An An Enemy Is Created

So, many of us go through life either making enemies or somehow becoming somebody's enemy and not even know it. I am a victim of both. I can proudly say that I no longer have any enemies. Through Christ I have forgiven any enemies that I had picked up along my lost journey. Now, if somebody views me as their enemy, well that's a different story. I realized a long time ago that I cannot control what others do with their free time. I have also learned that to have an enemy is way too much work and heartache. It puts more heartache on your own heart than whoever you are holding a grudge against.

Which brings me to the word "grudge". This is the word that starts it all! This word is what creates an enemy. Think about it, the word starts with "grrrrr.....". Already a sign of negativity and attack! Holding a grudge is equivalent to locking yourself in a closet with a hungry beast. It's so easy to suffocate yourself with all the anxiety and hatred that holding a grudge brings and that hungry beast, he will eat you ALIVE. Loving others is so much healthier and pleasant. Not just spiritually but physically and mentally as well.

"Forget about the wrong things people do to you, and do not try and get even. Love your neighbor as you love yourself." Leviticus 19:18

So, how are we to deal with "enemies". It's easy, DON'T fight back and LOVE all people! The Gospels, Matthew and Luke, teach us how to deal with enemies and what God expects from us.

"But I tell you, don't stand up against an evil person. If someone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the other cheek also." Matthew 5:39

"But I say to you, love your enemies. Pray for those who hurt you. If you do this, you will be true children of your Father in Heaven." Matthew 5:44-45

"But I say to you who are listening, love your enemies. Do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who are cruel to you." Luke 6:27-28

Why spend the energy or time that God has blessed us with hating one another or trying to get back at a person? God has a special work of art in us and none of it includes grudges or hate. Our lives are our own testimony of God and should teach, inspire, encourage, and uplift others. People who view our lives should not have to view hatred or grudges but view love and peace and most of all Christ! It is important the character we allow others to see is a character of love. What others see is what we show God to be. So, don't hold grudges or exhibit hate because that is not the picture of God that we should paint to others.

I encourage those of you who are holding grudges to pray to God and take that grudge to the Cross where it belongs. Get rid of it and love your enemies. Love your enemies so much that you no longer view them as enemies or a threat. Forgive and let go. Give the problem to God and trust that He is taking care of you and is always on your side. It is not our place for vengeance but our place to love and show the mercy of Christ as He has shown us! Let your life be a beautiful painting of God's love. Whether you like it or not, people are viewing you. What kind of picture are you painting for them?

A Work In Progress

"Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me." Psalm 51:10

So this morning in my Bible Study I walked away thinking a lot about how my life has been transformed. I was this ugly, manipulative, lying, drunken, sinful woman a few years ago. I will never forget the day I really decided to give my whole heart over to the Lord....it was the day I realized that if I really wanted to live God's will for my life, I was going to have to change EVERYTHING about my life.  I was living in Arkansas and was so lost.  I learned so much during that year. I learned that saying goodbye to people and things we love are sometimes the only way to get to where you were meant to be, I learned about hard work and how blessed I was to have a good job, I learned that sometimes home isn't always where you should be but it's always good to go back to recapture the good times....home is where we make it, I learned that without God in my life I just can't do it. My faith in God is what moved me back to Texas.. I made so many mistakes when I spent time in the world. I look back now and I have NO idea where my head was.  I had lots of bad moments in life.....He loves me so much that He found a way to make good out of many bad situations. I learned a lot in the world but I gained wisdom in Him and I continue to learn and grow in Him.

Which brings me to where I am now and the transformations that have occurred. God is good and everything I have asked God for, is slowly being answered. I have always known what kind of woman I wanted to be but I was the TOTAL opposite of who I really wanted to be. So many years I went through life with this secret person inside my heart that was screaming to get out. Fear and insecurities wouldn't let her out. I was scared to be a forgiving woman....fearful that others would keep running all over me if I always forgave. So I held on to grudges and I would let others know that I still remembered. I was scared to be giving in fear that I would be taken advantage of. Scared that if I gave an inch they would take a mile. So, I was selfish and greedy. I was scared to not share "gossip" with others in fear that if I didn't have juicy information then why would anybody want to talk to me. So, I gossiped so that people would talk to me. Doesn't everybody want to talk to the girl who knows ALL and who will spill the beans? Yeah, I was that girl for so long! I took all of this to the Cross one day and asked God to transform my heart. Little by little He started working in me. I am still a work in progress but I have come SO far and I am so grateful for His love and mercy.  I am BEYOND perfect and I'm thankful for that because that means I keep learning and growing.

