Sharing Your Story For Good

Secrets…. Fear… Judgement… Pain…

We all have experienced these feelings.   We push the event downward, or we avoid talking about it.  But did you know that by sharing we can heal and let go of the shackles that are holding us back from becoming all that we were meant to be?  Step out in Faith.

Do you have a story stored deep inside that needs to find its way out?  Is it a work of God in your life, or an experience that He has delivered you from or given you the strength to endure?

We all have stories that define and refine us to make us new.    Our stories can help others, and are powerful tools for building Gods Kingdom.

We may at times in our lives feel like we are in a storm, but the storm happens for the good of His kingdom.  God calls us to share and it is by sharing that we defeat the evil one and spread the good that has happened in this life. Your story can bring hope, joy and lift the fear whether it is for you or another.

• “You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.” Genesis 50:20 (NIV)
• “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere—“ Acts 1:8 (NIV)
• “Let each generation tell its children of your mighty acts; let them proclaim your power. I will mediate on your majestic, glorious splendour and your wonderful miracles.  Your awe-inspiring deeds will be on every tongue; I will proclaim your    Everyone will share the story of your wonderful goodness; they will sing with joy about your righteousness.” Psalm 145:4-7 (NLT)

We need to realize in this life we are not in control of “what” happens.  The “what” is all up to God, but there is one thing we can control – we can control our response.    If we choose to respond by leaning on God and to respond by opening up and sharing, supporting, and loving one another,  can ignite a power beyond all understanding.  

• “Listen, O Israel! The LORD is our God, the LORD alone.  And you must love the LORD your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your strength.   And you must commit yourselves wholeheartedly to these commands that I am giving you today.  Repeat them again and again to your children.  Talk about them when you are at home when you are on the road, when you are going to bed and when you are getting up.”  Deuteronomy 6:4-7 (NLT)

God wants us to share, to support, to love.    He wants to direct our paths, and speak the world through us.   The devil comes to steal and convinces us that our story is not worth sharing, and wants to keep us silent. 

Self-Discovery and Story Framing

Questions to navigate through as we discover the stories deep down inside of us:

• What were the moments in my life that created changes in me as a person? Who was involved?  (Ponder)
• Did these moments change the direction of my life? If I was to sum up my experiences into one word what would it be? (DISCUSSION)
• If I was to sum up my experiences into a statement or sentence what would it be? (DISCUSSION)
• What verse in the bible has impacted me the most on this journey we call life? (DISCUSSION)
• Who was I before these moments occurred?
• How did I meet Jesus in these moments of my life? What did I learn?
• What was the “good” that came out of these moments?

 

Sharing My Story

It may feel outside of your comfort zone to share, or you may feel unsure.   Remember that the devil comes to steal; are the words that you are hearing – words of love or self-condemnation?   Some key points to remember when you choose to share your story:

• Sharing my story builds understanding of Jesus’ power to save and heal.
• Sharing my story builds others and brings down the walls we build inside to protect.
• Sharing my story can be based on my level of comfort (written, to let go of the feelings inside, or with friends/family). I can pray for direction here.
• Sharing my story will help myself and others.

 

“Not only so, but we[a] also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance;  perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.”Romans 5:3-5 (NIV)

If you are unsure about how much you want to share, pray, give it to God and He will direct your paths.  The voice inside us is powerful and can build others up.  Shine your light.

Today take the first step, pause and pray, and write down 2 people you can share your story with:

1)

2)

You are also welcome to share your story with me, you can email me at nesschesters@gmail.com

May you be blessed.

Sharing our Stories for Good

We all have a story, but did you know they were meant to be shared for good?   We all have gone through experiences that have built us to be the person we are today.     He has built us for good…

Too often we build up a shield after we experience something to protect us from the pain. But let me ask you, isn’t He there to protect you? Isn’t our Father there to guide us, to help us heal, to aid us in letting go and giving it to Him?

“You’re here to be light, bringing out the God-colors in the world. God is not a secret to be kept.” Matthew 5:14 (MSG)

Do you have a story inside that you know someone can benefit from hearing?   Have there been instances where you have felt a little nudge at your heart, asking you to share?

