Cosimo Galluzzi
Mike Driver
JBB: An Artblog!
Misplaced Lens Cap
if i look back, i am lost
Kiana Khansmith
$LAYYYTER
Today's Document
let's talk about Bridgerton tea, my ask is open
Not today Justin
titsay
祝日 / Permanent Vacation
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macklin celebrini has autism
@theartofmadeline
ojovivo
Lint Roller? I Barely Know Her
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Andulka
occasionally subtle
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@faithwithdiscretion
God spoke to me tonight in James 5. At first I didn’t realize how much He was truly speaking directly to me and my situation, but then I went back and reread to reflect.
Reflection can be of the utmost importance because it allows you time to meditate over the things you’ve just encountered....
Matthew 28
I think Jesus still does the same today. He shows up before us suddenly and says "Greetings. How y'all doin'?" (Okay, maybe not exactly like that... Haha)
And we have a choice to make: lie about what happened like the guards in order to gain the love of the world (vv 11-15), or run "afraid yet filled with joy" to tell the disciples what Jesus has done in our lives.
In Matt Chandler's book "The Explicit Gospel" he says that the gospel demands a response. I believe it's true. Wheter we accept or reject, eventually we will have to come to a consensus on where we stand.
I believe Jesus wants out of us the same response that came from Mary Magdalene, Mary, and the disciples.
- to clasp His feet and worship Him (v 9)
- to believe that He has risen from the dead and gone before us (v 7)
- to run, afraid yet filled with joy to tell His disciples what He's done in our lives (share with the Church body, willingly and eagerly despite fear)
- to go where He tells us to (v 16)
- to meet Him on the mountain where He will provide (Jehovah Jireh from OT; vv 16-20)
- to believe in His authority, His Great Commission, and His promise despite our doubt (v 17-20)
Jesus goes before us and He's promised us that He will always be with us. He has all authority over everything so we can rest safely in trusting Him. He has all authority so we don't have to hesitate in trusting Him. In Hebrews 6:13 we're shown that God promises on Himself because there is no one greater for Him to swear by. I LOVE that verse. It makes me laugh. God is God so He can't swear by anyone else. Can you imagine someone saying, "I promise. I promise... on myself that I will do this for you because I love you." It makes me laugh, but with God it's so real. He's GOD.
Too Young to Love?
Got down on one knee, wooed my growing heart in time. You are my One Love.
Life
Are our hearts open and willing to receive His ministering? Are we willing to be broken down and purified of ourselves in order to know His Truth?
I've come to understand that being purified doesn't mean a simple one-two-three step procedure and you're done. It means letting yourself be wrenched apart from all that once polluted your life. It means being divorced from a relationship with sin and being married to Christ.
And that separation is not simple.
It takes time and effort and determination to not go back. It means every time you're tempted to pick up the phone and talk to sin, you wrap that thought up and take it captive to Jesus. You remember whose you are. You're married to Life... so live.
www.facebook.com/naeemcallaway
Love it. Truth.
Our whole lives we're sold "happily ever after", time and time again. In the movies. On TV. On Facebook, Pinterest, YouTube. I've heard talk about Prince Charming, "The One", my "soul mate". Even in church, I've been told that God is designing the PERFECT man for me. That there is ONE out there who will &
This is such a good reminder. We must remember our purpose. We weren't put on this earth to glorify ourselves or the people we love. We were created for God's purpose, which is to be glorified <3
It's so easy for us to take something good from God and misunderstand what He's made it for. This is why I want to be a marriage and family counselor; because I want to help people see what God sees in marriage, God willing. God created marriage to give us the opportunity to live in the covenant His Church is getting prepared to live in Him with when the time finally comes... Oh how glorious it will be when the Scriptures are fulfilled and "his Bride has made herself ready" (Rev. 19:7). Every time I imagine it I just think of how beautiful and amazing it's going to be... How sublime.
