:- Reflections Of A Daughter In Christ -:

-: Newly Wed :- Heart For Youth :- DIY Dabbler :- Beginner Digital Artist :- In Love With Jesus :- Through ups and downs, I want to reflect & share thoughts. Whether growing or struggling, I want you to see - with Christ, I have no shame. I wish to encourage & be a side of real raw emotion - why hide? We’ve all been there, so why not learn together. Hope you find inspiration - the True inspiration.

[trueidentityreflections]

[trueidentityreflections]

Have faith in how Jesus sees you

-: If you don’t believe in the way Jesus see’s you to be, trying having -: faith :- in the way Jesus see you . :- Believing in something your not sure about is difficult, but faith is so much easier. Faith always seems to be the first step to believe, so maybe try it with your identity in Christ.  - A paraphrase of a Joyce Meyer’s Devotional

[trueidentityreflections]

A reminder,

-: You are not your feelings :- -: You are not your doings :-  -: You are not your success :-  -: You are not your failures :-  -: You are a chosen, beloved child of God, whom He delights in. You are the apple of His eye, and the desire of His heart. He loves you overwhelmingly, and joyously wishes to share His love for you. You are His number one choice and most proud creation. There is nothing you can or could do that would ever change His mind. He wants to share life with you, the good, the bad, and the ugly. Regardless of what you may do, think or say, He wants you to know that He will not leave your side. You are loved, for being just you. :- 

[trueidentityreflections]

Spirit Awareness

-:By paying attention to your daily thoughts, you become spirit aware with Christ. Becoming more spirit aware results in intimate relationship with Jesus. :-  -: Mindsets are connected to thoughts and thoughts are connected to the spirit, the core of an individual. The spirit is where Jesus abides in us, therefore the care and nurturing of the spirit is so vital to a relationship with Jesus. The spirit sings praises of gratitude, and the thoughts say, “I’m so blessed to have the life I have” to which the developed mindset becomes contentment. By getting aware of thoughts you get aware of mindset, which is an awareness of the state of your spirit. This awareness can unlock the door to the deepest parts of yourself, and once you find something that is not supposed to be living in your spirit you can invite Christ into a hole new level of relationship.  -: My Daily Thoughts journaling prompts :- -: 1. My Mood :- -: 2. My Positive Self Talk :- -: 3. My Negative Self Talk :- -: 4. My Positive Thoughts :- -: 5. My Negative Thoughts :- -: 6. 3 Things I am Grateful For Today :- -: An example of a spirit awareness discovery :-  ----- : You’ve been writing your daily thoughts. You’ve noticed a trend in your thoughts, the feeling of being numb and not thriving in life. You think about what kind of mindset the thoughts could have developed. Maybe one of dissatisfaction. If the mindset of dissatisfaction is not address, you understand that you could become grumpy, unhappy, and potentially annoyed in the future. You can see that your spirit is hurting, desiring or maybe exhausted by something. During your morning prayers the next day, you invite Jesus into your new discovery. “Jesus, I’ve noticed a trend in my thoughts that I believe to be developing a mindset of dissatisfaction. I ask you to reveal my spirit to me. Help me see what only you can see. I surrender my thoughts to you.” In reply Jesus warmly answers. “You’ve lost the presence of fulfillment.” Jesus talks you through how you’ve been too busy, and lost time with Him, lost time for your hobbies, and lost time for your relationships. In your following days, you spend more time with Jesus working on a plan to regain fulfillment, and to work on saying “no” a little more often.

[trueidentityreflections]

My Daily Needs

[trueidentityreflections]

He is not : He is

God is -: not :- one who looks at me with a frown on his face.  God is -: not :- one who causes hurt in my life in the hopes that it makes me a better person. God is -: not :- one who only loves me today, because one day my potential will out shine the mistakes I’ve made. God is -: not :- one who only uses me if I am perfect.  -:                                    ---                                              :- God -: is :- one who looks at me with a proud smile on His face. God -: is :- one who hurts even more than I do in my hurts. God -: is :- one who loves me every day because I am me. Failures and all. God -: is :- one who so deeply desires to use me, not matter what stage of life I am in. 

The enemy loves to mess up our understanding of the true character of God. God’s character is one of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.  - A paraphrase & reflection from an Abi Stumvoll message,

[trueidentityreflections]

Who started it ...

Sometimes the hurt and embarrassment we feel from interactions with others, comes from their normal action, conversation or questioning, somehow validating the negative narration you already had about yourself - the negative narration that’s hiding in your own thoughts.  

