Spoken For

He has made everything beautiful in it's time.

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What is the joy of the Lord? * * It's only February and it's already been a world-wind year. Between my crazy work schedule and trying to keep up with my class work and homework as well as moving and all the stress that comes with that...it's been hectic. The only thing that keeps me going is that I don't do this on my own. God is with me every step of the way. Leading me and most days carrying me to the finish line and towards reaching my goals. * * My sister called me SuperMom today. My niece asked me why My eyes were so dark, referring to the circles under my eyes. Before I could answer, my sister tells her it's because I work, go to school, take care of Alice, then go home and cook and clean. She said, "I don't know how she does it. She's a Super Mom". My niece looked at me in awe but the truth is that I am dead tired. * * There are days when I just want to give up and I'm sure we all have those days. We start to think that we're never going to make it, never going to catch up on school work or regular work, and never have time for our children let alone time for ourselves ! It's during these times that we have to remind ourselves that all of these things are probably true if we try to do this on our own or for selfish reasons. But if we abide in Christ, if we pray about our decisions and allow Him to guide us, and lean on Him in all things, especially when under pressure, He will always make a way for us. * * "The joy of the Lord is the gladness of heart that comes from knowing God, abiding in Christ, and being filled with the Holy Spirit." -GotQuestions.Org

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That which is, already has been; that which is to be, already has been; and God seeks what has been driven away. Ecclesiastes 3:15 I had a really rough childhood, and that led to some poor decisions in my young adult life. But God never left me, He was always there.. trying to guide me and telling me that there was so much more for me. Telling me that the love I knew wasn't real love and showing me that He is love. I've reached this point in my life because God is so good and he does not relent. He refused to let me go, continuously seeking after me and saving me even after I strayed. I'm so happy today. So full of love and God's peace. I stood in front of some of my close friends and family and officially gave my life to Christ. Today marks the beginning of a whole new part of my life. I'm so excited to live in the fullness of God's love and whatever He has in store for me. I'm really not sure what that could be but I am sure that I am in very good hands. 🙏🏼✨💕

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I see the world differently. Through blurred eyes And prescription eyeglasses , Held together by tape or glue. My life isn't about me. It's about the God that I serve, It's distant memories Blended with future promises echoed into my heart and kept. It's about making connections And the quiet pauses in between the laughter. It's about so much more than The peaks and valleys, It's the beauty surrounding these things. It's motion and stillness And how both affect me. It's a river in the desert And having faith enough To step out onto the water 📸: @jurien.h

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And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us. And if we know that he hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests that we have asked of him. ‭‭1 John‬ ‭5:14-15‬ ‭ESV‬‬

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Repost: @do.good.mak

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I've shared this before, but I'm going to share it again because someone really needs it. I want the best for me and my friends and it upsets me when I see anyone settling. We as women are so beautiful and perfectly made by God. You can not let just any old Joe cloud your vision and distract you from your purpose !! Not only that but you don't have to wait until you meet the man that God has for you in order to live in your purpose. Do it NOW ! Start reaching your goals Now. Be the best you Now. Trust in God's goodness. Trust that He made you and only He knows exactly what you need and when it will best suit you. Trust that His plan will always be so much better for you than your own. I'm pleading with you ladies, Don't settle. Picture Repost @puredatingtips

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What if we knew how to love each other? What if we didn't have to learn how to be kind and to have compassion for the people in our lives... what if we knew how to be a friend, a real and true friend. Always honest, always encouraging, giving all that we can, listening to others not just to respond. It seems that a real friend is hard to find. I heard a sermon recently about Nehemiah and all that he did to lead and encourage the Jews to rebuild the wall that surrounded Judah. There was so much opposition to the rebuilding of this wall and the surrounding nations were extremely discouraging, even going as far as plotting to kill them. Nehemiah tells the Jews, "The work is great and widely spread, and we are separated on the wall, far from one another. In the place where you hear the trumpet sound, rally to us there. Our God will fight for us." This means that every time they connected (through sound) they could carry over to the next person the call for help, the sound of the trumpet, the hope that God would fight for them. Isn't that so amazing!? That when we help our friends, when we join in their struggle or weaknesses, we not only help that person but we carry over the sound to the next person!? We carry over the hope that when we stick together, help and love each other the way Jesus teaches us to, God will always fight for us. I know sometimes this isn't so easy. Sometimes we have a hard time being a good friend to difficult people. But what if we just did it anyway? Encouraged them anyway, love them anyway. Regardless of how they treat you or how they carry themselves. What if we became the good friend we ourselves have been trying to find ? God says love them more, because I love you more....He loves us more !! How great is that? So let's all listen out for the "trumpet sounds" of our friends and show them the love of God, sharing with them the hope that He WILL fight for us.

