{christmas | 2011}

 I hope you all had a wonderfully blessed Christmas. I pray that it was a restful time for each one you, no matter where you were!

 Here are a few pictures that I snapped on Christmas morning.

Enjoy!

 

xo, Aysha

{another moment etched in stone}

Yesterday was my birthday.

Blessed and favored doesn't even begin to cover it. It still amazes me that God would extend grace and mercy, let alone blessings to those of us who least deserve it.

I was surrounded by friends and family, laughs and the telling of old memories.

I celebrated my twenty-second birthday much like many other Americans do, but unlike so much of the rest of the world. I had the choice of where I would eat. A bill printed for $105 signified good food and full stomachs. What could have fed a distant family for a year was devoured in a little over 2 hours.

Again I will say; I am so very blessed.

When I was younger, birthdays were a race of sorts between my sister and I. Who got the most presents? Who got the most expensive presents? Our birthdays are 22 days apart, and with that came a battle (a fun one of course), to see who reigned supreme.

Looking back on those birthdays, as I sat at dinner with my family last night, I was reminded of how much of God's favor has rested upon me. My family has been through hard times, but at the end of the day, we always made ends meet. We always scraped up enough to pay the bill or fix the car. We've always had food and a roof over our heads.

My birthday, full of love and extravagance, humbled me.

I could have been given any other life. Different parents, different schools, a different living environment. I could have been born with a handicap. I could have grown up in a life of alcohol and drugs.

But I wasn't. I was perfectly placed in the life that God planned for me, all for a reason.

I don't intend to be unappreciative of my blessed life. I intend to soak up every minute and be grateful to God, while taking the blessings He's poured on my life and pour them into the lives of others.

What good are blessings if they go unshared?

Another moment of my life has been etched in stone.

As I enter the life of a twenty-two year old college student, this is my self-reminder:

• Be grateful - Moments pass by all too quickly
• You can never love someone too much...never
• Bless others as you've been blessed
• Above all, love God

Blessings my friends,

{essential to my being}

I am so very thankful for my sister.

This morning, as I sat in my bedroom, a thought crossed my mind.

I haven't spent much time with Ryann lately.

My sister is one of the most important people in my life, but I rarely go out of my way to show that to her. Today I called her and asked if she'd like to have a little lunch date with me. I drove over, picked her and my niece up, and spent the better part of the day talking, laughing, driving around and investing in each others lives.

I am so blessed to have the sister that I do.

Don't get me wrong, we've hit bumps along the road. We disagree on things that won't matter when we're fifty. We've bruised each others hearts. Words have been spoken that can never be taken back.

But at the end of the day, when all is said and done, we love each other. She is essential to my being.

We've mended each others hearts. We've carried each others burdens. Countless hours have been logged into our sister talks. Our lungs and stomachs have hurt from the amount of laughter we've sustained.

I've watched her grow into a beautiful young lady, and now, I've witnessed how far her love extends, as she nurtures her young daughter. Her potential reaches the stars and I am so excited to see where God leads her.

Today, I am thankful for my sister.

Blessings,

{by our love, we will be known}

Happy Monday my friends!

As it is Make-A-Difference Monday, I thought I'd start off with a story.

This morning I walked into my local coffee shop, a place where I frequently spend my time during the summer months. As I sat down at a corner table, a man who I've been sitting across from the past few days, engaged me in conversation. When I arrived, I had no intention of speaking to anyone because I had assignments to complete, things to do..I had a plan: to lay my things out on the table, plug in my headphones and tune everything, and everyone, out.

Enter, divine intervention.

After sitting down, this man (let's call him Bob), asked me how I was doing. I answered back, not expecting the conversation to last more than a few minutes. Little did I know that it would lead to over an hour of discussion and him sharing his heart.

Bob is a man after God's own heart and his words spoke life to me.

Where did I "make a difference" you may ask? Other than hopefully allowing him to see into the world of my faith, I didn't. Bob made a difference in my life.

He caused me to evaluate how I respond to people, how I interact and engage with them. Ultimately, he planted a seed, beckoning me to examine how I love people.

Towards the end of the conversation, Bob told a story of woman he knows, who personally changed how he loves others. He described her as a woman who truly lives out the love of Christ in situations that the world would say are least deserving of love. It was in that moment that I realized why I woke up, drove to the coffee shop and chose that table.

God's voice was clear.

My love for those around me, in actions and in words, is nowhere near the standard that Christ calls me to. I am slow to listen, quick to speak and quick to get angry. I pass judgment unknowingly and treat people out of that judgment rather than from a place of love. I am impatient and at times hold grudges. I act self-righteously and my pride swells to attain glory that it's not due.

When all of these thoughts came rushing to me, I suddenly realized how human I really am.

I've regarded myself as a Christian; one who serves the Living God and has offered the throne of my heart to the King of Kings..but how can I say that, with honesty, when my life has somehow found its way onto the path paved with good intentions rather than the straight and narrow path?

This Scripture couldn't explain it any better:

He replied, "Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you hypocrites; as it is written: These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me.  (Mark 7:6 ESV)

It hit me like a ton of bricks! What a hypocrite I've been! My heart so easily strays from God, while my lips speak His name.

