New Years Blessing

As the new year approaches, I want to say a small prayer for you....

Father God,

I want to thank you for the gift of another year. Another year full of blessings and your love. Another year to praise and worship you. I come to you to ask you to pour your love over the person reading this. Father, this is my prayer for those who read it and follow my blog.

I pray for strength for each day during the year

so that they may face ANY situation that comes their way.

I pray for happiness and blessings to pour over them

while they make their way through the new year.

Help them to live a life full of gratitude and hope.

Help them to not be bitter but glad.

Pour joy into their lives, Father.

I pray for anything negative to be taken 

and left in the past.

Father,

grant them joy, peace, and love.

Hope, Faith, and Grace.

In Jesus Name

-Amen

Wrapping Up 2015: What I Learned During the Year

As another year closes out, I feel it's important for me to reflect back on the past year to acknowledge everything the Lord has done for me. Under normal circumstances, I'd push for the New Year ball to drop and not look back. However, I have so much to be grateful for and I can't allow myself to let this pass without taking a moment to reflect. I believe that by doing this, I am shedding the negative, not quite pretty stuff, which can hold me back from the blessings in store for me within the upcoming year.

I'm opening the comments up to you to share what you have learned during the year too. 

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I have gained some new insight, gained new knowledge, expanded my faith, reexamined my life, and got rid of the things/people that didn't help me in my walk with Christ. I know there's so much more within life which I need to learn, however, I'm grateful for the journey the Lord has led me during 2015.

This had been the first year that I truly dived into studying the Bible and keeping up with my daily devotions/studies. I had the privilege to see and witness God work in many lives and perform several miracles. I have learned that the Bible isn't only a set guideline for our lives but a WAY of life. On the days where I didn't make time to read His Word, my day felt off and it just wasn't right. I have learned that through the Bible, many people through time have faced difficulty on every level and the Lord was right there with them. 

In order for my days to start and end well I included Jesus. A morning without Jesus and coffee... boy.. it was rough. I NEED the two for my day to tick by with grace, love, and joy. 

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Now for the smaller blessings/lessons I have came across during the past year.

1. Prayer Wall

By starting my prayer wall, I've been able to keep track of all the prayer requests I have received and easily go through each one. 

2. Weekly Bible Verse/Prayers 

By doing this, I have opened up my heart to more and to others. I've noticed that when I started the weekly Bible verse on my blog, I was able to explore different verses in the Bible and learn the Word of God easier since I used the week to learn a verse.

3. Laughter (and lots of it)

They say that laughing is good for the soul. I must say that I agree. When I laugh, it makes the environment around me free and more relaxed. This made it easier to enjoy the time with my kids and husband when we were carefree and focused on that moment. 

4. When life is falling apart, God's plan is falling into place...

During the year, my family and I hit some hard times, which caused us to give up our home and move in with family. It's been within the past few months that I have learned so much about WHY this has happened. I have learned that it it's not about WHAT you have in your life, but WHO you have. Within the time, I have seen my children form a bond with my parents like no other. I love the crazy times full of laughter AND the hard times mixed in with pain. Each moment has taught me a lesson in life that I believe God needed me to learn.

5. Instagram really isn't that boring....

Like so many others I know, Instagram is one social media platform that I'm part of. At first I wasn't so sure about it until I started to meet some amazing people and form awesome relationships. Here are my most popular posts from 2015 on Instagram.

1. my daughter and I after her school photo shoot

2. my son and his many smiles

3. my husband and I showing our support for PAIL

4. my son's joyful smile

5. my daughter's beautiful smile

6. Father's day collage for my husband

This is my year wrapped up. 

How was your 2015 year?

Book Corner: 'More Than' Discussion

Welcome to our first book discussion. Thank you for joining. 

I'd like to talk a bit about the book we'll be reading over the next few weeks, along with the author. Shall we?

At this time, Vonae Deyshawn's main website is down. Therefore, I'll direct everyone to her Twitter page. To visit, simply click here. Perhaps even give her a follow. 

