personal blog
Show yourself compassion.
Accept your flaws and all.
Shower yourself with praises.
Highlight your gifts and strengths.
Allow yourself to make mistakes.
Make room for grace and love.
Speak truth over the lies you tell yourself.
Speak life into your life.
Be your own supporter, encourager, and friend.
You are altogether beautiful, my love; there is no flaw in you.
– Song of Solomon 4:7
Life is not promised.
Time does not pause.
Stop waiting for the perfect time to start.
Stop expecting that things will suddenly change.
Be active in your life.
Be present in your situation.
Make moves on your own behalf.
Have faith and do the necessary work.
Fear can no longer have the upper hand.
Fear can no longer be an excuse.
Fear will always be around.
So, acknowledge your fears, prepare yourself for battle, and move on to do what you’ve been placed here to do anyway.
Live with purpose.
Chase after your dreams.
Make moves towards your goals.
Even just a little step forward is one step closer to where you are meant to be.
He replied, “Because you have so little faith. Truly I tell you,
if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain,
‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move.
Nothing will be impossible for you.”
–Matthew 17:20-21
Feel…
Feel the light breeze of air that greets you, as you awaken to each unpromised morning. Bask in the light that forces you to squint and embrace the warmth of the smile that inherently follows.
Feel the magnitude of your breath, as your chest rises and falls.
Grasp the reality of your existence.
Let in the opportunity of being alive.
Feel joy.
Feel peace.
Feel love.
Feel anger.
Feel sadness.
Feel disappointment.
Feel good.
Feel bad.
Feel something.
Feel…
I pray that God, the source of hope,
will fill you completely with joy and peace
because you trust in him.
Then you will overflow with confident hope
through the power of the Holy Spirit.
– Romans 15:13
Take me to a place, calm and serene
where all that resides is full of love and peace.
Lead me to a land, no matter how far,
That eases burdens and nurtures scars.
Forever mission-minded, in pursuit of much.
The doors you’ve opened, may I never shut.
Though fears and failure, doubt, and pain
may distort my vision, You will always reign.
Illuminate my path and order my steps.
Where You lead, I will follow. Just show me what’s next.
How this journey will go, only You can see.
But in the end, let it result in a “mission complete.”
May he give you the desire of your heart
and make all your plans succeed.
– Psalm 20:4
I stare into the emptiness as words fail to come out.
My chest tightens as my respirations increase.
What are they thinking?
Can they sense my discomfort?
How do I stop my heart from beating so fast?
Breathe in…breathe out…
Think.
Say something.
They’re waiting.
But don’t say that.
Think.
Just say it…but not like that.
Breathe in…breathe out…
Lies start to fill me head.
My words don’t even matter.
They don’t even care about what I have to say.
My words don’t even matter.
Just stay silent…
…but keep breathing.
Breathe in…breathe out…
For the Spirit of God has made me,
and the breath of the Almighty gives me life.
– Job 33:4
I’m grateful for the things that You have done.
I’m grateful for the breath within my lungs.
I’m grateful that that day was not my last.
I’m grateful that You have healed my past.
I’m grateful, I can finally feel.
I’m grateful that my smile is now real.
I’m grateful for the gift of life.
I’m grateful to be in the Light.
I’m grateful for the victories we’ve won.
I’m grateful that there’s more to come.
I’m grateful for the grace You continue to give.
I’m grateful that I can finally live.
Enter his gates with thanksgiving
and his courts with praise;
give thanks to him and praise his name.
For the Lord is good and his love endures forever;
his faithfulness continues through all generations.
– Psalm 100:4-5
We try to plan out how our lives are going to unfold, but who’s to say that what we imagine for ourselves is really going to come to fruition or is even supposed to come into fruition? How much of what we want for our lives is meant for us to have?
What all would I even write if I could write my story? What would I jot down if I could script out my future? Would I write enough? Would I write too much? Would I allow myself to dream as I write and pray that my dreams are manifested into reality? Or would I allow fear and doubt to take control of the pen and subconsciously dismiss and demote my future, or even worse refuse to write at all?
An open book full of empty pages could be so exciting – all the endless possibilities, and yet, at the same time, an open book full of empty pages could be so scary…all the endless possibilities.
Unlike a novel, we can’t jump to the end of our life’s story when we’re anxious to see how things turn out. We’re forced to experience each page, whether we’re enjoying the plot or not. However, I’ve been trying to find peace in the unknown and aim to live in the excitement of the journey.
