be proud of your failures

Let's talk about failure....

It's rough.

It's tough.

It can beat you down.

It makes you feel weak, unworthy, incapable and washed out.
That is N O T true.

On the opposite side it means that you have tried.
Failure doesn't feel good but it sure means something good.
It can build us up stronger, tougher and bolder than we have ever been.
It is not just a setback, it is a reminder that what you tried didn't work...BUT...don't give up.
Don't give in to the false satisfaction of mediocrity.
You were created to shine, so do just that.
Be bold.
Laugh at your past failures.
Thank those experiences for showing you that you were capable of trying.
Then, crush your goals and create the future that you really want or need.
Try harder.


Did you know:
-Oprah Winfrey was fired from one of her first jobs because she was "unfit for TV."
-Walt Disney was fired by a newspaper editor because "he lacked imagination and had no good ideas."
-Before J.K. Rowling had any "Harry Potter" success, the writer was a divorced singled mother on welfare struggling to get by.
-The first time the young comedian, Jerry Seinfeld, walked on stage at a comedy club, he looked out at the audience, froze and was eventually booed off stage.
-Before landing "I Love Lucy," Lucille Ball was widely regarded as a failed actress.
-Fred Astaire was noted, "Can't act. Can't sing. Slightly bald. Can dance a little."

-Steven Spielberg was rejected from the University of Southern California School of Theater, Film and Television three times.
-After being cut from his high school basketball team, a young Michael Jordan went home and cried in the privacy of his bedroom.
-Steve Jobs was a college dropout, a fired tech executive and an unsuccessful businessman.
-Jimmy Denny, manager of the Grand Ole Opry, fired Elvis Presley after just one performance telling him, "You ain't goin' nowhere, son. You ought to go back to drivin' a truck."
Read more here


Sometimes it's a matter of the right timing, but failure is not final. 
It is a refiner. 
What have you failed at that you believed you were supposed to do? 
(wow! as I wrote that last sentence I was literally reminded of something that I gave up on) this is a challenge for me too.
I'd love to hear how this post inspires you.
Contact me and tell me.
Can I help you meet a goal? Email me at coachmelissaivette@gmail.com, I want to hear your story.

                                           

Try it! 

I dare you to go out and fail. 

I guarantee it will bring you one step closer to your desired goal.

Want to chat about this more? Message me.

You are a winner that was created by the hand of the Master. 

Let His light shine through you.

-Mel

When dealing with people.....

..I wrote this about 2 weeks ago and have been chewing on it for a while (gathering my thoughts) and now I feel like this is ready to be posted....

People are like flowers, they might look alike on the outside but, each one has its own beauty on the inside.

I read something the other day that really got me thinking.... What if we chose to see the best in people, to believe the best in them and overlook the fake/flakiness in them? Because, let's be honest we have all been fake/flakey in some way or another.

We say things that we don't mean.

We commit to things that we don't want to.
We lie to avoid hurting someone's feelings.
We stay shut when we need to speak up.

(Is it just me that has struggled with this, ever?) 

I'm being real here. I need peace too. 

But I've gotten better at it. I realized that it starts with setting boundaries for yourself.

Dig deep to find out what it is that you really want from relationships/friendships.

What are you willing to put up with, stick through and be influenced by?
Be honest with yourself. Not every relationship can be or will be the same.

Does this make sense to anyone out there?

So back to my initial thought.

I've learned that you cannot expect too much from people because we all have the ability to let down, hurt others, and frankly, if we are being honest, we put way too much pressure on our relationships when we expect perfection.

So here is my solution, take it or leave it...

Love hard and love unconditionally. 

Do things for people that they wouldn't do for you.
Expect nothing in return (but really).

Believe the best about people.

Forgive quickly.

Choose gratefulness.

Show grace.
After all, a "problem" could really be just a misunderstanding, a fluke, an accident.
Give grace.
Get grace.

Because when it comes down to it, every relationship in our lives will hurt us, disappoint us, let us down and possibly even end.
But where does that leave us? Shaking our head in disbelief? Tisking the person while saying, "Well, I would never....."? Don't do that to yourself.

That just leaves us upset and bitter.
Don't look for a reason to be mad.
And don't do to others what they would do or have done to you.
I'm reminded of 1 Peter 3:9 "Don’t repay evil for evil. Don’t retaliate with insults when people insult you. Instead, pay them back with a blessing. That is what God has called you to do, and he will bless you for it."

As I like to say, "Don't sling mud!" When someone mistreats you don't retaliate, instead step back, think and respond wisely.
When we choose love, grace, optimism....etc. We release ourselves of the pressure and pain of disappointment.

Choose to see the person for what they are.....a human made of flesh & blood with the same ability to disappoint as you have.

I read once, "expect anything from anyone....even the devil was once an angel"

It's true, we are created beings, we will never master perfection.
So choose love. After all, the reason why we react instead of respond to a situation is out of pride or out of fear, fear of rejection, fear of being mistreated, fear of being taken advantage of, fear of not having the upper hand, etc. When we respond in love, that changes the game.

Even the Bible says that perfect love casts out all fear....so love HARD!
Are you catching my drift? 

Trust me, your life will be a whole lot happier and a lot less stressful.

