Tag: faith

Weekender/ Testimonies ✨

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MAKE TIME FOR GOD

"the Truth will set you free" John 8:32

I would like to share two testimonies from our trip to PA. Here is the first! Enjoy <3

We were driving North on 95 in Virginia as my husband’s eye felt progressively more and more irritated. He was driving with one hand and rubbing his right eye with the other, and we had about five hours ahead of us. The irritation had started the day before, but had come and gone a couple of times. We prayed together for his eye and both of us believed that God would heal him.

Within a couple of minutes, he said “my eye is better”. At that moment, we noticed this truck in front of us:

“God bless you. Have a nice journey”. We were both in awe and so excited for our trip!

😀

🙂

<3

As we got closer to our destination, things began to look a little different.

Welcome to Amish country!

We arrived at the quaintest bed and breakfast and were greeted by a coffee bar and fresh-baked chocolate chip cookies. After meeting and greeting the hostess, we went up to our room and rested for a while.

Then it was time to get ready for our big event.

We went to the Sight and Sound theater to see a live production of “Moses”. If you’ve never been to the Sight and Sound theater, it’s an AMAZING experience. Here’s a website to their story if you want to check it out! https://www.sight-sound.com/location/lancaster

This is one third of the stage that we first saw when we walked in.

A strong aroma of sweet vanilla greeted us when we first walked into the building, which we discovered was fresh, warm, vanilla roasted almonds. We obliged, of course.

We couldn’t take pictures or videos throughout the show, so you’ll have to go see it for yourself! What I can tell you though, is that the story was extremely accurate and close to the bible, the actors were incredible, and the props and stage crew were better than Broadway, hands down. What has been achieved at Sight and Sound is astounding, excellent work. The show was a true inspiration that challenged me to do better and work harder. Bravo, well done!!

Afterwards, we looked for a restaurant to get something to eat and found that the few restaurants in the area were absolutely SLAMMED from apparently multiple shows happening in the area. After visiting two places and calling four, we got on a waiting list at a Dutch Smorgasbord that told us it would be an hour & a half wait. So we got on the list, hunkered down, and enjoyed some horses behind the restaurant before God moved again.

After waiting for 15 minutes it was only 6:46pm and I wasn’t sure I’d make it. I expressed my great hunger and prayed out loud that God would open up a table in 14 minutes. Thirteen minutes later, I got a text from the restaurant saying our table was ready.

After the one minute walk, we were inside 14 minutes later. Glory to Him who is able! Why did God do that? Because He cares for us 🙂

When we were seated, we were told that they were the last table they were allowed to seat because their dishwasher just broke!! He loves to wow us.

After dinner we went back to the Bed and Breakfast and sat on the porch under a thick blanket of stars and listened as Amish horse-drawn buggies clip-clopped by. We turned in early, slept in late, enjoyed coffee and fresh, homemade cinnamon rolls in the garden the next day and had good conversations with new friends/travelers to end our lovely weekender.

<3

If you made it this far, I want to encourage you that God sees you. And if you sincerely pray to Him, he hears you! He doesn’t always answer right away, and He doesn’t always answer the way we want, but He does hear. These two answers to prayer were a testimony to share with you to encourage you and bring you hope! Be bold when you talk to God, and pray with shameless audacity. Not demanding, but asking with faith and the knowledge that He is able to accomplish immeasurably more than you could ever think of or imagine.

My husband’s eye did hurt on and off again after we arrived at the bed and breakfast. But it was a huge blessing that it didn’t hurt when we were on the road. And to have seen the sign on the truck was extra joyful. It goes to show that God is really in control of our circumstances and is always watching out for us. Sometimes He heals us right away, but other times we have to work through the pain and go through the process of resting, remedying, and trusting Him no matter what the outcome. God is always still good.

It was a short, but great trip to Lancaster, PA. We’re looking forward to the next show that we’re able to attend, the memories we’ll be able to make together, and the testimonies that we will be able to share. To GOD be the glory!

