The A Word

When you read the title of this post... please don't think *that* "a" word. No, the word I'm thinking of is one that gets tossed around quite a bit. A word that some fear.. some live with, some struggle with.. and some may not have any issues with at all. For some people it's embarrassing. For others, they are open about it. For me, it's a reality I have to deal choose how to handle myself towards everyday.

Anxiety. (Fear.) (Worry.) (Doubt.)

Yep, I have issues with it.. or.. all of the above. Have for a while. Not sure why, don't know if there's a single point in my life that I realized how much I let it take over. I can tell you that I used to have trust issues and I can tell you the exact reason in my life that is there. I can tell you that I'm a person filled with mercy towards others and always have been that way. But the anxiety has slowly crept up on me the last 5 years. I have anxiety over pain in my body.. "why is it there? what is the reason my leg hurts right now? what if I have a blood clot? ... does this headache mean more than just a simple headache? what if there is a tumor or I have an aneurysm?" (Ridiculous, I know!)  I worry about large crowds. This is why I've only been Black Friday shopping once... because what if I get trampled. (Crazy thinking. Yes, I'm aware.) Outside of the death of myself or my family members, my two main fears are tornadoes and snakes. I moved from a tornado state (Indiana) to a snake state (Arizona). And poisonous snakes, non the less. Rattlesnakes. Sometimes, I'm afraid to go hiking because I might see a snake, (yes, this has actually happened: my second hike ever in Phoenix, I walked right past a rattlesnake as my husband pointed it out then stopped to take a picture. I sprinted like a Jamaican in the Olympics.)

In the first few months after we moved here to the Phoenix area, Tiffany (one of our founders) and I started a devotional called Breaking Free by Beth Moore and soon after, started Girls of God's Heart as a Facebook and Twitter page. It was challenging for us to go through the devotional, realizing what we still might be holding onto that kept us captive from the relationship we wanted with God. The Breaking Free devotional defined captivity as this:

"A Christian is held captive by anything that hinders the abundant and effective Spirit-filled life God planned for him or her."

Anxiety can sometimes hold me captive. When I question or have doubts, I find myself often running to others first instead of God. I'll call my mom to answer medical questions. I'll question my husband when I should be trusting him, not doubting. God already answers my questions in His Word and I need to run to it and Him first.

____________________________________________________

"Do not be anxious about anything, but in EVERYTHING, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the pace of God, which transcends all understanding will guard our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus." Philippians 4:6-7

The notes in my NIV study Bible about this verse are as follows:

Verse 4:6 

Anxious: self centered, counterproductive worry, not legitimate cares or concerns for the spread of the gospel.

In everything, by prayer: 

Anxiety and prayer are two great opposing forces in Christian experience.

Thanksgiving: the antidote to worry (along with prayer and petition)

Verse 4:7

Peace of God: to merely a psychological state of mind, but an inner tranquility based on peace with God - the peaceful state of those whose sins are forgiven. Peace is the opposite of anxiety. It is the tranquility that comes when believers commit all their cares to God in prayer and worry about them no more.

______________________________________

Read those notes a few times. Anxiousness is self centered. Anxiousness is counterproductive worry. Anxiety and prayer are two great opposing forces. Thanksgiving, prayer, and asking God for help = cure for anxiety.

Commit your cares to God and worry about them NO MORE.

AMEN. AMEN. AMEN.

Offended

Who ME?

 

 

Yes, me (you). We have all been there a time or two. Perhaps we are still there. I am angry at something someone said...or didn't say. I was suddenly unfriended or denied friendship access on Facebook. I tweeted or text someone and they did not respond. The possibilities of offense are limitless. No matter how great or small. Everyday we have the opportunity to become offended.

 

Offense can be divided into 2 categories:

1: those who HAVE been treated poorly

2: those who THINK they have been treated poorly

 

Most of us linger in Category #2. Our thoughts are darkened by Satan's schemes. Jumping to conclusions. Judging on hearsay, assumption and without facts. Running to social media to let everyone know that you THINK you have been done wrong. Where does that get us? In an even deeper emotional offended mood. Right?