My takeaway from this experience? My life, but more importantly my heart, needs to operate out of love, rather than pride. When I learn to love, or rather be love, only then can Christ rightly be glorified through me. We each need to be an example of Christ to a lost and hurting world, but when honest and pure love is replaced by so many half-truths and false feelings, we're left with a bigger wound and hearts that have turned away.

Most of us are familiar with John 13:34-35:

A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.

And Paul writes this in Ephesians 4:1-3:

I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

Every person, every life that I encounter should be done in a manner that breathes humility, gentleness and patience. How can I expect to truly love someone if I'm not willing to bear with, understand and accept them?

Harsh words need to be cast aside. Forgiveness needs to be extended.  Ears need to be opened. Tongues need to be silenced. Anger and judgment need to be replaced with patience and humility.

Where does it start? A pure heart.

Love one another earnestly from a pure heart. (1 Peter 1:22 ESV)

Wrong intentions and personal gain will never give life to the righteous life that God has called us to. Love is born of God, and because of that, we must come to know Him and understand His heart so that our actions and words reflect His own.

Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. (1 John 4:7 ESV)

My heart rejoices at that thought. Each day that passes, and through interactions like the one I experienced this morning, I am coming to know God and understand His heart more and more.

Friends, let us love.

It is by our love that we will be known.

Blessings,

{His love moves me to love}

I wanna love You the way that You love me; I wanna see Your face.

Property of Aysha Gerald

 Growing up, I found myself wanting to control the circumstances of my life, but inevitably failing. Who hasn't? We all desire to be in charge, to be independent. The problem was that I placing God on the back-burner. Instead of allowing Him to guide my path, I tried to make one for myself.

Solution: Surrender.

I've had to learn that life and the plans that I make are God's to direct. He has a greater purpose and is fulfilling that through me. Every person that I meet in various stages of life, every hand that I hold in moments of grief, every smile that I create on someone's face, is a chance that I have been given to allow someone else to experience God the way that I have.

I have the chance that so many people in this world are doing without: to love as Christ loved, without hindrance, without judgment, without expecting it in return.

We love because He first loved us; how beautiful, that the love I feel for my friends, family or the hurting in this world, is only a fraction of the love the Father has for me. If only I could take that knowledge and use it to further the Kingdom!

One of my favorite verses in Scripture, is this:

Psalm 27:4 -- One thing I ask from the Lord, this only do I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze on the beauty of the Lord and to seek him in His temple.

I desire nothing more than to see my Maker's face. To be so lost in His presence that in viewing myself, only He remains.

In seeking His face, I find control. I find the strength to surrender. I find the desire to love.

His love moves me to love.

Blessings,

Ps. The lyric at the beginning of this post is a lyric from Dakota Green. He has such an amazing voice and is a servant of the Lord. Take the time to check out his music; you won't be disappointed: Dakota Green Music

This post is linked to:

{heart of service}

With it being Make-A-Difference Monday, I thought I'd share something that happened today.

Over the past few days and weeks, things have been rocky in my family. My sister delivered her baby on April 28, and ever since then, there has been abundance of love, but also some tension. In my anger, I said hurtful things to my sister, and even though it was anger produced out of concern and love, it was anger nonetheless.

So skip forward to this morning. I got a text message from my sister asking if I would come over and watch my niece for her while she went to the gym. I was surprised that she was even talking to me, after the things that I said. I told her that I would be over, and quickly got in my car and drove the 10 minutes to the apartment.

Not only did I get to spend time with my niece, but my sister and I got along (which hasn't been happening too much lately). It was an intervention by God that made me realize how much I love my sister and how proud I am of her.

Aside from that, later in the afternoon, around 4 pm, I got a call from my mom, saying that she was stranded at work because her car wouldn't start.

Now if you know me at all, when obstacles are put into my life, I have a tendency to make a big deal out of them or complain, but today was different. I made it a point to serve my sister and my mother, because God commanded me to.

Once again, I got into my car and drove the 45 minutes to the hospital where my mother works. She was thankful that I came to her rescue, and I was genuinely happy that I could be.

It's the small things that we do that can make a difference in someone's life. Whether it be harsh words that were spoken or previous severed relationships, the smallest act of kindness can erase every negative experience.

Friends, we don't know the battles that others are facing, as they don't know the demons that we face. It is my prayer that we would approach every person and every situation with a Christ-driven humility and servant-hood that allows Him to be seen through our actions.

Father,

 Let every word that I speak come from a place in my heart that is connected to Your own. Let my actions speak of my Savior, that others would come to know Him through me. I am a vessel Lord; one called to serve with love, compassion and humility. Let me forgive those who have wronged me, and Father I ask that you would soften their hearts to forgive my wrongs against them. It is only through You, Lord, that I have the ability to accomplish these things.

I ask that you would prepare my heart for the changes that You are making within me.

In Jesus' Name, 

Amen.

Blessings,

{righteous anger}

This idea has been on my heart a lot lately.

Anger.

More specifically, God's anger, and what that looks like. I think it's easy for a lot of us to look at God and see Him as loving, compassionate, merciful and gracious (don't get me wrong, He is all of those things), but He is also a just and jealous God.

We seek justice, daily. A person wrongs us and we want to pay them back. An unborn child doesn't make it to their day of birth, and we want immediate answers. Our boy/girlfriend or spouse resorts to cheating, and we want them to feel the pain that we felt.

