#bb32days

Won a special gift from @ruthchousimons author and illustrator of @Gracelaced and Beholding & Becoming. I finished the #bb32days and was blessed with that beautiful print of Ruth’s for participating. Beholding and Becoming was absolutely amazing and I can’t wait to pick it up again later in the year to enjoy and learn more the second time around! Thank you for this amazing gift!! #MelanieRivera412Life #RuthChouSimons #GardenOfTruth #GardenOfTruthBook #BeholdingAndBecoming #BeholdingAndBecomingBook #Gracelaced #GracelacedBook #Foundations #FoundationsBook #InOurHomeGuestBook #FieldsOfGlory #FieldsOfGloryBook #GodIsCultivatingInYou #BloomingForAGreaterLove #SowAndGrow #RevealAndRestore #FaithfulWordOfGod #GodTheGardenerOfLife #GodsGarden #TakeRootGrowDeeper #Pittsburgh #Burgh #Pitt #PGH #SteelCity #PittsburghStrong #OnTheMove #TheClimb (at Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania) https://www.instagram.com/p/B8aOrCpJfK5/?igshid=3k5ra6p6wg25

Thank you Ruth for allowing God to use you! Beholding & Becoming was a blessing to my life! #MelanieRivera412Life #BB32DAYS #BeholdingAndBecomingBook #BeholdingAndBecoming #WeBecomeWhatWeBehold #WeAreAllBecoming #WhatWeChaseShapesOurRace #RuthChouSimons #TheArtOfEverydayWorship #TillSinBeBitterChristWillNotBeSweet #InspireSpiritualGrowth #OnTheMove #TheClimb #Grow #SelfCare #Study #Inspiration #Journal #Goals #Pittsburgh #Burgh #Pitt #PGH #SteelCity #PittsburghStrong #PittsburghProud (at Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania) https://www.instagram.com/p/B8DPeUVpgn2/?igshid=4pqlk1glj0j9

“Actively Abide” When I first read this heading in Ruth’s book Beholding and Becoming, I thought of course, easy peasy, she is saying to follow God, to abide by his rules and to do the right thing. Then when she gave the definition of abide, it changed my perspective completely. The definition was as follows, “abide means to stay, to remain, to be true, to preserve, to keep walking beside, to get in close, to dwell, to be near, to not perish, to withstand.” Ruth then say “What we love determines where we will be most steadfast “Abiding is so much more, it’s not as easy as we think it in our mind when we hear it or read it. Its God calling us to a higher standard of living and it is up to us whether we choose to leave behind our old ways or not. But the more we pursue Him, the better we become at abiding in Him. We are able to keep up the good fight and know what we are called to be in Christ. My question of the day is “Will you abide?” #BB32DAYS #BeholdingAndBecomingBook #BeholdingAndBecoming #WeBecomeWhatWeBehold #WeAreAllBecoming #WhatWeChaseShapesOurRace #RuthChouSimons #TheArtOfEverydayWorship #TillSinBeBitterChristWillNotBeSweet #Abide #AbideInChrist #YouChoose #YourChoices #ShareChrist #LeaveBehind #InspireSpiritualGrowth #CSLewisQuotes #OnTheMove #TheClimb #Grow #SelfCare #Study #Inspiration #Pittsburgh #Burgh #Pitt #PGH #SteelCity #PittsburghStrong (at Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania) https://www.instagram.com/p/B8CQZFrJ-Q6/?igshid=fww95p0hqh5f

