Jesus,
I have a dream in my heart that is bigger than me. A dream that was implanted in my heart before the beginning of time. You wrote this dream in the story of my life. You created me with this dream in mind and laid out the plan for my life to fulfill that dream.
Psalm 139:16 "Your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be."
It's a dream that I could have never created on my own, nor will I ever accomplish it on my own. But it's not up to me to make it happen, it's only up to me to be willing and available to Your will. I remember the day you revealed this dream to me, this amazing plan, this incredible blessing.
It was 2006, I was 23 years old and doing Master's Commission. It was late afternoon, I was laying in bed, reading my bible and journaling and praying when all of a sudden it was like I was watching a movie. You revealed to me every intricate detail of this dream in my heart and in my mind. My degree all of a sudden made sense. The ministry that I was serving in all of a sudden made sense. It was like this huge a-ha moment for me. You the creator of the universe had revealed to me the dreams of your heart that you had created for me to accomplish on this earth.
It's now been 3 years since that dream and while I'm no where near accomplishing my dream I understand that it's a process. It's so much bigger than me. And while I don't know when it will come to pass, and I definitely don't know how since well, I don't have the resources for it, I know that in your timing it will happen.
Mother of Nations, that was a word that was spoken over my life a long time ago.
Mother literally means a woman who holds a position of authority or responsibility, a female that creates, nurtures and protects.
That's huge God. Huge. And that's not even the dream. It's the authority and responsiblity you have given me to accomplish the dream. God, make me a woman that can handle the dream you have placed in my heart.
Make me mother to those around me that need me. That I would nurture and encourage the broken around me. That I would protect those who the enemy is trying to devour. Lord, you have given me authority to trample the enemy.
Luke 10:19 "I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you."
The dream is bigger than me. But it's not bigger than the dream-giver. Nothing happens in just one day, dreams are a process. Let me not lose hope during the process. Surround me with people who will encourage me along the process and who will stand up next to me and pray for me when I get weak. Open my heart and make it responsive to your word, to the strengthening word of those around me who you have entrusted me to. Never let me want to go my own way. Never let me think that this is done by my hand. But by You and You alone Jesus.
Prepare me. Rip my heart wide open and clean it. Remove pride, doubt, fear. Break me. And break anything in me that would stand in your way.
I trust you.
Amen.
Michelle Nicole
Wednesday, April 28, 2010
Monday, April 26, 2010
You live and you learn
This year I turned 27. Another year closer to 30 and to be honest I like it. It's crazy how it feels like a literal light switch just flipped on in my head, I've been thinking more about saving money to purchase a house or a condo in the next 2 years. I've come to realize that for a long time I thought like a child. I hardly ever wanted to take responsibility for my actions. But as I grow older I've come to the conclusion that I am responsible for my actions.
1 Corinthians 13:11, "When I was a child, I spoke and thought and reasoned as a child. But when I grew up, I put away childish things."
I'm not perfect, I still have my moments. Like this past week for example, I managed to overdraft my account 3 times in one day, which ended up costing me $84.00 in fee's alone. Ugh! My friend's suggested I call the bank and demand to have the fee's taken off and in the past I might have, I might have thrown a fit, I might have yelled just long enough to have them cave and remove the fee's but honestly it was my fault. So I paid the fee's and sucked it up. You live and you learn. And guess what I will be doing a lot more of now, checking my account balance, knowing how much money I have in the bank before making purchases.
Life does that to us. A life well lived, is a life full of amazing experiences, lessons learned and lives impacted. It's as if though my teens and early twenties were where I made all my bad decisions and now the amazing pay-off is I've learned some great life lessons. I've made lemonade out of my lemons :)
Life is too short.
James 4:14, "Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes."
My friend Becca wrote me this concerning getting closer to turning 30 and I couldn't agree more. She said:
I think now is the time when you start looking at yourself with so much more respect based on all the things you’ve done and all the wonderful people in your life. In our 20’s we’re just starting to have those life experiences that actually teach us what kind of people we want to be.
She literally took the words right out of my heart.
Jesus,
Please help me and guide me to live my life as a life that I can look back on years from now and say that my life was a life well lived. I want to love others with passion, I want to love myself with even more passion, and I want to be so consumed with You that I never live a second with regret. That I never look back and wish I had done more. I want to spend myself everyday being you here on this earth. Please help me to be responsible, to see the lesson in each mistake made and to be a better person for it. In this life I know that I will have trouble but help me to see the good in it all. To realize that in every storm there always comes sunshine afterwards. Thank you for never letting go of my hand on this great adventure I call life :) I love you!
