by Kasmine Roach | May 4, 2016 | Learn + Grow
Call me crazy, but I love storms. I hate driving in them and I despise going out while it’s storming, but the best feeling is being nestled in your bed, your lights off, and just enjoying a sense of peace from the pecks of the rain hitting your window and the rumble of thunder in the background. It’s the best sleep ever.
I understand that it’s quite common for people to fear not necessarily the storm aspect but the results of a bad storm. Whether it’s a tornado or a hurricane, obviously storms can create hazardous situations. It’s been many times that people have found themselves seeking shelter in a storm room, hallway, basement, or even a bathroom when storms threaten our safety, but I can honestly admit that I’ve never felt the need to “take cover” during a tornado or thunderstorm. I can find all of the comfort and protection I need wrapped in a blanket with my head buried underneath a pillow in my bed. Slightly crazy, but for me it’s a blissful feeling.
How do I find peacefulness among all of the chaos that’s going on outside my bedroom window? I don’t think that I’ll ever have a logical answer for that question but I do have an explanation that may seem wacky to most people. Weather storms are relative to the constant storms that we all face in life. If I could gather one thousand random people from multiple demographics, ethnicities, countries, and religions they would all have one thing in common: dilemmas in life. No one is exempt from struggles or storms. That’s what I like to call them.
Growing up, my mother always told me, “You’re either entering a storm, going through a storm, or coming out of a storm.”
That is the true circle of life, Lion King!
When she would say this, it would make me feel some type of way because if you overthink the statement, it can have an underlying morbid theme. However, when I became older and started to face these storms alone, I was able to understand the hidden message behind my mother’s words. “How are you going to handle your storm?” Where are you going to find your peace?
I find my peace spiritually and through my faith. Without having something to trust in, I can easily get trapped in the storm that’s coming toward me. If I don’t seek shelter within the arms of God, then my personal “storms” will immediately grab me and absorb my life.
Instead of focusing on the storm, I have to remain focused on the promises of God and the hope that he has for my future. Spiritually, God is my bed that I can snuggle in my blanket and rest my head on while the storm attempts to destroy my life. I can rest peacefully and know that he replenishes, provides, and protects me through everything.
Ultimately, this is why I enjoy storms. It gives me the opportunity to rely on someone greater than myself. It’s like a faith building strategy too, if you must add something logical to this message. However, I’m a free spirit and a believer in the unexplainable, which is why it’s easy for me to believe in a God who would create tumultuous tornados yet you can find peace within the eye. It’s just another way for nature to be a testament for our life.
Kas
by Kiersten Homalon | Mar 30, 2016 | Faith + Expressions
4Â 1 Thessalonians 4:1-2
“One final word, friends. We ask you—urge is more like it—that you keep on doing what we told you to do to please God, not in a dogged religious plod, but in a living, spirited dance.â€
It is interesting to hear the stories of where people come from. I often will look at someone and just wonder where they have been, seen, felt, and endured in the past. What their lives looked like before Christ, before they were mature in their faith, in times they were scared or in a trial. This is especially true with people I admire. Powerful pastors, leaders, writers, artists, entrepreneurs, athletes, and friends. This interest was reignited recently when I was listening to a local pastor dip his toes into a bit of his testimony. Even the very little bit of raw insight he opened up with, was powerful, not only to how I saw him but to the overall message of his sermon.
After the end of the message I kept thinking through my head, what does my story sound like? What is my testimony? Many people seemed to have a pivotal moment when they decided to give their lives to Christ, but my life did not look like that. Did that make my story less impactful? I didn’t know, I had never thought about MY testimony, MY story, I cast it off as without significance, but is that really true? Could my life story significantly impact someone else’s? Every story has the ability to impact when the Holy Spirit has intervened. That was one thing I knew was absolutely true, God showed up for me time and time again. And His holy spirit was undeniable to me. I knew it was time to start hashing out my story. Now don’t get your hopes up, I am not sharing my testimony in this post (That will come soon!), but I am going to discuss 4 important things about living your life as a “Spirited Dance†rather than a “Religious Plodâ€, something I think goes hand in hand with Acknowledging the work the Lord has done in our lives so that not only we truly swallow what this means, but so that when were asked (and we WILL be asked) we are ready to share the relevance of the Gospel in EVERYONE’s lives. This relevance we can confirm through our stories, no matter what form they take.
