Quote

"When we long for life without difficulties, remind us that oaks grow strong in contrary winds and diamonds are made under pressure."
~Peter Marshall

Wonder Right

Have you ever wondered?

Wondered what it would be like ‘if only’?

What would it be like if I had that job?

Wonder what it would be like if I had their looks?

What would it be like to have that kind of money?

What would it be like to live there?

Dreams are inviting to our minds. It’s good to have dreams and to think big. We serve a big God and with God all things are possible. Is there a dream that your mind dwells on? God knows the dreams you have. God understands your desire for wanting it all, and God wants us to have an abundant life.

It is my strong belief that if you want it all, then you have to run your own race in life. In my life, I’ve noticed that God works to brings together when HE knows it’s the right time for me to have it. When I follow God’s plan, then things turn out better, more graceful than if I had tried to put things together myself.

Wondering about the if only in life is normal, but don’t let it steal your happiness. Don’t let the wondering cause you to question what God is doing in your own life. Flip the wonder. Instead of wondering why you’re not (insert wonder), flip into thinking that maybe this is where God wants you to be. Flip the wonder into a purpose. Instead of wondering why things aren’t different, dare to wonder that things are the way they are, because he is purposefully using you in a way you don’t realize. Wonder in the right direction.

God wants to promote us and see us happy, but that also means that HE can promote you just where you are. You can grow just where your feet are planted, because God has you in the palm of His hands.

If God wants to move you into the wonder state that has been playing in your mind, HE will do it in his timing; in the mean time, be blessed where you are.

Instead of using the word wonder that follows with a question mark, use the word wonder to marvel at your life and the perfectly orchestrated steps God has designed just for you; you can do it, you just have to wonder right!

Lent

We’re in Lent! How are you holding up on your give-up or start-up lent habit? I’m doing pretty good on my give up…but then again, we are still in the early stages of lent.  Lent is such a special, valuable, and meaningful time for Christians. I want to take a moment and talk to you about lent, and what it means to me. My hope is to give you some extra insight into our lent season. Yes, I said extra insight, because I will not be talking about the traditional…he died for our sins message.

When Jesus was on earth, in his earth body, he knew the cross he had to carry. As time approached for him to carry the cross, that led to his death, he told the disciples and people that he was going to get quiet; He explains this in John 14: 27&30.

Jesus knew that he was coming into this difficult period, this enormous amount of pressure, and the first thing that we can all learn is the fact that, Jesus became quiet. When I reflect over my own life, I have had too many experiences where I get upset, I get confused, I feel frustrated, and all I seemed to do was run to someone for comfort, insight, answers, and peace. I feel that there are some problems in life that you must turn to someone for help and guidance. However, for most of our problems and concerns, we need to follow Jesus and his example; we need to find the silence. Sometimes we face a problem and all we start to do is complain, grown, and say hurtful things what we later wish to take back. Again, we need to follow Jesus and his example; we need to find the silence.

Jesus went to the top of the mountain to spend time with his father. Jesus who is so pure and good…needed to spend time with God. This tells me that if Jesus had to spent time with God, so do I!!!

Did you know that Jesus got so nervous about the cross that he sweated blood! Now, I know I have had nerves and anxious feelings, but never so bad that I sweated blood. This makes me feel so bad for Jesus, but it also makes me feel like he completely understands me when I go to him with scared feelings. He understands because he’s been there too.

We live in a broken world. Nobody is perfect. We all have problems. We all have a cross to carry. But we have to look up. Look up. Find your strength in Jesus. What did Jesus do…he picked up his cross, and he walked. That is what we need to do too. When there is a cross in our life, we pick that cross up and walk.

Jesus died for us. The least we can do is hold our head up high, know everything is alright, and most importantly, know you are loved.  You are so loved, that God gave the world his only son.  

Quote

"Life is about not knowing, having to change, taking the moment and making the best of it, without knowing what's going to happen next. Delicious ambiguity."
~ Gilda Radner

Always have hope my loves. You never know what good thing is around the corner!

Quote

"Character is simply habit long enough continued."
~Plutarch

Quote

"Be not afraid of life. Believe that life is worth living, and your belief will help create the fact."

