We live in a world where we are expected to be in overdrive at all times. Constantly busy, running around at a rapid pace with our heads cut off. And yes we're expected to make it look easy, as if it is organized chaos that we can handle. Act like you have it all together, even if deep inside you feel overwhelmed, stressed, at your wits end, ready to crawl under the covers of your bed until everything slows down. The busier you are, the harder you work, the more money you make, the more successful you are and the more power you have, the better, right? The more you have going on, the more you can fit into one day, the more things you can juggle and say yes to, the more popular and organized you are, right? Since when did filling your day with the most you can and taking on more than you can handle become related to how successful, popular, and happy you are. Busy does not equal blessed. Success & money do not equal happiness. Chaos and an overwhelmed schedule do not make you organized or mean you have it all together. "A person who lives with the stress of an overwhelmed schedule often aches with the sadness of an underwhelmed soul."-Lysa TerKeurst. God did not design a life of chaos for us. He designed a life to enjoy time with Him, His creation, and to form relationships with His people. The more we take on, the less we have to give. The more yes's we give out, the less energy we have to give to each yes. Does God have divine appointments for us, does He have opportunities and purpose for our lives? Absolutely. Does he want to run us into the ground, demand exhaustion, stress, self neglect and imbalance to do so? Absolutely not. He gave us all unique and beautiful gifts and we are most beautiful when we use those gifts to bless others and bring glory to Him. In our society, if you're not doing everything for everyone at all times, you're not doing enough. If you're not busy 24/7, you must be lazy. Resting is a waste of time. If we only had time to pick up the Bible -- nothing we do or fail to do here on Earth can ever take away God's love for us. For us it's all about earning. Earning respect, earning love, earning a promotion, earning money, earning this or that. If you're an earner, let this be known, you are not here to earn God's love. Jesus died on the cross to forgive our sins and so that we may live eternal life in Heaven, He earned this love for us long ago. You can spend your entire life exhausted in chaos trying to find success and temporary happiness and make more and more money, but in the end you've earned the same. You can't take any of that with you. Think about why you're doing what you're doing. Who are you doing it for? What are you working for? There's only one person you need to impress, and He loves you no matter what. Are you working for Him? Does your purpose glorify Him? We judge ourselves and we allow the opinions of others to define us. We tells ourselves if we do this or that we may be a bit more worthy of love, we might be good enough, we might find success, or then we'll be happy. We ask ourselves if our performance is adequate, we ask ourselves if it's up to worldly standards, and if it's not we look inward or we go off of another person's opinion of us and we try to correct whatever is wrong or lacking. What are you going to be remembered for? That you worked 90 hours a week, or the memories you made with your family? That you made $200,000 last year or that you spent time selflessly helping others and being a kind person? What are your intentions? Because God has far more in store for us than anything we can do here during our time, and it's ever-lasting. "Instead of trying to 'fix' yourself, fix your gaze on Me, the Lover of your soul. Rather than using your energy to judge yourself, redirect it to praising Me. My Children make a pastime of judging one another and themselves. But I am the only capable Judge, and I have acquitted you through my own blood. Your acquittal came at the price of My unparalleled sacrifice. Remember that I see you clothed in My righteousness, radiant in My perfect love. I am life and abundance. As you spend time 'soaking' in My presence, you are energized and lightened. Your richest duty is devotion to Me. The world is waiting to squeeze you into its mold and to crowd out time alone with Me. The world tends to make you feel guilty for doing the very thing that pleases me most: seeking My Face. You live among people who glorify busyness, they have made time a tyrant that controls there lives. Even those who know Me as Savior tend to march to the tempo of the world. They have bought into the illusion that more is always better; more meetings, more programs, more activity. I have called you to make time alone with Me your highest priority and deepest joy. As you walk close to Me, I can bless others through you." - Jesus Calling Look at the ten commandments. They demand us to love others, love God, and keep the Sabbath day Holy. Not anywhere does it say work until you have no time to spend with the people you love, work until you make more money and have nicer things than all of your neighbors, compare yourself to everyone around you and make sure you are perfect and have everything just right. The sooner we stop trusting in our own ability, the sooner God will be able to begin working in our lives. We live chaotically trying to impress others, to earn respect and love, to climb to the top, to make more money, and in the end we feel empty, exhausted, tired, stressed, unfulfilled, and longing for more. We try to find fulfillment from all the wrong things in all the wrong places. It's like scraping at the side of a never-ending hole. Instead of seeking perfection in a fallen world, pour your energy into seeking Him. Find your fulfillment in God, seek to serve Him, work for Him, not people. Leave the opinions of others behind, don't seek to earn earthly contentment. You can't break a person who seeks their happiness from God. The more we fill ourselves with these truths the less validation we need from others. Take time to do the things you love. Do what makes your soul happy. Love others, give freely, serve generously. Spend time with your family, make memories, laugh. Work hard, stay humble, help others. Serve your God and serve his people. Slow down, take time to dig into his word, spread the word, live it out. Be a good friend and neighbor. Let your light shine out into the world. Enjoy God's creation. He tells us in the Bible, there a pieces of Heaven everywhere if you slow down enough to enjoy them. Take some deep breaths, get some fresh hair, take care of yourself and the one and only body God gave you and treat it like a temple. Pursue your purpose with passion and do it for Him. We do not need to feel guilty for simply slowing down and enjoying this life. Chaos and exhaustion are not a luxury. Success and money don't bring happiness. Busyness is not a blessing. Only God can fulfill you, give you security, happiness, and peace, that will last forever. Here's to a much more simple life, where we can slow down enough to enjoy God's creation all around us and all of His gifts. Where we can use our passion, knowledge, gifts, and talents to pursue His purpose for us and serve Him and His people, yet slow down enough to take care of ourselves and be the best version of ourselves that we can be, whole in mind, body and spirit. Where our cup overflows and our light shines into the lives of others. Where we slow down enough to help others, give love, spend time with our family and friends, and selflessly give to all of God's people. Godspeed on your journey of doing what your soul loves and finding happiness and fulfillment in Him and Him alone. Remember you are defined by what He did not what you've done. "Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as though were working for The Lord, and not for people."- Colossians 3:23 "So nothing you do or fail to do could ever separate you from My love." -Romans 8 "You are troubled by fear of failure, but My love for you will never fail." -Psalm 136 "A good name is more desirable than great wealth. Respect is better than silver or gold." - Proverbs 22:1 "The way to achieve your own success it to be willing to help somebody else get it first." "You'd never be more satisfied than when you are doing what God created you to do." "One of the secrets to life is that all that is really worth doing is what we do for others." "Where you invest your love, you invest your life." "Not he who has much is rich, but he who gives much."
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"The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures, He leads me beside quiet waters, He restores my soul. He guides me along paths of righteousness for His name's sake. Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life and I will dwell in the house of The Lord forever."
I am lacking, You are enough. I selfishly want, You fulfill my every need. I am weak, You are strong. I grow weary, You give me strength to carry on. I am lost, You lead me down Your righteous path. I am weary, You restore my soul. I am broken, You are fulfillment. I am a sinner, You forgive me. I am fearful, You protect me. I am sad, You comfort me. I am poor, You provide for me. I am empty, You make my cup overflow. I am angry, You fill me with joy. I am lonely, You are with me always. I am confused, You bring truth and promise. I am Yours, You are eternal and forever faithful. You are His, you are loved, you are ENOUGH. Child of God..rest in His truth, rest in His promises today & everyday. His banner over you is love. He brings peace, contentment, hope, and strength to all His people. Just that one short passage from the Bible [Psalm 23] is packed with His truth and promises to His children. However we come before the Lord, he takes us in, he accepts us just as we are and wherever we are on our faith journey. Fear and anxiety are so real, we can be consumed by it, and we forget that we don't need to do this on our own. We have a a God who love us. We have a God who will never leave us or forsake us. We have a God who gave it all for us and will never fail us. Do not be afraid to bring your broken pieces to Him, he takes every piece of us, the good, the bad, the ugly, and He pieces every part of us together perfectly. We forget that we don't need to be perfect in order to earn His promises. He love us no matter what. In the midst of our broken sin-stained world, in the midst of broken-hardheartedness, He is there. He is there to take our broken world and broken hearts and fill them with peace, hope, and love-unfailing love. He is draws near to the brokenhearted. He comforts those who suffer. He brings peace to troubled hearts, strength to the weak. He spares no blessings, He is a good and faithful Shepherd. He protects, provides, and has perfect provision for our lives. Anxiety, depression, guilt, anger, bitterness, jealousy, can weigh so heavy on our hearts. We don't have to hang onto those thoughts or fears. They are not put their by God. Our God is greater than any problem we face, any burden we carry, and any fear that we feel. He has called us to so much more than that. Don't be afraid to let go. Fix your eyes on Him. "We can be consumed by our situation or we can choose to consume our thoughts with Jesus. Even when things seem unbearable, God's promises are true. Love, hope, peace, strength, protection, freedom, fulfillment belong to us when we seek Him. "Laughter, joy, and good thoughts are the best medicine. Praising God breeds more reasons to praise Him. Thankfulness breeds more thankfulness. And a person who practices both, walks in JOY! Keep your thoughts fixed on God and you will experience peace. Dear Lord, I want your truth to be the loudest voice in my life, correct me, comfort me, come closer to me, and I will trust."- Lysa TerKeurst We have the power to speak blessings into others lives, our words are powerful, how do you want to influence the lives of others? The mind feasts on what it focuses on. What consumes my thinking will dictate my direction and my joy. Choose wisely. The enemy loves to see us focusing in the negative, feeding off of lies, putting others down, digging ourselves deeper into the trap of comparison, jealousy, and self destruction. This is when we make the choice..is this how I want to live? Is this how I want to feel? Is this how I want to make others feel? Is this what I want to be remembered for? Are these Jesus thoughts in my head or the devils? Are my thoughts, words, and actions shining God's glory to those around me? Each day I must intentionally park my mind, emotions, and my trust in God. We can't look to our feelings to determine truth. We must look to truth to reign in our feelings. Refusing to gossip is a beautiful decision to make. It creates richer friendships and makes our relationship with the Lord more authentic. Wise women tuck Godly wisdom into the words the speak and even more into the words they choose not to speak." -Lysa TerKeurst "God gave us all unique and beautiful gifts. And we are most beautiful when we use those gifts to bless others and bring glory to His name."-Lysa TerKeurst We are most beautiful when we support and encourage others in their purpose. We are most beautiful when we appreciate and cheer for others and their beautiful gifts. We gain nothing by welcoming the devils thoughts and dwelling on jealousy, insecurity, and envy. The world gains nothing, our Lord's Kingdom gains nothing. Be happy for God's children and all of the unique gifts we were granted. Cheer each other on. Be a blessing and you will always be blessed. We are called to gain ground in the Kingdom of God. Do not let the fear of anxiety rule over your heart, do not let the devil's thoughts rule over your destiny, stop trying to impress others and win people over with the wrong things, the wrong intentions, and for all the wrong reasons. Do not be consumed by the pressures of a sin-stained world. Your worth is found in God, not in the opinion of others, not in the lies we feed ourselves. We don't have to prove anything to anyone, He proved it all for us on the cross. I want it to be evident to others that I spend time with The Lord and He is close to my heart. I want His light to shine out of me into the lives of others. I want people to look at me and want Jesus more. Truth lived out is the best sermon. Change me, Lord, to look and think and love more and more like you. Give me a heart like Yours in a world like mine. Allow me to be an Earthly vessel filled with Heavenly contents. "Encourage each other and build each other up." 1 Thess 5:11 Praying Psalm 23 over you today! May your week be willed with His goodness, love, & blessings! Thanks for reading! Jesus Calling:
