Reflect

Walk humbly with the Lord. Recognize that HIS ways are better than your ways. Trust HIS will for you, because the Lord is Good, ALL the time.

Letting to Better

Letting go of control

Letting go of perfection

Letting go of pain

Letting go of mistakes

Letting go the need to have things go your way

Letting go (which can sometimes feel easier said than done) will only produce one thing. That one thing is: Something better.

Holding

Grasping

Forcing

Fighting

Dwelling

These are things God wants you to release your grip on. God is in control and you must show that you trust HIM. If something is not working, then God must have a good reason, so be at peace. Let go.

When you let go, you will soon see doors open to what you want, and the best part is: It will be better than what you were holding on to.

Gold

"Truth, like gold, is to be obtained not by its growth, but by washing away from it all that is not gold."
~ Leo Tolstoy

The truth is valuable, just like gold. The world can hand out gold, but once you really look at it and wash it, that gold was nothing but a yellow man made rock. Get your gold from God. God’s gold is always valuable, always current, always reliable, and it never fades or wears in the storms of life. You don’t need to tread in murky waters shifting for your nuggets of gold; all you need is to learn God’s word. God’s word, God’s character…now that is pure gold!

Scripture Sunday

John 14:27

"I am leaving you with a gift - peace of mind and heart! And the peace I give isn't fragile like the peace the world gives. So don't be troubled or afraid."

Quote

      “If you don't think every day is a good day,

just try missing one."

~Cavett Robert

Powerful!

If this quote doesn’t make you stop, think, and appreciate….then I don’t know what will!

Forward Friday

USATODAY has an article expressing the benefits of a hug. Did you know benefits are attached to hugs? Let me fill you in on some of the article highlights.

It doesn’t matter if you receive a quick hug or have a long-embraced hold…that hug will help reduce stress in your body. Who doesn’t want to reduce stress, especially nowadays? Our human bodies need social contact.

This Forward Friday is (you guessed it) a hug. Give someone you know a hug today. If a hug seems awkward, (let’s say at work) than try something simple, like a pat on the back with a job well done speech.

Make an effort to lower someone’s stress levels, and the best part is…you’ll lower your stress levels too.

Enjoy your Friday!

Be in the Zone

Declare a worry free zone today.

Instead of worry, be at peace.

Give your cares to the Lord.

Be content and allow the Lord to walk with you.

Don’t let people or situations invade your zone today.

Let the Lord be in control of your zone!

For You!

I am making an effort to improve. ‘Making an effort,’ leaves room for error and means I don’t always follow through. If I said, I ‘religiously’ try to improve, then that would tell you my strict devotion to self improvement. Making an effort allows me to be human. This journey of self-improvement leads me to much reflection, prayer, mediation, affirmations, seeking God, attending services, and reading material that will help in the name of enlightenment. In my northern star search, I must confess: I get tired. There are times when I just want to relax and not try so hard.

To be or not to be…is that really the question? To be in the thick of my search means progress (and to put if frankly, isn’t that the whole point?). Not to be, or wanting to relax, to whom does that benefit?

I remember feeling the pressure to meditate
one day, as if it was a chore laid upon me from a wicked step-mother from a Disney tale. The answer came: For you!

What seems like a chore, what seems like work, is not for God’s benefit, it’s for me. God does not need the enlightenment; I’m not doing Him a favor, I’m doing myself a favor.

Whenever you ‘make an effort’ or ‘make a religious’ attempt at empowering yourself, remember you are not doing it to earn brownie points or to win someone’s approval; you are doing it…for you!

It’s Easy

It’s easy to get caught up in the opinion of others. Trust the inner voice that beats in your heart. Learn how to dance to your own rhythm. It’s easy to get caught up in the comparing of what God is doing for someone else. Trust God, because HE has an individual plan for you. You are just as important to God as the person you’re comparing yourself against.

Present yourself before the Lord and believe in HIS vision for your life.

Pray and trust in the Lord…it’s easy!

