Laying out my heart :)

Hey everyone! How I've missed doing this. My last post was 15 days ago...not going to lie it feels a tee-bit longer than that. I have been talking to God a lot today and just had something put on my heart that I want to share....

As a human race we are designed with all sorts of emotions. These emotions we have can come with positive and negative consequences. One action I am participating with in my life is staying positive no matter the circumstance. I just am going to keep smiling. God keeps telling me that this example will show through, and I am praying it does. But....

What happens when someone does something intentional to us to hurt us or our family? What happens when people make a bad decision on purpose, no matter the motive or reasoning....it was still on purpose. Are we to forgive these people? Are we to forget the mistakes they have made? HOW COULD WE? Let's take it a step further....let's say a person intentionally hurt you and they are a family member, maybe your mom, dad, sister, brother, aunt, uncle, grandparent, cousin, dog...whoever in your family did something that truly hurt you so bad that you want to come busting at the seems....what do you do? Are we now to forgive these individuals? Are we to forget the mistakes they have made...even intentionally? the answer is...... YES.....here is why....

Let's just stop for a moment and think about this:
1) Someone in the situation was hurt
2) Someone in the situation was doing the hurting...intentionally or not
3) Someone in the situation made a mistake and may one day need to be forgiven for the bad things he or she did.

.....is this starting to sound familiar????

HOW COULD WE NOT FORGIVE THOSE WHO HURT US? WE HAVE TO! IT ISN'T A CHOICE!

As I can see it....the example above shows our direct relationship with Christ....except He paid the ultimate price. Not only did/does he forgive us for all that we have done...but he died to insure that in the end our sin will be wiped away forever and we will be clean again. And may I add that we know the choices that we make. I know that I have made choices in my life that have hurt God my Father....if I knew what I was doing was wrong....then it was intentional! So if God can forgive my horrible behavior, then we certainly can forgive the wrongdoers in our lives.

....so let's get back to forgiveness.....
Forgiving someone is one of the hardest things to do as a human being especially when we know that someone hurt us on purpose, but we are Christians (which means Christ-like) and we must show others the true love of Christ...even if that means forgiveness for something that someone isn't even sorry for.

....one step further....
It is one thing to forgive...but it is another to show forgiveness to a person. This DOES NOT mean saying "well I guess I am going to be the bigger, Christian person and forgive you first." NO! This doesn't work! That looks like we are shoving our Holier than Thou Christian attitudes down a person's face. We MUST show a true Christian attitude meaning that when we forgive a person we actually forgive him or her. We treat them as we would want to be treated. We MUST lay down our PRIDE! I think back to Christ on the Cross. At that very moment when Christ died for our sins I am sure his pride was completely drained. He hung on a wooden cross, naked, beaten, mocked, cursed, and much more....was His pride not broken? Was he not betrayed by his family? Was he not hurt on purpose?....AND what did He do? Died and forgave us so that we may live a better life.

As Christians we must make an effort to show God's love....even in the worst situations. Even when someone has intentionally hurt us.....we must forgive and show kindness....because in the end all that person may have needed was your Christ-like attention and you may have showed them the light to a Heavenly Eternity.

Take a step back and think before you blow up....think about how proud God our Father would be of us for showing his love to someone who obviously needs it.

"All bitterness, anger and wrath, insult and slander must be removed from you, along with all wickedness. And be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving one another, just as God also forgave you in Christ."
~Ephesians 4:31~

"Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful."
~Luke 6:3~

"And whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him, so that your Father in heaven may also forgive you your wrongdoings."
~Mark 11:25~

"And forgive us our sins, for we ourselves also forgive everyone in debt to us."
~Luke 11:4~

"A person's insight gives him patience, and his virtue is to overlook an offense."
~Proverbs 19:11~

"See to it that no one repays evil for evil to anyone, but always pursue what is good for one another and for all."
~1 Thessalonians 5:15~

"Grudges are like hand grenades; it is wise to release them before they destroy you."
~Barbara Johnson~

Optimism....does anyone have it anymore?

