This word is submitted by Teresa Seputis (ts@godspeak.org)

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                           Growth

Child of Mine, I am causing you to grow.  You may feel small but I
will cause you to grow tall, strong and mature in Me.  I do not do
My work in you instantly, I work through a process.  That process
may seem long and difficult to you.  But know that I am surely working 
in your life to make you grow. And it is a good work.  

At times we have to go into the valley before we can start up the 
mountain.  Do not despair while you are in the valley.  I will not
leave you there.  But there may be things that you must learn to 
turn over to Me in the valley, so that you will be able to move with 
Me unencumbered up My mountain. The valley is not death itself, though
it may feel like it to you. The valley is the shadow of death.  Death
does not have a hold over you here, but you will feel it's influence.
It is in this place that I will teach you to die to certain areas of
self. These are areas that must go; they must be removed because they
inhibit you from going with Me into My place of victory and maturity.
Do not fear, child of Mine, I am not going to kill you.  I am not
going to destroy you.  Your sinful nature must be destroyed.  It's hold
on you must be loosened. But the thing I am destroying is something
that harms you and holds you back.  It may feel precious to you, but
that is a deception. And it must go because it is death.  And I will 
indeed remove it from you.  I will break the power of pain and the power 
of fear and the power of rejection and condemnation off of you.  I will 
break off the bondages that the enemy has bound you with.   I will set 
you free to dance and worship before Me.  I will set you free to receive 
My love and to come unhindered into My very presence.

When we leave the valley, the way may seem very steep to you.  It may
seem too hard and even unobtainable.  Do not fret.  All things are possible
to Me and I am with you.  I will not ask anything of you that is harder
than you can bear.  And I will strengthen you and give you endurance,
until you can run up the mountain with Me as easily as if you were a 
mountain goat.  I will teach you what it means to stand firm in faith.  
I will teach you what it means to walk in My power and authority.  I 
will teach you what it means to abide in My presence.  I will cause you 
to grow strong and mature in Me.

I am with you child, and I will fully prepare and equip you for the 
destiny that I have prepared for you.  Do not fear My process of maturing
you. For in the midst of the process you will discover that I am with you 
every step of the way. And I will never leave nor forsake you.  For I have 
ordained victory for you and I shall bring you into the full measure of 
it.  I have made you to be an overcoming one, and I will teach you to 
overcome every obstacle and strategy of the enemy against you.  I will 
draw you even closer to Me and I will thrust you into the full measure of 
your destiny.

I will cause you to grow.