Arise

Isaiah 60: 1-2 "Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord rises upon you. See, darkness covers the earth and thick darkness is over the peoples, but the Lord rises upon you and His glory appears over you."

Arise: get up, come into being, move upward. Arise from your day to day life, arise from the routine-ness of life, arise out of the things that weigh you down, arise from the stress, arise from the worry, arise from your doubt. Arise! There are so many things in this world that will try and get us down, that will try and steal our focus, our energy and get us distracted. As the scripture says, darkness covers the earth and thick darkness is over the peoples, arise from self, from your own world and let His glory shine through you. As I read this I felt the Lord saying, get out of your world and into mine, let me shine through you to remove the darkness in the lives of those around you.

As of late I have grown to literally hate mindless chatter. The surface level conversations bore me and seriously annoy me. My desire is to know my friends better, to know their hearts, their desires, their dreams, their hurts. I could care less about the surface level things. I want to get in their world. I want to shine His light in their world. And I will admit I don't always do a great job of shining His light but I try my hardest to chip away at the surface level junk and get to the heart. I love hearing about my friends dreams, it inspires me and shows me how to encourage them, how to pray for them. Because all the people that come into my life are seriously amazing in their own way. And they have passions that the Lord has put in them that for one reason or another at times has been either put out by others or seriously tamed by the world. But Jesus put these dreams, desires, passions in our lives for a reason. We are to shine His light into the world. Shine literally means to be bright, to reflect light, to glow, to be distinguished.

When I ask my friends what their dreams are, what their passions are, they literally light up. Their whole expression changes, they get so excited, they smile, it's crazy but they really do SHINE.

You were created to shine. Jesus, created us all for a purpose, to remove the darkness and shine His light. And you were created to do that by just being you. Whatever your dreams are, do it! Reach them. He put them in there for a reason, because you will ROCK at them.

Arise, dust off the heaviness of this world, and shine His light!

Rooting for you,

Michelle Nicole

Grace

Have you ever gotten to a place in your walk with God where you finally just got real, where you laid it all out there, the good and the bad? Where you admitted your faults, where you were transparent and honest about the mess in your life? I know for me personally I have had these moments probably more times than I can even count. And for me they're usually moments where I'm so ashamed, I feel like such a failure and if I'm truly honest it's not until I have really hit rock bottom. But never in my 27 years I've been alive has God ever extended anything less than grace towards me in my brokenness. Never has he turned me away. Never has he thrown a single stone at me. Never has he given up on me or lost patience with me. God is grace.

It's his grace that strengthens us. It's the fact that you know he won't judge you that makes us able to come to him.

2 Corinthians 12:9 "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness."

Tonight, as I was talking to one of my best friends we were talking about grace and how we as God's children need to act just as Jesus does and always extend grace to those around us. To not be quick to judge and condemn those we love when they've messed up. We have all messed up, we have all been at the bottom of the pit. So if he extends grace and he lives inside of you and me then we need to extend grace to others. When your friend, co-worker, family member etc. confides in you and shines a light on the darkness in their life, extend grace, be a helping hand, don't judge, don't condemn because in doing so all it does is cause others to then hide their sin. Don't make people feel as if though they have to be perfect, because no one is perfect. I think that's why so many people parade around with masks and never truly deal with their issues because they're too busy trying to act perfect so they won't be judged. And in doing so remain in their pit. You extending grace can be what leads someone to freedom.

Colossians 4:6 "Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone."

Extend grace. Let people be real with you. Let the masks fall off and be open and ready to listen, be compassionate. I know it's hard at times to extend grace but remember you were once there too. And to be honest we are all extended grace everyday because none of us are perfect.

I need his grace everyday. And I'm glad that he gives it willingly.

Grace: free and unmerited favor or beneficence of God.

Jesus,

I don't deserve your grace, it is very much unmerited but you give it freely. You are always quick to forgive us and strengthen us to get back up. Put that in me for others. That grace would always be my natural response to everyone I encounter. Help me to not judge, to not condemn, not in my thoughts or ever in my actions but to have compassion. Never let me think of myself as ever above anyone else. I am and always will be a sinner that you saved by grace. I love you.

Amen.

Michelle Nicole.

Love (continued)

This morning as I was sweeping the kitchen I got this huge revelation. Granted it might not be huge to you reading this but for me and my heart it was amazing! I was thinking about love and why I feel I have to hear Jesus say I love you everyday, all day long. I was thinking maybe I was weak or something for having to hear it everyday. Like I must have some huge defect because I couldn't just understand that He love me. And then it hit me.

