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What Floods The Desert

bible, christian, encouragement, lifestyle

But as for me, I watch in hope for the Lord, I wait for God my Savior; my God will hear me.

Micah 7:7 NIV

For the last 3 weeks, I have been in a flooded desert. Though there was pain, sorrow, and a lack of resources, none of it was a match for the great flood that flowed through this land. Not a flood of water…but of hope.

As I came across this verse in Micah, I could not help but relate it to the people I encountered on my journey to the Middle East. For nearly a month, I walked in the same land God split the sea for Moses to walk through. The same land Saul had his transformation to Paul. The same land that a Shepard boy was made a mighty king. Yet amidst all God has done in the past, the most amazing thing to me was what He was doing in the hearts of the people today.

I saw fathers give up everything to get their daughters the medical treatment they needed. I saw parents embrace and thank God for the children their culture tells them are a disgrace due to their disabilities. And I saw oh so much hope and praise towards God in the eyes of families who were bombed out of their homes and forced to move to foreign lands with no guarantee of a way out.

This, is a small glimpse of the flooded desert I walked through.

My heart shatters as this world defaces the reputation of the Arab community. I have never met a more loving group of people in my whole life. Their sense of strangers becoming friends and friends becoming family is so wholesome.

After spending weeks drinking an excessive amount of coffee and tea with random families, I have found that they live out Micah 7:7 to the absolute fullest.

Though the name of Jesus was not the one they commonly praised, it has never been more evident to me of God’s hand over a community. These people were living in pain. Pain that began far before their own lives and continues to deepen as they step into each new day. Yet at the same time, they are overflowing with hope and joy. A hope that brings life during dreadful times. And a joy that remains as they lift up God through the rubble of their struggles.

It is this hope I pray I can learn how to share with you all. Like they so kindly welcomed me into their homes, making me feel like a close sister, I hope to make this blog a place you all feel loved and secure.

We as the Church ought to be unified as one. Love should be the driving force for all we say and do. So as you take a second to speak with God today, I pray you ask Him to show you how to love well. This world portrays the people of the Middle East in such a terrible way. But I am here to encourage you to let God be the one to tell you how we should treat others, not the media, not the president, not your family…simply God. If He gave His life to love them, how can we live and not do the same?

Silence – Giving God the Chance to Speak

christian, easter, encouragement, lifestyle

The past few weeks have been absolutely insane if I am going to be completely honest. After starting my job, I have been on a tight schedule, dedicating any and all of my free time to school. I wish I could say that I manage things well, but lately, I have been slacking on posting these blogs at the right time, reading the books I need for class, and finding time to do what I am doing now…sitting at the park I talked about in the “finding your quiet place” blog.

It seems as though every hour I have has been strictly set for work, school, or church. And truthfully, it is exhausting. I love church and serving at youth, but that’s about it. School has been draining and work has been killing my body. But the other day, I realized something absolutely crazy. For the past week or so, I have been getting ready for the day, driving, doing homework, and eating in SILENCE. Not a single beat of a song. Not even instrumental music!!

For some, this may not seem that big of a deal, but for me, it is HUGE. I like to live my life like I am in a movie. I have songs blasting in my ears almost every hour of the day. But not recently. Why did I start doing this? I have no clue. I didn’t realize it until I finished getting ready one morning and was humming a song, then realized there was nothing playing! I found this to be the case again and again after that. I honestly never thought I would be one who enjoyed silence, but with so much on my mind, and so many to-do’s, silence has become my saving grace. The only time I feel like I can breathe and remember that I am a human being, not a human doing.

After taking the last few days enjoying my silence as I get ready or drive somewhere, I remembered this park I am at now. The one that I use to come to just a few months ago to hear God and just talk with Him, not worrying about any distractions. It honestly ached my heart to realize how long it has been since I last came here.

So this morning, I had no idea I would end up here, but after being denied entry at chapel because they were full, I felt the immediate hunger for these towering trees, perfectly short grass, and countless leaves that often hit me in my face because of the wind. So I stuffed my fat face with some chicken pot pie in the cafeteria and then headed out.

On my way here, again I drove in silence. Somewhat talking to God then singing some worship songs that have been stuck in my head, then talking to Him again. During that time, I realized how easy it is for us to stop prioritizing the things that we say mean the most. I asked God for this job at Chipotle, but not too long after, I spent weeks obsessed with the blessing He gave me, but not Him. The multiple hours a week that I used to spend with Him turned into maybe 3 hours total. I forgot about Him unless I was struggling or coming back from church.

