Ravished by Him

I can’t tell you how long I have been wanting to write. But as I have said before, I don’t want to write about anything and everything. I want to write about specific topics I believe the Lord is speaking to me about. With that being said…Let’s jump right in!

Let me ask you a question, when you look in the mirror, what do you see? Do you find yourself looking right past a beautiful smile to the love handles you are trying so desperately to shape and tone? Or looking past those big brown eyes right to the smallest spot of acne on your forehead? Often times, we are our worst critic. You’ve probably heard it many times before. But I encourage you, when you look into the mirror throughout the day, make a conscious decision to acknowledge 3 good qualities about yourself for every 1 thing you don’t like. They can be physical characteristics but if you want to challenge yourself and re-shape your self-image from the inside out, acknowledge 3 good qualities that are not related to your physical appearance. I commit with you today on March 1st to practice this for 30 days.

David praised the Lord in Psalm 139:14 because he recognized that he was fearfully and wonderfully made by a Father who loves him dearly! And he loves you as well, whether you are tall, short, love handles or not. He does not look at outward appearance, but looks at the heart according to 1 Samuel 16:7.

These negative thoughts can often become so strong that you not only find yourself criticizing  the person you see in the mirror but comparing yourself to others. Let me just say this, no one has the same life that you do! Everyone was raised differently, experienced different things, and had to make different decisions. Comparing yourself either results in self-pity or pride. There isn’t much of a middle ground with comparison. Self-pity can result in anxious thoughts, lead you to act out in different ways in attempt to cover up what is going on inside and many other things. Pride, well it can be just as restraining. You begin to think of yourself as superior to others not taking their feelings into account when you speak to them, and eventually turning your back on what God wants to do in your life. No matter where in your life the pride is, it will affect your relationship with the Father. I once heard from a Pastor that when you compare your life, it is not even a valid comparison. You are comparing everything in your life to their highlight reel. Meaning, you are comparing all the good, bad and ugly of your life to someone’s great life. The main way that I recognize comparison starting to grow in my life is when I am on social media or watching TV. First off, most TV shows are fictional, and those lives are written by producers and dramatized for more views. Secondly, pictures on social media are edited and thought about for hours. I’m not bashing those people at all, but I do want to give you a different perspective. It is almost as if this generation is in a trance by social media. And it takes a conscious decision to snap yourself out of it and look at it from God’s perspective. If you are passionate about social media, consider using it to glorify the Lord rather than taking “selfies”. I am not trying to be cold or harsh but I am getting off topic.

My point with all of this is that you understand that the Lord loves you just the way you are. He doesn’t see the mistakes you have made. He is a gracious father. I don’t say any of this out of condemnation. Honestly, it is the very thing I am working through right now.

 Father, thank you for being so gracious with us. I pray for every young man and woman reading this. I ask that you would begin to show them how much you love them. And I ask that as they begin this challenge that you would show them what you see in them, past all the flaws and insecurities. Thank you Lord for renewing our minds everyday as we surrender to your will. In Jesus name I pray, Amen.

Scriptures:

Psalm 139:14

1 Samuel 16:7

Hello All! I have missed writing. The thing is, I don’t want to post something that is just simple and not super important. In this season, if I take the time to write something, it’s because the Lord has downloaded something to my heart.

Now that we got that out of the way... Let’s just jump right in.

From the title of this post, you probably are anticipating which way I’ll go with this topic. I can agree that I am doing the same, but as usual, I will begin typing and the Lord will shift the direction just a tad. Have you ever noticed the many types and varieties of flowers. There may be one general name, but it stems into sometimes hundreds of varieties. We all have something different to contribute to the body of Christ, but I want to focus in on the season you are in right now. Think about what challenges and “curveballs” you had to overcome this week. Think about the times where it seemed everything was going so great. 