 

Harboring offense produces feelings such as: Hurt, jealousy, strife, anger, envy, bitterness, outrage, resentment, hatred. Have you ever experienced any of those when you are offended? How about when you do not deal with your offense and allow it to sit? You begin to see that persons every move. "oh my gosh...I can't believe she posted that!" "Oh my gosh how come..."

 

If you have been offended, it most likely is from someone that is very close to you. Why? Because we trust them the most. We give them the most deepest part of us...our heart. Recently I sat down and made a list of people that I felt had offended me. At the end I was horrified to see that my list was longer then 5 names. Why because those were all people that I love dearly. In some sort of way I felt that they had failed me in an area. (again category #2) After much prayer and deep study of the word...I realized I was being selfish. Lord, I know that was a hard one for me to swallow. Me selfish? I had given so much to those people on my list...hadn't I? What I wasn't giving was forgiveness. I was hanging on to that thought of being offended.

 

When we are hanging on to offense we are hindering Gods blessings on our life. God tells us if we come to him in prayer, and we have any transgressions with another. We are to stop right there and go back and make it right. He will not pour out blessings on a darkened heart. Being angry and offend with someone surely is not a healthy heart of God. Want that new promotion at work? Want your marriage restored? Want financial blessings? God wants to give it to you...but first he want us to clear our heart of offense. Mind Blowing for me. No wonder why I had been stuck in such a spiritual rut.

 

Matthew 18:15

¹⁵ “If your brother (friend/disciple) or sister sins (offends) ,go and point out their fault, just between the two of you. If they listen to you, you have won them over...

 

Jesus wants us to reconcile . As difficult as it may be (and it will be) seek that person with a heart full of love and forgiveness. And forgive...as many times as they need it. Jesus doesn't want us to keep track of how many times we forgive someone for something (Matthew 18:21-22) How many times has he forgiven us for the same sin?

 

I feel like this has been a real revelation for me. I am a sensitive person. I get upset and worked up over the slightest eye roll. So learning to deal with being hurt and allowing myself not to get offended has been a struggle. I purchased the Book, Bait of Satan by John Bevere. I have just about finished the whole thing. It has been such an amazing resource for me. Being offended is a feeling that I am slowly getting a hold of. I want Gods favor and blessings upon my life and the lives of my family members. Now when I listen to others talk about how wrong someone treated them and I want to just shake them. GET OVER IT! Do not allow yourself to get to where I was.

 

I encourage you to make a list as I did...of people that you feel have offended you. There is no limit on how many to write. After you have your list I want you to pray for that person. Trust me it will feel forced at first. But the longer you do it, you will want to continue to do it. This my friend is the start of a changed heart. Surely you will see the favor of God upon your life.

 

Prayer:

Lord, give us the wisdom to see when Satan is on the prowl in our relationships. Open our eyes, sharpen our ears and guard our tongues so that we do not speak any offense to those around us. Cleanse our hearts of any hatred, anger, jealousy or resentment that holds us captive from past offenses. Protect our heart for any future offenses that will surely try and sneak into our hearts. Make our hearts vulnerable so we can love unconditionally. Amen.

 

Psalms 139:24 See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.

 

 

 

Praise him in song

 

 

Psalms 33:3 Sing unto the Lord a new song...

 

We were meant to sing praises to our Lord.

When ever I hear the part,

"there's nobody like Jehovah, there's nobody like Jehovah..."

 I can not help but leap for JOY!

 

Stop what you are doing...close the door to the room you are in.

 Take minute to just close your eyes and listen to the song.

Let the spirit take hold of your heart.

Let go of yourself for just a few minutes.

Lift up your arms...

Soak him in.

 

LEAP for JOY!

There is NOBODY like JEHOVAH!

 

 

 

 

Obedience, Blessings, Fellowship, Listen

We are so excited to introduce a new little portion of our blog for guest writers & for our first one, we have Sybil from Peace It All Together.