Amen.
Michelle Nicole
1 Corinthians 13:11, "When I was a child, I spoke and thought and reasoned as a child. But when I grew up, I put away childish things."
I'm not perfect, I still have my moments. Like this past week for example, I managed to overdraft my account 3 times in one day, which ended up costing me $84.00 in fee's alone. Ugh! My friend's suggested I call the bank and demand to have the fee's taken off and in the past I might have, I might have thrown a fit, I might have yelled just long enough to have them cave and remove the fee's but honestly it was my fault. So I paid the fee's and sucked it up. You live and you learn. And guess what I will be doing a lot more of now, checking my account balance, knowing how much money I have in the bank before making purchases.
Life does that to us. A life well lived, is a life full of amazing experiences, lessons learned and lives impacted. It's as if though my teens and early twenties were where I made all my bad decisions and now the amazing pay-off is I've learned some great life lessons. I've made lemonade out of my lemons :)
Life is too short.
James 4:14, "Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes."
My friend Becca wrote me this concerning getting closer to turning 30 and I couldn't agree more. She said:
I think now is the time when you start looking at yourself with so much more respect based on all the things you’ve done and all the wonderful people in your life. In our 20’s we’re just starting to have those life experiences that actually teach us what kind of people we want to be.
She literally took the words right out of my heart.
Jesus,
Please help me and guide me to live my life as a life that I can look back on years from now and say that my life was a life well lived. I want to love others with passion, I want to love myself with even more passion, and I want to be so consumed with You that I never live a second with regret. That I never look back and wish I had done more. I want to spend myself everyday being you here on this earth. Please help me to be responsible, to see the lesson in each mistake made and to be a better person for it. In this life I know that I will have trouble but help me to see the good in it all. To realize that in every storm there always comes sunshine afterwards. Thank you for never letting go of my hand on this great adventure I call life :) I love you!
Amen.
Michelle Nicole
Friday, April 16, 2010
Forgiveness
Forgiveness isn't easy. Forgiveness isn't something that comes natural. The world conditions us to think that revenge, holding a grudge, having unforgiveness is just. That by you forgiving someone you're basically saying that what that person did was okay. When someone hurts you it's not just, it's not okay but that doesn't ever give you the right to not forgive.
Luke 6:37 "Forgive and you will be forgiven."
There are so many times where I have needed forgiveness and Jesus has always given it so freely. Even the times when I knew better, where the sin was very intentional, He still forgave me. Yet when it comes to other people hurting us, choosing to forgive can be so incredibly hard. My blog friend Sarah Markely twittered this today: "Forgiveness is a lifestyle." And it really made me think. She's right, forgiveness is a lifestyle. It's not something that we can do sometimes or only under certain circumstances, no it's something that needs to be so ingrained that it's second nature to forgive. Second nature to think the best, to not allow someone else's choices and decisions to control your life. People will let you down, we're human and humans are not perfect at all but if you choose to be a person that forgives easily you'll find that disappointments aren't that bad. You extend grace to others, you have peace. Nothing really shakes you.
Last year was literally one of the hardest years of my life. There were times when I felt like my life was over, my joy was never going to come back. I was full of so much hurt, resentment and anger for a long time. And I actually felt like I was justified in thinking that way. I didn't want to forgive. I was mad at God because I felt like He wasn't helping me, like He had lied to me, I was mad at people who I felt had caused me this hurt, this pain. It took me about 8 months to finally forgive. And it wasn't easy. I found myself having to forgive the people that hurt me everyday, over and over in my head because thoughts would come back and I'd get angry all over again. I would find out something and it would hurt me all over again and I'd get angry. And then I'd cry and ask God to help me, I'd tell him I didn't want to be bitter, I wanted to be free, I wanted to be happy again and all I would hear is forgive. Forgiveness is a choice. You can choose to be bitter or you can choose to forgive.
Deuteronomy 30:19 "This day I call heaven and earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live."