These methods I am about to share are more about authenticity than they are about action steps. But really, what better action step is there than becoming authentic in your faith? So here are the four ways you can Shake off that Religious Plod.
- Encountering Your Past
Now this is not a prompt to “Contact your ex-boyfriend or hash out broken relationships from 10 years ago†type of prompt my friends. I simply mean that you should thoughtfully and prayerfully considering all you have been through to get you to your “Nowâ€. Pray and ask God to highlight things in your past that have had significance. Capture your favorite memories and hardships, and write them down.
Why is this good to do? To keep you moving forward. The past has significance. Not to remain in the past but to use it as a catapult to learn from and blossom from. We all have roots, regardless of where they were planted, God intended them for good. This practice left me feeling overwhelmed with gratitude to God for transforming my life. Not in an instant, but still radically significant.
Romans 8:28
“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.â€
- Honoring Your Present
Those who know me will giggle that this is Number two on this list. I have a deep struggle with the “Nowâ€. It is never as fast or slow as I want it to be. I am never where I think I should be, doing what I think I should be doing, and I always feel behind. But something that I have been really trying to overcome is the Sin of not being grateful for where the Lord has planted me. I often giggle with my best friend that I feel like the Israelites wondering around in the wilderness when they were right next door to the Promise Land. She knows that I use humor to cover up the pain that I actually feel about this reference. I am constantly worrying if I am missing the mark, and if I am TRULY living in the purpose God has called me to. I analyze my life until there is no more joy to be had. Every essence of me is exhausted by worry. If this is something that you struggle with, I pray that you can break through this distractive mind and heart set with me! I have been working diligently on this with God (praying, reading books, and most importantly God’s word EVERYDAY) and I ALREADY feel so much lighter from the weight of the unknown. You, sweet friend, can feel this too when you surrender your hurt and be REAL with God. Tell Him where you’re at RIGHT NOW.
Matthew 11:30
For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”
You don’t need to be overly religious in your conversations with God (Always highly respectful) but He wants you to commune with Him! I cannot tell you how many times through out my weeks and days that I just chat with God. “Okay God, what the heck is happing in this situation right now?†or “Haha God I see where you’re going with this†or my current necessary prayer, “Lord, bring me to the end of myself right here and NOW.†“Blooming Where you are planted†is a cliche encouragement, but it is increasingly relevant in our walks with the Lord!
Romans 13:11
And do this, understanding the present time: The hour has already come for you to wake up from your slumber because our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed.
- Remove Insecurity
Whoa. The event just writing this down made me a little uncomfortable. But the reality is, Insecurity steals Joy, Boldness, Faith, Life, Purpose and brings only death and distraction. Sounds all too familiar doesn’t it?
John 10:10
“The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy.
This is a big area of struggle for me for many years. But thanks to the Lord, I have been able to overcome it. My wounds are still a little tender I will admit, and there are areas that this weakness has effected that I still need to address, but God met me in an intimate place in my life that I thought He could never touch. I kept it hidden because I CHOSE to not believe it would ever change. I believed the enemy, rather than the truth of God’s Loving Word!