Love you all <3

V

FAITH

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It wasn’t really raining, but it had been all day long. The sky was completely gray, but it was a light gray so as to let a percentage of sun shine through the clouds. 45%, I would say.

close up photo of pampas grass
Photo by Andrea Garibay on Pexels.com

So it was something like this, except one shade grayer. Where it still felt early enough in the day, and it was a cool dusk. My smartphone was at home, on my bedside table, and I was glad to be accompanied by only God and nature.

…

It felt good just to be out there, walking. Taking in all of the scenery. And pondering.

Who am I? What type of woman am I becoming? Someone whose company I would wish to seek?

Have I grown colder, or warmer?

Rougher, or softer?

More kind or less.

More patient? Or less.

Has pressure made me into more of a diamond, or a broken vessel?

I want to be on a boat and hear the sound of the waves lapping up onto the sides. I want to see sea foam and watch it bubble onto land with the flow and quickly disappear into the sand. It’s so cliché but I love watching the water form a circle around my feet when the waves break on the shore. I taste the salty air in my mouth and feel a breeze circling around my head. I’ll be back to you soon.

…

And I began singing. Prayers, mostly. Giving thanks for all that I saw around me. And prayers for my feet and legs; the ability to walk. My mouth, my voice. I gave thanks for simple things that are usually subconscious; realizing that it was only by the grace of the Giver of these gifts that I was blessed with them.

Lord, I thank you that not only do You have my life in your hands, but You gave me my life. Now I ask you for Your strength to walk this life uprightly. To not grow weary of doing good works. To keep a perspective much bigger than myself. To look into the unseen, and see with Your eyes.

For we walk by faith, not by sight.

2 Corinthians 5:7

Help my spirit worship You in every situation. Help me listen to Your voice and not miss a beat of what You would have me to do.

xxx

V

photo of woman holding a green paper

The power of a smile :)

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There will always be those people that want to ruin your day. They blindside you with a rude comment. They try to confuse you by contradicting themselves and then denying they ever had a change of mind. They lie to you, plot against you, are jealous of you, and are hateful. The world is full of these people! And there’s only one thing to do.

Smile.

Ohhh yes. Smile and shake it off.

They don’t deserve your power. They’re trying to crush you and rob you, but they aren’t able to for this simple reason:

If God is for you, who can be against you? Romans 8:31

So Smile.

Not in a conniving, evil way. But in a way that is based on a sigh of relief once you realize that Nothing formed against you shall stand. Isaiah 54:17

And ask God to help you forgive that person in your heart… truly forgive them. Forgiveness doesn’t excuse their wrongdoing, but it does release you from their grip on your consciousness and heart.

I dunno about you, but I feel better!!!!!!!!!!!1

Smile!

xxx

V

illuminated qoute board

WADDUP

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Listen up everyone! Today is a new day so let’s make the most out of it. Whatever things you keep putting off saying you will do it tomorrow…. do it today! Tomorrow is not promised.

These flowers don’t look like anything very impressive but I am proud to say that they have been living in this vase for over 3 weeks. Actually, it’s been 1 month. I’m truly shocked and delighted in these little guys. It’s amazing what pouring a little bit of water onto something living will do.

Speaking of living water, let’s pour “living water” of encouragement and love into our relationships. Everybody out here is living this hard life and trying to make the best out of their situations. The least we can do is support one another and show compassion. Things may be easy for me today and hard tomorrow, and vice-a-versa with someone else. We don’t need to add to the hatred in the world and kick other people when they’re down and add to the madness.

It’s amazing what a smile will do 🙂

I just want to take a moment to show some gratitude to God. I look around and realize that everything I have came from Him.

“Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.” James 1:17

God does not change. He’s not nice today and rude tomorrow. He doesn’t get tired of loving us. He doesn’t give up on us and stop pursuing us and fighting for us. He’s not fickle and flaky.

He’s firm. Foundational. Strong. He doesn’t crack. He’s supportive. He upholds. He protects. He’s welcoming and inviting. His presence is comforting. He is peaceful to be around. I am so thankful for Him.