Choose life. It's a choice. In the bible it talks about Bathsheba. Bathsheba was married to Uriah and while he was at war, King David saw Bathsheba bathing on her rooftop and felt that he had to have her. So he sent his guards to get her and he slept with her and got her pregnant. Then to top things off he had her husband killed in order to cover up his sin and then after that her son, the one that she was pregnant with was born but died shortly there after. All this happened in the span of a year or two. So if anyone had the right to be angry, to have unforgiveness it would be Bathsheba. Angry at David, angry at God, angry at the situation that was brought upon her, the hand that was dealt to her. She hadn't asked for this to happen to her, she hadn't sought out the king. Yet she trusted God, she cried out to Him and she forgave. She raised her son Solomon to love the Lord, she loved the Lord with all her heart and she served King David as her husband. She didn't harbor bitterness or unforgiveness. It is said that the Proverbs 31 woman was written by Solomon about Bathsheba.
Proverbs 31:29-31 "Many women do noble things, but you surpass them all. Charm is deceptive and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised. Give her the reward she has earned, and let her works bring her praise at the city gate."
Bathsheba made the choice to forgive. She choose to allow God to work through the circumstances in her life, to make her stronger, to increase her faith, to bring Him glory. Her story is told now over 2000 years later because of the lifestyle of forgiveness that she lived.
After I made the decision to forgive those who had hurt me, He healed my heart, my hurts and restored my joy. Restored my peace. Restored my hope. He restored my ability to love. I can now see those that hurt me and see them through eyes of forgiveness. And it feels so good. I have peace that is unshaken. I have love for them. I can genuinely desire nothing but the best for them.
Through that season of "death" He brought me out of it so much stronger. I can look back on that time in my life and be thankful because it caused me to grow, to change, to rest in Him and be found in Him. And I know for a fact that had I not forgiven, I would still be in that valley of death now.
He is faithful, when we forgive, He will move on our behalf. He will restore all that was lost and some. I have more peace now that I ever have. I have more joy than I ever have. I laugh more, I live passionately. I extend mercy and grace when in the past I would have written people off and harbored unforgiveness.
Forgiveness is never about the other person, it's about you. I realized just because you don't forgive someone it doesn't cause that person to feel pain, it doesn't cause them to all of a sudden stop hurting you(if anything that usually increases), it doesn't hold them back. It affects you and you alone. And worst of all, it separates you from God. Choose to forgive and trust that no matter what, no matter how bad it hurts, God is still God and He is still in control. He fights for you. Although the battle rages, it's not your battle, it's His. Unforgiveness says I'm in control but forgiveness says He's in control.
Forgiveness is not only a lifestyle...it's MY lifestyle.
Thank you Jesus! I love you!
Michelle Nicole.
Luke 6:37 "Forgive and you will be forgiven."
There are so many times where I have needed forgiveness and Jesus has always given it so freely. Even the times when I knew better, where the sin was very intentional, He still forgave me. Yet when it comes to other people hurting us, choosing to forgive can be so incredibly hard. My blog friend Sarah Markely twittered this today: "Forgiveness is a lifestyle." And it really made me think. She's right, forgiveness is a lifestyle. It's not something that we can do sometimes or only under certain circumstances, no it's something that needs to be so ingrained that it's second nature to forgive. Second nature to think the best, to not allow someone else's choices and decisions to control your life. People will let you down, we're human and humans are not perfect at all but if you choose to be a person that forgives easily you'll find that disappointments aren't that bad. You extend grace to others, you have peace. Nothing really shakes you.
Last year was literally one of the hardest years of my life. There were times when I felt like my life was over, my joy was never going to come back. I was full of so much hurt, resentment and anger for a long time. And I actually felt like I was justified in thinking that way. I didn't want to forgive. I was mad at God because I felt like He wasn't helping me, like He had lied to me, I was mad at people who I felt had caused me this hurt, this pain. It took me about 8 months to finally forgive. And it wasn't easy. I found myself having to forgive the people that hurt me everyday, over and over in my head because thoughts would come back and I'd get angry all over again. I would find out something and it would hurt me all over again and I'd get angry. And then I'd cry and ask God to help me, I'd tell him I didn't want to be bitter, I wanted to be free, I wanted to be happy again and all I would hear is forgive. Forgiveness is a choice. You can choose to be bitter or you can choose to forgive.
Deuteronomy 30:19 "This day I call heaven and earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live."
