Why worry?

Worry never robs tomorrow of its sorrow, it only saps today of its joy.  ~Leo Buscaglia

If you want to test your memory, try to recall what you were worrying about one year ago today.  ~E. Joseph Cossman

Worrying is like a rocking chair, it gives you something to do, but it gets you nowhere.  ~Glenn Turner

Worry. We all do it. But why? Has anyone ever solved anything by worrying? I think not. Usually, we just cause ourselves stress, anxiety and ruin any possibility of a good day...by worrying. Worry makes us focus on ourselves, worry bogs us down and puts blinders on us, worry makes us take our eyes off our Father God and try to make things happen ourselves. 

I know it's hard to do, but I want you just imagine putting all your worries, your troubles and etc into a box. This box is in your hands. Now, I want you to close the lid, with all your worries inside, and give the box to the Lord. When I get overwhelmed, I imagine myself doing this, and instantly, I feel the peace of the Lord rushing in and replacing all the worry! 

It's not always easy, it doesn't always make sense, but when we stop running around trying to fix everything, and we give up and rest in Him, then He can save us, He can make miracles work, and He can be glorified through the miracles he does. 

Today, turn all that stuff over to God. Free yourself of it, and trust God to deliver you from it! Rejoice in today, for this is the day that the LORD has made!!! 

Love you all!  

  

The Love

Everyday you teach me that love is not black and white. Love doesn't
have limits like that. It can't be held back and restricted in that
manner. You taught me how to trust myself, how to trust others. You
showed me what it really means to love, and not only love you...but to
love all that God has created...and most importantly, you taught me how
to love God.

This life is a vapor, fleeting and temporary. What you do today, will impact your tomorrow.

Be Like Christ
1 Therefore if there is any encouragement in Christ, if there is any
consolation of love, if there is any fellowship of the Spirit, if any
affection and compassion, 2 make my joy complete by being of the same
mind, maintaining the same love, united in spirit, intent on one
purpose. 3 Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with
humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves;
4 do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for
the interests of others. 5 Have this attitude in yourselves which was
also in Christ Jesus, ~ Phil 2:1-5

Do you want to waste more time? Do you know what a difference you make?
Either you make a good difference, or you make a negative difference. I
think if we really stopped to consider the impact of our actions, we
would see that we have some choices to make.

There's someone out there...someone that only you can touch, someone
that needs you. You might not think it, you might not know it, but God
has placed them there for you to touch. I think we all need to look
outside ourselves, really look and see where God has placed you.
Someone needs you, needs the love of Christ...will you be the one to
share it? Or will you selfishly walk away, and leave someone's soul
dangling in the balance. You can say this is reading too much into
things, you can run from your responsibilities, but they won't go away.

When you lose your life, you'll gain it. I don't want to waste time
anymore. I don't want to see the bad, the ugly, and the evil...I want
to live loved, forgiven and redeemed. I want to help others see that
they have the same promises too! All I know is that I should. May we
all accept our roles, embrace them, and share His love.

Some of you don't know the difference you make, or the difference you
have made in my life. Maybe that's the beauty of it. It's so simple,
something you shouldn't do for the "rewards" or "merits" of it, but you
do simply because it's in your heart's desire to do so. You'd do it if
no one ever knew you did it. It's not the "Look at me" factor of it,
but simply, wanting to do what's right. For those of you who have loved
me and helped me...thank you. Your quiet love and guidance has meant
all the difference. Stay strong and be encouraged...you are thought of
often, and loved beyond measure. May goodness and love follow you all
your life, and may we all do the work of the Father, to Him be the
praise, the glory and the honor, for now and forever more!

Stand firm in what God has called out in you.

Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness, that frightens us. We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, and fabulous?

Actually who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small doesn’t serve the world. There’s nothing enlightening about shrinking so other people won’t feel insecure around you.

