Tag: unconditional love

I Want to Encourage You

Published on by VelvetLeave a comment

Hey brothers and sisters.

I just wanna take a minute to encourage you.

Whatever you’re going through is going to come to an end eventually. You might have to fight long and hard for a while, but you’re going to get through it.

Maybe you won’t have to fight hard the whole time, but you may have to fight for a long time.

People might be hating, and they might not want you to get by. They might want to crush you with their actions and their words. They might want to exclude you. They might spread lies about you and try to turn others against you.

You’ve got to focus on the Truth about who you are.

You are a child of God.

You were created in God’s image.

You were created with a purpose.

There is only one of you and only you are equipped to do what God has equipped YOU to do.

You were not created by mistake.

There are NO flaws in your design.

You have strengths.

And yes, you have weaknesses.

Know them. Know and understand your strengths and weaknesses so that you know where and when to seek help. Know your weaknesses so you don’t keep getting discouraged over and over again.

Give yourself time to grow.

Be patient with yourself.

And in turn, be patient with others.

Be patient, even with those that are out to get you. Be patient with the ones that think seeing you fall would benefit them or elevate them in some way.

These are all lies from the evil one. He is out to divide, kill and destroy.

Don’t let him.

When we control our thought lives, we are finally free. When we take every thought captive to Christ, we can see God.

“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they see God”.

When those impure thoughts come in, when those lies start pouring in-whether it be from your own mind or the poisonous minds of those toxic individuals in your life- take those thoughts captive:

as in, put those thoughts in CHAINS and present them to the Living God.

Ask God: Lord, give me eyes to see any Truth in this thought. If it is not of you, cast it away. Rid my mind of it. Demolish it. Burn it, shatter it, crush it, and take it. Lift if off of my mind.

But Lord, if there IS any Truth in it, help me embrace it. Help me change. Help me repent of any way that isn’t of you.

Let’s always humble ourselves and be ready to receive from others. Nobody has it all figured out. God uses His people to sharpen other people.

“As iron sharpens iron, one man sharpens another”.

Let us be open to constructive criticism, sanctification, and growth.

Let us always be striving to be Christlike. Let us be flexible and prepared to change. Let us be willing to change and sacrifice things, and give up our own preferences or desires for the preferences and desires of others.

We’re all on this journey together to know God and love Him and enjoy Him. Let’s remember that every person that God created should be able to do these things too. Other people aren’t the real enemy. Satan is the real enemy.

Don’t get me wrong, there are hard-hearted people. There are EVIL people. There are hateful people. But let’s remember to put on the lenses of the bible to help us see past the humanness and into the spiritual. Nobody is too far past God’s grace and the free gift of salvation. And while there is breath, there is hope.

So I challenge you:

when they start tearing you down

when they start leaving you out

when they start talkin smack

when they start hatin

when they start beratin

when they start inflatin themselves

humble yourself

acknowledge the grace that God gave you that enables you to see the truth

that enables you to see Him in all of His glory

that enables you to choose God’s way and live a life free of guilt and condemnation

and pray

rise above your selfishness and self-centeredness and taking-things-personally-ness and pray for them

they are the ones that need the prayers

we all need the prayers, don’t get me wrong

but they especially need the prayers

because once you know God

you know love

because God is love

and real love is not out to divide and destroy and push others out the way so you can get to the top

real love lays down one’s life for one’s friends

real love goes last, and lets others go first

real love patiently waits for others in hopes that they will catch up and spiritually see eye to eye

real love

God is real love

GOD BLESS Y’ALL

xxx

<3

V

“Hard-to-love” people

Published on by Velvet1 Comment

Some people are hard to love.

Some people do whatever they can so that you won’t try to love them anymore.

Some people… hate you and mock you and persecute you and treat you illy.

People you’ve known for years.

Some people expect you to fail and are rooting for that; to build themselves up.

Some people are so dissatisfied with themselves and their lives that they don’t know how to celebrate with others.

Some people are jealous.

Some people proclaim to live one way and live a completely different way.

Some people’s social media accounts reflect one personality, while in person another person is seen.

I love beautiful autumn!

So what shall we do about these people in our lives?

The people we see week after week; sometimes multiple times in a week.

The people we can’t help but be involved in one some level.

Jesus says to love them. Bear with me here.

Let’s talk about what real love looks like.

 

Real loves says…

 

I will never leave you nor forsake you.

 

Nothing you can do will separate you from my love.

 

While you were still a sinner, I loved you.

 

I will lay down my life for you.

 

I forgive you for wanting me dead and gone.

 

I count you as worthy because you are a human being created in God’s image.

 

Worthy of time, attention, being heard.

 

Worthy of my help.

 

Real love bears burdens and pushes forward.

 

Real love doesn’t keep records of the wrong things people have done against me.

 

Real love chooses to forgive.

 

To know God is to know love, because God is love.

God helps believers to love others through the power of His Holy Spirit.

I think all of us have at least one person in our lives that is hard to love. A family member, friend, perhaps your spouse or child. We must learn to love them. We must give them the time and attention that we would want to be given. We must forgive their shortcomings and pray for God’s grace in their life to continue to change them into Christlikeness. And while we’re at it, pray for ourselves that God would complete the good work that He has begun in US. Ask God to show you in what ways YOU need to change.