~ William James

Rhythmic Chat Part Tres

Do I hear God speak? Is it God, or is it me? I’m I hearing what I want to hear? Why can others hear Him so clearly, and I feel lost? I get confused. I’m unsure. I don’t know. I doubt. I over analyze. I over think.

These may not be your thoughts on hearing the Lord speak, but they sure have been mine from time to time.

I do want to hear for the Lord. I do want to feel close to Him and learn how He is getting through to me in my daily walk. For me, hearing the voice of the Lord is not an easy subject. I strongly believe that there is a rhythmic flow of how the Lord speaks to us, and that flow can be individualized. I don’t think there is a cookie cutter lesson plan to hearing the Lord speak. If there is a cookie cutter answer, I’d love for someone to send me the pattern. However, I think there are a few staples that bring confidence in knowing that we heard from the Lord.   

I encourage you to read John 10:1-18. It explains: His sheep hear my voice. This says that when the Lord speaks (so He does speak) we will recognize His voice.

Often I feel as if we think the Lord is going to speak like a big booming voice behind a curtain, as in the movie, The Wizard of Oz. For me, I wish it was that clear and easy. But, for most of us, I think the voice comes from developing a relationship with the Lord, praying, meditating, listening, having eyes of faith, and spiritually tuned ears.

I’ve been filled with doubt, wondering if I really heard God, or wondering if He was really directing me. My answer to that is trust. I don’t think it is healthy to be filled with doubt. God wants us to trust him. We are meant to put our hope, trust, and confidence in the Lord. Yes, being human I make mistakes, and I may not get the message correct. Making mistakes should not shake my confidence. For me, hearing the Lord is a process. Hopefully the more I try to hear from the Lord, the better I’ll be at it.

One thing that I really do know: The Lord is not confusion.  Let go of the figuring it all out, over analyzing, and the trying to make it happen approach.

I asked the Lord to talk to me about something, and I felt so strongly about the answer. Then I started getting something that contradicted the answer I felt the Lord gave me. Many times I went to the Lord and said, this does not match up. One answer is positive, and one is telling me to give up….it can’t be both!!!  God is not confusion. I kept on the subject, and I asked the Lord to talk to me clearly. Yes, ask the Lord to talk to you clearly. God is not going to confuse you. Which leads me to my next point…

Confirmation. If you feel the Lord has spoken to you. Ask for a confirmation. Pray for a confirmation. If you trust someone who you feel comfortable enough to ask them to pray with you on the subject, see if they receive anything that can confirm your message.

Peace, wisdom, and the bible are great tools for hearing the Lord. The Lord loves to talk to me through other people, songs, and sometimes nature. It’s all good. It’s all individualized. The bible mentions how the Lord used a donkey to speak to one of his people (numbers 22:21-35). He used a donkey! Now that is what I call…thinking outside the box!

Chat with God. Talk to Him about everything. Don’t approach the Lord like he’s Santa Clause and you have a wish list of things you want answered. Be sincere with your talks with the Lord. I found that when something is really heavy on my heart, that is when I somehow get an answer instantly that calms me; others times I have to wait for an answer. There are times when I feel like I’m not hearing anything…in those times I feel like He must really be working behind the scenes.

As it says in Ephesians 3:17

May Christ through your faith [actually] dwell (settle down, abide, make His permanent home) in your hearts! May you be rooted deep in love and founded securely on love…

Don’t feel as though God is far away. He is not. He is right here. Right here, abided in your heart. Church chat is not just for Sunday mornings. You can chat with the Lord anytime, any day, and anywhere.

Hope this was helpful, insightful, and hopefully not to chatty (but somehow that would be appropriate for this post).

Rhythmic Chat Part Dos

Positive feedback is music to our little human ears. We all want to be hold how well everything is going. We want to be told that everything is all right. We want praise.

There seems to be a seeking need of validation when we speak to someone. Did the other person really hear what I was saying? Do they understand me? Do my feelings matter? Do they agree with me?

Prayer is the best place for expressing all of your thoughts and emotions. God already validates everything about you. God understands everything. Pray with an open heart, knowing that you don’t have to explain or defend yourself, because He understands.

Having said all that…

When you have such open chats, be as open to the answers God is wanting to send you.

What does this mean?

If you’re only open to the sugary-sweet, everything is alright messages, then you’re missing out on becoming all God wants you to be. God wants you to come up higher and higher, which means you have to be as open to the bitterly-tart messages as well.

