The Lord Hears YOU!

In the morning, LORD, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait expectantly.
Psalm 5:3

Life is a journey. A journey through the good, the bad, the ugly, and the beautiful. In the midst of fear and among the constant threat of death, David continued to sing and glorify the Lord. This was not because he saw the end to the storm, and at many times did not see a way out of the darkness that surrounded him. No, he sang and glorified the Lord for he knew that the Lord would sustain him, uphold him in his right hand, protect him when he was vulnerable, fill him when he was hungry, and guide him when he was lost. He praised God because he trusted God to keep hold of him through the storm and bring him out with life and love abounding!

Wherever you are today, I challenge you to seek God, listen to his voice, and praise him even when you don’t feel like it. Despite the circumstances, God is leading you to a future filled with hope (Jeremiah 29:11). He is with you now and will be with you always, a light to your path, leading you to mercy, grace, forgiveness, healing, and righteousness. Draw near to Him and He will draw near to you (James 4:7-8, Hebrews 10:22-25). Be still and know he is God and praise him continually (Psalm 46:10, Hebrews 13:15).

Rest my friends in the peace that is beyond understanding and walk in the light, especially when darkness surrounds, for there is where God will meet you! Blessings and love as you continue your journey with God! ❤

You, God, are my God, earnestly I seek you;
I thirst for you, my whole being longs for you,
in a dry and parched land where there is no water.
I have seen you in the sanctuary and beheld your power and your glory.
Because your love is better than life, my lips will glorify you.
I will praise you as long as I live, and in your name I will lift up my hands.
I will be fully satisfied as with the richest of foods; with singing lips my mouth will praise you.
On my bed I remember you; I think of you through the watches of the night.
Because you are my help, I sing in the shadow of your wings.
I cling to you; your right hand upholds me.
Psalm 63:1-8

Life is not Perfect!

To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under heaven.
…A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance.
~ Ecclesiastes 3:1 & 4

Life is not Perfect!

The pain and heartache
They come and they go
Cutting deep
Wounding the soul

Burdens too much to carry
Spirit weighed down
Living in the here and now
Sorrow abounds

Life is not perfect
Nor was it meant to be
A precursor of something better
A realm yet unseen

The heart it beckons
The spirit it yearns
The soul cries out
This world it spurns

Hope lies beyond
High in the heavens above
A continuous fount of life
God’s river of love

Loving arms of comfort
Sweet prayers from thine lips
Peace for the moment
Grief stands eclipsed

Through mercy and grace
The pain subsides
Where once heartache dwelled
Now joy resides

Your Mission….

Your mission today should you choose to accept it, comes straight from the Word of God:

 

Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you. Ephesians 4:29-32

 

If we all lived by this and made it a point to treat others as we would love to be treated, oh what a wonderful world we would live in. May you find blessings in simple things that surround you and hope in the everyday things of life. All my love ❤

Journey in Relationships

I have found myself exceedingly blessed with a wonderful Godly man with which I am spending time getting to know and we are growing in our walk with God both independently and together. However, though we are both Christians and want to please the Lord and bring him honor and glory in our relationship, life has a way of challenging that mentality. The journey to purity is never easy, but always worth it! I was blessed to be reminded of this song and wanted to share it. No matter what trials, temptations, or tribulations we may face, if we fix our eyes on the Lord, all things will work out for our good!

May you be blessed and remember that “No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.” ~ 1 Corinthians 10:13. This does not mean that we can bear the temptation in our own strength and might, but rather through strength in Christ we can stand and walk in obedience to God (Phil. 4:13).