[Quick testimony] I am writing about this because I have struggled with this for SO LONG. I was sick of feeling the pain of disappointment. I have been used, burned, lied to and left feeling empty in relationships/friendships in my own life, but guess what, I've done it to others too. So one day I sat and prayed and truly evaluated my feelings/expectations and that was when I cried out to God to forgive me for my terrible attitude and for feeling like I was "owed" an apology or something. I promised Him that I would love others regardless of what they had done. I started praying for them in areas of their needs and I began to thank God for healing my heart and restoring relationships in my life (fake it 'til you make it, right?) Haha!
But GUESS WHAT....it happened, one day I felt as if something had literally broken off of me. I was released of pain, guilt, hurts and ill feelings. I felt a peace that I can't even put into words. Prayer really works and if you will listen to God as He guides you through the healing process, you will come out better than if those relationships had fixed themselves...it's a miracle.
What will you choose?
What will be your legacy?
What would you like to have said about you once you leave this world?
Love like there is no tomorrow and today is all you'll ever have.
That's what Jesus did.....that's what we ought to do.
Praying the best for you all & that you could experience God's peace in every area of your life!
Hold on....your healing will come.
Push through....you'll make it too.

Love hard....you never know who's watching you. 

Be an example in all you do.


Philippians 4:7-8 "Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.
And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise."


xoxo.....Be Blessed....xoxo

Love & obedience

that SKY!

heard a great sermon tonight on love & obedience that really humbled me: in order to truly love God, we must know Him, not just know of Him. there's a big difference. how can we say we are God's people but we don't love like Him. Jesus told Peter "if you love me, then feed my sheep." sometimes we get so wrapped up in ourselves that we don't even take care of what God has given us (our children, our spouse, our families, our homes, our jobs....) putting ourselves first is never the right answer. Love God by Loving His people. be committed. be honorable.

when it comes to obedience we have a lot to learn. It's like a child that has been given specific rules which are expected to be followed.  if we don't follow the rules to the "t" then we shouldn't expect to reap the rewards/benefits that we are looking for.  It's quite the same with our Lord. if we don't obey Him how can we expect the answers to prayer or the benefits that we want? then we get angry and say that God doesn't hear us. well he's not a request line that we call only when we have a need. 

let him work on your inside today.

!love!

Whac-a-mole for the SOUL

I've been thinking a lot lately of the things that make up my character, temperament and who I am as a whole. What are the things that influence me the most? Who are the people that influence me and what makes me fly off the handle without a moments notice? hmmmmm....ouch!

Although it's easier said than done, I'm trying to learn how to control my tongue before it controls me. 

They say there are a few things that can't be taken back, like time after it is spent, or words after they are spoken. 

I'm trying to live this and be more intentional. But lately I can't escape the feeling that I'm playing whac-a-mole for my soul! Seriously, there are moments that I feel those ugly character traits (...anger, envy, bitterness...) trying to creep up and fill my heart with ugly things (& lies!) and I'm fighting with everything that I've got just trying to beat those little things down and not let them come back up again. Thanking God for every victory and the fact that I can at least recognize the things that are after my heart. I've been reading a book about the 7 deadly sins....pride, envy, lust, sloth, greed, gluttony & anger. Can I just tell you that I have never been so aware of what I DO NOT WANT TO BE?! I find myself praying so hard to shield myself from the sins that so easily entangle us! Thank God that we can pray His word and it becomes a shield around us. 

Has anyone else felt like this lately??

Hold on. Keep fighting. It's not over. There's hope still. 

These are the scriptures that God has been putting in my heart lately to fight this good fight and keep moving forward:

Romans 12:21 "Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good"

Hebrews 12: 1 "Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us..."

2 Timothy 2:13 "if we are faithless, he remains faithful, for he cannot disown himself."

The thing is, that, if we really reflect on the 7 deadly sins we can easily see that we all struggle with them, even in the most minute ways...it scares me to stare the truth in the face because, of course, I'd like to say "No way, I'm stronger than that" but if we are I am really being honest those stinky little sins are always fighting to rise up and take root within me. No...no....no! I will fight to get these stomped down and I'll continue to play WHAC-A-MOLE within my soul in order to fight those little things until there isn't a trace left. Know what I mean? 

Be encouraged because Christ overcame the world and all this. So that means WE CAN do ALL things through Christ who gives us strength. (Phil 4:13)

Here's a little something I wrote a while back in reflection of these things:

What causes some to be so unkind, oblivious to the messes they leave behind?

Years of living as if they were blind, unaware of  the strife they easily find. 

Excuse me while I cleanse my mind with God's Word. 

I'm losing myself in the messages of old, being freed of the weight of this world. 

Truth be told we never stop fighting,

not until the moment that we are with the King in all His glory,
and this existence is but a story.

A tale of a life once lived and the past is left to remind.

Thanking God for His patience with us and His grace that surrounds us.

Thanks for letting me share.....Let Him work on your inside today.

Love! 

What are you wearing today?

