No Spoon Feeding

I really love to learn more about God in His Word. The Bible is undoubtedly the best book ever! It was written by 40 different authors but is still so cohesive. What a remarkable way to display the consistency of the Lord! Stories of warriors like David and dreamers like Joseph are pretty straightforward and simple to understand. There are, admittedly, a few books that can seem pretty intimidating to read. However, I’d like to encourage you to become an avid reader of the Word of God. There are so many spiritual treasures to discover that can greatly enhance the intimacy of your walk and understanding of Christ. It's very easy to get into the habit of reading devotionals, listening to sermons and getting the Word second-hand so I understand how that can happen. Don't get lazy though. Dust off the Bible on dresser and open it up! As I continue to study the Bible, I’ve picked up a few habits for making studying a little more fun and memorable. I will share a few of mine.

1.     The S.O.A.P. Method- I’m not sure where the S.O.A.P method originated. I know it’s a popular bible study method. I first learned about it when I was part of a women’s small group. S.O.A.P. is an acronym, which stands from Scripture, Observation, Application, and Prayer.  At the beginning of the study, we would pick one chapter and take turns reading it aloud. We would then take time out to individually observe the verse that stood out the most to us. We would then figure out a way to apply the lesson of the verse or chapter to our lives. Then we would end with prayer. It’s a pretty awesome way to study and apply the Word of God to your life in a very practical way.

2.     Color Coding- I write in a gratitude journal with vibrant colored markers. I also use those same markers to highlight the verses that stand out to me along the way while I’m reading. I also keep an ink pen handy to write notes on the pages. Unfortunately, the markers do bleed through the pages a little bit but they don’t make a big mess.

3.     Index Cards- My sister put me on to this trick of using index cards and sticking them in the Bible at the place where something stood out to her. She’ll also write the verse on the card and any notes she may have. Even though she said that her cards don’t fall out of her Bible, I prefer to keep them in one place outside of my Bible. I guess I’m a teensy bit OCD. You can punch a hole in the cards and keep them on a ring so they’re easily portable but also in one place together.

4.     Early to Rise- As a child, I always remember hearing the quote; “Early to bed, early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise!”  I find that when I wake up really early in the morning to study my Word, my mind is a lot clearer and my heart is more receptive to what God is saying. I also feel like there is such a beautiful intimacy because it feels like God and I are the only two awake and we get to spend private time together.

5.     Where do I stand in the text? -  One of my pastors did an exercise where we read the parable of the Good Samaritan. Afterward, we put ourselves in the shoes of one of the characters in the story and imagined how it must have felt to be in their shoes. You’d be surprised how relatable Bible stories can be once you put yourself in the text. If you were Eve, you’d like to think you’d do things differently than she did, but truthfully knowing yourself, would you have been any different? This exercise gives you those types of questions to stretch your studying muscles pertaining to the Word of God.

6.     Look it up- If I’ve gotten to a point in the scriptures that I don’t understand, I’ll use my trusty phone to Google what I can’t understand or I’ll read other translations. I know that a lot of Christians laugh at The Message translation but it really helps me when I am stuck on a certain passage! J

Let me know if you’ve adopted any of these exercises before. If you plan on trying some of these, let me know how they work for you! If you have any great study tips that have worked for you, please feel free to share! Leave a comment below!

God bless you!

-dani

Christian Living:Don't Get Played

**I originally wrote this for my church's blog last year. 

I still love it so much and wanted to share it with the readers of my personal blog! Enjoy!**

I’m not one that’s big on keeping up with the every move of celebrities. However, there are a few that I’ll lend an ear to when they have a radio interview or television appearance.  One of the celebrities I’m semi-interested in is Will Smith. We saw him start as a rapper turned actor on The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air and now he’s one of the Hollywood elite. I may not like all of his projects or totally agree with his theology but I respect his insane work ethic and his thoughtfulness. When I saw the quote pictured above, some questions came to mind. What if I didn’t know you during your struggle? Technically I was absent. Does that mean I don’t have the chance to know you during your success? Call it being facetious but I felt inclined to ask!