“Our True Home” Ruth quotes C.S. Lewis (one of my moms’ favorite authors) and he said “If we find ourselves with a desire that nothing in this world can satisfy, the most probable explanation is that we were made for another world.” I grow up in one area of California my entire life, until almost 2 years ago. We took a chance and moved to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania to start a new journey, with bigger dreams, more adventure and opportunity. It was a rough start at first, being that change is difficult. Leaving all your friends and family to go somewhere that we knew no one and had only visited three times in the past. But since the move, I have made my 2-bedroom apartment into my safe place, a place of love, a home for my husband and me to enjoy. A place I love to share with anyone willing to visit. Where I make new memories and love to enjoy the great city skyline with a cup of coffee on the mornings I don’t work. But as much as I love it here my heart longs for my forever home. The home where I get to be with Jesus, where I will see the ones I love who left this earth before me. A place pure and full of beauty. Free from pain, negativity and sin. But until God calls, I will live my life to Glorify Him, show His love to others, in hopes that they too could be a part of His Eternal Kingdom. It’s easy to long to go to heaven but it can be difficult to live out the plan God called us to live. Just remember we are blessed to have been given this opportunity to be here on earth, don’t take it for granted. Use this time to share what you have inside of you, so you don’t make the final trip alone. #BB32DAYS #BeholdingAndBecomingBook #BeholdingAndBecoming #WeBecomeWhatWeBehold #WeAreAllBecoming #WhatWeChaseShapesOurRace #RuthChouSimons #TheArtOfEverydayWorship #TillSinBeBitterChristWillNotBeSweet #Heaven #Home #Eternity #KingdonOfGod #ShareTheGospel #HomeSweetHome #InspireSpiritualGrowth #Slowdown #OnTheMove #TheClimb #Grow #SelfCare #Study #Inspiration #Pittsburgh #Burgh #Pitt #PGH #SteelCity #PittsburghStrong (at Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania) https://www.instagram.com/p/B8AjY_LJF5g/?igshid=17ouo1uncldab

I loved this message @ruthchousimons addresses in Beholding & Becoming about “Stop Making Bricks” referring to the Israelites and the stronghold the Egyptians had over them to build their city. But God set them free and it was hard for the Israelites to let go of their fear and fully trust and rely on God to provide all their needs (40 years in the wilderness, yikes). But God keep providing, they all had what they needed. On the sabbath when He told them to rest, He would provide double their portions the day before so they had no work. See not only is it vital to our lives to rest in the Lord (read the Word, worship the Lord, spend time in His presence) we need to physically rest… We think that we must keep pushing though our daily lives because if we don’t get something done it’ll be the end of the world as we all know it. God wants us to rest and trust that it will get done, when it needs to be done. We weren’t created to grind it all out alone, we were created to glorify God, to trust in Him, to know He will provide, to know Him and rejoice in all that He has done and is going to do… So slow down and see what the Lord can do if you just allow Him to. #MelanieRivera412Life #BB32DAYS #BeholdingAndBecomingBook #BeholdingAndBecoming #WeBecomeWhatWeBehold #WeAreAllBecoming #WhatWeChaseShapesOurRace #RuthChouSimons #TheArtOfEverydayWorship #TillSinBeBitterChristWillNotBeSweet #Rest #TrustInGod #Provision #GodWillProvide #Trust #Rejoice #InspireSpiritualGrowth #Slowdown #OnTheMove #TheClimb #Grow #SelfCare #Study #Inspiration #Pittsburgh #Burgh #Pitt #PGH #SteelCity #PittsburghStrong (at Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania) https://www.instagram.com/p/B8Ab_xnpO4H/?igshid=120dn6ci4bc4h

