Life is a tricky business, mainly because things never stay the same.
Change is EVERYWHERE in this life. We can't avoid it. As people grow older they change. As the society grows bigger it changes. We can CHOOSE to accept the change and grow, or we can deny it and hope for the best.
Life is about finding who you are... it's about CHANGE. If you don't grow as a person, then you learn nothing from this life.
Change can be scary. We, as humans, like things to stay the same, not differ at all. So, when change happens, we find ourselves filled to the brim with FEAR! It seems silly, but it's true.
No matter what CHANGE we are going through, what PAIN we've been through in the past or what mystery is to come, God will ALWAYS be there for us! That's the awesome thing about Him.
God is so good to us. He loves us so much that even when we mess up and even when we are scared He is always with us! When life CHANGES, God DOESN'T. Plus, He never leaves your side.
Happiness is a choice. You yourself can CHOOSE to be ecstatic or you can choose to be depressed. It's up to YOU. I know that's easier said than done... but there is an easy little trick to help you out.
Just SMILE. A smile can BRIGHTEN your day and it can do the same for someone else. The second you smile, you exude a certain BEAUTY, a LIGHT.
Think POSITIVELY and everyone will be able to tell! Seriously. If you are happy, truly happy, you can help someone else become happy. Happiness is CONTAGIOUS!
Being happy and KIND may seem like no big deal... but to others, your attitude will effect them! If you are nice to someone, even in the most minuscule way--holding the door, smiling at someone, talking to them when they seem lost-- it could really impact how they are feeling!
I'm sure you had someone do something tiny that just made your day! Maybe a stranger commented on your new jeans that you love. ANYTHING at all can add some LIGHT to someones darkness. One thing that's sure to put some light in someones day is CHRIST.
In God there is always LIGHT and happiness to be found. When you have God in you, you will show Jesus in everything you do. Actions speak louder than words and so people will actually be able to SEE Jesus in you! If you have God, you can be happy. By sharing God--even if it is just through you actions-- you can make others happy too!
Go into the world and SHINE YOUR LIGHT, the light that God has given you-- I think you'll be surprised by the results.
How often do you find yourself judging others? We all do it. We see someone and make a snap judgement.
The truth is, we ALL sin. Each and everyone of us. So, since we all fall short of God's glory, who are we to judge each other? Christ does not want us to JUDGE our neighbors, but to LOVE them! We can show Jesus to everyone just through our actions. We all need to become NEW. We all need Jesus!
When we repent of our sins, Jesus washes us clean. He makes us NEW. We can't do anything ourselves--including good deeds-- to get ourselves saved. We NEED Jesus. That salvation is something God does for US, not something we do for Him! The Lord does not condemn us--even though that's what we deserve.
This is a great story-- read it all in John 8:1-11-- Jesus does NOT CONDEMN a sinful woman. God truly loves us, and He is so utterly merciful. He gives us much more than we deserve. For that reason, we should do everything we can for Him out of our love for Him. When we invite Christ into our hearts, we become AMBASSADORS of God. In that case it is up to us to act as God would want us to act! We become better people, not because we are trying to earn our salvation, but because we love God! Try looking at things through Jesus' eyes... it may change your point of view.
Because of God's mercy and love, we should praise Him! We should live our lives for Him and do what He instructs us to do. I challenge you to try looking at people from God's perspective--with love and compassion, not judgements! Try pointing to God and not to yourself.
Life is stressful. It's easy to feel lost and helpless, but luckily for all of us, we can be SAVED.
God gave His son, Jesus, to SAVE you and me! Only through Him are we truly saved. You may be thinking, "Hey, I'm not such a bad person. Why would God punish me, I've never done anything REALLY bad." Well, the truth is that we've all sinned, we ALL fall short of the glory of God. None of us are perfect.
Now comes the good news...
Because of what Jesus did--dying for US-- we can become CLEAN. Our sins no longer matter. We are a clean slate! God SAVES us. He HEALS us. He is always there for us. You can do all things in Christ and in Christ alone. He died for YOU.
That song is such an awesome reminder of what Jesus really did for us, and what He continues to do. He CLEANSES us! Only through Him can we become pure. And in my personal opinion, the true way to LIVE, LOVE and ACT is in Christ. He gives a purpose to our hectic, crazy lives... and He SAVES us!
Being saved and wiped clean by God brings such JOY and STRENGTH and LOVE. Have you been SAVED by God?
Happiness is a CHOICE that you can make! You can choose to be happy or to be sad and depressed.
God's got your back, He knows exactly what He's doing--so go ahead, choose to be HAPPY!
It's really that simple! If you feel sad, try laughing, smiling, thinking about the POSITIVE or even PRAYING! God is great at bringing JOY. Christ brings HOPE, LOVE, and a PURPOSE. His awesome love and wonder fills me and many others with JOY on a daily basis!
So next time your feeling sad, try to cheer up! Remember Jesus and let yourself be filled with JOY! Because with God, even the most bleak situation can look AWESOME.
Do you know who you are? Do you know how you come across to people? What are you advertising? Are you a TRAIL BLAZER or do you simply follow the crowd? Are you punk or preppy? Smart or funny? Good or rebellious?
This verse includes some important characteristics: STRENGTH, DIGNITY and JOY. Here are some more words I'd like to be known as: light-hearted, loving, caring, fun, out-going, and a Jesus freak. As a woman of Christ I think it is important for people to SEE Christ through me! If I live with Jesus as an example, people will know that I am a...
That is something that shouldn't be hidden! Never lose the chance to tell someone who YOU ARE-- a child of God! God says that the only thing we should brag about is Him! (As the Scriptures say, "If you want to boast, boast only about the LORD." 2 Corinthians 10:17) No wonder why....
