Some Thoughts on Make-up

You're Beautiful -Phil Wickham {HD}

In awe of the peace that God gives....the grace and glory of our Lord is truly amazing! Focus your eyes on the things of God not the things of this world. Xo TinaMarie

Proof Of Your Love ~ 6:21 Worship

Don't Give Up!

Three powerful words: never give up. I've begged you, "please don't give up!"

• You who is separating from your husband…don't give up!
• You who is fighting uncontrollable stress…don't give up!
• You who is struggling from anxiety…don't give up!
• You who is doubting the possibility of healing…don't give up!
• You who is running from obedience…don't give up!
• You who is seeking mere honesty….don't give up!
• You who is attempting to dream big…don't give up!

Did you hear me?

You. Yes, you!

I am asking that you don't give up!

Why?

Because I almost gave up. Since, "being defeated is often a temporary condition. Giving up is what makes it permeant (unknown)."  God doesn't call you to give up. Instead, He asks that you be dependent on Him.  For He will grant strength and inspire you to persevere. Truthfully, "if you keep going [persevering] you won't regret it. If you give up you will (unknown)." 

At the time, he glanced deep into my eyes and said, "Charlene, you will fail in all your relationships and everything that you do until you learn to receive and be dependant...you need to ask." Those words stung. I didn't want to fail; consequently, I had.  One rather simple concept that I lacked, which was my need to receive and be dependant.

I can acknowledge that it is humbling to learn how to receive and be dependant. It required that I stop.

• I stopped writing
• I stopped giving gifts
• I stopped offering advice
• I stopped laughing 
• I stopped affirming or encouraging
• I stopped caring what people thought
• I stopped being creative
• I stopped baking
• I stopped everything that once defined who "Charlene" was
• Furthermore, I stopped hiding that I was fine or simply ok

In all honestly, I stripped myself of who I was and became rather raw. I isolated myself for a period of time and stopped. I despertly wanted to give up, since I felt scared, confused, and rather empty. 

And than I started one specific thing: asking God. 

"Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and the one who knocks, the door will be opened" (Matthew 7:7-8 NIV). Furthermore, "I sought [asked for] your favour with all my heart" (Psalm 119:58 NIV). 

• I asked God for truth
• I asked God for help
• I asked God how to respond
• I asked God for discernment
• I asked God how to love when it seemed impossible
• I asked God for grace
• I asked God how to respect someone who'd been dishonest
• I asked God for forgiveness
• I asked God for blessing
• Furthermore, I boldly asked God for favour

Almost a year later, my brother said, "Charlene, I thought I lost you. I feared I'd never get my sister back.  The sister who was known to always be joyous, creative, quick to encourage or affirm, gracious, energetic, adventurous, generous, comical, and passionate. And what about your famous banana chocolate chip muffins?" 

I recall smiling and softly stating, "Oh don't worry...she is back, yet it's the healthier version of Charlene!" 

To be healthy required that I ask and learn to be dependant on others, yet especially on God. I can't think of living life now without asking Him about each and every moment. Hence, I believe it is healthy to stop and ask before responding; to stop and ask before reacting; and to stop and ask before judging or criticizing. 

You…

It isn't time to give up, rather it's time to ask God.

As your friend, I haven't given up on you.

Your heavenly father, He hasn't given up on you.

So today, what are you asking God about?

Charlene

Oceans Acoustic - Hillsong UNITED

What a heavy thing to realize that everyone is going through hard times
and/or struggles and not all of them have a hope.
                                                                       Xo TinaMarie

Infinitely Awaken

 

There you lay sleeping; peaceful at last. Your heart is so heavy and overwhelmed, but for the next eight hours you are at rest. Head on your pillow, unaware of me watching and waiting for you to render your heart once again to me, your heavenly Father.

 

O my precious child, if you only knew the great things I had in store for you.

 

With excitement and joy I choose to bring you into this world. I formed and shaped you into the masterpiece I once saw. Now you stand broken, confused and unsure if I even exist. Who lead you astray? When did my love not become enough? Yet, I will never stop loving you.

