i'll pray for you

A few days ago, a friend of mine posted a trial that she was going through on facebook. As I was posting a comment "i'll pray for you" I found myself convicted. Why don't you pray right now. SO often, that seems to be my response when I don't know what else to offer to a friend in distress. When

A) It should be my FIRST go to & followed with any possible action otherwise after

B) I should be praying right then! So, I did.

Now, when I find my self responding with "i'll be pray for you" I mean it. I've always meant it, but not always followed through with action.

I wonder if any of you can relate? :)

Happy Thursday!

YOU'RE Beautiful!

As my day continued yesterday, I could not shake my chaos feeling of being scatter brained and not focused for anything. Although I had many great moments; I just was sort of discombobulated. Throughout the day, on three separate occasions God pursued me with the song "Beautiful" by Mercy Me. My internal dialogue resembled much like "yeah yeah, that's sweet God. Thanks" I even turned off the you tube video that I clicked on from a friends blog, walked into the other room, turned on my radio and sat on the couch. about 30 seconds later, it came on the radio. I mean, C'MON.

In the evening, I met with a woman that is going to be my mentor. I have been praying for a woman that has more years of life and wisdom to mentor me (the young married woman, that seems to not know just exactly how all of this life stuff is to be done). We met for the first time and in giving her my run down of my history and the rhyme to the reason I am who I am today, just opened up and peeled back just a bit more of that onion that we seem to forever be working through. Yet, I was still feeling a bit apathetic and distant.

I then went to a prayer night with some people from my church. we had an amazing prayers session of confession. When we entered for the evening, we entered in silence and connected with God. I have to admit, I usually LOVE times like this. And I just couldn't get there. I remember praying for a revelation, and just sort of saying it, not really knowing what I was asking for. ...FFWD to about an hour in to our prayer time and we open a book of songs that the leader has listed that he can play on the guitar for us. I open it and start looking and, of course the first one that catches my eye is "beautiful" by Mercy Me. And I think, I need to hear that. I'm not going to ask, that's just silly. I've already heard it three times today. And oh, say 30 seconds later, the leader says "I'm feeling song #39" REALLY?!. At this point I cry a little, but nothing earth shattering. We have some awesome moments of prayer and worship.

We went into a time of reflection and silence, and were to speak up with we felt led with whatever that looked like. I was hung up on the words to this song. Reading them over and over.

The days will come when you don't have the strength

When all you hear is you're not worth anything

Wondering if you ever could be loved

And if they truly saw your heart they'd see too much

You're beautiful ,You're beautiful

You are made so much more than all of this

You're beautiful ,You're beautiful

You are treasured, You are sacred, You are His

You're beautiful

I'm praying that you have the heart to find

Cause you are more than what is hurting you tonight

For all the lies you've held inside so long

And they are nothing in the shadow of the cross

You're beautiful ,You're beautiful

You are made so much more than all of this

You're beautiful ,You're beautiful

You are treasured, You are sacred, You are His

You're beautiful

Struggling with the lies of "who are you to be beautiful and worth dying for?" to "who are you to reject Gods love?" "it's not about you" "get over yourself" "this time is not for you"

And THEN it happened. I just started confessing all of this confusion and the flood gates opened. In that time, I was forced to receive His love, His safety, Unconditional Love & Peace from my Heavenly Father.

WOW. Just verbally breaking those lies that I have believed since a child. I left feeling graceful. precious. valued & loved by the most important one, God.

Knowing that the process continues; but each time we go a little deeper; that unconditional love plants itself a little deeper.

Friends, it doesn't end there. I woke up later than usual, got in my car to go swim with a friend this morning, and guess what song comes on the radio for my 7 minute drive... Flippin' "Beautiful" by Mercy Me.

Yes, God loves me and pursues my heart!

I always agreed with the words, but I couldn't BELIEVE them for me. I'm still working on it. ;) So, I leave you with the importance of confessing the lies that you have come into agreement with about yourself. Once brought into light, they loose power over you!

Be Blessed today,

~B

Beautiful - Listen to the song

The Ice Cream/Sorbet Saga Continues

Well Friends.  Perfect time to learn how to make some more sorbets. YES!

I began to look up recipes, and I found THIS BLOG!

WOAH, Heaven! no words. just check it out.

 

Train of Thought...

My Morning began with a FLOOD of thoughts. I had all of this stuff that I wanted to accomplish bouncing around in my head. At one point I began to feel like a little electron bouncing around the room.

I went for a swim with a friend. Hoping this would jump start my day, boy did it ever!

So I thought at one point. I need to blog... what does my brain even look like right now!? Blog? I can't formulate anything. So, here is my morning in all of its random Glory....

The first verse I have on my mind: 1 Peter 1:4-9 (perseverance)

.... God is keeping careful watch over us and the future. The Day is coming when you'll have it all—life healed and whole.^6-7I know how great this makes you feel, even though you have to put up with every kind of aggravation in the meantime. Pure gold put in the fire comes out of it proved pure; genuine faith put through this suffering comes out proved genuine. When Jesus wraps this all up, it's your faith, not your gold, that God will have on display as evidence of his victory. ^8-9You never saw him, yet you love him. You still don't see him, yet you trust him—with laughter and singing. Because you kept on believing, you'll get what you're looking forward to: total salvation.

I need to get in my art room...

And then I sit down. And look for creative inspiration. which I find these AWESOME Austin artist designed T-shirts.

http://www.reflectionofatown.com/index.html

THEN! I think, I am going to make some non-dairy Ice cream with the coconut milk in our fridge and chocolate mint from our garden. YUMM-O! So, I get back on the Internet to find a recipe on using the coconut milk. I have only made sorbets this far. pretty yummy ones though. Last night was Lemon Balm Sorbet!

Upon my research I find a blog for living life simply, eating local, organic..etc. I am in love now.

http://gnowfglins.com/2011/06/30/simple-lives-thursday-50/

What wonderful finds on my whirldwind of a morning.

So, I conclude, even if you feel the madness of everything you have in mind to accomplish, God will still give you gems and joys if you keep your eyes open to them. So take a deep breath and enjoy the blessings around you in the midst of the chaos.

Love

~B