Rules for Mothers of Daughters.

25 Rules for Mothers of Daughters

1. Paint her nails. Then let her scratch it off and dirty them up. Teach her to care about her appearance, and then quickly remind her that living and having fun is most important. 

2. Let her put on your makeup, even if it means bright red smudged lips and streaked-blue eyes. Let her experiment in her attempts to be like you. . .then let her be herself. 

3. Let her be wild. She may want to stay home and read books on the couch, or she may want to hop on the back of a motorcycle-gasp. She may be a homebody or a traveler. She may fall in love with the wrong boy, or meet mr. right at age 5. Try to remember that you were her age once. Everyone makes mistakes, let her make her own.

4. Be present. Be there for her at her school performances, her dance recitals, her soccer games. . .her everyday-little-moments. When she looks through the crowds of people, she will be looking for your smile and pride. Show it to her as often as possible.

5. Encourage her to try on your shoes and play dress-up. If she would rather wear her brother's Superman cape with high heels, allow it. If she wants to wear a tutu or dinosaur costume to the grocery store, WHY stop her? She needs to decide who she is and be confident in her decision. 

6. Teach her to be independent. Show her by example that women can be STRONG. Find and follow your own passions. Search for outlets of expression and enjoyment for yourself - not just your husband or children. Define yourself by your own attributes, not by what others expect you to be. Know who you are as a person, and help your daughter find out who she is :) 

7. Pick flowers with her. Put them in her hair. There is nothing more beautiful than a girl and a flower.

8. Let her get messy. Get messy with her, no matter how much it makes you cringe inside. Splash in the puddles, throw snowballs, make mud pies, finger paint the walls: just let it happen* The most wonderful of memories are often the messy ones. 

9. Give her good role models; you being one of them. Introduce her to successful women - friends, co-workers, doctors, astronauts, or authors. Read to her about influential women. . .Eleanor Roosevelt, Rosa Parks, Marie Curie. Read her the words of inspirational women - Jane Austen, Slyvia Plath, Emily Dickenson. She should know that anything is possible. 

10. Show her affection. Daughters will mimic the compassion of their mother. "I love you's" & Eskimo kisses go a long way. 

11. Hold her hand. Whether she is 3 years old in the parking lot or sixteen years old at the mall, hold on to her always - this will teach her to be confident in herself and proud of her family. 

12. Believe in her. It is the moments that she does not believe in herself that she will need you to believe enough for both of you. Whether it is a spelling test in the first grade, a big game or recital, a first date, or the first day of college. 

13. Tell her how beautiful she is. Whether it's her first day of kindergarden, immediately after a soccer game where she is grass-stained and sweaty, her wedding day, or just because. She needs your reminders. She needs your pride. She needs your reassurance. She is only human. 

14. Love her father. Teach her to love a good man, like him. <3 One who lets her be herself. . .she is, after all, wonderful. 

15. Make forts with boxes and blankets. Help her to find magic in the ordinary, to imagine, and to believe in fairytales. Someday she will make her 5 by 5 dorm-room her home with magic touches and inspiration. And she will fall in love with a boy and believe  him to be her Prince Charming. 

16. Read to her. Read her The Bible, Dr. Seuss and Eric Carle. But also remember the power of Slyvia Plath and Robert Frost. Show her the beauty of words on a page and let her see you enjoy them. Words can be simply written, and simply spoken, yet can harvest so much meaning. Help her to find the meaning. 

17. Teach her how to love: with passion and kisses. Love her passionately. Love her father passionately, and her siblings passionately. Express your love. Show her how to love with no restraint. Let her get her heart broken and try again. . .Let her cry, and gush, giggle and scream. She will love like you love, or hate like you hate! So, choose love for both you and her. 

18. Encourage her to dance and sing. Dance and sing with her - Even if it sounds or looks horrible. Let her wiggle to nursery rhymes. Let her dance on her daddy's feet and spin in your arms. Then later, let her blast noise and headbang in her bedroom with the door closed, if she wants. Or karaoke to her favorite band/musician if she would rather. Introduce her to the classics: The Beatles, Led Zeppelin, Billie Holiday, and listen to her favorites. Share the magic of music together, it will bring you closer or at least create a soundtrack to your life together. 

19. Share secrets together. Communicate. Talk. Talk about anything. Let her tell you about boys, friends, school. LISTEN. Ask questions. Don't judge her. Share dreams, hopes, concerns. She is not only your daughter, you are not only her mother. Be a friend too. 