- The Connected Life

[trueidentityreflections]

Names and Titles

-: Thoughts & Reflections :-

God understands the transforming power of names and titles. In both the Old and New Testaments, people are renamed and often called forth by a title from God. 

When God came to Gideon, he called him a ‘Mighty Warrior - Mighty man of valor,’ Gideon had no war experience; he was a simple man. Gideon believed himself to be a ‘nobody,’ as well as his tribe. “O my Lord, how can I save Israel? Indeed my clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my father’s house” (Judges 6:15). 

God’s title over Gideon called forth/ prophesied the new identity he would transform into, and Gideon truly did transform into a ‘Mighty Warrior - Mighty man of valor.’ The same happens with Simon, who Jesus renames Peter in the New Testament. Peter, translating to ‘rock, big boulder,’ called forth stable, rational, and dependable qualities out of Simon, who was previously irrational, emotional, and impulsive. However, just as Gideon transforms into his new identity, Simon also transforms into his identity, growing into what God/Jesus had prophesied over him. 

-: Do you understand the power of names and titles? How the titles/names you or others give transform identities? :- 

Most people reflect an understanding that first comes the identity, then the name/title, when in reality, God says first comes the name/title, then the identity—understanding this changes how you address people, including yourself.

-: Be someone who calls forth the Godly identity in others. :- 

[trueidentityreflections]

Tending & Commanding

-: Thoughts & Reflections :-

God took and placed Adam in the Garden of Eden “to tend and keep it” (Genesis 2:15). Commanding Adam, “Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat; but not of the tree of the knowledge of good & evil” (Genesis 2:16). 

Adam was in authority to take care of the garden and all things within it. If the tree of the knowledge of good and evil was within the garden, was not Adam also in authority to “tend and keep” the tree of the knowledge of good and evil? Only not to eat of it. 

I believe the Holy Spirit led me to this thought - as it opens a world of deep, powerful meaning. Questions of life and relation with the Lord started to arise;

-: What does this mean for us in today’s society?

-: What tasks have I been given the authority to tend to but not commanded to take part in? (Ex. Tending to people trapped in addictions, but to not take part in such addictions.)

-: What is the spiritual meaning/representation of those specific God-given tasks?

Not only questions came up, but truths and realizations of how humanity can use our free will to do mighty works while creating beautiful relations with Jesus and His transcending goodness;

-: The Lord has empowered us with authority to work within something, but not to ‘become’ it. And even if we do slip into ‘becoming,’ He has sent Jesus to redeem us.

-: The Lord wants to and has given us authority over powers and principalities. (Spiritual forces and demonic realms)

-: The Lord desired to protect us while still respecting our free will. 

The more I reflect on the idea, the more questions, and truths Jesus and I work through. Therefore, I want to challenge you to look for your Tending & Commanding tasks specific to you and to find where the Lord wants to take you in/through it. 

[trueidentityreflections]

It's careless to say, "I know what you mean" unless we have had the exact experiences ... When we claim to share what we haven't experienced, we take away from others' lives and identities.

Everyday Encounters, An Introduction to Interpersonal Communication, 5th Ed.

[trueidentityreflections]

-: Verse Of The Day - YouVersion :-

Poetry and the Lord was David’s escape from pain, hurt, bad decisions and grief. When David expressed his emotions and mental processing within his method of escape -poetry-, {which happened to be a God given talent} he did it all with the Lord. The good, the bad, every feeling towards others and the Lord, he expressed. Because of Davids method of escape, his writings became an everlasting living word within the Bible.

What is your method of escape? What if you partnered that skill/talent with the Lord?

Who knows, maybe one day your partnered abilities will become a new living word and hope for others, guiding and leading them closer to the Lord.

[trueidentityreflections]

-: Today’s Thoughts & Reflections :-

-: “Marriage is only as tough as one is selfish” :-

I wish I could tell you who is the owner of this quote, but I can not. My husband heard it from someone back in his time at Bible College, and it had such an impact on his life that he included the quote in his vows to me on our wedding day. We’ve talked about this quote a few times since our wedding, reminding each other first, how grateful we are that we each value self reflection, compromises, and peace-making, over fighting/proving our own perspectives and/or ideas. And second, to encourage us to continue in these actions behind the quote.