Small tid bits about Vonae:

Shes's a Mom, Dreamer, Speaker,#Author of More Than, Discipleship for @cfimpact & lover of pretty sparkly things. She finds joy in helping others discover hope and purpose.

Remember, More Than is FREE right now on Amazon. Grab your copy and join in. 

I'll be reading Chapters 1

Chapter One

In this chapter, Vonae talks about self-labels. We all give them to each other and even ourselves. I remember doing a post about this on my "Mommy" blog. Labels are all around us and until we sit and reflect on our own labels, does it occur that perhaps this world relies on them a bit too much. 

We're asked to write down a list of the labels we've had in our lives, given to us by others or ourselves, and then think about the lessons that have come with each. 

Here are my thoughts about labels: 

Everything in this life has one kind of label. If you're talking about food, it's a label identifying all the ingredients. If one is talking about a person.Unfortunately, we are labeled by a variety of things, such as the way we look, dress, and act. Humans are constantly putting labels on each other. We tend to wear labels just as food in the store does. 

What is your label?

I've had a lot of labels throughout my life. Many were hurtful. I've been UGLY, POOR, UNWORTHY, and a DISAPPOINTMENT.

These labels were given to me when I was young and in my school days. Of course, I didn't know this then, but they do NOT define me. God defines me. He defines you.

The Lord has shown me that I am none of the above. 

I am not UGLY....I am BEAUTIFUL, FLAWLESS.

Song of Solomon 4:7 says:
"You are altogether beautiful, my love; there is no flaw in you."

I am not POOR. I am RICH.

Matthew 5:3 says:
“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

I am not UNWORTHY. I am WORTHY.

John 3:16 says:
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.

I am not a DISAPPOINTMENT. I am FORGIVEN.

Romans 5:8 says:
But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

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Words hurt when used against another. This is why we must always be careful of what we say. It's important that we recognize how we use our words towards others. Not only do our words affect those who we are directing them at, but they also have an effect on us in Christ. 

What are the labels I would believe now?

REDEEMED, LOVED, PURSUED, CHOSEN, FORGIVEN

I am a Woman of God

Redeemed by Jesus Christ

Love, Pursued, and Chosen

Equipped with Words of Life

Clothed in Strength and Dignity

Commissioned Here and Now

Gifted by the Spirit

Forgiven and Unbound.

~Blessed is she who Believed.~

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Today, I ask you what labels have you had given to you? What labels would you give yourself? You are not anything other than what Christ has labeled you as. He is the ONLY one who matters. 

I believe...

Two bold words.

I believe.

They have the power to change. The power to inspire. The power to give hope. 

They also have the power to stir up the pot and create a shield among us. 

However, I chose to push this words for good.

By writing it down, it gives me the time to think and reflect on the words, which were laid upon my heart.

I believe. 

I believe in miracles. 

I believe in hope. 

I believe in faith.

I believe that our Lord of Heaven is as incredible as you ever imagined. He is one who loves and cherishes us. He gives us a future we can look forward to. He gives us strength and has the power of life and death.

I believe that Jesus died for me to save me from my sins.

I believe that prayers are answered when said from the heart.

I believe in the power of prayer.

I believe in you when you feel as if no one cares.

I believe in me when I feel I'm at the end, so I push on.

I believe it's never too late to have your happily ever after.

I believe pain ends where faith begins.

I believe love finds and conquers all. 

What do you believe?

Book Corner Reading List

As mentioned yesterday, here is the upcoming reading list for the Blogging Book Corner. The prices listed beside each title on the Book Corner page are listed at the time of posting. The prices may change.

I look forward to discussing this amazing books with you all. The discussion will take place within the comment section of each post during the book reading.  Don't forget to spread the word so others can join in.

You can learn more about each book by visiting the Book Corner. 

2016 Reading List

1. More Than: Abandon Your Labels, Embrace Your Calling by Vonae Deyshawn
2. Breakthrough Faith: Living a Life Where Anything is Possible by Larry Sparks
3. empty. by Cherie Hill
4. Hope...the Best of Things by Joni Eareckson Tada
5. Live Uncaged: Find the Freedom You've Always Wanted by Mary DeMuth

** More books may be added **

Book Corner

Each year we open up to new and exciting things. I've given it much thought for the past few weeks and I wanted to add to this blog in more ways than only sharing the news about my work. I wanted to offer readers more. Don't get me wrong...I love doing what I do, however I believe I have so much more within to share and need to just do it.