20. Teach her manners. Because sometimes you have to be her mother, not just her friend. The world is a happier place when made up of polite words and smiles. 

21. Teach her when to stand-up and when to walk away. Whether she has classmates who tease her because of glasses, or a boyfriend who tells her she is too fat - let her know she  does not have to listen. Make sure she knows how to demand respect: She is worthy of it! It does not mean she has to fight back with fists or words, because sometimes you say more with silence. Also make sure she knows which battles are worth fighting. Remind her that some people can be mean and nasty because of jealousy, or other personal reasons. Help her to understand when to shut her mouth and walk away. Teach her to be the BIGGER & better person. 

22. Let her choose who she loves. Even when you see through the charming boy she thinks he is, let her love him without your disapproving words: she will any way. When he breaks her heart, be there for her with words of support rather than I-told-you-so. Let her mess up again and again until she finds the one. And when she finds the one, tell her. 

23. Mother her. Being a mother to her is undoubtedly one of your greatest accomplishments. Share with her the joys of motherhood, so one day she will want to be a mother too. Remind her that over and over again with words and kisses that no one will ever love her like you love her. No one can ever replace or replicate a mother's love for their children. 

24. Comfort her. Because sometimes you just need your mommy. When she is sick, rub her back, and cover her in blankets - no matter how old she is. Someday if she is giving birth to her own child, push her hair out of her face, encourage her, and tell her how beautiful she is. These are the moments she will remember you for. And some day when her husband rubs her back in comfort. . .she may just whisper, "I need my mommy." 

25. Be home. When she is sick with a cold, or broken heart, she will come to you: welcome her. When she is engaged or pregnant, she will run to you to share her news: embrace her. When she is lost or confused, she will search for you: find her. When she needs advice on boys, schools, friends, or an outfit: tell her and be honest. She is your daughter and will always need a soft place to land; where she can turn a key to see comforting eyes and a familiar smile: be home. 

What are little girls made of?

Sugar & Spice 

& Everything Nice*

The fire burning inside.

Jesus is the Way to the Father.
 "Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me. In my Father's house are many rooms; of it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to you to be with me that you also may be where I am. You know the way to the place where I am going." Jesus answered, " I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." John 14:1-6
-Jesus says he is the only way to God the Father. Some people may argue that this way is too narrow. In reality, it is wide enough for the whole world, if the world chooses to accept it. Instead of worrying about how limited it sounds to have only one way, we should be saying, "Thank you, God, for providing a sure way to get to you!"

I lost 20 of my 23 hours that I had been working on Saturday and Sunday's, and I had asked my boss if she could replace my hours and she honored that 15 hours later offering me a job - I kindly declined and apologized if it caused any inconvenience. There were a few reasons why I declined. The most important was the fact that I haven't been going to church on Sunday's, instead working 10 hours on that day. I realized that I was putting my job and the fact that I needed money before my Jesus. How dare I even consider! Shame on me!

I was baptized in February and am living a new life through my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Here I am not being a good disciple. . .I have made little or no time to open my bible, study the Word, and attend Worship. My new years resolution was to put Jesus first. I have fallen short of who I need/want to be and who Jesus wants me to become. He does not mess with free will. I, simply, have the right to choose how I live my life. I get to make the choice; based on the temptations and stimulation's of the world around me. I know the Lord is by my side, always, but He is waiting for ME to make the decision whether or not follow in His steps and to be a good disciple.
The discussion of being a good disciple came up in Worship this morning. I am so very glad that I made the choice to go to Worship rather than work. I cannot even begin to tell you how much it opened my eyes. I know that the Lord sends us reminders... but we cannot depend on that 24/7. That is not what He wants. We need to make a choice to follow and be like Him or choose not. I definitely do not fall into the category of a "good disciple" right now. I have not made time to open my Bible or study the Word. For which I feel horrible. I decided today that I will not let anything get in my way of Worship or Bible study, etc. Even if it benefit me, I believe that my Worship time and my time for learning and studying the Word is much more important.