Blessing and love to you all ❤

Be Blessed

He gives strength to the weary, And to him who lacks might He increases power.
Though youths grow weary and tired, And vigorous young men stumble badly,
Yet those who wait for the LORD Will gain new strength;
They will mount up with wings like eagles,
They will run and not get tired,
They will walk and not become weary.
~ Isaiah 40:29-31

Let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we will reap if we do not grow weary.
So then, while we have opportunity, let us do good to all people,
and especially to those who are of the household of the faith.
~ Galatians 6:9-10

Be Blessed

Life can be tiring
Draining and void of energy
May you not give up
Do good while you have the opportunity
Appreciation is not your reward
For that is only temporary
Thanks and good gestures
That last but for a moment
Eternal reward is what you seek
Your heart’s deepest desire
Hold tight the God’s strength
Run the race
But do not tire
Though life takes more than you can give
Enjoy every chance to live
Find rest in the shadow of His wings
Live in love and grace
Be kind
Be generous
Be patient
Be joyful
Be loving
Be gentle
Be honest
Be sincere
Be hopeful
Be grateful
Be blessed

Let it Go!! Trust!!

The steadfast of mind You will keep in perfect peace,
Because he trusts in You. Trust in the LORD forever,
For in GOD the LORD, we have an everlasting Rock.
~ Isaiah 26:3-4

Be anxious for nothing, 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 comprehension,
will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
~ Philippians 4:6-7

In times where your mind wanders and you feel your thoughts drifting to negativity or areas of darkness and fear, bring them captive to the Lord. Bring them into His presence, surrendering them, and letting God bring you back to His light and peace. Yes, this is a hard process, but the more frequently you do it, the easier it becomes. When you give it all to God, He promises to bring you peace and comfort, to lead you in the path everlasting. That doesn’t mean the pain will go away or the circumstances will change in an instant, but it does mean that God will be with you through them, reminding you that He is bigger than anything you may face, that He is stronger than the challenges, that He knows the direction you must go to achieve His perfection! Let go and let God! All my love, and as you go through your day, may you find your heart and mind focused on the glory and beauty of God!

Together You can Make It!!

For our light affliction, which is for the moment,
works for us more and more exceedingly an eternal weight of glory;
while we look not at the things which are seen,
but at the things which are not seen:
for the things which are seen are temporary;
but the things which are not seen are eternal.
~ 2 Corinthians 4:17-18 ~

Jehovah, the Lord, is my strength;
And he makes my feet like hinds feet ,
And will make me to walk upon high places.
~ Habakkuk 3:19 ~

No matter the obstacle, no matter the trial you are facing, no matter how grim life may seem, please know that there is nothing in this world that will measure up to the glory that you will receive in heaven. God knows that life has its ascents an descents, but through it all he reaches out to you, offering to carry you to eternal glory. Keep your eyes on God, focus on the blessings, trust that God’s presence will surround you always (even when you don’t feel it!). Take His hand and know that with God, you can make it through anything–look how far you have made it already!

All my love ❤

Limitless (Colton Dixon)

And looking at them Jesus said to them,
“With people this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”
~ Matthew 19:26

“It has often thrown him both into the fire and into the water to destroy him.
But if You can do anything, take pity on us and help us!” And Jesus said to him,
“‘If You can?’ All things are possible to him who believes.”
~ Mark 9:22-23

New Year Equals New Opportunities (Beckah Shae~Life)

New Year equals new opportunities, new outlook, and new chances! I love the beginning of a new year as it provides a chance to start over with a clean slate and positive outlook!! Just as each day provides a clean slate, so too does each new year. This year…expect the best, prepare for the worst, love boldly, laugh out loud, cry deeply, hope eternally, and live fully!! You never know when your life or the life of a loved one will be taken for none of us are ever promised tomorrow! Each breath is a gift! Don’t waste this year spending your life in anger, envy, strife, conflict, blame, guilt, shame, anxiety, or bitterness for they take away the joy and beauty of each day and take a physical, spiritual, mental, and emotional toll on the quality of your life.