Many of you know that I recently moved to Missouri. This season has been such a blessing. So much change has occurred in the last few months though. I feel like water is being poured into my hands and I'm struggling to just hold it all together. But God.....He is good. He always has a way of shining His light on everything and making it work together perfectly, but then again, I guess that's just His nature. We can't out give Him, we can't out do Him, He just is amazing in His supreme Godliness. I have really learned to love Him all over again. I feel like I have gotten a new perspective and although things are not how I think they should be or how I would like for them to be, I am learning to be thankful for who He is and that He is taking excellent care of me. Each day is a struggle as I want to be selfish and say God give me this or that and I would just be a little happier, but that's not the case. He knows what I need and when I need it. I'm learning....slowly, but I am.
One of the things that I feel God has been tugging at my heart is staying away from the negativity of gossip, trash talk and ugliness that I see in people. I want to be a person of inspiration not of negativity and bitterness. I used to be terrible at this, hurting people with my words, not caring about their feelings and all for what? To prove that I was better? Well, now I am learning the value of kindness and how rare it really is. My pastor says that we become like the 5 people that we hang out with most, so who is influencing me? Gosh, that can be a scary thought. But God is opening my eyes to things and the more He does, the more painful it seems.
I'm building my life scriptures, ones that I will stand on and build my character on. One of them is Colossians 3:12
Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.

Now that is a bit humbling. These are the garments that I need to wear...EVERY SINGLE DAY! Really, just reading the whole chapter will humble and scare you at the same time. Mean people are everywhere even within us at times and I have been there, I've been that mean person, but now I am fighting to change, that old self is gone and never returning {I'm speaking in faith}! I don't want to be that person anymore. I want to shine with God's love. I really believe that He sees that in me and is helping me. I think that the biggest motivator to change for the better is the simple fact that my daughter is watching me and even though she is young, she is still being shaped by everything that I say and do. If I want her to be a kind hearted, genuine person that speaks kindness & life into people, then she has to see that in me! No exceptions, no games.

What are you wearing today? Kindness & compassion or bitterness & ugliness? Humility & gentleness or pride & rage? Let Him work on your inside today.

Always Praise!
xoxo

Christians...

Just wanted to share a great poem that I read:

Christians by Maya Angelou    

When I say... "I am a Christian" I'm not shouting "I'm clean living'"

I'm whispering "I was lost, Now I'm found and forgiven."

 

When I say... "I am a Christian" I don't speak of this with pride.

I'm confessing that I stumble and need Christ to be my guide.

 

When I say... "I am a Christian" I'm not trying to be strong.

I'm professing that I'm weak and need His strength to carry on.

 

When I say... "I am a Christian" I'm not bragging of success.

I'm admitting I have failed and need God to clean my mess.

 

When I say... "I am a Christian" I'm not claiming to be perfect,

My flaws are far too visible but, God believes I am worth it.

 

When I say... "I am a Christian" I still feel the sting of pain..

I have my share of heartaches, so I call upon His name.

 

When I say... "I am a Christian" I'm not holier than thou,

I'm just a simple sinner Who received God's good grace, somehow!

 

Pretty is as Pretty does... but beautiful is just plain beautiful!

Wisdom:

"A woman's heart should be so hidden in Christ

that a man should have to seek Him first to find her."

celebrations, love & the greatest gift of all!

The tree at my job decorated by the boys there..

Who doesn't love Christmas??!! The delicious food, great holiday cheer, parties with your buddies, the smell of the cold crisp air, shopping, smiles, family, love and gifts......

My favorite part of Christmas is the reason for the season.....Jesus! It's great to know that Jesus thought we were worth dying for and that's why he came to Earth, to fulfill a mission of love! 

Today at my job we got to share the real reason behind Christmas with the boys at our shelter. We read the story in Luke 2 about the birth of Jesus and they enjoyed it! We went around the room and said what we were thankful for and one of the boys just about made me cry when he said that he was thankful to come to know Jesus while here at our shelter.....if that's not a blessing then I don't know what is. He continued to thank us as staff for helping counsel him and take care of him. Over the last couple months I've really struggled with frustrations over my job and question of why? 

Why do I have this job?

Why is this the only job that came up for me?

Why......why.....why.....

And today it made more sense then ever! I get to pray with the boys, talk to them about Jesus and share the Word of God with them.....all of which is highly unlikely in any other work setting. So as long as I am here I will take advantage of the opportunity & give thanks to God for the open door! 

May your holiday be blessed with love, cheer and family! From my family to your home! 

Merry Christmas! 

Happy Holidays!

And a lovely New Year to you and yours!

Looking disappointment in the face!

