Some Answers...

Love wins. It is victorious. It conquers every time. 

 Love covers all offenses. 

Be the bigger person, even when you don't feel like it. 

Check your intentions. 

Speak in love. 

Ask for forgiveness from those you've hurt.

God's word breaths life. 

L o v e    G o d.

Love brings hope, which in turn brings faith, which then brings results.

Love is active; Love doesn't sit back and watch, love acts. 

Praise & worship God, He loves you and wants to hear from. 

You have a purpose, a purpose that God Himself has created just for you.

Out of love flows: thankfulness, praise, worship, diligence, forgiveness, hope...

Let go & forgive. 

Questions...

Some questions that came to mind during the love acquisition...

Am I making an idol of the idea of love, rather than loving The One who is love?

Is love proactive? If so, have I been too passive with loving?

Have I really been loving everyone or just the people that love me?

Who really bugs me? & how can I love them more?

How do I reflect love in my everyday life?

How do I show my love to God in every day life?

Is love really the greatest commandment? If it is, then why haven't I been living up to that?

When I have a certain attitude, what is the root of that attitude (be it good or bad)?

What small changes in my everyday life can I make?

Do I really love as much as I think I do?

Words are powerful; therefore, how can I speak more in love (toward others and for myself)?

How am I treating those closest to me?

How am I treating strangers?

What are the results of love?

Do I really understand that I am loved?
Am I judgmental? Even though I say I'm not...

Do actions really speak louder than words? If so, what are my actions showing?

Why do I let myself get in my own way?

Do I really have praise continuously on my lips?

Do I understand that their is a divine purpose for my life?

What is the first thing I do when I'm feeling defeated, hurt, or mad?

What do I do when I KNOW I'm right (but let's be honest, sometimes I don't really KNOW if I am or I'm just being stubborn), and the other person(s) do NOT seem to get it? How am I reacting?

Is it really necessary to be the "bigger person" ?

What are the benefits of being the "bigger person" ? What are the benefits of holding animosity and strife?
What flows from love?

I'm not trying to tear myself apart and question everything I do to make myself (or you) feel bad, but it can be a good reality check. I pray God forgive me for my selfishness, jealousy, and any other ugliness inside of me; sometimes those things creep up again and I have to work on it all over again, it's not necessarily easy. I do know that keeping my eyes on God- in everything I do, everyday- is key. Life is not life without God. Since God is love, life is not life without love.

Let's Love and Love Genuinely.

Larger than life kind of love! 

( I couldn't figure out how to make this smaller. When I did, it was too small to read. But anyways...)

OK SO...

Here is the anticipated 'Love Acquisition.'

I've been looking forward to this little project for a while. Every day in February has a different love task, some more serious than others. Instead of dreading the love that is in the air in February, I decided we should celebrate it! Truly and genuinely. 

The first ten tasks are interpretable; they are all asking you to love something or someone. It is up to you how you do so. The rest are pretty self- explanatory. 

Do this with a willing and open heart. Who knows what will happen during this time. 

Share your stories with me! 

Email: amarias831@hotmail.com

Instagram: @anais_loves

Twitter: @ana_ama

& tag away! #loveacquisition 

Let the fun begin!

Acquisition

Acquisition- the act of acquiring; obtaining or receiving.

A lot of the times, the best method of receiving is when one is giving; Giving of themselves, not grudgingly, but willingly. Even when it may be out of our comfort zone, even when we may not feel like it; give. When we give, we receive. We receive insight, blessings in return, and we learn how taking eyes off of ourselves actually benefits us. 

So what is a Love Acquisition? I've created the Love Acquisition for the month of February. Love in February? real original, right? Every day in February has a different task, some are silly, some are very real, some may take us out of our comfort zone, and some are up for interpretation. I'll be revealing the Love Acquisition list the last week in January.

Who's in?

Few Things:

1) Never receive grace in vain. 2 Corinthians 6:1

2) Put faith into action. James 1:21-24

3) Endure till the end. Matthew 10:22, Matthew 24:13

2013 is here. So many cool things happened in 2012. It was a year filled of lots of laughs, tears, growth, set backs, triumphs, and failures. Timing is key. I'm learning not to rush things, but to remain faithful and to wait upon the Lord. I learn over and over and over again, that He knows best. Sometimes I can be such a know-it-all, but really I'm clueless. hahah. 