Your perspective affects your attitude. Your attitude affects everything else in life. And your attitude is your choice. When you sow joy and serve with a willing heart, you are sowing good seed into good soil. When you sow bitterness and resentment whether through what you’re saying or just by your actions as you are “serving” you are not sowing good seed. Let me ask you this, are you constantly wondering why that person is always receiving blessings whether they be natural or spiritual? First off, try not to compare your life to theirs, rather, ask the Lord which areas you aren’t giving it your best. Or maybe you are doing your best but you are complaining the entire way through. That doesn’t produce a positive attitude. I don’t think it can... Take the time to get alone with God and ask Him for His perspective.

This is a practice that I work on every single day. It is a daily renewing of my mind. Once I grasped the reality of it though, I ran with it! I was in the middle of an amazing summer camp season. Yes, the days were long and sometimes very tiring, but I got to see immediate harvest of the seed I had been sowing. I could have been cleaning a dorm earlier that day and turn around to see a 7 year old receive healing in their body that night. I began to serve on purpose. I knew that the seed I sowed, paved the way for someone to receive their miracle. It was not longer about me, I loved serving others!!! And still do, don’t get me wrong. 

I wanted to encourage you with this, sow with care. Don’t just aimlessly serve in this season. Make the decision to sow with purpose. Only you can sow that specific variety of seed. You are unique and I pray that you grasp this for the purpose of the Body of Christ. The Body needs you, we need the giftings that the Lord has placed in you. Yes, we need your best friends giftings, but theirs are different than yours. Stop comparing, for your comparison is not valid. There may be similarities, but you have something special to offer! 

Isa. 30:23

Hello Dear friends, I felt it on my heart to begin blogging more frequently. Usually I only give blogging a chance unless I have something that would be “really cool” to share or some kind of revelation. But oddly I am in a season that I feel that God is leading me to write more about the daily thoughts. Not only to release my mind from the bottled up mess that it typically seems to be to acknowledge that I have the mind of Christ, but to influence those that are reading. To start, I would like to encourage you with one simple phrase...

You’re not alone.

I have heard this phrase probably a hundred times in the last 8 months. And I am only now beginning to appreciate and accept it as true. I think I speak for all of us when I say, we have seasons that we feel completely alone. And I think the reason it has taken me so long is because I always felt that even though everyone was telling me that and I could see in the natural that people were experiencing similar things as I was, I was not able to grasp it because it didn’t truly aid the situation, only temporarily cushioned the blow. Almost like an addict has a quick fix, that is the effect the phrase seemed to have on my mental and emotional state. It is amazing how stiff and yet empty you can feel when you aren’t able to understand the love of the father. 

How many times have you run to different things looking for them to satisfy? Whether that be people, money, material items. I will give you a little insight into my testimony. As a teenager, I fell into the trap of wanting to be wanted and doing anything to get it. Yeah I went to church twice a week and was even very involved in youth but it is not uncommon for young adults to lead 2 different lives.

You see, I was the type that desired to be popular but never did anything crazy to get there. I didn’t feel comfortable talking with people and I didn’t have the confidence to even be around them, but deep down I wanted to be like those girls. The ones that were “so pretty” and had all the guys raving about how awesome they were. It is as if they were a gorgeous shoreline with white sand and crystal clear water. Nothing but perfection. And as most girls do, I quickly jumped on the comparison train. Although, I drew in close inside my shell as I felt that I was a black abyss with no ounce of beauty to offer, but the dark mystery lying beneath the surface. This is a journey that many young ladies embark on without any clue that it leads to something more dangerous than they may have expected. On the outside it seemed that I had everything together, but deep down, I was lost, depressed, and confused. 

Fast forward time a bit and now I am working with the Lord as he pulls me out of the pit that I worked so hard to dig myself into. Thinking that it would lead to happiness but that is exactly what the enemy wants you to think. And before you know it, you are covered completely in the dirt and don’t know which way is up. As I look back, I regret how much time I spent on my outward appearance to have the chance that someone would look at me. I wish I never would have given pieces of my heart away to people and things that didn’t even matter in the light of eternity. 