Choose life. It's a choice. In the bible it talks about Bathsheba. Bathsheba was married to Uriah and while he was at war, King David saw Bathsheba bathing on her rooftop and felt that he had to have her. So he sent his guards to get her and he slept with her and got her pregnant. Then to top things off he had her husband killed in order to cover up his sin and then after that her son, the one that she was pregnant with was born but died shortly there after. All this happened in the span of a year or two. So if anyone had the right to be angry, to have unforgiveness it would be Bathsheba. Angry at David, angry at God, angry at the situation that was brought upon her, the hand that was dealt to her. She hadn't asked for this to happen to her, she hadn't sought out the king. Yet she trusted God, she cried out to Him and she forgave. She raised her son Solomon to love the Lord, she loved the Lord with all her heart and she served King David as her husband. She didn't harbor bitterness or unforgiveness. It is said that the Proverbs 31 woman was written by Solomon about Bathsheba.
Proverbs 31:29-31 "Many women do noble things, but you surpass them all. Charm is deceptive and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised. Give her the reward she has earned, and let her works bring her praise at the city gate."
Bathsheba made the choice to forgive. She choose to allow God to work through the circumstances in her life, to make her stronger, to increase her faith, to bring Him glory. Her story is told now over 2000 years later because of the lifestyle of forgiveness that she lived.
After I made the decision to forgive those who had hurt me, He healed my heart, my hurts and restored my joy. Restored my peace. Restored my hope. He restored my ability to love. I can now see those that hurt me and see them through eyes of forgiveness. And it feels so good. I have peace that is unshaken. I have love for them. I can genuinely desire nothing but the best for them.
Through that season of "death" He brought me out of it so much stronger. I can look back on that time in my life and be thankful because it caused me to grow, to change, to rest in Him and be found in Him. And I know for a fact that had I not forgiven, I would still be in that valley of death now.
He is faithful, when we forgive, He will move on our behalf. He will restore all that was lost and some. I have more peace now that I ever have. I have more joy than I ever have. I laugh more, I live passionately. I extend mercy and grace when in the past I would have written people off and harbored unforgiveness.
Forgiveness is never about the other person, it's about you. I realized just because you don't forgive someone it doesn't cause that person to feel pain, it doesn't cause them to all of a sudden stop hurting you(if anything that usually increases), it doesn't hold them back. It affects you and you alone. And worst of all, it separates you from God. Choose to forgive and trust that no matter what, no matter how bad it hurts, God is still God and He is still in control. He fights for you. Although the battle rages, it's not your battle, it's His. Unforgiveness says I'm in control but forgiveness says He's in control.
Forgiveness is not only a lifestyle...it's MY lifestyle.
Thank you Jesus! I love you!
Michelle Nicole.
Wednesday, April 7, 2010
Do not worry
"Do not worry about your life..." Matthew 6:25
"Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to your life?" Matthew 6:27
The other day I was reading Matthew 6:25 and I noticed something I had never paid attention to before. Usually I would read through the whole scripture, therefore I tell you do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food and the body more important than clothes. I have probably read this scripture 50 times and had never really focused on the begining of the scripture, do not worry aobut your life.
Do you know how many hours, days even months I have spent worrying about my life? If you put all the times I have spent worrying about who I would marry, when I would marry, how many children I would have, would I have children, is this the right relationship, I'm sure it would amount to a very very long time. And really what have I added to my life by worrying about all that. How much time have I wasted?
When I read that scripture, do not worry about your life I was literally set free in my mind from a whole lot of worry. No longer do I worry about what the future holds. No more do I worry and fuss about not being married. I just trust. And live day by day.
"Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of it's own." Matthew 6:34
I don't need to worry about even tomorrow, let alone worry about the next few years.
When we walk around and are wrapped up in our own little world, caught up in our thoughts, worrying about stuff we can't control we miss out on the here and now. You come in contact with people all day long, at work, at the grocery store, at the gym, in your home and yet how many times have we walked past these people who God maybe wanted us to notice, to smile at, to speak to but we were too caught up in our own mind, worrying. I'm so guilty of this, my mind is usually going a hundred miles an hour, in a million different directions that I have gone to the store, grocery shopped for about an hour and can't tell you one person that I actually looked at, noticed, or even smiled at. And that's not okay.
All worrying really is is not trusting God. By me worrying about when I will get married, it is literally telling God, I don't trust you to bring me and my husband together. I don't trust you that you know what you're doing. I don't trust that you will bring this to pass. When that is nothing more than a lie. God you are in control of my life, You do know what you're doing, You do know the desires of my heart because You placed them there, and You will bring it to pass at the right time.