Terrible. I know. But as I found this great value in silence and became more aware of it, I started tuning into His voice more. I began saying short prayers and leaving the rest of the time for Him to speak. And Holy smoking macaroni! It has been so good. It’s not like I heard His literal voice, but I felt His peace. I was reminded of verses I haven’t read in a while. I thought about songs that I often forget the lyrics too. God showed up big time.

His faithfulness is something I knew always existed and I have seen before. But recently, my church has been talking about God being the Good Shepard. The one who will consistently search for His sheep, regardless of how far and long they wander. And wowza. I can joyfully vouch for Him on that. I was so worried and focused on my own things in life, that I didn’t realize how far out I was grazing. But oh what a beautiful and loving God we have. He knows us by name, face, and personality. He seeks nothing but our trust and love.

With silence, God had room to speak. Not room that He had to force me to give Him, but room He gladly filled as I offered it to Him.

Too often we get bombarded with our daily obligations. We get so jam packed with work, school, family, etc. But I pray you do not forget your source of true life. I pray you do not forget your first love.

Silence has never been something I liked, but as I realized the value it can have when I lay it in God’s hands, it has become all that I long for. I may never see a bush on fire while a loud voice speaks my name, but living in silence that is dedicated to God (get that? not just plain old silence, but that in which you intentionally lay in God’s hands) has filled my life in so many more ways than music ever could. It has made my heart more aware of the moment and more sensitive to His guidance.

I am so happy because in the last blog, you can see that I struggled to realize the time has gone so fast that passion week is already here, yet in the last few days, I could not be more joyful that THIS was the lesson God showed me this week.

Easter is just around the corner. Amidst the egg hunting and family visits, I encourage you to make room for God to move and speak to your heart.

Whether you have five minutes or five hours, will you give your heart a chance to rest in the hands of it’s beautiful creator?

Finding Your Quiet Place – Being Silent & Still In a Chaotic World

christian, lifestyle

“Be Still and Know that I am God.”

Psalm 46:10

Growing up, I did everything in my power to avoid silence. Whether it was by humming, playing music, talking (my favorite), or watching a show/movie, I never let more than a few seconds of this “silent” ring run through my ears. However, as I aged, especially in the most recent years, I recognized the crucial need for silence in our walk with God. Actually, I would consider silence to be a package deal with something many people also avoid…stillness.

The google definition of a quiet place is a place in which there is little to no noise. A place radiating with peace and no major disturbances. A place where we can be still.

Last Friday, I needed to read a few chapters of a book for a class, so I decided to go to this park I used to run at last semester. It was never too populated and it was very big, making it the perfect place to read under one of the oddly tall trees. So there I sat, sippin’ on my delicious Matcha latte with just the right amount of vanilla syrup to hide the unbearable bitterness, reading my assigned book about Jesus and the world’s justice issues. As I listened to the breeze rush through the branches above me and the leaves tumble by, I remembered the peace God gave me when I would finish my run and sit on the top of the hill listening to worship music just a few months earlier. It was so graceful seeing all of creation flourish perfectly as I sat on my little toy story themed towel. Then, it got me thinking.

Reflecting back on the life of Jesus, I was intrigued of how serious He took His quiet place. All throughout the Gospels, you can read about the times that Jesus would isolate Himself from the crowds and His disciples to go spend hours alone with the Father. How beautiful. Regardless of how late it may have been, or how busy His day was, Jesus never pushed aside the one whom sent Him to earth with this purpose for salvation.

Matthew 6:6 says, “But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.”

We were created to be with the Father. But with sin fracturing that original relationship, the only way in which one can experience His presence is through seeking Him, His voice, and the Spirit. What better form of listening can we express than making ourselves quiet and open for whatever He is trying to tell us?

Many, if not all of us, are bombarded by the chaos of life. But I want to share this quote from the book “Whisper” by Mark Batterson. He says “Chronic noise may be the greatest impediment to our spiritual growth.” I couldn’t find this to be more true. I often ask people if they spent time reading the Bible at some point in their day or even just spent time in prayer. If not yes, majority of the responses I receive are, “My day was just really busy”.

We humans have gotten so overwhelmed by the blessings in life, whether it be a job, family, or school, that we so easily forget about the One giving us the Blessing. We dismiss the dire need for community with God because we see the things of this world as having a greater importance or urgency. But if I could leave you with one thing, it would be this: No thing and no one can ever reveal your true purpose and give you genuine life other than God Himself.

When we allow stillness to flood our emotions, bodies, and minds, we give God the opportunity to move in whatever way He pleases. We make room for Him to heal the hurting, mend the broken, fill the empty-hearted, and give peace to the restless.

