Day 29 - Conformed or Transformed

"Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind."
Romans 12:2a

Thought for the Day:  I knew I couldn't be transformed unless I refused to conform.

I struggled for the longest time with being me.  Wanting to dress more sophisticated, trying to dial back my personality, to be honest I really longed to be wall paper...not wanting to be noticed or stand out.  I still will catch myself looking at my feet when I walk sometimes hoping people don't see me.  What woke me up to this battle going on inside me was a conversation with a friend.  I had made the comment that I enjoyed hanging out with so & so because I could just be me.  My friend responded with something to the effect of she thought I should be me all the time.  I really mulled that over, why did I feel like I couldn't be me?  The really tough question: Who am I?  I had been trying to conform & fit into a mold that obviously wasn't made for me that I really  had to take pause & think about my likes & dislikes.  If you have seen the movie Runaway Bride, the main character is forced to face the fact that she is scared and is told by Richard Gere, "You are so scared. You don't even know what kind of eyes you like!"  She later in the movie with the help of her grandmother tries all sorts of egg preparations to find out that she loves Eggs Benedict...yummy.  Sorry back to the post :)  I have had some amazing friends that have encouraged me to be me in style, personality & sense of humor.  Thank you!  I can't explain the way it felt to have the burden of trying to fit into that mold lifted.  I want/desire/long to be the woman God wants me to be!  I don't want to miss out on what He has for me & how He wants to use me.  In order to do that I have to be, well...me!  Funny how that works ;)

I have enjoyed the Made to Crave Devotional, I know that the author is writing about our relationship with food, but I have seen it shed light on all sorts of other areas of my life.

Day 28 - Because I Am Loved

***This posting is from yesterday's reading...I was in an area without Internet for 8 hours..the horror. LOL***

"Humble yourselves, therefore, under God's mighty hand, that He may lift you up in due time." 1 Peter 5:6

Thought for the Day:  Doing something in order to be loved is a trap, but doing something because I am loved is incredibly freeing.

AMEN!!!!!!!!!!!!!  I have struggled with people pleasing for longer than I care to admit.  However I am happy to report that I now more often times than naught, stop & pray and ask the Lord if He wants me to do something or not.

pg 92, Made to Crave Devotional, "And you want to know what chips away at the security of knowing I am loved?  The noisy lies of the enemy.  He has no love in him; therefore his voice is useless."

Enough said, sister!

Day 27 - When the End Goal Seems Too Hard

"Make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance."  2 Peter 1:5-6

Thought for the Day:  Big things are built one brick at a time.  Victories are achieved one choice at a time.

Today's devotion made me think of the Sunday School song "Little by Little, Inch by Inch"!  I don't know how I allow myself to feel defeated when focused on the end goal instead of today's choices.  The Lord has been working on my heart that I need to be present in the present.  My mind is constantly going and instead of focusing on today I start thinking about all of the possible scenarios that could happen....ridiculous.

Day 26 - How Does Your Garden Grow?

***I find today's Made to Crave Devotional title slightly annoying, because I have been asked or had the words sung to me, "How does your garden grow?"****

"Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and He will establish your plans."  Proverbs 16:3

Thought for the Day:  I wanted the flowers, but not the work.  Isn't that the way it is with many things in life?

Lysa used the illustration of someone's hard work in a garden to reap the reward of beautiful flowers:

• He had a goal.
• He had a plan.
• He worked at it.
• He sacrificed for it.

It took:

• Intentionality
• Sweat Equity
• Determination
• Consistency
• Time
• Patience

I want to be a woman of God that possess all of these qualities & I want to be a woman of integrity!

Today's Prayer:

Dear Lord, I want to feed on Your truth today.  I commit to turn my focus to You

Help me to plan well, work hard, and sacrifice with intention.

In Jesus' name.  Amen

Day 25 - The Truth Will Set You Free

"The truth will set you free." John 8:32b

Thought for the Day:  The hard reality is, there is no magic pill and there are no quick fixes.

I can't tell you how many times I have looked & longed for a quick fix in all areas of my life!  Right now I am working on healthy choices to mend a wound that came about in a friendship.  This is hard & I have actually prayed to God, asking Him how long will this hurt remain.  I have even thought back on other hurtful relationships & thought okay so that took this long to health so maybe this time it will only take this long.  I know that this line of thought is ridiculous, but hey we all have our ridiculous moments & thoughts...even actions!  Thankfully I have gone to some sisters in Christ with this struggle & they have been encouraging & have had to use some truthful words that I didn't want to hear.  However I am still grateful, because I want to be the woman that God wants me to be.