Starting in January, I'll be selecting a book from my "To-Read" list and blogging about it every few chapters. I'm inviting you all to join in. So, I'll give you a heads up with what books I'll be reading and you can purchase your own copy to follow along.

This section of my blog will be the Book Corner: Blogging about Books. I'll make a section dedicated to my study of each chapter and this will in turn help you find new/exciting books or authors.

I hope this sounds interesting and that you'll join in. I'll work on the reading list today and post it later on. Keep your eyes open for the release of this list so you can join in.

a prayer for your week

this is for the weary at heart. the ones who feel overwhelmed, stressed, or just worn out. 

Father God,

please place your hands upon the person reading this. help them father during their week to face each situation as you would. give them the strength to face each situation. the wisdom for tackling the different situations they may find themselves in. Father, give them peace and pour your love over them.

thank you, Father for Your everlasting love and grace. You are the utmost high and we praise You in all of Your glory.

- In Jesus' name

Amen

Faith in Action: Strength

Isaiah 40:31

Those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.

When we know the meaning of faith, have a tiny bit of faith, continue to grow our faith through questions, be content in waiting, and rely on God, we are building our strength in faith. This means that even though we walk in a dark world if we build up ourselves by taking in the Word of God, we will be ready to overcome any battle we may face. 

Each Christian in this world is weak compared to God. This is why we must lean on Him and allow Him to direct our steps. We are not perfect and this is a gift when realized. We need to realize that we need God and His love and mercy. 

The best way we can strengthen our faith is to practice our faith. This means that we let go of our worries, fears, anxiety, and sadness by handing it over to Jesus. Once we pray for His will to be done and we allow God the opportunity to take these things from us, we need to remember to LET IT GO! That doesn't mean to pray about it and continue on with these negative feelings. That means once you pray, move on to something that is worth your time and energy. 

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We are now in the last part of the Faith in Action Blog Series. Thank you for following along and I pray that you see your faith in a different light and see just how important it is to have faith as a child of God. 

If you enjoyed this series, please send me a little note telling me what it was that you enjoyed so much and keep an eye out for my next blog series. 

God Bless

Merry Christmas & Happy Holidays

Merry Christmas

I wanted to send a quick note to you all by saying 

Merry Christmas

I hope you have a blessed holiday with lots of laughter, hugs, and cheer. 

Faith in Action: Waiting

Wait. 

This is often a word that no one wants to hear.

Waiting can be difficult, especially when we're desiring something good in life.

For example, "As a child on Christmas Eve, we must wait for Christmas to arrive to dive into the pile of gifts laid out nicely for all." 

As a child, it's hard for us to wait for joyous moments such as these. I remember a time when I was little where the value of waiting was too much. On Christmas Eve, my mother used to give me and my sisters one gift to open. We joyfully ran into the living room, sat down in anticipation, while my mom handed us these beautifully wrapped gifts. We tore off the wrapping to reveal what was inside. As I dropped the last of the wrapping paper on the floor, I noticed that the gift I held in my hands were different then what my sisters unwrapped. The two of them marveled at their new dolls while I held a knitted scarf and hat. They were beautiful, however, my next set of actions weren't. I threw the gift down and threw a fit because I didn't get a doll of my own. After my fit, I ran off to my room. In the haste of my fit, I didn't realize what my actions had done to my mom, who was excited for us to see what she worked so hard to get us. 

In my mom's anger, she shuffled through the bits of gifts hidden in her room for the one she thought she grabbed and threw it at me. I came to find out that I did get a precious little doll from her but in her rush to give these gifts, she grabbed the wrong one for me. Her feelings were hurt because I wasn't being grateful, nor did I wait to see what Christmas day would bring. 