I will tell you this much, not once did I ever think in my own life that a girl who was bullied for most of her life and didn’t love herself, or a girl that was raped and physically assaulted, or a girl that fractured her neck and nearly lost her life was built for good.   Looking back on my life, I realized that all of these experiences built empathy, courage, and aided me in realizing I am not alone.  

Our wonderful Father uses this for the good of others.   But first you have to take the hardest step….

Forgive.

Then you have to…

Let go and give it to God.

He will use it in a way you would have least expected.       Today I want to share a story with you all where I know it is used for His good.   The courage, love and miracles in this story will amaze you. God is here with us every moment.   I am so thankful I broke my neck 3 ½ years ago on a family trip because I would never have seen how one can turn into many.

Here is Coffy’s story:

Just sharing my story with the hope of help for my 6 children and I. My name is Coffy. I am a 39 year old single mother of six, ages 1 ½, 3, 4, 6, 10, and 12. I was born and raised in San Francisco, however I moved to San Mateo County after having my 2nd child. As anyone I have had my struggles, but I continued to fight to rise above them. In 2012, my younger children’s father walked out on us while I was 7 months pregnant with our fourth son. I thought to myself, “How will I ever make it without him?” I hadn’t been working; we had no money! I was devastated and in a dark place but I immediately started looking for a job. Soon after delivery, I was employed and on my way to being self-sufficient and a provider for my children. Life was looking AWESOME….I pulled it all together even when I thought I couldn’t! I was paying for my son’s’ to go to a Christian private school and my daughter goes to a College Prep School. I was so proud of myself and all my children. I never thought, not for one second, my life could get any worse than it was when he left me…Boy Was I Wrong!!!Thursday, February 20th at exactly 6:47 a.m., all our lives were changed forever. While turning onto a freeway entrance, my children and I were victims of a hit and run. The guy who hit us caused our truck to flip violently across the freeway as he drove away. After the 4th or 5th flip, I lost count. My children’s screams, “Mommy, Mommy, Help Us!” is all I could hear now.” “Hold on Babies, Mommy’s Coming, Mommy’s Coming…Mommy’s Coming! (Please Lord, let me get to them!)” Now we’re skidding and I see a glimpse of what I thought was light which I believed to be a clear path to slide until we stopped. It turned out to be a burial of white concrete bricks and I thought to myself, “Oh God, no please, we’ll blow up!” Simultaneously, the Lord flipped our truck away from the bricks. We flipped three more times and finally came to a sliding stop on the roof. Everybody was screaming. My head was pounding and my left arm was burning and wouldn’t move. At the time, what I didn’t know is that I would later hear the Doctor tell me my neck was broken from the C5 to C7 on both sides. Spring into action, “Go, Go, Go”, I keep telling myself, but I can’t move. My legs are pinned under the dash, I’m losing feeling in my left hand…my left arm is burning and my left leg is tingling. I started to silently pray and then I hear my 12 year old daughter scream out, “Our Father who art in Heaven” My sons are now praying. God is so good he allowed my feet to pull free! Now I go for my seat belt. Not thinking to brace myself, I unstrapped it and my head crashed to the roof. My daughter screams out “Your head is bleeding” totally dazed and more than confused I was able to shimmy backward out the window. I kept saying out loud, “Stay Awake” and “Lord be with us. Please let me get them out first”. It was the screams of my children that kept me up. My four year old hops out quick; the rest are in shock. I’m crawling on the ground trying to get to the baby, but I’m losing consciousness. I feel someone grab me it hurts… I scream, “No, I gotta get my babies out of here” and I hear, “We’re going to help you.” I stop and look up, he picks me up and suddenly there are people everywhere and before I knew it they were all in action. I keep going in and out of consciousness I hear 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 we got them all!” I started screaming, “No, 6! There are 6…6 I look up and my daughter was trapped, not only were her feet and legs pinned under the dash, now the truck was smoking. I screamed, “Please, my Daughter, my Daughter!” I try to get up and run, but I fall. The closer I get they yell out; “Get away from the truck!” I scream out, “Please help her! You got to get her out.” They are holding me back as I dig my nails into the cement trying to pull myself to the truck. I’m almost to the truck and he picks me up and says, “I have to get you away from the truck; it’s smoking.” Then I hear, “I have a fire extinguisher.” I lose my mind and drop! Crawling, clawing, and pushing away, I make it to my daughter. She looks at me and says, “Mommy, I can’t get out. I’m stuck!” I don’t know what to say to her. With every, bit of faith I had I say, “No baby, you’re free, just push yourself out of there!” All praise be to God, because she pushed and they pulled, and I heard, “We got her!” Not one of them was physically hurt except for a scratch on my daughter’s shoulder, however mentally their lives have been changed forever. They are now tormented with PTSD and flash backs, both in their sleep and while they are awake. I on the other hand went through an eight hour surgery to repair my neck and nerves. I was in the hospital for 3 weeks. I lost the use of my left side for the first 9 days. Slowly, I began to learn to walk again, however I can’t feel my leg. I’ve also lost feeling in the left arm and hand. When I was hospitalized, I got tired of repeating