 

 I will never give up on you.

 

I created the stars and the sea. I hung the universe with just the sound of my voice. But it is you that I created in my image. You are my prize possession. My beautiful creation surrounds you when you wake up and fall asleep, yet you continually ask, "God, where are you?”

 

I have and will always be with you.

 

Return to me, my child. Turn your eyes and heart to me. Do not be distracted from cheap imitations and false fulfillments of this broken world, I am the one and only. I am the one who desires to pour out blessing and good things from above.  Daily, I speak words of such love, hope and healing into every area of your being. I send angels throughout the day to guide and protect you. Oh how I hear your ever cry and prayer. I am aware of your every anxious thought.

 

Open your eyes and hear my voice.

When you wake up will you respond to my longing to be close to you?

 

Now I wait…..

 

Waiting for you to awake…

 

Waiting for you to see that I am here…

 

Waiting for you to respond to my relentless love for you…

 

Maybe today will be the day you finally awake!

 

Love, Your Heavenly Father

 

 

 

 

 

 

Self Control

Daring to Dream

Have you ever really wanted something? I don’t mean really wanting a shirt or a certain pair of Lulu Lemon pants, or even that “maybe someday I’ll …..…” kind of thing. I mean a dream that is buried so deep inside of your being. A dream that you have hoped for, prayed about, wept over, desired with every fibre of your heart. The kind of dream that is so deeply woven into the fabric of your heart that the only rationale for the dream is that it was put there by our maker. If you have, than you know exactly what I am talking about. Your desire for that something gets you in your gut every time. Perhaps it is the desire to be married, or to have a child, or the desire to achieve a certain occupation. Have you ever wanted that certain “something” so long, that eventually you have lost hope, and as a way to protect yourself and your heart, you let that dream go? Stopped asking God for it, stopped desiring it, because the reality of NO is much easier to accept than unanswered possibilities, unfulfilled hope, and uncountable tears? I have. And I know that there are others, who just like me have also given up on their dreams and desires. I also believe that some of us haven’t only given up on one particular dream, but have given up on dreaming all together. Why dream when the stakes are impossible, when the only assurance in our mind is a broken heart, disappointment, and failure. Yup, I’ve been there too.

The Bible tells us a story about a woman in a very similar situation in 2 Kings 4:8-37. It is the story about a Shunammite women. If you have an opportunity you should read the story in the Bible. The Bible doesn’t tell us her name, it only indicates that this women had almost everything she wanted and most likely everything that she needed. It also indicates that because of her desire to honor and care for “the holy man of God” (vs. 9) Elisha, that she loved and served the Lord God, and caring for God’s prophet was a tangible way to express that love. The Bible tells us that because of her servant heart and desire to care for the prophet, God through his servant Elisha wanted to do something in return for her to reward her. This is where we learn that this well to do Shunammite women had a desire buried deep inside of her heart.

““14What can be done for her?” Elisha asked.

Gehazi (Elisha’s servant) said, “Well, she has no son and her husband is old.”

15Then Elisha said, “Call her.” So he called her, and she stood in the doorway.

16“About this time next year, Elisha said, “you will hold a son in your arms.”

“No, my Lord”, she objected. “Don’t mislead your servant, O man of God!”

17But the women became pregnant and the next year about the same time she gave birth to

a son, just as Elisha had told her”. (2 Kings 4:14-17).

When I read these verses of scripture, my heart can’t help but wonder how long had this women desired, longed for, and asked for a son, and then just settled. You see, her response to Elisha “No, my Lord”, she objected. “Don’t mislead your servant, O man of God!” shows that a child, a son, truly was her heart’s desire, but in an effort to protect her heart from further damage, from unfulfilled dreams, she had settled for good enough, and quit dreaming, quit asking God for the true desire of her heart. And don’t you believe that she was justified? I do. Scripture states “well, she has no son and her husband is old” (vs. 14). The Bible has now indicated to us that the physical probability of this women and her husband conceiving a child together was very low for two reasons, (a) her husband was old, and (b) for whatever reason, they had never been able to conceive a child before. This is the Shunammite women’s impossibility. We all see the impossibility of our dreams, don’t we? Long before we can or will ever see the possibility, or the hope.

