Planting & Transplanting

I have gotten into the habit of saying that I have a “brown thumb”. Truth is, I have had a LAZY thumb. Yes, you heard that right.

It’s a matter of discipline. Remembering to water, feed, and weed these plants. It’s a choice. To watch them grow to their full potential or let them starve and die. Before my girls were born and even when they were tiny, I used to love planting and taking care of my yard. Then….I gave it up. Weeds started to grow. Flowers died or either went out of control. It’s really quite amazing to me..how God can take something like gardening and turn it into a teaching moment for me.

Weeds taking over.

 The things the I choose to care about are the things that I spend the most time taking care of. The things that I choose to nurture will in turn produce a beautiful harvest.

I CAN have a “green thumb” if I CHOOSE to! It isn’t a matter of being naturally good at it. It is a deliberate choice. Water, fertilize, feed, nurture, protect….and I will see growth.

I am 2 years into reading and studying the ENTIRE Bible from Genesis to Revelations. TWO years of self-discipline. The reward is KNOWING my Savior like I have never known before. My roots are growing deeper. I LOVE it and I already have a plan in place to read it all the way through again. I am in Ephesians now and when I finish with Revelations, I plan to use my Chronological Life Application Bible next.

I tell you this not to boast..because it is only by the power of The Holy Spirit in me that I have kept at it. As I begin each day reading through, making notes, and studying it, I pray and ask to read it through HIS eyes and not mine. I also pray that HE would give me the desire to be obedient and the time to do so. If I can do it..You can too!

Gardenias from our yard

In my previous post, Cutting Loose, I talked some about change… and one thing that I am changing is my LAZY thumb. I planted another gardenia bush in my yard yesterday…Gardenias are my absolute FAVORITE flowering plant. I also planted several other pretties in our yard. Then…after getting the “fever” for mint from my precious friend (she knows who she is), I planted mint and hot oregano and a cucumber plant! ME! The self-proclaimed plant killer. The woman whose husband asked her not to buy any more plants to kill,  for the front porch.

Why? Because I know that I can keep these plants alive. It’s a choice. (if you feel like praying for those plants, feel free )

I encourage YOU to step out of your comfort zone and commit to something that you’ve always wanted to do. Just take that step. You CAN DO IT!

Philippians 4:13 says it best, “I can do ALL things through HIM who gives me strength.”

Until Next Time,

My Family <3

No spirit of fear here!

Philippians 4:13 ~ I can do everything through HIM who gives me strength.

Isaiah 40:31 ~ but 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.

Psalm 34:4 ~ I sought The Lord, and he answered me; he delivered me from all my fears.

I have something really amazing to share with you today!

I have just returned from an awesome weekend retreat with 60 something women. We feasted on HIS Word and lives were changed! I am so blessed by new friendships made and old friendships being strengthened. GOD is GOOD!

The story that I am sharing today, is not my own. I asked this sweet woman if she would allow me to share it. Why? Because….I want you all to see that there is POWER in prayer and that FEAR has no hold on you when you fully trust God. THIS IS HER TESTIMONY..all glory to GOD. ALL GLORY TO GOD!!

Thank you, Tawanna, for allowing me to share your story…I love you and I am so very proud of you!

In her words:

The Bridge

Every year, our church holds a women’s retreat at Epwroth by the Sea on St. Simon’s island. The retreat has been a blessing to me and my family because every year, I leave something on the island, and bring home something new that I have learned about the goodness and mercy of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. I look forward to this yearly ritual that we have come to have where we spend the weekend in fellowship and worship. We sang, we prayed, we danced, we laughed, we cried. Trying to put the weekend into words is a bit challenging but if I had to chose one word, I would chose the word blessed because that is how I feel every time I am on that island.

The one struggle that I have is crossing that bridge that connects the island to the actual town. The first year that we went, I was riding with 2 of my dearest friends. As we started to near the bridge I looked to my left and at first I didn’t know that it was an actual bridge. From a distance, it looked like a big building, I thought to myself and said out loud, “Hey guys, check out that bridge. The blue is so beautiful it almost looks like the color of the sky. As we got closer to the turn my friend in the back said, “That’s not a building it’s a bridge.” As I burst into laughter, I told my friends that I was so glad that we wouldn’t be going over that contraption. I then started to laugh and make comments about the courageous people that went over it daily and I started to thank God that we were not amongst them. The more I talked the more my friends became quiet. They had no idea that I had a fear of bridges, being over water, and certain high places. As I am talking and laughing and talking and laughing, I realized that the turn that I was making towards the left, led me right towards that bridge. Well I started to yell and scream and panic. I started to drive in the middle two lanes, so the people behind me and the people that were trying to come down on the opposite lane, had to merge into one lane. As they honked their horns and yelled at me, and some made obscene gestures and said obscene things, I panicked even more started yelling back and telling everyone that I am on a retreat and that they cannot yell at me. You see I was like Peter in Matthew 14:29. We were all doing fine as we were driving and God was leading us, but I took my eyes off Jesus and started to let fear abide in me. This caused me to panic and to start driving in the middle of the bridge.