Dear Lord, thankyou that you are over all things, in all things and through all things. Thank you that you have gone before me and laid down all of my steps. Thank you that you know the thoughts in my head before I think them and that you love me the same. Lord I thank you that You love others through me. Please give me the patience and the grace of Jesus as I walk through places with people that are so hard to love. Lord I thank you that you didn’t give up on us. That you continue to love your people despite our shortcomings and straight up rebellion towards you. Change the attitude of our hearts to love you wholeheartedly and to bring all things under your reign. Father I thank you that your way is the only way to life and life to the full. Thank you for sharing this truth with me. I LOVE YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!! Now please help me love people. 😛 Amen.

xxx

<3

V

family

Published on by Velvet2 Comments

It was 7:00 am and the sun hadn’t risen from behind the trees yet. The air felt damp and as if  a cloud had recently departed. My feet took one step after the other as my legs, arms, shoulders, back and lungs started to wake up. I breathed in deeply and said hello to the man walking his dog on the opposite side of the road. I’d see him again one block and three hundred ideas later and we might gather a little more about who we each are from a distance. Only if we were in the same vicinity day after day would we really see the depths of who we each are, what makes us tick, and what our eating habits are.

chicks3

That’s what families do. You wake up every day and see the same faces and bodies dance around in similar patterns. In and out of the kitchen boiling water and frying eggs and swiffering the floor. You see a sister through a window out in the yard picking the dead off of pants, gathering tomatoes and searchingly looking up at the sky as a book lay gently open on her lap. You see a brother on the opposite side of the counter-top, eating an impromptu luncheon at 2:00 in the afternoon with his fingers, and licking the crumbs off of his thumbs. A mother drops a glass jar on the kitchen floor and smiles matter-of-factly as she hunts for the broom.

chicks4

We do things out of love for each other. We give each other time to think through what we’re saying and don’t rush each other. We talk openly about plans, meetings, dates, gatherings, aspirations and try to do what we can to please and help each other. When trouble faces us we are not quick to blame each other, but we graciously inquire as to what happened, how it happened and how better we can do things next time.

We teach each other and learn from each other at all ages. Some of the smallest children can be some of the best teachers. Lord knows we need faith like a child. And that kids say the darnedest things! Combine these two qualities and you’ve got a young, wise comedian in your midst. A five year old thinker who innocently challenges what you think you know; who sucks in any and all information around him/her like a starving sponge and plays it back like a recorder at any later time or date. So don’t go getting angry at your child for repeating things you’ve blasphemed in their presence! They heard it from you, after all.

chicks2

And my, oh my, this applies to all family members; not just cute children. We are all mirrors of each other. Mirrors and teachers. And like a mirror, all qualities are revealed in the looking glass. We must always be careful to emit our most fruitful qualities so we aren’t unpleasantly surprised by our own bad karmas; which we all have!

Humans are not perfect: we will all wrong each other at times. And when we do, uncomfortable conversations will follow. Or feelings of avoidance. Or actual avoidance. And when this is the case, all operations must cease until the bad feelings are ironed out. That’s what families do. They stay on the same page. They communicate. They collaborate. And when a family binds together, their force is so strong that nothing could break them.

babychicks

Moms, dads, aunts, uncles, brothers, sisters, cousins, grandparents and the like are such gifts to us. Such intimate relationships we are born with are often taken for granted but we must NOT take them for granted. Knowing the ins and outs of our family members’ lives is such a unique and peculiar insight to another human being. We keep each other accountable. We empathize and sympathize with each other. We know how to help each other. We know how to gift each other. We can reach out to one another when we need help. We can spend time with each other and enjoy it. We understand each other and don’t have a choice. We know each other.

Family is such a complex concept. People we love without condition; no matter if they hurt us, wrong us, frustrate us, shock us, offend us, walk on us. These are people we protect and stand up for and tell the hard truths to. People whose actions we keep accountable. People we know and love and feel a pang in our hearts for when they hurt. People we think about, love and miss from afar and can pick up right where we leave off.

Family says:

I love you as you are, and nothing you can do will keep me from that <3

I miss you, and my doors are open for you whenever you return <3

Family is:

Not confined to blood relatives <3

Always somewhat broken <3

<3

chicks5

Call your family and tell them how much you love them. Even if it’s hard. Even if there’s hurt. Even when it seems easier to distance yourself. Your family will always be yours… always

xoV

Happy International Quit Day!

Published on by Velvet2 Comments

This isn’t a sad post about quitting something after trying and failing.

This isn’t a pathetic announcement of any personal dilemmas or misgivings.

This is not to seek attention, confirmation, or assurance.

wellwhatisit

 

 

 

…

It’s a celebration!

celebration

 

A jubilation!

jubilation

This is a moment to be shared and cheered upon. A holiday.

Excited-Kid-e1442981183707

A HOLIDAY!

International Quit Day.

The day where everybody gives up.

Stops what they’re doing.