But now I want to tell you the truth, share the hope that we have for those who belong to Christ Jesus. Physically it may have been impossible for this woman to conceive a child, mentally she may have given up on this dream, and emotionally the Shunammite women may have closed the door on her dreams and separated herself from her desires. HOWEVER, it did not mean that she couldn’t have the child that she had before so desperately desired. WHY? Because there is someone who is able to grant unto us the deep desires of our hearts even when the world tells us they are totally impossible. WHO do you ask? GOD!! The Bible in Luke 1:37 states “For nothing is impossible with God”. Or another way to phrase this verse “For everything is possible with God”. This means, even when the world tells us that our hopes and dreams are impossible, when our dreams align with God, than anything becomes possible!

Now, I don’t want to give the misconception that just because we will, wish or dream for something, we will be given it. My friends, this is not always the case. In Jeremiah 29:11 God said to us, his children “For I know the plans I have for you…plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future” (NIV). God is ONLY the giver of good and perfect gifts (James 1:17), and what may seem perfect in our minds, may be a shortcoming to all that God has in store for us. As God’s children, we need to trust him, and hope not in all that we want, but simply HOPE IN God.  God says in Psalm 37:4 “Delight yourself in the Lord and HE will give you the desires of your heart” (NIV). Sometimes when I first read this verse, the human parts of me become excited because I think, yes! God wants to make all my wild and crazy dreams come true. But honestly, until we seek God’s heart, our dreams might just be feeble shells compared to the dreams and plans that God has for our lives. Ephesians 3:20 states that God is “able to do immeasurably more than ALL we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work in us”.  As God’s beloved children how can we truly discover the desires of our heart unless we seek the one who created our hearts. I believe that as we seek God than the desires of his heart can’t help but become the desires of our hearts. And all the things that once seemed so important begin to pale in comparison to the reality of all that God can do in us and through us as we begin to live in God’s reality and not our own. 

I don’t know what God has in store for my life. I have so many dreams for myself and my husband, and many of these dreams seem quite impossible from where I am now. But, I have chosen (yes it is a choice) to restore my hope for the dreams and deep desires of my heart. Why? Because my hope is not in those dreams but in God himself. I refuse to limit God to the impossibilities of my mind. I may not know all that God has in store for me and for my husband, but I WILL stand on God’s promise that He has not only good plans for me, but incredible plans for me. Plans that will prosper, fill me with hope, and give me a future. I choose to stand upon the stronghold that God can do immeasurably more in my life and the lives of my family, if I don’t limit him to possibility and probability, and to what I see as good and perfect. I am choosing to rest in the fact that God’s promise to me is perfect gifts, and only perfect gifts! “For He (God) has made ALL things beautiful in its time” (Ecclesiastes 3:11). My life, my unspoken dreams, my desires are woven into my heart because they were placed there by my Father and Maker. Our God does not lie and he is never unfaithful, it is our choice, always has been our choice whether we will trust him…trust him with our dreams, our hopes, and trust him with our future. I’m choosing to trust God, what are you going to choose?

Hoping and Dreaming with you,

Your Sister in Christ,

Ashley

With Him

Where Do You Pray?

Challenge: May you pray in those everyday moments of life.

Transition, Change, Unknown.

Scrap.

Re-write.

Draft.

Re-write.

Scrap.

Recently, I lack the ability to arrange my words. Instead, I seem to hear my brother’s statement ring in my ear, “keep it simple, keep it raw…” So, the simple part: I am in a stage of transition and change. The raw portion: it’s filled with endless unknown. As a result, I seem to listen to “Farther Along” on repeat by Josh Garrels.

Truthfully, I think in time I’ll understand why I am entering into another transition; another collection of changes; and another season of such unknown.

In the meantime, it’s like God is boldly whispering in my ear, “Oh Charlene, remove any limits or expectations that you’ve place upon me. I desire to surprise you with my goodness. Furthermore, I will not only meet your daily needs, rather I will take it one step further, as I give you the desires of your heart.”

