onto others, and all the laughs along the way! I love you!

And S/O to the talented Vicky Godbold that took the time to capture this beautiful photo of us!

[christinabradford]

I am very blessed to have a family that is financially supporting me with the tuition, however I still need help with living expenses until I'm able to get adjusted. To help fund my transition across the world, I have designed these shirts with the help of Fund The Nations to give to you as my encouragers with any donation of $25 or more. There are 4 ways you can donate: 1- Chase QuickPay 2- PayPal 3- Square Cash 4- Venmo All are associated with my email: [email protected] Please state your shirt size within the notes when you donate, and if you have any questions please do not hesitate to message me. I am overjoyed to move forward on this new adventure and I thank you in advance for all of your support! #madeformore #bestrongandcourageous #fundthenations #c3college

[christinabradford]

*Late Upload* Sorry for the bad video quality.

[christinabradford]

I was officially offered and have accepted enrollment to study at C3 College located in Sydney, Australia. My focus will be Creative Arts in Christian Ministry, specializing in Contemporary Vocals.

Some have asked me, “Are you nervous?” Yes. Of course I am nervous. But more so I am ecstatic to move into a direction that I feel will make my life and purpose on this earth worth so much more than what I have currently accomplished! My path thus far hasn’t been typical. A lot of my friends are married, having kids, careers, and for the most part settled into life. But I know that my life has turned out the way it has, because I am meant for something different. It’s not better nor worse, but it’s different. And I have come to absolutely love that fact!

I believe that God is going to use me in a huge way to bring Glory to His Kingdom! And C3 College is the path He's going to use to prepare me for that! I came across C3 DFW online and from the very first day of me walking through their doors, I knew God was going to use this church and movement to help me grow in ways that would test my courage and trust. I know me getting to this point wasn't an accident. And though the enemy has focused in on situations to steer me away from the idea of going to a school across the world, or even being apart of C3 Church, the Lord reminds me to be courageous, that He's got me. He's got me!