A couple weeks back I received some amazing news! I got a promotion at my job that was finally in my degree and it would nearly DOUBLE my pay! AHHHH!!! Talk about ecstatic....It was everything I had been praying for. So I began training with my new supervisor then she said that she would speak with my old supervisor to find out when I could fully move into my new position. I went on vacation and when I returned I called my new supervisor to find out when my start date was going to be and the words that came out of her mouth nearly knocked the wind out of me......
She began to tell me that she didn't feel like I had sufficient experience to fill the position [even though we had already discussed that detail in my interview]. Then, she said that since I am not a licensed counselor she would prefer me to work towards that [which was already agreed upon in my initial interview]. Excuses..... more excuses.....and lies is all that followed.
To say that I was furious is an understatement, I believe that my exact words to my husband were "I feel like I just got kicked in the face!" I haven't felt that angry in a long time. Even writing about this now brings tears to my eyes....but I honestly have to say [after a couple of days] although it was a great disappointment, momentarily all I feel is JOY! Don't ask me how that is possible...it's just something that God can work within us when we trust in Him. I had wanted this promotion so bad and I had everyone praying with me for it. Of course I was given advice to fight for it and go to another supervisor and complain, but I just didn't feel like that was the right thing to do. I just think that I need to let God handle this battle for me.
After the initial frustration wore off, I began to feel God's peace like no other. I literally feel like God has given me the weapons of

and 

this week in order to overcome that news and not want to quit my job! So, as I was talking to God about how confused and angry I was, I literally felt Him speak this scripture to me..... from Psalm 28:7 "The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and he helps me. My heart leaps for joy, and with my song I praise him."
I just repeated it over and over again. Oh boy, does His word have the power to heal! This has been my go-to scripture for a while now. I know God uses it remind me that my life begins and ends with Him, and I am okay with that, even if it means that He is allowing me to be passed up for a promotion. See, my confidence is in Him, so I trust Him to open & close the doors He sees fit, in order to allow my life to surrender to His will and that is all that I need to know.

I just want to encourage you to find what you need in God's word....it truly is powerful!

My little lesson for this week has been to rejoice in the Lord no matter how life might push me around.

Philippians 4:4 Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!

*This scripture is so interesting to me because here Paul is really trying to make a point. Everything in scripture should be regarded as highly important, so first Paul says to rejoice in the Lord always! Ok, I get that [noted, point taken]....but then he says "I will say it again" which means he is really trying to get us to understand that REJOICING is really important! It's almost like he is saying, "Umm, just in case you didn't catch that the first time...you need to rejoice." It's a weapon that we have as Christ followers. 

Rejoicing can literally change the outcome, perception, or views of life's situations, etc. So I tell you today......there is nothing that a little rejoicing in the Lord can't fix. 

This week God is molding my faith I can feel it.

Today is for REJOICING! 

God's cake!

I received this in an email and wanted to share with you!

Sometimes  we wonder,
'What  did I do to deserve this?' or
'Why did God  have to do this to me?'
Here  is a wonderful explanation!
A daughter is  telling her Mother how everything 
Is  going wrong,  she's failing algebra, her boyfriend
Broke  up with her and her best friend is moving  away.
Meanwhile,  her Mother is baking a cake and
Asks  her daughter if she would like a snack, and  the
Daughter  says, 'Absolutely Mom, I love your cake.'
'Here,  have some cooking oil,' her Mother offers.
'Yuck'  says her daughter..
'How  about a couple raw eggs?' 'Gross, Mom!'
'Would  you like some flour then?
Or maybe baking  soda?'
'Mom,  those are all yucky!'
To  which the mother replies:
'Yes, all those  things seem bad all by themselves.
But when  they are put together in the
Right  way, they make a wonderfully delicious cake!  '
God  works the same way. Many times we wonder  why
He  would let us go through such bad and difficult 
Times.  But God knows that when He puts these  things
All  in His order, they always work for good! We  just
Have  to trust Him  and, eventually, they will all
Make something  wonderful!
God  is crazy about you.

He sends you flowers  every spring and
A sunrise every  morning.
Whenever you want to talk, He'll  listen.
He can live anywhere in the  universe,
And He chose your heart.

MORE....Calm in the chaos! {part 2}

"Life's Tragedy is that we get old to soon and wise too late." -Benjamin Franklin 

Today I had wisdom on my mind, not my own but the words of a comforting conversation.

Sometimes I think too highly of myself, but then comes a moment when God humbles me.

Yes, it hurts and is uncomfortable but it is so necessary. 

Earlier this week I blogged about Calm in the Chaos and I can honestly say that I am experiencing that....YAY! My life lately has been nothing short of chaotic but thankfully the chaos is not winning. For 2 weeks I had 3 jobs and juggling them was quite a task. I've been very tired lately but thankful because God is providing!

Wisdom is something that I have always prayed for. Just like Solomon in the bible when he was faced with the 2 women arguing over a dead baby...that's a great story by the way.

[Found in 1 Kings 3:16-28 this is my favorite story of the Bible]

I remember being a little girl hearing that story and thinking WOW! I want to be wise like that!!

Anywho...are you in need of wisdom or calm in the chaos?! 

It's attainable....I guarantee....

It can be found in a little book called the B-I-B-L-E.

There truly is nothing better than gleaning from God's wisdom.

Sweet Dreams All and Have a HAPPY WEEKEND! 

MORE....Calm in the chaos!

Our annual women's conference at Westover Hills was about 2 weeks ago and boy did I enjoy it! We had great conferences, worship, desserts, giveaways, and I was able to sell some of my lovely crafts, we also had a kicking after party (even some dancing..woooohoooo!)

We heard from a phenomenal woman with a great testimony, her name is Carol Kent. Her testimony is about living every parents nightmare as she got a 'middle of the night' call that her son had been arrested for murder....WOW! Talk about crisis, chaos, drama, & uncomfortable adjustments! 