 GOD WILL PROVIDE! How many of us forget this? We get so wrapped up in the world around us that we constantly forget that He will provide. Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and He will provide. Now, we are told to give up material things, are we not? That does not mean that everyone should walk away today and sell all their belongings and have no home, or anything at all. But we need to remember that all these material things do not define our lives. They do not make us who we are. As we see God's wonders at work in and through us, we should not lose sight if the greatest wonder of all - our heavenly citizenship. I don't know how many of you realize this but we are all vapors on earth. Tomorrow is not guaranteed, neither is the next 5 minutes. That probably scares some people - it scared me for a long time. It was the fear of not knowing. The day I decided to live for my Jesus, that fear left me. Why? Because I have an eternal heavenly citizenship. . .and I can tell you right now. . .I look forward to it! This world we live in is EVIL! Flat out, EVIL!

"But it’s easy to think about today as just another day. An average day where you go about life concerned with your to-do list, preoccupied with appointments, focused on family, thinking about your desires and needs.

On the average day, we live caught up in ourselves. On the average day, we don’t consider God very much. On the average day, we forget that our life is truly a vapor." 

-Francis Chan, Crazy Love

God: The author and giver of life is faithful. Too faithful to fail. Always with us. Always on time. I have somewhat been living in "survival mode" I've had a mentality that says, "If I can just get through..." Sometimes it's challenging to get a vision for the future. I realized today, that I have not fallen in the catagory of a "good disciple" and if I continue to live in "survival mode" I will miss out on God's best. Scripture doesn't say, "Jesus came so you could survive." No, it says that He came to give you a full, abundant life! I need to take a bigger step in my faith and declare "My days of survival are over; my days of thriving have begun." The fire is still burning inside. Lately it had been on simmer and I want it on high. 

I believe God will meet my faith. I believe he will open an unexpected door. He'll pour out His favor and blessing. He will make a way where there seems to be no way! If you are in a tough time right now, remember that tough times DO NOT LAST, but the Word of the Lord stands forever.

Want to know something amazing?

There is NO ONE like our God!!! How amazing is that?                                                            



All I have seen, teaches me to trust the creator, for all I have not seen.

Heavenly Father,

 I choose to trust You with my whole heart. I know there is nothing too hard for You. Help me to stand strong in the faith and keep me close to You all the days of my life.

In Jesus' name I pray, Amen

"Remember when you were made, you were made exactly how you were intended to be made. There is no mistakes when it comes to your life. You were put here for a very specific reason and purpose. We may be insignificant in comparison, but we are so significant in the Lord's eyes. Always remember, YOU were beautifully and wonderfully made." -Jordynn Lyman

Go through everyday knowing and believing that you are wonderful. That you are made in God's image and likeness and that you are here on this earth for a reason. Don't let anyone tell you differently. Stand up for what you believe in and who you are. Don't let society shape you: shape society. be faithful. be you.

Stay strong. Make them wonder why you're still smiling. My strength is through You, Lord. Thank you for keeping me going. To see more positive than negative. God will never leave you empty. He will replace everything you've lost. If He asks you to put something down, it's because He wants you to pick up something greater. Only You, Lord, know the words I think, the emotions I feel inside, and I feel you around me more than ever. I am so blessed to feel the riches of your presence, your Word, your love. A whisper from God has more power then all the words of the world. Don't forget: "Listen for God's voice in everything you do and everywhere you go; He's the one that will keep you on track." Proverbs 3:6

Lord, Empty me of me so I can be filled with you. Lord, empty me of the selfishness inside. Every vain ambition and the poison of my pride. And any foolishness my heart holds too. Lord,  empty me of me so I can be filled with you. In Jesus' name I pray, Amen.

I belong to the Master who paid a great price for me! I want to encourage you, no matter what you may be facing, no matter what you have been through in the past, God is not the author of destruction; He is the author of life and peace. This past week I have felt so much peace. He didn't bring difficulty to your life, but He can use it to launch you towards your destiny. When you put your hope in God, you will never be disappointed! Keep your heart and mind open to Him, keep meditating on His Word, and let Him revolutionize your heart and life! God will fulfill His purpose for you and I; by His grace, by His glory.

Live a little! :)
-Find faith, the belief in something intangible and the willingness to trust with your eyes closed and fingers crossed.
-Bury yourself in words, both written and read.
-Make time for important people, NOW not later.
-Be brave and be kind, say what you need to say.
-Take more risks. Remember that vulnerable is beautiful.
-Converse with strangers.
-Fill your cracks with patience.
-Drink more tea, spend quiet moments in thought.
-Take note of small details, save them on paper for later.