We are so consumed with the grind and the hustle. We push and push to make a dollar, have nice things, a clean house, cool cars and then we exhaust ourselves... To a point where we can’t keep up with the image of ourselves that we portrayed to the world. Losing sight of the one true, never altering, always consistent, God. We think that if we stop the grind to spend time with God, we lose time which is ever so important to who we are. Not realizing that our time with God has more value, more rest, more productivity than if it was spent making a million dollars. How? You may ask… Because your life, your eternal soul, your Spirit being, is vital to who you are and where you will go in the end. These earthly things we pursue can wait, because your life literally depends on your time with God. #MelanieRivera412Life #BB32DAYS #BeholdingAndBecomingBook #BeholdingAndBecoming #WeBecomeWhatWeBehold #WeAreAllBecoming #WhatWeChaseShapesOurRace #RuthChouSimons #TheArtOfEverydayWorship #TillSinBeBitterChristWillNotBeSweet #InspireSpiritualGrowth #OnTheMove #TheClimb #Grow #SelfCare #Study #Inspiration #Journal #Goals #DailyLiving #Pittsburgh #Burgh #Pitt #SteelCity #PittsburghStrong #LifeLine #Hustle #Grind #Rest #Eternity (at Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania) https://www.instagram.com/p/B78U9yjp5v8/?igshid=gyjksegic8k1

I can remember as a child my mother always tell my brothers and I to “sit up straight” over and over again, especially at the table. It was one of those things that after her daily or even hourly (minute or even seconds) reminders it finally became habit. And now as an adult I still sit up straight to the point where I have to adjust the seat in my car after my husband drives because he drives like he is laying down in a lounger and makes fun of my “stiff robot driving” (the struggles of having only one vehicle). So when @ruthchousimons wrote about “Form a pattern with posture and practice” I realized that it really did take constant reminders everyday working on my literal “posture” for it to become a habit. It’s not any different from what Ruth describes in her book “Beholding & Becoming”. She says “they define the pattern in a Christ-follower’s life…Posture is the position, stance or approach to something and practice is the fleshing out of the posture…” Romans 12:2 says “Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is-his good, pleasing and perfect will.” Everyday renewing our minds so we can live out God’s plan for our lives, so the temptations we face won’t control us but that we will control them! I will leave you with this thought that Ruth says “Our minds, renewed in and by the Word, direct our hearts… and our hearts, in turn, affect who we become.” So make sure it’s a daily habit to “sit up straight” because it reflects who you are. #MelanieRivera412Life #BB32DAYS #BeholdingAndBecomingBook #BeholdingAndBecoming #WeBecomeWhatWeBehold #WeAreAllBecoming #WhatWeChaseShapesOurRace #RuthChouSimons #TheArtOfEverydayWorship #TillSinBeBitterChristWillNotBeSweet #InspireSpiritualGrowth #OnTheMove #TheClimb #Grow #SelfCare #Study #Inspiration #Journal #Goals #DailyLiving #Pittsburgh #Burgh #Pitt #PGH #SteelCity #PittsburghStrong #PittsburghProud #Love #RenewYourMind #BeWhoGodMadeYouToBe (at Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania) https://www.instagram.com/p/B762ceFpPbR/?igshid=owmj3ws42h2m

Praise God that the way to heaven IS NOT based on your physical attractiveness and achievements the way the world accepts and expects people to be. Yet it is by God’s Mercy’s that we are saved and accepted into the Kingdom of God. He see’s us and receives us, for who we are. Sinners who need a Savoir, forgiven by His Merciful heart, if we only we ask with a heart of repentance. Lord, Thank you that I can come to you as I am, imperfect with blemishes and you do not turn me away. Instead you make me whole, you add to me, you make me into who I am meant to be in you. @Ruthchousimons Thank you for reminding me that all the imperfections I see about myself are not how God see’s me, AMEN! #MelanieRivera412Life #BB32DAYS #BeholdingAndBecomingBook #BeholdingAndBecoming #WeBecomeWhatWeBehold #WeAreAllBecoming #WhatWeChaseShapesOurRace #RuthChouSimons #TheArtOfEverydayWorship #TillSinBeBitterChristWillNotBeSweet #InspireSpiritualGrowth #OnTheMove #TheClimb #Grow #SelfCare #Study #Inspiration #Journal #Goals #DailyLiving #Pittsburgh #Burgh #Pitt #PGH #SteelCity #PittsburghStrong #PittsburghProud (at Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania) https://www.instagram.com/p/B76qYBIJ5Gb/?igshid=beuyx1nj1gbx