Blows off their to-do list.

befree

I don’t mean quitting your job.

dearsirsiquit

Or quitting loving your family.yourstory_Quit_Job

 

Not quitting taking care of yourself.

kidoncouch.jpeg

Or taking care of others.

family-dinner2.jpg

International Quit Day is about quitting trying to control all of the things you have no control over.

let go.jpg

I recently took a new job that requires living in a family’s home and helping care-give for a 95 year- old woman. By taking the job, I was agreeing to live life by this family’s standard. We eat together often, clean up after one another, offer each other coffee, tea, help with whatever we’re doing. Everything is a team effort.

This family has a way of doing things that have been established long before I got here.

'That's the new kid on the block.'

When I arrived I was looking for structure. I was looking for a schedule. I wanted to know when I was working and when I wasn’t working. I wanted to know whose turn it was for dishes, and whose day it was for getting up early.

All of my preconceived ideas of a “job” were challenged, and clashed with the family’s values and ideas.

I hardly knew anything for certain, except that I would certainly be challenged in the kitchen on who was making breakfast and how to load the dishwasher.

I was frustrated.

god-loves-you1

 

I started praying and asking for guidance and understanding. And a message started to speak me from all directions:

“Just quit.”

 

Quit the negativity.

Quit the judging.

Quit the anger.

…the abuse.

…the resentment.

…the pride.

the haste.

anxiety.

worrying.

>>Stop being stressed over things you cannot change<<

Quit the control.

Because when we try to control everything, we get angry when we lose that control. We feel powerless. Because we are powerless.

let-god.jpg

 The only being that has true control over everything is God.

He created the sun, and makes it shine.

…He also makes thunderstorms shake our houses.

He created the power and sometimes makes the power go out.

…He also decides when the power comes back on (and when the internet starts working again 😀 )

…Which relieves all the mommies and daddies in this world with child.

…Whose beautifully crafted fingers and toes were carefully placed on each baby, by God.

…Whose lungs are filled again and again with life-giving, God-breathed air.

He created us to depend on Him. He is a good father who loves us and loves taking care of us. There’s no need to get wound up in all of life’s many anxieties when he can lift our burdens and brighten our days, if we would just quit, and ask him to take over.

~

“Do not be anxious about anything,

but in every situation,

with prayer and petition,

in thanksgiving,

present your requests to God.

And the peace of God,

which transcends all understanding,

will guard your heart and mind in Christ.”

Philippians 4:6-7

trustGOd

We need God. He created us and put us on this planet. Without him, we are powerless. We must depend on him for superhuman strength. Ask him for it, and he WILL give it to you~ #Jesustheoriginalsuperhero #boastinyourweakness

So I decided to quit trying to do things my way. I gave up trying to control my environment. I confessed my part of the problem, apologizing for not being patient and waiting to see how I could step in and help, on the family’s terms; how I could weave myself into their family’s tapestry and introduce my needs alongside their routines.

 

>We first talked, then cried, prayed, then laughed 😛 <3 <

And I’m not upset, now that I surrendered my problems to God. #boastinyourweakness

I’m not anxious now that I’m trusting God to unfold his plan in his time. #imlostwithoutyou

 

I asked God to lift my burden, and He told me to relax, and just Quit. He’s got this. #inGodwetrust <3

flow-chart-life-worry.png

And now, I’m free~

sunset-person-spreading-arms-freedom-and-joy.jpg

Every day can be International Quit day. Who knew giving up could be so satisfying? And smart! IQ day anyone?! 😉

Love you all! <3

V

Have you met the Bondage Breaker?

Published on by Velvet3 Comments

I just finished reading another awesome book by Neil Anderson, author, pastor, professor of theology among many other things.

“The Bondage Breaker” offers a Christian explanation as to why we think and behave the way we do. It discusses how spiritual warfare interferes with our everyday lives, and what we can do to address these issues and free ourselves from the spiritual bondage we are in.

>>>Check out my other book review on Neil’s Book “Victory Over the Darkness”! <<<

bondagebreaker

Anderson’s writing is clear and communicable, as well as easy to relate to. He gives real life examples of people under most every type of possible bondage that we struggle with; addiction to drugs/alcohol, pornography, eating disorders, abortion, suicide, homosexuality and others. Anderson helps the reader understand how and when the bondage may have been formed, and gives direction on how to break free and find truth in Jesus Christ.

The main stress of this book is that as believers, we are children of God and God’s love and forgiveness can never be taken away from us. If we learn how to become strong in our identity in Christ by depending on Him and choosing Him, we can let go of our bondage and be set free by the gospel.

freedom

Do you or someone you know have behaviors and/or thought patterns that you can’t seem to get out of/break away from? This book is for you.

Do you often feel worthless, unworthy or that there’s no real point to living? This book is for you.

Do you find yourself doing the exact thing that you promised yourself you would not do and then feeling remorse? This book is for you.

Read Neil Anderson’s “The Bondage Breaker” today!

Thanks for stopping by! I hope you enjoyed this post. Make sure to return again for more posts on God, existentialism, love, food, adventure and more!

<3 V