Don't further your face with your Jesus because of any other reason than the fact that you love Him and you know that He loves you. Everything else will fall into place. Pray, pray hard. Numerous times in the Bible we are told that our prayers are not always answered. And one of those reasons is due to whether we are asking out of selfishness. Work on you first, then try to work on others. Does that make sense? We are not called here to change people. We are called here to change ourselves for God's glory and He does the work through us. Ask and you shall receive. Have a conversation with God; pray, pray, pray! He will do the rest.

If God answers your prayer, He is increasing your FAITH. If He delays, He is increasing your PATIENCE. If He doesn't answer, He has something BETTER for you.

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).
A mustard seed is a very small thing. But when it’s planted, it grows into a huge tree. In the same way, Jesus is saying that a little bit of faith can bring tremendous results! As a believer in Him, you already have enough faith on the inside of you to overcome any obstacle. The same Spirit that raised Christ from the dead actually dwells in you! It doesn’t matter if you grew up in church or not; it doesn’t matter what you know or don’t know; God wants to work in your life today. And you may not see how, but all you have to do is believe God. With God, all things are possible.

PRAISE THE LORD!!!

Yesterday and Today.

"We shouldn't look down and lose hope if we grow up without the blessing. We should look up instead to the incredible provision of a blessing that can leave our lives overflowing." -Gary Smalley & John Trent.

For years she had been searching for her fathers acceptance and approval. They always seemed out of reach. Words of love and encouragement were few and far between. Her father put up the tough exterior. Because of that it had been hard for her to love another; a part of her didn't believe another person could really love her. She never understood why he acted the way he did. Luckily she got some insight when she seeked professional help. In spite of her father, his attitude towards her was different from the way he treated her younger sister. She felt like a burden. The slightest annoying thing she did brought an explosion of anger. Bitterness and resentment began to replace genuine affection. Heartache and loneliness that she was feeling is an echo of her fathers unhappiness - from his childhood.
The absence of parental acceptance has serious consequences. The lack of Blessing is a major reason why it is so hard for her to love another and completely trust, giving them the benefit of the doubt. It's hard for her to become genuinely committed - it takes longer. The inability to feel acceptable as a person has slowly destroyed or distanced her from her most important relationships. She is searching for her family's blessing. She's moved physically but remains chained emotionally. It's taken root in her life. There was a time when she was in a state of severe depression - sometimes she hid it so well you would of never known. Until... She learned that her heavenly Father truly accepts her and that's all that mattered. And the lack of acceptance has set off a lifelong search.

"Bless me, even me also, O My Father."

You're supposed to hear words of encouragement, love, and acceptance from your parents. In a world awash with insecurity and in search of acceptance, we need biblical anchors to hold on to. She refused to accept a cure that is worse than the problem itself. God's Word and His principles do offer a changeless blueprint for constructing or reconstructing relationships. As a parent she does not want the past to repeat itself, she doesn't want her children to be deprived of the blessing. She said: "I will give it to them, they deserve it!" There was hope for ending the search for personal acceptance. As long as her heavenly Father was by her side, she knew she could not go undefeated. She was good enough - and would always be through His eyes. Her earthly father was now replaced by her heavenly one. What a blessing that is! She could finally smile again, taking it one day at a time. "Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid." (John 14:27)

Saved by Grace.

One Prayer. That's all it takes. One simple prayer can change everything. And that prayer just might be yours today. Only God knows what we are fighting for, but remember God will fight the battle for you. You have to trust Him. Faith in God includes faith in His timing. "For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened." (Mathew 7:8)  ...Is there something you are believing God for? Does it seem like it’s taking a long time to come to pass? Be encouraged today! The Bible says that through faith and patience you will inherit the promise. You can trust that God’s Word is true. Submit your prayers to the Lord, and keep an attitude of faith and expectancy. Keep asking. Keep seeking. Keep knocking on the door, and it will be opened to you.


"Turn from evil; do good; seek peace; pursue it." 1 Peter 3:11
Let go, Let God.

I have learned to let go of old thoughts and conditions, and let God direct my life.
Today I release. Quietly and confidently, I yield to divine direction. In letting go of old thoughts and conditions, I feel a deep sense of peace. My thoughts, words and actions are filled with only what is good and desirable. I am assured of a successful day. As I rest in the awareness that God is with me and within me, my inner compass is directed in the way I should go. I know I am being directed by Spirit.