The more I thought about the quote, the more I thought about people who were absent in my struggles but front and center, oddly enough, when things were going well. I remember the hurt I felt.  I became less likely to trust those people.  They had no loyalty. Their love and support were conditional in ways that were too painful to ignore. It was okay to call me when they needed a dollar but if I needed a dollar, they were nowhere to be found.  My thoughts fell more in sync with Will Smith’s approach; leaving those “friends” in the past along with their lack of support.

Feelings aside, is this a biblical concept? Would Jesus agree with Will and say, “If you were absent in my struggles, don’t expect to be present at my success”?

The Christian walk is filled with struggle. We each have a cross to bear. Pastor Billingy recently reminded us that if we are to be called one of His own, we must learn to rejoice in suffering. She pointed to Philippians 3:8-14. Verse 10 in the Message Bible translation says, “I gave up all that inferior stuff so I could know Christ personally, experience his resurrection power, BE A PARTNER IN HIS SUFFERING, and go all the way with him to death itself. If there was any way to get in on the resurrection from the dead, I wanted to do it.”

If you are brutally honest with yourself, can you say that you are willing to participate in Christ’s suffering even unto death? When Pastor Billingy asked that question in a recent sermon, you could hear the uncomfortable murmurs throughout the congregation. What’s unsettling about that is the fact that we are in the last days and we can’t honestly stand up and say that we would take a bullet for the same Man who died naked on a cross for us. He suffered so that we could live again. Even if you take out the concept of dying for him, many of us can’t even deal with temporary pain joyfully on his behalf. This is upsetting to God. How do I know? I know because he makes it very clear that if you can’t deal with it down here on Earth, you will have no part in the greatest success of all: Heaven and ceaseless fellowship with him.

The Message translation of Matthew 10: 32-33 says “Stand up for me against world opinion and I’ll stand up for you before my Father in heaven. If you turn tail and run, do you think I’ll cover you?”  Mark 8: 38 says “If any of you are embarrassed over me and the way I’m leading you when you get around your fickle and unfocused friends, know that you’ll be an even greater embarrassment to the Son of Man when he arrives in all the splendor of God, his Father, with an army of the holy angels.”

So basically, Jesus agrees with Will Smith 100%.

Think about how it cuts so deeply when you feel abandoned in your suffering. Friends and family that you thought would be there for you are nowhere to be found. Now, think about how many times you do that to Jesus…on a regular basis. It hurts Him too! It hurts Jesus so much to the point where he’s technically saying (21^st century translation), ‘You want to play me and act like you don’t know me? Okay fine! But at the end of the day, you are NOT welcomed to my house and if you even try to act like you know me, I will play you in front of my Father and all the angels.  I’d say that classifies as a “don’t expect to be present in my success” moment. Wouldn’t you? So will you play spectator to Christ’s sufferings and then when He comes back ballin’, try to act like you know Him? Here’s a word of advice: don’t get played.

Who are YOU listening to?!

I'm so excited to be a part of an amazing 21 day soul detox. Ashley Joy is an incredible blogger that I recently found on Instagram. She's currently leading the soul detox. For more information, I'll have her link at the bottom of this post!

I usually try to make sure I get my time in with God on a daily basis but I usually have the following routine: 

1. Devotional Thought

2. Bible reading

3. Gratitude Journal

4. Prayer 

The End :)

However, with the detox plan, different suggestions are encouraged such as prayer walks and listening to music. So anyone who know me well KNOWS how much I love music. Oddly enough, I've never thought to actually incorporate it into my personal devotion time. So music has been the new addition to my devotion and when I say that it's so powerful, I'm not kidding. Music really does help to set the tone and bring me into a place of gratitude and humility while coming before the King. It's really been an humbling experience. 