A little bit about Sybil --

Sybil fills many different roles in life. She is a School Psychologist, by profession and a Christian, by faith. But, what she has come to realize is that there is more to life than roles and titles. It is how you live your life that matters most! She believes that everybody has a story to tell. She began writing her own blog, Peace it all Together, to tell her story. It's where she reflects on the circumstances of life, faith, and issues related to having a child with sensory needs.  

blog // pinterest // instagram

-------------------------

 

The Sovereign LORD has given me his words of wisdom,

so that I know how to comfort the weary.

Morning by morning he wakens me

and opens my understanding to his will. - Isaiah 50:4 (NLT)

Have you ever thought that God was speaking to you? I have felt the nudging of the Lord before, but never as much in the past eight months. What has changed? Has He just decided that He is now ready to communicate with me? Honestly, I think He was always ready. It was me who wasn't.

If you've been reading my blog, you have heard the story of the beginning, when I first began following the urgings of Holy Spirit. In April 2012, I began praying more, searching for answers, and really listening to what God was telling me. Since that time, I have attempted to follow Him more closely. Each time I feel Him speaking to me, which usually comes through an inner voice, I have tried to be obedient.

But, how do you know if the words you're hearing are truly from God? I have heard several messages or sermons on this exact question in my lifetime. The overwhelming theme has been...if it aligns with the Bible and biblical principles, then it is probably from God. While, this is a good starting point, I have put together a list of things that have helped me differentiate between my own random, sometimes crazy, thoughts and those that I believe the Holy Spirit has given to me.

Obedience

If you love me, obey my commandments. - John 14:15 (NLT)

If I am being truly honest, I would say that I have had many thoughts about making a phone call, sending an email or message, or giving a word of encouragement to others, but did not often do them. Since I began developing this desire to "do more" I have adopted the Nike motto. Just do it. Instead of holding back and second-guessing, I have decided to put my thoughts into actions. The phrase, "it's the thought that counts," no longer applies to me.

What I have found is that the more I follow this mantra, the more I am used by God. He speaks to me more. Since the urging of this inner voice does not go against what I believe to be right and true, I can only conclude that since I started doing more, God has further entrusted me with even more acts of love.

Blessings

You will experience all these blessings if you obey the LORD your God...

Wherever you go and whatever you do, you will be blessed. Deuteronomy 28:2, 6 (NLT)

Although getting blessings has not been the motivation for my actions, I have developed better friendships, received more compliments, and am feeling more loved by others, since this journey began. My conclusion: To be used by God is to experience the blessings of being loved. Yes, people have and will continue to be persecuted for their faith. Following God's plan is not all sunshine and roses. But, recently, I have been blessed by my choice to be a blessing. I have also chosen this as one of MY words for 2013.

Fellowship

For where two or three gather together as my followers, I am there among them.” - Matthew 18:20 NLT

The term "coincidence" has always puzzled me in relation to my faith. By definition, this means that there are things that happen by chance, by accident. I don't know if that is true.

Last September, I had been thinking of making changes to my blog. I wanted to change its appearance, to make it more eye catching, more of an expression of me. Also, I desired to get my message to more people, and thought a fresh design might help with that vision. I hadn't talked to M about it, mainly because I knew I couldn't do a redesign myself, which would mean hiring someone, which would mean spending money. So, I researched it, thought about it some, and prepared how I was going to sell this idea to M. Funny thing is, when I brought it up to him, he had been researching it, too and was trying to figure out how to bring it up to me. This was no coincidence. I believe God was there, putting it all together, orchestrating the whole thing.

Ignore It

Listen to my instruction and be wise. Don’t ignore it. Proverbs 8:33 (NLT)

Okay. Okay. I get the message...don't ignore words from the Lord. Although I have been trying to live a Nike-esque life, there has been one thing that I believe the Holy Spirit is prompting me to do, and I have been ignoring it, for over a month. Ignoring it because I'm scared, because it would be a lot of work, because I don't want to fail, and the list goes on. But, my plan to ignore it is not working. That still, small voice keeps returning. It's clearly God, urging me to trust, to step out, and to stop ignoring Him. I hope that I can, soon.

This list is not exhaustive. I know there are more ways to be led by the Spirit. There are also many more things that I wish God would speak to me about. To provide me with answers. As long as I continue to seek Him, I have to believe that He will. 