Marriage is such a beautiful blessing from God. God is so gracious as to give us a foretaste of things to come- and not just in marriage, but in everything!
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Also, God's called us to love everyone. You don't need to be married to someone to love them the way God loves them, but you do need His guidance and His love. How do you get it you ask? Pursue God!!!!!! He's your first love and your last love! And He should be everything in between!!!!!! He fell for you the moment He knew you. Jeremiah 1:5 says, "'Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you; I appointed you a prophet to the nations.'" God was speaking to Jeremiah at that time, and He's speaking to you now, every moment of your life.
Go pursue your first love!!!!! Go bless Him! <3 He's waiting with open arms and a stunning smile.
Love you all! God bless you!
A Word on Accountability
Tell people what's going on in your life. Tell them the changes you're making for the better and the things you're trying to overcome, the things you're praying about. Accountability will strengthen you when you have genuine friends to encourage you.
Love says: I’ve seen the ugly parts of you, and I’m staying. Our culture doesn’t love love; It loves the idea of love. It wants the emotion without the sacrifice.
-Matt Chandler (via touplift)
Preach
"You can’t live for God until you learn how to live because of God."
Mike Donehey, Tenth Avenue North (via littlethingsaboutgod)
Amen
So in Love
What love is this?
I'm so in love with You. "You could love me more in a moment than other lovers could in a lifetime." Truly, God, I confess from my lips, from my heart of hearts, that only You complete me. You are my one true love. I love You.
I just want to rest in Your embrace. No love is sweeter than this.
My heart is so overwhelmed with Your love... It never ends... If only my heart could love that much. This love is so deep.
I can't even express with words how much You love me... So I find that the best way to love You is to love others the way You love me. It doesn't make much sense to the world... but I know that You know the intentions of my heart.
Pushing everything aside, the only thing that matters is my relationship with You. I pray, just as Jesus once prayed, that the beautiful Church would be of one mind and of one body.
In the name of Jesus,
AMEN.
Unteach Yourself What the World Taught You. Listen to God.
I talked to God and I asked about what He's called me to do. You know... These past few months God has been showing me that accepting my destiny is accepting myself. I mean, maybe that sounds obvious, but think about it for a moment.
Accepting me.
Deep down in my core is the woman that God has been calling me to be since the day I came into existence. These prayers I've been praying about overcoming shyness, getting out there to serve Him and glorify Him, asking Him to prepare my heart for things to come in my journey to glorify His name, all the experiences I've been having since college started... All of it is not really about what it looks like on the surface. It's about matters of the heart deep within. God's been calling out to that place in the deepest recesses of myself. He knows it's there. He knows because He created me! So day by day, each event He sends me through causes another layer to shed until finally the day will come when I will be His true creation. The day will come when I will be the creation that He had in mind for His Kingdom- not this world.
I wasn't destined for this world. None of us were... That's why we always hunger for a passion. We always hunger to serve something- to love something. I went through that for a season (high school). It wasn't the best... but I discovered that my passion was/is God. My passion was/is the Church. I think that was the first time I shut the world's opinion out. And it wasn't even me, it was all God.
Now, reflecting on things, I find myself in a similar situation. God has brought me to another point in my life where I need to choose whether I will listen to the world or listen to His voice.
Honestly, I'm not shy. I'm quiet. I'm an introvert.
The world tells me that I'm shy. That I'm afraid to talk to people. That every silence must be filled.
God's shown me that I like meeting people. I like talking to them. I love socializing and relating. God tells me it's okay to be quiet. It's okay to listen rather than speak all the time... God tells me that I am different, and I am loved.
I'm not afraid to talk to people. I love it, actually! I just do things differently than society tells me I should. I do one-on-one time. In groups, I don't speak much; I listen. That doesn't mean I'm not there or that I'm not interested or that I'm shy. I'm still actively participating.
I could go on for so long...