I remember this Christmas and the feelings that I felt afterward weren't pleasant. I felt guilty, sad, and I felt bad for not being grateful for what I had. I felt bad for what I did. If I had been grateful and waited, I would have found out the next day that my mom got me a doll too. That was the year that I ruined Christmas for my family. If I would have waited, I wouldn't have broken my mom's heart, stole the joy from the season, and I could have saved myself my own heartache. 

Our relationship with God and faith is just that... waiting. Sometimes when we ask God for things, we take His response as Him not answering our prayers or ignoring us. That is not the case. We need to have faith when we take things to God in prayer that He will answer them according to His will. Perhaps God did answer your prayer and it was a simple "no" or "not yet?" 

When we are praying, we need to wait patiently and have faith that God will answer us in His time and in the way He sees is best for us. Sometimes when He says no, we later find out that it was, in fact, better for us. Therefore don't let the enemy to persuade you that God is deaf to your prayers or ignoring you because HE'S NOT!

I believe that waiting is God's way of testing our faith and helping us to grow in our faith. Therefore, the next time you feel you're in the waiting period, thank God for the waiting moment and see what blessing He's trying to show you.

Faith in Action: Questioning

The meaning of faith, as mentioned on the start of this series, is a form of trust in the Lord when you can't actually see Him. It's given just as love is, unconditionally. There will be times in our walk with Christ where you'll have questions about Heaven, the Bible, and God. That's okay. When we ask questions and seek answers; we learn. I have been actively pursuing and growing my faith for several years now and I yearn to learn more. That's why if you watch my morning routine, it includes reading my Bible. If you watch my afternoon routine, it involves more reading of the Bible. Lastly, if you watched my nightly routine, it includes even more reading of the Bible. I crave to learn more of God's word and his hopes for us.

However, I'm not a Biblical scholar by no means. As a matter of fact, I still have A LOT to learn.

I still find myself asking questions, as I believe we will ask them until the day the Lord takes us home.

... and that's okay!!

Just because we ask questions doesn't mean we are lacking in faith. It means that we are seeking to grow our faith in Christ and His word. 

Since we are told to LIVE by faith, this means that in everything we do, it should involve Christ and we should be making a conscious decision to TRUST in His promises. We shouldn't ever stop asking questions, especially when it comes to our faith. To learn and grow, a child drives their parents crazy with questions during their young years. I believe that we should drive Jesus loopy with our questions to learn of His ways and His desires for us. 

Therefore, DO NOT BE AFRAID TO ASK.

The Bible tells us,

 "Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know." Jeremiah 33:3 (NIV) : This is telling us to ASK!!

What are you asking the Lord to help you learn to strengthen your faith?

Faith in Action: A Mustard Seed

He replied, "If you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, 'Be uprooted and planted in the sea,' and it will obey you. - Luke 17:6

I'm sure you have heard this verse many times before but have you ever stopped to truly see what it means for us today? First let's take a look at the mustard seed. 

Look at how TINY a mustard seed is -------> 

It's so small that you can hardly see it when holding it. This is the point of faith. It only takes a tiny bit and we can move mountains through God. How amazing is that? 

Faith wasn't something that was easy for me to come by and I do find myself struggling with it at times. I mean I am only human. However, when I feel my faith wavering, I stop to think of this verse and what Jesus told his apostles. When I start doubting, I remember Jesus telling the apostles that they needed to increase their faith. 

Jesus said, "The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his field. Though it is the smallest of all seeds, yet when it grows, it is the largest of garden plants and becomes a tree, so that birds come and perch in its branches. (Matthew 13: 31-32)

We are God's creation, his family, sons and daughters. We have been commissioned as Saints. We are to walk the earth as we proclaim of His return. If we believe and have faith, we can do wonders within this world through Jesus Christ. 

When we have faith, it's a hard road. I'm not saying it's going to be easy, however just the smallest bit of faith can be grown through our dedication and love toward Christ. If we devote our time to reading His word like we devote to checking our Facebook page, just imagine all of the things we can do for Christ!! 