I am King of Kings and Lord or Lords, dwelling in dazzlingly bright light! I am also your Shepherd, Companion, and Friend- the One who never lets go of your hand. Worship Me in My holy Majesty; come close to Me, and rest in My Presence. You need Me both as God and as Man. Only My incarnation on that first, long-ago Christmas could fulfill your neediness. Since I went to such extreme measures to save you from your sins, you can be assured that I will graciously give you all you need. Nurture well your trust in Me as Savior, Lord, and Friend. I have held back nothing in My provision for you. I have even deigned to live within you! Rejoice in all that I have done for you, and My Light will shine through you into the world. As you celebrate the wonder of My birth in Bethlehem, celebrate also your rebirth into eternal life. This everlasting gift was the sole purpose of My entering your sin-stained world. Receive My gift with awe and humility. Take time to explore the very dimensions of My love. Allow thankfulness to flow freely from your heart in response to My glorious gift. Let My Peace rule in your heart, and be thankful. Such a beautiful passage for this Christmas season! A beautiful reminder of the true reason for the season-- the birth of our Savior who came to Earth as one of us, the sacrifices of our Savior Lord Jesus Christ, and the joy and peace He brings us. The most beautiful blessing & gift. The Lord says, "Receive My gift with awe and humility, allow thankfulness to flow freely from your heart in response to My glorious gift. Let My Peace rule in your heart, and be thankful." Powerful words--awe, humility, thankfulness, glorious gift, and peace. Christmas Eve church service has always been one of my favorites, not only because we are celebrating the birth of our Savior, but because I can feel those raw emotions as I sit in that church pew surrounded by believers holding their candle high as we sing Joy to the Word. Awe, humility, thankfulness, glorious gift, and peace come over me and they flood my heart with so much joy. And then you look around, and you're surrounded by His presence and His people. What a feeling. What a glorious gift. Christmas brings a sense of peace, of fresh new beginnings, rebirth, thankfulness, generosity, and so much joy! My heart is so full being surrounded by family and friends, making memories, sharing stories, continuing traditions, laughing, giving, spreading joy, and spending time together. I pray that amongst the battles and hardships you may be facing, and all of the busyness and craziness of the season, that you would pause and focus on the true meaning of Christmas and what it means to you. Remember loved ones and cherished memories as they spend Christmas with our Savior Jesus Christ in Heaven. And enjoy spending time and creating more memories with loved ones here! Focus on all of the blessings in your life and remain thankful, hopeful, & joyful! May His peace fill your heart, may happiness lead you into the New Year, and may His strength carry you through. Blessings on your New Year and Merry Christmas to all!! Enjoy this time spent with loved ones! God Bless, Shadow John 3:16 - For God so loved the world, that He gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life. Isaiah 9:6 - For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and His name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. John 1:14 - And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth. Matthew 2:11 - And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary His mother, and fell down, and worshipped Him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto Him gifts; gold, and frankincense, and myrrh. Jeremiah 29:11 - For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end. When something happens to us that seems unfair or when someone does or says something to us that hurts or makes us feel less than what we truly are it can bring us down, it can put us in a funk, it can make us believe something that is far from true...but only if we let it. That is not what God intended for us. "We can be consumed with our situation or we can consume our thoughts with Jesus." We are more than just a sum total of our feelings. We are children of God made to walk in truth. When someone is disrespectful or rude, ask yourself why they are treating you that way? What are the underlying issues? Jealousy, insecurity, judgment? "The mind feasts on what it focuses on. What consumes my thinking will be the making or breaking of my identity." When we fixate on the negative, that is what we become. "God never intended for us to look to others to give us the kind of love only He can give." We can only find fulfillment in Him. When we let someone else rule our thoughts & feelings, it ruins us. Do not become what someone or something labeled you, become the person God has created you to be. "The enemy wants us to feel rejected, left out, lonely, & less than..and when we truly do feel empty because of something or someone in our life..God says, I created you with a longing in your heart that only I can fill." Fix your eyes on God, let your thoughts and actions be focused on Him, pray for people who belittle you, pray for patience, understanding, and peace. Pray for the ability to find your worth in Him and Him alone, not what that person says or thinks about you, not what that person commented on Facebook, not that number on the scale, not the hurt that consumes your heart and mind. Your worth is not measured by people who mistreat you, by a number, or by how many likes you get on your Facebook post. "His way finds those things in me that pride refuses to see. It shows me a better way, a healthier perspective, and a more humble approach." You are a Child of God, worthy of His love, blessed, fulfilled by Him and only Him, You are enough, You are His. "Change me, Lord, to look and think and love more and more like you, I want your truth to be the loudest voice in my life. Correct me, comfort me, come closer to me." Feelings are indicators, not dictators. Free yourself of the feeling you're getting from people who might be jealous, who may downgrade you to make themselves look or feel better, free yourself from the feeling of not being good enough, skinny enough, etc. Take away that feeling of regret, disappointment, anger, negativity. Jesus did not die on the cross for you to feel that way. Your feelings do not own you. Each day, we must choose to park our mind, our thoughts, emotions, our worth, and trust in God. We must stop looking for fulfillment and pride based off of our circumstances and things we do or do not do. We must stop measuring our worth based off of people and how they choose to treat us. You are enough, you are loved, you do not need to prove yourself to anyone but Him. Live loved, knowing that you are enough, and your worth was measured on the cross by your Savior Jesus Christ. Prayer by Lysa TerKerust: "Lord, I give YOU this day. For Your glory, Your will, Your way..I humbly submit my plans, desires, and wants. May YOU increase as I decrease." "Be a blessing and you will always be blessed." "When we love others we are living the message of Jesus." "Walk in Jesus' steps. Speak His words of truth. Extend His grace and love. Bend to Him in prayer, and His peace will be your gift." --Wishing you a Merry Christmas & God's fullest blessings on your New Year! Enjoy this magical time of year with your loved ones, remember to be thankful & that HE is the reason for the season! ---Check out the song below- Forever Reign..one of my favorites..I listen to it in the while I exercise, while I drive, while I shower, while I clean house...a refreshing reminder of so many His truths! Live loved, Shadow At all times of our life here on Earth we are wanting something more or waiting for that next thing, what is that for you right now? It could be a promotion, a significant other, a nicer house, a child, a better job, a better body, good health, retirement, a goal you've been working for..etc. It's kind of like that saying goes, we get what we want, but then we just want something more. Will we ever truly be satisfied? It's human nature to strive for the next thing, but we forget to be content with what we have and forget to keep our focus on our number one priority, and that is The Lord our God. It can be so easy to focus on that one thing we are wanting, that we forget about all of the blessings in our life, all of the prayer's He has already answered, we forget our main focus, and that is Him. Sometimes God makes us wait, sometimes He has something better in store, sometimes He is shaping us into the person He wants us to become, sometimes He is preparing us for what's ahead, whatever it may be, we can rest in this truth: He has the best plan. A simple prayer.."May my hopes, dreams, goals, and desires be in line with Yours, Lord. Amen" If we want our hearts to be full, our cups to be over-flowing, our soul to be happy, and our minds to be at peace, we must keep our eyes fixed on Jesus! We must keep our thoughts fixed on Him, our goals, our dreams & desires, they all belong to Him. The creator, the great I am, our Savior, our Redeemer, our Father, our everlasting God. He knows us better than we know ourselves, He knows our every want, He knows our needs, He knows our future, He knows everything about us, and He knows our journey. Trust Him, stay focused on Him, fix your eyes on Him, & He will do the rest! It's great to have dreams, to have goals, to want, but we have to ask ourselves..is this for ME or is it for HIM? Do my wants/dreams/ideas line up with His? Do they honor and serve Him? Are they self-seeking or do they honor His kingdom and His people? Move your mind from the goal to the giver of the goal. God has our best interest in mind, He gives us gifts, talents, knowledge, and equips us so that we can serve Him, serve His people, and serve His Kingdom. And we get their by keeping our eyes fixed on Him. Whats next? We ask. He replies, Keep your eyes fixed on me, and I will show you." When we don't know what's next, when we're in that waiting period, when we just aren't quite sure what He has in store for us next, we say, "Lord, thank you for the amazing plan you have for each of us. We need You, Lord. We trust that your strength is the perfect match for our gaps. So we turn to you and whisper, "Lord, help me." Help us to see our next place of purpose, help me to keep my eyes fixed on you as you lead me to my next place of promise. Help me to see those places and accept them willingly. You are good at being God." If we want our minds to be at peace, we must keep our thoughts fixed on God's promises. Let's not let the distractions of this broken world come between what God's promises, power & love has in store for us. We fix our eyes on you Jesus, and we won't let anything cause us to wonder from you and the unfailing love You have for us. Passage from Jesus Calling by Sarah Young- "As you look at the day, months, years ahead of you, you see a complicated and overwhelming path. You wonder how you can possibly find your way through the maze set before you. Then you remember the One who is with you always, holding you by your right hand. You recall My promise to guide you with My counsel, and you begin to relax. As you look to Me, and look again at the path ahead, you notice that a peaceful fog has settled over it, obscuring your view. You can see only a few steps in front of you, so you turn your attention more fully to Me and begin to enjoy My Presence. The fog is a protection for you, calling you back into the present moment, fixing your eyes on Me. Someday the fog will no longer be necessary, for you will have learned to keep your focus on Me and on the path just ahead of you." Prayer by Lysa TerKeurst: "Lord, may the pursuit of my dreams be more about growing closer to You than anything else. Give us wisdom and courage as we follow Your lead." "Find a passion that wakes you up with excitement every morning and a love that pulls you home every evening." "Let us keep our eyes fixed on Jesus, on whom our faith depends from beginning to end. He did not give up because of the cross! On the contrary, because of the joy that was waiting for him, he thought nothing of the disgrace of dying on the cross, and he is now seated at the right side of God's throne."- Hebrews 12:2 Check out one of my favorite country songs below- Saltwater Gospel by the Eli Young Band --two thumbs up!! Thanks for reading! Sending love, happiness, and an abundance of blessings your way, and wishing you a super great God-filled day!! It's been a while since I've blogged, I've missed it!! A lot has changed since my last blog..I've started a new job in my hometown, I really love it! I've traveled two places I've never been, Big Sky, Montana where my best friend asked me to marry him on top of a mountain, and Punta Cana, DR where we went on our Honeymoon the week after we got MARRIED! :) I've also moved in to a home with my hubby, and I'm finding my new normal! So many great new things and answered prayers...God is seriously GOOD people!! Now that I'm getting all settled in..I wanted to share more of my crazy thoughts with you.....
Have you ever thought to yourself..the Bible is the most important thing we could ever read here on Earth and yet some people haven't or choose not to? Isn't that crazy to think about. I myself have heard many stories of the Bible and read or heard of many scriptures, but haven't read the Bible front to back word for word. How can I absorb God's word, live out God's word, and spread God's word if I don't truly know it? I think it's so important if there is one thing I do while I'm on Earth it better be to pick up God's word and read it, every word of it. Each day we must intentionally park our mind, our emotions, and our trust in God, and I think one of the best ways to do that is to dig into His word. A while back I decided I was going to start the Bible from the beginning, and read it word for word. I look forward to my time set aside each day to dig into God's word. I purchased a journaling Bible, that's really helped me to take notes along the way, stay engaged, and highlight the parts that stick out to me. I encourage everyone to set some time aside and fill your mind and body with the word of God, after all it is the most important words we'll ever read here on Earth. "God's word..comforts me. Corrects me. Connects me to the better version of myself." - Lysa TerKeurst. God's word is full of hope. It's uplifting, encouraging, and full of knowledge, courage, and everything we need. [Especially] during this time, with our current election and everything happening in our world (that is a whole different subject)..but we can find hope in God's word. A while back someone told me to write down my hopes, prayers, struggles, feelings, and scripture's that speak to me..it's amazing to see God truly working in your life. When I look back I'm just amazed at the prayers He has answered and the wonderful plan He has. He can turn your circumstances around in a blink of an eye. You see it unfold right before your eyes, it's so evident that His plan is wonderful and He works all things together for good. All of a sudden you're asking yourself what did I do to deserve this? God's blessings are SO abundant and full of His love. The word of God says..it's nothing we did or didn't do..but it's what God has did for us. Our God is SO good. Our plan doesn't even compare to the amazing plan He has for us. What is even more amazing, is you can look back on tough or challenging times and realize it was all apart of His amazing plan..we either learned something from it or He brought us something, someone, or somewhere even better than we could've imagined. That cliche quote, "Everything happens for a reason" becomes so evident and true. I often wonder how I can thank Him enough for all of His blessings, but the Bible says..He rejoices at the sound of our thanksgiving..He hears us! The more we thank Him, the more blessings He pours upon us. Cultivate a lifestyle of being thankful, of remembering what God has done and how blessed you are. He'll keep pouring it on you. Dig into His word, live it out, and write down your feelings, hopes, prayers..and look back and see how He has answered them even better than you imagined or thought possible. The shortest path to God's richest blessings is always paved with trust and obedience. Never doubt Him, He has so many blessings with your name on it..and they're right around the corner. Keep holding on, keep praying, keep being hopeful, keep yourself planted in His word, stay strong in your waiting period, backtrack and remember all the places God has been faithful in your life, then go forward with the assurance and confidence He is the same faithful God. "Therefore get rid of all moral filth and evil that is so prevalent and humbly except the word planted in you which can save you, do not merely listen to the word and so deceive yourselves, do what it says." Prayer by Lysa TerKeurst: "Lord, I read Your Word like a love letter to my soul.Thank You for being so tender with my fears and worries. Thank You for the gift of knowing You really do have it all under control. Thank You for lavishing us with a hope beyond what we can see. Oh how You love us! Oh how I love You." Thanks for reading! Have a blessed day!! Too often we put a timeline on our happiness. If this happens..then I will be happy, when I get this...then I will be happy. Maybe its a job, a promotion, a relationship, a house, a material item, a vacation, retirement, a child, a title, a future hope and so on. We think that when that one thing happens that is when we will be truly happy. We look in every direction for our needs and wants to be met by unrealistic things, when in reality we just need to look up. Look up to God and be thankful for what we have, be content with where He has us right now, and not base our happiness on Earthly things that can be taken from us instantly. We have all that we need, we have Him, His love, and His promises. "His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness."- 2 Peter 1:3 If we have Him, we have everything. Real freedom comes from being content in our circumstance. What we have comes from Him and Him alone. "Real freedom won't occur with just an external relocation, it requires complete internal renovation."- Lysa Terkeurst. We can't always fix our circumstances, but we can fix our eyes on God. We must allow ourselves to experience the true freedom that comes from depending on Him, by looking to Him and trusting Him to meet our every need. The Lord says, "I am the only One who can empower you to find contentment in all circumstances." Anytime our circumstances start to weigh us down, we must turn our attention to God and focus our thoughts on Him. It is when we learn to embrace where we are that God will take us further than we could ever imagine.