If God is telling me something that is hard to hear, I know it’s only because He loves me. If God is telling me to forgive, then I need to listen to that. I need to forgive. Why? Because it’s for my own good. It may not be easy to forgive, but if God is telling me this, then I know that somewhere in the overall big picture, it is to my benefit to forgive (not just for the other person, but for me).

I heard a man tell his story about smoking. In this day of age, we all now know, smoking is horrible for your health. He had an amazing story to tell (which is much too long to explain) about how Jesus came to him and told him to stop smoking, and how it was a false sense of relaxation. I mention this because it demonstrates Gods love for us, and we need to obey when he talks.

Jesus does not want us to get any kind of validation, peace, relaxation, or worth from outside forces; we find it in Him. HE is true and real while other vices (like smoking) are smoke and mirrors; they are false. Plus, Jesus does not want Him to smoke, because it’s harming him; the message to quit is in his best interest. I’ve never smoked, but I hear how hard it is to stop the habit. I’m sure this man had to face tough days quitting. Did the man obey? He’d be a fool not to listen to Jesus. HE wants this man to come to him for comfort and relaxation, and HE is looking out for his heath; God cares about it all.

God will give you messages of love. Sometimes love also comes in the form of correction.

Now we have an uno, and a dos… will I have enough to say in a tres???

Rhythmic Chat

Hearing God is a tricky subject to write about. It has been my desire in my relationship with the Lord, to hear Him clearly. I have met a couple of people who hear the Lord speak super clear, and I must confess, it’s pretty amazing. I believe that God speaks to all of his children; it’s just a matter of fine tuning it, and learning the rhythm of how He is speaking to you.

When I feel as though the Lord has spoken to me, I feel this natural high, as if I’ve been kissed from heaven.

Someone asked me recently, “well, how did he talk to you?”

Sometimes when I try to explain a divine experience with someone (which is not often and only to people who are super close to me) I feel as though I cannot capture my experience for them. When I explain my experience, that person is lookin’ at me like I’m speaking another language.

This is okay. As I said, God has a way (I believe) of getting our attention and telling us what we need to hear, if we are open to the exchange.

If I pray, then it’s usually me doing all the talking. I should wear a name tag that says, Hello, I’m Chatty Kathy. One sided dialogue is not fun. I have to remember that if I want to hear God, then I have to be quiet. There needs to be eyes of faith, spiritually tuned ears, and an open heart for this communication exchange. The more I am open to the spiritual realm, the more I’ll discover God’s rhythmic chat.

To be honest, I think I put too much doubt behind the signs I think I receive. This is not good. I don’t believe God wants us to doubt. There needs to be a level of confidence, not a level of doubt. If I am wrong with God’s prompting…it’s okay. God has a way of making everything turn out all right.

This has been a difficult post to write. I’m still growing in this chat department. Hopefully this conversation will get you thinking about you and the Lord, and your own rhythmic chat.

I Don’t Do That

You pray how many times a day???

What! I don’t do that.

How long can you stay in mediation???

What! I don’t do that.

You go to church service every day???

What! I don’t do that.

You read your bible every day???

What! I don’t do that.

Have you ever heard someone give glowing reviews over their prayer life? You hear someone talk and boost about their religious endeavors and all you seem to do is compare yourself to them. Most comparisons leave you saying, “what, I don’t do that…” Well, you may not say it, but you at least think it.

 It’s best to go at your own pace with God. Don’t feel like you have to compare your walk with someone else’s walk. God wants to have an intimate relationship with you. God wants to talk with you and direct you. Don’t think that your time spent with God is invaluable because you don’t do it the same way someone else does.

Don’t let others guilt you into thinking your efforts with God are not up to par. Make an honest effort to get to know God; baby steps are okay. If your mind is making you feel guilty over the level of intimacy you're at with the Lord or you're comparing your walk against others, tell your mind, nope…I don’t do that!

Quote

“We are not human beings having a spiritual experience; we are spiritual beings having a human experience.”

~Pierre Teilhard de Chardin

Watching Something Special

People watching can be so entertaining. Why? I don’t know; I haven’t figured that out yet. There is something to be said about watching something in silence. I love to watch my dog sleep. I love to watch the wind blow through a tree, and see the leaves gracefully hang on to the branch. Watching the snow fall from inside a cozy kitchen window can add a something special moment to your day.