I would love to know how God speaks or has spoken to you. Write a comment or send me a message. 

This is the day

Remember the Sabbath and keep it holy! Exodus 20:8

Isaiah 41:10

Find your courage, strength and encouragement in our Creator… it's his promise to you!

7 Days of Love DIY

I'm so excited to share with you a little DIY project to kick off your weekend!  So my husband is just about to leave for a week to attend a work training in Dallas.  This will be the longest that we have been apart since we have been married (almost 7 years!).  The only other time that we have been apart longer was when I went on an outreach to Albania in 2003 after we had been dating for about 3 years.  Needless to say I will miss him :(

Recently I came across a cute gift idea and it ended up being perfect for just this occasion!  The original idea came from The Dating Divas blog.

Here's the idea:  Find a pill box that has 7 slots and fill them up with notes and treats for your loved one to open each day of the week.  Now I chose to make one for my hubby but this would also be great for a child, a parent, a sibling, a best friend, a co-worker, or just about anyone that you can think of who could use a little of bit of brightness every day for a week!  Thankfully my silly 3 year old decided he wanted a pill box to put his coins in on a recent outing to CVS so I happened to have one laying around!  The Dating Divas have a downloadable page with 7 pre-made notes that you can print out here.  I chose to type my own out to make them a little more personal.  I chose to fill my little boxes with Nerds candy because I always used to buy it for him while we were dating and they were small enough to be able fit a bunch in!

I rolled up all of my little notes and stuck them in in the order I wanted him to read them...

Finally, I sealed them across the top with a little note and my directions to ONLY open one each day!

Here are my love notes:

This was so quick and so easy I know I'll do it again!  I'm thinking I will do it for my son for his birthday week and maybe for my mom too, just because!

A Proverbs 31 Woman

"A woman who fears the Lord is to be praised." Proverbs 31:36

For Girls of God's Heart, Proverbs 31 is one of the most influential parts of the Bible as women. It challenges us on how to live, how to love, how to work, how to respect and be respected, and how to fear God. Have you read this entire chapter about the wife of noble character? Proverbs 31 has really been on my heart lately as I have transitioned from the working world to a stay-at-home and work-from-home mom of my almost 6 month old son. There are so many things I want to be disciplined in as a girl seeking God's heart. As a wife, I want to respect my husband in the ways that he needs it. I want to raise our son in God's ways and help him reach important milestones. I also want to keep up on cleaning, learn to cook more, and have a happy home. Since I'm working from home, I want to work hard and have discipline in this area to help my family financially.  But I haven't actually sat down to read Proverbs 31 in a while.

So here we go. Read Proverbs 31:10-31 in The Message Version. Open your heart. Seek out the phrases and verses that you KNOW God is speaking to you about. Then pray about it. And work with all your heart to become a wife of noble character.

A good woman is hard to find,
    and worth far more than diamonds.
Her husband trusts her without reserve,    and never has reason to regret it.
Never spiteful, she treats him generously
    all her life long.
She shops around for the best yarns and cottons,
    and enjoys knitting and sewing.
She’s like a trading ship that sails to faraway places
    and brings back exotic surprises.
She’s up before dawn, preparing breakfast    for her family and organizing her day.
She looks over a field and buys it,
    then, with money she’s put aside, plants a garden.
First thing in the morning, she dresses for work,
    rolls up her sleeves, eager to get started.
She senses the worth of her work,
    is in no hurry to call it quits for the day.
She’s skilled in the crafts of home and hearth,
    diligent in homemaking.
She’s quick to assist anyone in need,
    reaches out to help the poor.
She doesn’t worry about her family when it snows;
    their winter clothes are all mended and ready to wear.
She makes her own clothing,
    and dresses in colorful linens and silks.
Her husband is greatly respected    when he deliberates with the city fathers.
She designs gowns and sells them,
    brings the sweaters she knits to the dress shops.
Her clothes are well-made and elegant,
    and she always faces tomorrow with a smile.
When she speaks she has something worthwhile to say,
    and she always says it kindly.
She keeps an eye on everyone in her household,
    and keeps them all busy and productive.
Her children respect and bless her;
    her husband joins in with words of praise:
“Many women have done wonderful things,
    but you’ve outclassed them all!”