"Now there is great gain in godliness with contentment."- 1 Timothy 6:6 "Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. I can do all things through him who strengthens me."- Philippians 4:11-13 Then The Lord said to Moses, "I will rain down bread from Heaven for you. The people are to go out each day and gather enough for that day. In this way I will test them and see weather they will follow my instructions." -Exodus 16:4 "Now there is great gain in godliness with contentment, for we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world. But if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content."- 1 Timothy 6:6-8 "Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you."- Matthew 6:31-33 "Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”- Hebrews 13:5 “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you."- Matthew 7:7 "What causes quarrels and what causes fights among you? Is it not this, that your passions are at war within you? You desire and do not have, so you murder. You covet and cannot obtain, so you fight and quarrel. You do not have, because you do not ask. You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions. You adulterous people! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. Or do you suppose it is to no purpose that the Scripture says, “He yearns jealously over the spirit that he has made to dwell in us”?- James 4:1-10 "The Lord will guide you always; He will satisfy your needs..you will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose water never fails."- Isaiah 58:11 "A tranquil heart gives life to the flesh, but envy makes the bones rot."- Proverbs 14:30 "God's best is your best." "Accept what is, let go of what was, and have faith in what could be." "Stress makes us believe everything has to happen right now, faith reassures everything will happen in God's timing." "Contentment is not the fulfillment of what want, but the appreciation for what we have." "Contentment is the secret to a thankful life." "Contentment does not mean that I desire nothing, but rather, its the simple decision to be happy with what I have, who I am, and where I am." Wishing you contentment in the season God has you in right now! Thanks for reading!! What stops us from trusting God in making a decision, committing to something, getting out of our comfort zone, or taking that next step? Fear. Fear of the unknown Fear of failure Fear of getting hurt Fear of what others will think Fear of rejection Fear of regret Fear of missing out on something better Fear of making the wrong decision Fear of making mistakes Fear of disappointment Here's the thing, there is no such thing as the perfect time or the perfect decision. Sometimes God gives us options..both decisions might match His will for us and we get to decide which path we want to take, neither one is right or wrong as long as both decisions are pleasing to God, in the end He has a perfect design for both options. Do not stay stuck where you are because of fear, trust God. He will lead you, cling to Him and His perfect ways. Look for His truth and promises. As soon as we realize that there is no perfect decision it will set us free from what fears are holding us back. I'm willing to bet that any choice we've made didn't come with some setbacks, failure, or imperfections. That is why there is no such thing as a perfect decision..more importantly are we willing to trust God through the process and know that He is bringing good from this decision? Here's the bottom line..imperfection and fear will never power over God's love and promises. Trust Him. A passage from Lysa Terkeurst: "If your heart and mind are aligned in the direction of God, you don't have to agonize to the point of paralysis over the decisions before you. We will steer where we stare. So stare mightily at God and His plan. And if you don't know His plan, stare mightily at living out His Word in your life and His plan will unfold day by day. Decision by Decision. Receive whats next, receive whats best." Decision making with God: 1. Pray for wisdom from God "If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you” (James 1:5). 2. Search the Scriptures of God “The precepts of the Lord are right, giving joy to the heart. The commands of the Lord are radiant, giving light to the eyes” (Psalm 19:8). 3. Be still before God “Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him; do not fret when people succeed in their ways, when they carry out their wicked schemes” (Psalm 37:7). 4. Seek counsel from Godly people “Walk with the wise and become wise, for a companion of fools suffers harm” (Proverbs 13:20). 5. Have faith and trust in God “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight” (Proverbs 3:5-6). 6. Admit your weaknesses and limitations to God “For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin” (Hebrews 4:15). 7. Be open and available to the revelation God's will “Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you” (James 4:7). http://www.whatchristianswanttoknow.com/7-great-bible-verses-for-tough-decisions/ Making wise decisions based on God's truth..by Lysa Terkeurst (From her book, "The Best Yes" I highly recommend it!!) 1. Accept God's words God's word is a gift, but it won't do any good unless we accept the gift, open the gift, use the gift. 2. Store up His commands within us We must get into His word and let His word get into us. The more verses we learn and memorize, the more our thinking will align with His truth and we can put them to use. 3. Turn our ears to wisdom Listen to wise teaching, wise advice, and keep the company of wise people. 4. Call out for insight Ask others to help us see the pros and cons of our decision 5. Cry aloud for understanding Ask The Lord to show us how our choices will affect others 6. Look for wisdom as passionately as we would hunt for a hidden treasure See the value of wisdom as higher than any worldly way we are offered. Stay focused on looking for wisdom despite the many distractions the world puts in front of us to make decisions without taking the time to apply sought-after wisdom. "He has not brought you this far to abandon you." "He has never failed before and He won't start now." "The decisions you make determine the schedule you keep. The schedule you keep determines the life you life. How you live your life determines how you spend your soul."- Lysa Terkeurst "Wisdom makes decisions today that will still be good tomorrow."- Lysa Terkeurst "I sought the Lord, and he answered me and delivered me from all my fears."- Psalm 34:4 "When I am afraid, I will trust in You."- Psalm 56:3 "His way is perfect."- Psalm 18:30 "You don't understand what I am doing now, but someday you will."- John 13:7 “But blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in him. They will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes;its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit.”- Jeremiah 17:7-8 "Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and he will establish your plans."- Proverbs 16:3 "Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love, for I have put my trust in you. Show me the way I should go, for to you I entrust my life."- Psalm 143:8 "This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us."- 1 John 5:14 "Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.”- Psalm 91:1-2 "For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control."- 2 Timothy 1:7 "Anxiety in a man's heart weighs him down, but a good word makes him glad."- Proverbs 12:25 "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."- Philippians 4: 6-7 "My son, if you accept my words and store up my commands with you, turning you ear to wisdom and applying your heart to understanding- indeed, if you call out for insight and cry aloud for understanding, and if you look for it as for silver and search for it as for hidden treasure, then you will understand the fear of The Lord and find the knowledge of God. For The Lord gives wisdom; from His mouth comes knowledge and understanding. He holds success in store for the upright, He is a shield to those whose walk is blameless, for he guards the course of the just and protects the way of his faithful ones. Then you will understand what is right and just and fair- every good path. For wisdom will enter your heart, and knowledge will be pleasant to your soul. Discretion will protect you, and understanding will guard you.- Proverbs 2:1-11 "The Lord makes firm the steps of the one who delights in Him; though he may stumble, he will not fall, for The Lord upholds him with His hand."- Psalm 37:23-24 "Be dressed ready for service and keep your lamps burning."- Luke 12:35 Check out the awesome song below by Lauren Daigle...love it!! Thanks for reading! Wishing everyone a fabulous weekend! With love, Shadow God doesn't ask us to be perfect, figure everything out, or have all the answers, He only asks us to be obedient to Him. O·be·di·ent- complying or willing to comply with orders or requests. Here's some questions to ask ourselves: Are we doing what we want to do, are we living "our" plan, are we doing things only for ourselves and our own benefit..or are we living for Him, being obedient to Him, and being obedient to what He is calling us to do? How is God calling you to be obedient to Him? What is He asking you to do to "show up" for Him. He shows up for us at all times. What passion, gift, calling, has He given you that can help His people, bless His people, touch His people? I am reading a book called "The Best Yes" by Lysa Terkeurst..great book! The first few chapters talked about how it's important to be obedient to what God is calling us to do, even if it requires getting out of our comfort zone, even if we're busy, even if we don't really want to, even if to us it seems like something small and unimportant. What God calls us to do transforms lives, it changes our own hearts, it paves way for the amazing things He has planned for our lives. Obedience always brings blessings. Do we really want to miss an opportunity God has placed right in front of us? What is that "thing" God is calling you to do? As I'm reading the first few chapters of this book, in the back of my mind is this "Holy Yoga" class that entered my head a couple months ago after attending a Women's Faith Conference in St. Cloud, I created the class, I practiced it once, & I set it aside. Why? I wasn't super comfortable with the idea, I doubted myself, I made excuses in my head that I'm too busy and that something so small isn't going to make a big difference. So here I am reading..it's in the back of my mind, I flip the page and come to a list: Her "thing" might be to: -Write a book -Go on a mission trip -Own a small bakery -Go back to complete her degree -Teach a class at her church -Get out of debt -Work with a local ministry Third from the bottom is when my jaw dropped and I just sat and stared at he page for a few minutes..& then I looked up and said, "Ok God, you win!! I'll teach the Holy Yoga class." The next chapter went on to ask...what if you took those next steps to be obedient to what God is calling you to do? So I did, I e-mailed my Pastor and asked if this was something that the church would be interested in offering and he said, "That would be great!" (I was secretly hoping there would be no interest and I could look up to the high heavens and say, "Well, Lord, I tried!" But that wasn't the case. I know I'll love every minute because the fact that God is giving me the opportunity to use my passions to serve Him and His people is what I want most in my life. I know my next steps are to do it with love in my heart, pray about it, and trust that God will give me the strength I need to do it, because lets be honest..I'm wandering right out of my safe bubble. Something that 3 months ago I thought was just a small idea, didn't mean anything, wouldn't make a difference, was unimportant....but God kept tugging at me, he kept putting little reminders out there. Get out of your comfort zone for Me Shadow, use what your passionate about to serve Me, show up, use the gifts I've given you, trust Me, rely on My strength. And then I came across a Bible story when the Lord said to Moses, "Who gave humans their mouths?..Now go; I will help you speak and will teach you what to say." Don't miss your assignment. Don't miss the opportunities God is putting in front of you no matter how small and unimportant they seem to you. Don't miss a chance to be obedient to Him and what He is calling you to do. Don't miss a chance to help someone, transform a life, work for Him and His people, gather with His people and worship Him. Don't doubt your abilities, God does everything for a purpose. When we doubt our abilities, we doubt Him. He will provide the strength, we just need to "show up". Show up for Him. Passage from Lysa TerKeurst: "When we doubt we have what it takes for us to do what God calls us to do, we are doubting His creation abilities. God does everything with purpose and precision. Trust this. Embrace this. Even if you don't know all the details of your calling quite yet, thank God for making you perfectly equipped for your assignments ahead. And when insecurity starts to make you doubt, flip it around and say, "God I may doubt myself. But I will not doubt You. So, I will let Your perfection override my feelings of imperfection and do what You instruct me to do." Prayer from Lysa TerKeurst: "Heavenly Father, I confess that all too often I doubt that I have what it takes to do the things You have called me to do. Remind me that I have been perfectly equipped for the assignments You have given me. Help me not to doubt. Keep me tender to Your commands. I want to hear you speak and respond quickly with whole-heated obedience. In Jesus' name, Amen." Blessing by Susie Larson: "May your every step be ordered by The Lord. May you go where He'd have you go, say what He'd have you say, and pray what He'd have you pray. May you be a vessel that Jesus fills up and pours out on a dry and thirsty land. And may your own soul be replenished in the process." "But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind."- James 1:6 "Whoever gives heed to instruction prospers, and blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord."- Proverbs 16:20 "Now then, if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, then you shall be My own possession among all the peoples, for all the earth is Mine."- Exodus 19:5 "But this is what I commanded them, saying, 'Obey My voice, and I will be your God, and you will be My people; and you will walk in all the way which I command you, that it may be well with you."- Jeremiah 7:23 "Be on your guard before him and obey his voice; do not be rebellious toward him, for he will not pardon your transgression, since My name is in him."- Exodus 23:21 "As obedient children, do not be conformed to the former lusts which were yours in your ignorance." 1 Peter 1:14 "It shall come about, if you listen obediently to my commandments which I am commanding you today, to love the LORD your God and to serve Him with all your heart and all your soul." Deuteronomy 11:13 "Now therefore amend your ways and your deeds and obey the voice of the LORD your God; and the LORD will change His mind about the misfortune which He has pronounced against you."- Jeremiah 26:13 "If you consent and obey, You will eat the best of the land."- Isaiah 1:19 "Teach me to do Your will, for You are my God; may Your good Spirit lead me on level ground."- Psalm 143:10 "Those who leave everything in God's hands will eventually see God's hand in everything." "God requires our obedience before our understanding."- Lysa TerKerust "Whatever attitude we bring into a situation will be multiplied." - Lysa TerKeurst "Let out the cry of passion God entrusted you to. Let it all the way out to touch others, help others, and bless others."- Lysa TerKeurst "If your dreams don't scare you, they aren't big enough." "He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him." "Your obedience to God is an act of gratitude of His gift of grace." Is there a time you felt like God was calling you to do something? Is there an opportunity that you know changed your life because you weren't afraid to wonder out of your comfort zone to be obedient to God? Is there a "thing" right now that you feel might be an act of obedience for Christ. Comment below & share it.. I would love to hear! Check out my Facebook page for details on my upcoming Holy Yoga classes..it starts a week from today! I'd love to see you there!!! Thanks for reading! Blessings to you! Have a wonderful day! Check out the song "Loyal" by Lauren Daigle below..what a beautiful voice! "For I am about to do something new. See, I have already begun! Do you not see it? I will make a pathway through the wilderness. I will create rivers in dry wasteland." -Isaiah 43:19