Lord, thank you so much for letting me know you. Thank you for answering my prayer ten years ago. When I asked for your help. Thank you for leading me in righteousness and helping me to choose your ways. Your ways are so much higher than my ways. I choose selfishly and narrow-mindedly when I’m not relying on your wisdom to guide me to make the right choices. You long for me to be dependent on You and trust you to live this life with you, not apart from you. You are my best friend, my guide, my Truth. I live because you live in me.

I hope your day is more fragrant than this rose, more pleasing to your eyes than its’ petals, and flourishes more vivaciously than its’ leaves <3

xxx

V

down angle photography of red clouds and blue sky

“Snackage”

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always surrounded you. Usually in the form of Cheetos cheese puffs, oreos, pringles, and anything chocolate. “Snackage” was one of so many words that we generously added to the English language in all of our astute intellectualness. We renamed objects that had perfectly “good” names but were no longer suitable to the environment that we were building for ourselves. One that surpassed reality and added layer after layer of silliness, life, and drama.

There’s so much I want to say about you but I don’t know where to begin. One of my favorite ongoing memories of you was when I would take leftover food home from bible study and bring it to you. After a few weeks of telling everyone “it’s for Barb” people began to question whether or not you really existed. So then you became the fictional “Barb”. They even went so far as to all take a permanent Sharpie marker and sign their names on one of the Styrofoam clamshell containers that probably contained some of Brenda’s famous chocolate cake. Even “your friend Dennis” signed it. They kept this up until one day, whether a couple members of bible study met you at a Christmas concert at the Ferguson Center at CNU. They couldn’t deny your existence any longer. In other words, you were secretly famous.

And now you’re with Jesus.

xxx

V

Thanksgiving

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A few things I’m thankful for this morning:

-forest green high-waited jeans 🙂

-silver padded vest 🙂

-brown suede shoes 🙂

-airstream coffee mug

-cute husband <3

-zucchini noodles 😀

-Trader Joes harvest sauce 🙂

-autumn weather

-giant pumpkins

-goodness, faithfulness and provision of God. I can’t even being to write everything He has done for me.

-vision of the future and what’s to come!

<3

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I woke up feeling excited this morning. Excited about getting some stuff done. Excited about making some plans. About getting outside on this beautiful day. Excited about future prospects and opportunities. About changes. About new beginnings. About starting fresh.

Thank you Lord. For teaching me.

You are not done yet. The good work that you begun in me WILL be perfected.

Have an awesome day everyone.

xoxox

V

At Peace

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I am at peace. Because I am in Peace. You are Peace. The Prince of Peace.

Thank you for protecting me from every storm.

Thank you for sustaining me even during the drought. Even during the heat. I will not fear the terror of night. I will not fear the arrow that flies by day. I will not fear the pestilence.

I find shade and refuge in your shadow, O Lord.

You are my hope. You are my foundation. You are my refuge. I hide myself in the shadow underneath your wing. Thank you for caring for me and for loving me. You are the God Who Sees.

You are the deliverer. You have given me Life.

You are Holy and mighty. You are magnificent, perfect and pure.

You are caring and generous. You are the great provider, sustainer and lover of my soul.

You can bear fruit in the desert places and even make water come out of a rock. Nothing is impossible for you <3

Thank you for always allowing my faith to be tested and for making me resilient to all of the unknowns around me. Why would I focus on the unknowns when the “knowns”, the truths about you are so powerful, life giving and refreshing?

You are a breath of fresh air that we are invited to breath over and over again. You are who upholds us. You hold us together. You hold all of our cells together.

Your beautiful creation is a testament to your intelligence, artistry and magnificence.

You are in absolute perfect control and I thank you Lord for being the guide of my life. My light. You are my light. The light that guides my feet. I absolutely need you and simply ask you to direct my thoughts. Holy Spirit, help me take my thoughts captive and make them obedient to you.

Help me not dwell on the what-ifs and the disappointments, the what-could’ve-beens. You are enough and you have never failed me yet.

Your promise still stands. All of your promises still stand because you are faithful to your word. You are who you say you are and you have never changed. The same God forever and always, and we can count on you to be who you say you are.

Thank God for these truths in Christ Jesus, Amen!

Happy Monday everyone 🙂

xxx

V

Trusting You

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Trusting you… What exactly does this mean?