We were born to manifest the Glory of God that is within us. It’s not just in some; it’s in all, everyone. And as we let our own light shine we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others. - Nelson Mandela 

I was reminded about this quote today. This quote spoke to me a few years back when I first came across it. God really used it to teach me that I am His princess. I am His delight. I can't make Him love me anymore than He already does. Nothing I can change, nothing I can fix, nothing...can make the Almighty God of heaven more in love with me. I have the fullness of His love right now. Moreover, when I stand firm in who I am in Him, then I can shine for Him, and others will see this light, this love, this goodness that fills me because I am fulfilled in Him. God didn't call me to be a wall flower or a shrinking violet. He called me to be His beloved and to share His love with this world.

Tonight, I pray that we may open our eyes, look around, and see those who are in need. May we stand in God as His beloved and see what He sees. 

Loving you.

If God had wanted me otherwise, He would have created me otherwise.  ~Johann von Goethe

Always be a first-rate version of yourself, instead of a second-rate version of somebody else.  ~Judy Garland

How much time and effort do we spend...trying to be someone else, something else? I know that answer for me...was A LOT! I didn't know that the sin of comparrison was something I was guilty of, but eventually I allowed myself to stop lying to myself and see that I was committing this terribly detrimental sin. 

I would compare myself to other people on every level imaginable. Why can't I sing like her, why can't I not be overweight and pretty like her. Why can't I be smart like him? Why can't I have faith like her? Why can't I have biblical knowledge and pray like he does? On and on and on...I tormented myself by comparing myself to others. I couldn't accept that God had made me this way. I was a failure *or so I told myself. I wasn't good enough. I had to work at having friends and making myself what you wanted me to be. I no longer allowed myself to rest in the grace of God and in the beauty of His almighty and infinite creation. I removed him from my life and just focused on making myself what I thought He wanted me to be and what others wanted me to be. 


Several people had to look me in the eye and tell me that I was spitting in God's face and calling Him a liar. What? was my reaction. What do you mean? I'm giving me all to make myself what He wants! Then they turned my twisted logic back into reality...I can't make myself into something because I"m not God, and He already made me just how He wanted me, where He wanted me. This wasn't an easy revelation to allow into my heart. For a long time I let it come in one ear and out the other. I didn't allow it to sink in, to settle down and to change me. The enemy had me convinced that God loved everyone, anyone...but not me. I had messed up one too many times, I had crossed the line more than I was allowed. Apparently, in my head, I ran back to the throne of grace asking for forgiveness for the same things one too many times. He was done with me, He was over it, and He was over me. 


When I finally came to God and asked for forgiveness for my sin of comparission, he opened my heart and my mind and showed me that He had created me, and He doesn't make mistakes. I was His beloved, just the way I was! He had dreams and hopes for me, He has people and places that only I could talk to and go to.  He healed my heart and showed me that I didn't need to compare myself to others. The only person I needed to look to for love and acceptance was Him! 


It's amazing to rest in His love and grace and to accept yourself as the person He made you to be. I didn't realize it till later, but I was also praying, seeking and searching for a man to complete me. I wanted a husband so badly, I wanted to know love and to be loved back. I thought I was a half and I needed my other half. It wasn't until I allowed myself to be a whole, a whole person resting in God's love, that He brought me my other whole person. Mike didn't change me or complete me, but instead, God gave him to me, so we can help each other further become who Christ has called us to be.

Men, I can't speak 100% for you because I'm a girl, but I am sure some of you do this also, maybe not in such high number as girls...but I"m sure you do at some level. 


Today, if you are struggling with this, know that you can't fix yourself and your never going to be "that person" that you want to be. Rest in God's grace and love, and know that you are His perfect creation. Stop trying to make yourself what you think you want or what you think God wants. You are His beloved.  My joy has been restored since I learned to rest in who I am in Christ. Find yourself in Him, and only look to Him when you are wondering who you are. 


Praying everyone has a blessed day!

I am Yours!

So often, it's easy to look at things and remember them differently or get discouraged about how things have turned out. Sometimes it can be over something silly, sometimes something life changing. I thank God for His faithfulness and for His hand on my life.