What are your goals and wishes for the New Year? Keep praying, keep that positive attitude and hopeful expectancy. Believe in this season that God is up to something good in your life. And during this time may he release fresh faith and perspective into every fiber of your being. Embrace the expectancy that any day now your breakthrough is coming! Don't give up hope, God has you, He is working with you and for you. While you wait for this breakthrough to come may you open your eyes to notice the prayers of yours He has already answered. See your circumstances changing for the better, let those glimpses of His wonderful glory be a reminder to you that he is involved in every detail of your life. He is writing your story, He is unleashing your highest potential, He is arranging your life better than you ever imagined. He is moving in the hearts of others, that is how much He loves you. Look to Him with expectancy and imagine what is possible, He works miracles. It is when we give up our power and control and fully trust him with confident faith that He provides a breakthrough. Don't give up hope, your time is coming, be joyful and prayerful in the mean time! Prayer for breakthrough by Susie Larsen: "May your persistent prayers pay off and may the burdens that have plagued you suddenly feel like a light and easy yoke. May this "suddenly" breakthrough come quickly. May god grant you a fresh revolution of His love and a fresh outpouring of grace to not only face the day but to conquer it valiantly. And may you experience increasing joy because you believe- beyond a shadow of a doubt- that God has amazing things planned for you! Amen." "All these blessings will come upon you & overtake you if you pay attention to the voice of The Lord your God."- Deuteronomy 28:2 "Do not throw away confidence; it will be richly rewarded."- Hebrews 10:35 "For The Lord God is a sun and shield; The Lord bestows favor and honor; no good thing does he withhold from those whose walk is blameless."- Psalm 84:11 "God has been faithful to you before. He'll be faithful again."- Hebrews 10:35-36 "I wait for The Lord, my whole being waits and in His word I put my hope."- Psalm 130:5 "She holds onto hope for He is forever faithful."- 1 Corinthians 1:9 "I remain confident of this; I will see the goodness of The Lord."- Psalm 27:13 "The pain that you've been feeling can't compare to the joy that is coming."- Romans 8:18 Your future is as bright as the promises of God! Wishing you health, happiness, and many blessings in 2016! Thanks for readings!! Happy New Year! :) Great things to come! In the midst of our crazy busy lives it can be easy to get wrapped up in our hectic schedules and many demands. We allow ourselves to get stressed out, run down, push ourselves to the breaking point. Have you ever stepped back and evaluated why you're feeling like this, why you're allowing yourself to feel like this, and if it's even necessary? It's not. We especially tend to get caught up in the hustle and bustle of the holidays..running around trying to find a million perfect gifts, getting the perfect table setting, making a thousand Christmas goodies at a million miles a minute, and before we know it it's all over. Did we slow down and enjoy time with family & friends? Did we stop and think about the real reason for the season? Did we have time to celebrate the birth of our Savior Jesus Christ?
Slow down, my friends. Take a deep breath. Re-evaluate your priorities. Take a second right now to make a list of your priorities starting with the most important. Here might be some of the things on your list: God Family & Friends Survival & Health Love & Happiness Freedom Service Career Success Money Material items All of our orders might look different, all of our lists might have different priorities, our priority list in our head might not even match the one we're truly living out. What do you need to change or adjust to make these list's match up? What area of your life deserves more attention? Maybe it requires setting more time out of your day for The Lord, maybe it requires a much needed conversation between you and a loved one or simply just making time for one another, maybe it's asking a friend to pray for you and vise versa, maybe it's dedicating more time to your spouse and children and less time to work or other addictions, or maybe it's taking time for yourself to relieve stress and focus on your health. Whatever it is, make time for that certain something that can make a world of difference in your life right now. God knows our every need, take it to The Lord in prayer. Ask God for refreshment in this new season. The new year is coming, we ask for a fresh beginning, a rejuvenating season, a renewing of the soul, an uplifting breath of fresh air. "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!"- 2 Corinthians 5:17 A passage from Jesus Calling: "Be still, so that you can hear My voice. I speak in the language of love; My words fill you with Life and Peace, Joy and Hope. I desire to talk with all of My children, but many are too busy to listen. The "work ethic" has them tied up in knots. They submit wholeheartedly to this taskmaster, wondering why they feel so distant from Me. Living close to Me requires making Me your first Love- your highest priority. As you seek My Presence above all else, you experience Peace and Joy in full measure. I also am blessed when you make Me first in your life. While you journey through life in My Presence, My glory brightens the world around you." Balance is key. When we walk to the beat of our own drum and rely on our own strength and energy..we feel lost, tired, overwhelmed, and stressed. When we find Christian balance and take on what God has in store for us and what He's has put directly in front of us we feel full, whole, happy, and accomplished. What a difference this makes in our well-being and our overall attitude. The Lord says, "It is crucial to make your relationship with Me the top priority." Seek first the Kingdom of God and our priorities will fall into place. Prayer for balance: "Dear Lord, heal the areas of me that need healing, bring wholeness and health to my mind, body, and spirit. Fill me into the depths of my soul with your peace. Strengthen me and fill me with faith so that I can take on the adventures you've set before me with a heart full of faith and a mind focused on You. Help me to find peace and happiness in every area of my life, Lord. Let me feel your presence surrounding me at all time so that I know the fearless strength and guidance you give me always. Help me to put You first at all times, to focus every thought, word, and action on you, to do everything with you, for you, and through you, Lord. Give me a life full of healthy balance to meet your needs and wants for my life. Amen." "Dear friend, I hope all is well with you and that you are as healthy in body as you are strong in spirit."- 3 John 1:2 "But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you"- Matthew 6:33 "You shall have no other gods before Me."-Exodus 20:3 "For where your treasure is, there your heart shall be also."-Luke 12:34 "No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money."- Matthew 6:24 "A false balance is an abomination to the Lord, but a just weight is his delight."-Proverbs 11:1 "For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven: a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted; a time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; a time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing."-Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 Wishing everyone a very Merry CHRISTmas!! Enjoy this wonderful time with loved ones! Remember He is the reason for the season! Thanks for reading!!! HAPPY HOLIDAYS! God places certain people in our life for a reason, and you can feel it. That moment when you're having a not so fabulous day and you get a surprise text from a friend saying, "Hey, just thinking about you and miss you! Hope your day is as beautiful as you are...I pray for you every day!" Aren't those the best? They always come at the perfect time. God puts these beautiful people in our lives for a reason, He speaks through them, and he shines through them into our lives...such a beautiful gift! If you don't have people like this in your life.. ask God for one! He will answer. It's amazing what can happen in your life when you surround yourself with positive people who will lift you up and truly care for you. I find myself often just stopping and thinking, wow how did I get so lucky to be blessed with so many amazing close friends.. I thank God for each one of them every single day!
Friends are that extra happiness to get us through, someone to lean on, someone who is always there for you, someone you can talk to about anything, someone to laugh with, someone to help you through the hard times and celebrate during the good times, nothing to take for granted that's for sure! I have to ask myself sometimes..what would I do without my friends?? God just knows I need lots of love!!! When I'm having a bad day, and I go to girls night or Bible Study...I leave in a better mood, I feel lifted, relieved, cared for..it's amazing!! There is something so amazing about women coming together and humbling themselves before each other..the need not to be perfect and not to compete just to hear each other out, help one another, lift each other up, give words of encouragement, and pray for one another. Here's another favorite...friends that you love so near & dear but we all have different callings and life takes us different places and though you don't get to see each other as much as you'd like each time you do see each other it's like you never left! It just picks up right where you left off and you smile & giggle the whole time you're together and you leave with your heart full! LOVE friendship!! Friends are therapy for the soul and a true gift from the One who loves to give good gifts! Short & sweet today..I just felt all friends deserve to know how appreciated they are! Thank you to all my sisters in Christ...for supporting me, encouraging me, being there for me, listening, caring, loving, drawing me closer to Christ, for being so uplifting, and for taking the time to be so thoughtful and genuine! Love & appreciate every single one of you..and you deserve to hear it!! I enjoy watching God work through each of you and seeing all the amazing gifts He has blessed all of us with. A passage form Lysa TerKeurst: "That friend who speaks truth? Listen to her. Stay connected to her. Let her speak truth into your life even when you’re tired of hearing it. Stand in the shadow of her faith when you feel your own faith is weak, and let her lead you back to God time and time again." “Walk with the wise and become wise, for a companion of fools suffers harm.” Proverbs 13:20 "A sweet friendship refreshes the soul." -Proverbs 27:9 “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.- John 15:12-13 "And as you wish that others would do to you, do so to them."- Luke 6:31 "A faithful friend is a sturdy shelter, he that has found one has found a treasure. There is nothing so precious as a faithful friend, and no scales can measure his excellence." -Sirach 6:15 "A friend will be a friend in times of all kinds." -Proverbs 17 "Whoever walks with the wise becomes wise, but the companion of fools will suffer harm."- Proverbs 13:20 "A friend loves at all times."- Proverbs 17:17 "Do not be deceived: “Bad company ruins good morals.”- 1 Corinthians 15:33 "Love one another with brotherly affection. Out do one another in showing honor."- Romans 12:10 "Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.- Ephesians 4 "Some people make your laugh a little louder, your smile a little brighter, and your life a little better." "Invest in people who invest in you." "Treat others the way you want to be treated." "Surround yourself with people who make you hungry for life, touch your heart, and nourish your soul." "Friends become our chosen family." "Surround yourself with people who are going to life you higher." "It's not what we have in life, but who we have in life that matters." "Good friends make the good times better and the hard times easier" "A good friend knows your weaknesses, but shows you your strengths." Have a beautiful day, friends!!! Much love! Thanks for reading! But He said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest upon me. -2 Corinthians 12:9 We all have weaknesses and we're all weak at times, not to be ashamed or afraid, for in our weakness and weak moments lies His abundant, everlasting strength. God doesn't ask us to be strong at all times, He asks us to trust Him to provide us with the strength we need for each moment. Do you ever feel like you could break down at any second? Life just gets to be too much..things are building up, our emotions get the best of us, we fall into self pity, nothings going right, life is too busy to slow down and get everything back under control, we feel weak and breakable. When we get to this point The Lord says, "My Child, come to me, sit in My presence, and allow my strength to flow through you freely." We may bend to gain strength, but our faithful Father never allows us to break. Fall into the arms of The Lord, He will catch us and wrap His arms around us, comfort us, and lift us back up. We are not expected to do everything on our own. Don't take it all on, we don't have the power to do everything, give up control, take one task at a time..God doesn't give us strength for tomorrow or for next week. He gives us just enough strength for the task in front of us. When we look too far into the future we feel weak, we measure our strength and energy against whats to come. When we take it moment by moment we find the strength to tackle all that life throws at us. God said we will face trials of many kinds in this lifetime. It's inevitable. The devil want us to feel weak and focus on our weaknesses, but Isaiah 40:29 says, "He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak." A passage from Jesus Calling: "I am your strength and shield. I plan out each day and have it ready for you, long before you arise from bed. I also provide the strength you need for each step of the way. Instead of assessing your energy level and wondering about whats on the road ahead, concentrate on staying in touch with Me. Refuse to waste energy on worrying, and you will have strength to spare. It is good that you recognize your weakness, that keeps you looking to Me, your strength. Grow strong in your weakness. Some of my children I've gifted with abundant strength and stamina. Others, like you, have received the humble gift of frailty. Your fragility is not a punishment, nor does it indicate lack of faith. Weak ones like you must live by faith, depending on Me to get you through the day. I am developing your ability to trust Me, to lean on Me, rather than your own understanding. Your natural preference is to plan out your day, knowing what will happen when. My preference is for you to depend on me, trusting me to guide you and strengthen you as needed. This is how you grow strong in your weakness. Bring Me your weaknesses, and receive My peace." We all have strengths and weaknesses. What are your weaknesses? I know mine..patience, confidence, and worrying about the future, among many others. Our weaknesses are hard to admit sometimes. When I look at mine I know if I put confident trust and full faith in The Lord..I can be patient, I can let go of worry, and I can be confident because I'm a Child of God and that alone is enough. A passage from Jesus Calling, "Rather than struggling to disguise or deny your weakness, allow me to bless you richly through it." Isn't that amazing? When we recognize our weaknesses we can work towards strengthening and improving in those areas and The Lord is able to BLESS us through our weaknesses. We don't need to be everything to everyone all the time, being His is enough. We are growing Christians, He makes us new, He refreshes our souls, He renews our minds, He gives us strength. We don't need to be perfect, we don't need to shine so others can see us, we need to shine so that through us others can see Him. When you feel weak..if there's some area of your life that's just getting to be too much to handle, if its something simple that is weighing heavy on your heart or mind, if you're at point when you could just break down and cry, if you feel like giving up, if you've lost hope or feel lost and abandoned...I want you to surrender whatever it is to The Lord. Lay it at his feet. He will lift you up, He will make you whole again by the power of His grace and love, He will fill you with His strength and fill that area of your soul that needs healing. Keep doing what you can and God will do what you can't. This isn't the end of your story...make this disappointment a divine appointment. Take a breath of fresh air and use God's strength to take on each task as it comes. Let His light shine on you, let your cup overflow with joy, let that glow shine from your face, walk with a pep in your step today, you can do this, let a whole new perspective come over you, let your faith take over, focus on your strengths and blessings, and remember His power is made perfect in weakness. Be vulnerable to the power of God's grace working through you and changing you to be increasingly more Christ-like. Watch your weakness become your strength. We know nothing can overcome the power of God's love, no matter how weak we become, His love never fails, His mercy is new every morning, great is thy faithfulness!! Give God your weakness, and He'll give you His strength! A passage by Susie Larson: When you feel like you don't fit in, may you walk in faith because you have a place at the Table of Grace. When you feel like you're just not enough, may you remember that His Enough is more than enough for you. When you trip up and fall short, remember that He stoops down to make you great. And when you don't feel victorious, remember that you're already seated with Christ because He won the victory for you. May He Himself lift you up and make you strong. May he heal those hidden areas that surface time and time again. May He strengthen you and fill you with faith so you'll dare to take the risks He puts before you. May you take time in His presence so you remember how strong and mighty He is. "But those who hope in The Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faith."