this tragedy, so I shared a piece on Facebook for family and friends. It was also at the recommendation of the doctor who was concerned with my mental health. When I could talk I made a call to a lifelong friend to get some help. He found me a lawyer who shattered all hope. He told me I had no case since I had no plate number or information on the other driver. He had nothing to go on and that since I only had liability, unfortunately, I would be walking away from it all with only my injuries! I was so devastated. How can this be? We’re the victims. How could you not help us?”Based on the disappointing news from the lawyer, I decided to advocate for myself. I called CHP to get a copy of the report. When I received the report it made no sense to me. I took it to victim services who told me it was the first time in their career that they had ever seen such a shallow report. She also raised the point of why there was no follow-up after the accident. I mean after all, there were cameras at the intersection where the accident occurred, as well as, all through the parking lot in front of the airport. The cameras were never checked. That car was next to me at least 60 seconds before the light changed and no one even bothered to get the plate number and now it may be too late to retrieve it. I also showed the shallow report to a Daly City Police Detective who said, “Where’s the rest?” and after reading it completely, he looks up and says, “It’s amusing that the last sentence of this report says no injuries to report! Are they serious? Your neck is broke!” That confused me even more. No injuries to report, wow unbelievable. Something is definitely wrong here. Someone messed up big time. I’m so lost I don’t know what to do. I’m not looking for pity. I’m looking for help! I’m looking for justice! This is the most difficult thing I’ve ever had to do. My children and I have no quality of life. I can’t get my three older children to school, so they stay in San Francisco at my dad’s in a studio. I am a prisoner of my home…. I can’t pick up my son, nor anything over 5 pounds. Nor, can I do anything for myself physically. Here I was an IHSS care giver and just yesterday I had a visit from an IHSS worker and I am now a patient. That broke me down to the core of my soul. If I wasn’t strong willed, I’d give up. But that’s never been me; especially with regards to my children. This is not fair. My children and I just put our lives back together. I’d been working only a year. All of my focus was on continuing to build myself up so I could be a strong single mom. I had not one sick day out all year! I was striving to be a productive person my goal was to give back to the people and community that gave to me as I have all my life. On February 20th that was all taken away from me and my children. No matter what, I will continue to fight my way back to get as close as I can to being 100% of who I was before the accident. Therapy brings mind blowing pain, but without it I won’t have any function of my arms which only rise to my shoulders. If it’s God’s will, I will regain full use and feeling of my left side. I just want to reiterate, I’m not looking for pity. I’m looking for help to get justice and a peace of mind for my children as well as myself. As if the accident wasn’t enough….just as I’m starting to try to adjust to life as a broken neck survivor, Murphy’s Law hit me harder than ever! May 13, 2014, 1:37 a.m. I am awoken by my care giver who is my mother. I’m confused as to why she is shaking me with such force then I hear her say, Fire! I say, “What”? She says, “We got to get out of here.” I’m dizzy from my meds, but I get up! I go to run to my children and I hear they’re outside already. I break down as I watch the flames melt the paint and make its way violently through what was my house. I’m in shock. I see the flames tapping at the window where my son lays his head Dear Lord…is this really happening? I should be making my way out of the house, but all I can do is focus on my life and the events that are occurring. Am I really going to lose my house and everything I tried so hard to give my children? We just moved in six months ago! Before I know it, I’m on the curb watching my house and the two houses next to it where the fire started burn to its leisure. I stood there until 3am and watched my house burn praying that we have something left. We stood there with no shoes half-dressed freezing, my children traumatized crying to my mother as they trembled and I stood there in a neck brace not able to comfort either one of them physically not even hold my baby. My 4 year old starts praying, I break down he says mom, we’ll be OK. God will take care of us. I’m amazed at his courage and draw strength from him. I’m told we cannot go back into the house until the next day…I’m devastated. I was given a referral to the Red Cross for temporary housing and shelter referrals. Wait what…did he just say shelter?! Lord why….why is this happening to us? So here we sit all 8 of us in a 1 bedroom shelter with 1 bed and 1 bunk bed. Don’t get me wrong, I thank the lord for putting a roof over our heads; and I also think of all that was lost some things can’t be replaced. Feb. 20th I lost myself to a broken neck. I’ve not yet found myself. May 13th, I lost my children’s home and most of our belongings. Yes, I did sift through the rubble to see what I could save, but with the damage not much was salvageable. It’s now September 10th and we are still at the shelter. I have 80 days left to find permanent housing or I lose my Section 8 voucher. Which leaves my children and me in the shelter until our time here is up. We have nowhere to go, Lord please help us! My girlfriend started a fund for us 2 days after the fire. A prayer for my children and I is all I ask for. If your heart compels you to do more…..God bless you.!  https://fundly.com/for-coffy-fam-a-little-help-to-bounce-back