On the very last day of the retreat, our beautiful pastor’s wife Lanelle Rogers, asked that the ladies of the retreat pray for and with me, that I may conquer my fear and successfully cross that bridge. I crossed it, but I wasn’t trusting God. I allowed my friend to drive while I sat in the backseat sobbing with a huge sweater wrapped around my head. I placed the garment over my head as soon as we left Epworth by the Sea and did not take it off until I was told that we were well across the bridge. I didn’t want to see what was going. That weekend I had learned so much and was filled with so much love for Christ but I still was not trusting in him.

This year I was blessed to go back. I was so excited that I was able to attend. I asked my girlfriend and fellow sister in Christ Kim Wade to drive as I started to speak fear into my life. I told her that I just knew that I wouldn’t not make it on my own and made her drive. We had agreed that I would sleep the entire way there, and I had gotten up at 2am that morning so that I would be tired and would want to sleep. Kim and I have not seen each other in months so we did what ladies do best. We talked, and talked, and talked. Before we knew it, my phone rang and it was the member of the church that we were following, Lisa Colburn. She called and said that we were approaching the bridge and that she wanted to warn me because she knows of my fears.

We were approximately 5 minutes away and I allowed fear to take over my body. As we crossed the bridge I pulled my shirt over my head and started to scream and holler. The more I hollered the more I panicked. I started to hyperventilate and then before I knew it I was unable to breathe. In the midst of me trying to catch my breath, I became nausea. I closed my eyes, open the car door (not knowing that we were going 55 mph) and started to vomit until my stomach was empty.

I then spent the first night of the retreat staying up until 2am trying to find alternate routes off of the island so that I could avoid the bridge on the way home. While staying up I missed the fellowship that was going on downstairs right beneath me and later discovered that there was only one way off of the island, and it was over that bridge.

This weekend we learned how to abide in God and to allow Him to abide in us. I really paid close attention to the messages that were brought, the testimonies that were shared and on the last morning, once again, my sisters in Christ wrapped their hands around me, surrounded me and prayed on me and for me. Prior to leaving God sent an angel in the form of Heather Dawkins. As she hugged me she prayed for me and that I would not only make it over the bridge, but that I would open my eyes and look at the beauty that God has created all around me. As she prayed, I thought to myself, “how could I be afraid of God’s beauty?” It was then that I started to think about the bridge and what it represented. That bridge and my fear of it, represented the chains that had me in bondage. I then wrote down things that had me in bondage on several slips of paper and folded them into little pieces. As my friend and I crossed the bridge, I cracked the window. Although nervous in the beginning, I started to quote the scripture 2 Timothy 1:7, for God did not give us the spirit of fear. And I just kept reciting that scripture as I threw the slips of paper out of the window. When I looked at both sides of the bridge, I became humbled by the beauty that surrounded me, and how awesome God’s works are. That bridge no longer represents my fears, but the relationship that I have with Christ as his daughter. I am set free, no longer bound, no more chains holding me.

2 Timothy 1:7: For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.

WOW!!! Isn’t GOD good!!!!???!!!! So many people were praying for Tawanna…and they never ceased to pray and care… The BODY of Christ lifted her up…and allowed God to use them in her life. Please feel free to comment on this post and tell Tawanna what you thought of her awesome testimony…and share it with others..so that GOD can receive the glory that HE so deserves.

Until Next Time,

SLOW DOWN…or you’ll miss the beauty around you. ~HD

Psalm 90:12 ~ Teach us to number our days aright, that we may gain a heart of wisdom

There are times when I can be so impatient with my husband and daughters..especially our youngest. She’s the one who is most like him. I find myself rushing our girls. Hurry up. Come on. Let’s go. RIGHT now.

Time. It’s a precious commodity. Why do I rush it so?

I savor each moment with them. I love them so. Yet, I rush..rush…rush..