Quote & Thought

"They always say time changes things, but you actually have to change them yourself."
~Andy Warhol

Time won’t change you, but your God will! What changes you? Knowing that you are a child of God. Knowing what God says about you is true. Knowing that God’s promises are made for you. Change happens when you root yourself in God’s word, presence, and rest. Make the effort to change, to come up higher, and going to God for all of your needs.

Scripture Sunday

John 14:27

"I am leaving you with a gift - peace of mind and heart! And the peace I give isn't fragile like the peace the world gives. So don't be troubled or afraid."

Saturday’s Rest

I’m having a relaxing weekend? How about you?

Rest in the Lord.

"My presence shall go with you,

and I will give you rest."

Exodus 33:14

Forward Friday

Yes, God wants us to continually improve and come up higher and higher.

However, realize that HE sees you as a champion and is smiling on you.

Pass on your smile today. Shine your light on someone you love too.

Statement II

I am SO glad that God is in control…

and not me!

Statement

Faith creates the answers

you’ve been looking for

Quote

"Courage is very important.

Like a muscle, it is

strengthened by use."

~ Ruth Gordon 

Scripture Sunday

John 14:27

^“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.”

This is a deep scripture that instructs us. Please re-read this scripture and understand how joyful our lives can be if we obey this teaching.

Happy Sunday!

Submit into Walk

Surrender

&

Walk in the Spirit

Forward Friday

Happy Friday, Readers!

Hope you are having a nice Friday, and are able to unwind from the week. This forward Friday, I encourage you to break bread. That’s right, enjoy a good meal with someone. Can you afford to buy someone a meal this Friday? How about inviting someone over for a home cooked meal? Not so cool with your cooking skills…no problem, just pass along your favorite recipe to someone.

Meal time can be so productive and bonding between souls. So dust off your forks and spoons and dive into something delicious!

Quote

"We are what we repeatedly do.

Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit."
~ Aristotle

This is why I stress the importance of speaking excellent things over and over again. Words and thoughts have tremendous power. If we set our minds to what is true and noble like the bible says to do, then we will become what we repeatedly do…which will be a person of excellence.

Imagine

Prayer: A simple act of speaking requests, needs, and thanks to our Lord.

Prayer: A free act to be given at any time and space.

Prayer: The freedom of having communication with our heavenly family.

I don’t need to imagine if prayer works. I have been able to see firsthand the power prayer has.  Prayer opened me up to understanding. The understanding of what’s to come, the understanding of healing, the understanding of obeying. I have seen words go from being spoken over me to actually manifestation. I don’t need my imagination to muster up belief, because my eyes have been made wide opened.

There is an experience that comes over you when you feel the Lords presence; It’s so mighty, you can’t even imagine it. The Lords presence is not worldly, so there is no way to describe it; this too I have experienced. The Lord comes with so much peace; I like to joke about being able to bottle that peace. If only you could bottle that peace and sell it (if only).

The praying, the peace, it all became addicting. It became addicting because it is that beautiful. Daily life can weigh you down; the peace that filled you up, unfortunately leaks quickly…as you can imagine.

It seemed so simple, all I had to do was ask certain people who had a strong anointing on them to pray for me…and I was filled with the Lord’s peace. 

I didn’t say it was simple. I said, it seemed so simple. But, with humans, nothing is that simple.

I reached a point where, those certain anointers where no longer reachable to me. I felt like this needy little girl trying to get a moment of their time. No one would return calls. No one would fulfill promises of getting back in touch with me. People would pass me along to someone else that could help me. They were too busy for me. It was embarrassing to try so hard…to try so hard, just to receive prayer. It didn’t seem right.

