{Let Your Dreams Take Root}

The person who removes a mountain 

begins by carrying away small stones.

-- Chinese proverb

I like that!

"Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. "

(Hebrews 11:1)

Thought

Are you expecting your dreams to come true? It's important to look beyond present circumstances and believe for God's best. Someone battling sickness may say, "I could never be healthy." Or, "This report from the doctor says too many things are wrong with me." What they don't realize is their lack of faith is holding them back from receiving God's best. They allow adversities to keep them from moving forward. And that's just what the enemy wants, to keep your dreams from taking root and being fulfilled.

Our God-given dreams are like seeds planted deep within our hearts. For those dreams to grow, they must take root. Having faith for your dream means you believe it on the inside before it takes place on the outside. In other words, you've got to see those dreams coming to pass no matter what's going on around you.

Get a vision on the inside of what God wants for you. He wants you to accomplish the plans He's put in your heart. Look out through eyes of faith and see your dreams coming to pass. See yourself walking in abundance in every area of life!

Prayer

"Heavenly Father, I know what you've put on the inside of me. By faith I see the dreams you've given me coming to pass, no matter what my circumstances are. I am full of Your power and I'm ready to become everything you created me to be. In Jesus' Name. Amen"


Image via: I heart it, Devotional J.O

{Is He not Brave Enough, Pure Enough?}

Please turn off the music at the bottom of the page and listen.

Soul reveal.
Do you ever walk through hard in life and then you think you are starting to get
it, only to find you have fallen flat on your face and the real of you is revealed?
Well, this is what I am seeing about me, about the human condition, our human condition.

I ran across this song above to find the words hit me...ouch kind of deep, the reality of me,
but positive too.

The question often in my heart, beyond the truth I know in my mind,
my intellect, my soul and heart that believes.
But, do I think He is big enough, pure enough, brave enough to handle the real in me
that I even hide from myself or run after in the human that is in all of us?

You know in the weak moments or post reality of me some days?

I realize today, this song true concerning the fact that often I don't always trust Him.
Yes, on a day to day basis I trust him in the quiet of me, but in my weak moments, 
do I turn to Him and away from me?

I trust me. I trust my control. I trust in my determination to spin my world perfect,
or just determined to fly because I believe determined enough,
I can make that happen.... Right? I am so wrong!

I realize that I think I trust Him, but fall really hard and find myself surprised and wrapped in my own sin that I create, or think I am above sin {seriously, who am I kidding?} and fight back to prove my integrity from a false pedestal that I alone created. But, that also helps me give grace to another to see that I am human too and not above sin but that somehow peace has entered my soul because of his grace. That is what makes us real I think, because otherwise we would be wrapped up in our confidence of us and not need God at all.

I know He is not asking us to be something unattainable, but that in Him I can find simply....peace.
And once I get out of the way, and gently submit my heart, He shines.

I have talked with another about their surrender, but am I willing to give my all?

Am I willing to love another and give grace the way He does me. I hope beyond me, yes?

I realize in talking that I still hold things as my own, but know boldly the strength He
alone has placed in my soul to stand against hard storms.
Let's just say, He has proven himself to me. Not that He had to,
but he did to get through the stubborn in me and my excuses that seem valid somehow.
I realize that it is not me and my own strength that can fix anything, but learn to love
and desire to be selfless, look from God's view and love another as He would me.
I have fallen. I am a sinner like anyone. But I am free too, and choose to find right and live life really amazing because of His grace. Just the laying down of me and realizing
He fits center, beyond me, my scrapes, my bruises in my desire to be perfect, 
prideful or self-determined, because I somehow think I have the right.

I see the me that has hurt people in life and been hurt too.
But never an excuse for my selfishness. Never.

I desire to be whole. I desire to have my full confidence in Christ...In Him Alone!
Not a little kind of whole, or even a young girl walking around in an woman's body.
But a Woman after God's own Heart...., walking real with God but never religious.

I don't have the energy to judge another, I mean it only takes
a second to look at my own fallings, oh my!
I realize that I had to and still have to get out of the way of me.
Let go of my will be done and manipulation of my own life, or manipulation of another, you know?
I feel like somehow that Christ has shown me that I can let go, but stand too...in His grace.
I know that my fingers can still be clinched tight as I let go to the end of my fingertips and trust.
Trust that He is the brave in me, that He is more than enough for all of my weaknesses.
That He alone can somehow make beauty for my ashes {He said that Not I}.
That he could take all of my confidence in myself, or all of my control that
I hold on tightly to only to find it tangibly in pieces all over the floor.
and then beyond me...
He leans down and lifts our faces to Him - tears, bruises, fears and all.
He stands us up, gives us Faith and dusts us off, so we can see the good he created deep in us
and make a difference mostly without speaking a word.

He just asks that we trust him you know and believe that He is more
than enough, to heal, to be brave, to love through us, to be selfless through us,
to help us forgive and even find forgiveness of our own doings to find His kind of cool-amazing!

And by the way, yes He IS more than enough to handle the
most challenging parts of us, to find beauty for our ashes
and make those ashes turn somehow into His Amazing.

Mwaaahhhh!

{Courage}

Whether you be man or woman you will never

do anything in this world

without courage. It is the greatest quality

of the mind next to

honor.

-- James Lane Allen

{Throwing you Soul Shine and Laughter: Catch It!}

I love laughter!

I ran across this picture this morning and just smiled through my eyes kind of smile.

No, I do not know this little boy, but I like him...a lot!

His soul shines and I identify with that kind of laughter of a soul that longs to

laugh out loud until my tummy and smile almost hurts.