Day 24 - Undistracted

"But in your hearts revere [set apart] Christ as Lord."  1 Peter 3:15A

Thought for the Day:  Our cravings and distractions are not meant to overwhelm us.  They are meant to show our ability to crave what we need the most.

My key take away from this reading in the Made to Crave Devotional is that every time a desire or anything else that distracts me from God, I need to capture it and turn it into a prayer.  I know that I have said it time & time again, but I am so incredibly grateful to serve a God that loves me no matter what & that I can take anything to Him.  I think of Naomi in the Book of Ruth & how honest she was about where she was spiritually to the point she wanted people to call her Mara (means bitter).  That is some transparency right there!

High Five Friday!

Hello all!  Yes I know that I am still dragging on posting my High Five Fridays on Friday, but you know you love me anyways!!!

1.  Monday I was feeling a bit under the weather & a friend graciously brought me chicken broth, crackers & Sierra Mist!  Thankfully it was like a 24hour bug or something, maybe I was demon possessed for a short period of time....just kidding about the demon possession.

2.  Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday I was able to spend time with a dear friend helping her with a project.  She is an excellent Titus 2 woman in my life & learn from her every time we are together.

3.  This week I am thankful for Katie & Karman, the Lord has blessed me with these sweet, fun friends!

4.  Prayer!  I'm grateful for friends that you know that you ask them to pray for you & they do!

5.  Friday night was movie night at my house once again.  I have really enjoyed these nights of fellowship, they are always filled with laughter.  

Day 23 - I Need_______

"And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of His glory in Christ Jesus."  Philippians 4:19

Thought for the Day:  Temptation is an invitation to meet my needs outside the will of God.

Today's reading in the Made to Crave Devotional is another one of those day where I just want to type the whole thing out for you!  However I won't do that but I will share some points that Lysa made.

• Satan is a liar, who encourages us to fill ourselves with distorted desires...which only results in us filling emptier.
• God's provision sustains life.  
• Satan's temptation drains life.
• God's provision in the short term will reap blessings in the long term.
• Satan's temptation in the short term will reap heartache in the long term.
• God's provision satisfies the soul.
• Satan's temptation gratifies the flesh.

Today's prayer:

Dear Lord, I am reminded once again of how dangerous temptations are, because they invite me to meet my needs outside of Your will.  Keep me from compromising and from justifying today.  I know that only Your provision sustains life and satisfies my soul.  I want this truth to ring loud and clear throughout my day today.  In Jesus' name.  Amen.

Day 22 - A Supernatural Fix

****Day 22 of the Made to Crave Devotional was delayed in posting because I didn't have internet access**

"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest."  Matthew 11:28

Thought for the Day:  I can only find rest - fresh hope - as I stop resisting God's truths and start applying them.

OUCH! And she goes on to mention that discipline and work are necessary....yuck!  How many times have I wanted God to just take my hurts & struggles away?  More than I can count.  For instance with a current hurt I just keep asking Him how long will this last???  I know it is futile, but I do it time after time and sadly will probably do it again.

Today's prayer:

Dear Lord, I want to wait in calm and patient expectation today.  Please take my exhaustion and turn it into expectation; take my feelings of hopelessness and give me real hope.  I want to stop resisting Your truths and start applying them.  I will do all that I can today, and I will wait with anticipation for all that You will do through me.  In Jesus' name.  Amen.

Day 21 - But Victory Seems So Far Away

"Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus."  1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

Thought for the Day:  I can't control my circumstances, but I can control my choices.  Setting mini goals - physically and spiritually - positions me for victory.

There is an area of my life that I don't feel very victorious in right now.  However I know that I have started making some positive steps towards it becoming healthier.  After today's reading in the The Made to Crave Devotional, I realized that I need to create a healthy battle - plan.  How am I going to arm myself with scripture when defeating thoughts enter in?  What boundaries am I going to set up to keep things from going back to being toxic?  Who can I count on to help keep me accountable?

SSMT Verse 2

Siesta Scripture Memory Team 

"We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure.  It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain."  Hebrews 6:19 NIV84 

Day 20 - Worship

"Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God - this is your true and proper worship."  Romans 12:1

Thought for the Day:  What we fix our attention, heart, and mind on is what we will worship.

With these devotional postings I try to write a personal comment, however today I believe a quote from The Made to Crave Devotional and the prayer Lysa wrote for today is sufficient.

"He's [God] has given me everything, and I don't want to forget.  Not with my mind, not with my soul, not with my heart, and certainly not with my body."

