Inside Out

So here's what I know.... I know every woman young and old desire to feel beautiful. I don't think there is anything wrong with that at all! God created us woman different then He created men.

I don't think that's the problem, I think the problem is what we consider beauty. 

All throughout God's word He speaks of this inner beauty and how beauty is found from within and yet we as woman spend more time and money getting ourselves together outwardly then we do inwardly.

What if for one day we were inside out, what would people see? Would you look dry and dehydrated? Would you look all put together? Would people see Jesus?

As I ask you, I ask myself these questions as well. Yes, our hearts are wicked naturally but the amount I spend worrying about what I look like could be spent praying for a sister, it could be spent lifting up a sin I have within my own heart or it could be spent worshiping our King.

Don't mistake me sweet sister you shouldn't walk around looking half dead and you should comb your hair and brush your teeth. But what our focus should be on is God's kingdom and not outward beauty.

I'll share a secret and hope you don't pass judgment; I spend a lot of time worrying about what I look like. Yes I do my makeup in the car and it only takes me 30 minutes to get ready but my mind is so consumed on outward beauty that my focus is rarely on the kingdom of the Lord. 

My soul is eternal, others souls are eternal and that's where my focus should be rather then something like these fleshly bodies that will soon fade away. 

It's easy to get caught up in what shape we're in, or how our hair looks, or even what clothes were wearing but none of that matters because God.... He looks at the heart ♡

So sweet friend, what does your heart look like closing in 2014? If it looks like mine, can I just encourage you to ask the Lord to help your focus be more about the inner beauty rather then the outward that will soon fade away. And friend, when it fades away don't worry others will still see you as beautiful because the inner beauty (Jesus) will shine through.

Happy Day After Christmas

In years past the day and days after Christmas were always hard for me. Christmas was never what I expected or hyped it up to be. Even when I got the presents that I asked for it never truly satisfied my innermost being. If you're like me then depression waits for its opportunity to rear it's ugly head at any chance it gets.

This time of year is great for so many reasons but the greatest is the fact that others are searching for what they're missing and what has not brought them fulfillment. Just as God's working, His enemy is also.  He is looking to destroy families,  and cause loss and destruction during this season. This time of year I bet makes him angry that most of the whole world is signing songs about Jesus whether they know it or not. I believe that because of this, that scoundrel fights back harder.

The days after Christmas for some are the most emptiest times around. We live with a twisted hope that we can fill our emptiness with stuff, stuff that fades away such as relationships, a glass of alcohol, a temporary high, a new anything, even the fact that we can give to others. Some of those things are good such as giving to others or maybe even a healthy relationship but friends none of those fills the void that we have in our hearts. So when it's all said and done and the lights and decor come down that emptiness remains the same.

Remember this friend although this season will shortly be gone, God will never be gone. His unfailing word tells us that He remains the same forevermore! See, years before I didn't know this truth and even if you do know this truth it can often be twisted by the enemy and hard to live it out in our lives. Stay in your word friend don't lose hope or sight of the great light that is still within this world, the One who has taken residence in the life of the person who has invited Him in ♡

The Heart of a Sojourner

Revelation 8:13 NLT

Then I looked, and I heard a single eagle crying loudly as it flew through the air, “Terror, terror, terror to all who belong to this world because of what will happen when the last three angels blow their trumpets.”

Two weeks ago I plopped myself on my bed and I cried. I felt a displacement in my heart and uneasy. I had spent some time out and about and I was saddened by what I seen. No one smiled or said hello, everyone was honking at one another and then to top it off every store and restaurant in town's windows read "Happy Holiday's" and "Seasons Greetings". Santa's face in every store, and of course all the gift ideas flashing at you with a sign that reads in red SALE ENDS TODAY! Urging you to shop....

I know, I know, you think I'm the Christmas grinch by now and I'm sorry if you do.

 I really do love Christmas and let me tell you why. It's the time I get to spend my best friends birthday with my loved ones. I get to reflect on what a special night it was that the God of this universe sent His Son to be like you and me, to walk through life as we do, to experience and relate to all that we go through each day. He knew life on earth wasn't going to be a glorious life and He knew death would be involved to atone for the sins of the world. I get to whisper those things into my kids' hearts everyday but there is something special about the time we celebrate those truths with the world.

People around this time of year become more curious about Jesus and who He was and is to this world and I love that. The rich who are normally greedy offer money and gifts to charities and my kids get to shine and be different then the millions of kids around the world, who wait for santa to bring them gifts Christmas morning. I love that every year since I have been born the woman in my family sit around a table and make tamales and the past 7 years have been my favorite because we laugh with joy and talk about how good God is. I do, I love Christmas but just not the reasons this world loves Christmas....

As I laid on my bed with my face in my pillow I felt discouraged. I asked the Lord if He'd please speak truth into why I was feeling like this. Of course He did! He is faithful.

My sweet Father reminded me that this is not my home. He reminded me that I was just a sojourner passing through.

I was relieved to know I wasn't a grinch or a grouchy christian full of legalistic ways.

The bible tells us that we are not of this world and that this is not our home. The moment we unpack our bags and reside permanently is the day we should Fear the wrath of God.

Friend, did you read the scripture up top? Read it again....

Don't make this place your home, don't grow weary in doing good and don't lose hope that our King is coming to take us home.

Oh and don't be a grinch. You as a believer have the best reason to celebrate the birthday of your best friend!  :-)

Faith Says Yes While Fear Doubts

There are days I see the depths of my heart and that little sneak peek scares me.... Some might say that they are good but the bible tells us that not one man is good. Knowing our Lord, we know He doesn't want us to know that so that we might become sad and depressed at the way we view ourselves but rather He wants us to truly see our great need for Him.

You know what's amazing?... It's the fact that God sees my heart right now, He hears every thought that passes through my head and yet He loves me.

Through this Christmas season the Lord has really brought up the obedience of Mary's heart to me. Let me just say Mary is no more important to the kingdom of God then we are. Jesus declares in His gospels that His mother and brothers are those that do the will of God :-)

Nevertheless,  I do not want to take away the fact that God seen faith in Mary's heart, a faith that pleased Him. I'm certain Mary doubted God at times and I'm certain her thoughts were not always good because again the bible declares that the only one good is God alone :-)

The thing that I am loving and soaking in about this woman of God is that she said yes to the unknown. She didn't ask for the game plan, she didn't even doubt the word that the angel Gabriel gave her. She simply responded: I am the Lord's servant. May everything you said about me come true.

Boy, do I always want to give that answer when the Lord asks me to do something. Often my answer is "Lord are you sure that's you?" Or "but God what will happen next?" To be honest I think my response is one more like Zechariah.  You know when the angel Gabriel went to him to deliver the message from God announcing he and Elizabeth will have a son in such late age and that they were to call him John, also known as John the baptist. :-) Zachariah doubted God's plan and we see how he was unable to speak from that moment on until God's will came to pass when John was born....

I say friends, let's learn a lesson from the saints and God's goodness. Let's declare right when we wake up each morning that we will trust all that God is asking of us.

Now, we know we will never be the mother to the Savior of the world but we will be asked to do things by God. Things that we don't know why He is asking us to do. I believe our answer should not reflect the details but the source. God's word is always true and we know that His plans are good for us and not evil so what's there to fear?

Maybe God's asking you to help a family in need this season or maybe he is asking you to make a meal for the poor or wounded. Maybe the Lord is calling some of you to walk away from a career or even let go of an unhealthy relationship. Whatever the case may be you can trust Him. ♡ For the Lord is good and always doing a good thing.