Observation is overlooked through a hustle and bustle day. Mindful observation can bring life lessons in unusual packages. The Lord can speak to us, guide us, lead us, and inspire us, when we dare take the time to be in tune.  

I encourage you to take some time this weekend to be in tune. Observe your way through the weekend. Go somewhere and sit in silence. Go somewhere that you find interesting: A bookstore, coffee house, park, your backyard…the possibilities are endless. Go somewhere by yourself, and observe your surroundings in silence.

We encompass five senses:

v  Taste

v  Touch

v  Hearing

v  Vision

v  Smell

Let your environment seduce all of your senses while you sit in silence. Allow that something special moment to be imprinted in your day.

Great Quote!

"Keep away from people who try to belittle your ambitions. Small people always do that, but the really great make you feel that you, too, can become great."
~ Mark Twain

A Question is Born

I’ve been reading some material from one of my all time favorite writers. There was a phrase, a wording in this particular material that caught my eye. I thought the statement was so beautiful, so simple, that my mind turned it into a reflective moment; which is how, this question was born:

What does silence teach you?

Quote

"The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams."
~Eleanor Roosevelt

Quote

"Excellence is not an act but a habit. The things you do the most are the things you will do the best."
~ Marva Collins

Sentence by Sentence

“Peace I leave with you; My [own] peace I now give and bequeath to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid. [Stop allowing yourselves to be agitated and disturbed; and do not permit yourselves to be fearful and intimidated and cowardly and unsettled.]” — John 14:27

The first and second sentence says:

“Peace I leave you; My own peace I now give…”

This says that you have peace. That is worth repeating. You have peace. If you are wondering where your peace is, then it’s probably a reflection of how often you use and practice peace, because you do have it!

Whose peace do we have? “My own…” “Not as the world gives…”

The third sentence brings revelation. Us humans feel like peace comes when everything is smooth-sailing. We can get earthly peace from a secure job, after a full meal, or in the midst of a vacation, but this is false peace. That is worth repeating. Earthly peace is false peace. Why is earthly peace false peace? Because everything earthly is subject to change.  Your job can change, food may run out, or maybe you can’t afford that vacation this year. Peace is available all the time if you take it from the Lord, because the Lord is the only thing that does not change. Whatever your day brings, know that peace is continually available to you. God is continually available to you.

If our peace comes from God and not earthly circumstances, then our bodies and minds can be at peace. If you’re at peace, you’re more likely to enjoy yourself, which in turn, means you can enjoy your life.

I am in love with the fourth sentence:

“Do not let your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.”

Do not let your hearts be troubled or afraid! Don’t allow it. This tells me that I have control over my emotions. This tells me that when I feel fear, I don’t have to entertain it. It goes on to say: stop allowing yourself to be disturbed. YES!!!! Jackpot!!!! That is worth repeating. Stop allowing it. We do not have to think, dwell, and allow fear and negativity to bring us down into the low levels of unsettledness or coward-ness… as the scripture states.

Today’s Lessons:

• We have peace.
• Stop allowing the fear to be in your heart.
• We can control our attitude.

Put this scripture in motion…

Sentence by Sentence.

The S Word

The Subject is Serious. Is this post about being serious? No. It’s another S word that is more serious than being serious. The S word is: Suicide.

As I was in bed the other night, I felt the Lord guiding me about a very serious subject that should be addressed in a post.

Suicide! Suicide is not the answer for anyone. God is so full of love; he never wants to see you harm yourself in anyway. There may be times when you don’t see a way out, but the good news is, God does see a way out for you. God sees the big picture, and you are in the picture. Don’t take yourself out of God’s picture. You can never comeback from suicide. God however, can give you the biggest comeback of your life. God can make you have a comeback from fear, rejection, pain, addiction, hopelessness, or anything you may be facing.

God needs his Children here to complete his divine assignments. You have an assignment. The world would not be complete if you are not here. God decides when we go home; Only God.

If you are in pain, seek help.

If you feel like you cannot go on…let this post be a sign that God is speaking to you…letting you know that you are loved, and that you can make it.

My friends, don’t let suicide be in your thoughts. God is with you.