I no longer worry about my life. It is Yours God, do with it as you wish, I trust you. I know that your word says that you have good plans for me, not plans to harm me. Your word also says that it is not good for man to be alone, you will make a helper suitable for him. I am that helper. So there is nothing to worry about.
God, please open my eyes and open my heart to see those around me that You want me to notice. Use me, that I would be an effective tool in Your hand to reach out to those who need You.
You have called us to be a light in the darkness, not to be clouded in our minds and too preoccupied to be that light.
Thank you Jesus, for revealing Your truth to me, for showing me the error of my ways, for setting me free. I love you!
Michelle Nicole.
"Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to your life?" Matthew 6:27
The other day I was reading Matthew 6:25 and I noticed something I had never paid attention to before. Usually I would read through the whole scripture, therefore I tell you do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food and the body more important than clothes. I have probably read this scripture 50 times and had never really focused on the begining of the scripture, do not worry aobut your life.
Do you know how many hours, days even months I have spent worrying about my life? If you put all the times I have spent worrying about who I would marry, when I would marry, how many children I would have, would I have children, is this the right relationship, I'm sure it would amount to a very very long time. And really what have I added to my life by worrying about all that. How much time have I wasted?
When I read that scripture, do not worry about your life I was literally set free in my mind from a whole lot of worry. No longer do I worry about what the future holds. No more do I worry and fuss about not being married. I just trust. And live day by day.
"Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of it's own." Matthew 6:34
I don't need to worry about even tomorrow, let alone worry about the next few years.
When we walk around and are wrapped up in our own little world, caught up in our thoughts, worrying about stuff we can't control we miss out on the here and now. You come in contact with people all day long, at work, at the grocery store, at the gym, in your home and yet how many times have we walked past these people who God maybe wanted us to notice, to smile at, to speak to but we were too caught up in our own mind, worrying. I'm so guilty of this, my mind is usually going a hundred miles an hour, in a million different directions that I have gone to the store, grocery shopped for about an hour and can't tell you one person that I actually looked at, noticed, or even smiled at. And that's not okay.
All worrying really is is not trusting God. By me worrying about when I will get married, it is literally telling God, I don't trust you to bring me and my husband together. I don't trust you that you know what you're doing. I don't trust that you will bring this to pass. When that is nothing more than a lie. God you are in control of my life, You do know what you're doing, You do know the desires of my heart because You placed them there, and You will bring it to pass at the right time.
I no longer worry about my life. It is Yours God, do with it as you wish, I trust you. I know that your word says that you have good plans for me, not plans to harm me. Your word also says that it is not good for man to be alone, you will make a helper suitable for him. I am that helper. So there is nothing to worry about.
God, please open my eyes and open my heart to see those around me that You want me to notice. Use me, that I would be an effective tool in Your hand to reach out to those who need You.
You have called us to be a light in the darkness, not to be clouded in our minds and too preoccupied to be that light.
Thank you Jesus, for revealing Your truth to me, for showing me the error of my ways, for setting me free. I love you!
Michelle Nicole.
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
Beauty
A little over a week ago my blog friend Sarah Markley asked her readers to write what beauty meant to them.
I'm going to propose a project for you all: Write a blog post about beauty. Your thoughts, your pain, your triumphs. It can be outer beauty, inner beauty, what you hate, what you love. Anything. Be creative. It can even be a single photo.
So here goes.
When I think of the word beauty, I think of people I love, people I admire. Beauty to me isn't about outer beauty, beauty is about the inside. The world views beauty as what's on the outside, what size you are, if you're make-up is on right, what you wear, etc. But they've got it all wrong. I think the outside is defined more by the word pretty but not beauty. Beauty is the whole package, both inside and out.
Beauty shines forth from someone by how they treat you, how they treat others, what they say.
Beauty is something that flows from the abundance of your heart. From the overflow of His spirit inside of you.
1 Peter 3:3-4
"Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as braided hair and the wearing of gold jewelry and fine clothes. Instead, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle spirit, which is of great worth in God's sight."
Our culture has made beauty out to be something so vain, something that is to be attained by starving yourself to look like the models, by getting plastic surgery to "fix" your percieved flaws. The enemy has manipulated us to think that if we don't look a certain way then we are ugly, rejected, not beautiful.
But that is nothing more than a lie. We were created from His image. He created us in the womb, decided every feature we would have, designed us perfectly for His pleasure. He made us beautiful both inside and out. He made you special, He made you unique, He chose every feature about you, He places gifts and talents inside of you. None of us were created as an accident, You were created with purpose.