Thank-you Father for this opportunity to know these people through You and your work in my life.

I pray for Coffy and all of your children, may they trust in You and Your works Lord.  May they give it all to YOU.  I pray for this in Jesus Name Amen ~ Vanessa

I choose to TRUST and LET IT GO

Have there been moments in your life where you have felt helpless?   Or where you were wishing for a miracle?

Many have experienced moments in their lives where they have felt helpless or wished for a miracle.  We want things to revert back to the normal instantly. 

It is funny how life works…  I believe that life happens, we get wrapped up in the business, the events, and the accumulation of “stuff” and then all of a sudden something happens in which we have no control.   It could be health, loss of a job, money issues, or uncertainty of tomorrow.  

God does not cause these things to happen, but allows for life to happen.   Like most parents, we can give the information to our children, but the decisions they make are all up to them.    We are not in control of the choices they make; all we can do is stand by, offer guidance and support to help them through.      But the amazing thing about God is that his guidance is beyond comprehension.  He is a miracle worker.   

Sometimes though, there is something we need to learn before life can change.  The learning is for our own good.

It wasn’t long ago that I fractured my neck; C1 burst fracture that only 50% survive an injury and of that 50% a small percentage of people are able to function normally.  During that time in my life, He showed me that Trusting in Him makes all the difference.

“She had heard the reports about Jesus and came up behind him in the crowd and touched his garment. For she said, “If I touch even his garments, I will be made well.” And immediately the flow of blood dried up, and she felt in her body that she was healed of her disease.”  (Mark 5:27-29, ESV)

How we choose to respond to these situations in our lives makes all the difference.  I truly believe that the power of choice can create all the difference. 

I also believe that doctors do not know it all.   They hypothesize based on past practice or conclusions are drawn based on what is the “norm”. 

Let me ask you this… Have you seen things happen in your life that do not follow the “norm”?

Have events happened beyond all comprehension?  Or do you have to see in order to know that all things with God are perfect, and full of wonder?

He is a miracle worker.  All He asks is that we come to Him, Trust in Him completely (Let it Go to God), and let Him lead.  

This is hard for us to do at times as so much we would like to control what is happening.

The one thing that all of us have the power to do – is control our response.

Do you believe in miracles my friend?  Do you believe that He can help you navigate through the uncertainty?

Take a step out in faith and Trust.  Pray, and lift up your worries to Him.

I can tell you from first hand, Miracles do happen, I am one of them.

 Do you have any suggestions for our readers of a time where you stepped out in faith?  What happened?  How did you feel?  Sharing has ripple effects.

 

~Luv Ness

Guest Post ~ Naomi Fata Discerning the voice of guilt

How often do you hear yourself or someone else saying,  “ I just feel so guilty for not______________”?

Many times we fill in that blank with something we feel we should be doing but aren’t doing or some area we feel we aren’t measuring up to a standard (God’s or men’s).

Among women I find this to be more prominent than men – maybe because guilt is imprinted on our hearts since Eve first ate the forbidden fruit and so for that rest time women feel like it is our fault – we aren’t good enough – the enemy grabs onto our floundering emotions and continues to speak these lies into our minds.

