What happened to love?

People in this world are hurting. People want to be loved. No, people need to be loved. Love may not make the world go round, but it certainly is the driving factor behind everything we do... Or so we once thought. Many of us have been hurt by people we love, so we decide it's not worth it to feel this little four letter word anymore. We've instead decided to live like machines. We have this beautiful, beating heart that pumps blood through our organs to keep us alive, but many of us have given up on what it really means to be alive.

We pull away from people in hopes that we won't be hurt anymore. We let these perfectly beating hearts shrivel up and die inside of us, figuratively speaking. We decide we are fine doing this thing called life on our own, and we stop caring about others. We pour ourselves more into our jobs and hobbies and daily work to "appear" busy and driven and independent so that others will think we've got it all together in our lives. We have lived for ourselves just long enough to believe the lie that we don't need anyone's help or we don't need to get too close to people. We don't want them to think that we need them in any way, because that would appear weak. No one wants to appear weak.

The new American dream is to have it all together, and to have done it on your own. The independent life looks good. To not rely on anyone else, is strength. But the reality is, that we want to be loved and share those amazing moments in life that give us a pure joy that we long for as humans. But, because we have been hurt and don't trust people, we allow our hearts to harden, with no relief of letting the good in.

We have placed our hearts in things that fail. We place our hearts in the hands of humans, who are capable of hurting us and leaving us alone. We decide that if we cannot receive the same love that we put out, then we will just stop giving it out. We will stop caring. If others don't care, why should we? We lose that light inside to do good and to love others based on how other people live their lives and their reactions to ours.

Guard your heart. Know that this world is full of bad and hurt and pain, but make the decision to protect your heart. A hard heart leads to death of a bright and shining life. If we are alive long enough, we see that people will rip each other apart. They will step on each other to get where they need to be. Choose to be different. Choose to lift someone up today and show them love, because chances are, they once had a perfectly beating heart full of love, but someone crushed it. Don't be a part of stomping out the good fire, but help bring someones heart back to life by showing them that someone actually cares.

It is very clear in our world today that everyone disagrees with everything we stand for. People are so different than us. Perhaps people are so different than us and disagree with all that we stand for so well, that our own hearts are put to the test. When someone down right throws your beliefs or morals under the bus, our human reaction is to fight back. If we can't beat them, then let's join them. Let's see who can be the ugliest and who can have the most rotten of hearts. Misery loves company.

I don't want a hardened heart. I don't want to live a cynical life. I don't want to think that people are bad. I don't want to miss the whole point of life. I don't want to overlook the goodness in all people. I don't want to hate people who are different than me. I will not be threatened when someone believes in something that I don't.

What I do want, is to love. I want to give love and I want to be loved. That is what the Gospel is all about.  It is easy to love people who are not a threat to me and who agree with everything I say and believe. It is truly difficult though, to love people who completely disagree with everything I stand for. But I am not doing this on my own. I am loving through a strong, Godly love that is more powerful than any love I could muster up on my own. I have placed my heart in the hands of a Mighty God who loves me completely and who also loves every single person on this earth just as much as He loves me. He holds the world, and every single person in it, in His Mighty hands.

There are enough people out there criticizing and pointing fingers. Maybe we need to trust God better with our hearts so that we are free to love more. Maybe that's what Jesus was talking about when he wrote out the greatest commandment in the Bible...

He answered: "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind, and 'Love your neighbor as you love yourself'."
You have answered correctly, "Jesus replied. Do this and you will live". -Luke 10: 27-29

You never fail us.

Man oh man. God is good. His love never fails, never gives up, never runs out on us. This life, nothing but a breathe compared to the place He has waiting for us in Heaven. I want more of Him! Everyday I pray to be filled with His spirit. This world tries to tear us down, but Jesus loves us. He is here, holding us and carrying us through even the toughest of times. He's just waiting for us to reach out to Him. Oh Lord, wrap us in your arms, protect our hearts and help us to share your love in the best way we know how with those around us. Thank you Jesus for giving us the Holy Spirit that dwells within us, every day, every moment. God you surely are good and oh, how you LOVE us! Help us to grasp just how deep and wide your love and affections for us!

Beauty in the waiting...

One of the hardest things God can teach us: Patience. As much as I like to think I've been able to wait on the Lord, patience is not something I pray for God to teach me. I guess that's why he is in control... because that's not an area I want alot of lessons in.

Waiting is hard. Waiting is frustrating. Waiting hurts.