-Isaiah 40:31 "God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble."- Psalm 46:1 "The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in Him, and I am helped. My heart leaps for joy and I will give thanks to Him in song. The Lord is the strength of His people, a fortress of salvation for his anointed one."- Psalm 28:7 "O Lord, be gracious to us, we long for You. Be our strength every morning, our salvation in time of distress."- Isaiah 33:2 "Therefore I am well content with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties, for Christ's sake; for when I am weak, then I am strong."- 2 Corinthians 12:10 "The sovereign Lord is my strength, He makes my feet like the feet of a deer, he enables me to go on the heights. For the director of music, on my stringed instruments."- Habakkuk 3:19 "I will seek the lost, bring back the scattered, bind up the broken and strengthen the sick; but the fat and the strong I will destroy I will feed them with judgment."- Ezekiel 34:16 "For I satisfy the weary ones and refresh everyone who languishes." -Jeremiah 21:35 "I can do everything through Him who gives me strength."- Philippians 4:13 "My soul is weary with sorrow, strengthen me according to Your word."- Psalm 119:28 "Be strong in The Lord and His mighty power."- Ephesians 6:10 "When the righteous cry for help, the Lord hears and delivers them out of all their troubles. The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit. Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivers him out of them all. He keeps all his bones; not one of them is broken"- Psalm 34:17 "For I determined to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ, and Him crucified. I was with you in weakness and in fear and in much trembling, and my message and my preaching were not in persuasive words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, so that your faith would not rest on the wisdom of men, but on the power of God."- 1 Corinthians 2 "Now we who are strong ought to bear the weaknesses of those without strength and not just please ourselves."- Romans 15:1 "God is strong, and He wants you strong."- Ephesians 6:10 "I may be weak, but Your spirits strong in me, my flesh will fail, but My God You never will." Prayer from Ephesians 3:16- "I pray that out of his glorious riches He may strengthen you with power through His spirit in your inner being." Thanks for reading! God Bless!! Comparison is a dangerous trap. Instead of being grateful for all of our blessings, we look with disappointment on things we want and don't have. This leads to self pity, sadness, anger, despair, and disappointment. When life doesn't happen as we hope or plan we get discouraged and shift our attitude to a negative perspective. If we spend time focusing on what we don't have, we lose the present, our happiness, and we forget to appreciate and thank God for all the things we do have. It's usually not our circumstances that need to change, it's our attitude. Going back to one of the first blogs I wrote..it's all about choosing happiness. True joy is not found in having all of the things someone else has, their life, wealth, health, position in life, or success. Perhaps we've had some of these thoughts before.. -I wish I had his/her body -I want their house -If only I had as much money as them -I wish my marriage was as happy as theirs -His/her life looks perfect, they have it all together, I wish mine was like that -I wish I had his/her job -I wish my life wasn't so hectic & crazy so I had time to go the gym, clean, and relax and so on... When we fall down the hole of self pity, when the insecurities and jealousy sneak in, we must put a stop to the devil's work in us. It is unhealthy to compare ourselves and be envious of other people, we are not here to compare or compete. When a jealous thought or insecurity pops in your head, we must immediately put our shield up against the devils negative thoughts that he puts in our head to try and tear us down. Do not confuse these negative feelings with God's truth. Be happy for others, cheer everyone on, when it comes to serving The Lord someone else's success is a win for us all! Choose happiness, have a grateful heart, true joy will only be found when we live a life for God and put our faith and hope in Him. Embrace YOUR journey! "It's not about being perfect, it's about being perfectly surrendered."-Lysa TerKeurst. Be happy everything He has blessed you with knowing that you are exactly where you need to be! Love the life he's given you, love your body and exactly how God made you, love your imperfections! He has designed an amazing plan for each one of us! Declare that you are a Child of God. You are enough. You are fearfully and wonderfully made and you are SO loved by Him. Declare this over your life: God will do exceedingly, abundantly above all that I ask or think. Because I honor Him, His blessings will chase me down and overtake me. I will be in the right place at the right time. People will go out of their way to be good to me. I am surrounded by God's favor. -Ephesians 3:20 A passage from Lysa TerKeurst: Envy and jealousy are friendship killers. They are celebration killers. They are love killers. Real danger comes if we let our minds run rampant with envy. We secretly wish something will happen to taint that other person’s perceived perfect situation…their perfect marriage, their perfect home, their perfect kids, their perfect financial situation, their perfect job - and prove they are not so terrific after all. Oh my friends this isn’t little. The presence of envy in our heart shouldn’t and can’t be brushed aside, excused, or ignored. We must, must, must fall on our knees today in utter repentance and raw admission. I’m challenging us right now to ask God to reveal where envy has entangled itself in the depths of our hearts. We must not resist what God brings to mind. Then we must - with every ounce of intentionality - address this, deal with it, learn how to replace it, and rip it up by its very root. Don't skip over today's quotes and verses! "Jealousy comes from counting others blessings instead of our own." "The only person you should try to be better than is the person you were yesterday." "Your world is not falling apart, it is falling into place." "You have incredible worth. Not because of who you are, but because of whose you are." "The grass is not greener on the other side, it's green where we water it." "Don't compare your beginning to someone else's end." "Live from the heart of yourself- seek to be whole, not perfect." "Comparison is the thief of joy." "Learn how to be happy with what you have while you pursue all that you want." "We rise by lifting others." "Rejection from man does not mean rejection from God." "We may be overlooked by others, but we are hand-picked by God." "Our calling is never to one up the next person, it is to lift up the name of Jesus." "Each of you must examine your own actions. Then you can be proud of your own accomplishments without comparing yourself to others. Assume your own responsibility."- Galatians 6:4-5 "We wouldn’t put ourselves in the same class with or compare ourselves to those who are bold enough to make their own recommendations. Certainly, when they measure themselves by themselves and compare themselves to themselves, they show how foolish they are."- 2 Corinthians 10:12 "For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every vile practice."- James 3:16 "She hold onto hope for He is forever faithful."- 1 Corinthians 1:9 "Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect."- Romans 12:2 "Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him."- 1 John 2:15 "Am I saying this now to win the approval of people or God? Am I trying to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be Christ’s servant."- Galatians 1:10 "Now there is great gain in godliness with contentment, for we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world. But if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content."-1 Timothy 6:6-8 "The LORD is my shepherd; I have all that I need."- Psalm 23:1 "Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ."- 1 Corinthians 11:1 "Whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things."- Philippians 4:8 Embrace where you are and who you are, love your journey! You are a beautiful work of God! His love for you is unwavering and certain. You are enough! Thanks for reading! Hope your day is as amazing as you are! "In the Bible we read many stories about men and women who did great things for God. The Bible is full of acts of obedience. God is calling each one of us to step out of our comfort zone to do something great for Him. We can go to church, read scripture, pray..all fantastic in strengthening our relationship with God. But what can we do for the Kingdom of God? How about inviting someone to church or Bible study, helping someone seek God, reaching out to a stranger, helping someone in need? It requires getting a little uncomfortable and doing something we wouldn't usually do. We need to get out of our comfort zone and into Christ's zone. This is a gift, it is where we find His strength and fully rely on Him, and in return He rewards us for our obedience. Ask yourself..what else can I do to seek The Lord and His kingdom? Where is He calling you to get out of your comfort zone in order to rely on your faith, gain ground, lead others to Him, and strengthen your relationship with Him? Make a difference for God. He does SO much for us. How can we use our passions to serve God and His kingdom? How is He calling us to step outside our comfort zone and use our gifts for a purpose? We have a short time here then we're going to our true home. What are we going to do to make a difference in the kingdom of God in the short time we have here on Earth? Stop fighting yourself, stop caring what other people think, stop letting your fear get in the way, do something that matters, do something that will make a difference, watch how you grow as a Christian, watch your relationships with people around you grow, watch how your relationship with God gets stronger. If we stay where we are, we'll never grow as Christians. Imagine if we all did even one thing out of our comfort zone for God the world of difference it could make in the world, our own lives, and in the lives of others. It's time!! Faith means getting out of our comfort zone and fully relying on Him and His strength. A life following God and living for Him isn't always comfortable and easy. Though it may not be easy, it is totally worth it!! Get a feisty faith, go out on a limb for Him and He will bare you much fruit. Prayer: "Dear Lord, help me to be obedient to you in all circumstances. Lead me out of my comfort zone into areas I can lead others to You and Your Kingdom, clinging to Your hand for strength and guidance. Allow me to humble myself before you in humility and be free as you make clear my next step of faith and obedience for You. Amen." "Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” - Joshua 1:9 "But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves."- James 1:22 "Make your own attitude that of Christ Jesus."- Philippians 7:5 "Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth."- 2 Timothy 2:15 "For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control."- 2 Timothy 1:7 "I can do all things through Him who strengthens me."- Philippians 4:13 "And he said to them, “Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation."- Mark 16:15 "Oh give thanks to the Lord; call upon his name; make known his deeds among the peoples!"- 1 Chronicles 16:8 "In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will make your paths straight." -Proverbs 3:6 "Even when you're afraid, keep trusting." -Psalm 56:3 "Clothe yourselves with humility."- 1 Peter 5:5 "I may be weak but Your spirits strong in me, my flesh will fail, but my God You never will." "Spirit lead me where my trust is without borders, let me walk upon the waters wherever you may call me, take me deeper than my feet could ever wander and my faith will be made stronger in the presence of my Savior." "Set a fire down in my soul that I can't contain and I can't control. I want more of You God, I want more of You God." "Do not worry that you're not strong enough before you begin. It is in the journey that God makes you strong." "Lord lead me so I can lead others." "The smallest act is worth more than the largest intention." "Know Him, and make Him known." "If your dreams don't scare you they aren't big enough." "Sometimes small things make a big difference." Wander out of your comfort zone and into Christs zone! See what happens! Get a feisty faith, light a fire in your soul, notice little things you do become big life changers! Make a difference for Him today!! Thanks for reading! In times of happiness and breakthroughs our job is to praise God, in times of trouble and suffering our job is to praise God. Sometimes it's easier to thank Him when things go right, but He tells us to thank Him in times of pain and adversity, trusting that from our sufferings He will bring joy. When things go wrong, the very act of thanking Him releases us from a negative focus. It is impossible to praise or thank Him too much! The Lord says, "When you thank me for the many pleasures I provide, you affirm that I am God, from whom all blessings flow." The secret to being thankful is seeing our lives from His perspective. Thankfulness draws us near to Him and helps us live in the intimacy of His presence, leaving plenty of room for all of His blessings. As we bring God the sacrifice of thanksgiving, regardless of how we are feeling, it allows Him to work more freely through us until we are overflowing with His blessings. A heart of gratitude allows us to see His light shining through all of our circumstances. Each new day is precious, unrepeatable gift from God, everything we have, all that has been provided to us, every opportunity and blessing has been showered on us with love from God Himself. When we let thankfulness rule over our heart it allows us to see more and more of His glorious riches. When we live a life full of praise to God, we live a life centered around Him and can enjoy abundant life.