As women we have a standard of perfection – the perfect house – the perfect kids – involvement in every activity under the sun (whether in church or out of church) – if our kids are lagging behind in some area we feel we have failed as a mother and feel guilty that it is our fault. The list goes on and on.

Is there a difference between false guilt and true conviction of the Holy Spirit when we have sinned against our Father? I believe there is. The guideline for me is that repentance of false guilt brings no alleviation to our feelings – conviction brings reconciliation and restoration. When we are convicted of sin and confess our sins He will forgive us and cleanse us (I John 1:9) Also Romans 8:1-4 Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, 2because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death. 3For what the law was powerless to do because it was weakened by the flesh, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh to be a sin offering. And so he condemned sin in the flesh, 4in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. (http://biblehub.com/niv/romans/8.htm)

But if you step back for a minute……ask God this question

Is it God’s will for you to continue to live in continual guilt?

Before we can move forward in dealing with our guilt we must understand that God does not intend for us to constantly be in a state of guilt. Jesus died on the cross, paying the price for our sin, bringing us to reconciliation with the Father when we receive Him. Therefore the only time we should feel guilty is if we have sinned and not confessed. Continual guilt that stems from what we think we should be doing or how we think we have failed God’s standard often has to do with a false set of standards.

It is easy to build our Christian lives on standards of involvement with church, attaining holiness and becoming a great Christian. However God’s standard is ‘Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.’  (John 15:4-5) To abide or remain is to fellowship continually with Him – to have our hearts resting in His presence – to be listening to His voice – receiving spiritual food from His Spirit (through the reading of the Word and through our personal relationship with Him)

Guilt can be a form of bondage. I say this from experience. False guilt held me in a place away from the love of God. It had to do with inner issues of insecurity, shame, lack of self-worth. All this comes when we do not know who we are in Christ and therefore do not know how to protect ourselves from the attack of the enemy when he speaks to us as the voice of guilt.

A common problem is that many (including myself at one time) never consider guilt as something that could come from the enemy but always think it is the conviction of the Holy Spirit.

The enemy comes to kill, steal and destroy (John 10:10). Guilt kills, steals and destroys our fellowship with God. And false guilt has no avenue to reconciliation because repentance of false guilt only brings further condemnation rather than restoration to fellowship. Often this false guilt has more to do with a vague sense that we should be doing better for Christ than a true conviction of sin which comes from disobeying God’s law.

Once we know the truth about guilt – that it is not God’s will for us to live in a continual state of guilt – we have a choice.

We can choose to continue to live in the condemnation of guilt which is also choosing to deny the power of the cross, through which we can be set free from this bondage. Or we can choose to go to God moment by moment, day by day, asking Him to give us the power through His Spirit to discern between false guilt and true conviction. We can diligently seek to work with Him to renew our minds with truth, counteracting the enemies’ lies with the truth of Scripture. We can read books written by godly people which will help us recognize our inner issues which may have been feeding our guilt.

The choice is ours – what will we choose?

 Naomi writes for Christian Resource Ministry you can find her here : http://naomifata.com/

Cross:  http://www.freefoto.com/preview/05-08-5/Cross-on-a-Hill

Dark clouds: http://www.publicdomainpictures.net/pictures/20000/nahled/dark-clouds-1300481177Gy4.jpg

And the Storm Rages On

Many times over the past few years I have felt like my ship was sinking.  Sometimes, it felt like there was a hole in the sail or water was seeping through the floorboards. The wind blew so hard on the sails that I felt like I had to grab on tightly to save my life.   People around me were suffering, I saw pain.  

I wanted to steer the boat in a direction where there would be smooth sailing.  And many times I asked, God where are you in this storm of life?

There are moments when I am just so scared, and the fear seeps in. 

I have come to realize that I am not in control what happens in life to me or the ones I love.   

We cannot control what happens, but we can control how we respond.

It is hard to relinquish control when you are use to being a person that just likes things “organized” or “predictable”.   In this wonderful life, we are not in control of what happens to us.   We are simply called to respond in a way that allows the heart to be open, to soften, to be there for the people that we love, and to support one another. 

There is always going to be the rush of waves, and the storms that rage.  We cannot steer the ship alone, we must give the helm to God.   He wants us to come to Him, so he can give us rest. He wants us to trust that He will carry us through.