"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."- Isaiah 40:31

Whether you are waiting to hear news on a potential job, waiting to graduate college, waiting to conceive a baby, waiting on adoption, waiting for God to fix a problem, waiting on a spouse, waiting for God to heal your broken heart or simply waiting for God to answer last night's prayer. Waiting is difficult.

But pray to your God. He is listening! Make your desires known.

"But I call to God, and the LORD will save me. Evening and morning and at noon I utter my complaint and moan, and he hears my voice." (Psalms 55.16-17)

Take heart. We serve a God of many promises. A God that promises joy with each new day as the sun always sets and will surely rise again tomorrow. He is a God who is healer and the author of our lives. He knows what is right around the corner although it may seem like an eternity in waiting. We are closer to his glory than we think. We have a God who loves us and is for us and has a life of abundance that he is slowly unraveling before our eyes.

I pray we don't miss out on the beauty of today... Look around you. His splendor & promises surround us...

Even in those moments when it is hard to see, God is with us.

"I have set the LORD always before me; because he is at my right hand, I shall not be shaken.
Therefore my heart is glad, and my whole being rejoices; my flesh also dwells secure.(Psalms 16.8-9 )

My friend, I pray today you will be encouraged. Believe!

Then Jesus said, "Did I not tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God?" -John 11:40

My Christmas Prayer...

My prayer for this Christmas is simple, but quite complicated. It's cliche but real...

My Christmas prayer this year is that every single person out there would feel loved by at least one person... and would have some love to give. I pray everyone would have family to come home to, whether by blood or by choice. I pray each person feels an overwhelming sense of gratitude for what they have been given, that we would look beyond ourselves and seek to give to those in need. I pray the broken hearts could be mended by the power of a loving Heavenly Father. I pray we stop trying to fix people and instead wrap our arm around them and walk with them. I pray we feel the presence of our loved ones in Heaven, in those precious moments that we wish they could be here to share. I pray every child we know is loved and cared for. I pray we learn to believe in ourselves and believe in others. I pray we accept that Jesus loves us, no matter what we have done or where we have been or what we will do tomorrow... and that our hearts can rest in the simple promise that one day we will see Him face to face and hear Him say He loves us... no matter what.

You are beautiful. You are worthy. You are loved. Completely.

Merry Christmas my loved ones...

Traits of a Great Man.

A great man is not perfect. A great man is not without sin or fault. A great man does not try to be God.

But a great man does have a repentive heart. A great man leads with strength. A great man is dedicated to his family. A great man is letting God mold him through his weakness and he is becoming a better creation in Christ with each new day. A great man is obedient to his Savior, even when the world is pulling him in a million directions.

I know this because I was raised by a great man. When I think of my dad, I think of a man who is dedicated to his wife and children, through the good times and the bad times. When I think of my dad, I think of a man who always protected his little girl and made sure everyone knew she was precious to him. He encouraged her to follow her dreams, and push her a little more when she tried to give up. He always had her best interest at heart. His home was a refuge from the world. Though he was not a perfect man, he knew what was most important in life, and sent that legacy on with his grown children.

Sound like another Father you may have heard of?

And eventually, that great man would give is daughter's hand in marriage to yet another great man. A man who is dedicated. A man who works diligently to provide a home and safe place for his Bride and her children. He will encounter tough times in this life, but he will continue to be obedient to his creator and the plan He has in mind for his family. He leads with strength and integrity. He puts others before himself, and has a servant's heart. He pours into his family, cultivating them and takes great pride in the legacy he will leave. He is a great man, who recognizes he is in need of a Savior.

He too, is a mirror of the great man that he calls Heavenly Father.

This young man has taken his Bride. Together, they will face this life... one day at a time. There will be good times and there will be hard times. They will make children together and teach them the love of Jesus. They will walk humbly with their God... This great man is helping this woman to be the precious creation her Heavenly Father has in mind for her. Much like her daddy, this man is helping her to achieve her biggest dreams. He respects her, and treats her as if she is more valuable than rubies. He has children with her and helps her raise them up for greatness. He protects her, provides for her and is painting a beautiful picture of Christ's love with her through Marriage. This is a great man.

Lord, these men are a mirror of You. They are leaving a legacy because they are loving their families the way that you loved us. You gave it all up for us. You want the very best for us.