John 10:10
I have come that they may have life and that they may have it more abundantly”
I treasure that these two sentences are side by side in scripture. God gives us the antidote to the paralysis that the enemy hopes to create within us! Where do you have a struggle in your life that you believe will never change? Come on girl, lets be real right now. I was not able to make any headway on my self-image until I let down my wall, peeled away how I saw myself, laid it all at the feet of God, and Prayed for him to forgive me for listening to the enemy. I prayed that He would search my heart, remove the lies, and awaken me to MOVE in His might and in the purpose He designed me for. You catch that? Insecurity steals purpose and living it out vibrantly! Don’t we all WANT a vibrant and purpose-filled life that positively affects others!? So as soon as that creep (yes I call the enemy a Creep!) starts to infiltrate… you SHOUT OUT John 10:10 if you have to! People will think you’re crazy, but OH WELL! You remind the enemy that you know exactly who he is and what he is doing. But most importantly You remind that Devil WHO YOUR GOD IS AND WHAT HE IS DOING, and he will have no choice but get the heck outta Nashville. (Or in my case, Oahu haha)
James 4:7
Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
This is the moment we all were created for. Do you believe that? Right now right where you are God has manifested. On top of that, God is OMNIPRESENT! He is with us, within us, and alive in His word. Our God is intimately intertwined in the smallest of moments in our lives! The mundane is not so when you realize that God always shows up!
Psalm 139:7-10
“Where shall I go from your Spirit? Or where shall I flee from your presence? If I ascend to heaven, you are there! If I make my bed in Sheol, you are there! If I take the wings of the morning and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, even there your hand shall lead me, and your right hand shall hold me.â€
Acknowledging that God’s word is alive is vital to our walk. For the longest time in my walk, I chose to skim, to read words, and not take to heart the breath of life within each passage. (Yes, even the sections of 50 names of descendants is alive with the power of God!) I had to recall when I first experienced being on fire for God. I was 13 and I was a girl on a mission. I would hunker down in my room, open my bible and marvel at His word, excitedly jotting down every scripture that resonated with me. With that intensity and excitement about God’s word, every scripture jumped out at me. That enjoyment and fulfillment of reading His word is when God gave me the vision of my calling to be a full-time Missionary one day. Clear as day, I would not just go on missions. I would live with a mission as a FULL-TIME missionary. I want to be back in that place! That childlike wonder that Christ loves so much opens the doors for us to embrace the Word of God and allow it to penetrate into an event the thickest of heads! When my mind gets muddy, I remember the crystallized visions and passion I had in those times I genuinely LOVED God’s word.
Matthew 18:3
And he said: “Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.
You catch that? If we do not get this Child like wonder back, we WILL miss out on the Promise Land. We will be frantically stuck in the “Religious Plod†of trying to earn our way to heaven. We SHOULD know that salvation is NOT going through the motions, its acquired through a faith-filled surrender. Spiritual Maturity stems from that surrendered heart space, and marries righteous diligence in fulfilling the Law of The Lord, which primarily is to LOVE and LOVE HARD!
Mark 12:30-31
Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ 31 The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’There is no commandment greater than these.â€
- Hunt
Indeed, it is time to Hunt. We are to hunt after God’s word, His presence, His will, His Holy Spirit. We are to seek out those who need His salvation, who need HOPE. We do this through sharing OUR stories of salvation! We are to hunt after new eyes that see and new ears that hear. Friends, we are warriors in this life. We have the battle to fight. Until we regain the wonder back into our walks with The Lord and an awe at the Word He has left for us, we are stuck wondering in the wilderness.
But sisters! If we Seek Him we WILL find HIM! Can you believe that!? He knows our hearts and if we want to know Him, then He WILL give us the desires of our hearts! Share your story and others will not be able to deny the delight you have in The Lord!
Psalm 37:4
Take delight in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart.
So lets dance! And praise that we have a God that is a LOVING GOD, who wants us to WANT Him! He always shows up when we need Him. He has the power to move mountains, raise the dead, and transform lives of the lost.
Believe this, live this, and you will have no choice but to dance!