Yes my sails have gotten damaged, my boat may have pieces of paint missing, and at times I am drenched, but I know I will be carried through.   The one thing that I know I can control is my response, and I do not have to come unglued in the moments that take my sails on a different course.

I know there have been times while sailing, that the ocean was as calm as can be, and the sun reached out beyond the clouds to touch and warm my face.  

• Children laughing so hard their guts hurt.
• Family around a table and enjoying a meal with smiles and good food.
• Feeling the weight being lifted as I forgive the hurt.
• Being in the presence of God’s country, the deer peaking their heads through the trees.
• Getting a hug from someone I love, feeling the love so deep.
• A good laugh with a group of friends and the people I love.
• Seeing the stars sparkle in the sky.
• Hearing the words, I love you.

You see, these experiences, the waves and the storms have opened my eyes and washed away the anxious heart.   They have built a stronger ship that can steer through any storm.  We all have to sail the storm, but it is how we sail that makes all the difference.

We cannot control the waves or the storms, but we can definitely bring an umbrella, and hold hands in the rain.

Thank-you God for steering the helm in a direction that brings us relief. I trust in You.

May you be blessed my friend, there is always sunshine after the rain. Is there a storm you are navigating through today on your own?   He is waiting for you to ask Him to steer…

                One day Jesus said to his disciples, “Let’s go over to the other side of the lake.” So they got into a boat and set out. As they sailed, he fell asleep. A squall came down on the lake, so that the boat was being swamped, and they were in great danger. The disciples went and woke him, saying, “Master, Master, we’re going to drown!” He got up and rebuked the wind and the raging waters; the storm subsided, and all was calm. “Where is your faith?” he asked his disciples. (Luke 8:22-25)

Advent Week 4 – Renewal

Over the past four weeks, I have written about the following themes:

1)    Rest

2)    Reflection

2)    Hope

3)    And now, Renewal

God wanted me to hear the words I was writing, especially in this season.  My heart has been heavy over the past couple of months.   Heavy with burden, heavy because I feel the pain that others are going through.    My heart has been softened by the hand of God, and sometimes I just wish I could take the pain away.   I know that this is not my role, it is God’s.  He is in control, and He will relieve the suffering in His perfect time.

Matthew 11:28-29 ²⁸ “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. ²⁹ Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.

 

Is your heart heavy this time of year, especially when we see such turmoil across the land? 

Or is it light? 

Have you lifted up your thoughts, worries and prayers? 

Have you stopped making lists and allowed the peace, joy and serenity to fill your mind?

May I trust in You, Lord, and do good;

May I dwell in the land and feed from Your faithfulness.

When I delight myself in You,

You will give me the desires of my heart.

I will commit my way to You and trust in You,

And you will bring it to pass.

You will bring forth my righteousness like the light,

And my justice like the noonday.

May I rest in You and wait patiently for You;

I will not fret because of those who prosper in their way,

Because of those who practice evil schemes. (Psalm 37:3-7)

 

We are entering the most wonderful time of the year. This is a time when our Saviour was born to bring us peace, understanding, and freedom from the shackles.    All we have to do is Trust, and give it all to the Divine workings of our Maker.   

During this Christmas Season, renew your mind; allow the peace, joy, understanding to consume your thoughts.    Remove the lists, the running, and enjoy every moment.    Immerse your thoughts in love and joy, and thanksgiving.

As I close before the Christmas season, I am going to give my worries, thoughts and fears to God so that I can concentrate on the “right” things this time of year.   So thankful for you Jesus, thank-you for always being there and coming into this world to save us.

 

My Christmas Note to God

Where are you Christmas?

Why is there so much pain?

I pray for those families who are dealing with loss of a loved one.  I pray for You to bring them solace and peace of mind during this season in their lives.  I know You can –  our wonderful Saviour.

Where are you Christmas?

Why are so many in need?

I pray for You to bring hope to those in need during these difficult times.

I pray for my family, bring them strength during this season in our lives.

I come to you Lord and I must lay down all of these burdens, expectations and requests at your feet..  They are too much for me to carry, I don’t have the answers but I know You do.

I pray for Me Lord God, fill my mind with your peace, understanding and wisdom.  Teach me Lord to walk in your ways and to set an example for others in all I do.   Give me strength when I feel like I have nothing left.