I don’t want the things that my children to remember about their childhood to be a bunch of “rush”. Now, mind you, some of the time, it is their fault for lagging behind. BUT, I still can choose to not let “time” make me frazzled. I can choose to live at a more relaxed pace. To be easygoing and “come what may”, when we are running behind.

I want to not live a “hurried” life.

Because…when we hurry..we miss things.

I don’t want to miss a thing.

In my devotion that I am doing daily, Ann Voskamp writes these thought-provoking truths:

   ”Doesn’t all the hurry make us hurt? Slow never killed time. It’s the rushing and racing, the trying to catch up, this is what kills time – ourselves. WHY IN THE WORLD DO WE KEEP WOUNDING OURSELVES? Life is not an emergency.” { DEVOTION 11 ~ One Thousand Gifts Devotional, Ann Voskamp}

Might you, too, need to slow down?

Living life at a slower pace can really be a good thing.( Shhhhh. Don’t tell my kids and husband that. )

   ”To live is the rarest thing in the world. Most people exist, that is all.” ~ Oscar Wilde

               Until Next Time,

There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven: a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot, a time to kill and a time to heal, a time to tear down and a time to build, a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance, a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them, a time to embrace and a time to refrain, a time to search and a time to give up, a time to keep and a time to throw away, a time to tear and a time to mend, a time to be silent and a time to speak, a time to love and a time to hate, a time for war and a time for peace. (Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 NIV84)

Today… I am thankful for so many things and Granny Shiver tops the list.

Our Granny Shiver passed this earth and entered into HIS presence this morning. I guarantee you there’s a party going on!!

Granny.. Or Grandma.. Or Mama or Hilda.. However you may have known her.. I knew her as a strong and loving woman. A lady who accepted me as one of her own.. (Even though I wasn’t her grandchild by blood) She loved life and she loved the Giver of Life! It was evident. Her actions proved what her lips professed.

Granny possessed a strength that can only come from a real relationship with her Heavenly Father. That strength got her through many losses..many tough times in her life. That strength was Jesus in her.

But you know what? I’m gonna quote her: “I can let it make me bitter or better.” She chose better!

She knew how to live. She lived with no inhibitions. She loved with all she had & would even give you whatever she had. Granny was loved by many.

I’m better for having known her. She lives on through her children, grandchildren, and great grands… Her legacy will remain!

See.. God was first. She had her priorities straight. She missed her husband every single day since he left this earth and entered into the presence of Jesus. She took care of him while he was here. She raised her family.. And she did it well.

She could make the best homemade lemonade… Banana pudding.. Cobbler.. Mayhaw jelly. (Remember the room filled with jars) .. The list goes on.

Her thumb was green.. not brown like mine. She loved her flowers.

Oh and her grapevines! Man..

She loved her family! All of us.. Blood or not.. She loved!

I’m not even going to try to list everything.

Too many memories.

Too many things and funny stories to list.

I’m thankful to have married into this family.

Something tells me that she and Granddaddy danced a little jig and ran into each others arms when she took her last breath here. I bet it was beautiful!

The Bible says:

John 10:27-29~ My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand.

Those verses bring comfort and assurance.

I’m thankful that God put my husband and I together. Through a friendship that I had with his cousin. I love our family. I’m blessed with my family and my family by marriage..

I’m so proud of our family. We may not get together as often as we used to, but when there’s a reason to celebrate or a tragedy strikes.. This family unites and stands behind one another. Unity.

I can’t close without saying that I’m so thankful that Granny was an authentic Follower of Jesus! What comfort to know where she is and that all who are also authentic followers, will see her and Granddaddy (or Pepa) again!

So.. I have to ask…Do you know my Jesus? Are you really following Him? Don’t waste another minute of uncertainty.. Don’t waste another minute living with doubt or living without the peace and assurance of truly Knowing HIM.

And one more thing: Do you really love?
Do your actions prove what your lips profess? It’s not too late.. To love.

Thankful and Blessed..

Until Next Time,

Heather

When do we normally give thanks? Not just praying..but when do we normally say Thank You or I’m thankful for… ?

Think about it for a second.

It is usually AFTER a blessing. Right?

After we’ve had an answered prayer.

After we’ve seen a beautiful sunset.

After.

What if we gave thanks to our Father before the blessing?

Jesus did.

Look at these two different passages of scripture and then tell me what you notice… They are lengthy..but PLEASE read them..