I only listen to 1-2 songs before I start and so far, here's the few songs that have made the playlist for the week: 

1. Kari Jobe- O the Blood  (can easily bring me to tears. so powerful!)

2. Kari Jobe- Healer ( There's a Kari Jobe trend going on. can't help it though! I love her!)

3. Hillsong United- Healer 

I'm sure the list will grow as time goes on but that song "Healer" is obviously pretty crucial for me right now. Listen to songs that speak to your current situation and promises that you are desperate for God to keep. I'm grateful for this experience. Many thanks to Ashley Joy for leading this detox. I'm grateful for what it's already doing for me. God bless you sis!

Click here to check out her information and check out my vlog below! :) 

Embrace What God Has Given To YOU!!!!

Today, I'm sharing a story that I also shared on my church's blog about two weeks ago. It was definitely an unexpected lesson but still incredibly pertinent! Hope you enjoy it! :)

I’m always amazed at the object lessons Christ teaches me through my interaction with children.  This year, I had the opportunity to serve as a small group leader for our Vacation Bible School program.  I thoroughly enjoyed my vibrant troop of 6-9 year olds. I can’t tell you how many times I laughed till I cried at the comedy those children brought me every single day.  I’d like to share the lessons I learned from a short conversation I had with a little girl on the last day of VBS.

During the summer, I usually wear my hair slicked back into a bun. Buns are low-maintenance and keep my hair out of my way. At night, I usually take the bun out and braid up my hair in a couple plaits to make sure my curls stay moisturized. When I wake up in the morning, I could choose to wear my hair out in what’s called a “braid-out” (the braids are unraveled and let free) but I usually wear the simple bun. However, after taking the braids out on Friday morning, I decided to switch it up and wear my hair out for our last day in Athens.

As the day progressed, my hair got bigger. The bigger my hair gets, the more I like it. By the time I arrived at VBS that evening, my hair was just right. As soon as I walked into the doors and stepped into the registration line, I heard a gasp.

I turned and saw the cutest little girl looking at me in total shock. She couldn’t have been more than 5 years old.

Me: “Hi, sweetie!”

Little Girl: “Your hair!!!! It’s fuzzy!”

Me: “Furry?!”

Little Girl: “No! Fuzzy! Your hair is fuzzy! It was smooth all week and now it’s fuzzy!”

Me: “Oh!! Fuzzy! Well, yes this is what my hair does. It’s very…curly!”

Little Girl: “Yeah, It’s very fuzzy.” (Turns up nose and shakes head in disgust) “I like it smooth.”

There were two object lessons for me:  

1.     When the kids came into VBS, they spent the majority of their night with their tribe and their leader. This little girl was not in my tribe. I might have danced with her a couple times during the Praise & Worship section but our interaction was definitely limited.  What blew me away was the fact that she noticed such a simple change in hairstyle. She was paying attention. It reminded me of being a kid and how much I paid attention to the adult who told another adult to “shut up”. I couldn’t understand how that was okay when I wasn’t allowed to tell others to shut up. If she picked up on a simple change in hairstyle, what else is she picking up? You guessed it. Everything! If you’re like me, it’s so easy to get lost in your own world and think that no one is paying attention to you. Now, I’m not trying to instill a sense of paranoia. Don’t go around thinking that everyone is watching your every move. That will drive you crazy. Just be mindful. You never know who is watching you. You never know who may be admiring you. You never know who might be drawn closer to Christ as a result of the actions they see in you. Out of frustration, you might roll your eyes or suck your teeth. A little person may see that and thinks it’s cool and you’ve just passed on a not-so admirable habit. So be careful!

2.     As cute and sweet as the little girl was, she made it clear she didn’t like my “fuzzy” hair. I might have days where my hair is not doing what I really want it to, but one thing is for certain. No one can successfully convince me that my hair isn’t beautiful.  However, that wasn’t always the case. I used to be insecure about my hair. In elementary school, kids used to pull my hair and make fun of me because I didn’t have pretty Shirley Temple curls and a perm like the other girls. In those days, it wasn’t about embracing what God gave me. It was about embracing the fact that Mom wouldn’t let me get a perm so I had to deal with it. However, the less I fought what came naturally to me, the sooner I saw the beauty in it. If I truly embrace EVERYTHING that God has given me, inward and outward, the sooner I’ll see the beauty and any insecurities I have will fade away.

