Today I found myself eating out of my cooler with my nice lunch that my husband so lovingly prepared for me. The reason for this is because of some food sensitivities. I ate my gluten free, hormone free turkey, cheese and organic spinach sandwich. The people who joined me in lunch came with their pizza, pop, cookies, and brownies. Now, let me preface my next series of thoughts with this; I love sweets and I love pizza. That being said, in MODERATION and with the right natural ingredients, some things are ok. Now I will never suggest drinking a pop here and there, because the fact is there are added chemicals you should avoid. I say this because the thought dawned on me that even though I was sitting with others, I was separated. Now partially because of things that I chose to do, but also allergies in my life prevent me from just enjoying just any ole food item. Honestly, as frustrating as it can be at times, I am thankful for the health journey that I’ve been on. I have learned a lot from health struggles and now I love being healthier and helping others implement the right things into their diet.

My food situation parallels my spiritual walk in some ways. When we give our lives to Jesus, we become a son or a daughter of God. We are now a citizen of Heaven. Our spirits our new, but until we die, our physical bodies live here on earth. There are now changes to in our lives. Once we surrender, there are things that you have to cut out of your life because you now know better. The motivation to eradicate these things should be LOVE because you love God, His son Jesus Christ, and Holy Spirit. This should be because you’ve been receiving love. God is holy which means He’s separate. He calls us to separate ourselves from sin because He can not dwell with sin because He is holy. This does not mean He ever quits loving us, but explains why He so eagerly desires that we let go of sin in our lives.

Just today I went to grab some creamer for coffee. I was left with two options of creamer that were full of artificial colors, preservatives and words I can hardly pronounce. I use organic full fat creamer at home with no odd additives and I wanted some coffee, but not at the risk of putting a bunch of chemicals in my body. My husband lovingly stopped for me to get coffee with regular half and half on the way to our morning meeting. I say this to share that God is not asking us to separate because He’s just mean and doesn’t want us to have fun. He knows that just like the unnecessary chemicals in creamer, that sin is something that can be avoided and isn’t needed in our lives. To be honest, the real thing, His love is more pleasurable than sin is. Just like food, once you eradicate the artificial things, you learn that you have a taste for the real fresh life giving thing. A separation from things of sin will cause a genuine hunger for the things of God.

God by His Holy Spirit is challenging you to learn His goodness and receive His mercy. He is good and desires the best for your life. Sure it may be uncomfortable to pull yourself aside and “stand out”, but your life will yield much more pleasant fruit in the end.

Today was my first day of training with the missions organization that my husband is a part of. Our morning activities were full of team dynamics. We broke up into small groups and shared things about ourselves and then did a timeline of our spiritual journeys. Later on, we did personality assessments. First of all, I’ve found myself in these type of leadership development and team trainings numerous times and it never gets old. Secondly, I love studying personalities and interacting with others as they discover more of who they are. Due to being heavily sanguine personality, (outgoing people person) I certainly thrive in such environments.

Sitting there today I was reminded of how uniquely God created everyone. I have enjoyed every time God has come and revealed my identity to me and helped me love who I am.
When I was younger, the only thing I ever got in trouble for in school was talking too much. I’d get bored with a task and I would get up and attempt to talk to friends scattered around the room. While there was obviously some discipline that needed to be implemented in this characteristic, it was a way that God designed me to relate and love on others. Sometimes personality quirks are misunderstood by others, but God often has very specific reasons for making that person that way.
There are many things that God wants to show us about ourselves so that we would flourish. After all, He created us and knows the best purposes for our lives. We, His creation move into confusion when we begin to operate outside of who the Creator fashioned us to be. We bring God the greatest glory when we operate fully as those He’s called us to be.
Principle for today: let the Creator reveal to you His unique creation of who you are.
Prayer: Father, sometimes I listen to other voices of who I am. I me shame, shortcomings, and comparison keep me back from walking in the identity You’ve created me for. Please reveal truth that I might walk in the fullness of who You’ve called me to be.

My husband sings all the time. Just today, we were walking out of a busy hospital building and he is just singing away to Jesus. I giggled as we passed many people as the thought came to me that this isn’t very normal. The reality is that Stephen and I both sing all the time and in all places and sometimes I forget how unusual that might appear to someone else. I grew up in a home where music was huge! I love music and the arts and have always been deeply moved by music. The difference between Stephen and I is that because I am so particular about music, I know the lyrics to songs. I take songs literally and can’t ever just “enjoy the beat”. Stephen however can take a worship song and sing his own lyrics to them. While this usually results in me laughing at moments to his remembrance of a lyric, I love this about him. He knows the basics of what the song is communicating and sings out of an overflow of his heart rather than only reciting words. It has been a huge lesson to me about lip service. Jesus isn’t after us writing the best worship lyrics or singing the right words, He wants our hearts to sing how we adore Him.