John 6:9-13 (NIV) ~ “Here is a boy with five small barley loaves and two small fish, but how far will they go among so many?” Jesus said, “Have the people sit down.” There was plenty of grass in that place, and the men sat down, about five thousand of them. Jesus then took the loaves, gave thanks, and distributed to those who were seated as much as they wanted. He did the same with the fish. When they had all had enough to eat, he said to his disciples, “Gather the pieces that are left over. Let nothing be wasted.” So they gathered them and filled twelve baskets with the pieces of the five barley loaves left over by those who had eaten.

There were ONLY five loaves and two small fish. There were about five thousand men. Jesus GAVE THANKS and then….fed all who were there and still had food left over!

John 11:38-44 (NIV) ~ Jesus, once more deeply moved, came to the tomb. It was a cave with a stone laid across the entrance. “Take away the stone,” he said. “But, Lord,” said Martha, the sister of the dead man, “by this time there is a bad odor, for he has been there four days.” Then Jesus said, “Did I not tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God?” So they took away the stone. Then Jesus looked up and said, “Father, I thank you that you have heard me. I knew that you always hear me, but I said this for the benefit of the people standing here, that they may believe that you sent me.” When he had said this, Jesus called in a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out!” The dead man came out, his hands and feet wrapped with strips of linen, and a cloth around his face. Jesus said to them, “Take off the grave clothes and let him go.”

WOW! Can you just imagine this!!! Oh how awesome it would have been to have witnessed this first hand. I sit here now just imagining his voice..LOUDLY saying: “Lazarus, come out!” And then..to see the looks on their faces when lo and behold Lazarus came strutting out! Well, maybe he didn’t strut..I bet he was amazed and awestruck. Woah! Blows my mind.

They took away the stone at Jesus’ command and before Jesus even commanded Lazarus to come out, Jesus thanked God out loud for hearing him. BEFORE…not after the blessing..the miracle.

So..after reading and studying these passages, I am really reminded that we are supposed to give thanks BEFORE the blessing or miracle. That requires faith.

My gratitude list for this week’s post:

1) I am so thankful and blown away at how my God provides..He is so good to us!

2) I am thankful for photography..I’m thankful for those who allow me the privilege to photograph their families..and capturing those special moments..

3) I am thankful for being able to see and hear and taste…Being able to see the beauty around me..and even seeing the loneliness so that I can reach out. being able to hear the voices and laughter and music. Being able to taste good food.

4) I am thankful that my GOD will provide all of my needs.

Share with me…What 3 things are YOU thankful for this week …that have already happened? Then..what ONE thing are you thankful for that you are having faith that will happen?

Psalm 100:4 ~ Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name.

              Until Next Time,

As this day comes to an end..I am thankful for the laughter and memories made!

Today was a day filled with family, friends, laughter and lots of good food. I’m so thankful for all of these things..

Especially.. The laughter…

You know.. We just have to slow down and take the time to notice all of the little things. The Sunsets…The “weeds”.. The little things..

This is a short and sweet post.. Why? Because I got a wild hair tonight and I’m standing in a crazy line outside of our mall… For what? I guess just the laughs.. And memories..

Happy Thanksgiving Y’all!

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. (Philippians 4:6 NIV84)

Love and Blessings…

Until Next Time,

Heather

I must admit, some weeks are more challenging than others. Some days it is more challenging to find the joy in the yuck. Those moments when we choose to find the joy in the yuck..those moments define us.

Earlier in the week, I had a day of inconveniences and little aggravations. I caught myself feeling aggravated and stressed out because I couldn’t get something simple taken care of…simply. Ever had a day like that?

Roadblocks.

Detours.

People are watching us. They are watching us to see how we handle the “yuck”. Our kids, our friends, our families, and strangers..Yes, strangers..are watching to see how we (Christians) are handling those things.

I’ll be real honest with you.. It was quite a battle. Fighting self. Wanting to whine and complain. Whining and complaining. Stopping myself from whining and complaining. Feeling guilty. Repenting. Starting fresh.

See, Jesus instructs us to NOT grumble and complain. Being “human” isn’t an excuse. As Christians, we have The Holy Spirit in us..so we aren’t just human.

Philippians 2:14 (ESV) ~ Do all things without grumbling or questioning

Romans 8:9 (NIV) ~ You, however, are controlled not by the sinful nature but by the Spirit, if the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ.

Every day we have choices to make. We get to make those choices.. They matter. Even when it’s harder than usual to find joy in a situation that seems like NO joy can be found in it, there IS JOY TO BE FOUND.