"I am able to do all things through Christ who strengthens me."
                                                                       ~Philippians 4:13~

Why do we allow ourselves to be filled up with negativity from the world? AND WHY do we allow ourselves to be negative period? Negative people are NOT happy people...and quite frankly...they are not fun to be around. Why should we surround ourselves with people who see life as the glass is half empty? There are so many possibilities in this world. God gives us talents and blessings so that we may shed his light onto other's lives.

We should...focus on possibilities, not the road blocks (even though we will approach those road blocks and time to time failure), but don't invest YOU LIFE or even TWO SECONDS of your time on past misfortune. Instead, look to the future with optimism and hope of a better today! WE are NOT promised tomorrow, but we are promised God's love, and the best thing about God's love is that all we have to do is accept it. He wants to be a part of our lives. He wants for us to invite him in. He longs to be needed by us, and we need him in our lives daily.

Encourage your friends and family to be optimistic. Even when we do have bad days, try and find one great thing that has happened that day and focus on that. We must share God's blessings with everyone. Surround yourself with people of happiness, joy, and optimism. Do not get stuck in the rut and use it as an excuse for your life. Put God in control, and he will steer you where you need to be.

Engery Needed

"Whatever you do, do it enthusiastically, as something done for the Lord and not for men."                                                                                                                  ~Colossians 3:23~

Do you ever feel like you just do not have the energy to do one more thing in your day? Or, do you feel like you have no time to do the really important things for your life and your family? Burning the candle at both ends is very tempting. It is hard to say no sometimes, but by taking on another task we burden ourselves, and this can become potentially destructive. WE must prioritize our lives and put the important things first. This may mean saying no to someone or something we do not want to say no to, but we must lookout for our own well-being sometimes. (And the well-being of our family....especially our poor husbands who take the brunt of frustration.)

If you are a woman with too many demands and too few hours in which to meet them, do not worry because God is good, and he is here for us! Focus upon God and His love for you. Ask him to provide you with the strength you need to prioritize your life and responsibilities.

"Worry does not empty tomorrow of its sorrow; it empties today of its strength."
                                                                                                        Corrie ten Boom

REMEMBER: The best time to begin living triumphantly is the present moment!!!

Saying Sorry...

"And they spat on Him, and took the reed and began to beat Him on the head. After they had mocked Him, they took the scarlet robe off Him and put His own garments back on Him, and led Him away to crucify Him."
                                                                                                            ~Matthew 27:30-31~

So many people believe that true love means never having to say you are sorry. I feel absolutely terrible for people (especially women) who truly believe this statement. True LOVE demands that we say we are sorry when we are wrong...and sometimes even we are not. How else can our relationships be restored in a time of conflict or struggle? The power of the words "I'm Sorry" have held marriages, friendships, and even churches together. People everyday are ruining their lives due to self pride and not having the ability to say I'm sorry.

To say we are sorry is a sacrifice to our own self pride. Jesus gave the ultimate sacrifice when he shed his blood on Calvary. He gave eternal life with Him in Heaven to those who just believe. Do not estrange yourself from having a relationship with someone over two little words. In the end, right and wrong do not matter, but how we treat others is the true test. We must stand strong in the Lord and not our Pride...especially in our marriages/relationships. God calls us to be the representation of his light. Do not hide behind your pride. Take a deep breath, shut your eyes, and take a leap of faith....say you are sorry to mend any relationship that may be hurting. Who knows....it may turn out to be the BEST decision you have ever made.

Be Strong in Your Relationships

Happy marriages begin when we marry the ones we love, and they blossom when we love the ones we marry.
-- Tom Mullen

I know that this is not a bible verse, but I feel that God wants for our society to understand how IMPORTANT marriage and relationships are! We throw relationships away like garbage. As humans we long for something more...something better...we ask ourselves if we are "settling". But what we have to realize is that a marriage is NOT a right or earning, but it is a precious gift from our Heavenly Father who wanted us to experience (in a MUCH smaller way) his same feelings and marriage to the church (and his people). IF our marriages are supposed to be a symbolic representation of how much God loves the church...we are not doing our Lord and Savior any justice.

No relationship will ever be perfect, but we must work at our relationships to live a happy and fulfilling life. My pastor has the perfect illustration of how to have a successful, Christian marriage... Marriage/relationships are like a triangle. There is you, the other person, and God at the top. The closer each person comes to God, the closer the you and your spouse become to one another. What a GORGEOUS notion! As we grow closer to God, our relationships become stronger and happier!