Prayer is key! There is POWER in prayer! To pray is to change and to change is to grow! Prayer is grace and grace is of God. Every woman should strive to be graceful! God is a wonderful Father who longs to pour out transformation and blessings in our lives. All we have to do is just ask! A life transformed by God is a miracle and it is there waiting for each person! We are all His children and He wants to see us all be who we were meant to be. If we let Him, the Holy Spirit will do extraordinary work in us. All we need to do is ask and have FAITH!

Wanting to change who you are and the lifestyle you are living? Do it!!  Be all that He wants you to be.  Sitting on the fence between the world and your Christian walk trying to decide which path you would rather be on or worse, trying to walk both paths?  Get off the fence and choose HIM.....I promise, the path on the right side of that fence you have found comfort on is AMAZING!!!!  There are still ups and downs but the view is so much more beautiful and peaceful on this path.  Sure we still come across bad storms but they are always followed by the sun.....and the grass on this side, well it keeps looking greener.  You start to enjoy your life and no longer look on the other side and think their grass is greener.  You become thankful for where you are because you have faith that God has you there for His ultimate plan and there is comfort in that.  Make a decision today..... I promise, you won't regret it and He won't turn you away.  

Inspire Me Like You Did Queen Of Sheba

Lord, today I ask that You inspire me the way you inspired Queen Of Sheba by the way You worked in the life of Solomon. You blessed Solomon with wisdom and prosperity, which in turn moved Queen of Sheba to acknowledge You as all powerful God, King of kings! Please help me to discern what lurks inside the darkness of my heart and to take responsibility for the thing I,myself create. Help me to accept Your cleaning of me. You, Lord, make me pure. The blood You shed on the cross makes my soul pure white. I need that reminder and I need that confidence in Your Love for me! Make me sensitive and accepting of the purifying power of Your presence within me and Your Healing Power among all of Your children. I am Yours and You are all powerful Lord!  In Jesus Name Amen! 

Honoring Others Honors God

 "Love each other with genuine affection, and take delight in honoring each other." (Romans 12:10, NLT) 

This morning I heard a message about honoring others.  This one really hit home for me.  Over the years I have struggled with "the wall".   I tend to have a wall up until my comfort brings it down.  I especially have a wall up to people who have treated me badly in the past or who I notice treat other people badly.  I have started to realize that we should always honor others, no matter what.  Your example of continued kindness and love could be the example that will set that person free and make them want to turn from their wicked ways and start showing love towards others.  God never gives up on us, so why should we give up on others? 

 I prayed about this countless times in hopes for an answer.  What I learned is that in order to love like God we must forgive like God.  God honors us every single day, so why shouldn't we honor other people, even those we don't feel like honoring?  It's so important to set that example.  Sure we have to watch who we keep in our closest most intimate circle but we also have watch how we treat others who are not in that close circle.  It doesn't hurt to treat others with respect and honor no matter what. 

I think about all the times God could have treated me badly because of how I lived my life and I'm so thankful he continued to love me.  He perfectly arranged people to be in my path who would love and honor me the way He did and if it were not for them loving like Him and setting that example, I might have stayed in that dark place.  So, today, I give thanks for the wonderful people who continued to love me and who showed me who God really is by their example and I encourage anybody reading this to be that shining example for somebody today! Praise be to Him for His wonderful glory and plan! 

Sunday Social - Music and Makeup Oh Yeah

1. Four favorite bands you loved in high school:

Smashing Pumpkins

Garbage

Dave Matthew Band

Sublime - YEAH BUDDY!

2. Four go to meals you'd love to learn to cook or can cook really well:

I can cook lasagna, homemade pot pie all from scratch, tortilla soup, and chili really well!

3. Four necessities to your daily life:

prayer, chapstick, music, and conversations with my sissy! 

4. Four makeup necessities you must have, if you could only have four on:

chapstick, mascara, eye liner, and eye shadow

5. Four favorite apps on your phone or iPad? 

candy crush, snapchat, candy mania, and bitstrips :)

Fasting Smoothie ~ Apple, Strawberry, Banana, and Chocolate Smoothie

What you'll need:

half of an apple, two strawberries, one strawberry yogurt, half of a banana, 1/2 cup of chocolate milk

What you'll do:

dice your apple, strawberries, and banana and mix them together with your yogurt and chocolate milk

THEN DRINK IT! :)

Crystal's Dill Pickles Recipe

Ingredients

* 8 pounds 3 to 4 inch long pickling cucumbers
* 4 cups white vinegar
* 12 cups water
* 2/3 cup pickling salt
* 16 cloves garlic, peeled and halved
* 8 sprigs fresh dill weed
* 8 heads fresh dill weed