Women around the world have been lied to, have been made to hate their bodies, hate what they see in the mirror. Cutting, bulemia, anorexia, perversion, sexual sin are all examples of what happens when we believe the lies of the world.
I fell prey to the voices of others telling me I was too fat, I wasn't enough, I wasn't pretty but it wasn't until I heard His words tell me otherwise that I became free. He told me, "You are beautiful, I chose you, I love you, I am delighted in you, I created you, You are enough." His words are what shape my world now.
Inner beauty is unfading, it is not changed by the outward. It is not swayed by how we feel. Beauty is the single mother who sacrifices everything for her children. Beauty is the daughter who prays for her unsaved family. Beauty is the people who save the victims of human-trafficking and remind them that they are beautiful, worthy, and loved by Jesus. Beauty is an action not just a description.
Friday, February 5, 2010
Royalty
Royalty - the rank, status, power or authority of a monarch; people of royal rank, plus their families.
When one thinks of royalty images of kings, queens, knights and princess' come to mind. Someone who is of high status, very wealthy, enjoys the finer things in life, is taken care of, but also someone who has great authority, makes decisions that impact multitudes, public figures. Kings and queens are not treated like "common people", they don't marry just anyone, they are heavily guarded and protected. They're treated differently.
You and I as sons and daughters of the most high God are royalty. We may live in the world but we are not of the world. We can't act like the world does, we don't date like the world dates, we don't speak like the world speaks, we are set apart.
Tonight as I spoke to a very dear girlfriend of mine we talked about dating and how it's different for children of God. She was very freaked out at the thought of dating and thought she was maybe just acting crazy. But in that moment the Lord reminded me that no, she wasn't freaking out but that we are His children, we are daughters of the most high God. You aren't just anybody, you are His precious daughter and He heavily guards you and protects you.
2 Corinthians 6:18 says:
"I will be a Father to you, and you will be my sons and daughters."
Furthermore, 2 Corinthians 6:14 says:
"Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness?
We need to always be reminded of who's we are, children of God. And as a child of God you have status, power and authority...you are royalty. This is not so that we may boast that we are better than anyone because we are all His children. But so that you will never sell yourself short, you will never settle or anything less than His best for you.
1 Peter 2:9
"But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness and into his wonderful light."
When one thinks of royalty images of kings, queens, knights and princess' come to mind. Someone who is of high status, very wealthy, enjoys the finer things in life, is taken care of, but also someone who has great authority, makes decisions that impact multitudes, public figures. Kings and queens are not treated like "common people", they don't marry just anyone, they are heavily guarded and protected. They're treated differently.
You and I as sons and daughters of the most high God are royalty. We may live in the world but we are not of the world. We can't act like the world does, we don't date like the world dates, we don't speak like the world speaks, we are set apart.
Tonight as I spoke to a very dear girlfriend of mine we talked about dating and how it's different for children of God. She was very freaked out at the thought of dating and thought she was maybe just acting crazy. But in that moment the Lord reminded me that no, she wasn't freaking out but that we are His children, we are daughters of the most high God. You aren't just anybody, you are His precious daughter and He heavily guards you and protects you.
2 Corinthians 6:18 says:
"I will be a Father to you, and you will be my sons and daughters."
Furthermore, 2 Corinthians 6:14 says:
"Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness?
We need to always be reminded of who's we are, children of God. And as a child of God you have status, power and authority...you are royalty. This is not so that we may boast that we are better than anyone because we are all His children. But so that you will never sell yourself short, you will never settle or anything less than His best for you.
1 Peter 2:9
"But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness and into his wonderful light."
Jesus,
Thank you that you watch over me, that you guard me and that you chose me to be your precious daughter. I love you daddy.
Love,
Michelle Nicole.
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
Relationships are a Gift
Relationships are a gift from God. The friends He surrounds you with that help you get through the rough times. The family He gives you to be born into that loves you unconditionally, although they can work your nerves at times, family is what we call "home", its the people that truly know you and love you in spite of you. The man or woman He places in your life as your partner to do life with, as your helper, as His reflection of himself in that person towards you and vice versa. All of these relationships are a gift from God.
When someone you love gives you a gift what do you do with it. Do you tear the wrapping to shreds, not even reading the card but just opening the gift and then discard it as if though it doesn't matter? Do you forget to say thank you? No, you open it with excitement, gently, opening the card first because you know that person who loves you and gave it to you put a lot of thought into what to say in that card, you say thank you and are genuinly grateful for the gift, you treasure it, you put it on display and take care of it.