When you're in a relationship you tell each other I love you everyday. With my family I tell them I love them everyday, sometimes multiple times a day. With my friends, I tell them I love them every time I talk to them, every time I see them. I never get tired of hearing it nor do I get tired of saying it because I love them all that much. I love feeling loved by those around me. There are so many times when my co-worker will walk over to my desk and just hug me and tell me she loves me, for no reason other than that she thought of me and wanted to tell me. And that's how it is with my relationship with You. I should never get tired of hearing it, and I will never feel like okay you don't have to tell me anymore cause I know you love me. No, cause I would never say that in a marriage, I would never say honey you don't ever have to say I love you anymore, I know you do, so let's never say it again. No, those words would never come out of my mouth. Why, because my love would overflow everyday for him and I would want to tell him everyday, not out of obligation but because I love him that much that I never would get tired of telling him. And I would never ever get tired of hearing it.

Jesus, I will never tire of hearing you tell me you love me. And that's how you created me, that's why you desire a relationship with me not just one conversation. How silly of me to question my desire for Your love. How silly of me to think that I must have some defect or something. No, I love hearing you say I love you everyday because I'm in love with you. Because I never tire of saying it to you and You never tire of saying it to me.

Wow! I love you I love you I love you times infinity!

-Michelle Nicole

Love

I love being in love. The butterflies you get in your tummy, the huge smile that comes across your face when that special someone walks into the room, the endless time you want to spend with that person. Love makes me so incredibly happy. When I fall in love I fall head over heels in love, to where nothing and no one else matters but that person. I'm so guilty of being that girl who hardly see's her friends because she always wants to be with her love.

Tonight I saw a movie called Love Letters to Julia and it was so good. It was a very romantic love story and it left me feeling so happy. Why is it that love stories make me feel this way Jesus? Love stories put me in the greatest mood, I love looking at wedding pictures, listening to stories of how 2 people fell in love, watching other people who are in love stirs my heart.

Your scriptures say that love conquers all. And love does conquer all. Love knows no boundaries. Love is passionate, it's like no other feeling.

Love makes you do crazy things. It makes you do things you normally wouldn't do. Jesus, You died on a cross because You love me. You came down to earth and became a man to die a sinner's death all because of love. You saved me because you love me. You never left my side when I was a sinner, when I didn't want anything to do with you, all because you love me. You protected my life when I was out in the world because you love me. You didn't let my mom abort me, all because you love me.

You love me. You love me for me. You love all of me. Even when I don't deserve it, you still love me. And you love me passionately. You bless me. You love me through my family, my puppy, my incredible friends. You. Love. Me.

And you are moved for me. When I'm down you comfort me, when I'm frustrated you calm me, when I'm confused you give me clarity, when I'm stressed you give me peace. All because you love me.

I'm sorry that many times I have shown more love to people here on earth than I have for you. I'm sorry that I have sacrificed time with you for time with others. Forgive me Jesus.

I love you Jesus. My soul longs for you. My heart is only satisfied by you. Consume me Jesus.

Love is mentioned over 600 times in the bible. The love that you have for me. My heart is stirred with our love story.

Deuteronomy 23:4-6 "For they did not come to meet you with bread and water on your way when you came out of Egypt, and they hired Balaam son of Beor from Pethor in Aram Naharaim to pronounce a curse on you. However, the Lord your God would not listen to Balaam but turned the curse into a blessing for you, because the Lord your God loves you."

You turn curses into blessings for me, because you love me. Why is it so hard for me to comprehend how much you love me sometimes? Why do I need to be reminded of it daily? Why can't I just understand that of course you love me, you died for me? Why do I have to hear it everyday?

Because I never get tired of telling you. Because I want to tell you I love you everyday. Because you are my love. You are who has captured my heart and I want to do everything to capture your heart again over and over everyday.

I don't deserve you Jesus. I love you regardless.

God, I love you, I adore you, I am moved by you, I forsake all others for more of you. I need you. Flood my heart with more of your love.

Te adoro, no hay nadie como tu.

-Michelle Nicole.

Pour out

Last week I had a minor hiccup at work. An error that I made. It wasn't a huge deal, to be completely honest the employee's information who I messed up wasn't even mad, she was just glad I had fixed it. But in correcting the issue I had to talk to my boss about it, I had to come clean about the error and explain to him what had happened and that was hard. It wasn't hard because my boss is a mean or because he would fire me but because I knew I disappointed him. And I hate that feeling. It honestly jacks with me when I know I've let someone down or disappointed them.

In a past relationship anytime I would get in a fight or disagreement with my boyfriend I would be jacked all day. Because I knew I had disappointed him. And so that day that's exactly what began to happen. I went and had the discussion with my boss, he was okay with it since I had fixed the error but when I got back to my desk I was still jacked. I wanted to cry, I felt like a complete failure. But in that moment I called out to my savior, I reached out for help and He told me this, pour out. You feel down, you feel inadequate, find someone who you in this moment can pour into.