Joel Osteen Shares, "Paul said in Philippians 2:14, 'Do all things without complaining.' When you complain, you remain. But when you praise, you'll be raised. When you're always thinking about God's goodness, you'll see His favor." A passage from Jesus Calling by Sarah Young: "Be prepared to suffer for Me, in My name. All suffering has meaning in My kingdom. Pain and problems are opportunities to demonstrate your trust in Me. Bearing your circumstances bravely, even thanking Me for them, is one of the highest forms of praise. This sacrifice of thanksgiving rings golden toned bells of Joy throughout heavenly realms. On earth also, your patient suffering sends out ripples of good tidings in ever-widening circles. When suffering strikes, remember that I am sovereign and that I can bring good out of everything. Do not try to run form pain or hide from problems. Instead, accept adversity in My Name, offering it up to Me for My purposes. Thus, your suffering gains meaning and draws you closer to me. Joy emerges from the ashes of adversity through your trust and thankfulness. It is impossible to spend to much time thanking and praising Me. I created you first and foremost to glorify Me. Thanksgiving and praise put you in proper relationship with Me, opening the way for My riches to flow into you. As you thank Me for My presence and Peace, you appropriate My richest gifts." The Prayer of Jabez: "Oh Lord, that You would bless me indeed, and enlarge my territory, that Your hand would be with me, and that You would keep me from evil, that I may not cause pain!" So God granted him what he requested. 1 Chronicles 4:10 My prayer of Thanksgiving: "Dear God, THANK YOU!! Thank you for everything!! Thank you for this life, thank you for waking me up this morning, thank you for another day in your beautiful creation, thank you for all the people you've put in my life, thank you for all that you've provided, thank you for adversity and times of suffering, thank you for all of the opportunities and blessings in my life, thank you for the things I take for granted, thank you for all of your promises, thank you for your presence in my life at all times. Thank you for sending Your son Jesus Christ to save me. Help me to remember to give you praise at all times and in all circumstances. Amen." "Someone else is praying for what you take for granted." "What if you only woke up today with the things you thanked God for yesterday?" "It is not happy people who are thankful, it is thankful people who are happy." "An attitude of gratitude brings opportunities." "There are people who would love to have your bad days." "Why wake up stressing, when waking up is a blessing." "The greatest test of faith is when you don't get what you want, but still you are able to say, "Thank you, Lord." "This is the day that The Lord has made let us rejoice and be glad in it."- Psalm 118:24 "Cultivate a thankful heart, for this glorifies Me and fills you with joy." - Luke 17 "Worship Me by living close to Me, thanking Me in all circumstances."- Isaiah 29:13 "I will praise You with my whole heart."-Psalms 138:1 "The Lord is my strength and my song; he has become my salvation. He is my God, and I will praise him, my father’s God, and I will exalt him."- Exodus 15:2 "He is your praise, and He is your God, that has done for you these great and terrible things, which your eyes have seen." -Deuteronomy 10:21 "Therefore I will give thanks to you, O Lord, and I will sing praises to Your name.- 2 Samuel 22:50 "Now therefore, our God, we thank you, and praise your glorious name."- 1 Chronicles 29:13 "I will give you thanks in the great congregation: I will praise you among much people." -Psalms 35:18 "And my tongue shall speak of your righteousness and of your praise all the day long." -Psalms 35:28 "Then will I go to the altar of God, to God my exceeding joy: yes, on the harp will I praise you, O God my God."- Psalms 34:4 "It is indeed good to give thanks unto The Lord, and to sing praises unto thy name, o most high."- Psalms 92:1 "Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful to him, and bless his name."-Psalms 100:4 "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ."- Ephesians 1:3 "By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name."- Hebrews 13:15 "Saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honor, and glory, and blessing."- Revelation 5:12 "Saying, Amen: Blessing, and glory, and wisdom, and thanksgiving, and honor, and power, and might, be to our God for ever and ever. Amen."- Revelation 7:12 "God can give you all gifts in abundance, so that at all times you have all you need plus an abundance for all good deeds."- 2 Corinthians 9:8 God is SO good, there is so much to be thankful for, PRAISE be to God!! I went to a women's faith conference this past weekend in St. Cloud with some lovely ladies in my life, 2000+ women in one room worshiping The Lord and telling their stories. It was amazing!!! I can't even begin to describe it, God's presence was so alive in that place. The speakers, Lysa TerKeurst and Susie Larson were outstanding, their messages were so inspiring, refreshing, and renewing! I encourage anyone who is wanting to seek God and feel the power of the Holy spirit changing lives to go to this Thrive Conference next year! I am already looking forward to the 2016 retreat! I wanted to take some of the things I learned from this experience and some of the areas they gave me a fresh perspective on and pass it along..enjoy!
Start with Jesus. Stay with Jesus. End with Jesus. Every single day we're on a journey with Jesus. How are we going to live it? Will we let life get in the way, will we let the devil interfere..or will we cling to God, His promises, and His presence in our life at all times. There will always be ups and downs in life, put all of your life events on a timeline..life is truly like is a roller coaster! Some high points, some low points, some areas where we're just coasting along waiting for our next big adventure..what we refer to as "the waiting season." One thing is for sure, there is no dead end on our faith journey, only spots for breakthrough. We are never called to go backwards, we are called to gain ground. And while we wait, our only job is to be obedient to God. Coasting time (waiting) is an area of character development, its an encouraging time, God is getting us ready and preparing us for whats next. God is FAITHFUL, God is GOOD and He loves to give good gifts. The devil is going to do whatever he can to stop us, those fears, worries, doubts, insecurities, lies, excuses, negative thoughts..he puts them in our head and tries to get us to believe them. "You're not good enough..she is skinnier than you..you don't deserve that..he makes more money than I do..I can't do that..I don't matter...and so on. This isn't the voice of God, this is the devil trying to get us to believe a lie. We will not let our insecurities, fears, and doubts, rule over God's love for us. The devil wants to control our feelings, when we let our feelings run ahead of God's plan for us we find trouble. We must remember our true intention, before our feelings ran away with our emotions what was our true intention?? Feelings are good indicators, not good dictators. We must elevate past our feelings to the spirit of God. We have a different assurance! There is nothing we are going to go through that God hasn't already planned to walk through with us. When we journey with God we focus our thoughts on Him and we set ourselves FREE. We are enough, because we are a Child of God, and He loves us no matter what. The strongest position we can put ourselves in is one of humility, this is a position that honors God. "Humility is never a position of weakness but of rare and powerful strength." We cannot come to Christ without passing through the door of humility. Humble yourself before The lord and He will lift you up and set you free!! Pay no attention to foolish thoughts, they will ruin our perspective and send us down a spiraling hole of darkness. Grab God's hand and follow Him down a path of light. "You will steer where you stare." We must watch where we focus our attention. If you want to put God first in your life, give him your first thoughts. "Exchange whispers with God before you exchange shouts with the world." We all have this system, right? Today I'll get up and enjoy coffee and devotion for a half hour then I'll take the kids to school and be on time for work. I'll pack a healthy lunch and eat at work. I'll have a productive day and get my whole to-do list done. After work I'll quick hit the gym before I go get Billy from practice, then I'll go home and make supper for the whole family and catch up on laundry. Oh and I'll make that pan of bars for church really quick before bed...perfect!" Reality..Pressed snooze because I didn't sleep well and barley had time to make my coffee, but split it on pants while I rushed to take the kids to school and got there with no time to spare, didn't have time to pack my lunch so I'll just go get something downtown. My day has been chaotic already and that only continued when I got to work. So many unexpected things came up I only got two things done on my to-do list so I guess I'll stay later and skip the gym to get everything done. Grab Billy from practice, go home exhausted and make supper for the family, after I'm all done cleaning that up I'll make bars. Finally I'll go to bed and hope my system works tomorrow. We cannot rely on our own systems in life, they will always fail us. We have these ideas in our head..once winter comes it'll slow down..once the kids are out of school it'll get less chaotic, tomorrow I'll start going to the gym. It becomes a cycle and we look to the future to find happiness. We must put our hope in The Lord, not in how we wish things could be. We can't follow our systems, we must follow God. When we stay in line with God, we stay in line with His plan. We learn to embrace where we are and be content in our circumstances. When we tuck wisdom into little choices we make each day, we make decisions today that are still good tomorrow. If God is your savior you stand on certainty, not the uncertainty. You take your problems and you fill them with God's promises. Fill your thoughts with those of the Lords, focus every intention on Him. The will of God is in the unexpected, the fear of The Lord leads to life. Remember who you are..you are a child of God and HE loves you. What the enemy means for bad, God turns and makes good. GOD IS GOOD. GOD IS GOOD TO ME. GOD IS GOOD AT BEING GOD. "Your worst day with God will be better than your best day without Him." "Turn your worry into worship and watch God turn your battles into blessings." "Don't just pray, obey." "We can't always see where the road leads, but God promises there is something better up ahead we just have to trust Him." Thanks for reading!! Enjoy this beautiful fall day! :) I've decided to dedicate this post to my grandmother, Marsha Kay Picht, who was one of the most inspirational influences in my life. My grandma passed away of cancer at age 52, when I was just 8 years old. Though I was young and we only experienced a short time together the impact she had on my life continues with me. I feel so blessed to have the time I spent with her and that God made her my Grandma. Growing up I was very fortunate to live close to my grandparents and be able to spend a lot of time with them as a young child, some of my favorite memories! I remember sitting on the front steps at the farm waiting for my Grandma to get home from work with such anticipation. She would get home and immediately drop everything as I ran to her and gave her the biggest hug, both of us smiling ear to ear. It brings tears to my eyes as I write this because I remember this memory and feeling so well. We enjoyed so many activities together. It's funny to me, all the fun things we did together when I was young are still some of my favorite things to do as a young adult. She installed in me a love for cooking and baking..which we did very often! We would exercise in the basement together (Teabo videos to be exact)..funny I became so passionate about exercise I made it my career and love every minute of it! We would watch Christian movies together and she would always read me a Christian book or a passage from a Children's Bible before bed. I'm forever appreciative that she (as well as my parents) taught me at such a young age how important it is to have Christ in your life and what it means to be a Christian. Her and I spent lots of time together with God, and it was obvious that He was the most important thing her life...it was also obvious that family was second. If we weren't watching a Christian movie or reading a book, we were jamming to gospel music and shouting at the top of our lungs. Our two favorites were, "Lord I lift your Name on High." and "I Can Only Imagine." There isn't a time I've heard those songs since she passed that I haven't thought of her and shed a happy tear as I imagine us boogying around the basement singing them together! We also enjoyed going to church together, I knew every time I stayed with them Sunday morning we'd get up, go to church, and go to DeToy's for breakfast. I also knew every night before bed we would have homemade pudding and ice cream with homemade fudge..did I mention I love food as much as I love to exercise? Thanks for that too, Grandma! She LOVED being with family, besides just our quality time together hanging out at their house, I remember going to retreats, craft shows, vacations, holidays..I knew anytime that involved the whole family together her heart was so full, as were all of ours! I enjoyed her love for life and her ability to see beauty everywhere, even in the simplest of things. When we would plant and water the flowers or just go outside and take in the sunshine, she taught me to slow down and enjoy God's beautiful creation. Not only did she see the beauty around her, she found beauty in every person she met. She was the most positive, kind, generous person and such a joy to be around. Always putting others before herself and letting everyone know she was thinking of them. She was selfless and beautiful inside and out. One of my favorite things about her was her smile and laugh. The only memories I have of her was pure happiness, always making the best of every day and living life to the fullest. Her laugh lit up a room, her happy and kind heart shined through her smile! I also admired her strong faith. Even when she was diagnosed with cancer she had such a positive attitude, all she would say is "God has a plan for me and I know it's a good one!" I remember two sayings on her kitchen window. One read, "Let go and Let God." The other read, "Good morning, I will be handling all of your problems today so enjoy! Love, God" Those two sayings have stuck with me and sure came in handy through the years!! Her strong faith and positive outlook on life inspire me every day. It was obvious she loved being a grandma, I could tell she loved spending time with me just as much as I loved being with her! She attended every event, she always wanted to know how school was going, and about everything in my life. I always felt cared for and so loved. I know she would've been at all of my games and school activities in high school, homecoming, shopping for prom dresses (I blame her for my love of shopping too), when I graduated from college, to starting my first job. She was always so supportive, encouraging, and truly happy for all of our kids accomplishments and never hesitated to tell us how proud she was! I