When God, the creator of the universe, the father of all creation, the lover of your soul blesses you with a relationship it is His gift to you. A gift that we are to treasure, handle with care and are ever thankful for.
Am I writing this because I'm such an expert at this... no not at all. By no means am I an expert at relationships but by His grace He is teaching me. Because left to my own actions I truly suck at relationships.
About two years ago the Lord blessed me with an amazing relationship. But the story doesn't start there. God had been working on both of us seperately for some time before presenting us to eachother. In the years leading up to that, God had saved us, He had changed us, molded us and prepared us for this moment. This relationship wasn't one that was birthed out of a drunken night of partying and exchanging phone numbers. It was one that was birthed out of a friendship, a love for Jesus, lots of prayer and His perfect timing.
When God brings that special person into your life, it's not a coincidence, it's His working, it's a masterpiece that He has created especially for you. Because you see that person is His child, His baby and He is entrusting that person to you. That person is a gift to you. A gift that is to be handled with care, with respect, with love and with an attitude of gratefullness.
So many times I have wondered if I could go back in time would I have done it all over again. Would I have changed anything? In the begining I thought no, definitely not, that was so much heartache and pain but now after having time to think about it and having Him deal with my heart I would definitely do it all over again. But would I change things? Yes, most definitely yes. Would I change him? No. I would have changed the way I viewed the relationship. Because in the begining yes I saw it as this beautiful gift but somewhere in the middle I lost sight of that and therefore stopped handling it with care. We both did.
A relationship, one created by God can be equated to fine dining at an upscale restaurant. You can't show up for dinner whenever you want, it's not open 24 hours, they usually have specific hours of operation, and usually require a reservation. They require you to dress up, you can't just show up in whatever you want. They use fresh, nutritious ingredients not some mystery meat and grease fried everything. There is a huge difference between McDonald's and Ruth Chris Steakhouse. Huge difference. With Ruth Chris you have a little more respect for the establishment, you adhere to their standards but are left feeling as if though it was so incredibly worth it. Where as with McDonald's you treat it just like it is, fast food. You don't dress up, you don't make reservations, you can have it whenever you want and usually although it may taste good (at times lol) it definitely never leaves you feeling as if though it was worth it.
That's how relationships are. If you treat your relationship like McDonald's you show up however you feel, you don't have an awe, respect or appretiation for the amazing gift that God has blessed you with. You take the person for granted. McDonald's are usually open 24 hours but Ruth Chris is not. So when planning to go to dinner for either, one will require you to make better use of your time if you plan on arriving before it closes where as the other you can show up whenever you feel like it. Do you really treasure the time you spend with that person that God has blessed you with or do you view it as eh whatever, I'll call him/her when I feel like it, I will hang out with them when I feel like it, I've got things to do, they can wait. Or do you value that person, do you make them a priority, do you spend time with them.
What about the nutritional value of each? While McDonald's may seem tasty and super yummy at first, it will leave you feeling gross afterwards. And if you have it everyday it will cause you to gain weight, have serious health issues and leave you feeling worse than you started out. In a relationship when you compromise the boundaries that God has put, when you don't respect His design for a relationship, when you have sex outside of marriage it leaves you feeling just like McDonald's does. At first it feels amazing but in the end it leaves you feeling empty, gross and feeling like a complete failure. Yet if you have Ruth Chris everyday the ingredients will be fresh, healthy and organic, therefore adding nutrients to your body, making you feel stronger. A relationship that is fed by His love, His guidance, and a genuine care for eachother will leave you feeling stronger and better than you ever have before.
Doing a relationship the right way is difficult, it requires discipline, denying the flesh but it's also so incredibly do-able and worth it.
"And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it." 1 Corinthians 10:13
When that time comes, remember to treat it as the precious gift that it is. He has put a lot of work into prepairing the both of you. And always have a heart of thanksgiving and appreciation for the amazing responsiblity He has entrusted to you.
Jesus,
Forgive me for not treating the amazing gift that you placed in my life with the respect and appreciation that it deserved. Forgive me for failing you. He was amazing. I'm sorry.
Love,
Michelle Nicole.