Remember that God saw all you were going to be and do before He went to the cross, and He still gladly went. You don't have to hide anymore. Saved by grace. Praise the Lord... he deserves it. We surely didn't deserve what He has given us. I am so very greatful. Dear God, I will never be able to thank you enough for always being there for me.
Thank you. Thank you. THANK YOU!


Don't let anything stop you from following Jesus. "If you're not daring to believe God for the impossible, you're sleeping through some of the best parts of your Christian life. And further still: if the size of your vision for your life isn't intimidating to you, there's a good chance it's insulting to God." -Steven Furtick.

I'm not alone. For I know that God is always with me. God won't allow anything happen in your life if it's not for your good.

A Child's Ten Commandments to Parents.

A Child’s 10 Commandments to Parents
1. My hands are small; please don’...t expect perfection whenever I make a bed, draw a picture, or throw a ball. My legs are short; please slow down so that I can keep up with you.

2. My eyes have not seen the world as yours have; please let me explore safely: don’t restrict me unnecessarily.

3. Housework will always be there. I’m only little such a short time—please take time to explain things to me about this wonderful world, and do so willingly.

4. My feelings are tender; please be sensitive to my needs; don’t nag me all day long. (You wouldn’t want to be nagged for your inquisitiveness.) Treat me as you would like to be treated.

5. I am a special gift from God; please treasure me as God intended you to do, holding me accountable for my actions, giving me guidelines to live by, and disciplining me in a loving manner.

6. I need your encouragement, but not your praise, to grow. Please go easy on the criticism; remember you can criticize the things I do without criticizing me.

7. Please give me the freedom to make decisions concerning myself. Permit me to fail, so that I can learn from my mistakes. Then someday I’ll be prepared to make the kind of decisions life requires of me.

8. Please don’t do things over for me. Somehow that makes me feel that my efforts didn’t quite measure up to your expectations. I know it’s hard, but please don’t try to compare me with my brother or my sister.

9. Please don’t be afraid to leave for a weekend together. Kids need vacations from parents, just as parents need vacations from kids. Besides, it’s a great way to show us kids that your marriage is very special.

10. Please take me to Sunday school and church regularly, setting a good example for me to follow. I enjoy learning more about God.

Vision: All things new and beautiful.

Faith is like WiFi, It's invisible, but it has the power to connect you to what you need!

Someone that I love, whom I am a part of, asked me a question tonight. Never in my wildest dreams did I ever think this question would come up. Actually, I never thought that this person would ever ask me something like this... I am delighted to share my answer, my thoughts, my advice, and most importantly the truth!

The question: "What do I do to feel closer to the Lord?"

I read this over and over and over again just thinking "Wow, The Lord has called upon me to answer this question. To help this person who needs God in their life!" I prayed for about an hour before I emailed this person back. In a way I am so grateful to be sharing God's Word with this person, whom I love so much! There was a time in my life when I shut God, and His Word out. I wanted nothing to do with it, and I was afraid - my heart was troubled and of course my stubbornness got the best of me.

Lord, I apologize that I did not praise you sooner!

