Not Who I Once Was - All In - Committed

Not Who I Once Was - All In - Committed 

Once upon a time there was this girl who lived and dreamed of a fairy-tale life……that little girl grew up and continued to live out her dreams and began to believe that impossible fairy-tales could still become possible...

There are times in life when we can get so lost in our memories. There are moments we experience pure joy and there are times we experience great sorrow and pain. Life goes by so fast that years go by before we realize just how much time has passed. Dreams are forgotten, some memories fade, but some...some memories we just bury.

The buried and hard memories are the ones I keep thinking a lot about lately. The dreams that we have forgotten that we even had. There was a time when I would think God why do you allow those times of pain and sorrow and great loss to happen to your people? Where are YOU? Why are you not moving in these circumstances and situations? Why did YOU allow this to happen!?

I think we have all had those moments a time or two or maybe even three or four. 

I can honestly say though as I began to live out my life totally committed to Him with no strings attached… I began to see Him in everything. Thru the pain and sorrow, in the good times, and bad times, I could find Him. I longed to find Him in the midst of all the things happening around me because His presence brought me comfort. That has been how the last few months have been for me.

There has been sudden loss to those we love and family of those we love, there has been sickness, great pain in other areas and just life changes in general. There were moments where it felt like if we stopped moving we may get lost in a whirlwind. It was a constant storm brewing, BUT GOD. See my friends in the midst of all of this at the end of the day we still had each other and we still had the one who never leaves us nor forsakes us. We just keep putting one foot infront of the other and keep our eyes focused on Him. He is our sail in the storm. Our very present help in times of trouble.

Over the last few weeks I had to keep adjusting my schedule so that I could stay home and rest. I had this exhaustion that I could not explain. During that time God really began to speak to my heart. He began to whisper in the late night hours. Can I tell you something? Did you know that God has a specific plan and purpose for YOUR life!? Like there is only ONE you. You with all of your uniqueness and your talents and your personality. God made you just the way you are because HE has a destiny and a calling on your life. There is a group of people that YOU will impact someday JUST by being who YOU are. Not who someone else says you need to be, not who your friends or family want you to be, but simply by being your authentic self, messy-bun and all I say!

We have to come to a place where we become so sold out to God that HE is literally our NUMBER ONE heart’s desire. Everything I do literally everything….I try and keep Him as my center focus. I am always wondering okay God is this okay. Will He be disappointed if I do this or man I really screwed that up God please help me next time. I mean we are all human. We WILL make mistakes, COUNT ON IT! But are you willing to become so sold-out to HIM that your literally willing to be walk thru the fire? Are you willing to take up your cross and follow HIM daily? Are you willing to say GOD…I want MORE of You and LESS OF ME! Make me more like you!! Every day… EVERY day… God make me more like you. I want my life to be a reflection of who YOU ARE. I want others to see you when they see me. My life is not my own. It was bought and paid for at a price.

Are you willing to walk thru the fire? Are you willing to go back to those places in your life where you have been deeply wounded and allow God to heal you? Are you willing to TRUST that HE knows what HE is doing? IS HE worth it? I don’t want to miss out on what God has for me. It won’t be easy. There will be times when you will feel like there is no one else fighting with you. But you keep fighting. You keep pursuing Him with EVERYTHING you got. Because your committed now.

Praying for you all tonight! xo Jessica

You aren’t going back to who you use to be. 

Your becoming who you were meant to be!

Scriptures to Ponder

Jeremiah 29: 11 For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

Joshua 1:9 9 Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go.”

1 Corinthians 6:11 11 And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.

Psalm 18:2 2 The LORD is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.

Romans 12:1-2 1 Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. 2 Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

Philippians 4:6-8 6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. 8 Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.

 2 Corinthians 4:16-18 16 Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. 17 For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. 18 So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.

Lamentations 3:21-23  21 Yet this I call to mind and therefore I have hope: 22 Because of the LORD’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail.23 They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.

Psalm 103: 1-5 1 Praise the LORD, my soul; all my inmost being, praise his holy name. 2Praise the LORD, my soul, and forget not all his benefits— 3 who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases, 4 who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion, 5 who satisfies your desires with good things so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.