trust, love, encourage.

I want to encourage you to be persistent and keep seeking the face of God. 


Listen, I struggle. I struggle with jealousy, pride, stress, loneliness, and other inadequacies. BUT it says in Ephesians, "...let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes." I need to stop sulking and getting mad at myself for not "measuring up"; Who really measures up 100%?  No one. That's why in Lamentations it says, " The faithful love of the Lord never ends! His mercies never cease. Great is his faithfulness; his mercies begin afresh each morning."-- That's something to shout about! The bible constantly reminds us that His love is steadfast [loyal, constant, unchanging, and dedicated]. Can you think of something in your life that is completely steadfast? Probably not. Why turn our backs on something that is constant, endless, and so precious? Don't get down on yourself for feeling incompetent. I know that's hard to do (believe me, I know), but trust God in all you do. 


During this Christmas season- and every day- love God, celebrate all that He has given you, thank Him, praise Him, worship Him, trust Him, and just embrace Him. He's waiting for us. 


& you know what will bless you? Love on others and bless others! There is a sense of sweet joy when you do something for someone else; do it. 


xo

What Was I Thinking?

The other night I was thinking...

" I always have to be there for others. I always have to be somewhat level headed. I always have to listen to others and their issues and help in the process of calming them down..." and bla bla bla

I've felt like that with friends, family, coworkers, classmates, and anyone else I come in contact with. Then I thought to myself..

"Who's going to to do that for me?! Why do I get stuck with other people's issues? When am I going to be comforted?"

Then I ask God to help me exercise peace, grasp wisdom, speak in love, and learn to rest. I trust Him and know He takes care of me. THEN I thought...

"Wow Anais, You're such a silly goose"

Here I am saying, I have a lot going on and that i'm tired. I'm complaining about helping others and whining about no one helping me; what a lie! What a sad twisted version of the truth. Yes, I'm there for people. Yes, I listen to their issues. Yes, I have things I have to deal with. But you know what I just realized? The way I deal with my issues is by getting my eyes off of myself, and loving on someone else. 

I actually like being there for people. I love that people trust me and want to share their hearts with me. I thought for a second that there must be something wrong with me if people always want to come to me, but it is the total opposite! People know I love them and know that I want joy in their lives. They know that I want to be there for them and that maybe in the midst of it all, I can make them laugh. They know that I have issues too, and maybe that comforts them and we can pray for each other's issues. & what in the world was I thinking...

Basically, I need to stop being selfish and I definitely have friends and family that love me and that are there for me. And above all else, I have a God that loves me unconditionally and will never leave me nor forsake me: NEVER EVER EVER leave me and will FOREVER love me. 

I'm so thankful for my kick butt family and friends; and especially, for God's love for me. 

Just a suggestion...

I suggest that we all go in the Word of God and find out who we are in Him. We need to find it and repeat it to ourselves; speak it over ourselves. I know we should evaluate ourselves every now and then, check ourselves and our motives, but don't start doing that and then end up tearing yourself apart by the end of the whole "check ourselves" process. I have done that to myself too many times.

I get upset, I ask myself why I am upset, I check how I've dealt with myself being upset, I ask myself if that was the best way to deal with it, then I start analyzing: I think about what I could have done better, is this situation really worth me being upset, and the list goes on...
THEN I think, "wow, I'm so selfish", "i'm so needy", "i'm not worthy"....and I just rip myself apart and end up in this horrible lull. I end up feeling so low and so useless and end up having an emotional melt down. It's such an icky place to be. I think of one thing and it snowballs into this pathetic pity party.

But you know what, that was a lot of "I." That was the problem. I made it all about me me me me me. I forget that it is Christ that lives in me. It is Him who delivers me. It is Him who makes me strong--How easily that is forgotten-- He IS life! How can I live life without the one who IS life itself?

My sister told me, "don't lose hope."

I need to trust God in ALL things. One of the pastors at my church always asks, "You trust God? Even in the little things?" That's what I need to do. That's what WE need to do. Trust Him in the big, huge, small, tiny, medium, with ALL things. I'm trusting God. I know he has great plans, and I know he has my best interest in mind. He does and will continue to deliver, protect, love, guide, heal, and speak to me.

I am a new creature. I am made in His image. I am precious. I am a conqueror with Him. I am a vessel. I am a light. I am forgiven. I am renewed. I am free. I am victorious. I am an ambassador of Christ. I am called. I am God's child.

I am loved. I am so loved.

