Still amazed at how just when I’m at the brink of slipping into the deep end, God reveals Himself through someone else. Or through something that would normally be mundane or ordinary. It’s been a horrible month, an even worse week and then out of the blue.. God. He always shows up. Never failing, He has never given up on me even though I am constantly failing Him. I am so humbled by His love for us.

Hold on, this may take a while….

Every day is a chance to grow in God. Every single moment, in every single thing we do.

When we ask God to make us holy, or to fix us, we ask that He changes us in our every move. It’s not about some blanket change, where you wake up one morning and you are this perfect human being. That doesn’t happen. Every aspect of our lives is an opportunity to glorify God. To be able to appreciate that we need to actually grow, just like as we do in every other thing in life. If you struggle with patience and you pray about it and you work on it daily and have faith that He’ll change you, you are more likely to appreciate the more patient you, than if you wake tomorrow and you are smiling at everyone, and giving everyone a second chance. Same thing with working out and eating right in weight loss. Everything in life comes in  process, God does that for a reason. That we may learn, that we may recognize His sovereignty.

Although the change may take time, it does come. It’s not like some new years resolution you make, when you know well you won’t commit. When you lay your struggles at His feet, He commits to you. He is faithful to grow you, change you into that person You are meant to be. That your life may be a testimony to Him and His great works. So, is it going to take time to drop that bad habit or characteristic? Yes. But, it will happen. Don’t give up on yourself, and don’t give up on God. Commit your life to the path He has laid out and He will surely fulfill His promises for your life. So right now, whatever it is you are struggling with, it’s not finished yet. Look how far you have already come, do you think He’d bring you this far and  just abandon you? Of course not. Chin up. Take that next step in faith and in love. Love for God and love for people, and watch Him change you.

    Trust in the LORD, and do good;
        dwell in the land and befriend faithfulness.
    Delight yourself in the LORD,
        and he will give you the desires of your heart.
    Commit your way to the LORD;
        trust in him, and he will act.
    He will bring forth your righteousness as the light,
        and your justice as the noonday.
    Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for him;
        fret not yourself over the one who prospers in his way,
        over the man who carries out evil devices!
    Refrain from anger, and forsake wrath!
        Fret not yourself; it tends only to evil.
    For the evildoers shall be cut off,
        but those who wait for the LORD shall inherit the land.
(Psalm 37:3-9 ESV)

Live!

He that is in us, is greater than he that is in the world. Consequence, bad choices, weakness or whatever it is that’s pulling you from God. He is greater, and He will win the fight if you let Him fight for You. Remember Him dying on the cross? That was for whatever you’re going through now. Whatever, we’re going through. He saw it then, He sees it now, and He’s already won. Now it’s up to us to act like we believe it, living  like it. Knowing that our lives are not in vain. That our pain is not eternal. It all passes because we have been promised it does. Dust yourself up and move on from whatever is holding you back from living fully. Embrace the freedom we have been blessed with. Live!

   

Stopping by to say hi.. :)

I figured I should write something for the sake of my “I promise to write more post” I wrote not so long ago. I could give a list of excuses for why I haven’t posted more, but I really don’t have any. The truth is in the last couple of posts I have made. I just haven’t been  there spiritually, and in my journey to getting to that good place I haven’t really had any good or positive things to say. I really don’t want to be the one throwing negativity and darkness online because we have enough of that already, plus I’ve lived that life and I prefer to stay away from “that” person I once was. So I’m getting back to the okay place,  and I pray that God gives me the strength to move, and grow in my spiritual and physical life. Until then, I can’t promise regular, daily posts, once a week is more likely. So again, I’m really sorry for my diminished presence online, but I assure you it’s all going to work for my good. And I’m getting there for sure!!!

Hope everyone is doing okay.

I’m adding this video of a song I really love and blesses me. Jesus Culture are really fantastic, if you haven’t listened to their stuff you should check them out.

 

Oh Lord, You’re beautiful by Jesus Culture

and the verse for today is,

    But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them, though it was not I, but the grace of God that is with me.
(1 Corinthians 15:10 ESV)

It’s not so random.

Everyone of us is governed by circumstances, we all have something weighing us down. No matter how good someone’s life may appear to be.

