wisdom tweets

@shininfame - Every right decision u make helps reverse the results of the wrong decisions u made in the past!!! #joyceMeyer WOW WOW WOW

@AndyMineo - When the Lord reveals a truth to u that u need 2 respond to, do not wait, respond immediately. Make the time to live out obedience.

@katehodz - well it's obvious the devil hates God's chosen children #pushthruwarriors

@PaulTripp - True worship isn't best shown by the comfortable corporate confessions on Sunday, but by your choices of submission Monday through Saturday.

@HenriNouwen - This brief lifetime is my opportunity to receive love, deepen love, grow in love, and give love.

@hookersforjesus - So easy 2 love those who are our friends, family & who help us. But 2 love, pray for & bless our enemies-Jesus commands it! Can you do it?

@hookersforjesus - God doesn't always call those who have clean pasts. He often calls those who have experienced darkness & know how to lead others OUT

@louiegiglio - Crazy thought: NOTHING can stop you from walking with the Creator of the world (Jesus) all through this day...but you.

@JarridWilson - The right time to do the right thing is right now.

@jaydeaduncan - Waiting - when you want to run - is one of the greatest demonstrations of trust. #youngleaders

@Dammit_Caitlyn - If you decide to look for the beauty in people when you meet them, you'll find it.

@SaCaufield - Our past may explain why were suffering but we must not use it as an excuse to stay in bondage! #joycemeyer #battlefieldofthemind

@CraigMosgrove - I don't care what others have told you. Jesus has no desire to IMPROVE you; He desires to TRANSFORM you! #selfhelpisdeception

@DaveRamsey - One definition of maturity, the ability to delay pleasure.

@PerryNoble - Question, if you "can't do it" then why does God keep bringing it to mind? Philippians 1:6

@MatthewBarnett - When the intensity to want to quit seems so unbearable...the blessing of taking one more step leads to the unbelievable.

@JeremyIDR - “Did God actually say" - Satan

@shininfame - A good friend leads you closer to God. A dangerous friend leads you away from God.

@Dalisha_Turner - If you're hitting a wall keep pressing forward! There is a whole generation waiting on your breakthrough for them to receive theirs #believe

@Jentezen - Let the old bad memory's die. Your future is greater than your past!

@MatthewBarnett - Don't judge people in addictions....be the key of encouragement that helps them spring forth from the trap they hate.

@dannychambers - The voices you listen to are a preview of the future you.

@MatthewBarnett - Never let the devil tell you that your day by day victories are small compared to your past...THEY ARE HUGE.

and my personal favorite...

@darrinpatrick - Say no to crocs

seek God

There are so many verses in the Bible that talk about God showing up when you seek Him...

"If you seek God, your God, you'll be able to find him if you're serious, looking for him with your whole heart and soul." Deuteronomy 4:29

"When you come looking for me, you will find me. I'll make sure that you won't be disappointed." Jeremiah 29:13

"If you seek him, he'll make sure you find him." 2 Chronicles 28:9

"God proves to be good to the man who passionately waits, to the woman who diligently seeks." Lamentations 3:25

All of these verses have proven to be so true in my life. Ever since I've gotten serious about going after this heart-change, life-change, whatever you want to call it, God has shown up like never before. He's opening so many doors for me, closing doors that need to be closed, blessing me with friends who encourage me and push me to grow closer to Him, putting new songs on my heart, healing my heart, softening my heart, breaking my heart, building up a Godly confidence in me, opening up my eyes to what really matters, providing protection, using others to speak into me, using me to speak into others, speaking to me through his Word... and the list goes on and on!

I can promise you there is NOTHING in this world as good as God. Nothing. Nothing. Nothing. I've done just about everything out there to try to "fill the void" and find happiness. The ONLY thing that will bring true joy is a relationship with Jesus.

I encourage you to really get serious about going after God with your whole heart, if you're not already. And if you are, take it to the next level! Get serious! Watch him show up in ways you couldn't even imagine! Be ready and expectant to have your world rocked and your heart/mind changed from the inside out! Yes, it's going to be hard at times, but if I can do it, you can do it. I promise you, it'll be the best thing you've ever done.

wake up call

Long story short... Last night I was dumb and fell right into Satan's trap. It was one of those things where I put myself in the wrong situation and set myself up for failure.

The crazy part about it is that right in the middle of me messing up, like literally DURING it, God showed up in the craziest way ever, seemingly out of nowhere. I don't want to go into all of the details, but I do want to tell you this -- God LOVES you personally and deeply. He really, really does. In the middle of my weakest moment, he was there. He hit me right in the face with the biggest wake up call I could ask for, other than Him personally descending from heaven in human form and talking straight to my face.