One (out of town) lady, actually said to me, “isn’t there anybody who you can contact that lives in your area.” This lady worked for a church, and she was telling me to go somewhere else for prayer. Months went by before receiving any breakthrough with her. Why? Well, when I first called, it was during a holiday, and they were too busy to help me…as the church was prepping for this big holiday. Can you imagine? I couldn’t. I finally said to the lady, “with all respect, this is a church. A church is supposed to be there for one another. Could you imagine, if God said that to you; If God said, oh, I’m sorry, but I’m a little too busy right now to talk to you, can you find someone else to go to.” Could you imagine? I think that put things into perspective for her. To be honest, I couldn’t imagine myself actually talking to someone like that…but I did…I had my fill of the run around. Long story short…that lady and I have actually bonded, and she has gone above and beyond to help me.

Prayer is so simple and lovely to do for someone. All I wanted was prayer, and these people were acting as if I was a tax collector. That experience has really left an impression on my heart.

Take time for people. Don’t be too busy to pray for someone. If you say to someone, “I’m going to put you in my prayers,” actually do it. Don’t take prayers for granted. Prayer works. The Lord is never too busy for you. The Lord wants us to communicate with HIM. The Lord will never turn away from you or send you somewhere else. Never.

My experience may have a deep rooted lesson behind it. Maybe the Lord doesn’t want me using these people as hotlines to reach him…because my prayers work just as good, and maybe HE wants me to realize this. Realize that your prayers work too.

Let’s try to live in a world that makes the effort to support one another, to make time for one another, to pray for each other’s needs and concerns. Wouldn’t it be nice to live in a world like that…just imagine.

Quote

“Man is never so tall as when he kneels before God… never so great as when he

humbles himself before God.

And the man who kneels to God

can stand up to anything.”

~ Louis H. Evans

Quote

"Face your deficiencies and acknowledge them;

but do not let them master you.

Let them teach you patience, sweetness, insight."
~ Helen Keller

As you face the challenges that are

shaping your greatness...

Remember, God has you in the palm of HIS hand.

Scripture Sunday

One more lesson on my waiting lecture:

I learned that waiting is something the Lord allows. Why would HE allow such stretched periods pass before we ever see a breakthrough? So that HE can show HIMSELF strong in our lives. When it looks like only a miracle could help turn a situation around…the Lord swoops in to show HIS almighty power. HE wants to show you, that with the Lord, ALL things are possible! Not only will you see the Lord working in your life, but others around you will be witness to HIS love.

Have a lovely Sunday, readers. I present a couple of scriptures to help you (and me) in our waiting.

"I am waiting for the Lord, my soul is waiting for Him, and my hope is in His Word." Psalms 130:5

"Love is never tired of waiting." 1 Corinthians 13:4

“Wait for the LORD; be strong and take heart and wait for the LORD.” Psalms 27:14

When Everything Comes Together

Have you ever attended a church service where you felt it was tailor made for your soul? That was my experience. As I listened to the preacher, I knew God was schooling me on the meaning of (what else) waiting. Yes, I have been dealing with waiting issues. I’m human, and I get frustrated with the process of God’s timing. Even though I know God’s outcome is the best, and if I want God’s results, then I need to wait; I need to let God work in order for everything to come together properly.

 Inspiration flowed to me as I listened to a church service, and I had to share this with my readers. I hope this breakdown on waiting helps you, as it helped me.

Waiting is defined by my online dictionary (and I paraphrase) as an inactive response as one waits for something expected to occur, and to enthusiastically look forward to something.

Waiting should not feel like a dark cloud looming over your head. Waiting should be held with anticipation; the anticipation that something good is happening and is coming.

Waiting should not be inactive like the dictionary says. Waiting is actually a very (VERY) spiritually active time in your life. You spiritually wait…what does that mean? It means you let God work. It means you pray and give thanks. It means you remind God of HIS promises. It means you expect God to follow through on this promises. It means you look for God, you seek God, and you trust God. It means you keep your focus on God. It means you keep your hope strong. It means you physically rest in God as HE works on your situation. It means you stretch your faith.

How easy is it to stretch your faith once you receive a breakthrough? There is no stretching once you receive…because it’s all about thanks at that point.

Your breakthrough is a result of something we don’t see. Your breakthrough is the result of the spiritual world working. If you’re praying, then God is working; you can’t necessarily see that working process until everything comes together and manifests your breakthrough.