Whenever I gave my life to Jesus, I knew some of the things that I was listening to were a waste of my time because they were not edifying me or glorifying Jesus. I found myself tuning out all other music and listening to Rita Springer for an entire month thanks to an amazing youth leader I had who turned me on to her. My spirit got a sweet taste of what music was truly created for-to worship Him! Satan, or Lucifer was the angel in charge of worship in heaven before he rebelled. God places a lot of value on music/worship. Time and eloquent words would fail me to share with you how God planned everything to have a sound. Every star as a frequency, ever human voice different and unique. We were made to not just breathe for Him, but to live lives that expressed SOUND and adoration to Him! I believe this generation on the earth right now as an incredible opportunity to release worship like no other generation. This to me is why there are numerous singing shows/competitions and even a high amount of Bible school students who choose a worship emphasis. Jesus’ name deserves to be sung in the nations of the Earth. Holy Spirit desires to come and abide and strengthen believers as they praise. The Bible is full of stories of breakthrough in praise and worship. This is again, beyond lip service or your favorite Christian worship. Although I have many favorite worship artists and talented friends who’ve written incredible songs, this is about me and the song in my heart to Him. Nothing can compare to a song out of my own heart to the Worthy one.

I have found myself in some of the most beautiful moments either alone or in a corporate setting where singing to the beautiful One has captivated my entire heart. It’s amazing the freedom your mind and emotions can have as He is exalted above our circumstances.

Today’s Principle is to offer a sacrifice of praise unto Jesus. Begin to sing to Him and not just repeat the words that others have said, release your own heart to Him.

Today I got to hold a newborn baby of a close friend of mine. She was so tiny and adorably perfect. My friend’s mom was present and handed her to me as she was crying. Once the baby was in my arms, she quit crying for a moment (a moment where I gleaned in the fact that I quieted her). She opened her eyes and looked around and listened for my voice. Then she cried again. Ok, so maybe I didn’t have the magic touch. I handed her back to the grandmother and she kept crying(I felt a little less rejected then:-) ). Once my friend took hold of her baby, the crying seized and permanently this time. I watched as this new mom comforted her baby, held her close and affirmed her. She began to speak the sweetest things over her daughter. The little one basked in the love she was being given. This was a place of safety for her and she loved being there.

My heart melted and I loved seeing my friend transformed into this beautiful mom. As I thought about this, I reflected upon how good our Father is and how He lavishes love upon us. So many times we run to other things thinking we can find love and nourishment from them, but only our Creator will bring full peace and love. Many times we perceive the Father based on our earthly fathers or authority figures. Even the best of dads are still human and make mistakes and this can warp our understanding of God the Father. However, He is good and loves to pour His love and Spirit upon us. In the way my friend held her baby so tenderly, so the Father wants to hold you close.

Today’s principle is simply: the Father loves you and has the best for you. I’ll use this prayer in other blogs too, but say this simple prayer tonight; Father, I desire to see You rightly so that I can love You rightly. Come perfect love in me like only You can. Show me where my image of a Father is hindering who You are as my Father. Help me see myself as Your child.

This morning I was in the kitchen when my husband left the room to shower and get ready for the day. Shortly after he left, he returned, grabbed a knife and walked back down the hall. Stunned I asked, “Did you just grab a knife?” Laughing, he proceeded back down the hallway.

Now I’m a new wife and I’m also the oldest in my family. So the art of asking questions and also voicing my opinions are pretty perfected. I restrained my questions and let him wander away with a nice brand new knife knowing he must have a good reason for it. Come to find out, he used it to pry open a cover to the hot water valve . This made me laugh only because there was a screw driver sitting out on the counter by the knives. Nevertheless he used the “tool” aka knife for a great purpose and accomplished a goal.

I’m sharing this story to illustrate the point the Apostle Paul was trying to make in Ephesians 6 as it pertains to weapons of our warfare.

Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. (Ephesians 6:11-13 NKJV)

He goes on to describe every piece of the Roman armor in detail of how God wants to protect us. He wasn’t using this as just a nice visual presentation. It was a command to put on the armor everyday! The reality is we are in a spiritual battle! The problems that you are facing are a result of a real battle taking place in the heavenlies. The sickness placed on you is not just a natural occurrence, it’s a spiritual battle. The person who is being mean to you is not just a mean human. There are as the scripture states powers and darkness manifesting themselves through situations and messing with us in our mind and emotions. It’s so easy to take everything personally and rationally instead of rolling it onto The Lord, taking up our armor and fighting the battle where we belong, on our knees.

To illustrate: the knife that Stephen grabbed could parallel the sword of the Spirit part of the armor. Ephesians 6:17 says that the sword of the Spirit is the word of God. Hebrews 4:12 says, “For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.”

The word of God is what reveals not only what is going on around us in the unseen realm, but it also exposes and reveals our own hearts and motives. My principle to share today is really simple, but often rarely implemented and that is to take up the whole armor of God everyday. We must spend time each day to take up our “knives” and read His word.

Stephen would like to add that he had grabbed a screwdriver too ;-)

Today when I woke up, I checked my email which is under Bailey Seng. Then I checked my Facebook which is Bailey Seng Kuert. I called my doctor’s office and I am Bailey Seng because my medical insurance hasn’t switched over. Then I get into my car which is under Bailey Kuert. I will drive to Physical Therapy later today and check in under Bailey Kuert because the car accident is under my new last name. All that to explain that it is important that I know who I am in these scenarios to not create confusion. When being asked what my name is, my answer depends on who is asking me. I would get in a car accident 5weeks after getting married just so I can have name craziness ensue! :-) I love my name though. My first, my middle, my maiden and my new last name.

When I attended Bible School, I was in a class called, “Ministry Gifts and Callings”. Sounds like it would be full of great things and identity right? Well, it was, but I didn’t always see it that way. Mainly because one day we had an entire class on the meaning of your name and how God named you. I sat there completely frustrated thinking this was the stupidest thing I’d ever heard ( no offense to my incredible teacher). I thought, “My name is not Sarah, Mary, or Ruth. My name isn’t even in the Bible and it means something stupid. I wasn’t even a Christian when I was named so how on Earth does this relate to me. My parents, not God named me. And why am I paying money to hear this?” It was the only time in Bible School I was defensive. This was because God in fact DID name me and called me for a purpose.  My name linked my God given identity for my life AND further rooted me as a daughter of the Most High. This frightened me as I was ok with there being distance between God and I and me just being a lowly servant of His. However as the weeks unfolded, I found myself learning about my name. In the course of the next year, I was asked to speak to the youth on preassigned topics. Not once, but twice in a row I was assigned, “Motivational Gifts and the Meaning of Your Name”! Great!! Yes out of everything I could be assigned to, have me teach on the one thing I didn’t believe in! God is funny like that and what He deposited in me has proved to be invaluable. I surrendered my hesitations and frustrations and started studying material to present to the youth. I’d looked up Bailey before, but it wasn’t until I looked up m middle name, Kristen, that my identity clicked for me. Kristen is a derivative of Christian and literally means “anointed followed of Christ”. When I read that, I cried.  I have a testimony of coming to The Lord, that I knew well and upon reading this I realized that every time my name was called out, Jesus was calling me into my destiny. When my mom used the middle name as most moms do when you’re in trouble, God was sweetly speaking,”Hey anointed follower of my Son, come to me. You’re mine.” Upon further study of “Bailey”, I came to find out it means bailiff, or overseer, steward, one entrusted with another’s wealth and wisdom, able, and in a Bailey-Motte castle, a Bailey is the defensive wall protecting the inner court. If you know me at all, that is about as accurate as you could get ;-) My maiden name even means, “one who’s marked by fire” hello Holy Spirit& my red hair ;-)

I share this because learning just one tiny aspect of my God given DNA forever changed me. To learn that God, the beginning and the end. The everlasting to everlasting called me Bailey Kristen Seng/Kuert and called me His own in incredible. Now He obviously used my parents and obviously they’re human and so am I, but the beauty is His love and affirmation over us transcends our weakness. I often get prophetic words for people or affirm them based on the meaning of their names. This happens with me I believe because I didn’t believe in it at all and God deeply rooted it in me. No matter what Your name is, I encourage you to look it up and find out what God is saying in and through that. May you too find yourself as a son and daughter of His love.

This month, I will be writing different spiritual principles that I’ve learned in my life and want to share with others. I will attempt to do this in the context of daily events.