Charm can mislead and beauty soon fades.    The woman to be admired and praised    is the woman who lives in the Fear-of-God.
Give her everything she deserves!
    Festoon her life with praises!

"Almost"

Almost: al·most

adv.

Slightly short of; not quite; nearly: almost time to go; was almost asleep; had almost finished.

 

Almost: A word and action that is so commonly used today. When I googled "Almost" a snippet about Ryan Gosling "almost" being a member of the Backstreet Boys popped up. I had to laugh out loud at that but you see how that word is often used. I didn't read the article but the headline caught my eye.

 

I want to take the word "Almost" a little further. How about using the word "Almost" in these sentences?

 

I "Almost" invited them to church.

I "Almost" came to church.

I "Almost" prayed for them.

I "Almost" paid my tithe.

 

The word "Almost" is a happiness crusher. We are literally killing people and losing souls to the word "Almost"! We are "Almost" going to make a difference in someones life. "Almost" is a game changer...and nobody wins. Spiritual doors open for only a moment. It is up to you if you want to "Almost" make the move.

During church service...God is moving wildly...you "Almost" worship and lose yourself in his presence.

You see someone in need but you "Almost" reach out and help.

 

Friends! We need to erase "Almost" from our vocabulary. Cleanse our hearts and minds from any sort of hesitation.

 

I am a firm believer in the swift move of the Holy Spirit. I have felt it and seen it. If something is going to come your way...it doesn't happen by chance. It has purpose. So many times we sit back and "Almost" take action, but we have to pray about it first. We start second guessing God. We start second guessing ourselves. We need to move when the spirit is calling at our heart strings. Otherwise we could of "Almost" had a blessing.

 

God is not looking for the Christian who is "Almost" always available...He wants a full time, whole hearted, wild and crazy, on fire, ALWAYS available Christian.

 

(source)

 

 

 

Let Go and Let God

Sometimes the unknown can get the best of us. What if THIS and what if THAT. As time goes on we can be consumed with the "what ifs." We can also be consumed by time frames. When is God going to do this or when is God gonna open this door or that door? As Christians these can be daily thoughts.

This is something I am currently battling. THE UNKNOWN. Something BIG is about to happen in my life. Exciting and very nerve racking for me because it is so life changing and I just don't know what it's going to be like. I recently have been frustrated because I just don't know when it's exactly going to happen. It's all I had been thinking about. It wasn't until yesterday that I finally realized that me worrying about "WHEN" won't change a thing! God has everything all planned out and I really don't need to worry about it. It is in His timing and not when I think I'm ready for it.

So, I am choosing to step aside, give all my worries, concerns and frustrations to Jesus and just let it happen when God planned for it to happen. I'm going to choose to have peace and be worry free.

When it is God's  plan it will just happen and will be even better than we imagined! He will give us the desires of our hearts!

LET GO AND LET GOD!

God's Beauty + Paper Doll

This week I am going to keep it real. And by keep it real, I mean real quick.

I am "scheduling" my post for my day because at that moment I will be in Mexico :)

So I thought, what could I do to kind of tie it in to what I will actually be doing?

Simple.

God's Beauty.

In one of my Beth Moore Bible Studies I am doing, When Godly People Do Ungodly Things.. She instructed us to go out side for a moment.. Just stand there, look around, what do you see, what do you hear? Just really take in that moment & your surroundings, everything around you is God given.

That moment I did that I was already snuggled up in bed, but crawled out of bed walked to my back patio & stood there. It was rainy, dark, wet, quiet, still, the air was crisp, there were clouds, but really soaking it in made me thank God for even those gloomy days. 

Now - I hope my Monday will be a little bit different, with a view of the ocean, sand, palm trees, warm air, & hearing people having a good time.

I will take a moment today to just stand still & thank God for my surroundings.

I strongly encourage you all to do the same.

 -----------------------------------------------------------------

If you are looking for some cute prints, stationary, cards, awesome bible verses in a cute little tin.. 

Julie's your girl at Paper Doll Printing & Design. 

She is giving our readers 25% off! You should go check her shop out!