There may be a part of your story that you may struggle to truly embrace as a gift from God. Learn to embrace it. Cultivate it.  For example, ladies with natural hair usually go through a two-step process called moisturizing and sealing. The first step is to moisturize the hair with a water-based product to keep the hair from getting dry. Sealing is the second step when oil (preferably coconut oil) is placed on the strands to keep the moisture from getting out.  Just as natural hair needs water-based moisture daily, our spirits need the Living Water daily. Nurture the person who God has called you to be. Remind yourself of His promises. Affirm yourself in the Lord. Meditate on the FACT that you are fearfully and so wonderfully made!!! Then seal that in with love from God and believers who continue to validate, celebrate and affirm what He has created in you. This two-step process is a great way to help you continue to, beautifully and gracefully, grow in the Lord.

I really hope this message encourages and inspires you! 

Oh yeah and before I forget, #teamnatural!!!!

Worry Warts: The Conclusion of Matthew 6

(25)"Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. is not life more than food and the body more than clothing? (26)Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? Which of you by worrying can add on cubit to his stature? So why do you worry about clothing?
Consider the lillies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; and yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. Now if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?
Therefore do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.
- Matthew 6:25-34 Taken from the New King James Version

So today marks the conclusion of the Matthew 6 series. What a journey/blessing it's been! I have no doubt that God wanted me to study Matthew 6 for such a time as this.

What to take home from this message:

• Work hard. Do what you can. Leave the rest to God. 

I once heard a preacher say to work as if prayer as nothing to do with it and pray as if work has nothing to do with it. Work hard. Pray even harder. Sometimes, God really is looking at us to take some initiative. While these verses are encouraging us to lean on Him, let's not forget to work hard and be diligent. Excellence in our work honors the God we serve. Don't be lazy and expect Him to do the things He's given you strength to get up and do yourself. 

• Trust God to take care of you and provide provisions. 

Once you've done all you can and you've put it in His hands, leave it there. Oftentimes, we put our problems into God's hands and then take them right back out. Imagine wearing a designer garment and getting a snag in the fabric. The actual designer of the garment tells you that she can fix it for free. You give it to her but then decide to take it back because, even though you can't sew,  you'll figure out a quicker way to do it. It's absurd. That's exactly how we treat God. 

• Remember that God can really hook you up. Whatever the desire is, just know that He won't play you. 

Your worry may not be "what am I going to eat?" or "what am I going to wear?" Your worry could be, "when am I going to get a raise/job?" "when am I going to find a mate?" Putting these worries in the hands of God can be hard sometimes. We're not always worried that God couldn't find us someone though. Sometimes, we're afraid of WHO God will choose: i.e. a total square. God's not like that though. He knows your taste better than you do. Let Him take care of the picking. Just follow His lead. 

• Stop stressing!!!!

I say that almost every day but I recently found a picture of myself from junior year in college and felt the tears coming. There's something behind that smile that's been long gone. There's nothing like looking at picture of yourself and recognizing that something has changed. I remember when I took the picture and what time in my life I was in. I was dancing a lot that semester in preparation for a student government performance. I was finding my own little niche on campus. Life gets hard but don't let it get you to the place where you don't recognize who you are without stress. Give it to God. Take a dance class. Practice some pilates moves. Lift some weights. Soak in the beauty of nature. Go swing on a swing. Integrate more spontaneity into your life to take the edge off. 

After seeing these old pictures, I've decided that I need to make some changes: change of pace, scenery, weight, food, people, sleep, etc. and return to these pictures. I felt much better back then. Stress will not put me in an early grave. This is my public charge to change myself. 