You can hear her brief testimony in two parts here & here (they are worth listening to).

In her time of speaking she shared how every Christmas is now spent picking out dinner from the vending machine as she goes to see her son who will be in jail for the rest of his life..... heart-wrenching!

Today, I was just thinking about her testimony and how painful that must be...although I am not a parent I just wanted to cry as she was speaking! 

Sometimes in life we deal with pain, conflict, chaos....etc. But I can honestly say that my life & all of it's chaos does not compare to the pain of what this women feels! 

See, in the middle of our mess it seems like there is no hope, no refuge, even no purpose at all. 

The thing that we must remember is that chaos will come, we will be hurt by others and we will even feel alone...even Jesus suffered this. But there is always a little bit more strength to carry us through and by trusting in God we can heal from the most painful of events. It's true! 

God can do some amazing things! 

I'm praying for everyone who reads this....that God would show himself to you, even in chaos.

This is one of my poetic scribbles in honor of life's CHAOS:

I hear chaos coming but I refuse to allow it to change me.

I have been made in God's image so I can make it through.

I feel the brunt of chaos but I will not surrender to my feelings.

There is a meaning to all of this. 

In the process of the pain I know it is strength that I will gain.

God is by my side and in His truth I can confide.

I will not surrender or retreat because I won't accept defeat.

I will feel calm in the chaos because His glory is my deliverance. 

Side by side, 

Through and through, 

Christ's death gives new life that can heal you!

Our event wristbands

Modeling a veil to promote an event where we get to wear our Wedding
dresses again! So excited for that!

Leading worship with my pals!

Excellent giveaways!

I pray that you enjoy more Calm in your Chaos!

1 Corinthians 10:13 (The Message)

"No test or temptation that comes your way is beyond the course of what others have had to face. All you need to remember is that God will never let you down; he'll never let you be pushed past your limit; he'll always be there to help you come through it."

Called by a King?!

I am reading a new book called "Worship: It's not just Sunday Morning" and I am really enjoying it! I am only 2 chapters into the book but, WOW! It really put some things into perspective for me. What do you really think about worship and what it is meant to be? It starts with the chapter called "Worship is all of life" and I was impacted immediately! This is an excerpt that I loved "Every act of obedience to God in thought,word or deed is worship. Our entire life and all its activities bring either glory or disgrace to God." Wowwww!!!

This weekend while I was in worship service I was thinking about how crazy we all can get [myself included!] when we come close to a famous person...the craziness of speaking to them or being close to them is unbearable! It's strange....and yet, that person will never care more about us than the One who created the Heavens and the Earth. This doesn't make sense to me? How come I don't get that crazy over God? Hmmmm...I think that we often take for granted the depth of having a relationship with Jesus Christ. I have been saying that I would begin a fast in order to pray for some serious things going on, both in & around my life but every time I set a date I somehow weasel my way out of it. But Sunday it hit me!! I am being called by my King, the one who made the Heavens & the Earth. THE KING of KINGS wants to talk with me and foster a relationship with me?!?! What on Earth could possibly be more important [or thrilling!!] than that? NOTHING! Then I thought about an excellent Bible study I did on the book of Esther. She mentions how she cannot enter the Kings presence unless she is called or it may result in death! That is scary but then it makes me think how favored we are because we can enter the presence of the King of Kings without such fear because He is always calling us to His presence....that's amazing to me!  I'm done wasting my time and talking myself out of the very thing that He is calling me to. I choose to live for God and now I need to reflect that! Needless to say, I fell in love with my God all over again....

If you are being called by the King! Then it's up to you to answer....this may change your life!? 

Be Encouraged and Blessed today, because God would like to dine with you! 

Revelation 3:20 "Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me."

Thank you notes!

This past week has been one of much reflection and giving thanks! 

Mostly to God but also to the amazing people in my life!

I know that life isn't perfect...

Many people suffer the loss of a loved one through death while others suffer a loss through broken relationships and both are equally painful.

Still others suffer loneliness not from being alone but having no one to trust in hard times.

Yet others suffer the sting of lies & deception...that is a most profound pain.

I feel a desperate need to Thank God right now for all the caring people He has placed in my life. Although some of them are miles & even states apart from me, with just one phone call I am reconnected with them!

Relationships & friendships I have truly learned to value.....I am grateful for that!

I just wanted to take a moment to share a few things I am thankful for!

My husband who loves me unconditionally & works hard to provide/supply our every need both physically and spiritually!!!

My parents who love & pray for me so much!!!

My family that calls to see how I am doing.....

My friends who understand that friendship is more special than meaningless talk....

My health and the health of my loved ones [that is a true blessing!!]...

The joy that God puts before me everyday....

The Word of God...created just so that He would speak to me....

1 Thessalonians 5:18 "give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus."

 

1 year Anniversary in Texas!!

On MARCH 15, 2010 we [my hubs & I] arrived here in San Antonio, Texas! WOW! Time has flown by....Just a year ago we changed our lives, picked up all our stuff and left Florida [the Sunshine State]! 21 hours later we arrived in Texas [the Love Star state]...

Some journeys take a life time to complete but some journeys are a once in a lifetime opportunity.. starting one step at a time!