All of these things, and more, cause us to seek justice. But that made me wonder..if we seek justice for these pains in our lives, imagine how God felt (and still feels) when we turn our backs on Him, wrong Him, sin blatantly against Him, or even deny Him.

Anger rises within us when justice isn't served. If we feel that our anger is justified, because the situation can't be, then God's anger is all the more righteous, and justified.

The problem is that our anger usually results in sin, whereas God's anger is rooted in His love for us. Picture this: A little boy is playing in his driveway, when his ball rolls into the street. He has been told over and over that he isn't allowed to go past the end of the driveway. As he looks around, he doesn't think that anyone is watching, so he runs into the street, grabs the ball, and on the way back to his driveway (thinking that no one has caught him), a car turns the corner and misses him by inches. The father, who watched the ordeal from the window, immediately runs outside, picks up the little boy and holds him in his arms. The anger that is produced is a kind whose roots are found in love. Of course he is angry that his son disobeyed, but it was because he loved his son that his anger surfaced. It was righteous anger.

Now, that story can be translated into God's own love for us. Here we are, running after work, relationships, money, etc., when all of a sudden those things slip away from us. We know that God has commanded that we shall have no other gods before Him, and that the things of this world won't satisfy. But because of our nature, we want to chase them. When we think that no one is looking, we run to catch the thing that has enticed us. And all of a sudden, something happens that jars us awake. All the while, God is watching us, and as soon as we are in a position that calls for the hand of God, He comes. In His love, He scoops us up, and shields us, but with that love comes righteous anger. An anger that says, I've warned you what would happen if you strayed from my commands; it's because I love that I'm angry with you.

We have wronged God in so many ways. A wrathful, revengeful anger should be expected, yet He doesn't produce it.

God is love, and in that, His anger is brought forth from a place that says, I understand.

Maybe today you feel as if you've wronged God and He's turned his back on you. Maybe you feel that you're being punished because you've somehow angered God. Let me be the first to tell you, that is not true. Even on our worst days God's grace is sufficient.

His anger is that of a father. A father who loves His child more than one could possibly imagine.

Is your anger causing you to sin? Or is your anger righteous?

Blessings,

What Grace is Mine

As I was reading an article from Leslie Ludy’s Set Apart Girl Magazine called “Forsaking All,” I came across lyrics to a hymn titled, “What Grace is Mine.”

Here are the lyrics.

What grace is mine, that He who dwells in endless light
Called through the night to find my distant soul
And from His scars, poured mercy that would plead for me
That I might live, and in His name be known

So I will go wherever He is calling me
I lose my life to find my life in Him
I give my all to gain the hope that never dies
I bow my heart, take up my cross, and follow Him

What grace is mine, to know His breath alive in me
Beneath His wings my wakened soul may soar
All fear can flee, for death’s dark night is overcome
My Savior lives, and reigns forevermore

Christ’s domain and nature is light. In His graciousness, He calls to us, no matter where we are. He pleaded for our life, on His behalf. It’s in His name that we are known. His breath has given us life. We no longer have to be afraid, for night is overcome.

The chorus of the hymn is a challenge to our hearts, minds and souls. Are we willing to go where He is calling? Will we lay down our lives in order to find life in Him? Is our hope one that never dies?

The challenge is there, in the final line of the chorus. We must bow our hearts, take up our cross…and follow Him.

Blessings,

A.

Ps. If you would like to read the article further, here is the link: Forsaking All

Oh, to Love as Christ

The past few weeks, during my mentoring sessions, I've realized just how incapable I am of loving people the way that Christ loved.

I'm judgmental, analytical, critical, superficial with my relationships...the list could go on. And as these things were running through my head, I thought: I wonder what it would look like, if for one day, I could love, and I mean really love the people around me; friends and family, the strangers that I walk by on the street, the clerk that checks out my items at the grocery store.

My love for people is anything but the love that Christ had for the world; a love that would drive Him to give His life for the very people that were taking it away. A love that would forgive the people who least deserved it.

At many times, human love is one-sided. We expect people to love us, but we aren't so great at loving them back. We're interested in what we can get out of the relationship, rather than being concerned with how well we are loving them.

Galatians 5:22,23 -- the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.

All of these things are tangible. They're words that could describe my character. They are things that I could possess. Yet, my heart is so far from them. Note that the first in the list is love. When we learn to love, our lives become rooted in joy and peace. We experience patience in areas that impatience once ran rampant. We choose good over evil. We remain faithful until the end. We are gentle with our words. And our self-control speaks of a character that is disciplined.

Christ was the perfect example of what love is and what it should be.

As we go through our day today, let us pray that God would reveal what that love should look like in our lives. When we come across people who don't deserve to receive our love, let us remember that God chose to love us when we least deserved it. Let us forgive and be forgiven so that love can permeate our relationships to the core. Let our responses be rooted so deeply in the love of Christ that people see Him through us.

It's not an easy feat to love as Christ did, but oh, how beautiful a day it will be when we come to know a fraction of that love.

This is my prayer for you.

Ephesians 3:14-21

For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, that according to the riches of His glory He may grant you to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. 

Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.

Be encouraged. Be blessed.

A.