Today, I just want to remind you that, it’s not about what you think or what you see in others. Show care and concern no matter what. The person you meet today with the brightest smile, may be on their way to a suicide or planning to commit some other horrible self or public act. All because they feel no one cares. Love all, give a smile to that random stranger, say hi. (and anyway, how can you identify a criminal later, if you don’t even glance at the person seated next to you on the bus or wherever?). It doesn’t take much to show kindness but, it makes a really big difference. Seriously, pass that love around, someone out there needs it more than you can imagine.

Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience,
(Colossians 3:12 ESV)

Random acts of kindness, should not be random. It should be intentional and continuous, never stopping. Love never stops being love, it will never cease to exist or run out. So we have no excuse for not spreading it around generously.

“He who withholds kindness from a friend
forsakes the fear of the Almighty.
(Job 6:14 ESV)

The burden of love.

It has been a very emotionally intense couple of days for me. Love comes at a great price and we never really realize how big until something happens and you evaluate how far you would actually go for those you claim you love.

It’s been one of those journeys for me. I had never really understood what the burden of love was before now. Knowing that people you love are on the road to destruction, and you can do nothing but love them and show the affection. It’s very difficult and heart breaking. Now more than ever I understand why it is so important to lift each other up in prayer. Life can drag anyone down, even those we assume have it all under control. It’s a wild ride this life. The more I get into the word, the more drama in my life. I am so grateful to God that He feels I can handle so much, although personally if I were to choose I really wouldn’t let half the things going on happen. But, I am not God and I have no idea what His grand plan is, all I can do is pray and love and repeat.

Remembering those I love in prayer and believing that God is in control. I choose to believe that my coming to God, my faith, is for a purpose. That I may stand in the gap for the ones I love that are oblivious of the path they are on. Now more that ever, I commit to God.  For the sake of those lost and wandering.

Life is short, I pray they find the way before it’s too late. For God has been gracious enough to give us freedom, what we do with it is up to us. All we can do for others is love them, be gracious towards them and pray for them, the rest is up to them(and God).

You’re so perfect.

There’s a lot about myself that I hated. The things that I wish I was good at, that i’m so horrible at. Then the things i’m good at which, I thought were a complete waste and pointless, until recently when I realized nothing in my life is a waste. (I have a lot of epiphanies, I wish I could jot them down each time I get one). Anyway,  the other day it hit me I was created! Yeah, I know you know that but do you really know that? I can’t really explain it but, for a second life made sense.

We are created! As much as we are born into the lives we are born into, we have been created. Molded, carefully. This wonderful Artist took His time, writing the story of our lives. We are here for a purpose. He knows that when you try to sing birds die, but He still wants you to sing for Him. He made you with those two left feet, and Yes! He wants you to dance for Him. This awesome God, placed us in the families we are in. Gave us the talents we have. God created us, flaws and all. Those things we call mistakes, defects are perfect to Him. Those things make us human, they are there intentionally. So us going, “my life would be so much better if…” and all those things we think. You look at someone and you see the flaws, which to the Artist are perfection.That’s like telling God He didn’t do a good job the first time and you can do a better job. Whoah! Really? I don’t know about you but that’s not a challenge i’m willing to make. God makes no mistakes. And thinking about it, isn’t mocking a creation by extension mocking the creator  I can imagine an artist/painter would not take it well hearing someone insult his work, now imagine God. If that doesn’t help you respect and show love to His creation…

We have been created to love. That’s our most important purpose.

There’s still so much I am yet to figure out about myself, but now I see how a lot of things I saw as negatives in me are actually positives. My past, my mistakes, people, they may have been there to shape me into who I am supposed to be, but they do not define me. I am defined by God, my Creator. The bigger picture may not be clear, but I now know more than ever before that I am right where I am supposed to be.

We are all perfect, in His eyes.

We rise and we fall, everything falls apart but one thing remains He is our solid rock. He makes no mistakes and in Him we are made perfect. By His grace we are made perfect through Christ. Those things about my life that I thought sucked, are the ones I have to proclaim Him by. If it wasn’t for my mistakes and failures, I wouldn’t have a testimony.

His work is perfect, We are perfect in Him.

Midweek inspiration

This weeks inspiration will be a little bit different. I decided instead of sharing a sermon, I share a book I recently(last night) started reading that has really inspired me. Rid of my disgrace by Justin s. Holcomb and Lindsey A. Holcomb, I’m not sure how many of you have read it, if you haven’t I would really recommend it. It’s a really well researched moving book about sexual assault victims.