The move to Texas was DEFINITELY orchestrated by God and that is no mistake! Although I never would have never guessed that we'd end up in Texas...still God had been preparing me for a huge change since 2009. I can remember that in the beginning of 2009 I went through the process of pregnancy. It was not a physical pregnancy but rather a spiritual one! It began in March 2009. At that point God began to stir in my spirit a need for something deeper. My job got to a point that I could not grow any more, I had been offered a promotion but it never happened. I began to feel uncomfortable in my spirit. I began to have an extreme hunger for ministry. The more I prayed the more my heart was burdened with the need for more. I felt as if God was literally tugging at my spirit and whispering in my ear. I wanted more for myself and my spiritual growth. I love how God makes His desires our desires. I could literally feel His will forming in my heart and becoming my own will. Feelings I never experienced before and thoughts I never considered, all part of God's plan. One day I was talking to a friend of mine and she described how God allows women to go through "spiritual" pregnancy. They literally feel the baby moving, they go through growth and changes, then the birth pangs. As she was speaking I began to understand how similar the process was that I was in the midst of. Then it just made sense...I had a deep burning for ministry and didn't understand what it meant. I felt that I needed to change my occupational path but I didn't understand why. One day my husband and I were reading a book by Erwin McManus called Chasing Daylight [I highly recommend the book!] And in this portion Erwin was talking about making a choice. Sometimes we pray and beg God to show us His will in decision making and we get so frustrated that He is not answering, when all He wants is for us to make a move. We can become so intent on God making the decision but all the while God is saying "Just do SOME-THING!" Erwin was explaining to a friend how "Hitler himself tried to destroy an entire race of people, yet in all his trying he could not stop the will of God, because God is more powerful. So how much more can we as Christians achieve the will of God in trying to do so." Does that make sense? It hit me like a ton of bricks. In those fews months I had been burdened with the decision to quit my job yet I didn't understand why or how our bills would be paid.
So long story short, I followed Erwin's advice and made a decision...I JUST DID SOMETHING! And it has changed my life. I'd like to say that I have always been a woman of faith but these last 2 years of my life have changed me in ways I can't even describe. My faith has grown and my God has shown me things and taken me places I never thought I would have gone, needless to say that burning desire for ministry has been fulfilled b/c my hubs and I are now full time ministry. God has accomplished a lot in the last 16 months and just to name a few:
1. I quit my job in Sept 2009
2. Began Grad school in Sept of 2009
3. In December of 2009 we got the job offer to be Audio Directors of Westover Hills AG
4. In January 2010 we came to Texas to check out the opportunity
5. March of 2010 we moved to Texas
6. We have become so much closer and dependent on one other [Our marriage has flourished]
7. Our ministry & leadership skills are being challenged & are better than ever [always a growing process]
8. My husband has become such a stronger man of God [thinking about this makes me want to cry!]
9. God has done wonders in our families and our joint faith!
10. I have returned to one of my first loves [SINGING & Worship ministry]
11. I work on staff for our Music Ministry
12. I have become a better minister to my friends and family
13. Finished Grad school in December 2010

14. And last but not least I just recently achieved a personal dream [to sing on stage with Martha Munizzi] more details of that to come...


I feel so honored that God would use me to carry out His will and purpose and I can only think back and reflect on that moment that He impregnated me with His Word and a burden to pray for its fulfillment. Psalm 119: 130 says “The unfolding of your words gives light; it gives understanding to the simple.”
Psalm 29:2 "Ascribe to the LORD the glory due his name; worship the LORD in the splendor of his holiness."

Here are some pictures of our first days here in Texas!

Thank you Lord for this Journey! Thank you for putting a wonderful man and best friend by my side to support me and walk this journey with me. May my life always be yours to use...I love you endlessly!

The Luxury of GRACE

There is something particular to Christianity above any other religion...that is GRACE!
I have come to understand a lot more about the subject of "GRACE."
That word has such a loose connotation, because many think that it allows us the freedom to "live as we please" and still live under God's blessing. That is not the fact, it is actually an opportunity to have a second chance when we have failed or missed the mark. That is what sin is- missing the mark. But God sent Jesus to us so that we would have the opportunity to repent [meaning to conscientiously turn away from our sin, and live differently].

As Christians we think that we have it easier since we "live under grace" sometimes we can find ourselves trying to create a "Do's and Dont's" list of Christianity when the reality is that we need to be led by the Holy Spirit.
What exactly does that mean?
It means that we need to live as children of God not subjected to the law.
The law does not have the power to save us, it only has the power to point out our wrongs to us. Jesus came to fulfill the law.
I can no longer be satisfied by doing enough to please God or doing enough to get by.
That is not truly living out your faith.
If we are truly in love with God then we don't need a rule book on how to live our lives, the guidance of the Spirit leads us!

The Judas' in your life

If you have read the Bible, you have probably heard about a man named Judas Iscariot. This man walked closely with Jesus Christ during His period of ministry on Earth. Judas was a man that learned and gleaned from Jesus Christ himself. Our Lord poured His word into Judas' life. Judas ate with Jesus, walked with Him, talked with Him, and traveled with Jesus all along seeing miracles like no other. Yet the one thing that is remembered of Judas was his ultimate betrayal of Jesus. Judas is known for being the one that handed over Jesus to the authorities of that day.
Matthew 26 tells the story a little bit more clearly:
14 Then one of the Twelve—the one called Judas Iscariot—went to the chief priests 15 and asked, “What are you willing to give me if I deliver him over to you?” So they counted out for him thirty pieces of silver. 16 From then on Judas watched for an opportunity to hand him over.