When someone you love gives you a gift what do you do with it. Do you tear the wrapping to shreds, not even reading the card but just opening the gift and then discard it as if though it doesn't matter? Do you forget to say thank you? No, you open it with excitement, gently, opening the card first because you know that person who loves you and gave it to you put a lot of thought into what to say in that card, you say thank you and are genuinly grateful for the gift, you treasure it, you put it on display and take care of it.
When God, the creator of the universe, the father of all creation, the lover of your soul blesses you with a relationship it is His gift to you. A gift that we are to treasure, handle with care and are ever thankful for.
Am I writing this because I'm such an expert at this... no not at all. By no means am I an expert at relationships but by His grace He is teaching me. Because left to my own actions I truly suck at relationships.
About two years ago the Lord blessed me with an amazing relationship. But the story doesn't start there. God had been working on both of us seperately for some time before presenting us to eachother. In the years leading up to that, God had saved us, He had changed us, molded us and prepared us for this moment. This relationship wasn't one that was birthed out of a drunken night of partying and exchanging phone numbers. It was one that was birthed out of a friendship, a love for Jesus, lots of prayer and His perfect timing.
When God brings that special person into your life, it's not a coincidence, it's His working, it's a masterpiece that He has created especially for you. Because you see that person is His child, His baby and He is entrusting that person to you. That person is a gift to you. A gift that is to be handled with care, with respect, with love and with an attitude of gratefullness.
So many times I have wondered if I could go back in time would I have done it all over again. Would I have changed anything? In the begining I thought no, definitely not, that was so much heartache and pain but now after having time to think about it and having Him deal with my heart I would definitely do it all over again. But would I change things? Yes, most definitely yes. Would I change him? No. I would have changed the way I viewed the relationship. Because in the begining yes I saw it as this beautiful gift but somewhere in the middle I lost sight of that and therefore stopped handling it with care. We both did.
A relationship, one created by God can be equated to fine dining at an upscale restaurant. You can't show up for dinner whenever you want, it's not open 24 hours, they usually have specific hours of operation, and usually require a reservation. They require you to dress up, you can't just show up in whatever you want. They use fresh, nutritious ingredients not some mystery meat and grease fried everything. There is a huge difference between McDonald's and Ruth Chris Steakhouse. Huge difference. With Ruth Chris you have a little more respect for the establishment, you adhere to their standards but are left feeling as if though it was so incredibly worth it. Where as with McDonald's you treat it just like it is, fast food. You don't dress up, you don't make reservations, you can have it whenever you want and usually although it may taste good (at times lol) it definitely never leaves you feeling as if though it was worth it.
That's how relationships are. If you treat your relationship like McDonald's you show up however you feel, you don't have an awe, respect or appretiation for the amazing gift that God has blessed you with. You take the person for granted. McDonald's are usually open 24 hours but Ruth Chris is not. So when planning to go to dinner for either, one will require you to make better use of your time if you plan on arriving before it closes where as the other you can show up whenever you feel like it. Do you really treasure the time you spend with that person that God has blessed you with or do you view it as eh whatever, I'll call him/her when I feel like it, I will hang out with them when I feel like it, I've got things to do, they can wait. Or do you value that person, do you make them a priority, do you spend time with them.
What about the nutritional value of each? While McDonald's may seem tasty and super yummy at first, it will leave you feeling gross afterwards. And if you have it everyday it will cause you to gain weight, have serious health issues and leave you feeling worse than you started out. In a relationship when you compromise the boundaries that God has put, when you don't respect His design for a relationship, when you have sex outside of marriage it leaves you feeling just like McDonald's does. At first it feels amazing but in the end it leaves you feeling empty, gross and feeling like a complete failure. Yet if you have Ruth Chris everyday the ingredients will be fresh, healthy and organic, therefore adding nutrients to your body, making you feel stronger. A relationship that is fed by His love, His guidance, and a genuine care for eachother will leave you feeling stronger and better than you ever have before.
Doing a relationship the right way is difficult, it requires discipline, denying the flesh but it's also so incredibly do-able and worth it.
"And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it." 1 Corinthians 10:13
When that time comes, remember to treat it as the precious gift that it is. He has put a lot of work into prepairing the both of you. And always have a heart of thanksgiving and appreciation for the amazing responsiblity He has entrusted to you.
Jesus,
Forgive me for not treating the amazing gift that you placed in my life with the respect and appreciation that it deserved. Forgive me for failing you. He was amazing. I'm sorry.
Love,
Michelle Nicole.
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