Even when it feels like a game of hide and seek..keep seeking the JOY.

“Joy’s a function of gratitude. And gratitude’s a function of perspective. Counting gifts changes my perspective – & my LIFE” ~ Ann Voskamp from her book…One Thousand Gifts

“All gratitude is ultimately gratitude for Christ, all remembering a remembrance of Him.” ~ Ann Voskamp…One Thousand Gifts

God cares about the tiny details. HE cares and provides. HE allows. HE knows that we can’t do this thing called life alone. WE can do it with HIS strength.

Philippians 4:13 (NKJV) ~ I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

So, without waiting any longer, let me share with you some of the things that I am thankful for today and this past week.

1) that THIS is not home. This place.. This world is temporary and my citizenship is in Heaven.

2) for conviction by The Holy Spirit, JESUS in me, that tells me when I’m not glorifying my Savior.

3) that my Jesus loves me.. HE loves ME.. And I’m not always easy to love..

4) for this wonderful group of women (Dstudy group) that I get the privilege to grow with and teach them and learn from them as well..

5) for beautiful..awesome sunsets and sunrises that never grow old..

6) for the pure JOY that my nephew expressed to me when I surprised him with a visit today..

7) for getting Lysa TerKeurst’s book, UNGLUED, for $1.99 today! (on iBooks and Amazon)

I guess I’ll stop for now… on here.. But I can promise you that my gratitude journal of 1000 gifts is continuing to grow every single day. For when we continue to look for the good and counting the joy, that is when we know what true joy really consists of. Thanksgiving. Grace. Joy. They go hand in hand.

Here is the Simple Truth my friends: There is JOY to be found in EVERYTHING…Because GOD created EVERYTHING & GOD is ONLY GOOD..HE is GOOD.

What are YOU thankful for?

UNTIL NEXT TIME,

Do I have some things to share with you!!

You know that book that I was telling you about last Thursday? One Thousand Gifts, by Ann Voskamp… Well, it has truly inspired me to be even more thankful.

Thankful..Grateful..for even the not so good things. It’s becoming a habit..a positive change by choice, to count it all joy. Sometimes it takes longer, but I eventually get around to it.

 Like…on my gratitude list..

#32 clean sheets for when the puppy decided to tinkle on Alden’s sheets

#77 being able to be honest with God about my feelings (when I am not loving a situation, etc..when I don’t feel like joy is possible..)

#58 not losing my temper when Marleigh (the puppy) chewed my daughter’s bottom retainer.

#59 only the bottom retainer was chewed up

#60 if the bottom retainer is too expensive to replace right now, at least it is the bottom retainer..

Those are all things that I would have gotten angry and frustrated about before. Yet, GRATITUDE and THANKFULNESS and looking for JOY in every single thing is changing me. Changing me for the good!

Every GOOD thing comes from GOD.

James 1:17 (NLT) ~ Whatever is good and perfect comes down to us from God our Father, who created all the lights in the heavens. He never changes or casts a shifting shadow.

GOD is good. God is love.

AND...the truth is, that good can be found in everything that God created. Every single day is a gift. The yuck..it can even be made into something good and useful..to glorify God.

Romans 8:28 (NLT) ~ And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.

 Will you choose to see the beauty in everything with me? Will you try to count it all joy? Will you begin..right now..by naming just THREE things that you are thankful for today. In this moment. Look around and be thankful.

 Philippians 4:4 (NLT) ~ Always be full of joy in the Lord. I say it again – rejoice!

Deuteronomy 28 :47,48 ~ If you do not serve the LORD your God with joy and enthusiasm for the abundant benefits you have received, you will serve your enemies whom the LORD will send against you. You will be left hungry, thirsty, naked, and lacking in everything.

 Will you?

For me..right now in this very moment, I am thankful for:

1) Coming home from the gym and finding a card from my husband that expressed his love for me. AND, he shared the beginning of his list of 1000 gifts with me.

2) A clean and organized laundry room..Thanks to a selfless best friend that gave of herself…

3) memories…that I can remember times gone by..good and bad ones..because it is important to remember. To grow and be thankful and move forward..

 ( The thing is..I don’t even know if I  realized at the time..that these were moments to be counted all joy.. these memories..time flies, slow down and count them ALL..All of the moments count.)

Thankful for each one of you!

Until Next Time,

It’s funny, since starting these Thursday posts, I seem to be more aware of things and people who I am thankful for. Gifts and blessings from God that I am more aware of. I look forward to these Thursday posts. To get to share with all of you..and read your comments about what you are thankful for.