My husband and I have had the luxury of learning how to let go (and continually let go) of selfish mentalities to better ourselves as partners in marriage. Whether the lesson was provoked through Bible College, Pastors/mentors, or life situations the Lord & Holy Spirit has walked us through - we’ve been grateful for the journey and how we learnt such a lesson earlier, before marriage than within a marriage. Don’t get me wrong, we still have to continue in the act of letting go of some selfish mentalities, but because we have gone through the understanding of selfish mentalities, we know how to bring light to them, manage them, and communicate through them with maturity - for the betterment of our marriage.

A tip, to those awaiting marriage - whether known or unknown of when - seek out understanding on selfish mentalities, and how they can quickly break down ANY relationship. Yes, these understandings can be learnt within a marriage, but if you have the opportunity to learn before, please do it! Take the time to better yourself for that special someone.

Learn:

1) You and your spouse are on the same team, so why engage and communicate with them as if they are against you? - A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger. Proverbs 15:1

2) Sometimes there is no right or wrong. It’s simply learning to agree to disagree or compromise on matters you each see different on.

3) Reflect on why you have a need to prove a point. Is it for the betterment of your marriage, or is the act deep down, making you feel better about yourself.

4) Not everything is worth a large discussion. Reflection on the topics, actions, daily routines, etc you are willing to let go of and which ones you are not, and why. Then communicate this with your spouse

5) Your feelings are most likely wrong. Knowledge should guide what you do and not your feelings. Learn to reflect on what you know is true and how to control those feelings that are lying to you. Choosing to follow your feelings could take your spouse out of the picture.

6) Communicate with clarity & listen humbly. There is many things that could help with this; reflect on what you are going to communicate to your spouse before entering the conversation, ask the Lord to reveal what your intentions are and what your heart is truly needing, and read some books on communication. One I am currently reading is Now You’re Speaking My Language by Gary Chapman, anyone and everyone should read this.

[trueidentityreflections]

-: Verse Of The Day - YouVersion :-

-: He delivered me from - ALL - my fears :-

[trueidentityreflections]

-: Verse Of The Day - YouVersion:-

[trueidentityreflections]

-: Thoughts & Reflections Of The Day:-

-: Today, my heart goes out to all struggling in a marriage. :-

-: I’m praying for a new found love and appreciate for husbands to their wives and wives to their husbands - that bitterness & frustrations continually fall off hearts - that self reflection & forgiveness lead first in disputes - that the spirit of confusion will flee - that unity will rain - that stubborn hearts will be softened - that past experiences & hurts will be brought to light & handled in the best way for healing - that communication will be filled with clarity - that knowledge would control and influence over feelings. :-

[trueidentityreflections]

-: Verse Of The Day - YouVersion :-

-: Jesus’s coming was know to man long before He came - He was revealed prophetically, a gift, from God, that is still alive and moving today. :-

[trueidentityreflections]

-: Today’s Thoughts & Reflections:-

-: Arguments with the ones closest to you can be the most hurtful. There is this perspective of ‘Because I am close to you, I can be as honest and open as I want.’, however, this can be dangerous. The perspective during an argument {& for the majority of the time} should almost be swapped, ‘Because I am close to you, I need to watch how honest and open I am with you.’

I used to think {& sometimes still struggle with the thought}, that if I wasn’t 100% blunt, black-&-white honest, I was a lair. It took sometime in counseling to see that this mentality was only disfunctional, resulting with hurt either for myself and/or for those who would experience my overly honest communication.

Yes, we should have a sense of comfortability & trust with certain people, so you can be real and communicate through your struggles. But, when the topic revolves around a specific person, being blunt honest to them, is not the solution. You must speak -: Truth in Love :- {Ephesians 4:15} meaning; if you speak only truth, with no love, your comments most likely would result in disunity. And vis versa, if you only speak love, with no truth, your comments most likely would fall short, with little impact for growth.

To explain in yet, another way:

-: If you speak with only honesty and no effort to be gracious & respectful of that persons thoughts & feelings - your result most likely would be disunity. :-

-: If you only speak graciously & respectful of that persons thoughts and feelings and with no effort to be honest - your result most likely would be of little growth & improvement to both parties. :-

-: But, if we do both, speak honestly -with efforts- to be gracious and respectful of that persons thoughts and feelings, we have accomplished the correct way of communicating, which is Truth in Love. :-

Our words can either tear people down or build them up, if we’re not careful. “Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouth, but only what is helpful for building other up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.” [Ephesians 4:29} :-