It is very easy to get caught up in the obligations of this world. And it’s not uncommon to feel drained many days, but I want to encourage you to not let your circumstance or feelings determine your faith and intimacy with God. Deciding to do a devotional every morning and read His word every night has been one of the best decisions I ever made. It has not been easy at all. I have missed some days completely and had some days where I had to reread pages over and over because I was not fully awake. Now I am not saying I hear from God all the time, but when I do, it has been nothing less than transforming. And after reviving the practice of quiet time with God in the park last Friday, I decided that will be my quiet place I visit once a week to simply be still. No noise besides creation, no entertainment besides my Bible, and no company besides God.

As I say often, we were created for one purpose to glorify God. But whatever individual mission we each were given before creation was ever completed, is only attainable and made clear if we tune into the one who created it. May you find this place of stillness, and proactive silent listening. It does not have to be a majestic wonder of the world, it just has to be a place where you can sit with God for however long you have the opportunity to give Him. If you would like to start small, do as I am. Once a week for a couple of hours. Do not underestimate the whisper God can speak over you when you go to a quiet place with Him.

Hope for the Weary- A Short Word.

christian, lifestyle, Uncategorized

This morning I was in my accounting class and my teacher showed us a verse before we began. Galatians 6:9-10.

Both verses are amazing but I want to highlight just this one part “let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season, we will reap”

I have heard this verse a billion times before, but today it hit differently. For the past few weeks, being bombarded with homework and the realization of all the things I need to know before I even THINK about starting my career, I have contemplated how easy it would be to forget about it all and do something I’m naturally good at and doesn’t require so much work.

But here’s the catch. I know -don’t ask how, because I don’t know that- but I know that God has orchestrated my life so specifically so that by the age of 19, I am here…in west palm, studying Christian Community Development in hopes to give hope & healing to the impoverished one day.

The place in which I struggle the most, is somehow the most peaceful place I can be. Not the location. The place in my life. And that right there is what I think we need to hold onto hope for.

This is a hard season of my life, but God has blessed me with so many opportunities to pour His love into others and really lean into Him.

So yes. It’s very tough, but it’s one of the greatest blessings. And if this is where God led me…if you are where God led you…let me encourage you with Galatians 6:9-10.

Whatever you are doing, if it is for the good work God planned for you, do not grow weary. The world may throw all it has at you, but believe me, our God is bigger.

Dear the Tenderhearted… – God sees, hears, and loves you

christian, Uncategorized

“ Now Laban had two daughters: the name of the elder was Leah, and the name of the younger was Rachel. Leah’s eyes were delicate, but Rachel was beautiful of form and appearance.”

Genesis 29:16-17 NKJV

The other day, I was struggling with seeing myself the way God says He does. As I stared in the mirror, I ripped myself apart from head to toe, and when I was done, I did the same thing with my personality and talents.

I am unsure if it is what one would consider lack of confidence or just basic insecurities, or maybe they are the same thing, regardless, whatever it was…I had a lot of it.

Shortly after I composed myself, remembering I was at college and had to seem collected again, I decided to pray. Who better to ask for advice about our identity than the one who created us?

So there I sat. Very much upset with a lot of things in life, and just to add the cherry on top, I hadn’t done my devotional or read my Bible in 3 days. I was on a role, 22 days strong, only missing 1 day since I started. So you can only imagine how frustrating life was for my perfectionist mindset at the moment as I realized I could not even keep myself disciplined to reading a chapter of God’s word everyday.

However, as I prayed, feeling so much anger with myself for my lack of consistency for God, and all of the flaws I just pointed out, I felt peace. Not in a way that removed my insecurities or justified my disobedience, but in a way that reminded me, God can still use me.

So that night, I was still upset of course, but also at peace in my heart as I knew God was the ultimate judge and regardless of how I view myself, only His perspective is without fault. The very next morning, I woke up and decided to get back on track. I pulled out my morning devotional and boom! God smacked me right across the face with a rush of grace, love, and reassurance of what His peace told me the night before. The title read: “Bamboozled”

Leah. The unloved wife of Jacob.

Looking all the way back to Genesis 29, you encounter two sisters. Rachel and Leah.

Jacob (Abraham’s grandson; Isaac’s son) was searching for a wife. Long story short, he got played. He worked for 7 years to get permission to marry Rachel but the night of the wedding, Laban (the girls’ father) switched the daughters and gave him Leah instead. If you refer back to the verse at the top of this page, Jacob was infatuated by Rachel, not Leah, and that was pretty clear. But Laban knew it was shameful to let his younger daughter marry before His eldest, so he did what he though was right. However, this did not sit well with Jacob, for the rest of Leah’s life, everyone knew her as the unloved wife.