I don't know about you, but I love to walk life with

friends that even in the hardest of circumstances can pray and

can laugh and I mean laugh hard in a real kind of way.

Nothing fake allowed here!

{This picture is from a little while back but know that this is what souls shining looks like.}

My life long best friend {pictured second to the right, Paige} and I

laughed like this just yesterday over a situation.

Or, she prayed over me quietly and then laughed along

with me over a challenge concerning me being all bold and brave

as well as my silliness in the face of something that hit hard on my heart

and found frustration to the challenge in me that I did not like

...but the laughter between us was good!

I realize I am human, in every way, but grace is more

than enough to subside any imperfection in any of us.

I know God finds much good in my being thankful

for this amazing life He has given each of us and looking

expectantly for a future to be a great blessing only to find we are indeed blessed.

So....I did something to look expectantly for good

and be thankful and just submit my heart that felt the right to be sad or angry

in the midst of life situations...

{The sky at 6am this morning was gorgeous!}

I snuggled in and slept on my twin bed swing...under the stars and

counted my blessings...every one of them.

At 2AM....I stopped and really looked at the stars and their vastness

to find the sky was so beautiful and filled with gentle sweet peace.

...and I am thankful and peace-filled again!

Have you ever slept under the stars? It is amazing!!!!!!

So to your weekend I am throwing to you....

1. Soul Shine as if glitter falling all over you and goes deep to the marrow of your core.

...That is deep people. It can't be dusted off that deep, so don't even try!

2. . Big Smiles! You know, the kind of smile that come through your soul,

through your eyes and they twinkle.

3. Memories of Laughter! The kind of laughter that you laugh so

very hard that your smile almost hurts and tears fall for that of great joy!

4. Peace and a thankful heart! No matter your day or what hardship you might face.

Grace is more than enough to find peace within you.

Please know I walk this road too with a heart that my creator is transforming

to good and right and true, only to find His Grace and Peace right in the center.

Make your moments count please and let your heart rest!

I know I want that for me today...and will find it! I am just saying

I will seek it like a butterfly drawn to light!

Hopefully make someone shine in smiles too!

And all God's children said thank you and....AMEN!!!!!!

"Stand In Faith!"

"Faith goes up the stairs love has built and

looks out the window which hope has opened."

--Charles Spurgeon

Thought for your day...

"If you are experiencing extreme stress today, use it for faith.

Don't let stress or doubt use you!

Expect favor, work hard, look to the future and stand in Faith!"

You will keep him in perfect peace whose

mind is stayed on You,

because He trusts in You.

Isaiah 26:3

Have a Beautiful Weekend!

{SHINE}

“Beauty is how you feel inside,

and it reflects in your eyes.

It is not something physical.”

-Sophia Loren

I realize that beyond all circumstances, beyond this human deal,

or a day full of challenges that

light can resonate through a soul real and solid.

Yep, even my soul that can get muddy at times....that is life people,

but shine is gonna come through, it just is, wink!

Or I am determined to believe it can. So it will be.

My niece pictured by the way shines this light through her eyes brilliantly.

She is light to the soul, to me or to any life she touches.

She can laugh at her mistakes and find giggles in anything.

I thought about times in her life that she has cried. I cannot even think of one time.

She seeks the good in life, God in life and the joy in life and she is as brave as they come.

So, for your day I am praying your eyes shine bright today...

You know, in a way deep inside your insides as if you could touch the shine, hold it,

smile with it and say life is good no matter the day.

So, what would it take to shine?....

....To smile with your eyes from your soul?

...To slam the door shut on fear and have faith?

...To open the windows of sunshine all the way to the deep inside of you?

...To be a glass overflowing in a very real tangible way?

Not in a fake try hard, but in a breathing out, real way of peace and soul kinda shine!

My prayer over you today is that you feel that shine deep in your soul

and that darkness has to dissipate because of hopes light.

I am willing to give shine a chance and kiss fear goodbye...for good!

I am talking only real stuff here people...NOTHING FAKE, but a thankful heart!

So for today would you be willing to let go of fear and try please along with me?

I hope YES!

Have a good to your soul kind of day.

Healing Words

Just a verse and thought for today that I received

this morning and well, it matters to this girls heart.

It might matter to you too.

I often think that we can crush or bring light to a soul with one word. I have felt or given words that contain both. We can listen and give wings or judge, or be selfish and cause lifetime damage. The choice is ours to be lifter of souls.

Praying with all of me to be not just a glass half full, but over flowing with solid immovable joy to give to another and allow God to shine it back to my soul.

To be someone that beyond any of my circumstances can make someone feel like they can fly. That is my prayer for you today. That you feel sunshine through your soul...and that today you feel free to fly and be amazing!

Mwah-Me

TODAY'S SCRIPTURE

"Reckless words pierce like a sword, but the tongue of the wise brings healing"

(Proverbs 12:18, NIV)

TODAY'S WORD from J.O.

The Bible tells us that life and death are in the power of our words. We can use our words to build people up and encourage them, or we can just as easily bring destruction with our words.

When we use our words to bring healing, the Bible says that we are wise. Choose to be wise today and choose healing words. Look for the best in others and build them up. Choose healing words over gossip; choose words of freedom and peace over anger and judgment. Let your words encourage the people in your life by speaking strength, hope and victory.

Remember, words are seeds. When you use your words to bring healing, you'll reap a harvest of health, strength and life in return. As you are faithful with your words, God will increase your influence. He will increase His favor and blessing upon you and lead you in the good life He has prepared for you.

A PRAYER FOR TODAY

Father in heaven, today I choose to be wise and bring healing to others with my words. I ask for an increase of Your power and ability in my life so that I can live to honor You in all I do. In Jesus' Name. Amen.