God gives us so much... it's no wonder we should brag about Him! He gives us peace, comfort, strength, companionship... the list goes on and on. For that reason, we should be proud that we are CHILDREN of God!
Don't be ashamed of WHO YOU ARE... especially if you are a Christian. Be a living testimony of God's GLORY and LOVE!
We sin. A basic and true statement, that we all fall under. No one here on earth is perfect. We all fall short. It happens. But God is GREAT-- He FORGIVES US!
When God forgives us we are CLEANSED. Any bad thing we have done is washed away and we are free to live guilt free! God not only wipes away our sin, but He can help us come away from the sin...
You may think that you don't need to be healed... the truth is that since each and everyone of us has sinned, we ALL need to be healed! Christ saves us, He teaches us how to LOVE by loving us first. Did we do anything to deserve His love? No. Quite the opposite actually. God only loves us and we continually disobey Him, but guess what... He loves us anyway!
God is so AWESOME because He loves us when we deserve to be punished... not only that, but he FORGIVES us! That love is exactly why we should go out into the world and do the same! Because God loved us, we should be loving to everyone around us. We should LISTEN, LOVE, and SUPPORT people--even those people that we don't like.
My challenge to YOU for this week is to FORGIVE people, because God has FORGIVEN you. Go show love to a random stranger, a friend or even family! Love the "unlovable". Make someones day. Bring JOY into someones life. Just allow God to work through you! Share your story or simply share a smile. Whatever it is, show JESUS--Let His light, love and FORGIVENESS be seen in you.
The Mission: share the love and FORGIVENESS of Christ!
We all struggle. We all suffer with something-- be it depression, self-image, loss or something else. Sometimes that suffering can make us feel alone. Like we are separate from everyone else. Like no one understands. Luckily, there is someone who understands... always.
That person in GOD, and He can handle ANYTHING. You may think, "What does God know about suffering?" Well, Jesus faced it all, He knows how it feels to suffer. God gives us a promise that whenever we SUFFER or struggle He will help us! Personally, this verse gives me HOPE and STRENGTH.
It's important to remember that God LOVES and CARES for us. He will help us through all of our problems. We just need to have FAITH and cling to Christ! Jamie Grace's song, Holding On, is a great example...
No matter what struggle, storm or suffering you face, remember that God is ALWAYS there! He will guide you through it all. He will relieve you suffering. No matter what you go through, it's all a part of His plan for you, and He will be with you through it ALL!
Praise God, even during times of SUFFERING, because He is ALWAYS with you!
Everyone gets discouraged from time to time. Sometimes we underestimate ourselves or LIMIT ourselves. I think it's time to discover that we are all LIMITLESS!
Nothing is impossible. Nothing at all! If you set your mind to something and you have God on your side you can accomplish anything! Check out Philippians 4:13...
God will give you the STRENGTH, POWER and DETERMINATION that you need! He will be with you and will help you accomplish all that you need to. Never think anything is impossible... the second you do you have already given up! God gives you all the tools you need...
The full description of God's armor is found in Ephesians 6:10-18. God gives us the strength, faith, truth, peace and salvation that we need to SUCCEED. With all of that we don't need to be LIMITED at all.. in fact we can truly be LIMITLESS if we have God with us!
Don't stop yourself from reaching your full potential. Have a positive mind set. Look to God in all of your needs. Have FAITH. With God on your side you can be LIMITLESS.
Is there something in your life that's holding you back? A break-up, a fight, a mistake, anything at all-- something that you just can't seem to get rid of? It bothers you all the time and is actually causing you emotional pain or stress. We've all been there, but you need to remember that...
What happened is over and DONE. How can you move onto the future if you're living in the past?
Don't let something that happened before control you or get in your way. It's done and over with, now you can move past it! God is especially good and helping us become NEW. When we ask forgiveness for our sins, and cast our anxieties on God, we become CLEAN and NEW.
Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. Romans 12:2
Don't change or bother yourself over something that happened in the past... let it go! The great thing about Jesus is that He dies for US--so we could be FORGIVEN. Let God RENEW you. Once you do that, you will be able to do all that you are supposed to.
If your life is about Jesus, you are NEW. You have been FORGIVEN of anything you've done and you are free to live--everything in your past has been wiped clean! Let Jesus RENEW you today.
As people we're really visual. We see someone and make a snap judgement--even if we have never met the person before! Judgments can be mean and can really lower self esteem... Sometimes it can feel like no one really sees the REAL YOU! People just have a first impression and that's it... Luckily God SEES YOU!
Unlike people, God isn't worried about what you look like. He cares about YOU. Who you are and what your heart holds. He sees the real YOU-- the best you that you can be--even if the world doesn't see you the same way.
Jesus loved the people that the world didn't. He saw what was on the INSIDE-- the real person underneath the external appearance! A great example of Jesus loving the unlovable is found in Luke 19:1-10. This is the story of Zacchaeus--a tax collector that everyone hated... except Jesus! He actually reached out to Zacchaeus and LOVED him! Jesus saw what Zacchaeus had on the INSIDE. And best of all, because of Jesus' love, Zacchaeus CHANGED-- for the better!
I think we should take Jesus and an example and try to look past outward appearances... we should try to actually SEE people-- the BEST in them!
When you look to find BEAUTY and GOODNESS in people instead of snap judgements, you may find that you will find the meaning of true beauty! Not only that, but you yourself will have better relationships and embody BEAUTY itself! You shouldn't judge someone based on looks alone... you never know what someone is going through....
Be kind. Try to SEE people-- the real them, the BEST them.