With Love

My sister has a small business called "With Love, Natasha"-- check it out on Facebook, she makes adorable hair accessories for girls and women---But she always says that she specifically named it "With Love, Natasha" because she really does make each project with love. She puts effort and care into each product. She pays attention to detail and takes her time making them. Her products reflect her gentle, sweet, loving spirit; but her products also show determination, persistence, and vigor.

It's like our lives and our relationship with God, right? Well, how it's suppose to be.
Our lives should reflect God's love, grace, and mercy. It should also exude the exciting, abundant, joyful life that God promises us. We need to let God mold us, use us to glorify Him and spread the word through our lives; with love. God pays attention to the details of our lives. He cares and loves us so much. We just have to be open to Him. We need to draw near to Him, so He can draw near to us.

You know, sometimes Natasha makes things and I just say, "Wow, Tash it's so pretty."

and I find myself thinking, "Wow, God it's so pretty." He is the Creator. Just watching the sun set, a water fall, the morning grass with dew on it, I think, "Wow, God." He is such a magnificent and wonderful God.

He knit me together in my mother's womb. He loves me. He cares for my well being. He is concerned for me. He delivers. He blesses. He is good. He is mighty. He is working in me.

I am fearfully and wonderfully made. He has my life in His hands, because I owe it all to Him. He made me with care. He made me WITH LOVE.

xo

Reality

Spirituality is so much more than we can conceive. It is so much more than our minds can understand. We think spirituality is this hocus pocus, eerie thing; when it is a powerful, war-like thing. The spirit world is more real than the things we come in contact with everyday. It is more real than our beds, cars, couches, and other material and natural things in this world.

It's important to feed our bodies; exercise to keep it in shape and useful; care for it; wash it; and so on. But how much more important is it for use to feed our spirits? use it and exercise it? care for it? Our spirit needs to be tended to. Our spirit speaks to us. It is so crucial for our spirits to be in tune with God's. We should be able to hear his voice in us; we need to use the discernment of the spirit. It's Supernatural.

What's supernatural?
It's being beyond and above the natural. It is unexplainable by natural law. God is super duper natural. His very own spirit lives inside of me. It's bananas. I don't even know how I don't explode, from the greatness of that. I'm not this great and wonderful being, BUT with God I am destined for great things and can go above and beyond all that is put in front of me.

The spirit of fear, insecurity, doubt, sexual immorality, confusion, lust, anger, depression, and all other things that are NOT of God; I cast out of my life in Jesus' Name. & if any of these rise up in life, I speak to it. I declare life and life abundantly. I declare that I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. I hide under HIS wings. God is my protector, shelter, healer, counselor, and Father.

It isn't easy, but remain faithful. Remain in Him. Keep trusting. Love Him. Praise and worship Him. Seek Him. Read His word. Share Him with others: by loving, praying, being an example.

WE NEED HIM.

xo

Do it.

          They say, "Laughter is the best medicine."

Sometimes, it's a chuckle or even a forced laugh.

Other times, it's a really good belly laugh. The type of laugh that boils and bubbles inside of a person and then erupts. It's a hardy, abs work out, type of laugh. Those laughs are the best. It's especially a good laugh when accompanied by a tear or two, happy tears. Tears that show appreciation for humor and bliss.

          You know, that, "BAHA HA HA HA!" type laugh.

We can't forget the sweetness of a soft, gentle laugh. Not all laughs are necessarily boisterous and loud, but private and lovely.

          We all do the, "heheheh" laugh every now and then.

It's not the volume of the laugh, but the enjoyment of it. The exhilaration and enchantment of it. It's the satisfaction one feels afterwards.

          I say, "Full fill that need to laugh."

Make others laugh and laugh at yourself. I hear it's contagious. No matter if it's a burst, giggle, snort, roar, or snicker. Do yourself a favor, and laugh.

" A joyful heart is good medicine..."

Proverbs 17:22

"He will yet fill your mouth with laughter, and your lips with shouting."

Job 8:21

"Mirth is the best medicine, everybody ought to bathe in it."

- Henry Ward Beecher

"There can never be enough said of the virtues, dangers, powers of a shared laugh."

- Francoise Sagan

Here.

Grew up and raised here,
Friends here,
Family here.

Thayer Street,
Fed Hill,
Hope Street,
and Wickenden.
So bold and eclectic.

Broad Street,
Elmwood,
Cranston Street,
and Smith Hill.
So alive and so urban.

All sorts of people,
from all different places.
Accepting, beautiful,
Diverse and lovely.
So original and different.

Music, art, culture,
the richness surrounds us,
everyday.
We are here.
I am here.

So small, big heart.
My city, Providence.