31 Days of October

For the past few days, I’ve felt God calling me to read the book of Isaiah. I didn’t have a clue as to why, and I still don’t know why, but I’ve learned that when God calls you to do something, it’s best to be obedient. I’ve spent a lot of my faith thinking that I’m hearing what God speaks to me, but much of the time, they are my own selfish desires. Either that, or I’m disobedient to what God wants for me. So what I’ve planned out, is reading the book of Isaiah over the month of October.

Quick Facts:

1. Isaiah contains 66 chapters
2. Each day of October, I will be reading 2 or 3 chapters (one day, I will be reading 1 chapter)
3. I will write down my observations
4. I will reflect on what God wants me to understand within the passage

Through this, I encourage you to come alongside me, learn with me, experience the passages with me. Reading God’s Word is one of the ways that we can truly come to know who God is and the divine plan that He has for each one of us.

I have always been intrigued by Isaiah, especially Isaiah 53 (the suffering Servant). I feel that I am finally at a point in my life where I am seeking to hear God and am more able to understand the things within His Word.

Prayers during this time of seeking God through His Word:

• Understanding of the passages
• Discernment; filtering out the lies of the world and focusing in on God’s truth and reality
• Openness to learning new things
• Entering His Word with a fresh, child-like faith

I am excited for what God has in store for the next month.

I will be praying that you will use this month to draw closer to God as well. He is a stable, unchanging God, but there is always more that we can learn about Him. I will also pray that you would consider joining me on this journey.

If you decide to, let me know, so that we can walk through it together – aysha.gerald@live.com

If you get behind, don’t worry about it.

In His service, I wish you blessings.

I am the Thorn in Your Crown

So many times in our lives, we try pointing the blame at someone else. We refuse to accept responsibility for the actions that we engage in, and we think of every possible lie to keep ourselves from being found out. We do everything from slandering the name and reputation of someone, to bearing false witness. All in the name of making ourselves look better. We sin both consciously and subconsciously. We sin without thinking about the consequences. We are promiscuous. We seek revenge. Our hearts are filled with rage, malice and hatred. This world has become about “I” and what “I” can do to advance myself.

Because of this, we put God into a corner, with only one solution to save the creation that He so dearly loves; redemption. At the Fall, we became chained and burdened by this world, subject to the effects of sin, but God had already devised a plan. He would become human, as are we, and ultimately sacrifice Himself, on our behalf, so that the separation that existed could be closed and mended. The blood of an animal was shed to hide the nakedness of Adam and Eve, and in the end, the blood of Christ, our God, was needed to atone for the sin that we had committed, do commit and will commit.

When Adam and Eve disobeyed God, punishment, judgment and wrath was poured out. Earth and all of God’s perfect creation was put under a curse; something that we brought upon ourselves.

Genesis 3:16-19:

To the woman he said,
“I will greatly increase your pains in childbearing;
with pain you will give birth to children.
Your desire will be for your husband,
and he will rule over you.” 

To Adam he said, “Because you listened to your wife and ate from the tree about which I commanded you, ‘You must not eat of it,’
“Cursed is the ground because of you;
through painful toil you will eat of it
all the days of your life.

It will produce thorns and thistles for you,
and you will eat the plants of the field.

By the sweat of your brow
you will eat your food
until you return to the ground,
since from it you were taken;
for dust you are
and to dust you will return.”

Read this part again, carefully.

Cursed is the ground because of you; through painful toil you will eat of it all the days of your life. It will produce thorns and thistles for you, and you will eat the plants of the field.

Placed on the head of our Savior, was a crown. A crown of thorns.

Matthew 27:28,29 — They stripped him and put a scarlet robe on him, and then twisted together a crown of thorns and set it on his head. They put a staff in his right hand and knelt in front of him and mocked him. “Hail, king of the Jews!” they said.

In the act of atoning for our sins, Christ wore the very curse that God had commanded upon humanity. And for what? To release us of the curse. So many of us live our lives as if we were still bound by sin, subject to punishment and waiting for our day of judgment.

Hear these words: The punishment and judgment reserved for you and I, a punishment that we rightly deserve, was placed on Christ at the cross.

We are free. By the blood of Christ, because of the sacrifice that He made, you and I stand right before God.

And now, it is time that we start behaving according to the standards that God has set before us. Get rid of the lies, the anger, the malice. Do away with foul and abusive language. Love, and I mean really love everyone that you encounter; those who love you in return, and those who persecute you. Honor the temple that God has given you; be pure in body, mind and spirit. Take on the burdens of those who can’t carry their own. Pray, and never stop praying. Seek God in all that you do, for the glory of His name.

It’s never been said that following Christ would be easy, but the promise has been made that it is worth it. Because God is so worthy. He wore the thorns for us, out of a love that our hearts can’t even begin to imagine.

Bring your life to the foot of the cross and surrender all that you were, for the person that God says you are.

THE CHILD OF A LOVING FATHER.

THE SERVANT OF A HUMBLE KING.

THE HEIR OF A RIGHTEOUS LORD.

THE FRIEND OF A FORGIVING SAVIOR.

Isaiah 43:1 — Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine.

 Blessings,

A.