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The struggles in the earlier years of my life don't compare to what I've been through this past year. And still, this has been the best year yet. I'm so thankful for everything I went through and the shower of blessings that came not in spite of these things but because of them. I've been humbled and in my humbling, blessed beyond measure. I've met so many amazing people. I've learned so much about myself, my family, my friends, and most importantly, God and my relationship with Him and just how good He really is. This year showed me what I'm made of and who I really am. It taught me what love is, who Love is. And how to love myself and others well. Let us all take this day to pray together as a family, to reflect on the many things we have to be thankful for, and to rejoice because the best is yet to come for those who love the Lord. Hoy es el día de acción de gracia, translated to the day of giving thanks. The day of the Action of Grace, and oh how thankful I am for His amazing grace. 🙏🏼✨🦃💕.

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I just want to look a little more like Love

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I've been standing in front of this bridge for a while now. Just waiting. Waiting to be ready. Waiting to be the person God needs me to be. Or the person God has called me to be. Not realizing that although God is still working on me, I am exactly where I need to be for today and I can choose to live in all of my potential for this day. I can choose to do what God has made me for in this day, on this day. I allow myself to remain stagnant under this pretense of needing to be perfect. I ask "Is my house in order?" Or " Am I presentable?" Andg if the answer is no, which it usually is, I don't go out, I don't invite people over. I stay in my "getting ready" bubble and I just don't move. I don't say that encouraging word, or do that good deed, I don't share the hope of glory with others, which is, Christ in me. The Bible doesn't tell us to stay at home and get ready for what God's doing in our life. It says "Be ready !!" Are you presentable? The only right answer to this is have you "Put on (then), as God's chosen one(s), holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience." Are you the same person that you were a year ago? A month ago? Or have you grown and learned from yesterday? No, you aren't done yet. You aren't where you need to be. But learn to be at peace with how far you've come. We are called to bear with one another, to forgive, to love, serve, be loved, give. And you don't need to be perfect or qualified to do any of these things. God is qualified. He is more than qualified and He lives within us. Just allow him to shine through. Clothe yourself in dignity and strength and laugh without fear of the future because God is doing a good work in you. 🙏🏼✨. Matthew 24:44 Colossians 3:12-14

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I know everything gets blurry sometimes. God gets us through our storm, the waters of life are calm, so we think we don't need to lean on Him as much. We don't need to call out to Him as often. Our prayer was answered so there is no longer a need to pray. This is a lie we subconsciously start to believe. We don't realize we do it and we don't notice until something tumultuous happens and we "desperately need" God again. Allowing yourself to fall into this pattern leaves you open for attack. Don't be idle in the time between life's big waves. Use this time to thank Him for the peace He is giving you, to look outside yourself and help someone else, encourage someone else. To praise Him even more. Although you shouldn't, this is for if you need a reason. This is for when you forget that we ALWAYS desperately need God. When your vision is blurred and you don't see the countless blessings in front of you, just remember: God, creator of all things, spoke everything into existence and could have easily done the same for us. Instead, He chose to breathe life into us. He made us in His image and blew His life giving breath into us. Every breathe we take is His. He didn't have to do this !! He could of formed us from the rocks and we would have worshipped Him the same way all of creation does. So, what else is there to do with this breath than to praise Him? To profess the name of Jesus and to sing: Great Are You Lord🙏🏼✨

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This past week has been rough for me. I was feeling so good and riding high on my “In the Spirit” wave and all of a sudden I crashed. I became abnormally fatigued and spiritually deaf. I felt like I couldn’t hear God at all. Like I was being covered by this shroud of sadness and I just didn’t know what to do. I prayed and read my bible but I felt so far from God. It finally dawned on me. I humbly and tearfully asked my Spirit what was wrong…and He prayed an amazing prayer on my behalf. There is no way that prayer came from me, it was all the Holy Spirit within me and because God is so good, it wasn’t a wordless groan. Through this prayer I was able to really hear from God and get to the root of my hurt. Some days are just too long. We forget to focus on God, His promises, and overall His love for us. The worst thing you can do is forget who you are. You are loved by God. It’s who you are, and He is the good good Father !! There is no way you’d ask to hear from Him and He just won’t respond ! “Would a father give a stone or snake to his hungry son if he asked for bread or fish?” The answer is NO! So don’t let anything or anyone keep you from hearing God or seeing Him at work in your life right now. He is as close as YOU want Him to be. So when you pray and ask Him to cover you, He is there !! During those times when you feel far from God, confess all of the things on your heart and mind, ask for forgiveness in repentance, and pray in truth, love, and humility. Pray with thankfulness no matter your physical or emotional circumstance and pray in the Spirit. He never fails 🙏🏼✨

