Who Told You This?

As I write, I’m preparing for ALL things Arise 2018 where 3,000 or more ladies will gather from our community to hear me speak on “Identity in Christ”…no pressure right? OMG!

I must say, that I feel like the “woman at the well” from John 4, who on one hand is totally unqualified for the job and then on the other hand fully aware that I’m simply a vessel and the more I tend my cracks the more I can hold on to every precious promise He pours into me; every purpose filled dream He’s wanting to share with me.

God help me NEVER lose sight of the latter!

To me, the most beautiful take away from this story (John 4) is that He sits and waits. In the heat of the day, the Messiah, the Savior of the world, the giver of salvation to me and my precious children sits, patiently waiting for one encounter with this no-named, half-breed woman who had squandered everything He would soon be dying on a cross for. This is the brokenness He chose to reveal His true identity to for the very first time!

This visual gets me EVERY time as I wonder how many days has the Savior of all the world waited on this no name girl… “ME!” just waiting patiently as I wallowed through years of foolishness, insecurities, heartbreak… this lover of my very soul sat, wondering just when would be the day He’d catch my gaze?

This very thought overwhelms my soul with loving kindness!

Arise was birthed out of that personal wooing of Him calling me, Michelle Aranza, to RISE UP out of a place of personal comfort, to a place where what he asked of me could only be done with Him! God sized feats… hence ARISE!

Friends, this journey for me has been one filled with more blessings than I’m able to count, however, not without my own fair share of deep heartache, betrayal and loss. There are the days I look in the mirror and see with such clarity who I am and what I’m called to do…I love those days! Those are what I call my “good days.” Then, there are the days I look in that same mirror and feel as though we need an introduction… “Who is this chick?”

As we walk together I look forward to sharing in detail some of those days for the sole purpose of letting you know what worked and what didn’t! Principles that cleaned the mirror for me so I could once again see clearly who HE SAYS I AM!

He sits and waits for us to simply ARISE.