Making A Difference

Two days ago, on the 24th, it was my 21st birthday. While most people would be concerned with getting their new license at the DMV or trying to decide what their first legal alcoholic beverage was going to be, I spent my day making the conscious decision to be appreciative and thankful to my family members. Throughout the years, they have put up with a lot from me. I’ve been the cause of anger and tears, sometimes intentional, some just bad programming within myself. I was always the person that knew how to push buttons, and boy did I. Most of the things that I have, came at a price to my mother, but she never complained. My grandmother taps into reserved money so that she can see the way her money is spent, on things that I am passionate about. My grandfather spends the small amounts of money that he has, wishing and hoping for a better life on my sister and I.

I’ve taken so much of my life for granted. I haven’t been appreciative, when all they hoped for was a thank you. Most of the time, I felt that I was owed something, when the opposite was true. I was given anything that I asked for, but it still wasn’t enough. And on top of that, I treated them cruelly.

But yesterday was different. I woke up with a new sense of life. I felt like God was telling me, ‘Everything is going to be different from now on.’

This year, it’s not going to be about me, because it never has been, no matter how much I believed that at one time. My life has always been part of God’s greater plan, and although I didn’t always understand what that meant, I now realize something: I’ve done a lot of talking the talk, but I wasn’t very good at walking the walk. I talked about how important it was to be saved by Christ so that we could have a relationship with God, but my actions never really mirrored that. I talked about how love was the greatest thing we could do, and that we should be kind and compassionate, but in that same breath, I could tear someone down. Looking back on the person that I was, I’m ashamed. I know that I can’t do anything to change the past, but I can make a difference in the lives of people from here on out. Whether that is being kind and showing mercy to the people in my family, or hearing out a friend who had a bad day, things can be different. It’s not always about the big things that we do; sometimes it’s the small, seemingly inconsequential things that mean the most. It’s not always about saying something to someone, sometimes it’s the things that we don’t say; it’s our actions that speak out.

Francis of Assisi said:

Preach the Gospel at all times and when necessary use words.

For years, I never knew what that meant, but I finally understand. Everything that we do should be testifying the name of Christ and it’s not always about the words that we use. Anyone can stand up in front of a crowd and tell them about Jesus, but not many people preach the gospel within their daily lives. If nothing else, I think this is one of the most important things that we need to understand. Jesus didn’t preach and command everywhere He went. It was through His actions that He proved the love of His Father in heaven. This is what we should mirror. Using words, only when they are necessary.

Every day this year, I’m setting a challenge for myself. Each day on the sidebar (to the right), I will post what I’m challenging myself to do, whether it be a word of encouragement to someone, or giving a hug when it’s needed. If you’re interested in seeing what I’m up to, check it out. Everything that I do, I pray will be guided by the hand of God, so that people will see His light shining through me.

It’s important for me to make a difference in someone’s life, not only to discipline myself to be like Christ, but also for the benefit of those around me. Everyone needs a helping hand or a shoulder to cry on, and in being that person, the door is opened for Christ to enter in. We are called to be His hands and feet, and I want nothing more than to be His humbled servant.

As I make this commitment to live completely in the light of the Lord, I pray that my family will understand how much I love them. All those years of anger and hatred have now come to me at a price; I can’t take them back. I pray that through my actions, they will know that I appreciate them, more than they know. I know that everyone’s life has rough patches, but I’m blessed more than I could ever make known. I thank God for my family, and for the opportunity to be a part of their lives and stories. They have sacrificed so much for my sister and I, and it hurts me to know how badly I’ve hurt them in the past. They are such beautiful people, and I love them more than words can ever say; so now I will show them.

Jesus Christ made the biggest difference this world has ever, or will ever know; I want to make a difference, for Him.

Blessings,

A.

All Worth the Wait

I've been thinking a lot about marriage lately. With it being the summer months, I have friends preparing for their weddings, or friends that just recently married. So now I wonder, out of curiosity, what my life holds?

I've never been in a relationship, and while many people find this strange, I think it it one of the most important qualities about myself. I have never felt the need to be in a relationship, and there are a few reasons for that. Growing up, I was so focused on school, that the idea never really crossed my mind. Sure, I had crushes like every other little girl, but it wasn't something that would develop into anything. As I got older, I found myself interested in people, but because of my relationship with God, there was always a voice telling me that it wasn't the right time.

Where I am right now, isn't far from where I was before. The idea of being courted, getting to know someone, and eventually marrying someone, is exciting, but I'm not going to lie, it's terrifying as well. The excitation comes from not knowing who he is going to be; who God has chosen. The terrifying part comes from not knowing if I'm messing things up by not giving people a chance.

I've never been the kind of person to rush things, and I value myself too much to be in a relationship with just anyone. People ask me how I'm going to know if someone is the right person, unless I date them. And my answer to this is simple: when the right person comes along, on God's timeline, there isn't going to be any question in my mind. Things are going to happen the way that they are supposed to.

Yesterday, for the first time, I read Song of Solomon, twice, and once again today. That is one part of the Bible that I never touched, partially because I never really understood it. There were parts in it that scared me, as well as parts that seemed too advanced for my 'childish' mind to accept.

After reading it, I discovered a few things. First, Song of Solomon is written not only as a perspective of how things should be in a relationship or marriage between a man and a woman, but also how Christ perceives His church. We are His bride, and He is our groom. The words and descriptions that Solomon use give us a glimpse of how Christ sees us. We are His prized possession, and He finds us beautiful. 