Basically, I'm realizing that God is helping me break free from the stigma placed on introverts. I'm different, but I'm not saying that in the sense that I'm more special that anyone else. I mean we're all special. But we're all different. The world tries to shove us into this cookie cutter mold. But that's not Truth. We're all different and it's okay. None of us are exactly the same and it was meant to be that way. God loves it that way! He's the most skilled artist- of course He meant it to be that way! No one is to be praised over the other. We're all bad. We're all on equal ground.
So... This is me picking up where I left off before Christmas break: answering those desires God has put in my heart to learn things like how to play guitar so I can praise Him, cook so I can feed people, paint in His presence to display His beauty to others, spend time in nature with Him...
I'm going to do all the things I want to do in His name, for the glory of His name because there is no cookie cutter mold that can hold me back from Him.
Ha, I laugh at the time in high school when I actually wanted a label like "swimmer", or "artist" instead of what I thought I had: "smart girl". Psshhhh. You can keep all that, world. The only name I want is the one He will write on stone for me... The one that only He and I know. The one that confirms my rightful place as an adopted daughter of God, a lost princess come home <3
In what ways do you honor God? A lot of times, people think, “I go to church to honor God. I read my Bible to honor God. I sing and clap to honor God.” And yes, those are ways to honor God, but did you know that you honor God just as much when you get to work on time? You honor God when you are productive each day and honor the people in authority over you. You honor God when you excel in your career.
Actions speak louder than words. When you give your very best in the workplace, your whole life is giving praise to God—it’s one of the best witnesses you could ever have. Just showing up with a good attitude, friendly, organized, being your best—people will notice there’s something different about you. They’ll want what you have.
As believers, we should set the standard in all areas of life. People should see the depth of your character and your spirit of excellence and know that you are a child of the Most High God. Make the decision to honor Him in all that you do because you are His representative in the earth today!
Amen. Whatever you do, do it diligently to The Lord.
Season of Growth
This is the season of growth. Never said it didn't come without growing pains.
Why do I Ever Stop Looking at my Tumblr Wall?
No longer will I ask why I have such a feeble heart and quiet nature.
I am fearfully and wonderfully made. I was made this way by You for a reason. I know You are there, God. Please protect me. In the midst of all this speculation shield me, Lord. Please, fortify me; arm me.
Fortify me. Arm me.
My prayer is this: fortify me and arm me!
God, I am Yours.
Give me a heart like Yours- a heart that loves people into awakening their full potential, Lord.
I want that love. Please, Lord, let me be a beacon of Your light. Let me take Your presence with me wherever You lead me. Let people notice it, Lord... Please, let them notice.
I mean, it doesn't make sense if I think about it too much... What's in it for me? Nothing... And that's the pure beauty of it:
Why does my heart hurt so much when I discover that someone doesn't believe in You?
Because... Because I know what it feels like to be in Your presence. I know what it feels like to be loved despite everything I've ever done. I know what it means to have parents- because of You, God...
How can I ever deny You?
It breaks my heart because I wish everyone could experience this. I wish the stereotypes and misjudgments and lies could all be broken down... And one day they will be.
And on that day, my heart will sing out in rejoicing to You forevermore.
What is this life?
Growing pains.
Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you (1 Peter 5:7, NLT.)
God desires to take care of whatever may be concerning you today. He invites you to give your worries and cares to Him simply because He loves you!
How do you give Him your cares? First of all, understand that cares show up in your mind. When negative, self-defeating thoughts of worry come, you have to recognize them as cares and replace them with the Word of God. For example, if you are concerned about a need today, say out loud, “My God shall supply all my needs according to His riches in glory.” If you have fear about something, say out loud, “God has not given me a spirit of fear, but of power, love and a sound mind.” If you have sickness in your body, declare, “By His stripes I am healed.” As you meditate on the truth and focus your heart and mind on the Father, those cares and concerns will disappear.
Then, thank Him for giving you peace and joy. Thank Him for working in your life. As you keep an attitude of faith and expectancy, give Him your worries and cares and get ready for the blessing He has for your future!