As Christians, we must be a better example of the relationship God has with the church. We must love our spouses the way that God loves us. So when your spouse forgets to close the shower curtain, push the chair back where it goes, leaves the towel in the floor, plays x-box too long....this lists go on I'm sure.....LOVE those mistakes! It is hard! But are those mistakes worth a whole night of arguing or silence? or is it better worth it to let it go and spend those precious moments loving one another? Life is too short and each day is a gift. Do not take those moments for granted...LOVE.

Being Friends :)

"Perfume and incense bring the joy to the heart, and the pleasantness of one's friend springs from his earnest counsel."                                                                                                            ~Proverbs 27:9~
God gives us earthly relationships to make us better Christians. We carry out many different relationships throughout our life times. We have working relationships with our careers; we have close friendships and friendships that fall astray; we have relationships with our family; we have relationships with our soul mates <3; we even have relationships with our animals (we consider family or at least I do). God created us to learn how to hold relationships so that we may also learn to have a (the most important) relationship with Him. Just in general our relationships with friends and family should make us better Christians. I want to have a Christian marriage. I want for others to see God's love in my family and household. This is something I pray for everyday...stronger, Godly relationships.

Planting the Seed...

"Sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asks you a reason of the hope that is in your with meekness and fear."                                                                                                                    ~1 Peter 3:15~
I Must be a positive example of what it means to walk a Christian life. As a woman, I need to gain strength in talking to others about God and planting a seed. I am not ashamed to be a Christian, and I certainly should not be afraid to tell and share with others the joy of being a Christian.

My God of Hope and Love

"I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in him. Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit."                                                                                                                ~Romans 15:13~
When I feel like I am so down and out, discouraged and un-hopeful, and at my "whit;s end", I just need to stop, bow on my knees, and talk to God. I always feel like such a terrible person for complaining about being tired all of the time or having a bad day when I know there are so many others in this world who are suffering everyday. I truly believe God wants me to rest and be at peace with life. I need to go to him when I feel that I am struggling to the point of my end. I can count my blessings and know he is Always with me.

God's Love

"I will look unto the Lord; I will wait for the God of my salvation: my God will hear me."
                                                                                                                    ~Micah 7:7~
Right now it feels like our world is slowly closing its eyes to God and His laws, but Micah helps us to remember of God's power and love. God opens His ears and heart wide for our prayers. In the very end...we can be assured of God's love and salvation, even in the present day "ungodly" culture.

I believe it is time for us to take a stand and bring God to the forefront of our world. God loves everyone, and it must be so hard to watch His children sin in the ways we do everyday. I believe God listens to our hearts and worries. I do worry that our world is shunning God's word, but we MUST find a way to make His light shine all over.

Wisdom for Women Journal by Rachel Quillin

This is the daily devotional I am reading and writing through every day. I really love the message that God sends through Rachel Quillin. She writes about being a strong, Christian woman and how to build and live a life of faith. I encourage every woman to read and write through this daily devotional. It is life changing.

Just Listen....

"My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me."                                                                             ~John 10:27~

This verse definitely speaks to me because I need to become a better listener to everyone, but ESPECIALLY to God. God already knows my needs, but I need to know and understand what he wants me to know and see in my life. I must learn to take the time to listen to God's will and the direction He wants for my life. Sometimes I talk to much to God when all he wants is for me to listen to Him. My life will be in greater faith if I just become a greater listener.

Starting new...

"Create in me a clean heart, O God. Renew a loyal spirit within me."

~Psalm 51:10

Even in all of the confusion life brings, God is always near. All He wants is for be to ask for his help. Rebirth is given to me by God's Holy Son. Now, more than ever, it is time for me to embrace the new blessings and beginnings God is giving to me. I must open my eyes to His will, and let His will be done in my life.
 

Part of God's Family

After reading about being a part of God's family, My mind had a random epiphany <3...

~Some choose to be worldly--diverse in the doings of earthly life--I choose to be Heavenly--obeying the commands of the Lord our God in assurance of eternity with Christ.~