But most of all, we NEED to put our faith in Christ. He said that he would never leave us, even when times are tough or when we sin. He still loves us. I know how rough life can get. I've been through so much that was designed to ruffle my feathers and it could have wavered my faith. However, in my darkest moments, Jesus was there for me. He listened to my cries and answered my prayers. 

Let me tell you about how my faith started with Jesus.  

I was at the lowest of lows. My soul was crushed and shattered. I was planning the one thing in life I never imagined that I'd have to do. I hurting because of the death/burial of my infant daughter. She was born still, forever sleeping, or some may recognize it as a stillbirth. I was lost, damaged, and depressed.

On this particular day, I was alone at home. My husband was at work and my oldest daughter was in school. I was supposed to be picking up the house and doing my daily chores. However, instead of doing my wifely duties, I sat in the corner of my living room, worship music blasting through the speakers of my computer while I held on to the only thing I had left of her; her hospital blanket. 

I remember standing up, walking to the center of the room, and crying out to God. I went weak in the knees and dropped to the floor. While praying, I asked God, "Why?" I did a bunch of unrecognizable rambles through my screams of pain and heartbreak.

Then, the most unexpected thing happened. My music stopped in mid-song. Then jumped to another song on the list. (Phil Collins "You'll Be in My Heart) started blasting through the room. Immediately, my sobs stopped. I turned to look at my computer and a strong peace filled the room. I felt comfort, love, and a renewed strength. That's when I knew that Jesus was with me. To this day, these words ring in my mind when I'm faced with difficulty: 

Come stop your crying
It will be alright
Just take my hand
Hold it tight

I will protect you
From all around you
I will be here
Don't you cry

For one so small,
You seem so strong
My arms will hold you,
Keep you safe and warm
This bond between us
Can't be broken
I will be here
Don't you cry

I believe that these words are to me from Jesus. He was comforting me. He told me to stop crying and hold His hand because He was going to protect me from all that was going on around me. He was promising me that he wasn't going to leave me. To the world, I'm small but through Christ, He had made me strong. However, when I would feel the need to fall, His arms would catch me, keeping me safe and warm. That's where our bond grew and I knew it'd never be broken.

That day was the day that my mustard seed was watered and began to sprout in all directions. 

Think about it: Is your faith that of a mustard seed that's waiting to be watered by Jesus so it can grow into something so profound, that it will change your life?

Faith in Action: What is Faith?

Faith.

I asked today on my Facebook page, what does faith mean to you? 

Here are my thoughts to this question:

Life. Faith to me means life. In today's world, many claim they have faith and are living a life full of faith. To some, it's a bonus to living with Christ. It's something that's optional or completely misunderstood. I have seen this. I have told others who I have seen going through trying times to have faith. They've responded, "I have faith but..."

NO!! STOP!!

There aren't any BUT'S in faith.

When one has faith, they turn EVERYTHING, every worry, fears, and all anxiety to Him. Everything. They take their issues directly to the Lord and ask for the help, strength, and wisdom to get through whatever it is they're facing. Then, they LET IT GO!! Once you give it to God, don't look back. Don't worry about it. Don't give into the whispers to the ears from the enemy.

Faith isn't perfected overnight. It's an ongoing process that EVERY Christian must work on. I don't believe anyone has perfect faith because if that were the case.... then, they'd be right there beside Christ.

Faith is an important part of the life of a Christian. It's vital to our walk. My faith helps make the world around me make sense. It shows me that no matter what I'm facing, God is with me and HE knows what's going to happen, so I don't need to worry about the ending. I know this because I'm His child and He will take care of me. Everything will happen according to his plan.

Faith is my identity and way of life. I may struggle with it at times but when I catch myself not showing faith, I pull the reins and pull my faith back.

Faith is a form of trust in the Lord when you can't actually see Him. It's given just as love is, unconditionally.

Faith isn't stepping into a situation and having doubt. When faced with a difficult situation, one must fully rely on God. They can't claim that they have faith if they let worry, anxiousness, fear, doubt, or any other negative feelings in. When one has faith, they let go and let God. Then, they don't worry about the situation again because God WILL take care of it.

*Previously published on RaeBeth's Corner*