But I know that I am forgiven and God is continuing to repair all the broken pieces of my heart and begin to fill it with his love. It’s not a bad thing to be an abyss you know. Yes it seems dark but those rare few that have an opportunity to venture beneath the surface will see that there is light and so many things to discover. Protect your heart and be careful what kind of divers you allow into the depths. And let me just say, since then, my desires have changed. I’d much rather be compared to the abyss than the shallow waters with no depth just limited appearance. 

As I continue with this new journey, I will begin to express my heart and share some of the many thoughts that breeze through my mind each day.

Stay tuned,

Judging from the title, you may be assuming that this entry is going to be me just looking back on things that have taken place. In a way, I will be but not in the composition that you are expecting.

You see lately the Lord has been dealing with me in the area of security and identity. And I’m beginning to see that we will always be learning more about our identity in every season. As we become more like Christ, our identity is changing to fit His image. As a woman, there is a fine line between confidence and vanity. I know that took a completely different turn than what you were expecting, but stay with me. There seem to be two extremes on the spectrum. Vanity, and insecurity. It is a battle to try not to sway to close to either of those, and neither one are healthy. James 4:10 says “ Humble yourselves in the presence of the Lord, and He will exalt you.” ESV.

I have been on an exciting but difficult journey over these last 3 months. Striving to have a healthier lifestyle by trying to eat cleaner and work out is easier said than done. And I’m going to be transparent, once I started to see results I found that the full-length mirror became my close friend. After going through a phase of wishing I had a specific body type or build. And longing to be more tone, tanner, stronger I became overly-obsessed with how my body looked. As I have gotten stronger, I have noticed that my motive behind gazing in the mirror has changed from wishing to vanity. I had become prideful of all of the “hardwork” and the “discipline” I had put into my dream physique. And I knew that I was not where I wanted to be but I was determined to get there.

This came to a halt when a few days ago I was outside admiring the beautiful sunset. The rainbow colored skyline edged by both a storm and clear glimpse of the atmosphere above created such vibrant colors not only in the sky but the grass as well. It appeared as though someone had placed a instagram filter into the sky, but it was real and not modified. I noticed a large puddle in the parking lot and decided to take a cool picture of the sunset reflection. Upon a small thought of it later on, the Lord spoke to me about the photo I had taken. He didn’t directly speak to me but I knew exactly why he brought it back to my remembrance. So many people, including myself, look at the reflection of something instead of the entire object. Namely our appearance. Think about how many times a day you walk by a mirror, glass door, or window and glance at yourself to make sure you still look “good”.

There is something bigger on the inside of you. Something that God is working on each and everyday. And as you submit to His will, you become more like Christ. He wants to show you the things you cannot see when you look in a mirror. He wants to show you how much He loves your heart. Yes, He has made each of us beautiful and unique, but we are equally if not more unique on the inside. He is shaping us as His clay each and every moment.

I love Mondays. Yes I know. That is typically unheard of. But around here Mondays are such a blessing. Working for a Ministry full-time is a joy believe me, but there are times when it puts a demand on you physically and spiritually. 

I was thinking about something recently. They say that when you reach a point where you find yourself thirsty, you’re already into the dehydration stage. I wonder if our spiritual life can be similar to that. In such a way that if you pour yourself out so much but are not consistently filling yourself up do you become dehydrated spiritually? Now don’t beat yourself up if you, like me, do your best to get into your word and spend time with the Lord daily, but occasionally you miss a day or the time seems to shorten and shorten. There is grace for those times. The Lord isn’t going to turn his back on you just because you spent 15 minutes with him instead of the 30 you usually do. 

When you spend time in the presence of God, and you say “Lord, you take control” but yet you hold onto controlling what time in his presence looks like...you haven’t fully given him the steering wheel. God knows what is best for you today, for this moment. If you just loved the feeling you had the last time you spent time with Him and you try to recreate it...odds are it won’t “feel” the same. There are things that the Holy Spirit has been preparing for your heart and spirit today that may be completely different than yesterday. 