It doesn't make any sense to me why or how God loves me so much. I definitely don't deserve it. I deserve the opposite. But that's what really just blows me away about God... it doesn't matter that we don't deserve it. He loves us despite us. No matter how "bad" we are, we can never do anything to make him stop loving us. It's so crazy.

I mean really, how cool is it that God cares enough about me to come meet me in the middle of my mess, in order to get my attention?! He cares for all of us like that. So so so crazy. It's even crazier that God used my disobedience and sin last night for HIS glory. Satan THOUGHT that he won because he got me to give in. But NO. God turned it right around and used it to show me just HOW MUCH he loves me and how he's never going to give up on me. It was the greatest reminder of his love and grace for me and I'm so thankful for it. His love is truly relentless.

Wow.

Thank you, Jesus.

keep fighting

Do you ever feel like you're in over your head? There's all this crap going on, and right when you think things can't get any worse, they do. Something else happens, adding to your already lengthy list of stressors. When will something let up? You're trying to catch a break, but instead, you're only breaking down. All the while, you're crying out...

"God, where are you in the midst of this mess?

Do you even care?

Do you hear me?

Can't you see that I'm hurting?

Jesus, please.

I'm begging You.

Help me out.

I can't do this anymore.

It's all too much.

DO SOMETHING!"

It's easy to trust God when things are going good, but what about in times like these? Times when you don't feel God at all. Times when he isn't intervening right away like you think he should. Times when if you get gut-level honest, you don't even know why you're trying anymore.

Are you the type to push through and continue to trust and believe that God will come through for you?

Or are you the type to give up when things get tough?

Maybe, just maybe, God allows us to go through hard times. Maybe he allows us to be broken. When we are broken, it gives us an opportunity to grow in our faith. It gives us an opportunity to build perseverance. An opportunity to trust when we can't see what lies ahead, and when we feel like we can't make it.

We HAVE to push through, as hard as it is.

I can't even begin to tell you how many times I've felt like giving up since I decided to turn my life around. My natural response to adversity is to shut down and quit fighting. But I now know that quitting is not an option. I have to keep going, no matter how hard it gets.

YOU have to keep going.

This broken world needs YOU and the hope you've found in Jesus.

You have so much to offer.

Don't give up now!

Whether you feel like it or not, God is THERE. He HEARS you. He CARES for you. He's coming to YOUR rescue. Keep leaning on Him. Keep pushing through. It's WORTH the fight.

You're going to make it.

"So let's not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time, we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don't give up." Galatians 6:9

Kick Compromising to the Curb

I feel like the last week has been one big emotional rollercoaster for me. Satan has been coming at me from every angle and trying his absolute hardest to throw me off track. It's like the closer I get to God, the harder it gets. You think it'd be the opposite, but no. The only difference is that it gets a little easier to resist the things he tempts me with. He's definitely turned up the heat this past week, and it's taking everything within me to flee. To be honest, he's really wearing me down. I've been entertaining thoughts that I know I shouldn't. I really feel like one of the biggest tools Satan uses is compromising. He'll send me thoughts like, "It's okay for you to go out with them for just this one night and drink. It's not like you're getting high. You don't even have to get that drunk." When these thoughts come, I'm left with two options. #1 - I can agree with the thought, and go with it, convincing myself that it's really not that big of a deal. Or #2 - I can recognize the thought for what it is, reject it, and tell Satan to leave me the hell alone. Why is it so hard to choose option #2 sometimes? Why do we fall for the trap of compromising? When I compromise, I'm making a deal with Satan and settling for less than what God wants for me. How stupid is that?! I pray daily that God gives me eyes to see through Satan's tricks and for strength to resist them. Even though I've felt down this week, I know that God is stronger and faithful to come through on my behalf. It sucks feeling lonely and like you're missing out on all the fun that comes with sin, but we've got to trust that what God has for us is so much better and more fulfilling.

"Give Me Faith"

I encourage all of you to read through these lyrics and make this your prayer for today (and every day!)...


I may be weak
but Your Spirit's strong in me
My flesh may fail
but my God, you never will

I need you to soften my heart
To break me apart
I need you to open my eyes
To see that You're shaping my life

All I am,
I surrender

Give me faith to trust what you say
That you're good and your love is great
I'm broken inside, I give you my life

I need you to soften my heart
To break me apart

I need you pierce through the dark
And cleanse every part of me

I may be weak
but Your Spirit's strong in me
My flesh may fail
but my God, you never will