Knowing that you’ll follow through and do what you’d say you were going to do.

Depending on you. Because you are dependable.

Leaving it to you, because you’ll get it done.

I say that I trust you with my tongue. Now time to practice that.

I give you my life.

I give you my love.

I give you my heart.

I give you my trust.

I’ll give you my time… I’ll wait before you.

Only teach me how to trust you.

.

..

.

I guess this means I don’t have to worry about gas prices.

I don’t have to worry about grocery prices.

I don’t have to worry about being provided for in any way.

I don’t have to worry about success.

I don’t have to worry about moving up in the world.

I don’t have to worry about people I can’t control.

I don’t have to worry.

At all!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

It’s just about obedience. Trust and obey, for there’s NO other way.

<3

xxx

V

Grateful

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I look around and see your provision. Everything I see has been given to me! Thank you for filling my life with so much goodness.

Your goodness pours out like sweet honeysuckle

Knowing you is so sweet. Knowing the depth of your love and care and provision is incredible. It’s one thing to say the truth with words; it’s another to believe it in one’s heart.

You are who you say you are.

Creator

What an artist… what a story-teller. An author. What a dreamer, a visionary, a poet. What a romantic. A comedian. An inspirer. You give hope and inspiration to everyone near to you because you embody hope.

I think back to before I knew you and consider the direction of my life. I’m not sure what exactly I was striving for or why, but it probably had to do with acceptance. I wanted acceptance and I wanted love. But I was looking for it from people. And now I know where it’s found.

You are love. Love is found in you.

We love because you first loved us.

I can’t quite put my finger on why. Why you love us. But I know partially. It’s because you created us, and you call us your children. You want to pour yourself out before us and give us yourself. You already fully did it once, a long many years ago. But I find that you are constantly pouring yourself out, in goodness, love and mercy.

I love the life I am living with you. You fight my battles through me. I only walk forward in obedience. You’ve taught me a lot, and I know I have so much more to learn. But I have learned this:

-to listen for your voice

-to give you the glory

-to start my sentences with “but God…”

because I know these to be true:

-you really do know everything, see everything, and are sovereign over everything

-you really do work all things together for my good

-you really do love and care about me… even when it may not seem like it to the world. If my circumstances are troublesome. It’s easy for the world to say “where is your God now?”

But I know where you are. I know that you’re with me. And NOTHING can separate me from your love.

“For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Romans 8:38-39

And thank you for this beautiful human <3

Have an amazing day!!!!!!!!!! <3

xxx

V

Examples of Love

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If you’re wondering if you really love somebody or if somebody really loves you or ever loved you, here are a few examples that show what love does and Who love is.

Love inquires when a need is present. Do you need help? Do you need anything? How can I help you?

Love reminds. Remember how that makes you feel when you do that. Remember what happened last time.

Love insists and follows through. Can I help you? No, really. Let me help you. Come on. No, it’s okay. It’s no big deal!

Love cares and pursues. How are you doing? How are you really doing? I haven’t heard from you in a while. I miss you.

Love expresses. I love you! I miss you! You mean so much to me. I appreciate you. I value you. I’m proud of you. I’m thankful for you.

Love tells the truth. It hurts me to see you like this. It scares me that you’re involved in this. It’s not a good idea to keep doing that.

Love confesses, apologizes and asks for forgiveness. I’m sorry for what I said to you. I was angry and took it out on you. I was wrong. Will you forgive me?

Love respects time and space. I’m here for you when you’re ready to talk about that.

Love takes no offense. I forgive you.

Love sets boundaries. We can talk about this in a civilized manner. If you’re not willing to do that, we can talk another time.

Love is patient.

Love recognizes that by the grace of God, we are who we are. Love recognizes that anything can happen to anybody; addiction, homelessness, bankruptcy. Even when we work the hardest and do all the “right” things, circumstances out of our control can change all of that effort in a blink.

Love surrenders. Lord, I realize that I have very little control over most of the things in my life. I trust that you are good, and that you will always take care of me as I walk with you and obey your commands. Help me love like you love. Not based on condition, but because You loved me first. My life is in your hands.

Love you all! xoxox <3

V