It’s a new year. Hence, 2014 is guaranteed to be full of transition, change and unknown.  So, maybe you, just like me, need to be okay with the transition, the change, and even the unknown.  Because as the song states, “farther along we’ll know all about it. Farther along we’ll understand why. So, much more to life than we’ve been told. It’s full of beauty that will unfold…”

I choose to see BEAUTY in the transition, the change, and the unknown.

Charlene

The Biggest Loser

My beloved,

You have lost so much.  I'm not sure I recognize you anymore.  Where's all that baggage you carried around?  There's so many pieces of you laying about.  Broken pieces that don't seem to fit anymore.

I remember each piece being chipped off, until nothing of you remained.  I saw you trying to pick up some of those fragments.  Wondering where they'd ever fit in the first place.  Questioning whether the loss was worth the wreckage.

I saw you looking at your reflection.  Baffled by the person staring back at you.  So much the same, yet everything different.

There is nothing left of you.

Oh my beloved, you've lost so much.

You've lost...self-doubt, painful memories, self-hate, bad habits, regret, anger, bitterness, lies, control, resentment, jealousy, selfishness, burdens, double-mindedness, fear and you.  You've lost you.

You've allowed yourself to be emptied.
To decrease.
You've given your life.

I see the scars you bear from the great losses you've faced.
Such beautiful scars to remind you not of what has gone adrift, but of all that you have gained
through the undoing of yourself.

I see you my champion.
My warrior.
I see why you are so unrecognizable.
I see all the loss.
I know what you had to relinquish.

You've lost so much.  

Now all I see is YOU ♥

Love your Father, who is so proud of you and sees so much of Himself in you ;)

Christy Creative Dreamer Dawn

Worth

When Did We Become So Mean? Perspectives on Bullying - Part 1

When did we  become so mean....

 

Left alone at the playground.

Locked in a bathroom stall. 

Called a loser or slut. 

Money stolen from your locker, again. 

Threats on Facebook 

Bullying.

Whether a victim of bullying or been a bully, everyone has been impacted by this growing phenomena. What is the birthplace of bullying?

Jealous- feeling envious of others achievements or advantages.

Insecurity- not confident in oneself; fear of not being accepted; feeling unsafe.

Judgement- quick to judge someone based on their outward appearance or actions.

The value of friendship has been misplaced and instead the heart of bullying has been clasped by many. When did we get so mean? 

Yet, bully can be terminated. Through the power and hope of Jesus Christ, we can together replace:

jealous with unconditional love,

insecurity with assurance,

judgement with mercy. 

Together we can.

Chantelle

Where have I become so mean?

Simple, with my words. Truthfully, I've been bullied and I've bullied. 

How? 

Words. I feel like I am a song on repeat. So, I'll state it again and again, as if it's the climax of a catchy Katy Perry song, yet why don't you use your words? Don't use them to tear yourself or anyone else down, rather use them to properly express yourself. In all honestly, I have to daily instruct myself with one rather blunt statement: use your words. I pray that you join me to use your words and ask yourself: where have I become so mean?

Charlene


LOVE The Different
    I think a huge thing we lack is realizing we are all different and we will never be the same, think the same or act the same. And just because someone is different does not give us the right to judge, bully, or try to change(only God can do that). We are called to LOVE unconditionally.....without reason or cause.
    There are so many lessons I learned as a kid that spring to mind as I write this, such as, and I quote, "If you can't say something nice, don't say anything at all." Simple, so simple......why, then, is it so hard to do. Is it that you have not heard these wise and profound words? If not, please watch Bambi and heed Thumper's parent's advice ;)
    But back to LOVE......LOVE is patient, LOVE is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. LOVE does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.(1Cor.13:4-7)
    Now this seems a little more difficult.....patient, being patient is hard and I know it, pride, something else I struggle with. For some it may be trust and hope or for others, keeping no record of wrong. Whatever you struggle with in the previous verses know that through God all things are possible and if you seek Him first and put Him first you will learn what TRUE LOVE is and find less and less difficulties in LOVEing others instead of judging, bullying or trying to change them.
Let God LOVE others through you.
Xo TinaMarie