Though I may have a hand in the writing process, I find comfort in having God as the ultimate author and finisher of my book. He knows how my story started and how my story will conclude. He knows of each supporting character, those who will come and go and those who will last to the very end. He knows of the drama, the tragedy, the action, the romance, the comedy, and the inspiration that make up every good story and how to navigate me through it as the main character. I trust in His process, knowing that all things will work together for my good.
I pray that my story is one of purpose, one that inspires and motivates, one that brings joy and release, one that leaves a legacy to be passed on to future generations…and I have faith that it can be, and it will be…though the rest is still unwritten.
looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith,
who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
– Hebrews 12:2
Suffocating on life…Oh, how hard it is to breathe.
Losing air by the second…No need to worry, this is just the normal routine.
We’ll survive and make it through. Keep masking everything with a smile.
Is it really not that obvious that you’ve been dead for a while?
It’s about time you reclaim your life and actually start living.
Immerse yourself in positivity and the blessings you’ve been given.
Unpack what’s been holding you back and set yourself free.
Live in your truth. Be everything you were created to be.
Know that the journey continues, and you don’t have to feel defeated.
Put your faith, trust, and hope in the Lord because it’s your winning season.
For I know the plans I have for you,”
declares the Lord,
“plans to prosper you and not to harm you,
plans to give you hope and a future.
– Jeremiah 29:11
It’s crazy to think about how many people die with their dreams. So many people leave this earth without sharing their gifts. So many people depart without telling a single soul their hearts’ ambitions and desires. One of my biggest fears is that that’s how I will end up – dying together with my many dreams.
People die at all ages, but it’s often especially devastating when a young person passes away. You often hear things like: “He had so much life ahead of him; he barely got a chance to live.” or “She had so much potential and so many plans.” In actuality, these statements could be made about “older” people who pass away as well. A lot of people die with their potential and take all the “plans” they wanted to accomplish on Earth with them, partly because of fear and also because many of us spend the time we do have here barely living, as if we have all the time in the world to start or as if we are already dead.
I’ve realized that if we’re not careful, our sweet dreams can easily become our beautiful nightmares. When the dreams that we spend hours upon hours fantasizing about start to seem as though they will only ever be just dreams and fantasies, those dreams can slowly start to become torturous. The reality of this beautiful nightmare is why I have to constantly remind myself to protect my mindset and strive to combat fear with faith and action. I know that I need to allow my aspirations to be sources of motivation and encouragement; however, I frequently find myself becoming deterred and discouraged when I think about my many dreams and how impossible they sound. But I have to believe that my dreams and passions have been laid on my heart for a reason, no matter how unrealistic or unattainable they may seem. And I can’t just believe, I have to also do. “For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also (James 2:26).” I have to persistently take steps towards my dreams, no matter how small those steps may be. And when I don’t see results right away, I have to muster up the faith and strength to persevere.
What’s impossible for someone else can be possible for me. The amazing fairy-tales in my head can in time become my amazing reality.
Then the Lord answered me and said:
“Write the vision
And make it plain on tablets,
That he may run who reads it.
For the vision is yet for an appointed time;
But at the end it will speak, and it will not lie.
Though it tarries, wait for it;
Because it will surely come,
It will not tarry.”
– Habakkuk 2:2-3
I’m getting ready to shed the skin that has been encasing a fearful soul.
I’m getting ready to awaken the dormant spirit that has left me numb and dull.
I’m getting ready to accept imperfection and drown every debilitating fear.
I’m getting ready to allow for every therapeutic tear.
I’m getting ready to breathe for the very first time.
I’m getting ready to experience what happens when faith and action combine.
I’m getting ready to uncover what has been kept hidden.
I’m getting ready to invest in every gift I have been given.
I’m getting ready to evict the lies that have made homes in my head.
I’m getting ready to be shocked by all that lies ahead.
I’m getting ready to reap the fruit of life that hangs from sacred trees.
I’m getting ready to make the most of each moment and embrace more opportunities.
I’m getting ready to strengthen and use my voice.
I’m getting ready to love, because there is no other choice.
I’m getting ready to live – live bold and free.
I’m getting ready to live authentically me.
I’m getting ready to strive and find ways to soar.
I’m getting ready to carry out what I’ve been created for.
However, as it is written:
“No eye has seen,
no ear has heard,
no mind has conceived
what God has prepared for those who love him”—
– 1 Corinthians 2:9