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!
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.