Have Grit Sweet Ones,
Kiersten h.
by Torrie Oglesby | Nov 17, 2015 | Learn + Grow
For about a year now there’s been this saying going around: “You’re The Real MVP.” It’s extremely popular and people use it for even the silliest situations. For example, if someone goes and gets the group pizza, the group will say something like: “Thanks, you’re the real MVP.” However the saying originated from an amazing speech given by basketball player Kevin Durant, when he won the NBA’s Most Valuable Player Award for the 2013-2014 basketball season. In the speech, he talks about his mother and the sacrifices she made to make sure her sons were fed, clothed, off the streets and being set up for success. He ends it by telling her that she’s the real MVP and the crowd applauds him while his mother is moved to tears.
This speech led me to think about who’s my MVP? Who, without their help and guidance, would I be completely lost without? Who goes above and beyond for me that I often overlook or forget to express my gratitude towards? We all survive because of other people who help us. This could be helping us with our children, helping us with our spiritual lives, helping us during hard times, and helping us by being a helping hand whenever we need one. It’s so important to appreciate the people who are actively involved in your life and to let them know that they are your MVP. I believe your MVP can change from year to year. At times, it can be your parents and as you grow older it may change to a helpful spouse or a dedicated friend, either way let’s show these people that we value them.
This week I want you to identify your MVP. Who is your Most Valuable Player? After you identify them, come up with something you can do for them that shows your appreciation. Be creative, have fun, and GO BIG! Be generous with how you show your MVP your appreciation and love! Let them know you’re thankful for all their help this year and maybe even previous years and that you wouldn’t have made it without them!
With love and big smiles,
torrie
by Nadya Logan | Aug 27, 2015 | Learn + Grow
The word ‘motivation’ is defined by Dictionary.com as, “the state or condition of being motivated or having a strong reason to act or accomplish something”.
If you look at the fourth definition of the word, it will read, “the thing that Nadya lacks”.
Motivation is a funny thing. There’s so many things that I could do, a lot of places I could be, but I lack motivation.
I know it’s not an age thing, because I’m less than two months short of being sixteen.
Scientifically speaking, there have been studies conducted to find out what motivates people, but not much has been found about what keeps people from getting motivated in the first place.
Nevertheless, when I go through my motivation-less periods, there are a few things that I do to find direction in my life, and I am going to share them with you.
1. Identify at least one goal.
Generally, I have found, that I feel the least inspired when I have the most to do. So instead of allowing myself to lie in bed and watch Pretty Little Liars reruns, I create a to-do list. The list can be filled with things that you have to do within the hour, the day, the week, or the month as whole, but in order to find direction, you must first identify what action you need to make.
2. Start planning.
Once you identify one goal that you need to accomplish, begin to think about how you are going to put it all into action. For example, if one of your goals is to buy a car within the current month, then sit down and research all of information that you need to know about purchasing a car. After you have done your research, and you have an idea about what you want to buy/where you want to buy the car from, then you need to create a budget plan, so that you can start to save/finish saving for your future car.
3. Put your plan into action.
You know what kind of car that you want, where you can purchase the car that you want, and how much it is going to cost to buy the car that you want, so what’s next? You have to put your plan into action. Put your budget plan into action. Start putting money aside because the more money you have, the closer you are to getting that car. It’s simple logic.
4. Have a small relapse
Creating a plan is great, and following through your plan is even better, but sometimes that just doesn’t happen. I can research and plan all day, but when it comes time to do said activity, I find myself back into my motivation-less mode, almost as if a switch had been flipped on a wall. What can you do? Don’t be so hard on yourself for one. You aren’t going to fail in life because you didn’t stick to your two-week project plan. In the wise words of the Aaliyah, “You can dust yourself off and try it again,” tomorrow, maybe even next week.
5. Post it!
The more we see things, the more we can acknowledge it, and the motivated we feel to accomplish it. Write down your goals, along with other inspirational quotes, and post them somewhere that you can see it daily (ie. your bathroom, your bedroom, your mirror). The more you see it, the more you will feel obligated to do something about it.
There are a hundred and more ways to renew your direction; these are just some of my favorite ones. I hope you find them as useful as I have!
XOXO,
Nadya
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