Song of Solomon 4:7 -- All beautiful you are, my darling; there is no flaw in you.

That love and relationship is more important to me than any relationship I could ever have with a man. My focus isn't on who my future husband will be, but on Christ. My relationship with Him can be viewed as a courtship. I'm growing and learning about Him, and I reveal more of myself to Him (regardless of the fact that He knows everything about me). One day, I, as well as you, will be His bride; His eternal love. When I finally came to understand this yesterday, it made me realize how I want a relationship to be.

Adjustments needed to be made in my life so that my choice to remain pure for God and my future husband wasn't made in vain.

In April of this year, I placed a purity ring on my finger.

Back story: When I was 5 years old, I received this ring from my grandmother, but after bending it out of shape, it remained in a jewelery box. After 2010 had begun, I was looking for something that 'announced' who I was and what I believed. This is the year that I will be turning 21. I thought about what the best gift I could give, not only to myself, but to God and my future husband as well. Over the Easter holiday, that answer came. I found my little ring in the jewelery box, waiting there after all those years, and I knew that this is what I needed. I took it to the jewelers, had the band reshaped and polished.

Now on my finger, sits a small, gold ring. In the middle, sits a cross with a small diamond in its center, surrounded by a heart made of two intertwined ropes.

It's perfect.

I never knew that 15 years ago this ring would help me to make a promise.

This promise I've made encompasses a few things: 1) It's not only a promise to myself, but also a promise to God that I will keep my body pure. 2) I will remain pure for my future husband and 3) I will above all else, keep my heart guarded and protected against the temptations of this world, so that when my day of marriage comes, I can give myself completely to my husband.

The lyrics below are from a song called, 'From Here' by Big Daddy Weave. It's the song that speaks so perfectly about what has been on my heart. Jesus Christ is sitting in heaven, waiting for that special day when He will wed His church, but until then, He is watching our relationships between each other develop.

My child, I’ve hoped and I’ve prayed for this very day
Since you were just a little one
And oh how my heart swells with pride
As I watch the man that you’ve become
But this life offers no guarantees
And though my time on this earth had to end
I’m sure that your heart would know peace
If you could just see where I am

From here, the race has been run and love’s already won
I see clearly the end and the start
From here, I’m cheering you on
So live out each breath with all that you’ve got
And know until I hold you close
I’ll be holding you dear in my heart
From here

I’ve seen your tears as you’ve waited alone
Longing for that special one
And now all the waiting is done
As you gaze into her eyes
Seeing the reflection of love
Life’s road may seem rough up ahead
And for now you see only in part
So hold onto each other and know
That there is an end to the dark

Heaven is calling and my heart keeps longing
Looking so forward to the day
When we’ll be together forever in eternity
Just you wait and see

To me, marriage is not only a bond between two people, but a bond between those two people and God. A husband is supposed to not only the leader of the home, but a spiritual leader as well. As a woman, and future wife, my role is/will be to support, encourage, listen and honor. Wives are called to submit to their husbands, and husbands are called to respect and cherish their wives. A husband should be strong in his faith, and seek God in all that he does. A wife should be meek and humble, surrendering her life to God.

I'm not being slow about my choice..because it's not my choice. My future husband has already been hand picked by God, and the day when he is revealed to me, is something I look forward to.

"There is a man that God has, waiting for me out there. It's not always fun waiting & wondering who he is, but using this time to get to know my Creator, makes it all worth the wait."  ♥

Blessings,

A.

The Suffering Servant

Isaiah 53.

The Suffering Servant.

Do you know Him?

Who has believed our message?
To whom has the Lord revealed his powerful arm?
My servant grew up in the Lord’s presence like a tender green shoot,
like a root in dry ground.
There was nothing beautiful or majestic about his appearance,
nothing to attract us to him.
He was despised and rejected—
a man of sorrows, acquainted with deepest grief.
We turned our backs on him and looked the other way.

He was despised, and we did not care. Yet it was our weaknesses he carried;
it was our sorrows that weighed him down.
And we thought his troubles were a punishment from God,
a punishment for his own sins!
But he was pierced for our rebellion,
crushed for our sins.
He was beaten so we could be whole.
He was whipped so we could be healed.
All of us, like sheep, have strayed away.
We have left God’s paths to follow our own.
Yet the Lord laid on him
the sins of us all.

He was oppressed and treated harshly,
yet he never said a word.
He was led like a lamb to the slaughter.
And as a sheep is silent before the shearers,
he did not open his mouth.
Unjustly condemned,
he was led away.
No one cared that he died without descendants,
that his life was cut short in midstream.
But he was struck down
for the rebellion of my people.
He had done no wrong
and had never deceived anyone.
But he was buried like a criminal;
he was put in a rich man’s grave.

But it was the Lord’s good plan to crush him
and cause him grief.
Yet when his life is made an offering for sin,
he will have many descendants.
He will enjoy a long life,
and the Lord’s good plan will prosper in his hands.
When he sees all that is accomplished by his anguish,
he will be satisfied.
And because of his experience,
my righteous servant will make it possible
for many to be counted righteous,
for he will bear all their sins.
I will give him the honors of a victorious soldier,
because he exposed himself to death.
He was counted among the rebels.
He bore the sins of many and interceded for rebels.

