In the Heart of a Blue

Intentionally, Consistently, Persistently Apostolic.

[charlotte-j]

No..?

Chanced upon this quote: "Sometimes it's hard to say "no" if you really mean yes. It's hard to close your eyes if you really want to see. It's hard to forget if you really can't. But the hardest is to let go if you want to stay." But sometimes... When you know your decision was tough but it would be wisest, painful but it gave you peace, restricted you from following your heart but it liberated you for future's sake... Then that "no" would just have to happen. And may the God who comforts and heals the heart, be with me. Always. Because He promised :) Psalms 147:3 “He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.”

[hisword-typographicverses]

[dontrunfromwhoyouare-blog]

Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. (Colossians 3:1, 2 NIV)

[worshipgifs]

[asdeepcriesout-deactivated20210]

And that is precisely what Christianity is about. This world is a great sculptor’s shop. We are the statues and there is a rumor going round the shop that some of us are some day going to come to life.

CS Lewis: Mere Christianity. (via asdeepcriesout)

[tolistentoyourheartbeat]

whats life without hope. whats hope without God.

[tolistentoyourheartbeat]

I Am Enough

For those who read my previous post, did it stir up as much discomfort in you as in me? 

Worthiness, shame, love, acceptance, relationships. 

I am enough. Am I? 

We love to add qualifiers subconsciously to the statement. 

‘I am enough if I get this going in my life.’ 

‘I am enough when I get out of this mess’ 

‘I am enough when I stop failing’

‘I am enough if my life is perfect without all these circumstances I didn’t ask for’ 

We love Him because He first loved us. - 1 John 4:19

Before we can give any love, we must receive love - His love for us, love from His Body. 

[charlotte-j]

We’re afraid that if we go all in that we might miss out on what this life has to offer.  It’s not true.  The only thing you’ll miss out on is everything God has to offer.  And the good news is this: if you don't hold out on God, God won't hold out on you.   No one has ever sacrificed anything for God.  If you always get back more than you gave up, have you sacrificed anything at all? The eternal reward always outweighs the temporal sacrifice.  At the end of the day, our greatest regret will be whatever we didn’t give back to God. What we didn’t push back across the table to Him.  The message of All In is simple: if Jesus is not Lord of all then Jesus is not Lord at all.  It’s all or nothing. It’s now or never.   Kneeling at the foot of cross of Christ and surrendering to His Lordship is a radical act of dethroning yourself and enthroning Christ as King.  It’s also an act of disowning yourself.  Nothing belongs to you. Not even you.    Batterson writes, for many years, I thought I was following Jesus.  I wasn’t.  I had invited Jesus to follow me.  I call it inverted Christianity.  And it’s a subtle form of selfishness that masquerades as spirituality.  That’s when I sold out and bought in.  When did we start believing that the gospel is an insurance plan?  It’s a daring plan.  Jesus did not die just to keep us safe. He died to make us dangerous.

Review of Mark Batterson's "All In", on Kobo.

[jacintanest-deactivated20200103]

May you feel beautiful today. May you feel strong and brave and capable of becoming the person you have always dreamed of being. May your goals be reachable, your bad habits be kickable, your talents be usable and your heart be teachable. May you take negativity on the chin and refuse to harbor it within. May you be fierce in your pursuit of happiness, and maintain your composure when things don’t go your way. May you be kind and gracious, even when it requires more effort. May you take less for granted, and remain thankful for the big AND the small moments you experience. May you find joy in the service of others, and forgiveness when you look into your past. May you feel a sense of belonging, of hope and of purpose. May you be reminded today that you are royal and wise, with a sense of discernment to keep you from trouble. May you see the goodness in the eyes of those around you, and be willing to sacrifice a moment of your time for a glimpse of their happiness. May you acknowledge that the standards of beauty you compare yourself to, are set by you and you alone. May you see you are in control, and you decide what you will or won’t brand yourself, or weigh yourself down over. May you find a sense of acceptance each day, towards a new area of your life, your body, your mind and your circumstances. May you maintain your faith, your relationship with Christ and your spiritual health, and treat it as the breath of life that it is. May you be grateful for the things you have, rather than downcast over the things you do not. May you choose to see the light at the end of the tunnel, the bridge crossing over the raging river and the stairway that leads up the mountain. May you find the silver lining, the golden edge and the rainbow; and may you remember to treat each day as if it were your last. May you never miss a beat, skip a step or run away from what is to come; because you were born to experience it all - and to still make it out alive, ready to tell a story of victory and triumph. Don’t give up… May you never, ever give up.

For more faith and encouragement devotionals, follow @jacinta.nest on Instagram.

[charlotte-j]

A good choice at the time may not be God's choice for a lifetime.

Barbara Willoughby, "Choosing God's Best" series (based off the book of the same title)

[foreverchampagneiglikes]

[infiniety]

have a lovely day

[charlotte-j]

Ordering my private world

I’ve come to realise that the one thing worth investing in is my relationship with God.

In the busy-ness of life I thought the most I could accomplish was to manage my workload with ministry to people around me. 

Could I have forgone time to minister to the One who is my All in all? 

A good thought that my recent book  “Ordering Your Private World” revealed to me: what is my inner world like?

If my inner, private life (my closet) is strong, my relationship with God strong... then no amount of external circumstances can shake my faith. 

Move forward with wisdom and boldness, Charlotte. In Christ.

Philippians 3: 13-14

13 Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before,

14 I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

And I quote a friend,

“For God. Not for people.” 

[millaymary]

[set-apartgirl]

Your righteousness, God, reaches to the heavens, you who have done great things. Who is like you, God? Though you have made me see troubles, many and bitter, you will restore my life again; from the depths of the earth you will again bring me up. You will increase my honor and comfort me once more.

Psalm 71:19-21, NIV (via set-apartgirl)

[worshipgifs]

[charlotte-j]

Grace and Peace in the Storm

It was a trying period recently, but one thing is sure: I know God loves me and it never changed whether life circumstances were smooth-sailing or rocky or whatever. I was pushed to my limits but thankfully, God's grace was sufficient. 🙌🏻 He gave me peace in my storm. The Bible never said we can pray storms away, but one thing is certain: God is there in the midst of the storm. The storm challenges, and stretches one's capacity. God came through for me. Not only in my alone times with God, but He's touched me and loved me through the prayers and love of the Church. Yes- the Church. Not a building, but a group of people devoted to Him. THANKFUL! God loves you too. More than you'll ever understand...

[a-joyfuljourney]

Whitney Johns

[gqandw]

[thepracticeco]

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