Dear Lord, please help me to identify my inappropriate cravings today.  I offer them back to You and ask You to take them as my act of worship today.  I want to crave You and only You.  In Jesus' name. Amen

Day 19 - Creating New Space for Growth

"Then [Jesus] said to them all: 'Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me."  Luke 9:23

Thought for the Day:  If I want to grow closer to God, I have to distance myself from whatever is distracting me.

During this time of reading the Made to Crave Devotional, I have also been doing the No Other Gods Bible Study by Kelly Minter.  There has been a situation that I have been struggling with and I haven't been able to figure out how to resolve it.  However three different people who are not connected to one another, had the same insight.  So I have started taking steps to remove myself from the situation as much as possible.

High Five Friday Train Still Running Late

Hello all!  I hope you are ready for a fantastic week.  I will hopefully post next week's High Five on Friday...a girl can dream :

1.  School is in session!!!!  

That is right ladies & gentlemen I am back in school!!!  

Prayers are appreciated!

2.  Miss & Mrs kicked off this past Tuesday.  I am super excited I got to go & can't wait for the next one.  It meets the 1st & 3rd Tuesday of the month.  It is a gathering of women of all ages, where there are opportunities to learn, grow, connect, worship, serve & much more!

3.  Wednesday with Mrs. Moffett...I love this woman!!!  The Lord has blessed me with a very special friend in Mrs. Moffett.  She is an exemplary example of a Proverbs 31 woman, she is honest, encouraging, real, a great cook, fun to laugh with & I always leave our conversations wanting more Jesus!  I hope that one day I can be to younger women, what she has been to me.

4.  This past week has been exciting, but with that said there are some heavy things going on as well.  Thursday night I was able to enjoy an ultra chill dinner, Psych, some laughs, and some time of prayer with a friend that lives out Hebrews 10:24-25 in my life. 

"And let us consider how we may spur one another toward love and good deeds.  Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another - and all the more as you see the Day approaching."

5.  Movie Night was a success!  We had a fun mix of people, yummy snacks,  the movie was emotional roller coaster, some played Jenga, others mocked my need for a movie to have a happy ending, but all & all a great time was had.

Day 18 - Well Pleased

"And a voice from heaven said, 'This is my Son, whom I love; with Him I am well pleased."  Matthew 3:17

Thought for the Day:  Daily, hourly, and moment by moment, I must stand in the reality of my God-given identity.

The prayer she ended today's devotional:

Dear Lord, I don't often feel that You are well pleased with me.  Help me to change my perspective and remember that You love me regardless of what I do.  You loved me before I was even born.  And You are well pleased with me now.  Help me to live like I believe this today.  In Jesus' name. Amen.

Yesterday when I was talking with a mentor friend of mine, and she commented on my self doubt and negative comments toward myself.  She said that she can't wait until I can see myself how God sees me.  Apparently I need to hear this in another way.

Day 17 - The War Against My Soul

"Dear friends, I urge you, as foreigners and exiles, to abstain from sinful desires, which wage war against your soul."  1 Peter 2:11

Thought for the Day:  Being ruled by anything other than God is something He takes quite seriously.  And so should we.

Lysa made a list from Psalm 23 of the things the Lord does for us:  He leads me.  He restores me.  He guides me.  He is with me.  He comforts me.  He fills me.  He satisfies me.

I needed to read those words!

Day 16 - And I Thought There Was No Good

***I have been wrecked by being sick...YUCK***


"And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose."  Romans 8:28

Thought for the Day:  Whether your issues are the same as mine or not, all of us Jesus girls have struggles of some kind.  We all fall short in some manner.


Struggles.  Struggles.  Struggles.

High Five Friday!

Happy High Five Friday! I must warn you this will be brief...I'm fighting being sick...yuck!

1.  Book Club!!!  I missed these girls.  Next book "Heaven is For Real."

2.  I had an eventful cup of coffee with a dear sister in Christ!  

3.  Dinner at Lidia's with Jenny, it was a great time of food & talking :) 

(I <3 Gift Cards!)

4.  Grateful for friends!  I have been whipped by being sick...again...yuck!  A friend brought me meds, chicken broth & pretzels....don't ask me why but when I'm sick I prefer pretzels to crackers. 

5.  1/11/13 was National Human Trafficking Awareness Day.  Some friends came over & we watched the documentary Nefarious.

Day 15 - Unsolicited Feedback

"Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.  Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things."  Colossians 3:1-2

Thought for the Day:  Don't let people's compliments go to your head, and don't let their criticisms go to your heart.  The degree to which you do either of these things is the degree to which you'll be ruled by what other people think of you.