Oh Heavenly Father, thank you for blessing this simple woman with such great men. Thank you for my daddy, who was raised by a great man. Thank you for my amazing Husband, who was also raised by a great and dedicated, hardworking man. Their legacies live. My son has so many great men in his life to look up to... not only these great earthly men, but You. The Prince of Peace and King of Kings. You fill the places of our Hearts that not even our Earthly fathers can fill. My heart overflows with gratitude.

Men, the example you set for your family is important. Whether you had a good dad or not, your Heavenly father loves you and will Guide you. Women, whether you had a dad who loved you or not, your heavenly father thinks the world of you. You are so precious. He wants you to find a man who respects you and takes care of you. Our heavenly father has more love for us than we can even comprehend. Let Him heal your broken heart.

"You were taught with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by it's deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness." Ephesians 4: 22-24

"Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God." Ephesians 5:1-2

Not just a little nice girl.

"You're not good enough...

You're not as pretty as her...

She's a better mom...

You've already made a mess of things...

It's never gonna get better...

You don't deserve to be happy...

You can't..."

Just give up..."

Satan loves putting these thoughts in our head. He loves when we think of such things... And every new self degrading thought just adds fuel to his burning fire... He feeds on destruction.

We have started to believe many of these things. Slowly, the world is engulfing us. There are days when we feel our heads are barely above water. We don't think we can go on...

But there is hope. We have a powerful God on our side. We have the tangible Word of God at our fingertips. We have the freedom to pray, to worship and talk to Jesus Christ every second of every day.

Satan trembles at the thought of that.

Guess what?

Satan does not want you opening your mouth to praise a mighty God.

He does not want you to forgive that person.

He does not want you to pick up your Bible & dig in God's word.

He does not want you to admit you are in need of a Savior.

He does not want you to use your talents to make the world better.

He does not want you to fight to the death for that marriage.

He does not want you to believe in yourself.

He hates the power that prayer has in our lives.

He HATES when we fall to our knees in worship of our powerful God who will break our chains and set us free!

Satan loves that we questions our God.

He loves that we think we can handle life on our own.

He chuckles as we say we can make this marriage work without Jesus.

He smirks as we give up on ourselves and others...

But guess what Satan?

Listen to me good...

I serve a God who is bigger than you. I serve a God who's grace covers me and frees me. I have His word engrained into my heart, therefore living out in my life. I have a God who I can call on at.any.moment. And together, we will squash you and your destructive ways. We claim victory over our lives IN JESUS' name and you are UNDER OUR FEET!

Do you know why? Because Prayerful lives are Powerful lives.

When you tempt me, I will Pray.

I will throw the Living Word of God IN YOUR FACE.

Everyday, I will arm myself with Christ's Word, His armor that protects me and gives me STRENGTH to defeat you in every tempting and difficult moment you throw my way.

.......

Now, You listen to me beautiful one:

Don't you dare let Satan make you think that you cannot be set free from bondage through Christ. You are GOD'S GIRL (Beth Moore).

This is what God says about YOU:

"You are beautiful. You are worthy. You are precious. I have given you the talent to do many great things in this life. You deserve the good things in this life. Every day you breath is so important to me. YOU are important. I want you to know that I am PROUD to be your Daddy... your Heavenly father who loves you more than your Earthly father. You have what it takes. Listen...

I Love You. I Adore you... more than you could even begin to understand. I am with you. Every. Step. Of. The.Way.

Through Prayer, I will flood you with confidence.

"When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze.

For I am THE LORD YOUR GOD." - Isaiah 43:2-3

I am a wife, a mother, a daughter, a sister, a friend, a woman after God’s own heart.

I hope I never stop looking on the bright side of things.

I have faith that there is always good to be found, even in the worse situations.

I wonder what would happen if people stopped pointing fingers & examined themselves more.

I always smile. (Okay, not always, but most of the time :)

I need Jesus. Everyday.

I adore my husband & son more than you could imagine.

I enjoy a good cup of coffee and early morning walks.

I think every woman should find a man who treats her like a princess.

I never want to stop learning.

I dislike when we complain without doing anything about it.

I admire people who walk humbly through this life, putting others before themselves.

I take lots of pictures.

I give thanks daily.

I dream about what my son will be when he grows up.

I am an optimist.

I write. It is my passion.

I believe every person has a purpose & the potential to do great things in this life.

I know God’s word is the foundation for my life.

I want to make an impression in people’s hearts.

I will encourage someone everyday.

I love living this life that God has given me, through the good & the bad.

What about you?