One of the most shocking details about this story is that Judas actually turned Jesus over to the government, then felt so badly that he tried to return the money. Judas eventually hung himself because he could not handle the weight of guilt for betraying a man who loved him so much.
It is more interesting to know that Jesus knew all along that Judas would be the one to betray Him, yet He still chose to share His life with Judas, and loved him unconditionally. WOW!

Looking more into the life of Judas we can see that in the story of the Mary, the woman who anointed Jesus with her perfume, Judas was upset because the perfume could have been sold for 300 denarii and given to the poor. John 12 tells the story, verse 6 tells us that that he actually had no concern for the poor but that he was a thief! All along Jesus knew that Judas would betry him and yet he still chose to make him a disciple. John 6:70-71 proves this, "Jesus answered them, "Did I not choose you, the twelve, and yet one of you is a devil?" Now he meant Judas the son of Simon Iscariot, for he, one of the twelve, was going to betray him." In John 13 we see that Jesus was talking to the disciples and told them that one of them would betray Him, verse 26-27 tells us exactly when Satan entered in Judas. "Jesus answered, “It is the one to whom I will give this piece of bread when I have dipped it in the dish.” Then, dipping the piece of bread, he gave it to Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot. As soon as Judas took the bread, Satan entered into him."
Jesus knew fully that He would be betrayed but He still chose, loved, discipled and ministered to Judas. If we turn this over into modern day, we can all think of a few Judas experiences in our own lives. It makes no sense but they are living among us, in our churches, in our ministries, and even in our families. They may not even know that they are just like Judas, but they are. Even though we can clearly point out those Judas' we still must love them, not cast them out or away, but still minister to them, give them the opportunity to be changed and if in the end they still betray you, know that you have acted just like Jesus!
I am and have always been hurt and appalled at the fact that people can turn around and hurt you in an instant, but the fact is that even Jesus endured that and it turned out to be part of His destiny, something that had purpose in His life. Will you allow the Judas' in your life to help you fulfill your calling?!

Abiding in Christ

Recently, for my Spiritual formation class I had to discuss what it means to Abide in Christ so here goes....
There is much to say about abiding in Christ. Many “Christians” have no true idea of what that means, often they think to abide in Christ is being a good Samaritan or being kind to your enemies, or being positive in the face of adversity, yet it is so much more than that. It is truly being connected to Christ in the spirit. It is learning how God’s way become our ways and how God’s thoughts become our thoughts. It is something as simple as understanding that through purposeful time spent with God in communion, prayer, fasting and the likes of it we actually inherit His mind and His personality. John 15 speaks of a connection that is deeper than we can get by spending time once a month or even once a week with Him. To Abide in Christ is to allow and trust Him to prune us, however painful that may be, God will cut off the components of our life that do not bear fruit any longer. Ultimately, since He knows best it will turn out as a beautiful change for the better in our character. Abiding in Christ means that we will bear fruit, such as the fruits of the spirit. Although, we will not achieve perfection the goal is to reflect a life that mirrors that of Christ. As we allow that transformation to happen in and through us, God is glorified and the world will see a picture of who Christ is. The most important component is the Holy Spirit and without His active part in our lives then we are hopeless because He is the one that Christ promised to leave here on Earth with us. Through the guidance of the Holy Spirit we learn the nature of God. To abide in Christ is to abide in love.

Some thoughts by Paul N. Vincent.
I believe John 15 is one of the most important passages in the New Testament about abiding in Christ and being Fruitful. Whenever I read or meditate on the passage, it always reminds me of the great importance that our Lord places on our Fruitfulness as his disciples. I’ve categorized the passage and my understanding of it under the following sub headings:
The Source – Christ: (vs. 1) - “I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener.” The ultimate source of our Fruitfulness is Christ himself. Our Abiding in Him makes our being fruitful possible. He and the Father becomes our source and we cannot even try to abide or be fruitful without total dependence upon him.
The Requirement – Bear Fruit: (vs. 2b) – “…Every branch that does bear fruit ...” I believe the greatest desire of Christ is to see us show some evidence or make some efforts to bear fruits – no matter how small! Here he is not looking for quantity – he just wants to see us make some efforts to bring forth fruits – and once that happens; he says he’ll help us bring forth even more fruit! So his requirement is for us to bear fruits!
The Process – Pruning for Fruitfulness (vs. 2b) “…He prunes so that it will be even more fruitful.” The process to help us to bear more fruits once we have started bearing fruits is the pruning process. Here, the Master Prunes us, takes away any and every thing that stands in the way and that prevents us from bearing much fruit. And after his pruning, we then begin to bring forth fruits in much greater quantity!
The Condition – Abide In Christ (vs. 4) “Abide in me, and I will abide in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.” The only condition that the Master gives, whereby we can become or remain fruit bears, is by remaining or abiding in him. This condition means that we need to continually Abide in Him if we as the branch of the vine will continue to bear fruit. As long as we meet this condition, we can be sure that our fruits will keep blossoming!
The Consequences – Punishment for Unfruitfulness (vs. 2a, 6b) “He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit…he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned.” It’s quite clear that there is a serious consequence and punishment for anyone who doesn’t bear fruit and who by extension doesn’t remain in the vine. Jesus himself says they will be cut off from the vine (from Him) – for not bearing fruits. This tells me that we should take the issue of fruit bearing more seriously because the Master Jesus himself takes it that serious!