Maybe you’ve read this. Maybe you’ve pondered what it says. Maybe you’ve read it once and forgotten the weight that it holds.

Here is the story of Jesus Christ; a story that was told even before His birth.

He was a servant that grew in the Lord’s presence like a tender green shoot; but in dry ground. It says that there was nothing beautiful or majestic about Him. Imagine that? There was nothing to attract us to Him. He came into this world looking as you and I; there was nothing that would have given away who He was.

Because He didn’t come as a dictator, ruler or conqueror, He was despised and rejected. When was the last time that you’ve heard those words used? This man that came to save us from ourselves is said to be a man of sorrows; that He was acquainted with deepest grief. Mourning and sadness were dear friends. And what did those around Him do? What do we still do today? We have turned our backs on Him. We looked the other way.

This passage goes on to say that we didn’t care. We showed no concern for the burdens that weighed Him down. Notice what it says next? Yet it was our weaknesses He carried. We were the reason for His distress, and do you know what we did? We blamed His suffering on His own actions. The leaders charged Him with blasphemy and said that He had sinned against God and that His death was the punishment. People thought that His suffering was caused because He, a normal man with no particular feature of beauty, called Himself the Son of God.

So, He was brutally punished. He was pierced, why? So we could be whole. He was whipped, why? So we could be healed. And for what? All of us (yes the Bible says that ALL of us) have strayed away. He came as the Good Shepherd to care for His sheep, and we left Him; we abandoned Him. And even after the neglect, God still allowed His Son take away our sins.

The Bible says that while His suffering occurred, Jesus never said a word. He never opened His mouth. Even when all of these outrageous charges were being brought against Him, our Savior was quiet. And then He was led away. Not one of us cared that He had no children to carry His name; no one cared that His life was being brought to a close before He had a chance to have descendants. He had never sinned, and yet He was treated like a criminal, killed like a criminal and buried like a criminal.


But what they didn’t know is that God’s plan had already been set in motion and Christ’s line would reign forever and all eternity; His eternal kingdom.

It says that when Jesus sees what His suffering accomplished, that He will be satisfied. Because of Jesus Christ, each one of us is able to attain righteousness; not because we deserve it, but because He thinks we are worth it. He bore the sins of this world so that we could be free.

Jesus interceded on our behalf. And because of that, He now sits at the right hand of God; in His rightful place.

As a KING.

Father,

Let us remember what our Lord and Savior suffered that day on Calvary. He came as a servant, in Your Name and we punished Him for it. We denied that He could be Your Son, and we rejected Him. Why Lord, would You still show mercy to us who don’t deserve it? We don’t deserve Your love, grace or mercy and yet, You offer it. Thank You for Your promises and the hope that You’ve given us. I know that none of us is righteous enough on our own, but Lord, with You by our side, we can stand tall. Your blessings are greater than I can ever count or even imagine and Your favor for me never ceases to amaze. Father, I pray that You would give me a heart, fashioned after Yours. Break my heart for what breaks Yours, and keep me in constant thought about all the great things You do. Those who walked the earth in the past may not have been able to see the beauty that Christ held, but Lord, I do. Not just in His appearance, but in the works that He did and the words that He said. He is beautiful,  and it’s His beauty that will save the world.

In Jesus’ Name,

Amen.

He Held the Weight of Our Impurity

Do you ever think about what Jesus had to endure while making His final journey to Calvary?

• Imagine the agony He felt as His seamless robe rubbed against the fresh wounds.
• Feel the sharp points of the crown of thorns that pressed into His skull.
• Run your fingers down His temples, tracing the drops of blood that fell.
• Try to stand tall as the weight of the cross buckles His knees.
• Hear the roar of the crowd beckoning Him to His death.
• Subject yourself to the force of destiny that pushed Him to carry on.

Question: What was all of this for?
Answer: So that the weight of our impurity could be forever taken away.

As Christ walked that final journey, He held the weight of our sins. As He was nailed to the Cross, He thought about each one of us. As He hung against His own weight, He was abandoned by the only person who could save Him: His Father.

We were important enough to the Son of Man, that He would lay down His life for us.

John 15:13 -- Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.

John 10:11 -- I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd sacrifices his life for the sheep.

Jesus is not only the Good Shepherd; He is also the Lamb of God, and many people don't understand that concept.

How can Christ be both the shepherd, as well as the lamb? What does that mean?

John 1:29 -- The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, "Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!

Jesus was born into a world of sin, as perfection.
He came as the flesh of God.
His mission was to bring us, the lost sheep, into His presence.

He didn't come as a dictator.
Or a conqueror.
But as innocence.

He was spotless.
He was pure.
He was immune to sin.

In the Old Testament, people brought lambs to the altar, as a way to atone for their sins. They brought forth the purest lamb, as way to seek forgiveness from God. But when Jesus entered the world, He became that Perfect Sacrifice. He had become that perfect lamb that would atone for the sins of humanity. He would break the barrier that existed between God and man.

As He climbed the hill to Calvary, He was like a lamb being brought to the altar; the difference was that His altar was the Cross. As He hung on that Cross, every past, present and future sin of humanity was placed on Him.

And He was punished. Harshly.
He was subject to the judgment that one day you and I should have endured.
Christ became sin.

