a prayer for those who need healing

it's that time of the year

cough

sneezing

colds

flu

it seems as if everyone is down with some type of illness.

in order for us to fully recover, we NEED Jesus.

we need His healing.

today, I pray for each person who is battling some type of illness

Father God,

Touch the sick

work wonders inside them today, Lord.

show them Your grace, mercy, and love!

heal each stuffy nose, each sneeze, each cough.

wipe away their pain.

rid them of any viruses or infections they're battling, Father

so that they may fully live their days as you intended.

In Jesus Name

~AMEN~

For the days when you think you failed at adulthood....

... let's be honest...

BEING AN ADULT IS HARD!

Growing up, I never imagined my life as it's been since I've been on my own.

I've had to stay with family on countless occasions.

my heart has been broken more than once,

sometimes I feel like I'm at the end of my rope

BUT

Jesus steps in...

... grabs my hand...

and shows me

IT'S GOING TO BE ALL RIGHT!!

Sometimes it's hard for me to see Him speaking to me because I'm so wrapped up in the now to realize He's calling my name. 

I've even heard His whispers a little too late.

That's why I believe we should slow down and LISTEN for His voice. Our problems aren't for us to bare. Jesus wants us to open up to Him and He wants us to spill out all of our heartaches to Him. 

My goal for this year is to do just that. Slow down and listen. I want to hear His call. 

Therefore, this is my prayer for all who feel as if they're failing:

Father God,

Thank you for all the blessings you've given us. Thank you for taking our problems on as your own and for loving us the way you do.

Father, I ask that you embrace the person reading this.

Shower your love and compassion over them.

Heal the sick.

Lead the weary.

Calm the frazzled nerves.

Lord, help us to know when you're speaking to us. Give us the wisdom to know when we should be quiet and listen. Help us to follow Your ways and give us the strength to bare everything that comes our way within this upcoming year.

-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. 

****

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. 

****

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?

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?

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

Self Harm and God's Love

 I full heartedly support those who are fighting the battle of depression and self-harm, hence my book Silenced and The Overtaking. Therefore, I want to share a few things about this subject and God. I feel that God has called me, through my writing, to help spread His word. God loves us. He loves us regardless of our past sins and there isn't a thing in this world that you could do to make Him stop loving you. 

When a person feels they need to hide because of pain, this is a sign to seek Jesus. Self-harm included. Now this can include many different forms, which include cutting, burning, or any other types of activities that hurt our body. 

I understand that we are living in a broken and sinful world who is working on removing God from it. Satan is at work and tries to make us believe the lies he whispers in our ears. He understands that no matter how many times we use self-harm, it's not going to fulfill us like we need. He wants us to believe that we are alone in this struggle and that no one cares. 

I want you to understand that if you're fighting this struggle, YOU ARE NOT ALONE! Take note at this. God is NOT mad at you for your actions. He sees the pain you're struggling with on a daily basis. God is deeply saddened by the fact that his child is in pain. He loves you and is patient with your struggles. He is there waiting for you to ask Him to help you. He wants to change your life and show you, true love. All you have to do is ask. 

Psalm 139: 13 & 14 says, "For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.

This means that God knows everything about you. He knows your thoughts before you even think them. He knows your heart. He created you before you even came to be and he loves you. Just like any father, He cares and doesn't want to see you hurt. Therefore, all you have to do is ask Him for his help. 

I assure you, He can deliver you and He will!

Join in and Pray with me for Nepal

This past Saturday was a dark time for Nepal after they were hit by a 7.9 earthquake, which left many hurt and in despair. This earthquake left mass destruction in its aftermath with many left hurt and many buildings were leveled. Historical monuments and other ancient buildings were leveled to the ground. Major highways were destroyed. Most of the houses in Nepal are well over thirty years old. 

It was reported that in some isolated parts of Nepal, the quake triggered landslides which swept away a whole village. It triggered an avalanche at Mount Everest, killing at least 17 mountaineers, and seriously injuring 61 climbers. The quake hit in the middle of church services (services are on Saturday), killing 35 known Christians but church buildings in Nepal are modern and small, which prevented larger damage.

So, it's time we come together and pray for those who are left with the ruins of an earthquake, for the families who have lost loved ones, and for those who have yet to be found. God's mercy and love is needed in Nepal in the aftermath of this disaster.