Captivating.

I just finished this book, which was recommended to me by a good friend of mine. I think it's probably one of the best "just for woman" books I've read in a long time. It's easy to read (Which is always good for me, I don't like author's who show off with big words!) and it's helping me be more in tune with the femininity that is quickly being buried by a sinful world. It discusses struggles in a woman's upbringing and touches on our many insecurities... and how God is basically trying to remind us of our captivating beauty. Easy, real, and helpful. Good book. I hope to see some of the ladies in my oikos pick it up.

Amber and Samantha... get this book! I think you will enjoy it.

Nothin' but a big mess.

Did you know that being a Christ follower does not mean you are perfect? Did you know it means you are broken, messed up, pitiful, and in desperate need of a Savior? It might sound dumb, but it is  something that many people don’t realize. 

The only difference between a Christ follower and someone who does not believe, is that we are saved by God’s good grace. I always hear people saying, “Well, I’m not good enough to be in church. I’m screwed up. If you only knew what I’ve done. I’ve messed up way too bad. I couldn’t even forgive myself.” Any of these sound familiar?

It frustrates me at times to be labeled as “Good girl”. “She’s got it all together” or “She’s perfect”. In reality, this is so not true. Sometimes I wish I could show people how often I mess up so that they would grasp the fact that, just because I live a life in Christ, does not mean I don’t have struggles like everyone else.

 Yeah, I mess up- But I am forgiven, therefore there is no room for guilt in my life. Anything good in my life is present only because I have decided to allow Jesus into my heart.

Once upon a time, I was completely broken. I didn’t see a bright future and I didn’t have a hope for my days to get better. Do you understand that I am a sinner in desperate need of a merciful God who forgives me day after day and makes me whole again? We often overlook this simple fact. 

I don’t know how to “do life” on my own, so I have chosen to give my heart completely to the only definite hope in my life. I have given my heart to Jesus, because without him, my life is hopeless. 

I wish people would understand that it’s not about “Going to church” and “Looking like a good Christian”. It’s not about that “feeling” you have after one night of worship. It is about making a legitimate, mindful, and definite decision to dedicate your life to be a world-changer. To do this, you've got to have a relationship with Jesus. 

 Living a life for Christ is a daily struggle that constantly needs TLC. It is a huge responsibility but it is the most rewarding decision you will ever make in your life. It is about daily growing closer to your savior and being on a mission to make this messed up world a better place.

So next time you feel guilty for something, and say, “That church would burn if I walked in there” or “God wouldn’t be able to use me to change this world” , just remember that my closest “Church” friends and I were once broken people who have struggled with drug abuse, jealousy, alcohol abuse, abortion, pre-marital sex, adultery, pornography, and the list goes on. 

We are sinners saved by grace who would not be able to positively influence this world if not for the mercy and forgiveness offered to us by a heavenly father who gives us the wisdom and freedom to move on from our dirty pasts. 

The bible is not something we “have to” read. It is something we desperately need to cling to so that our wicked hearts would not lead us down a destructive path that would do nothing but hurt the people we love the most. 

The bible is a powerful tool created to show us what to do when life gets tough. And it is a daily reminder of how much our father in heaven loves us and wants to use us to make the world a better place. It is not made to condemn us, no. It is made to free us. 

No one can make the decision but you. No one will force you to change your life in order to become the kind of person Christ can use to influence your world. It’s up to you to seek forgiveness. It’s not easy. It takes tons of discipline. It hurts at times and it is difficult. But it is what our future generations need. Will you be a world-changer? Because without the presence of Jesus, our lives are nothin’ but a big mess.

“If there is only one thing that people would remember from my life after I pass, I hope they would say I left it a better place than when I got here.”

(Thanks to Pastor Paul for his great message that pumped me up to write this blog).

Would you do me a favor?

Hey Friends,

I don’t usually do this, but I find myself in need of the people God has placed in my life. I will officially graduate with my Bachelor’s of Arts in Communications in June ’09. To some of you, you may not think this is quite a big deal, but for me, it is huge! I have been in school for about seven years now, trying to finish a four year degree =) What the heck, right? It is something that I want so bad, and so many times I felt like throwing my hands in the air and giving up. But God knows my heart and my desire to earn that degree, and he has been so gracious in enabling me to keep going and here I am, with three quarters left. I struggled my first few years with having the confidence to go to college, but God has been so amazing to me and reminded me that through him, I can do anything.

I am asking whoever would like to, to pray for me this year, that I would not be too anxious for June to get here. I want to continue putting God first in all I do and give him the glory for any accomplishment I might receive. I ask that you would pray that I take one day at a time, and remember to count all of my blessings that I have right in front of me. Pray that I continue to be a world changer, a wife that would bring glory to God, and a friend available to offer help to anyone who needs it. I don’t want to get so caught up in that light at the end of the tunnel, that I forget to focus on today. I have been so blessed to have such a wonderful husband who encourages me and pushes me to achieve my goals on a daily basis. His hard work is a huge part of why I will be able to graduate, and for that, I am so grateful.