know I was extremely fortunate to have her in my life just by all the people growing up who have told me what a blessing she was to their life. It's hard for me to comprehend how just as a young child I was able to retain so much. Even though I was only 8 years old when she passed she was one of the biggest influences in my life to this day. I've looked up to her since day one and have always wanted to be just like her. My favorite compliment of all time is, "You remind me of your Grandma Marsha." It is amazing what a positive impact just one person can have on your life, even in such a short time. She has helped shaped me into the person I am today, pushed me to strive to be the best I can be, and taught me the importance of being a good Christian. She taught me what is truly important in life, that God is our number one priority and family comes second. She taught me manners, morals, respect, and to treat people the way I want to be treated. She was an amazing example and I am forever thankful for the time we had together. I wish everyone would have had the chance to meet her. I look forward to the day we are reunited...this time she'll be sitting on the stairway of Heaven waiting for me..and we'll greet each other with a hug just like we always did. Miss you Grandma Marsha Kay, Love your little Shadow Rae! I'm sure reading this many of you can relate to the loss of a loved one who you miss dearly. We all have memories that stick with us forever. Though they're gone, our hearts can be at peace knowing they're in a better place and someday we will see them again. It's reassuring to know that they're spirit is still with us and they're watching over us always. Though they may be gone, the memories and influence the had on our lives will be with us forever. This post was to let everyone know what amazing example I had in my life and how grateful I am for this wonderful lady I was lucky enough to call Grandma, but also so others can relate..maybe it made you think of a loved one who had the same affect on you, also to let Grandparents know how much we look up to you and appreciate you and what a lasting impression you can leave with us to pass on to future generations. Maybe it will inspire you to thank someone who has made a positive impact on your life or appreciate having that person, maybe it will serve as a reminder of how you can be a blessing to so many people..what do you want to be remembered for? I'll forever remember my Grandma by all of the beautiful qualities she had and I thank God for letting me be apart of her life! Thanks for reading!! God Bless! "Those we love don't go away, they walk beside us every day, unseen, unheard, but always near, still loved, still missed, and very dear." God's word directs our steps and serves as resource of God's will for us. It's there for us to read, live by, and spread to others. His word is full of direction, commands, promises, miracles, words to heal, protect, encourage, help, teach, and guide us. Through God's word we get to know Him, the wonders of His glorious works, and the stories of His people. Reading scripture is one way we can draw near to God. It fills us with his peace and promises. It might be used as a way for him to speak to us, and sometimes we know it's exactly what we need to hear at the time. When we fill ourselves with God's word there is no room left for worry or fear. We should always set aside time in our day to read scripture. In my opinion, of all the things we read in our time here on Earth the most important is God's word. God did not design a life for us that doesn't allow us to know Him more fully and deeply. Every day we should spend time focusing on God's word and learning more about our Savior. Dig deep into His word, find a passage you can relate to, lean on His word for support, encouragement, and guidance. It is our job to live out God's word. To practice taking these words and letting them redirect our steps, refresh, renew, and enlighten us to live out His word daily. It's also our job to spread God's word. He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation." Find ways to get to know the word of God..join a Bible study at your church or create your own with a group of people, set aside so many minutes each day to read the Bible, sit in church and truly focus on the readings/message and what it means, we're extremely tied to social media..use it in a positive way and find Bible and/or scripture apps and have them sent to your phone each day, find books that relay God's word..I start each morning with "Jesus Calling" by Sarah Young..I LOVE it! Keep a journal..as you read verses that speak to you or something you're going through, write them down. If something you read speaks to your heart in some way and feels like He is speaking directly to you about your life, HE IS. Go back and read your journal entries and scripture that has related to your life in some way..see how your faith has been strengthened and how God has worked within you personally. Invite friends, loved ones, or anyone who is hungry for the word of God and welcome them to explore God's word with you. The word itself tells us how powerful His word is.."For the word of God is alive and active." - Hebrews 4:12 "Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light onto my path."- Psalm 119:105 "For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart." - Hebrews 4:12 "All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work." - 2 Timothy 3:16-17 "Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says." - James 1:22 "Every word of God is pure; He is a shield unto them that put their trust in Him." - Psalm 30:5 "The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of our God endures forever." - Isaiah 40:8 "Blessed are those who hear the word of God and obey it.”- Luke 11:28 "In His word I put my hope." - Psalm 130:5 "Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock." - Matthew 7:24 "For the word of the Lord is right and true; He is faithful in all he does." - Psalm 33:4 "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." - John 1:1 "Submit brokenness to The Lord, find truth in scripture and a promise in God's word." "I want to receive God's word, retain God's instruction, and reflect God's character." "Even when there is no one else encouraging you, get your beautiful face in God's word, and make an effort to encourage yourself!" A message from Proverbs 31 Ministries: Fullness comes when we remember to be with Him before going out to serve Him. He wants our hearts in alignment with Him before our hands set about doing today’s assignment for Him. So, He extends what we need and invites us each day to receive in prayer, worship and truth from His Word. And He lovingly replenishes our cup while whispering: This isn’t a race to test the fastest pace. I just want you to persevere on the path I have marked out especially for you. Fix your eyes, not on a worldly prize, but on staying in love with Me. That’s an agenda that’s always completely satisfying. -Lysa TerKeurst <-- (Side note: I get to hear her speak this weekend at a women's faith conference in St. Cloud and I am BEYOND excited!) Receive His word each and every day, live it, and spread it to the world!! Thanks for reading! Have a blessed day! What is love? There are many definitions. I think love is loving someone else as Christ loves us. You're willing to sacrifice for that person, you're willing to put them and their needs before you're own. You demonstrate respect, trust, honesty, loyalty, and forgiveness. You support and encourage that person, you help them to be the best version of themselves. You help them live out their life purpose and draw them closer to God. You're willing to compromise and communicate with that person, and you love that person for who they are, accepting their weaknesses and appreciating their strengths. We all like to receive love in different ways. If you haven't read the book, "The Five Love Languages" I highly recommend it, also take the quiz and find out what your top love language is! It's interesting, mine I easily guessed beforehand, "Words of Affirmation." That means I not only like to be shown love, but I also like to hear it. Along with words of affirmation there is, acts of service, quality time, gifts, and physical touch. We think because we liked to be loved a certain way that our partner should want to be loved the same way, but that's not always the case. Learn how they are best loved, and work on giving them the love they are best at receiving. Learning what they expect from you in a relationship, keep expectations in perspective, and try to meet those expectations the best you can. Relationships are a two-way street. There is always give and take and it's important to find that balance to keep a healthy relationship. What does God want for us in a relationship? The Lord reveals that the ultimate purpose of marriage is not to make us happy but to glorify God. God is our greatest love, no one can replace that, that's why He doesn't find someone to complete us, but to compliment us. He brings two people together to help one another draw each other closer to Him, and to help, support, and encourage one another to live out our purpose. I think having a strong foundation of faith, going to church together, and praying together are a few of the best ways to create a solid relationship centered around God. It's so important to find someone who has a strong relationship with God and loves Him more than you. The book "When God Writes your Love Story" by Eric and Leslie Ludy is a great book that focuses on how to find a "God-written" love story. Take time to notice the little things, let them know you care about them, how much they mean to you, and that they are loved! Sometimes we take for granted relationships in our life and forget to remind someone how important they are to us. We assume they know, but isn't it nice to be reminded sometimes? Do thoughtful gestures for one another, compliment each other, remind them what it is you like about them and why you fell in love with them in the first place. Do something you know they'd enjoy, let them know you're thinking of them, surprise them, tell them how thankful you are to have them in your life, it never hurts to let someone know they are appreciated, wanted, and loved!
When I went to college I attended Chi Alpha, a Christian fellowship in the Fargo-Moorhead area..they did a relationship series and these were the 12 questions they told us to ask ourselves when choosing a lifelong partner: Am I in the right place with God that someone can compliment my life instead of become my life? Do I understand my calling so I know who is a good fit for me? Would this person make a good parent for my children? If you became very sick would this person stay with you and care for you? Would your feelings for this person change if they gained 100 lbs? Do you trust your credit rating to this person? Are you willing to give you independence up for this person? When you're going through a difficult time will this person be there for you? Do you trust this person in making big decisions? Can this person be trusted to follow scripture and pray together? Does this person treat their parents with respect? Does this person love Jesus more than they love you? Because they have to. "And now these three remain: faith, hope, & love. But the greatest of these is Love."- 1 Corinthians 13:13 "Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through all circumstances." - 1 Corinthians 13 "Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things, Love never fails."- 1 Corinthians 13:7 "Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers a multitude of sins."- 1 Peter 4:8 "Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor:If either of them falls down, one can help the other up. But pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them up. Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm. But how can one keep warm alone? Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken."- Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 "Woman came out of a man's rib. Not from his feet to be walked on, not from his head to be superior, but from his side to stand with man. Under the arm to be protected, and next to the heart to be loved." - Genesis 2:22 "Do all things with love." - 1 Corinthians 16:14 "A true marriage requires two people who choose to love each other even on those days when they struggle to like each other." "A good marriage is the union of two forgivers" "The Lord says the most effective way to love someone is to allow His love to flow through you to them." "Be in a relationship where both people think they're the lucky one." "Great relationships aren't built in a day, great relationships are built daily." "Be compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in love." "Love like there's no tomorrow, and if tomorrow comes, love again." "The best use of life is love. The best expression of love is time. The best time to love is now." "To love is to receive a glimpse of Heaven." "You come to love not by finding the perfect person, but by seeing an imperfect person perfectly." "A life without love is no life at all." "No relationship is stronger than the weakest person in it." "The grass is greener where you water it." "Do not look to draw worth or value off of another person." "Love is not finding someone to live with, it's finding someone you can't live without." "One of the best feelings in the world is knowing that your presence and absence both mean something to someone." Thanks for reading!! Here are some resources I found with helpful relationship advice: http://www.beliefnet.com/Love-Family/Relationships/Marriage/7-Kinds-of-People-You-Definitely-Want-to-Marry.aspx?b=1&p=7&utm_campaign=GlobalScope&utm_medium=paid_distribution&utm_source=JesusChristPageDeskMarryKindSEPT http://www.beliefnet.com/Love-Family/Relationships/Marriage/10-Purposes-God-Intended-For-Marriage.aspx?b=1&p=10 http://www.beliefnet.com/Love-Family/Relationships/Galleries/9-New-Ways-to-Deepen-Your-Relationship-Bond.aspx?b=1&p=10 http://www.beliefnet.com/Love-Family/Relationships/6-Ways-to-Keep-Your-Woman-Happy.aspx?p=5&b=1 http://www.beliefnet.com/Love-Family/Relationships/9-Things-Successful-Couples-Do-Differently.aspx?p=11 Prayer is an amazing opportunity we have to communicate with God daily. The nice part is He already knows our prayer before we even communicate it to Him..but He loves time we set aside to talk with Him. We never have to worry if we can't find the words to say because He already knows our every thought, want, and need. The power of prayer is amazing, it's life-changing! God hears us and He answers. He answers with a 'yes', 'not yet', or 'I have something better in mind." Think back to things you've prayed for in the past..has He answered? I'm absolutely amazed when I look back to things I have prayed for and see all the prayers of mine He has answered. God is SO good, people!! The Lord says, "Dare to ask things of Me, remembering who I am." Too often when we pray we forget that we're talking to the World's Creator, if He is capable of that, surely He can answer our prayers. He works miracles everyday!! Never doubt the power of a prayer and what The Lord can do, he is capable of anything! I also see that the prayers He didn't answer because He had something even better in mind. "Some of the best things in life come from unanswered prayers." Don't be afraid to ask God to pour blessings on you, send your requests to Him and watch in awe at what He can do if we just dare to ask.