Directions

1. Wash cucumbers, and place in the sink (I use the bathtub!) with cold water and lots of ice cubes. Soak in ice water for at least 2 hours but no more than 8 hours. Refresh ice as required. Sterilize 8 (1 quart) canning jars and lids in boiling water for at least 10 minutes.
2. In a large pot over medium-high heat, combine the vinegar, water, and pickling salt. Bring the brine to a rapid boil.
3. In each jar, place 2 half-cloves of garlic, one head of dill, then enough cucumbers to fill the jar (about 1 pound). Then add 2 more garlic halves, and 1 sprig of dill. Fill jars with hot brine. Seal jars, making sure you have cleaned the jar's rims of any residue.
4. Process sealed jars in a boiling water bath. Process quart jars for 15 minutes.
5. Store pickles for a minimum of 8 weeks before eating. Refrigerate after opening. Pickles will keep for up to 2 years if stored in a cool dry place.

Transformation Begins With Confession

"Where you are right now is God's place for you. Live and obey and love and believe right there." 1 Corinthians 7:17

I was talking to a friend this evening and we were discussing inner peace and the long journey we have taken to be covered with the peace we have now. One of the things we both agreed on is how confession nourishes our relationship with God. Not only does it nourish it but it enhances our peace in Him. One of the biggest things I had to come to terms with when I handed over my whole life to God was the sin from my previous years. I look back now and it is safe to say, I was a TOTALLY different person back then. I can't even believe some of the choices I made or how I treated others. I dwelled on those choices for so long....it was when I finally confessed to God all my sin that I felt complete peace. Sure, I knew that He already knew but me ignoring my sin was putting a wall in between us. My sin that I was trying to look past and just "move on" from was hindering my relationship with Him. Why? Because I was ashamed and I knew that He knew all the ugly in me, so how could such a pure God love such a mess like me? 

The day I finally laid it all out for Him was the day I felt complete freedom and that was the day I was able to really turn my life around. It was the day I said goodbye to those old characteristics and say hello to the true gifts of God and my TRUE character. I was able to accept the gifts that were being overshadowed by my sin. The gifts I KNEW were inside myself. Once I confessed and released it all to Him and received His mercy, I was able to share His love and give to others with a pure heart.

"Open your hearts to the love God instills....God loves you tenderly. What He gives you is not to be kept under lock and key, but to be shared." ~ Mother Teresa

The most amazing gift we can give to others is a heart of service. Once we receive His mercy and love, we open our hearts to so many possibilities.  My heart wants to set the world on fire for Him and I was unable to share the love of Christ when I, myself, was unable to fully receive it.  I know He is still preparing me to carry out His ultimate plan for my life and that's ok.  He has been molding my heart for a while now.  My relationship with Him has grown so strong, so much that I cannot even believe who I am now as opposed to who I used to be. He is changing my heart and how I view things so much that it amazes me the power He has if we just ask. I asked for a humble heart and a selfless spirit and He is transforming me into the woman I have always wanted to be and the woman I knew He put me on earth to be. 

Confession, forgiveness, prayer, and mercy are so powerful.....you would be amazed at what He can do with our hearts if we just seek and ask for the transformation!!!

Saturday Six - Girlfriends, Photography, and Trips

Saturday Six Number One:

Started off the weekend seeing my sweet loves......

I'm so blessed and thank God for my Godly Girlfriends!  Love these two!

Saturday Six Number Two:

Love.

Saturday Six Number Three:

Full day of shoots and the weather was AMAZING for it!!!!!!!!  Now it's a night of editing.  Yes, please!!!!  Love my job!

Saturday Six Number Four:

I'll be watching my favorite Fred Astaire movie while I edit.....

Saturday Six Number Five:

So excited for my trip to Arkansas!!!!! I miss my amazing friends so much!!!  My heart is truly in two different places!

Saturday Six Number Six:

Excited for my trip to Washington and New York!  I have a feeling the trip is going to be a life changer! ;)

High Five For Friday - New Years and The Holiday Bowl

High Five Number One - It's a new year!!!! WOOHOO!!!!!!!

High Five Number Two - Holidays are over and it's time to get back to life..... I LOVE the holidays but it's kinda nice to get back to the normal routine that we seem to lose track of between Thanksgiving and New Year's Day.  

High Five Number Three - Texas Tech won the Holiday Bowl!!!!!!!  It was an awesome game!!!!!!  

High Five Number Four - Resting for the weekend..... that's what I plan on doing this weekend! Yeah Buddy!!!!!!

High Five Number Five - With that being said..... a nappy noodle is in order...... see ya later friends!!!!