I know this happens to me all the time, where I’ll be thinking about something specific just “randomly” and I’ll hear a song, read a verse, or the Lord will directly tell me something related to what was on my mind. It’s not a coincidence when he prepares the way in your mind and in your spirit for what He is going to accomplish. 

This blog is going to be all over the place as usual, but I promise it will all make sense by the end. 

This weekend I had the opportunity to share with young people about an amazing school that I myself was a part of about a year ago. And it was very surreal. The programs here at the school is a total of 8 months. Doesn’t seem like much but believe me, God can do so much more in 8 months than you could ever imagine. 

I decided to spend a good chunk of my Monday off today to read some journal entries from last year. And I used to journal about once every day (kind of how I am into writing now). And this time last year, I was concluding my time at the school. Reading those entries brought back all the emotions I felt at that time. It was as if I was looking into the past to a time when I was reflecting on the growth I had experienced. 

There are a few things I never expected to happen that did:

1) I never expected I would be in charge of admissions at the school I attended just one year ago.

2) I never expected to still be in this amazing place with people that are full of faith, love, and joy! 

3) A year ago, I didn’t know what I would do after the summer and I didn’t have a desire to attend college and get a degree.

4) I realize that the issue I battled in my mind and learning to trust God with it was not a waste of time but rather a growing experience for me.

5) I never expected to be blessed with an amazing best friend that God had prepared me for and prepared for me. (this one was a complete surprise)

In summary of everything stated, God showed me that everything and I mean “everything works together for the good of those who love God and are called according to His purpose” Romans 8:28. You may not understand it right now, you may not even understand it in this natural lifetime, but God is up to something so be encouraged!

“For the vision is yet for an appointed time and it hastens to the end [fulfillment]; it will not deceive or disappoint. Though it tarry, wait [earnestly] for it, because it will surely come; it will not be behindhand on it’s appointed day.” Habakkuk 2:3

Till next time, Denae.

Analogy: a similarity between like features of two things, 

on which a comparison may be based

This time of the year it seems that everywhere you turn there is one word that seems to be very prevalent and it is... "NEW". With plans to see improvement the next time you step on a scale or the "9 tips to improve your well-being, character, over all health". But before we can attempt to begin those things we will need to step away from the family a friends for a while until the next time comes.

 There are many means of travel; by way of plane, vehicle, or even trains. Have you ever sat in a train station and watched as people from all different backgrounds boarded the railway? Intending to embark on a small commute or for some a new journey in life. There are many represented at a train station. You may be the one in the ticket line, investing some aspect of your life into the next transition, whether that be time, money, or something worth more. Or perhaps you are the person immersed in your planner, arranging your next few steps, while you miss the beauty of today. You may be the person who like me is sitting and waiting for your train to arrive. Sometimes it can be discouraging to watch others board trains of relationships or even engagements and at this age, it is happening a lot.

It may seem like life is going on without you. But that is far from the truth. God is doing something truly special in your life as an individual. You may not understand it right now. But I know for sure when you allow God to develop you and prepare you. There's no better bench to sit on. Especially when you have someone there sitting with you. His name is Jesus and he will never leave your side. He is always there to listen and give a helping hand along the way. And before you can attempt to try and seek your worth from their opinion, He will be there to tell you otherwise. True worth comes from the Father. He loves you in a way no one else can. Truly unconditional, agape love. His affirmation and approval cannot be matched.  If there is a desire in your heart, God most likely placed it there. Or if you are waiting on a promise to be fulfilled, it wasn't placed there to tease you. Enjoying the journey doesn't necessarily mean it is always going to be fun. It's choosing to enjoy every point of that journey including the waiting. It is going to be worth all the patience that is being refined. 

1 Peter 1:6-9

Romans 4:20-21 

Till next time.. Denae