Where is Christmas?

Christmas is here, everywhere I look.

Christmas is inside our hearts, and in the hearts of those we love and care about.

Christmas is that special sparkle in your child’s eyes.

Christmas is in the smile that a loved one or friend gives to you.

Christmas is in the laughter and love.

Christmas is in each one of us.

Thank-you Jesus for coming into this world to bring us love, peace and joy.   I pray for you to fill everyone in this world with your love in their hearts; soften them and let them rest and renew their minds and souls to concentrate on the “right” things.

May you be blessed ~Vanessa

I am I am

I am young, looking at the rainbow in the sky, and wonder if there is a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow.  “What if it rains? What happens then?”  There is always light after the rain…..

I am entering a new grade, bubbles creep up inside, “ Can I do this?  What if they don’t like me?”  Trust…You will meet someone that will see that special something inside of you….

I am about to perform in front of a large group of people, excited about the music that will fill the air, “What if I slip up on a note?”  Themusic that fills the air makes you feel so good, press on.

I leave home for new beginnings,  I don’t know myself yet, don’t know where I am going, “What if I can’t make it?” When each door closes another one opens….

I meet a man that sees the light in me, just me, “Is this real?  Do I have to pinch myself?” You are loved unconditionally…

I am holding a baby in my arms, and feel the wonderful feeling of love and admiration.   Inside, I feel fear, “What if I am not good enough?  What if I fail?” This is a gift, and he will look to you for guidance and love you for the wonderful woman you are….

Someone close to me is ill. “What if they don’t get better? What if I can’t help?”  You are not in control child,  lift it up to me….

Taking that first step forward can be hard, but He reassures and defeats the evil voices if you just Trust.  We must move forward, even when the conditions from our perspective may not be favorable.    As you reflect on your life,  take a deep breath, do you see the good that has always come out of the moments where you were challenged?

Sometimes the things we remember are the challenges, where we feel our spirit may be lost… But life is not meant to be wasted.  Rise and remember the good that came out of the times where we were challenged, because He was always there.  Life is good.  He carried us, He shows us how to be light, we just need to take the leap forward and trust. 

John 14:27

“I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid.”

Take a moment to listen to this artist and her wonderful song about being beautifully made

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J6VPg_ZbBbE

 

May you be blessed and thank-you for popping by!

~Ness

 

Perserverance

Have you felt overwhelmed or overloaded?

Have you endured pain?

Do you physically and emotionally feel depleted?

Does it seem like one issue after another continues to happen?

Don’t give up.

There is always hope, and there is always light at the end of the tunnel.

Life can feel light…. All you have to do is Trust, and lift up your thoughts or worries to Him. 

The story of Joseph in the book of Genesis reveals how life can bring many struggles.   Joseph was treated poorly by his brothers, who later sell him into slavery. He encounters many trials in life.  But one things that stays constant is that Joseph never stops trusting in the Lord in all things.   He lifts up his life to Lord.    He leads by example in all interactions which lead to him one day becoming one of the highest regarded advisors in Egypt.   Many years of struggle did not lead Joseph down a path of resentment or feeling sorry for himself.  Instead, he relied and surrendered to the Lord.     The gifts he received were beyond his wildest dreams.    He shows us forgiveness in the pain, by forgiving his own brothers that handed him over into slavery.     We see through his experiences forgiveness, perseverance, and trust in God in all things.   He asks God to guide his days, and God blesses him beyond his wildest dreams.

In this life once Eve bit the apple, we entered into a life that would have struggle.  But the one thing that holds true is that God is there for us.  He will help us navigate through difficulty, through painful experiences.   We need to persevere and not give up.   Look to God to help you navigate, rely on Him.   He will lead you through.

God will give us strength to push through in the painful circumstances.

Forgiveness is always possible with help from God.

God will bring good out of all things and sometimes we have to endure suffering or pain in order to feel light.  God does not inflict pain or suffering on us, but sometimes, just like a parent, he takes a step back and sometimes we learn things the hard way.

We need believe that we were meant for a life of abundance, we are what we think and this is what God wants for us.

God brings light out of darkness, and knows our needs.   All we have to do is Trust.

May you be blessed my friend and thank-you for popping by! ~Ness

We are enough

God cares for me, and He has the ability to relieve my worries, my stresses.   I relinquish control onto Him.   Two sentences that seem so simple…..