I know my heart is anxious right now, because along with finishing school, I am getting that baby fever! When you are married to a man who loves the Lord and whom you know will make an amazing father, it is really hard not to want to pop out some little ones! So, I ask for you to pray also for me in this area. I want everything to be in God’s perfect timing, not in mine. I want God to speak to my heart and remind me that all of these thoughts in my mind are completely out of my control. I want to be reminded that nothing is certain in this life but him, and it is there that I know I will find peace in my heart. 

“But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of it’s own” - Matthew 6: 33-34

“Then Jesus said to his disciples, “If any of you would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it.” - Matthew: 16: 24-25

Thank you so much for taking the time to read this, and I especially thank you if you would remember to pray for me. I know that God puts people in our lives for a reason, even if we don’t always see them. I want to make myself available to pray for you also. If you have anything specific that I can be praying for you in this season of your life, please don’t hesitate to let me know. I often pray for my friends as a whole, but I would love to know what I can be praying for you specifically. My e-mail is Mindyclark0803@yahoo.com  Remember, we are all in this together! Thanks again and have a wonderful day!

Mindy =)

Take it or leave it.

Here is an excerpt from something I have been working on that I wanted to share... I wrote it so that we ladies would feel encouraged and motivated!

" I am a beautiful, strong woman who is important and worthy of every good thing Jesus has prepared for me in this world. I will work hard at whatever it is I do and focus my entire life on the promises Jesus has provided for me in his word. I can do anything I set my mind to so long as I trust Jesus to guide my every footstep.  I will live a life that is purposeful, meaningful, and always helpful to others. I will stop trying to prove myself to the world, but rather, dedicate my life to encouraging those around me to show them how beautiful and important they are as well. I will stop complaining and start doing. I can be used by God to make a difference in this world but I’ve got to have faith. I have decided today to think positively and expect only the best from life. I will stop trying to figure out everything on my own and learn to lean on my sweet Jesus for anything I will ever need in this life."

I too, need to be reminded of this! I am certain that if we do not continually remind ourselves, that we are bound to forget!

Woman to woman: Getting to the heart of things.

Let's face it, women have sensitive, gentle hearts. We are the ones who cry for no reason and get our feelings hurt. It is the way we were created. If our hearts have become hardened through the years, it is most likely because we have been hurt and put our guard up. We hide from our feminine traits and put our tough skin on.

We are protecting ourselves from our greatest fear: abandonment. We don't ever want to be alone in this world, and I'm not talking about alone time on occasion, I mean we want to be surrounded by people who love us and approve of us on a daily basis. 

As single women our greatest fear is that we will never find that man who will love us in that "fairy tale" sort of way and as married women, we fear that our husbands and/or children may one day leave us somehow. 

God created a woman to be lovely and graceful, something we fight against in our world today. In this day and age, women are expected to be sweet, but also tough. We are supposed to be submissive but also overly independent. 

We are given the word of God but live in a world that tells us to go to college, find this amazing career, and prove our worth and independence because after all, we can do anything a man can do, right? None of this is bad, it's just so confusing.

Don't get me wrong, I am so grateful to have a freedom that allows me to do just about anything a man can do in this world, but it is time that I focus on and embrace the true beauty of womanhood. Every woman longs to be feminine and lovely. 

We want to be the most beautiful thing in the world to our husbands or future husbands. We want to hear from our men that we are the woman of their dreams, and when that doesn't happen on a daily basis, we doubt ourselves and complain that our husbands are not showing us enough affection.

This is where the holy spirit comes in. Before we can feel lovely for a man, we need to understand that our creator thinks that we are the most amazing, beautiful creatures on the planet. We want to feel needed and worthy, and sometimes we don't get that from the men in our lives, so we get down on ourselves. 

We, like men, need to seek wisdom and realize our true worth. I'm not talking about proving ourselves as being like men, I am talking about embracing our gentleness, our inner beauty, and our lovely spirits; all things that have been considered weak in this world. Our confidence needs to come from the holy spirit, not man. 

If we want to be that adored woman that is surrounded by people who love her and think the world of her, we need to know that God designed us a specific way, and embrace it. I'm not saying be weak, but rather, a strong Godly woman. We need to dig in the word of God and become praying warriors. 

We often under estimate how much men really do need us in this world. Our husbands, if anyone, need our encouragement and our prayers on a daily basis, just as much as we need that affection from them. We often have no problem complaining to them about what they are doing wrong, but very seldom do we take a step back and look within our own hearts and realize that we may not be giving them what they need as well. 

Everyday, they are living in a sinful world and trying to be the men that God created them to be. They are trying to influence the world as well and let's just face it, they want to be needed and admired in their "man worlds" too. There are days when he feels like his work wasn't good enough or he didn't provide financially the way he had hoped.