Once I allowed God into my life and let Him take control I was blessed. It was overwhelming at first but I know now that a life without Jesus is no life at all! All I want is what He has for me, and I wanted to show this person who asked me this question, the light, the love, God's mercy...to remind them of what their life was like when they allowed God to take control.
This is what I said:
You pray! Pray Pray Pray...and then pray some more! Prayer is not a spare time. It is not the last option when everything else had failed. It is your secret weapon, your best defense. So whatever you may face, just PUSH. PRAY UNTIL SOMETHING HAPPENS! Sometimes the most powerful prayer is not the one that lasts 60 minutes; at times the most powerful prayer is the one where you say "GOD HELP ME!" There is power in prayer! God doesn't want you to worry about today or tomorrow; instead He wants you to pray about everything and to make your request known to Him!
Seek Him and put Him first. God wants your year, your life, and everything about you to be successful and wonderful. He wants you to be productive, prosperous, and fulfilled in every way. God has so many wonderful blessings in store for you that if you could know them all, you would be overwhelmed with His goodness. Ask for forgiveness, receive God's mercy, and love Him - God is love! Remember that He is your strength and power. When the world says "Give up," God whispers "Try one more time."
Everyday when you wake up expect the goodness of God in your life. Have faith! He will never give up on you, even when you sin, He is standing right by your side. He knows you, because He created you, knitted you in your mothers womb. He knows when you are sitting, laying down, about to get up, your every thought.
He will direct you in the right path, and has the perfect plan for you - He is just waiting. He is waiting for YOU to make a decision to trust in Him, to let Him in your life. To love Him with your heart, mind, body, and soul. To honor and obey him. He deserves it! You are His Princess! He is your Father! The King of Kings. He is the way - the ONLY way! The Bible says that faith pleases God. It brings pleasure to the heart of God when He knows that you trust in Him. You may not always know what will happen, and you may not always feel qualified. But the Bible says in Joshua 1:8 "Be strong, be bold, be courageous, for the Lord your God is with you." Just think of how joyous life is/was when you allow Him in it! When you stop trying to control your own life and rebel against Him... He sends blessings your way! Praise the Lord! :) And know that I too, will never EVER give up on you. I will continuously pray for you! God is bigger than your past, bigger than your disappointments, bigger than your problems. No matter what kind of mistakes you have made, God can turn them all around and use them for good. He can right all the wrong things that have happened to you and pay you back in abundance for all the hurt you've experienced. The enemy doesn't want you to grow and increase, or fulfill your destiny, so he immediately tries to distract your heart and uproot the seed God has planted. In order to defeat the enemy in your life, you have to STAY FOCUSED ON GOD, His Word - and the dream He's promised you!

You can love with all your heart no qestions asked!

"The love for equals is a human thing - of friend for friend, brother for brother. It is to love what is loving and lovely. The world smiles. The love for the less fortunate is a beautiful thing - the love for those who suffer, for those who are poor, the sick, the failures, the unlovely. This is compassion, and it touches the heart of the world. The love for the more fortunate is a rare thing - to love those who succeed where we fail, to rejoice without envy with those who rejoice the love of the poor for the rich,of the black man for the white man. The world is always bewildered by it's Saints. And then there is the love for the enemy - love for the one who does not love you but mocks, threatens, and inflicts pain. The tortured's love for the torturer. This is God's love. It conquers the world." -Frederick Buechner

To be a gentle spirit. Thankful and willing. God wants us to love, because love is the greatest thing on earth. But love is a choice. A choice that you and I get to make; to love or not love? Imagine if we all woke up tomorrow and every single person on this earth loved one another. They were willing to do whatever they could to help each other and were thankful they had the chance to do it. How amazing would it be if none of us sinned? Love conquers all, and so many of us take love for granted and toss it around like it is nothing sacred. If we could all just learn to love...really love with all our heart, mind, body, and soul, our world would know peace."When the power of love overcomes the love of power, the world will know peace." -Jimi Hendrix
With that being said by good ol' Mr. Hendrix....Our world strives on power and not love. The power to have more money, the power to be in control, etc. Think about it! There are so many unhappy people in our world that don't know how to truly love. I pray that they one day come to know what it is like to love and be loved, and to know God's love; the greatest love of all!

A few days ago I went to the post office to mail something and witnesses a racist man shout horrible things to an elderly Asian man. I just could not believe what I heard and my heart immediately sunk into my stomach and I swear to you I could have started crying on the spot if I didn't stop myself! At that moment in time I realized how much this affected me and how much I didn't like people being so mean to each other! I put myself in the elderly Asian mans shoes and just thought "Oh my gosh, how horrible and sad would I feel if those things were said to me!?" I didn't realize I had so much compassion towards others who I don't even know. God has truly been working on my heart lately. I wanted to hug this man and tell him that it was okay!
Where is the love? This is what I am talking about. God's love; it conquers all! So many people don't even have a clue and I pray for them. I really do. They seem so lost and it actually makes me sad. I am so not trying to put myself on the high horse but I know what it is like to feel hated, not wanted, not good enough, tortured in a way by someone I love very much and no matter what I still continue to love this person. Why? Because I choose too! I choose to love. I love those who have wronged me, and that doesn't mean that I have forgotten. I just chose to forgive, to love, and to continuously pray for them. Hoping that one day, they know the love that I know. The love that God shows...because even those who don't have the Lord in their lives, He is still there, right by your side, waiting for you!

"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life." John 3:16
God loves us that much! How amazing is that!?

You can love with ALL your heart no questions asked! <3

Life will jerk you around.