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Are we wasting the precious peace and simplicity of waiting? We pray, we ask God for purpose, and for the desires in our hearts to be fulfilled. We set goals and we set out to do what ever it is we want to accomplish. And somewhere along that road we forget that God is in control. We start to get antsy and impatient, we get distracted by the obstacles in our way instead of focusing on our ever present helper. Christ. Alive and active and always with us. Always guiding us and always able. God tells us that “HE has purposed, and HE will do”. So as long as we continue to keep listening for His voice and living in the Spirit, we will succeed. Remember to cultivate the fruits of the spirit during your season of waiting. Take this time to grow in truth and love, gentleness, kindness. Really find the joy and goodness in all things, especially within yourself. Rest assured that you serve a God who loves and cares for you deeply and when we love Him in return, He does not allow us to fail. Don’t waste anymore of your season of rest worrying over what God has already seen done. 📸: @jurien.h (👈🏼follow for God inspired photography and poetry)

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I just looked at my calendar and realized that the verse I chose for this month was Jude "20 But you, dear friends, by building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit, 21 keep yourselves in God’s love as you wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal life."... I completely forgot to memorize the verse... but I feel like I lived it this month. God is still working in me. I can feel and see the transformation now. The renewal. There's still a lot I have to fight with and internal struggles to overcome but this month has taught me to build up my spirit, pray, and praise God in every occasion. He is with me, leading me, guiding me, closing doors that need shut, and opening others. I'm so thankful for this season that I'm in and now I'm using careful consideration for next month's verse !!

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It’s the beginning of a new season and I am so ready for it. Last Autumn, God carried me through heartbreak, the Winter was cold with uncertainties and insecurities, Spring was lush in healing, and Summer was bursting with growth and spiritual maturity. And now, the time is approaching where once again the trees will show us the beauty of letting go. Lord knows how much I’ve already let go, and all that I am willing to let go of now with just a word from Him. I’ve learned that no matter where you think you’re going in life, God can come in, take you out, spin you around and upside down, and in the end (only if you let Him), He will elevate you. And when God has elevated you, when you are firmly and deeply rooted in God’s purpose and plan for your life, you won’t fail, because God does not fail !! It’s as simple as that. It’s just listening to what the spirit inside you guides you to and tells you to do. It’s following through with the purpose and desire that God has placed in your hearts. It’s not allowing your vision to be clouded by the negativity that grows and festers in our mind. It’s feeling joy and peace in your heart because God’s purpose will stand. 🙏🏼✨

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I’ve been keeping this to myself. Keeping Him to myself. Claiming to love God only if brought up in conversation, and even then, only in passing. I’ve been quietly reading my bible, quietly praying, quietly and scarcely showing true compassion, quietly being a “Christian”. I can’t do that anymore. I refuse. I need you to know this. I need you all to know that this is all there is. God is ALL there is. Above everything. All knowing. All powerful. Mighty King of ALL. I also need you to know Him. God, Jesus Christ, our savior, and the Holy Spirit. Three in One. I need you to know of His amazing grace. His transformative power. His healing. His mercy. His LOVE. He’s so good. He brought me out of a pit of despair. When I thought I’d lost all hope and had no chance of help, He breathed new life into me. With just a few simple words that came from my Spirit, echoed into my heart, resonated in my mind, clear as day, He told me, “This is not love”. From that day forward I started to let go. Let go of unhealthy relationships, let go of bitterness, let go of blame, let go of pride, let go of shame, let go of hurt, and last night I let go of what was left. I’m completely free. I’ve completely surrendered my entire life to God. To know God. This is all there is. There is nothing more important than this. And I’m not going to do it quietly. God is love. And I need you to know Him.

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Fifteen. I remember knowing there was a God somewhere up there and knowing about Him sending His son down to be our savior. I remember thinking that being Christian meant following a bunch of rules and judging all those who didn't, I remember judging myself the harshest. I remember feeling something stirring inside of me and trying to speak to me, but being too afraid to listen, too afraid of what I might have to do. Would I have to give up my friends? They didn't know what I believed and I didn't think they'd go for it. Would I have to give up my midriff bearing tops and lipgloss? What about boys? I was boy crazed... Was I ever going to have a boyfriend if I called myself a Christian? I clearly didn't know any better. I didn't truly know my savior or understand any of God's word and what His promises meant for me. I was never taught that I was fearfully and wonderfully made, and that I didn't need the friends, the midriff tops, or the boys. I never knew that God had plans for me, plans to prosper me and never harm me, to give me hope and a future (Jer29:11). More than that, I never really understood that Jesus, MY savior, Son of God, came for me, died for me, rose again and gave us the Holy Spirit to guide us while He's away. He pleads and prays for me and there is no amount of rule following that tops what Jesus did for me on that cross. I look at this picture and I see all the years between then and now, I see how much I've changed and grown, I see God's transformative power working in my life in such a big way. I was blessed then without even understanding and I'm even more blessed now. Thank you Jesus🙏🏼✨