It blesses my heart..

If it blesses MY heart, then just IMAGINE how thankfulness blesses God’s heart.

   Psalm 95:2 (NIV) ~ Let us come before him with thanksgiving and extol him with music and song.

 1)  I am so very thankful that I was able to be a part of our local Christ Makes Winners Rally at my church last night. We worshiped HIM with music, song, a phenomenal speaker and prayer.  It was awesome! So many kids from our community, coming together before the BIG football game (LOWNDES versus VALDOSTA) …putting their focus on GOD first..coming together as friends instead of rivals. A tradition that was started 32 years ago by VHS Coach, Nick Hyder. To show them that JESUS makes us ALL winners.

 2)  When we were driving out of our neighborhood this morning..as we rounded the corner, God had a GORGEOUS sky waiting ahead. As I stopped at the stop sign before leaving our neighborhood, my daughter and I both snapped a picture. Breathtaking. I’m always in AWE of God when I see the skies that he creates.

 3)  I am so thankful for the gift that God gives to those who are published authors..for HIS glory. I recently (this week) began reading Ann Voskamp’s book, One Thousand Gifts. Awesome…

As always, I could just go on and on..God’s blessings are so abundant.

Sometimes, all it takes is to stop and reflect. Slow down and notice the little things and THEN, thank HIM for them.

   Romans 11:36 (NIV) ~ For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be the glory forever! Amen.

   Ephesians 3:20,21 (NIV) ~ Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.

   NOW...it’s your turn. Share with us… 3 things that you are thankful for this week.  As I’ve said before…you can comment on this post, on FB, or on Twitter..  Please share with us…

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         Thankful for YOU,

by: Heather Dawkins
 (future home of CrossPointe)

We all make choices. Many choices in our lifetime. Every choice has a consequence. Every choice matters.

Thank goodness, our God is a God of second chances..and third chances….

I’ll be honest. My choices didn’t always bring my Jesus glory. I made that choice though.

I wasted precious time as a teen. Thinking that I had to fit in. Feeling like I never did. Making wrong choices just so that I would feel comfortable. All the while, professing to be a Christian.

Sometimes my life looked like it should. Sometimes it didn’t. That’s NOT okay.

I let my lack of confidence..rule me.

I let the world influence me. My focus was on me instead of on God…where it needed to be. Nobody is to blame, except ME.

Things  haven’t changed that much in 20 something years. (as far as feeling like you have to fit in goes)  I know that kids today still struggle with feeling like they just don’t fit in. Feeling UNCOMFORTABLE around the “crowd”. AND..making bad choices because of that.

TO YOU,  I SAY:  It is better to NOT fit in. It is BEST to STAND OUT and STAND FIRM in JESUS.

You may never get another chance. We aren’t guaranteed our next breath.

It was ONLY after I truly SURRENDERED to HIM, that I began to feel comfortable in MY SKIN.

So many times..people think that SURRENDER is a bad thing. As if  it takes away your FREEDOM.

When in fact, it is the OPPOSITE.

With SURRENDER, there is TRUE FREEDOM. A peace that surpasses ALL understanding.

We all have a choice. FOLLOW HIM or FOLLOW THEM.

Matthew 16:24 (NIV) ~ Then Jesus said to his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself  and take up his cross and follow me.”

NOW, I love not fitting in with what the WORLD thinks that I should look like, be like, act like, or desire.

The BIBLE tells us that we are NOT to look like the WORLD. Authentic Christians CAN’T look like they did before. Authentic Christians will have a “before and after picture”.
James 4:4 (NIV) ~ You adulterous people, don’t you know that friendship with the world is hatred toward God? Anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God. 

I’m just so very thankful that my JESUS loved me even when I didn’t bring HIM glory. I’m so thankful that I took that step that made all the difference..when I said,   ”I surrender, God..I cannot do this on my own..I want to glorify YOU..and I am so sorry for the times when I failed you. I will follow you no matter the cost, because the relationship with YOU outweighs everything else.”

Sure, I am STILL a work in progress. HE is not finished with me YET.

Philippians 1:6 ~ being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.

Will you take that step? The step to TRUE FREEDOM? Stand firm and STAND OUT. It’s really the best feeling in the world.

Romans 12:2 (NIV) ~ Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.  Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is–his good, pleasing and perfect will.  

(Maybe you have already taken that step. That is WONDERFUL! Maybe this post will help you in helping someone else then.)

           Until Next Time,