I've learned to not take life for granted because it will continue it's status quo, for life will surprise you. Boy, does it surely surprise you. This past week I have learned that I alone live the consequences of decisions made concerning my own life - I bear the responsibility. As an adult I should not be quick to delegate my life decisions to others.

"Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you." Matthew 7:7

I was given some great advice over the weekend: "Don't be discouraged for sometimes we have to explore the negative to get positive results. If you a feel a little beat up, well...change on and grow. Life is a series of tests. Stop sulking, don't be moody. Most importantly don't complain. Ever. Try it for a week." -D.P.

 I am praying for patience, wisdom, and courage to grow. Not just for myself but for a list of people that I have committed to pray for. God definitely opened my eyes and made me realize alot. Now it's up to me. God waits for us to decide which way we want to go.
 The morning after my stupid decision that I made, I realized, after praying that I wanted only what God had for me. There is a reason why I am now living my life through him and I know that I am not a perfect christian, I make mistakes, but no matter what God is always by my side. Even when I sin (although under sinful nature there is no way we could EVER please God). When I sin I usually feel guilty, and so horrible that I beat myself up for it pretty bad, but not because it happened... but because my love of myself trumped my love of God in that moment. Sin is slavery. Christ has set me free and I try so hard to not revert back to sinful nature.

A person can not be saved by the act of praying a prayer, stopping their sin, or making Jesus the Lord of their life, a person can only me made righteous by faith in Christ alone.
"Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart." Psalm 37:4 <3

Look back and thank God. Look forward and trust God. Look around and serve God. Look from within and find God. If God brings you to it, he will get you through it. He got me through this mess and like I said before it is now up to me to start making the changes. I need to be strong in the Lord, and in his mighty power! I need to put on the full armor of God, so that I can take my stand against the devil's schemes, so I can stand my ground against the powers of this dark world, and agaisnt the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realm. The Lord has fully equiped me with everything I need to stand strong in the midst of any battle I may be facing.  Thank you Lord. God has my deliverance planned. Amen!

Ten ways to love.

Listen, speak, give, pray, answer, share, enjoy, trust, forgive, promise.

Listen to God's word. Do not be afraid to speak about your Lord and Savior. Be more of a giver than a receiver. When in doubt, pray it out. Answer to the Lord. Share the light. Enjoy this life that God has created for you. Trust in the Lord. Forgive your enemies; they may not always deserve it but you deserve to be free of them. Promise to love the Lord with all your heart and even though you may drift away from Him sometimes, never break your promise.

 I need God everyday. Every moment, every second that I breathe, I need Him. I am not strong enough on my own. My relationship with him is the most important relationship I can and will ever have in my lifetime on this earth. I think 'Learn' should be added to that list of ways to love. You learn new things every day. I need to learn to how to count my blessings and not my problems. God will answer your prayers not because you attend church, or did a lot of good things, or prayed really hard to earn it, but because He loves you, and He delights in blessing you. Nothing you can do can change the way the Heavenly Father thinks of you. I know that I am not a perfect christian. I am stubborn and moody, and sometimes just plain weird. I feel like rebelling against Him sometimes.
 When I am hopeless, I try and remind myself of who I was before I met Him, and I ask myself, "When I feel like it's the end of the world and I am failing, why should I push away the One who gave me life? Why should I forget the One who's love and faithfulness to me never changed? Why should I walk away from Him, who I need most, who has the only power to save me?" I sometimes forget His promises. His love for me never dies, never fluctuates, never changes. I often forget that He will never fail me. His love is powerful and I almost can't comprehend that. No one loves me more than my Heavenly Father. I am loved beyond comparison. Directed by love. Crazy love.

I have been so selfish, and for so long I did not realize this. Even in the midst of my self-centered thoughts, ways, God still loves me. To sit back and think that He loves me no matter what...it's amazing, lovely, reassuring! He still never let me go. He has helped me in the times of crises, and he continues to love me. I have reached this far - because of Him. God is my healer, my refuge, my savior, re builder, defender. Whenever I feel like giving up, I remind myself that God has never given up on me. He is always with me! His plan is high and above my own understanding that the only way we'll truly be able to fathom it is by taking this life day by day. It's the truth. Everything in life happens for a reason. God doesn't close one door without opening another. Love and have faith in God. Pray continuously...and when you can't put your prayer into words, God hears your heart!