Her Husband...a story on Submission

She waits her whole life to know him...
She prays to have a complete life with him...
She picks out his best qualities and wonders which ones he will actually have...
She waits anxiously for the day she will meet him..asking is he already in my life?
She waits for day that she will meet eye to eye as she walks down that aisle...What will that feel like?
She knows not what lies ahead...but knows that together everything will be just right!
A lady and her love can never know what will face them in the journey called Marriage but they will do anything to find out!
As they begin the path of LIFE & LOVE...they grasp hands and pray their years will be long and blessed together.
The love of a husband is like no other relationship. It is one of unique qualities and an even more unique love. They know that their dreams lie in one another's hands.

One thing I have to understand is that a husband is like a precious jewel...rare to find and lovely to behold. I love being a wife because I am married to my best friend. He loves, respects, protects and honors me. I have learned a lot about what it is to be married by the scripture which captures the essence of marriage. Ephesians 5:22-33:
"22Wives, submit to your husbands as to the Lord. 23For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior. 24Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything.25Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her 26to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, 27and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless. 28In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. 29After all, no one ever hated his own body, but he feeds and cares for it, just as Christ does the church— 30for we are members of his body. 31"For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh."[c] 32This is a profound mystery—but I am talking about Christ and the church. 33However, each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband."

There is no better way to explain this, the scripture is so clear and so invigorating! Many women feel the need to make there own rules in marriage because they don't understand what it means to "submit" which in verse 33 we see that it is meant to respect your husband. By a woman disregarding this key element of respect to her husband she is not respecting or honoring God (she is in sin). In fact by learning to respect her husband she learns to submit to and respect God.
I personally never liked the word "submit" but as I become more knowledgeable of the meaning and of the Word of God I see that it is not meant in a degrading manner but we are to submit to our husbands as we do Christ. Likewise I see how my own husband seeks to protect, love, honor and respect me and I know he is a godly man who loves me...so I will gladly submit to, honor and respect the husband that God gave me to honor both God and my Husband...
I love him endlessly....


Chains do not hold a marriage together. It is threads, hundreds of tiny threads which sew people together through the years. ~Simone Signoret

Sloth....

Spiritual sloth

The most dangerous form of sloth is spiritual neglect—becoming careless in our relationship with God. The writer to the Hebrews asks a haunting question:

How shall we escape if we ignore such a great salvation? This salvation,
which was first announced by the Lord, was confirmed to us by those who heard him (Hebrews 2:3, NIV).

To neglect our duty may result in temporal loss, but to slothfully neglect our spiritual well-being may result in eternal loss—not only for ourselves, but those we influence.

Biblical antidote for sloth

Solomon gives some instruction to his son for dealing with sloth. He sends him to one of the smallest creatures to learn a vital lesson:

Go to the ant, you sluggard; consider its ways and be wise! It has no
commander, no overseer or ruler, yet it stores its provisions in summer
and gathers its food at harvest (Proverbs 6:6-8, NIV).

Notice that the first step in overcoming slothfulness is a humbling action.The son of the king, too indolent to learn in normal ways, is sent to a lowly creature for a lesson.

Note at least five lessons to be learned from the ant:

* It plans ahead—considers its ways.
* It is self-motivated—it has no commander.
* It takes responsible action—it stores provisions.
* It exerts effort—it gathers its food.

(Reflections for every woman @ ag.org)

THE DISCIPLINE OF DIFFICULTY

"In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world." John 16:33

An average view of the Christian life is that it means deliverance from trouble. It is deliverance in trouble, which is very different. "He that dwelleth in the secret place of the Most High . . . there shall no evil befall thee" - no plague can come nigh the place where you are at one with God.

If you are a child of God, there certainly will be troubles to meet, but Jesus says do not be surprised when they come. "In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world, there is nothing for you to fear." Men who before they were saved would scorn to talk about troubles, often become "fushionless" after being born again because they have a wrong idea of a saint.

God does not give us overcoming life: He gives us life as we overcome. The strain is the strength. If there is no strain, there is no strength. Are you asking God to give you life and liberty and joy? He cannot, unless you will accept the strain. Immediately you face the strain, you will get the strength. Overcome your own timidity and take the step, and God will give you to eat of the tree of life and you will get nourishment. If you spend yourself out physically, you become exhausted; but spend yourself spiritually, and you get more strength. God never gives strength for to-morrow, or for the next hour, but only for the strain of the minute. The temptation is to face difficulties from a common-sense standpoint. The saint is hilarious when he is crushed with difficulties because the thing is so ludicrously impossible to anyone but God.