God is beckoning me, I'm learning to be sensitive to that call, to that ever present and quiet voice. He is a loving and guiding God, along with being a just and mighty God. I just have to surrender to what He has for me. I throw my hands up and let God know, that He's in charge. "Use me, Lord. Guide me. I'm Yours." I use to be intimidated to fully surrender and be desperate for God; thinking I wasn't good enough, or that it would be too hard to follow, or that I'd get rejected. I was bringing God down to our measly and human-like demeanor. Really, God was just waiting for me to come to Him. I just had to be willing.

Don't stay down, look up to where your hope is (or should be). Ask for forgiveness for being prideful, unforgiving, and hard headed. Read His word, act on His word, bind those promises to your heart. There is more to life than just struggling and barely getting by. Even during tests, trials, and tribulation, count it as all joy-- Praise should continually be on your lips. When your mad, praise and thank Him. When your sad, praise and thank Him. When your happy, praise and thank Him. When your confused, praise and thank Him. Seek him and draw near to Him.

Jesus is THE way, THE truth, and THE life-- he's not one of many options. He is the only option.

Oh how sweet it is to know Him...

Day 30. DAY 30!

Well, well, well...

Today is the final day of the 30 Day No Makeup Challenge.

I can go on and on and on about all the different things I have experienced and lessons I've learned, but I think I did a decent job at giving snippets of that in previous blogs, so I won't jibber jabber right now. I will tell you...

It's been fun, emotional, difficult, challenging, and delightful. It's crazy to think that this started as just an idea that was put on my heart, and it turned into this extensive learning process; this is only the beginning. I'm learning a lot about myself; the good, the bad, and yes, even the ugly. It's hard to swallow ones pride and say ok, this is me, now what? BUT, it must be done.

I will never stop growing, learning, receiving, and giving. 

God, help me. 

shout out to all the lovely ladies who sent me pictures of them makeup-less. Even though you did not necessarily do the challenge, I loved getting these pictures. I loved that you all were willing to post a picture of you makeup-less; Such fierce and fabulous women!

"Beware of seeing yourself through other people's eyes."

xox

Growing Pains.

Day 25 of the 30 Day No Makeup Challenge.

This has become more than I could have ever imagined it to be.

 I've found myself crying more than usual (Yes, that is actually possible). I finally asked God on Sunday in utter anguish, "God, why in the world have I been crying so much? What am I missing? Why has my heart been hurting?" I was driving on the high way and anyone who drove by me may have thought I was absolutely insane, because I was crying, talking to myself, and yelling at some points, and then all of a sudden I just took a deep breath and felt a sense of peace. Then I was reminded - and I know it was a gentle reminder from God- that I am doing what God is telling me to do. I keep asking Him, what is it that you want me to do, why am I crying, what do I need to do next, why am I feeling like this....

Then He reminds me, "Anais, you are doing what i've asked of you. You are growing, you are being stretched, you are being used for My glory, you are learning to live your life as a living sacrifice."

That's when I felt a sense of peace. I cried, yelled, pouted, whined, and it compares to a child crying because they're teething and nothing soothes it, but they are going to be so happy when they finally have those chompers in and can properly eat REAL food. God is telling me, " Hold on, I got you, keep going...This is all worth it. I love you."

It can also compare to when addicts go thru rehab, their body goes thru such horrible withdrawals, that some of them think they are going to literally die. Their body was so use to the junk the person was feeding their body, that now the body feels as if it can not function without the junk. When in reality, if they give it time, take care of themselves, and stick with it, their body is going to feel on top of the world once completely healed. BUT that hard time they went thru, where they were uncomfortable, felt like they were about to die, were they hated how they felt--was necessary; totally necessary. That's how growing in the Lord is for me right now. It can feel agonizing, tiresome, difficult, and sometimes I feel like I'm missing out on good times; but, if I just stick with it, keep my eyes on the Lord......Man, my measly  human mind can not even begin to imagine the possibilities. If one just surrenders to God's doing, God will use you for things that are bigger than yourself.

BUT I've had to change my way of thinking, I've had to let go of some people, I've had to stop doing certain things, I've had to alter my life. I'm finally living my life for the One who gave me this life to live. My heart aches thinking of the people i've had to let go or distance myself from, but it is necessary. I still love them, I can still talk to them, but my life is going in a different direction, and I can not just pick up everyone around me and take them with me-as much as I would love to- they have to make the decision to surrender and grow on their own. All I can do, is live by example and pray that even in my mess ups, God is glorified and exemplified.

God use me.