~Elle

Quote

"Once we believe in ourselves, we can risk curiosity, wonder, spontaneous delight, or any experience that reveals the human spirit."
~ E. E. Cummings

Elle Says

Your future is so bright…

It has NO room for negativity!!!

This is a New Day!

View From A Desk Top

I sit at my desk, press my fingers to the key board, and start to write a message. What will I write? Will it have meaning? Will I be interesting? I remind myself not to babble. In the end, I hope its web worthy.

I’ve noticed a grace that has come from writing my blog posts. I never thought of myself as a writer, but here I am. I am delighted that the Lord has decided to use me in this manner. Its fun being a writer; I don’t think I’ll ever be up for any Noble Prize for Literature award…hahaha…but, it’s enchanting trying to sprinkle hope and love into your lives.

Sometimes when I write, I get a thought for the title, or the title comes last, and then supernaturally the topic flows into a message. Sometimes when I write, it is driven from a personal experience, a lesson I’ve learned or still trying to learn. But every time I write, I try to touch on topics that I feel God wants us all to understand and realize; which is why so many of my messages are based on love and acceptance.

It’s just me and my desk top. I can’t see you. I don’t know who my post will help for that day. I never know if I am hitting the mark with my blog…..until….

…until I have read some of your thoughtful comments. I want to thank those who feel comfortable in leaving me notes. I read all the comments and have loved every single one. I acknowledge you. When I read a comment, and you let me know that a particular post helped you or spoke to your heart, that in turn motivates me to write, to continue my posts.  By your comments, you are acknowledging me, and I thank you. I can’t take the credit, because the Lord is the one who has given me the grace to write, the Lord is helping me with the topics, and it is the Lord that is touching your heart.

As I sit behind my computer and you sit behind yours, know that we are brought together by the divine. Thanks for the comments and letting me know you’re out there; your kind words bring quite the view from my desk t♥p!!!

Wow!

God knows everything. Everything! Wow!

I mean stop and think about that.
God knows everything!

Let’s examine:

Everything is all inclusive. God is so close to us, so invested in us, so concerned about each one of us. HE knows everything about us. There are different scriptures that talk about how HE knows every number of hairs on our head. HE goes to the length of giving everyone different finger prints, so each one of us has our own unique identity. Think about the number of people in past, present, and future generations that had, have or will have finger prints….that’s a lot of patterns to come up with!!! And no duplicates!!!! Wow!

God goes that extra mile. How could you be so invested in something without having a deep love and affection for it? God loves us. God cares for us. God is there for us.

HE knows everything, hears everything, and sees everything. HE has solutions to our problems before we even face the problem. HE is always there to talk to. HE knows your personality. HE sees what you are sensitive to. God understands your strengths and weaknesses. And guess what??? It’s all okay.

He knows we are human. HE knows we make mistakes. HE knows we go through ups and downs. And guess what??? HE embraces you and loves you.

I know that I have done and said a lot of stupid things in my life, and I’m sure I have more stupid stuff coming around the corner. Do I go around living stupidly, like I have a free pass? No. But with God, I know I have HIS complete stamp of approval. And guess what??? So do you.

Try not to be hard on yourself. Keep this post in your memory bank. Remember, God has you here because He needs you here; you have something to contribute to this world. God does not make mistakes, but us humans do, and at the end of the day…You are handpicked… You are chosen… You are His child.

Knowing that God knows everything about me and loves me brings comfort to me. This should bring comfort to you too. Don’t you feel like you can exhale after realizing this? I hope you reached an epiphany within this post. And if you’re anything like me, epiphanies leave you saying: WOW!

Flap Your Wings

God is always working with you. God wants to see you grow and stretch yourself into the best you. Growing pains hurt, struggling is frustrating, but the maturity lessons learned are priceless.

I remember hearing, things are not happening to you, but they are happening for you; these things are there to help you come up to your highest potential.

How would you grow if everything was easy? What would you learn if there was no problem? If everything was always perfect and smooth, how would we ever develop trust in the Lord; how would we ever learn to lean on Him?

If I had no problems, then how would I see God working in my life and see His promises come to life when the problem was rectified?

