Built to Last

Forest Gump said, "Life is like a box of chocolates. You never know what you're gonna get." That may be, but you have what it takes to handle whatever comes.

In this season of life I am more aware of the many facets God has used to fashion me. When He shaped Thea -  vulnerability, focus, kindness, and a brazen resolve to never give up - were securely stitched into the fabric of my soul. Complementing them are brokenness, and scars of varying hurts that have since healed. I occasionally touch each one to remind myself of just how fragile yet strong I am. Sometimes new wounds appear, and I go through the process of healing again - emerging more resilient at the end.

Every day can be a celebration - of a lesson learned through loss, a victory won through conquest or simply the beauty of having the will to push beyond resounding defeat. The key is to get up, determined to make the most of what you have been given. And on this journey called life - you will rise again and again - not because you like the battle, but because you're built to last.

It Is Going to be EPIC

Excitement.

Expectation.

Expression.

Revelation.

Pour the Oil Worship Conference. It is going to be EPIC. 

Registrations are continuing to come in. Have you registered yet? Visit theaharris.com to secure your spot.

Come join us at this one day conference with three power packed sessions. Our special guest is BENITA WASHINGTON. Don't miss it. Something GREAT is in store. ‪

#‎pourtheoil‬ ‪#‎worship‬ ‪#‎resurrectionlife‬ ‪#‎theaharris‬ ‪#‎benitawashington‬ ‪#‎theanointing‬ ‪#‎everypraise

I Can't Stand It!

I cannot contain this joy found in praise and worship. It's so great, I can't stand it. I have to sing and shout and share. God is good. He pours into you so you can pour into others. Get to the point where you just can't stand it, so someone else will benefit from your overflow. 

I believe that's what this lady is doing. Benita Washington, a gracious woman of honor, will be our special guest at the 2015 Pour the Oil Worship Conference. Please come experience her ministry on December 5th at Resurrection Life Family Worship Center, Inc 405 Ixoria Avenue Fort Pierce. Register now until December 4th at theaharris.com. You don't want to miss this.

‪#‎benitawashington‬ ‪#‎pourtheoil‬ ‪#‎worshipconference‬‪#‎lifechanging‬‪#‎godsuptosomething‬. 

My Passion

Worship is my passion. 

I am often asked, "What do I need to do to sing with an anointing? or "How do I get an anointing?" My heart was especially touched, though, when one lady said, "I want your anointing." God used that simple statement to stir my heart to help those who desire to worship, minister, or simply live a life that is truly anointed by the Holy Spirit.  I can only speak to this because I have fumbled, mumbled and stumbled until I found truth. 

We can all live anointed lives and serve from a place of spiritual power.  To do this we must understand why we lack the anointing and determine how to gain it. An examination of my life exposed hindrances and tools which impacted my journey to the power. Those truths provided the seed of the Pour the Oil series which has now grown to a vision of five books (two have already been published). 

The desire to help others birthed purpose, and the execution of purpose (writing Pour the Oil) changed me. Most amazing were the revelations in the writing process. They irrevocably transformed my heart. Many of the contaminants God exposed were eye openers. Even the exposition of some tools and how they should be used blew my mind. His revelations provided a spiritual awakening. In 2 Timothy 1:6 Paul reminds us to "Stir up the gift." I was stirred, vigorously. 

I didn't realize how much my heart could take and what that meant. There was more (in me) for God to take apart, reorder, replenish and reassemble. I was humbled to a point of persistent worship. God is bigger, wiser, stronger, and He knows just what we need. I am grateful that I am not the same, and my journey continues. One thing which hasn't changed, worship is my passion, and I am pursuing God - relentlessly.

How Are You Living?

"What matters is not the duration of your life, but the donation of it. Not how long you lived, but how you lived. You are going to give your life for something. What will it be—a career, a sport, a hobby, fame, wealth? None of these will have lasting significance. Service is the pathway to real significance. It is through ministry that we discover the meaning of our lives. The Bible says, "Each of us finds our meaning and function as a part of his body" (Romans 12:5 Msg) - Rick Warren.

Those words struck a deep chord as I sat in a memorial service where I'd been asked to sing. As I listened to the tributes being offered, I thought, "Wow. What a life." It wasn't perfect, but it was enviable. We were celebrating a man who had great vision and lived every moment positively impacting the lives of others. He was fearless in his expression of faith and boldly shared the gospel of Jesus Christ with anyone he could. Many said he'd left this earth too soon, but the way he lived and what he'd accomplished seemed like the product of many lifetimes. He was committed, and passionate. Purpose drove him.

Myles Munroe said, "Die empty." Leave nothing you are purposed to do undone. I find myself on a journey of epic proportions. Not just serving, worshiping, or teaching our youth, but writing and publishing books as well as promoting my first worship conference. It sometimes seems surreal. Mainly because I am just a vessel. I have to rely on God every step of the way.

One thing is clear, a God-given vision is never accomplished without God. It is larger than life. You face doubt. You battle fears, yet giving up is not an option. I have decided to live on purpose, to die empty. This resolve allows me to keep moving in spite of uncertainty. Fear becomes motivation, not discouragement or prevention. Whatever you are destined to do, do it scared. Don't stop. That's when you're living? That's how you live.

Mission Focused

I was reading Matthew 14 recently and was INSPIRED. John the Baptist had just lost his head, and Jesus was so upset when He heard that He withdrew from everyone, got into a boat and went to a deserted place. His grief did not shroud his anointing though. As a matter of fact it somehow seemed to stir it.  As he was trying to find solitude to grieve, others who had heard of the miracles He'd done began following Him, and His heart was filled with compassion for them. He healed others while He was hurting. He fed and served them, and when He was done giving of Himself went alone to pray.

As Jesus was still grieving He encouraged and comforted the disciples. He kept teaching and performing miracle after miracle. This was such an inspiration that I kept reading all the way through to Chapter 17.  It was in that Chapter that He was transfigured before them, when His face shone like the sun, His clothes became dazzling white, and He spoke to the disciples of the injustice of John's death. I believe it was on His mind the whole time, but He kept moving, working, teaching, transforming.

Sometimes the cares of life can wear us down so, cause us to want to shrink and hide until they are all over, but as I read these stories they made me want to STAND in the face of any adversity I would face and represent Him well. He did say that we "are the light of the world---like a house on a hilltop that cannot be hidden." 

There isn't anything you can't face with Him by your side. Resolve today to be mission focused, to "let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven."  Sometimes you have to encourage yourself like David did - and at the end of the day get alone with God and pour your heart out to Him. He will restore you and give you added strength for the journey.

2012 is your year to SHINE. Stand strong and mission focused.