But why has it not been that simple for me in my life.   On a day to day basis, there are instances where I let my thoughts go down a path that spins out of control.  

All He wants is for me to come to Him in those times.  He wants me to believe that in all things, He is there.

                Casting all your care upon him, for he careth for you. (1 Peter 5:7)

He cares for me, unconditional, never ending love and power.  He is at the center, and just wants me to lean on Him in everything.

My shelter in the rain, my protector, my everything.

Simple….

                Never-ending…..

                                Love…..

                                                He is in control….

Sometimes I feel like there is a battle that is going on inside of me.    I am not worthy,  I don’t fit the mold, I am scared, I worry, I try to control.

I pray,

I ask for help, 

I give thanks….

I am thankful for the experiences, for the pain, and for the perspective He has been given to me.   The scars are visible, but they do not define who I am.

I believe in Him, in Love, and that He reigns.

He holds me, He carries me, He is my strength.

We were meant for so much more than this, we were meant to live a life of abundance in all things. 

To feel light,

To see the light….

“Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.” (2 Corinthians 4:16-18)

There is a place for us, beyond all comprehension.

Where you feel love, where you feel whole.

There is no fear, worry, or heartache.

A place where life is light always.  Where the warmth of love feels like the first time you were held as a babe.

Where brokenness is restored again.

In Revelation 21:1-5, God gave John a vision of what will happen when God restores broken things:

“And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, ‘Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.’ He who was seated on the throne said, ‘I am making everything new!’ Then he said, ‘Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.’”

Today, we are here on Earth, and God promises He will carry us, and He is in control.   Give your worries to Him and rest.

²⁸ “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. ²⁹ Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. ³⁰ For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” (Matthew 11: 28-30 NIV)

 

My Prayer

Dear Lord God,

I thank-you for watching over me, and showing me how to trust.   I ask You to keep me strong, and to protect my mind and the minds of all that I love from the devils evil whispers.  I ask that all that are going through hardship and pain, that they hear the voice of your Holy Spirit.  I ask that the words are Your truth.   You are the healer of the sick, you give rest to the weary, and Your wisdom is beyond comprehension.  You are our Father that cares for each one of us.  I give my worries to you as you will take care of them.   I ask that You help all those that are searching for You.   I pray for this in Jesus’ Name Amen.

Sincerely,

Your Lamb

 

What do you treasure?

Matthew 6:21, “Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be.” (NLT)

She sat there thinking, I can’t believe how things can change so quickly.  She treasured the moments with her grandma and grandpa so much.   Suddenly in less than 6 months both were gone before her eyes.   Then she thought about the moments that became her treasures.

The playful moments, the smiles and the adoration for her grandpa.   The moment when she ran him off the road while they were biking, a moment that would be treasured forever.  The times where her grandma would french braid her hair, she wore her locks with pride.

There were moments when she felt so busy, but always tried to make sure that they felt special.   They were her treasures.

Life can take us by surprise, in a moment things can change or shift.  Change is good, and at times can be challenging.   Time flies by in a blink of an eye.  I remember my mom saying to me, “life speeds up the older you get”.  As a young teenager, I laughed at the comment as it seemed to me that time was not moving fast enough.

We should consider how we spend our time.   Do we spend our time flying by the seat of our pants, or do we pause to take in the fresh scent of this wonderful life of ours?

My treasure is family and love for all.

The treasure comes in all different kinds of gems and gold.   Each item is unique on its own, offering something new.  Each time I take the time to slowly polish each gem it begins to sparkles in the light.

I choose to open that treasure chest every day, curious and with wonder.

I choose to be open to what God wants for me.  Relationships are the most important investments in this life.

Sometimes the lines get blurred between what is important and what is less than important.

In the moments where I can’t see my direction completely I pause and let go so God can lead me.

I choose to invest in the treasure that is right at my fingertips and not get caught up in the “stuff” of this life.

I ask you friend, what do you treasure?

People who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs. But you, man of God, flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness. (NIV, 1 Timothy 6:9-11)

 

Dear Lord God, I thank-you for the ones I love.  I pray that you will continue to lead me in the priorities in this life.  Your priorities are mine.  I pray that I can show my children how to prioritize through you.   I pray for this in Jesus Name Amen