 

Wonder[ful] Belief- What Matthew 6:22-23 Teaches Me

Photo c/o: Anastasia Volkova Photography

(22-23)"Your eyes are windows into your body. If you open your eyes wide in wonder and belief, your body fills up with light. If you live squinty-eyed in greed and distrust, your body is a dank cellar. If you pull the blinds on your windows, what a dark life you will have!"
- Taken from the Message Bible (Matthew 6:22-24)

Matthew 6 is not an easy chapter to swallow, I will admit. However, I'm learning some serious lessons through it and I know that it's been a blessing straight from God to study.
Today, I'll be sharing from a personal experience.
A couple days ago, I shared a vlog entry about being thankful and grateful. I was so excited (and still am) about the message that my pastor shared on Sabbath about being grateful. I took that sermon and applied it to having real joy and haven't looked back. It was funny because not too long after I made that video, I started to get ready for work that afternoon. While I was getting dressed, I remembered that I'd have to pack a lunch/dinner for the amount of time I'd be at the office.  The thought of preparing a lunch/dinner sounded so cumbersome. I really didn't want to spend that time in the kitchen. The night before, I was craving pizza and it was still a craving at that moment. So, I decided that I'd have the pizza. Before you judge, it's actually a small enough pizza for one person's servings for lunch and dinner :) I ordered it and then finished getting ready so that I could pick it up and go to work.

While in the car, I thought about my weight and that I was on my way to get pizza. My weight has been something I've struggled with for so many reasons but to be honest, I've gotten to a place where I really feel "defeated". So I started to think about what I'd do if anyone ever asked me if I was pregnant. I'm on this "be thankful for everything" tip so I really was searching for ways to turn it into a positive. Here's what I came up with:

"Why thank you!!! You think that I look like I could be a giver of life! What an honor!" 

"Thank you for the reminder that my health is my wealth and belly fat is a stepping stone to fatal disease. This was a good reminder! God bless you!"

The more I thought of those comments, I laughed harder and harder at myself. I was so tickled that I was beginning to turn the negatives into positives. I really do need to lose weight but I don't need to get depressed about it. So as I headed into the pizza place, I placed my mind back into the thankful and light-hearted place. I guess it showed on my face because when I walked in, the first guy I laid eyes on smiled back at me and came toward the register to help me. He was so cute too :) So, I pulled out the debit card to pay him and he was having trouble with it. I knew it wasn't me so I didn't even begin to worry. I was mentally reminding myself to not buy Sprite and settle for the water in my car (healthy choices! I am trying!). He then told me that something was wrong with the machine and that it would take 10-15 minutes for them to make my transaction. I was prepared to wait and he then told me that the pizza was free. I was happy to hear that. What would've been $6 and change ended up staying in my pocket. Yay! Since then, there were a couple "negative" issues but because of a change in perspective, those negatives are literally water off a duck's back. This isn't to say that life is easy like Sunday morning but once you're in a position of gratitude with open eyes and open heart to see the world through the lenses of joy, good things present themselves! 

This is how I believe verses 22 and 23 apply to life as I've known it the past couple days. :)

What these verses teach us about life:

Open your eyes in wonder and belief. We don't want any dark cellar-type Christians!

a. Wonder: (This may be too literal but this is what I understand it to mean) I had a friend once challenge me to ask God questions when I'm in tricky situations. One of the main questions I am supposed to ask is, "God, how can you be glorified in this situation?" Then follow-ups could include: "God, I am wondering how to see the positive. I'm wondering how do I see you in the midst of this. I am wondering where to find you. That's wonder, right? haha. Or it could be wonder like awe i.e. "I am in awe of you, God and the opportunities you've created for me to trust you more!" Man, talk about spiritual maturity! Whoooo!!!

b. Belief- This is a chance for you to actively trust God and have faith that He's got you. Instead of           stepping into each moment with fear and anxiety, mentally train yourself to understand that God will not put more on you than you can bear. You're equipped to handle any situation with Him on your side. Know that and believe it!

Let me remind you that we can do ALL things through Christ who strengthens us! Phil. 4.13. 

Amen. 

vlog#1

Hi, guys!!! It's been a crazy week so I haven't been able to do any cooking or DIY projects. Bummer :(
But, I've had some things on my heart that I felt impressed to share (which I've been doing this week).
So, this is a video that I really hope encourages someone out there. Thanks to all who continue to stop by and read the blog. It means a lot that you've taken interest! :)
Have a great day! :)