A man that was more pure than the whitest white, had become stained by the impurity that we had become. He was drenched in His own blood, but the sin that consumed Him was even greater. The impurity that He took from us, so that we could become right with God, weighed so heavily on Him, that God could not look upon Him; He can't look upon sin. So in the hours from 12 o'clock to 3 o'clock, God's own court was in session and He was forced to forsake His Son.

This is hard to imagine, but this may make the picture more clear:

A perfect God created man, in His own image. He was proud of what He had created, but that man sinned, and caused the rest of humanity to be subject to judgment. God loved His people so much, that He sent His only Son into the world, to become the perfect sacrifice. With the shedding of His Son's blood, the barrier that had been up since the Fall of Man was now broken. But before that veil could be torn, God had to judge the sins of the world. Because impurity had been placed on His own Son, God was forced to pour out His wrath on Jesus. The one man who had done no wrong, the one man who had never sinned, was now being forced to endure the judgment that should have been poured out on you and me. For three hours, before that veil was torn (the moment that Jesus released His spirit), God had forsaken His Son, so that after judgment was complete, we could be reconciled to God.

The next time that you think that you have it rough, or feel like you can't go on, think about Christ. He took all the pain and agony that we would suffer, so that we wouldn't have to. All of it was placed on Him when He held the weight of impurity and climbed that hill.

His life was a testament of LOVE; don't let His sacrifice be for nothing.

Lay your burdens at the feet of Jesus, because they have already been taken care of.

The price has been paid.
The veil has been torn.
We are no longer separated.

We have been forgiven.

Blessings,

A.

What Life is Calling You?

I'm starting this post with a lyric to a song.

I've heard it said today
Is all we're given
Tomorrow may not come
So you better start living
I guess it all depends
On your point of view.

Pardon me if I
Just don't listen
To everything the world
Says I'm missing
There's nothing here and now
I'm gonna hold on to.

How many times have you heard someone tell you that? If you're not living in the 'here and now' or if you're not living 'for the moment,' then you're not really living...right?

Wrong.

1 John 2:15-17 -- Do not love this world nor the things it offers you, for when you love the world, you do not have the love of the Father in you. For the world offers only a craving for physical pleasure, a craving for everything we see, and pride in our achievements and possessions. These are not from the Father, but are from this world. And this world is fading away, along with everything that people crave. But anyone who does what pleases God will live forever.

The world tries to drag us down. It tries to tell us that we need to indulge in acts of the flesh to really be alive (money, sex, fun, slander, etc). But how can we be any more alive than with life Himself in us?

Galatians 2:20 says that "My old self has been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me."

If you think about it in the literal sense, we are basically being told to die to ourselves. As Christians, we should be dead to ourselves, and Christ should be living within us. Our old, human, earthly desires should be gone.

Easier said than done right? Yes, because we are human. But that doesn't mean that we aren't supposed to try; to cling to God, and to call out to Him when we've become broken and weary. When we feel burdened by this life, we aren't supposed to give in; we are supposed to fight that much harder.

John 15:18,19 -- If the world hates you, remember that it hated me first. The world would love you as one of its own if you belonged to it, but you are no longer part of the world. I chose you to come out of the world, so it hates you.

Another part of that song says this: If home is where the heart is then I’m in Heaven.

I don't know about you, but that's what I'm waiting on.

Philippians 3:20 says it the best: But we are citizens of heaven, where the Lord Jesus Christ lives. And we are eagerly waiting for him to return as our Savior.

We aren't citizens of this earth, no matter what a mortal man tells us. We are citizens of heaven. So shouldn't we be acting like it?

Romans 12:2 -- Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.

If we were of this world, I could understand acting like every other person that walks by us on the street. But think of it this way: We have been chosen, by God, to complete a task; to spread the Good News about His Son. And to do this task, we need to walk with His light. But we can't put that light on until we've stripped away every part of this world.

1 Peter 2:9 -- But you are not like that, for you are a chosen people. You are royal priests, a holy nation, God’s very own possession. As a result, you can show others the goodness of God, for he called you out of the darkness into his wonderful light.

Or how about what it says in Romans?

Romans 8:16-19 -- For his Spirit joins with our spirit to affirm that we are God’s children. And since we are his children, we are his heirs. In fact, together with Christ we are heirs of God’s glory. But if we are to share his glory, we must also share his suffering. Yet what we suffer now is nothing compared to the glory he will reveal to us later. For all creation is waiting eagerly for that future day when God will reveal who his children really are.

The way that I see it is that I don't have a life outside of Jesus. I have no desire to live a life outside of Him. Sure, I stumble and fall more times than I can count, but I get back up, dust myself off and keep pushing forward. Knowing that I have the spirit of God within me gives me more joy than any human or worldly possession can give. I've found my life, living for Christ, and it's the most worthwhile choice that I've ever made. No life that I could make for myself on this earth could ever compare to the life that I've received through the sacrifice of my Jesus. I'd rather be hated by man, than separated from Him for eternity. I've been separated from Him long enough.

Matthew 10:39 -- If you cling to your life, you will lose it; but if you give up your life for me, you will find it.

So the question is, are you going to live through the world? Or are you going to let Jesus Christ live through you?

He lets you make the choice.

Choose wisely.

Blessings,

A.