Lamentations 3:25

“The LORD is good to those who wait for him, to anyone who seeks help from him.”

When we wait properly…that’s when…

everything will come together!

Forward Friday

This Friday I request that you forward…a good read.

Maybe you have a book, magazine article, or an inspiring quote that you know someone would really enjoy reading. Pass along reading material that will uplift a mind, inspire a heart, encourage a soul, or bring comfort to someone weary.

Please present the material in a manner where the recipient won’t be offended (like they NEED help). If there is an interesting read or a book that you found extremely helpful, just let that person know what it did for you, and how they might like it as well.

Happy reading!

From the ♥

I was praying. I was praying in the kitchen. My prayer sounded so robotic. I spewed my prayer off, telling God all the things I’ve been seeking and waiting on; it was obvious that I’ve said this prayer…repeatedly!

Yes, we are to ask God for what we want. The bible tells us in Luke 11:9, “So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.”

But…and this is a big but…

But, as I walked deeper into the kitchen, the Lord spoke to me. Deep down in my heart, I heard the Lord say, in so many words, “why don’t you just pray from your heart.”

I froze in my tracks and obeyed. I rephrased my detailed prayer into a heartfelt package, tailoring it into one simple sentence.

Even if you have prayed a million times for something, learn from my teaching. God knows. God knows everything. HE knows your wants and needs, your strength and weaknesses.

So remember, when you talk to the Lord, be sincerely simple and pray from the ♥.

Quote

"I have an irrepressible desire to live till I can be assured that the world is a little better for my having lived in it."
~ Abraham Lincoln

You can make a difference. How? I believe service and love are great tools to leave your mark on the world.

Believe that the world is a better

place because you are here!

NEXT

I’ve known people who jump from relationship to relationship. I’ve seen celebrities divorce and before the ink on the divorce papers dry, they’re already engaged to someone else. Is this healthy? Is it so challenging to be single for longer than five minutes? If you don’t take time to learn who you are, then how can you attract the right person into your life?  There seems to be this rush, a surge of urgency to find someone to love or to be loved by; when that one person isn’t floating your boat anymore why do we scream, NEXT!?!?! 

I’ve noticed that so many people never really grasp how loved they are. People seem to get value from how much money they make, how much stuff they have, how many friends are in their contacts, or what their job title is.  Even though God wants you and I to live in abundance and enjoy nice things, remember that God does not want you to rely on material things to make you happy or to determine your worth. People break up, things fade, brake, get old, and become out dated. Real love is more valuable than material objects or fleshly needs. 

We all want love. I’ve learned that the best love, the most stable dependable love ever found is the love that God has for me. God loves each one of us so much. There are so many scriptures that talk about God’s love for us. If you are breathing, then you have purpose. Turn to God for your love and worth. The next time you find yourself single, turn to God for sending you the right mate. The next time you feel alone, don’t feel the need to turn to a relationship for validation. I heard this wise lady explain how you should not spend your time looking for that right person to be in a relationship with; instead, you should be spending your time working on yourself so that you can become the right person to be in a relationship with. This is priceless information. If you work on yourself (and obviously I’m going to recommend working on yourself with God’s help) you will learn what you need, want and require in order to be in a healthy relationship; Take the time to discover who has those qualities instead of kissing a bunch of toads. Just think of all the heart aches you could have saved by taking your time. 

Don’t spend your time looking for the next job, the next car, the next relationship, the next anything to make you happy. Be happy with who God made you to be. It’s good to have goals and dreams; God wants to give you the desires of your heart. But while you dream, remember its God you trust with your dreams. You are enough in this moment, even while you wait for those dreams to come, and when you see others reach their dreams before you. Develop the best you, because you never know what amazing thing will show up next.

Quote

"Only by acceptance of the past can you alter it."
~ T.S. Eliot

We cannot re-write the past, but we can learn from it and (most importantly) we can make peace with it. Make with yourself and with your past.

Always be moving forward.