You are LOVED!

No matter what the world tells you today, hold your head high and remember that you are a child of the most high GOD!

source

No human can judge you

 

source

The Importance of Love

“Everybody can be great...because anybody can serve. 

You only need a heart full of grace. 

A soul generated by love.”

 Martin Luther King, Jr.

So I don't know about you but music speaks to me in a big way.  It has the power to evoke powerful emotions in me.  (Interesting that Kelly's post yesterday was also about music!) Recently I was thinking of a song we had sung in church several months ago.  It was a sung that grabbed me and reached deep into my heart.  My prayer for a long time has been that my heart would be broken for what breaks the Lord's heart.  This past Sunday we sang this song in church again and I was so excited!  I want to share it with you.  

Lincoln Brewster - The Power of Your Name

Surely children weren't made for the streets
And fathers were not made to leave
Surely this isn't how it should be
Let Your Kingdom come

Surely nations were not made for war
Or the broken meant to be ignored
Surely this just can't be what You saw
Let Your Kingdom come
Here in my heart

And I will live
To carry Your compassion
To love a world that's broken
To be Your hands and feet
And I will give
With the life that I've been given
And go beyond religion
To see the world be changed
By the power of Your name

Surely life wasn't made to regret
And the lost were not made to forget
Surely faith without action is dead
Let Your Kingdom come
Lord break this heart

Jesus Your name
Is a shelter for the hurting
and Your name
Is a refuge for the weak
Only Your name
Can redeem the undeserving
Jesus Your name
Holds everything I need

The chorus is my heart's desire.  That my life would reflect his compassion.  That I could love those that are broken and that I could go beyond just religion to see lives changed.  With all of the political happenings lately I've been more conscious than ever that we cannot rely on our government alone (regardless of party affiliation) to care for this world in need.

We as Christ followers are responsible for faith with ACTION!  It's what we were born to do!  What are you doing to live out your faith?  There is a verse in the Bible that cuts straight to my conscience every time...

Revelation 3:16 But since you are like lukewarm water, neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth!

Yikes!  I know it sounds severe but God makes it clear - he doesn't want us to be lukewarm Christians because if we are, we are ineffective for his kingdom and we miss out on the full life that he has planned for us.  There have been plenty of times in my life where I have been lukewarm, going about life as usual, always having God in my heart but not doing much beyond warming my seat in church on Sunday morning and praying over my meals.  God wants SO much more for us and for others through us.  It's not about church (although church gives us a place to go to learn and grow and fellowship with others).  It's not about a set of rules to follow (although the Lord's commands are there to protect and guide us).  It's about LOVING others.

1 Corinthians 13 [ Love Is the Greatest ] If I could speak all the languages of earth and of angels, but didn’t love others, I would only be a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. If I had the gift of prophecy, and if I understood all of God’s secret plans and possessed all knowledge, and if I had such faith that I could move mountains, but didn’t love others, I would be nothing. If I gave everything I have to the poor and even sacrificed my body, I could boast about it; but if I didn’t love others, I would have gained nothing. ...

Wow! According to God's word we can be brilliant, we can have amazing faith - even sacrifice ourselves and give to the poor but if we do it out of obligation instead of love, we are missing the point.

So, find a way that you can love on others with your own gifts!  I'll share some ideas and I would love to hear what yours are!

-Be a greeter at church, your smile may break the ice for a first time visitor
-Write a note of encouragement for a family member, co-worker, neighbor, friend, and leave it somewhere to surprise them
-Pay for someone's drink or meal at a restaurant/drive through
-Leave a little bag of candy on a neighbor's doorknob
doorknob gift
-Make a blanket for a child in the hospital or an elderly person in a nursing home
-Make a mix CD of worship songs for someone who could use a pick-me-up
-Find a program that matches you as a penpal with a woman in prison (Fresno's Samaritan Women program does this - it is a really neat opportunity!), or volunteer with a prison ministry.  
Samaritan Women

Little things done in love can have a huge impact.  I would encourage you also to say a little prayer over each gift for the person who will receive it.  You never know what it may do for them!

What are some of your ideas?  Please share!!!