One story that keeps me in check, keeps me knowing that God has me where he wants me and will make a way, is the story about how I bought my house. Now, I know some might think that that's silly, but our God love us and cares for us in ALL things, big and small, and this is an absolute God situation. I was looking for a house and nothing was in my price range. This was when the market was WAY over inflated ( although I didn't know that) and finally a house came available that my friend was looking at, but decided to pass on, so she told me about it. I went and looked at it, and it was the cutest house I had ever seen, and better yet...I could afford it. She was asking a certain amount, but it needed some work, so I was going to go low on the offer and then a number popped out of my mouth that was much higher that I thought I wanted to offer. I wasl ike why did I just say that number!?!?!?! She looked at me and said, I asked God that whoever was to buy my house would be sent by him and they would offer the exact amount that you just did, so I know that God wants you to buy this house from me. Wow! I was blown away! So now, 5  years later, when I get discouraged about my house and how it's valued at half of what I bought it for, and I think of all the work it needs, I can recall that moment and know that I am blessed to have a house and that God had me there for that time, for this season and that my God is still alive, still working and He cares for me in all things!

I pray that everyone has a blessed day! Remember, you're not alone and God cares for all things that you are dealing with...big and small!

Everyone has a story...

His love is never ending...

I know I am called. I know I am chosen. I have been living for myself lately though, and over the past several weeks, God's been renewing a dream he gave me before. A calling that he entrusted to me. I had pushed it aside, stored it away, and focused solely on myself. I can see now that God is calling me to remember, calling me to move, calling me to act. Last night, I dreamed of God asking me to share...share somethings I've gone through, and to listen to others and be there for them.

This is a lost, aching, hurting world. All of us know that, and all of us have experienced these painful times. The difference is that with the Lord as our Rock, our Salvation, our Hope and our Deliverer...we make it through. Sometimes, it's hard to see or feel the Lord, sometimes the devil, the great deceiver and liar, fools us and tricks us, blinds us so entirely and so completely that we forget about the Lord and His promises. We forget all the times that he's been faithful to us, we can't recall His love, grace, and mercy. I've been there, and I'm sure most of us have been there.

Today, I wanted to share a bit of my story. Some of you may know it, some of you may know some of it, or you may not. The point is to let someone know...that you're not alone. The point is to remind you that God is right by your side and He's listening and He still cares. The point is to tell you...there is HOPE. This is my story ( at least some of it) and hopefully in the coming weeks...I can talk with some of you, share with some of you, pray with some of you...and my dream is to share all our stories, and ultimately inspire hope, love, peace and joy back to those who have lost it along their journey and to remind all of us that Jesus loves us and he hasn't forgotten about us! It's scary to put all this out there, to bear your soul to the entire internet, but I know that God is asking me to step out in faith, to proclaim His love and to hopefully be used to honor and glorify Him!

I had a great childhood. We didn't have a lot of money, but my mom gave her all to make sure that I had a wonderful childhood, and I knew that I was loved beyond measure! Due to some medical issues as a child, I was picked on and made fun of a lot, but usually that didn't matter because I knew that my mom loved me, and that Jesus loved me. I'm not sure where I lost that confidence, but it did become lost and didn't fully come back until about 2 years ago.

Depression, thoughts of suicide and many sleepless, tearful nights epitomized my life after high school. After high school, I started attending Victory church and became involved in Quest and attended many missions trips with the group. God used these times, this group and the leaders to help show me that I am worthy, I am loved, and I have a purpose. The process was often painful, often confusing and filled with doubt. The enemy knows where you are weak, knows where to attack you...and he had my number every time!

I can recall being on missions trips, and staying up at night to write a suicide note...and while looking into the vastness of the ocean, pondering if I walked into the ocean and drowned...would anyone care? My answer was a resounding "NO!" and moreover, everyone would be better off without me. Thank God that he instilled the fear of going to hell in me, because if he hadn't I'm pretty sure I would have taken my life during the most depressed times I faced. It seemed like the best thing to do for everyone ( and please listen to me...if you have ever considered suicide, or are contemplating it; know that you may think it's better for everyone, but it's not. It's easy for you, and it leaves a path of heartbreak, broken relationships, hurt loved ones, and makes things MUCH worse that you could ever imagine.) I remember one night taking many tylenol PM, praying to not awaken in the morning. Thank God he protected me, and allowed me to awake in the morning ( although, at the time I didn't thank Him.)