We are not always supposed to be in a struggle or fight, but those crosses will come for everyone at some point. We are meant to enjoy our lives, and God wants us to live abundantly. But remember, crosses are not bad things…they are designed to make you stronger, better, wiser, more compassionate, and more beautiful.

"What the caterpillar calls the end of the world the master calls a butterfly."
~ Richard Bach

Constantly Persistent

I looked up the definition to the word Habit…thanks for that convenience, internet!

The word habit has many words attached to it:

ü  Additive

ü  Behavior Pattern

ü  Regular Disposition

ü  Mental Character

ü  Particular Practice

We all have habits. Habits can become our norm. But is our norm considered norm for someone else?

We can develop habits and not remember how we picked that habit up. We can develop habits as a way to cope with stress and pressure. We can easily develop new habits, and we challenge at unraveling old habits.

It seems as though we tend to hear the word habit and associate it with a negative action. But, there are a lot of healthy habits to focus on:

ü  Peace

ü  Patience

ü  Positive Thinking

ü  Eating Right

ü  Exercise

These are a few examples of healthy habits. But habits have to be developed. If you want peace, then you have to develop the habit of practicing peace. Practice peace until it becomes your norm.

The secret to any healthy living habit is persistence. Persistence in your area of desired norm will help you see results. Constantly be aware of your environment, and look for ways to practice your new habit.

You may find some patience in traffic or while cooking dinner. You may be faced with a gloomy situation, but decide to practice having a positive outcome.

Persistence and consistency are your victory utensils in cooking up the renewed you. 

"What is harder than rock, or softer than water? Yet soft water hollows out hard rock. Persevere."
~ Ovid

This quote is true, and it proves that even the hardest surface can change…just never give up! Thanks for helping me find that quote, internet!

Think Big

A Thought to Ponder Over the Weekend:

God’s Vastness

I am trying to bring my mind to understand how vast God really is.

God is limitless, and I need to remember that.

I am trying to bring my mind to understand God has endless resources.

God can move in my life and help create avenues I didn’t know existed.

Stop and think how infinite God is; I don’t know if our human minds can really grasp it.

God can handle my concerns in a blink of an eye, but chooses to work with me through my concerns to build my character and faith in him. In the end, God works everything out for our good.

Tick Tock

Have you heard the expression:

 “Time heals all wounds”

I heard that time fly’s when you’re having fun. I know when you’re bored, time moves as fast as a snail. I’ve heard people complain there is not enough hours in the day. Family and friends wish they could spend more time together. But this, time heals all wounds, is utter nonsense; I find this to be completely inadequate and false.

Physical wounds are drastically different from emotional wounds. Time will help physical wounds, but time is not as kind to emotional wounds.

If I get a paper cut on my finger…it hurts. Why does a tiny cut on a finger have such sting? I don’t know, but I do know that if I give it time, it will heal on its own without interference on my part.

If I get an emotional wound…it hurts. If I wait for time to heal the pain, I will be waiting forever. Why? Because emotional wounds need to be dealt with; I can’t wait, I must interfere.

Emotional wounds can be carried around forever if you don’t address them. Pain that is not addressed can manifest in ugly habits and behavior. The ugly habits and behavior will likely steal time from your days that you wish you could have back. The energy that you put into carrying around your wounds is also a waste of your time.

Deal with your wounds in a healthy way…that’s the best use of your time. You deal with your wounds starting with your mind set. Look for the lesson that the wounds are meant to teach you. Let it go at the end. Forgive. Always be filling your mind with the positive instead of the negative…it may seem weird at first, but you will see results.

Also, if you need to seek counseling or join a support group, then do so. Read books on subjects that will help you deal with whatever cross you are carrying.

You are meant to enjoy your life. You are meant to have a full life.  In Hebrews it states that we should strip off every weight that is slowing us down or that is holding us back.

You are meant to enjoy your life. You are meant to live a full life. Start moving forward…it’s your time!

Tell Them…

I want to tell you that everything is okay.

If someone has rejected you…know that God fully accepts you.

If something hasn’t worked out…Know that God see the bigger picture.

If you feel alone…Know that God’s presence never leaves you.

If you are tired…Rest in the Lord.

Whatever you are facing or feeling…Know that God cares so deeply about every area of your life.

Go to God. Talk to God. Give God your trust. Everything will work out for what is BEST for your divine-purpose-filled life!