Nature and Beauty Whisper to us- Is there something More?

The blackness of the night with His stars streaming their light so perfectly-- they call my name.  The green grass so soft and simple with the sun warming the inside of my soul – it reaches in the depths of me and stirs my heart.  The blue sky, a sunset, walking barefoot through the soft grass, smelling flowers, hearing the birds singing their song, feeling the warm breeze, smelling the summer rain, stepping into a trickling creek, experiencing touching moments of beauty and simplicity, hugging your children, your parents, innocent laughter with family and friends, quiet moments for the heart to listen and speak,…All these are beautiful and we feel a certain peacefulness it brings us.

Our soul calls for beauty…it longs for it. We were made for it.  When we see these gifts of beauty--a sunset, a baby being born, the first day of spring—we feel our hearts stir.  They touch us deeply in a way we can’t explain.  Why do we feel so alive and our hearts more at peace when we experience these things?  Why do the eyes of our hearts and soul begin to open a little wider like something exciting is about to happen?…

 Because these gifts of beauty are only a reflection of the one who is truly, perfectly beautiful and that is Jesus.  That is Jesus.  And Our hearts were always made for Him, only for Him.

How beautiful.


                                                          -My Heart

The Road of Life....; )

The Road of Life


At first, I saw God as my observer,
my judge,
keeping track of the things I did wrong,
so as to know whether I merited heaven
or hell when I die.
He was out there sort of like a president.
I recognized His picture when I saw it,
but I really didn't know Him.



But later on
when I met Christ,
it seemed as though life was rather like a bike ride,
but it was a tandem bike,
and I noticed that Christ
was in the back helping me pedal.


I don't know just when it was
that He suggested we change places,
but life has not been the same since.


When I had control,
I knew the way.
It was rather boring,
but predictable . . .
It was the shortest distance between two points.


But when He took the lead,
He knew delightful long cuts,
up mountains,
and through rocky places
at breakneck speeds,
it was all I could do to hang on!
Even though it looked like madness,
He said, "Pedal!"


I worried and was anxious
and asked,
"Where are you taking me?"
He laughed and didn't answer,
and I started to learn to trust.


I forgot my boring life
and entered into the adventure.
And when I'd say, "I'm scared,"
He'd lean back and touch my hand.


He took me to people with gifts that I needed,
gifts of healing,
acceptance
and joy.
They gave me gifts to take on my journey,
my Lord's and mine.



\And we were off again.
He said, "Give the gifts away;
they're extra baggage, too much weight."
So I did,
to the people we met,
and I found that in giving I received,
and still our burden was light.


I did not trust Him,
at first,
in control of my life.
I thought He'd wreck it;
but He knows bike secrets,
knows how to make it bend to take sharp corners,
knows how to jump to clear high rocks,
knows how to fly to shorten scary passages.

And I am learning to shut up
and pedal
in the strangest places,
and I'm beginning to enjoy the view
and the cool breeze on my face
with my delightful constant companion, Jesus Christ.


And when I'm sure I just can't do anymore,
He just smiles and says . . . "Pedal."


-- author unknown

Pray, Hope, and Don't WORRY!

I thought I'd write about worry since thats what I find myself doing when I'm afraid or stressed. I went to a conference this past weekend and it really opened up my eyes to why worrying is pointless and unnecessary.


I'm sure we've heard the famous Padre Pio "Pray, Hope and Don't Worry" Easier said then done right? You bet!   Everyday we are faced with stresses and with stresses comes worry. (Or it can go the other way around) The message I recieved from the conference was that worrying is a sin! It is completely and totally from satan trying to tear your happiness and trust away from God.