Consider the source comes to mind today.  There always seems to be at least one person in whatever season of life I am in that just wants to criticize me.  I just don't get it!  Please don't misunderstand, I do want my friends to speak truth into my life...I just don't want the mean remarks that hit below the belt.  I hope that I'm not a Negative Nancy to those who are around me.

Day 14 - Finish the Work

"I tell you, open your eyes and look at the fields!  They are ripe for harvest."  John 4:35B

Thought for the Day:  Food can fill my stomach but never my soul.

Lysa brought up something for us to remember:

"Food can fill our stomachs but never our souls.

Possessions can fill our houses but never our hearts.

Sex can fill our nights but never our hunger for love.

Children can fill our days but never our identities."

There have been some conversations in the past few days that have been stressful & frustrating.  I ate before they took place (I'm not skilled enough to do that on purpose, that's just how the timing worked out) and I noticed once I hung up that I wanted to eat.  I really had to sit there & think am I hungry or am I wanting comfort?  I was wanting comfort (rolling eyes at myself)!  I am thankful this time I can say that I took my frustrations to God & repeated Scripture & those cravings subsided!!!  Now I know that this is something I will continue to battle, and I will fail, but I hope to persevere.

Made to Crave Devotional

First High Five Friday of 2013...a couple of days late...

Okay so things this weekend were more than a tad busy & that is why this post is delayed.  Thank you for your understanding & forgiveness ;)

1.  Bring it 2013!  I hosted a NYE party at my house for my Sunday School Class...good times!  We played some games, enjoyed some food & sparkling grape juice, and enjoyed an eclectic playlist by Gatlin.

 

2.  Tuesday I had lunch with two lovely friends.  We were talking so much that me left The Fig Tree, and finished up at Starbucks...yummy :)  I then had my first dinner of 2013 with a dear family and then went home to bed because I was wiped out...lol.

3.  My darling niece Jade turned 5!!!  She is officially a whole hand now people!!!  I was able to talk & sing to her on the phone...it really is a shame that Philly is 19 hours away...

4.  Exodus Cry hosted Abolition Summit 2013 from January 2-4.  Check this ministry out & please pray for the work they are doing in the lives of these women & children.  I'm grateful that I was able to attend, there was so much information to take in...my brain was on overload.  The speaker's words that keep coming back to me are those of Annie Lobert, the founder of Hookers for Jesus.  She spoke from personal experience in the sex industry & also gave some important information to consider before making the commitment to help these women.  I was also fortunate enough to experience the last night with some friends.  

5.  Saturday I had the pleasure of hanging out with my buddy, Eugene.  We went to the City Market for veggies & enjoyed lunch at Hien Vuong AND THEN I introduced him to Trader Joe's!!!!

Day 13 - Honestly

I am picking up where I left off in The Made to Crave Devotional, with Day 13.  I took an unplanned 5 day break!

"Be diligent in these matters; give yourself wholly to them, so that everyone may see your progress."  1 Timothy 4:15

Thought for the Day:  It is possible to rise up, do battle with our issues, and, using the Lord's strength in us, defeat them - spiritually, physically, and mentally - to the glory of God.

Lysa talked about the battle of change & how there are three areas to that battle: Spiritually, Physically, & Mentally.  I was talking with a friend last night about being grateful that I can take anything to God!  I don't know how I would be heal from my issues if I wasn't able to pray & ask for God's help & grace with my struggles.

Day 12 - Emotional Emptiness

I am on Day 12 in the Made to Crave Devotional on the 1st day of 2013.

"Taste and see that the LORD is good; blessed is the one who takes refuge in Him." Psalm 34:8

Thought for the Day: Somewhere behind all of the numbers, a less measurable force is at work within me.  It takes the form of emptiness or lack.

Today Lysa brought up the that we aren't our mistakes.  I needed to read that this morning.  As we start a new year, I look back at 2012 and it is hard not to dwell on the bad choices, missed opportunities, hurts, etc.  I can't change the past, but I can choice to repent, learn from it and continue to grow in Christ.  That is exactly what I want for 2013.  I know there will be bad choices made, missed opportunities, hurts, etc; but I can't let them govern my every hour!

Siesta Scripture Memory Verse Team

I'm starting the new year off as a Siesta!  Beth Moore is encouraging women to memorize 24 Bible verses this year (2 a month).  We are to post on the Living Proof Blog post the 1st & 15th of every month.  My first verse of 2013:
"Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is worthy of respect, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if something is excellent or praiseworthy, think about these things."  Philippians 4:8 NET