We love to send our own requests to God, but here's something to think about.."If God answered all of your prayers..would the world look different or just your life?" Pray for others, pray for your loved ones, pray for those in need, pray for healing & peace, the world needs prayers!!! Let God use you to answer prayers! We can release blessings on others lives, heal and help people through our prayers. Pray that God uses you as a vessel to help others seek Him and be a servant for Him in this world. Prayer is also a time to thank God for all the blessings He's poured out in your life. There is SO much to be thankful for. God rejoices when we send our praises to Him, He loves when we send appreciation to Him from our grateful hearts. How awesome that we can pray ANYTIME! Pray first thing when you wake up, thanking God for another day! Pray throughout your day asking for guidance and strength. Pray at meals, asking God to bless the food before you. Whisper a short prayer anytime of the day, "Lord, I trust you," "Thank you, God, for everything." Pray before you go to bed. Being in constant communication with Him is a gift and should be our number one priority every single day. Don't wait for a time of need to pray, pray all the time!! Watch to see how He answers your prayers, it is amazing!!! "If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer."- Matthew 21:22 "I know that God will give you whatever you ask of Him."- John 11:22 "Because He bends down to listen I will pray as long as I have breath!"-Psalm 116:2 "God can give you all gifts in abundance, so that at all times you have all you need plus an abundance for all good deeds."- 2 Corinthians 9:8 "Don't forget to pray today, because God didn't forget to wake you up this morning." "Prayer changes everything because it releases God's wisdom into your circumstances." "You are never so high as when you are on your knees." "Pray more, worry less." "Prayer is the most important conversation of the day." "Get on your knees and pray, then get on your feet and work." "Keep on praying for faith, it is through prayer that you develop all your wonderful qualities of soul." As I write about prayer today, I especially want to lift up in prayer the family & friends of Siobhan McCarthy and the community of Wheaton. May The Lord wrap His arms around you with comfort and fill you with His peace and strength. Thanks for reading! God's greatest promise of all time!! Everlasting life with Him in Heaven! Can you even wrap your head around this? This place we are right now is only temporary, our true home is Heaven. The most amazing gift of all time, Christ dying for us and our sins so that for all who believe will live eternally with God. This is our true destination! It fills my heart with so much joy, it makes me smile ear to ear, I can't even physically contain what this means!! I love the song "I can only Imagine" (found at the bottom of this page.) It describes the feelings so accurately..I mean can you imagine what that day will be like? Sometimes I wonder why we even get so wrapped up with all of the rift-raft of our lives on Earth..it causes us to forget our ONE goal, and that is to get to Heaven and live forever with God. Stop and remind yourself of this amazing sacrifice that's been gifted to us, thank God for this promise, let it fill you with so much happiness and allow you to look beyond your current circumstances here. We can't even begin to dream of the life to come. The Lord says, "You have good reason to be joyful, because you're on your way to Heaven." One day we will fall in to the arms of Jesus and be home forever." -John 14:3 "For God so greatly loved and dearly prized the world that He gave up His only begotten Son, so that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have everlasting life." - John 3:16 "So you have pain now; but I will see you again, and your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take your joy from you." -John 16:22 "For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us." - Romans 8:18 "The fact that our heart yearns for something Earth can't supply is proof that Heaven is our home." "There is no need to worry about the future. When the time comes I will personally escort you into Glory." We all strive to show the world around us that we live a "tidy, structured life." The truth of the matter is no matter how great and organized someones life looks from the outside there is no such thing as a tidy, structured life. The Lord Himself assures us of that. Everyone has underlying issues weather it has to do with family, friends, marriage, career, self-image, illness, money, addiction, and so on. The pressure to be perfect can sometimes consume us. We feel like we have to show everyone that our life is perfect, or at least pretty close, when in all reality a perfect life is not attainable. We think that being busy and productive means we are doing all we can to glorify The Lord, we wear exhaustion as a status symbol of success. We think that the harder we work and the more we try to do the better off we are. When we try to live independently away from God we experience emptiness and dissatisfaction. We might gain the world but we lose what truly matters. Sometimes God forces us to slow down and reminds us that time spent with Him is our highest priority. There is no need to get caught up and stress about having everything together..we all sin, we all fall short, we all have our own problems present weather they're noticeable to others or not. We all struggle in different areas, sometimes we don't see the imperfections in peoples life, but they are there. If life was perfect on earth, what would we have to look forward to? God knows we're imperfect, He sees our flaws, He knows all of our sins, He knows we fall short, and He loves us anyway. The Lord says, "Much frustration and failure result from you seeking perfection in this life." It is impossible for us to be perfect people and live a perfect life on Earth. Instead of seeking perfection in this fallen world, God wants us to pour our energy into seeking Him. When we focus on Him we can stop worrying about what other people think. The Lord says, "Glorifying and enjoying me is a higher priority than maintaining a tidy, structured life." We can try to have our life together, do everything ourselves, and make our lives look great to other people, but that's not His purpose for us. Isn't it relieving that God doesn't expect us to be perfect and have everything figured out? We like to plan our days, our months, our life...but that is not how we were designed to live here. God wants us to give our day over to him and watch to see what He will do with it, it's not our job to plan every part of our day in an organized manner. Don't make the mistake of thinking your 'messy' life isn't enough. Take the pressure off yourself, stop comparing your life to those around you, we aren't here to impress people or compete with others for perfection. Besides, the "perfect life" has many different meanings. Embrace the imperfections and pray for spiritual structure. Be compassionate and kind to others, we all struggle no matter how great things seem form the outside. Don't be afraid to admit your life is "messy." We're all fighting our own battles, we're all human..wouldn't it be easier if we all tried to be understanding of the imperfections in all of our lives? Pray for others, look for ways to help, put yourself at their level..we can all relate in someway. Most of all, be kind and compassionate to others as Christ is to all of us. Prayer: "Dear Lord, please help me to focus more on you & less on trying to live a perfect life in an imperfect world. Help me to let go of my need to live a tidy, structured life and live the life you have planned for me. Amen." "Because of The Lord's great love we are not consumed, for His compassion's never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness." - Lamentations 3:22 "Finally, all of you, live in harmony with one another; be sympathetic, love as brothers, be compassionate and humble." - 1 Peter 3:8 "In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will make your paths straight."- Proverbs 3:6 "Surely there is not a righteous man on earth who does good and never sins."- Ecclesiastes 7:20 "For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh. For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out."- Romans 7:18 "Live from the heart of yourself, seek to be whole-not perfect." "It is easier to be happy if you look beyond imperfections than seeking happiness by trying too hard to make everything perfect." "There is no need to be perfect to inspire others, let people be inspired by how you deal with your imperfections." "The grass isn't always greener on the other side, its green where we water it." "The only person you should try to be better than is the person you were yesterday." Do not worry about seeking perfection in this fallen world. God doesn't ask us to be perfect or live an orderly life, He asks us to actively seek Him. Living a tidy, structured life here on Earth and leading everyone to believe our life is perfect is not what will get us to Heaven. We do not need to perform in order to see His love. Take the unnecessary weight of your shoulders, seek God in this 'messy' life and He will show us perfection. Thanks for reading! One of God's greatest promises to us, "So nothing you do or fail to do could ever separate you from My Love." The feeling is overwhelming isn't it? That no matter what God LOVES us. This relationship can't even come close to being accomplished with anyone else! He promises, "No matter what you may lose in this life, you will never lose your relationship with Me." If you're feeling rather meek..your sins are feeling heavy, regret is on your mind, you haven't forgiven yourself, you're carrying mistakes from the past, you feel not good enough, you're feeling a little low, or you just need a gentle reminder.. remember this..God is FOR YOU. He LOVES you, no matter what. His grace is sufficient, His love is abundant, He forgives! Take that breath of fresh air and love yourself. "His love never never fails, never gives up, never runs out on me." He loves us more than we can even begin to comprehend. Never let yourself feel less than a child of God. You are cherished, you are His, and that is more than enough! "Your love is better than life." - Psalm 63:3 "Praise The Lord, He is good! His love never fails!" - Psalm 136 "For I am persuaded beyond a doubt that neither death nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things impending and threatening, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation will be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord." - Romans 8:38-39 "God shows and clearly proves His love for us by the fact that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us." -Romans 5:8 "God loves us more in a moment than anyone could in a lifetime." "Grace is God doing for us what we could never do and what we will never deserve." Go through this day [and everyday] knowing you are a child of God and HE LOVES YOU! Nothing could ever separate us from His love. Be overwhelmed by the power of His love for you! Have a blessed weekend!! Thanks for reading! Have you smiled at someone today? Have you reminded someone how much they mean to you? Have you prayed for someone? Have you said I love you? Have you gave a friendly wave? Have you said a simple hello? Have you helped someone without them having to ask? When is the last time you went out of your way to do something nice for someone?
It's so simple to be kind to others, and yet sometimes we fail to do so. We're too busy, we assume they already know, we feel unconformable, we get caught up in all the things we need to do for ourselves. It's easy to forget in our busy lives how easy it can be to spread kindness everywhere. Being kind to others doesn't require a lot of time or effort, but yet it could make someones entire day, change their perspective, put a smile on their face, and let them know that someone was thinking about them and cares. All we really want is to feel loved and to know that someone cares about us. The Lord says, "Take time to be good to My people, this is where true joy in life is found." Take time to live in the presence of The Lords light and let your life shine bright in the lives of others. He is truly pleased when we love others as He has loved us. Ask God to use you a vessel to spread His love and kindness into the world. You will be amazed by the opportunities He gives you to be a blessing to others, you may be just what they needed! A simple smile can brighten someones days, a thoughtful gesture, a friendly hello, helping someone and expecting nothing in return. Go out of your way to do something nice for someone, show someone you care, let them know they are loved. You won't regret it and you'll find that being kind to others will make you happier in return, it has a positive affect on both the giver and the receiver. Think about what you can do to make someones day, it could be a complete stranger, it could be someone close to you. Remind the people you love and care for how much they mean to you, you never know when it could be the last time you get to, don't waste an opportunity to share love and kindness. With our words we can release favor into the lives of others, make it your mission to speak blessings. Prayer for kindness "Dear Heavenly Father, help me to love others as you have loved me and treat people the way I want to be treated. Let your love flow through me and into the lives of those around me. Amen." The quotes really say it all! "Do all the good you can, to as many people as you can, as often as you can." "You will rise by lifting others." "Spread love wherever you go. Let no one ever come to you without leaving happier." "If you have good thoughts, they will shine out of your face like sunbeams and you will always look lovely." "Practice tenderness, look for opportunities to compliment, notice the little things, study inner beauty." "Be the reason someone smiles today." "Be the change you wish to see in the world." "The best feeling of happiness is when you're happy because you made someone else happy." "Anger doesn't bring about the righteous life that God desires." "Attract what you expect, reflect what you desire, become what you respect, mirror what you admire." "Fill your mind with truth, your heart with love, and your life with service." "Be compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in love." "Not he who has much is rich, but he who gives much." "Love well, give generously, serve selflessly, laugh much, adventure often." "Pride wants to critique, but a truly humble heart celebrates others success, talents, and happiness." "Speak in such a way that others love to listen to you. Listen in such a way that others love to speak to you." "Love to love, hate to hate." "Do not let kindness and truth leave you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart."- Proverbs 3:3 "A good name is more desirable than great wealth. Respect is better than silver or gold." -Proverbs 22:1 "Make every effort to live in peace with everyone and to be holy; without holiness no one will see The Lord."- Hebrews 12:14 "Finally, all of you, live in harmony with one another; be sympathetic, love as brothers, be compassionate and humble." - 1 Peter 3:8 "Clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience." -Colossians 3:12 "Gracious words are like honey, sweet to the soul and healthy for the body."- Proverbs 16:24 "But I tell you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you." - Matthew 5:44 Spread kindness around like confetti!! Thanks for taking time out of your day to read this blog! :) Have a wonderful day!! |