1. If you are angry, pray for peace and surrender to the Lord your anger.
2. If you are envious, try being thankful for what you DO have, for many others have much less than you.
3. If you are in strife or conflict with someone, apologize and make things right….even if you aren’t the one
who made things wrong (after all God forgives and makes things right with you everyday, even when
He was not the one who sinned or made things wrong!–just saying’).
4. If you are spending time blaming others for where you are and who you have become, decide to take responsibility for yourself and the direction of your life for only you have the power to change it!!
5. If you are stuck in a life filled with guilt and shame, pray, seek counsel, change your ways, and surrender it to God– it was Christ’s sacrifice that has covered ALL your guilt and shame with love, mercy, and grace at the cross!
6. If you are filled with anxiety about whatever you are facing, be it finances, family struggles,
employment, death, health, or anything else out of your control….rest in the arms of God.
Cast all your cares on Him for He cares for you (more than you may ever know!!).
7. If you hold bitterness towards someone who has wronged you…let it go!!
It doesn’t hurt the other person, but it destroys you from the inside out!
Forgive and find strength in God to show mercy and grace, just as he has so freely given it to you.

Strive to make this year a GOD centered year, instead of a ME centered year and look forward to all that you will be blessed with! When your focus is love and peace, the world is so much better off….and so are YOU!

All my love ❤

Perfectly Imperfect ~Pretty Lies by Veridia

Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind,
so that you may prove what is the good, well pleasing, and perfect will of God. ~ Romans 12:2

As we approach New Years Day, it is common to make New Years resolutions. The only problem is that many, if not all, of the resolutions that are made by the majority of people deal with the external being–Losing weight, eating right, working out, getting outdoors more frequently, etc. These are focusing on the outside…the looks, the appearance, the body image. They are temporary, and who determines when you have lost enough weight, whether you are eating right, or if you are getting outdoors enough? When is enough good enough? Who sets the bar? Resolutions to improve the external shell are wonderful, don’t get me wrong! However, if it is society telling you to lose weight, eat right, exercise more, than your resolutions will not succeed for societal views of perfection can never truly be achieved (hence the reason why resolutions typically fail)! After all, if we were able to be “perfect” then why the need to airbrush/Photoshop ads? Why would we need to starve ourselves or exercise till we break if perfection could be obtained?

Instead of focusing on the outside this year, take some time to devote to the inside…the heart, the mind, the soul. The goal of life it not to be perfect, for we are “perfectly imperfect” beings! The goal of life is to be perfected through the blood of Christ, who was born and died for you! The only way to change the outside, is to first change the inside. You were created by God on purpose for a purpose and your body is not yours…despite how you may feel! It is the Lord’s. If you focus your energy on God, his commands, his love for you, his sacrifice for you, his never-ending grace towards you, and his endless mercy, then you will see that you are perfectly imperfect, which is just how it should be! It is in our imperfections that we are able to see our need for God. If we were perfect we wouldn’t need him!! When you accept that you are imperfect, you can accept who you are, where you are, and how you look and feel about yourself. When God is at the center, the external becomes a part of the journey. However, if the external is at the center, you will never be happy because there is always someone prettier, handsomer, richer, smarter, more athletic, and on and on it goes. You will never find happiness or true joy if you try to reach the illusion of perfection!

So, rather than focusing on the external this year, shift your center to the internal. Find your peace with God and with whom he created you to be. Find peace with all of you–your looks, your job, your family, your life. No matter how imperfect, you are in God’s hands and he will work all things out for good for those who love him and are called according to his purpose—that is YOU! Believe me, I know hard times and how hard it is to see yourself as beautiful when life tells you otherwise!! Remember, you are “PERFECTLY IMPERFECT” and that is breathtakingly BEAUTIFUL!!!

For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works,
which God prepared in advance for us to do. ~ Ephesians 2:10

For I know the plans I have for you says the Lord,
plans to prosper you and not to harm you,
plans to give you hope and a future. ~ Jeremiah 29:11

And we know that God works for the good of those who love him,
who have been called according to his purpose. ~ Romans 8:28

May you pray more, dive into scriptural truths, and spend some time listening to God’s still small voice midst the noisy chaos of life! I assure you that when you do, you will find true joy in who you are, no matter the circumstances.

All my love and blessings for a wonderful, fabulous, enriching new year! ❤