It has really opened my eyes, and helped me understand so much about the emotions and basically the life of an assaulted person. We take a lot for granted and most of the time we don’t even know how to react to someone in their state of trauma. This book, puts you in their shoes, and let’s you see and feel what they feel and will definitely improve how we reach out to them and hasten their healing.

You can get the book here.

I’ll love you.. from a far.

People are difficult right? I’ve thought that everyday of my life and i’m sure you have too.

Human beings are some kind of complicated. I know I am. I get moody, and sometimes I just don’t feel like anything or anyone.

Thing with me is, I have been blessed with a permanent smile on my face. I find laughter in everything(well almost), so I can easily mask my anger with laughter or a smile. Some people are just foul when they are in a bad mood.

Anyway, I’m really not here to talk about moods today, I’m talking about friendships and relationships in general. People can be a tad difficult to understand when it comes to relating with them. We can’t really be friends with everyone, but how do you know if you truelly are your friends friends? We live in a world where nothing is really ever clear. Where people are rarely ever genuine and some people are yet to grasp that. So you give one hundred percent to someone and they give you nothing and you call them a friend? That makes no sense at all. Being a christians means we have to love EVERYONE, it doesn’t mean you should let yourself be treated like a door mat. Used as the said “friends” feel like. It’s okay to care for people, I really care for people but honestly if a relationship only brings you down then is it really worth it?

Proverbs 27:6
Wounds from a sincere friend are better than many kisses from an enemy.

You cannot really grow as a person, when your thoughts are always on hurt and pain caused by people. You cannot grow when the people you surround yourself with are stuck in a childish place.We all have genuine people, people that will be honest, people who help you improve, and lead you towards your goals. Even that one person that we can trust, and if not, we have prayer. Honestly, I believe that when it comes to those we interact closely with it’s better to be alone or with few people you trust than be among many and you can trust none of them.

I know a lot of people but I choose to love a lot of people from a far. This means, I will be there for them when they are in need but I don’t rely on them or have any expectation of them for my anything. In time, we all grow and figure out which friends fall where, but if you haven’t yet, you need to really pray and meditate on it lest they make you slip up or lose the way towards your dreams or destiny.

Life is too precious to waste on making relationships that were not meant to be close knit appear to be so. If you love all unconditionally and live a life focused on your purpose and God will not let you fall on the way side. He is after all our true love and friend.

Here are a few verses on friendship and what you can look for in your relationships.

Proverbs 18:24
There are “friends” who destroy each other, but a real friend sticks closer than a brother.

Proverbs 13:20

He who walks with wise men will be wise, But the companion of fools will suffer harm.

Proverbs 17:17

A friend loves at all times, And a brother is born for adversity.

Galatians 6:2

Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ

Proverbs 27:9-10

Oil and perfume make the heart glad,

and the sweetness of a friend comes from his earnest counsel.

Do not forsake your friend and your father’s friend,
and do not go to your brother’s house in the day of your calamity.
Better is a neighbor who is near
than a brother who is far away.

Catch up..

 

I’m so sorry for my lack of posts lately. I started a new job and it took me a while to readjust myself schedule wise and even when I was online I ended up doing more pinning that anything else. (for shame!)

Anyway, I’m doing alright. Happy and blessed and really inspired for no apparent reason.

I’m really learning to be humble lately, I was used to doing a certain job and now I want to shift career lines so I had to pick something that to be honest I never thought I’d ever doing just so I have a foundation towards my new career. It’s funny how I have prayed for humility for so long then God gives me this particular job. When it was offered to me I was really amused, I knew it was my lesson my test and I came here and chose to give it what I have because I know God has put me here as an answer to my prayer. I am humbled and I love it. I should also add that I really like the job. The people here are so nice and friendly.

I’m grateful to God for my prayer answered and I pray that I learn to listen to Him in everything that happens in my life. He is awesome and He listens and answers prayers. All you have to do is ask.

The verse for today comes from,

Hebrews 4:14-16

14 Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. 15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been Tempted as we are, yet without sin. 16 Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

This has really uplifted me and I thought I share it today. A guy was passing by our office and saw me reading my bible and shared it with me yesterday. He made my day.