So I did just that, even though I still felt jacked I wrote an email to a friend of mine and encouraged her, I wrote a handwritten letter to another friend that I hadn't spoken to in a while that I knew was jacked and lifted her up, spoke life giving words to her and truly poured out love to her. And once I did that He poured His peace back into me. He poured His love over me and I felt like me again. I wasn't jacked anymore, I could move forward.

I learned something new that day that I honestly wish I had learned before because it would have saved me a lot of tears in the past but I'm glad I learned it now.

Luke 6:38 "Give and it shall be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you."

I had heard that verse a million times before in regards to tithing but never had I applied it like I did that day. Do you need forgiveness, forgive others. Whatever you need pour it out to others and He will pour it back into your own life.

Jesus,

You are my teacher and You are so good. Thank you for always coming to my rescue and for showing me your faithfulness. Let me never get tired of pouring out to others. Use me even in my brokenness because I know that it's only your love that can make me whole. You are such an amazing God that you would not only heal us but use us in that healing process to be the answer to someone else's cry, to be You to someone else. No moment is ever wasted with You. I adore you and I'm so lucky to be loved by You. xoxoxox

Yours forever & always,

Michelle Nicole

Quiet

As girls, we usually have a million thoughts going on in our heads at any given moment. We were created to be multi-taskers and as women we often wear many hats: sister, daughter, friend, mother, wife, and so on. So it only makes sense that our brain can hold so much information all at one time and have it actually function. But for the most part these thoughts don't usually just stay in our heads it comes out our mouths too. In the need to analyze every single detail of every single decision out loud with our girlfriends. It's the "he said this, but does that mean this or does it mean that", and "oh my gosh I have to do this, that and the other all before next week, I have no idea how I'm gonna accomplish it especially since I have to pick up this or make that or whatever", the possibilities are endless when it comes to the chatter that we girls have. But as of late this has changed in my life.

I have become quiet about things. The things stirring in my heart, the dreams I have, the fears that I have at times, the excitement of the possibilities that lie in the future. I am open to His plan for my life and I'm trusting. And trust sometimes means not questioning but just allowing things to happen as they may. So I'm not questioning but I am prayerfully walking by His leading and His leading only. I'm guarding my heart.

Zephaniah 3:17 The LORD your God is with you, he is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with his love, he will rejoice over you with singing."

I'm resting in Him and I know that He's got me.


Michelle Nicole

Divorce

The average marriage last 7 years.

According to statistics, this year alone 200,000 marriages will end in divorce that didn't see their second anniversary.

I was listening to a podcast today on the way back from my vacation and I heard these two shocking statistics. I couldn't believe that the average marriage in America last 7 years. When I heard that all I thought was wow that's so sad.

And in that moment I heard Jesus whisper, "that's why" to a question I had been asking in my heart for about a year. And in that moment I broke down, literally sobbing in my car driving through San Antonio. But they were good tears. Thankful tears. Because He had protected me from divorce. He knew I wasn't ready, He knew we weren't ready and He allowed us to break up instead of divorcing years down the road.

Marriage is work. Marriage isn't something that you can auto-pilot through. Marriage isn't something that can be sustained only with love.

Had I got married when I wanted to, at the time I wanted to, it would have ended in divorce. Not because that person is awful, he is actually a very dear friend of mine now. But because neither one of us was willing to do the work. Neither one of us was mature enough to handle marriage, at the time.

As I continued to drive, Jesus continued to shine a light into my heart. He spoke softly to me about the areas that need His touch. The areas that I need to fix. The areas where I need to do work. And this time, I'm willing to do the work.

I want to get married one day and I want it to be forever. God has work for us to do, He has plans for me and my husband to accomplish together. He has a purpose for our marriage. The whole reason that a man and woman come together are to help each other. To be a team.

Genesis 2:18 The LORD God said, "It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him."

Ecclesiastes 4:9 "Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their work."

Proverbs 12:4 "A wife of noble character is her husband's crown..."
Crown here literally means victory. As a wife you have the ability to cause your husband to have victory. Your character can empower him to feel victorious. Wow!

Jesus,

Thank you for protecting me. For allowing my heart to hurt for a short period of time in order to avoid a greater pain later. Thank you for working in my heart to prepare me for my husband. Continue to illuminate the places in my heart that need your touch, that need correction. Make me the wife that will empower her husband to feel victorious. That won't run away. That will trust.

Prepare me.

Prepare him.

Mold us into the amazing power couple that you have destined us to be. That our weaknesses would be the other's strengths. That we would help eachother, accept eachother, respect eachother, encourage eachother and always be willing to grow together. That we would honor You in our relationship, that we would bring You glory.

I love you Jesus!

Amen.

Michelle Nicole.