Simply Speaking

"God and man exist for each other and neither is satisfied without the other"

-A.W. Tozer

-Live Productively

Let's Celebrate!

I have a cause for celebration! Today, i should celebrate what an UNBELIEVABLE life I've had thus far: the accomplishments, the mannnyyyy blessings, and, yes, even the hardships because they have served to make me stronger! Take time today, to acknowledge your life and to praise yourself!

Just as a gem cannot be polished without friction,

nor can a life be perfected without trials.

"Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything." (James1:2,3,4)

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[true] Love has no Boundaries

Unconditional love is a term that means to love someone regardless of one's actions or beliefs. It is a concept comparable to true love, a term which is more frequently used to describe love between lovers. It has also been used in a Christian context to describe God's love for humankind through the forgiveness of Christ. (Wikipedia.org)

There really is no such thing as conditional love. Love is either UNconditional or it's NOT love at all. You might like someone conditionally based on their personality or behavior or circumstances. But true love accepts NO boundaries. So never say, "I LOVE YOU BECAUSE", for love has no cause. There shouldn't be limits based on love. If you really loved someone unconditionally it wouldn't waiver and be so unstable based on a person's actions. IF that were true then I wouldn't be loved by God, because His love for me I know is more deeper and greater than even the love of my parents. So if my actions were to reflect God's love for me then I would surely fall short of his love for me because I've acted out selfishly many many times, YET he's willing to see past my faults and imperfections and LOVE me just the same because he sees me as I am! now, that's what I call LOVE!

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life." (John3:16)

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Life Changing Epiphany!

The hardest thing in my life was always the easiest thing to do this whole time! I always thought that the hardest thing was to stay in relationships with people & God. But in actuality the hardest thing is actually leaving! I quarrel, I whine, I nag and I fight- I fight my greatest fear. People leaving ME has been what I've been unconsciously doing my whole life- leaving people! I'm the one that tends to leave God thinking that He was never there for me- when all this time, it was me acting out my greatest fear! The hardest thing was always the easiest thing for me to do- to just STAY! to "Be still & know that He is God" (Psalm46:10) is all that's asked of Me

I'm being so broken down, quieted and completely broken down, I'm literally face down before God. HUMBLED. This is where I should be all the days of my life. Looking up to God and not being God. But our fallen nature is just that, thinking that we're God. Adam & Eve ate the apple thinking that they will know all things because they felt that God had something to hide from them but God clearly stated that if they eat they will "surely die" (Gen2:17) It was the serpent that came and gave them that "knowledge" to do so. God created adam and eve to have relationship with Him in the Garden allowing them to eat and do whatever they wanted EXCEPT eat from the tree of knowledge because God had to maintain his God-like character, to be God-all knowing! But even in our fallen nature God had a plan & that was to send Jesus as our redeemer for Him to be God of us!

God gave animal skin to clothe Adam & Eve from their nakedness because they became ashamed after they ate from the tree. They weren't ashamed anymore after they were clothed. This foretold Jesus coming as our animal skin because he covers us from our shame- our sin through His death on the cross & the blood that he shed for us to become covered and unashamed before God. To be given this kind of sacrifice for me, NOT BECAUSE I DESERVE IT but because of God's GRACE-makes me completely embarrased and completely ashamed that I am foolish enough to come before God thinking that I know more than Him. I have been overindulging myself with too many apples from the tree of knowledge causing me to "surely die".. I'm finding myself where I belong as the creation and NOT the creator

"Nothing is exciting if you know what the outcome is going to be. You keep wanting to know how things will play out, keep asking to see the future. God doesn't give anyone the power to know the future, because life becomes maddeningly boring when you know everything upfront. So, instead of struggling, enjoy the uncertainty - to be alive means to not know."

God, please continue to break me down. Continue to Humble me. I am nothing but you alone are God of my life.

-Live Productively

On this day

God wants me to know that:

... it's time to finally forgive myself. I carried the guilt, the shame long enough. I've kept my wounds open for long enough. The time has come to let go & heal. Keeping the lessons and letting the pain heal. Yes, this is what I am entering into now...

Some problems in life

are not about

things we are "unable" to do,

but about things

we are "unwilling" to do..

Lord, my spirit is willing but my flesh is so weak

(Matt 26:41)

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Let Go & Let Life Happen

I was thoroughly explained what it actually means to "let go".. I would come across this statement to just "let go if you really want to be happy then just let go!" Sometimes it literally means letting go and letting life happen before you. Some things are beyond my control- like people.

As I'm coming to see clearly my desire to have control over people because I've grown up with traumatic events that led me to feel like I lost grip of life- so for me to prohibit those emotions again I try to control the people in my life to not repeat those emotions. But I realized that this skewed vision of my past negatively affects me from living in the present. Therefore as of now all I can do is get into the practice of [daily] making myself control no one but myself. I have to get into the habit to form a lifestyle of letting go- the past, people, my expectations and being able to look only to myself. Eventually being able to stabilize enough confidence to look to God without being scared and out of control when things don't go my way.

I try to control people but I am coming to see clearly that I also try to control God! When I see life not going my way I panic and try gripping life into my control by playing the role of God of my life: stressing out and being an emotional havoc then eventually looking to people to control my life. Losing myself in the process. Its all a spiraling downfall! But when I am in total surrender to not controlling how people treat me but learn to appreciate them for who they are and being able to surrender to God and what he will do, I see that it gives me the freedom to just sit back and relax and just "let go" of life [things I can't control but to control what I can control] and just let life happen...

"Philosophical and religious thinkers often define happiness in terms of living a good life rather than simply as an emotion"

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This season of my life

is not all about me.. it's about knowing GOD (love) and allowing LOVE (God) to form me from the inside out.. these days i'm coming to see all the things inside me that cripples me from growing spiritually, emotionally & mentally. but the more i dig deeper into myself the more that God takes me out of the picture and shows me objectively that it's not about me.. it's about Him.. i've been in complain mode for the past couple weeks about how i'm having a hard time maintaining friendships & allowing myself to be open to trusting people. but the more i see what i'm doing - im seeing how i lack so much in faith.. i lack in trusting God first because if i trust God then why would i be so scared crapless to trust people? yeah, i was beaten & bruised emotionally in the past and left abandoned by my parents who should have nurtured me and loved me.. and being left un-nurtured at a young age- im coming to see the pains and hurts that are surfacing but im also seeing these things that cripple me & more so welcoming it into my present and for God to help me face the fear. so far i'd like to applaud myself for coming this far! i went over & beyond what i thought i was capable of! so far, ive been shown why i never allow myself to trust, why i act the way i do, why i suck @ being a friend, why i hunger for love/acceptance & why i morph into anger mode when i feel threatened by someone i care about. personally, i really really really want to thank those of you that have been patient with me during this time of my life and allowing me the freedom to go through my tantrums and face my fears alongside me.. you personally see the growth and change developing from within me (i hope) & it is because of your support and acceptance that i'm able to flourish freely and grow freely, the way i should.. and for that i really really want to say THANK YOU..

One thing have I asked of the LORD,
that will I seek after:
that I may dwell in the house of the LORD
all the days of my life,
to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD
and to inquire in his temple.
-Psalm 27

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unconditional

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Be Free

When you fully let go of what you hold onto so tightly is when you fully start to realize how much you really do have. Some things are just out of your control.

Just... Let go

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