 He may come home from the office feeling like a failure, then just imagine.... he gets home and opens the door and the first thing he sees is a lovely woman who had been praying for him all day, a woman who greets him with a sweet smile and nothing but a big kiss and words of encouragement. She is lovely. She reminds him that he is truly admired and he sees God's beauty in her face.

Now, some of you may want to puke right about now, or say, "That will never happen in this house", but what if it did? Doesn't practice make perfect? Do you think that if we would pray daily for our husband's thoughts and our own hearts that it could be a reality? Why get married if you are not going to work hard and give it all you've got?

Do you think that if we would focus on the positives traits of our husbands that he would want to love us more? It's totally up to you. I'm not saying I am perfect or that this happens everyday, because I don't even have children yet, but I am certainly determined and I am going to start now. 

There have been plenty of older woman who tell me, "just you wait, give it 5 or 10 years and you will see that none of this lasts". Well, I have faith that God loves me, thinks I am lovely and wants to bless my husband and I with a glorious marriage. I'm tired of trying to be tough and acting like I don't need "man" in general to take care of me.

 God designed me to be feminine and lovely, something a man can never do. Women, today I challenge us, whether you agree with this entry or not, that we would pray for our husbands and try to be the woman he adores. 

Also, I pray that we would understand and truly grasp how lovely we are to the one who created us. Being a woman is not easy, and I'm sure it will get much harder as the years go on, but we have our Jesus to help us, every step of the way.

For the single ladies, you keep your focus on God and his word, and I promise you (from experience), God will bring you a man who will be worth all of this. Obedience is key.

"A wife of noble character who can find? She is worth far more than rubies. Her husband has full confidence in her and lacks nothing of value. She brings him good, not harm, all the days of her life." Proverbs 31: 10-12

(To any woman reading this that has been in an abusive relationship, I cannot give advice in this area, but I pray that you would realize your beauty and worth, have faith in God, and seek help as soon as possible from a pastor or local authorities. No woman deserves to be physically or mentally abused.)

1 year anniversary...

On Sunday, Marcos and I will be celebrating our 1 year anniversary! So without getting too sappy on you, I just wanted to express my thanks to my hubby. This first year of marriage has been an amazing start to our journey together. I am so thankful that God has blessed my life with Marcos. I love being a wife, and I pray that God will always keep me motivated to be the best wife I can be to my husband. 

Going from single to married is a big transition. It's not a cake-walk but it is such a blessing. There were certainly many nights when I felt I couldn't get dinner cooked just right or I turned my hubby's khaki pants pink on accident. And how about when I buy too many groceries and half of them go bad... Well these are just a few things I've experienced that I am really trying to work on. But my husband was always there to tell me I did a great job and to keep on truckin'. 

I'm sure my husband has felt the pressure of learning to take care of someone as well, but the beauty is that we are both learning and growing together. I'm sure I can speak for my husband and I both when I say we are so grateful for all of the married couple's who gave us their time and advice when we were faced with an issue we weren't sure how to deal with. 

I have been blessed to be surrounded by some Godly women who have taught me so much this past year. I feel like I have learned a lot this year about being a Godly wife, and I know I will continue to learn something new everyday. 

To name a few ladies who have truly showed me by example the beauty of a Godly wife and mother, Heidi Gostanian, Cassie Beardsley, Brandi Huff, Kelly Nordstrom, and Wendi Kuhl. These ladies have taken time to share their lives with me and each one has given me just a little more motivation to be a better wife every time I am around them. 

I just wanted to encourage all of the wives out there, this is why it is so important for us to love our Lord and our Husbands... so that the young wives will learn to do the same. I am a blessed wife with an amazing husband, and I thank God everyday for my marriage. My prayer today is that I will become the kind of wife that encourages other women to be the best wife they can be, just like so many ladies I know have done for me.

Here is a picture of the "love fern" Marcos and I planted in our wedding ceremony.... it was really small then, and after a year of TLC in my parent's yard, that thing is growing!

Colorado.

My husband and I are still in Beautiful Colorado and this is the first time in awhile I have had the chance to get online. We are having fun spending time with Marcos' dad's side of the family. We went camping for a few days, stayed in a cabin for a few days, and now we are staying with Marcos' grandmother in Ft. Collins, Colorado.

I have personally enjoyed getting to know my husband's family and hearing tons of stories. I never had the opportunity to meet Marcos' grandfather, Johnny Clark who passed away a few years before I met Marcos, but after hearing many stories about him, I can tell that so many of his Christian ways have been passed down to my husband. It is neat to see a good man, generation after generation.

I do miss my own family, but the beauty of marriage is that you gain even more wonderful family members and it has been fun getting to know them. Well, hope everyone is doing well... and when we get home, I will probably be back to blogging some more. Take care friends.