The Silent Bystander

When I think of bullying, I am overcome by an overwhelming sense of regret. Why do you ask? I was never one who purposefully or actively participated in bullying, nor was I often on the receiving end of tormenting words or actions. Instead, my role was that of the silent bystander. Many situations play across my mind of relentless bullying, verbal and emotional cruelty to others. And instead of standing against it, I silently turned away and attempted to pretend that it didn’t exist. Does this action make me any less guilty? Nope, not really. By doing nothing at all, I became a silent participator. So if silence isn’t the solution, then what is? The answer at its most simple state is LOVE. The Bible tells us over and over again that we are called to love. What does love look like? Well it certainly does not take the form of nothing nor does it often take the form of silence. No, love looks like Jesus. Love is an action. In one of my favorite passage of scriptures Paul clearly shares what love is (and yes, this is the verse that Tina shared, but could it be that there is a reason we need to hear it more than once?)

“Love is PATIENT,

                Love is KIND.

It does not ENVY, It does not BOAST, It is not PROUD. It is not RUDE, it is not SELF-SEEKING, it is not EASILY ANGERED, it KEEPS NO RECORD OF WRONGS.

 Love DOES NOT delight in evil, but REJOICES with the truth.

                Love ALWAYS PROTECTS,

                                ALWAYS TRUSTS,

                                                ALWAYS HOPES,

                                                                ALWAYS PERSERVERES.

LOVE NEVER FAILS.

1 Corinthians 13:4-8

Not only does the Bible tell us HOW to love, but Jesus also told us WHO we are to love…

“LOVE the LORD YOUR GOD with ALL your HEART, with ALL your SOUL, and with ALL your MIND…

And LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.

Matthew 22: 37-39

So instead of anything else, instead of inflicting cruelty and pain, instead of responding in silence and turning away, may we always choose love. To always be love, share love, show love, and respond in love.

                With a humble heart,

                                Ashley

It's not okay...EVER!

I believe bullying has been downplayed.  You hear such sayings as...

They deserved it.

It's all in good fun.

I'm just joking.

The justifications go on and on.  But it's not okay.  There is no justification for bullying anyone, friend, family, co-worker, our peers or strangers. 

It's not okay to call someone names.  It's not okay to push someone around or be aggressive in any way shape or form.  It's not okay to share private pictures of someone all over the internet.  It's not okay to provoke someone who says they want to commit suicide and tell them...ya, go do it then.  It's not okay to hide someone's possessions, like their lunch or their clothes after hockey practice.  It's not okay to create fake accounts to pester someone on facebook.  It's not okay to write horrid, despicable statements to a stranger on youtube, just because you will never have to face this person.  It's not okay to threaten someone's life.   It's not okay to "teach" someone a lesson.  It's not okay to retaliate because someone did it first.  It's not okay to harass the guy who likes a different team, or the girl who dresses differently.  It's not okay to bully based on someone's race, gender or different ideas/opinions.  It's not okay to point out someone's flaws(God only created beautiful and good...we are unique and different for a reason)

There are so many more examples I could give that are not okay.  It's not okay for any reason, it is never ever okay. 

Yet, for some reason we downplay many of these acts of bullying.  And we justify them.  Why do we justify them?  Why do we not recognize the hurt being caused by allowing the downplay of our words and actions?  Why do we not see that countless acts of suicide are happening because we won't accept that we were the catalyst for someone taking their own life?  Why are we not taking responsibility for our children, for our youth, for ourselves and our actions/words? 

Why are we downplaying bullying?

We are a hurting human race.  We are a selfish human race.  We have lost respect for ourselves and others.  We inflict pain to hide our own.  We want to fit in, we are jealous/envious, we are competitive, we are angry...so we bully. 

No reason is reason for any form of bullying.  It is not okay...EVER!

Christy Creative Dreamer Dawn