Now you are probably wondering, how in the world is this a story filled with grace and love? Well…although her identity was crushed by the judgement of others, God had a plan for her that no one expected.

The name Leah means tenderhearted, delicate, or weary. Based off her name and the way she is described, she comes across as a very plain woman. No special talents, no astounding physical features, and not easily swooning to others. But the good news is that God saw her completely different.

We often get so captivated in what the world thinks of us. Desperate to mold our lives around society’s standards. OR we just give up, forget about even trying, and settle for the identity everyone has told us we classify as. How terrible and sad. This world is so broken that even though we are aware of how great our Creator is, we can’t bare to look at His creation in the mirror for too long before we start pulling it apart, or think for too long before we shame our personality and lack of talents.

But what I want to bring to you today is a path to Hope.

1 Samuel 16:7 says “…The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”

Let that sink in for a second. The God of the universe, the ultimate Judge, the One who knows more than we do about ourselves, states that our heart is the main way in which true character is displayed.

I feel as though this is a very common thing to hear growing up. Many are taught to see people for their heart and personality, not their outward appearance, but how often do we live that out? I am sure we can all agree, not very well. As racism and sexism continue, people have their prejudices, and WE stare in the mirror and tear ourselves apart. The brokenness of this world is so clearly revealed.

So there Leah was. Stuck in a relationship in which her husband wanted no part of. Yet God moved in mighty ways. Not much was said about her personal life. But she was recorded to have given birth to 7 children. 6 sons and 1 daughter. In fact, she gave birth to Jacob’s first child. (Jacob later married 3 other women including Rachel who had a accumulated total of 6 sons as well). Not only was bearing many children an honorable deed in that time which was a blessing in itself, but her sons just so happened to be 6 out of 12 sons that formed the tribes of Israel. In case you didn’t know, one of those sons, Judah, was the ancestor of JESUS!!

My reasoning behind the overload of genealogy is, yes, to praise God for His blessing of using Leah to bear most of Jacob’s children, but primarily, I want to highlight the names that Leah gave them.

Leah’s Sons Names & Meanings:

  • Rueben – “Behold, a son”
  • Simeon – “To hear”
  • Levi – “Joined”
  • Judah – “Praise”
  • Issachar – “There is reward”
  • Zebulun – “to dwell, dwelling”

How beautiful. These names are in order from the first born to the last. What I love about that is you can clearly see Leah’s journey of humility, contentment, and a growing love for God. Starting out as chopped liver, no one would have ever pictured HER to have a special purpose. But oh how God loves the tenderhearted.

She knew she was not someone who others saw, heard, or loved, but she had faith that her God did. As she gave birth to son after son after son, she never forgot who this blessing came from. I encourage you to read her story and research the deeper meanings and reasons behind each name, but for the sake of time, and holding your attention, I will simply leave you with the list above.

So as you sit there, remember that there is a future of hope for each and every one of you. Now I am not saying you are ugly, untalented, or plain. The main point of looking at Leah’s life is far deeper than that. Whether you are beloved and admired or rejected and disposed by society, none of that matters to God. He longs for the tender heart. Those willing to humble themselves before His authority. Those who know He is their Lord, and the only one worthy of our devotion.

Life is not about being “beautiful in form and appearance”. Although it is not bad to have a stunning physique, that should not be our main focus, and definitely not something capable of making us cry over because we lack it. Life is about God. As you live pursuing the character of whom He initially designed you to be, you will find more beauty and love than this world could ever offer. This does not mean you’re hair will become perfect, your wrinkles on your forehead will disappear, the chubbiness on your lower belly will cease to exist, or your skin will be as smooth and clear as the surface of a pool before someone canon-balls in. This means you will begin to see other people and yourself the way God sees. From the heart. What makes a person beautiful is not how unfrizzy their hair is or how straight their teeth are, but how humble, loving, compassionate, selfless, tender, and forgiving their heart is.

So to all of the Leah’s out there who are constantly crumbled by what the world thinks, or even just what you think of yourself…do not forget who your God is. Do not forget the sacrifice on the cross for YOU. Do not forget His promises for your individual purpose. And PLEASE, do not forget you are seen, heard, and loved…oh so very dearly.

The only way to this path of hope, is through Jesus Christ. Spend time in the Word, pray, build your relationship with Him, and pray some more. The closer you get to God, the more you will see His plans for you unravel. Regardless of how broken this world is, nothing, and I mean absolutely nothing, can ruin God’s work He is doing in the tenderhearted.