One of the worst things about all this, was I was a leader in my young adult group, and I felt like a failure because how could I have these feelings, these doubts, the desire to end my life...and still call myself a christian? I had it in my head that christians weren't allowed to doubt, they weren't allowed to stumble, not allowed to fall. I had taken God's grace out of my life. I had called Him not good enough, because I thought I was worthless. I thought that God had made a mistake in me. I didn't allow God to be God in my life. I looked to alcohol instead of to God. I looked to anything and everything instead of God. I made other things my gods.

I look back at how empty I was, how lonely, how unloved I felt. I remember writing letters to God, crying out that He deliver me, save me. I remember one night, how I asked God to show himself to me that night as I was lying in my bed. I opened my eyes and I saw an angel, with full wings, hovering over my bed, covering all of me. I felt so warm and safe in that moment. I felt God in that moment, telling me I wasn't alone, telling me He still loved me and still cared for me, even when I wasn't loving Him. I had been blaming Him, cursing Him, denying Him.

I thought I was hiding everything so well, but obviously I wasn't. Thank God for the people he placed in my life to speak life and love and healing to me. Pastor Glenn & Rhonda, Cheryl, Amy, Sarah, Gwen, Jason and Loanne, Johnny, Mike, Jillian, Cliff and many more really took the time to remind me about God's love. They really invested in me, didn't give up on me, and were used of the Lord to help pull me from my darkest place.

It's amazing how God kept using me in my darkest times. I felt like I could never be used of God, but He kept using me, kept telling me that I was worthy, and that He had dreams and plans for me. He had a calling on me, He had His hand on me.

I recall Pastor Glenn telling me the story of Gideon and how he was hiding in the wheat mill when the angel appeared to him and called him a mighty man of God and told him that the Lord was with him. He reminded me of David one minute praising God, and the next crying out to God for help and asking where was He? Many of my friends reminded me to let God be God and let His grace and love heal me. It wasn't until I fully surrendered to God that He could begin the healing process. I had to let God be God; instead of me, in my flawed, sinfulness, trying to fix myself.

I want to remind you that you're not alone, that you are loved, you have a purpose, and the God of all Heaven and earth is waiting for you to turn to Him, to surrender, to fall at His feet, to proclaim that He is our all in all.You can't "fix" yourself, you can't "make God love you more than He already does" I struggled for so long with this! I had to drown in His grace and His love. I had to let myself be loved of God. I had to lose myself, and then find myself again...in God's love and through His eyes. I had to look beyond my pain, my sadness, and see a world that needed His love, see that I could help tell them about His love. It's amazing how when we help others, love others, that it's often when we receive all that back, and it ends up helping us more, than those we thought we were helping.

The Lord gave me a verse in my darkest hours, in my deepest fears... *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 on me. 10 That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong. - II Cor. 12: 9 & 10

God healed me of my disbelief. He continued to use me and show me that I am loved, I am His, I am called. Do I still struggle, of course! But God's always at work in me. As Pastor Glenn often said, I'm God's messy masterpiece! There is a light at the end of the tunnel, don't be tricked, don't be fooled, and know you're a work in progress!

Be weak today, let your walls down, let your defenses fall. Break the barriers that hold you back from allowing God to fully embrace you and overwhelm you with His love. If you need to talk, I'm here, God's also listening, He's never more than a whisper away, a hearts cry away. Don't be afraid to let God love you, and to let others in!

If you have a story you'd like to share, if you want to get together for coffee and talk...whatever, let me know. This is the day that the Lord has made, and I will rejoice and be glad in it. Let's live, laugh, love, cry, worship, celebrate, and share this life together! All for His kingdom and glory!