When we let worry in,whether it's about money situations, the future, or even school tests, we think we are being responsible in our thinking. We think we are spending this time well b/c we think if we don't worry then we are simply not caring. This is a lie. We need to look at the difference between worrying and just simply caring.
At the conference I went to this past weekend, there was a very gifted speaker named Damian Stayne. He works miracles by allowing Jesus to work through him to heal people of sickness and even cancer! He is very blessed with this gift of healing.
He adds on to the topic of worry saying, "People have thought that worry is really "responsible thinking ahead" and that preoccupation with making financial provision and having material security were a godly focus. Here the devil often highjacks the responsible person's good intentions so as to TAKE their attention from attentiveness to the WORD SOWN in them. Are you one of them? As a holy man once told me "Worry is a sin even worry about spiritual things!" THese worries and precoccupations are active weeds, planted by the enemy in our lives. They fight for the territiory in our hearts. They must be uprooted!"

So how do we overcome this worry circle?....

We need to TRUST in God!!! I can't say it enough! But you can't just wake up one morning and say "Today I am finally going to trust in God." Trust is a GIFT.  You NEED to spend more TIME with Him! You need to pray, pray, pray! God will give you the gift. So form a relationship with Him. Ya know, He IS your Father who loves you like Crazy! Get to know that guy up there!

At the conference Damian says "Worry is the absence of trust and trust is a gift from God. Other than praying for and increase in trust, we can help to overcome worry by the practice of regulary THANKING God for all the blessings He has given and done for us!"

Even though this is the truth, it is hard to take this to heart. It is hard for me to take this to heart and start living it! It's definitley a journey, but keep your head up because God is up there. He is ALIVE!
Damian says "The Ground can also be hard for lack of water. If we are not receptive to the Holy Spirit the "living water" our heart will be unable to welcome the word sown there. WE become like the pahrisees who knew the word in their MINDS but because of their hardness of heart they never experience its life giving power.  A plant with no roots will easily be blown away when there is a bit of wind, dry up if there is a bit too much heat, drown if there is a little too much water."
I love that saying! If your heart is stone how will you let the truth of Jesus soak in?  You might know the truth in your mind but it is no where to be found in your heart.  Pray that your roots grow deep enough so that they are stable.  Pray that your roots are not just resting on the surface where they can easily be blown away.  Letting only the truth penatrate your mind and not your heart is like living on the surface.

Because once you know the truth in your heart you can start LIVING it! and this is what we are fighting for.  We are fighting everyday to ignore the lies and start inviting the truth.
So  let your hearts be open! Let Christ's truth shine in. Then let it radiate out to others.  and feel the true freedom you were made for! <3

Ladies, Do you truly want to be beautiful!

I struggle with my beauty as a woman.  It's hard to realize what's most important in life. This is why I wanted to share my thoughts on the topic and  this passage from a book I recommend, about true beauty!

"We know that the desire to be beautiful has caused many women untold grief. (How many diets have you been on?) Countless tears have been shed and hearts broken in its pursuit.  Beauty has been extolled and worshipped and kept just out of reach for most of us.  For others, beauty has been shamed, used, and abused. Many women have learned that possessing beauty can be dangerous.  And yet, in spite of all the pain and distress that beauty has caused us as women, our desire for it remains.  And it's not just the desire for an outward beauty, but more, it's a desire to be captivating in the depths of who we are. (Cinderella is beautiful, yes, but she is also good. Her outward beauty would be hollow were it not for the beauty of her HEART"
-Eldredge "Your Captivating Heart

Ladies, the beauty that matters the most is how beautiful our heart and souls our.  In God's eyes, beauty is not defined by stick thin bodies, or the perfect skin.  Yes, these things compliment our beauty but it is NOT beauty.  Beauty defined by God is how we love others.  Having God in our hearts and love for others is what will make us truly beautiful. Christ's light and love will shine through us and out to others. Do you ever look at Mother Teresa and just think, wow, she is so beautiful and so loving!  How can someone have so many wrinkles and be so beautiful.  This is because Christ's love makes her just radiant.  She knew and loved God, and knew what truly mattered in life.
Bishop Fulton Sheen always said, "The beauty of the soul is reflected on the face."