Love Me... Enough to Stay Pure

WHEW! It has been a while since I wrote a blog! I have just been so busy my life has gotten pretty crazy.. but that is NO EXCUSE... and I have MISSED writing.. so I am super excited to get back to the blogging life!! I have some time to sit down and write and God has been nudging me for a while about this particular blog post. I have hesitated because.. for me... it honestly ,until recently, has been kind of uncomfortable for me to talk about. SOOO here goes nothing!


God has been tugging at my heart strings about sexual purity for a while. I think it is a topic that so often in the body of Christ we just cover over with a simple "stay abstinent.. if you aren't a virgin.. be celibate.. and call it a day!" But it is not that simple. There are so many struggles...temptations... tv commercials alone are enough to have you stumbling..so a simple "remain abstinent/celibate" ... simply is not enough! So how do we stay sexual pure in a society that encourages sexual immorality?

It is ROUGH ROUGH ROUGH.. yet EASY EASY EASY...

The answers are in the WORD of God...

"No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it." 1 Corinthians 10:13 

God said it in His word! You CAN overcome temptation! It does not have to rule your world..just because it is in your world! God says He will provide a way OUT! Temptation WILL come your way.. but there is an escape route.. His name is Jesus.. run to Him QUICKLY and don't look back! 

The very best way to maintain  ( because temptation will happen!) is to evaluate what you are watching,listening to, taking in, hanging around, looking at... etc. 

"Turn my eyes from looking at worthless things; and give me life in your ways." Psalm 119:37 

TURN YOUR EYES! If you struggle with lust.. why are you looking at things that cause you to lust?!??! Walking away is a simple option to a lot of things... It can be the difference between you doing something you regret and you keeping your sanctification in Christ. Choose wisely! 

The reactions I get to my testimony crack me u every time! The moment I say " I am a 22 year old virgin," ears perk up and people listen. I have been told I am a liar ( because virginity seems impossible I guess!), I have been told I probably live in a box and don't get out much ( definitely not true.. I am a very outgoing girl and love hanging out!), and I also get the reaction that I must be " so holy" to have lived this way! ( also so far from true it couldn't be any more false lol.. )

So what made me make the decision to remain a virgin until my wedding date? 

At a very early age ( I wasn't always saved so Jesus wasn't the reason until I got saved!) I made the decision to be different. I saw so many girls giving so many men EVERYTHING they had .. only to be left in the dust for the next chick. I promised myself that that would NEVER be me! Baby mama drama in high school was enough to keep me far away from " getting it in." I didn't want to risk the lifetime consequences for the temporary pleasure.. it just was not worth it for me! 

When I got saved and surrendered my life to God... my virginity became even more important. But life did get MORE real. I saw a lot of my friends having sex and telling me I was missing out. I literally felt like I was! I felt like such a lame girl. Why hadn't I had sex...just gotten it over with and done what everyone else did? When my friends would talk about their experiences I would just sit there in the corner with nothing to share. I was convinced I was lame. But the closer I got to God.. the more that I realized the enemy wanted me to feel like I was a lame! The enemy knew my virginity was the one thing that he could not get to.. and he didn't like it! So the devil would plant things in my head ( and he still does ALL THE TIME.. *Side Note: the enemy will only live in your mind if you let him.. KICK HIS SORRY BUTT OUT!*). He tells me things like "you will never find a man who is willing to wait for you. " And, " Nobody wants to date a virgin... you are crazy!" But what does the devil know?? NOTHING.. he is a LIAR and the truth is not in him! 

"For though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds. We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ" -2 Corinthians  10:3-5

Trust that God has someone who is willing to wait on you.. in fact.. He has someone who will INSIST on waiting for you.. because he will be a man who respects you and your body! 

The question I am usually asked... Am I tempted??

HECK YES! 

Sex is a good thing... it was designed by God.. BUT only for MARRIAGE... not for ANYTHING ELSE! 

How do I fight temptation?

When I am tempted ( and believe me the struggle is real!) I honestly talk to God in my head. He reminds me of all the  reasons I have promised to keep myself for marriage and then He reminds me of all the ways HE keeps me!

"So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus. Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, to make you obey its passions. Do not present your members to sin as instruments for unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life, and your members to God as instruments for righteousness. For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace." -Romans 6:11-14

 I am determined to have this special gift set aside specifically for my amazing ,God sent husband! It will be an experience that I get to share with him. I will be able to look him in his face and tell him in my Elle Varner voice  "I only want to give it to you!" lol. SERIOUSLY... I want my husband to feel special.. what better way to do that than to show him he has ALL of me! A part of me that NO ONE else in this world will EVER have but him! 

NOW...

If you have had sex.. or are having sex....

I encourage you to STOP. If you are not married.. STOP. God has seasons for every part of your life.. this is NOT your season for sex... SIMPLE. You CAN remain celibate ! It will be hard... probably ten times more difficult than it is for someone like me who has never experienced it.. but it is doable! Honor yourself, your future spouse, and MOST importantly, God with your body! Choose purity! 

"Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. He who calls you is faithful; he will surely do it." -1 Thessalonians 5:23-24

Always chose God's best for your life! Tell your flesh to SHUT UP.. you don't obey it.. you obey God! He rules your life!

God loves each of you SO much!!!!!!!!!!

Nicole L. 

Love... No Condemnation

So lately I have been hearing SO much about Conviction, Condemnation, and God's grace. How do all of these "Christanese" terms have so much in common?!??! It took me a while to fully understand the concept of each word and what they stood for.

So often, we hear these terms defined but we still don't fully understand their roles in the kingdom of God. Here are some dictionary definitions of the words according to Merriam Webster:

What is Conviction?
- The act of convincing a person of error or of compelling the admission of truth


What is Condemnation?
- " to declare to be reprehensible, wrong, or evil usually after weighing evidence and without reservation"
What is Grace?
-unmerited divine assistance given humans for their regeneration or sanctification

- a virtue coming from God

- a state of sanctification enjoyed through divine grace

-disposition to or an act or instance of kindness, courtesy, or clemency
It can all get confusing if you don't go DIRECTLY to God's word and pick apart these terms yourself.

Lets start here :

" If anyone hears my words and doesn't keep them, I don't condemn him, because I didn't come to condemn the world, but to save it." (John 12:47)

"There is NO condemnation for those IN CHRIST JESUS." Romans 8:1

You can clearly see that condemnation IS NOT from Christ! that is made absolutely clear in these scriptures.

I read in a devotional, " The Dare," by Josh Mayo 

" Conviction is the tool of the holy spirit, Condemnation is the tool of the enemy." 

So often, people want to make God out to be this bad God who sits around in heaven and judges their every move. He is NOT that kind of God.. don't let the enemy fool you! God wants nothing more than to love on you! But He absolutely wants you to keep His comandments and follow what He says... but if you don't He isn't going to condemn you.. He will , however make you FEEL awful about your choice which will hopefully cause you to TRUE repentance which is where CONVICTION comes in. God makes you feel a certain way about your sin that almost hurts you. Your love for God takes over and you feel awful about what you have done to sin against Him.. Conviction causes you to run to God.. tell Him what you have done.. and ask for His forgiveness.. you repent.. TURN AWAY from that sin... and are forgiven!


SATAN, however, is the " accuser of the brethren..." Revelation 12:10 

Satan condemns you even before you are proven guilty of anything! He is NOT a just devil.. He wants to make you feel SOOOO bad about your sin that you RUN from God because you feel " too dirty, unholy, and too unrighteous " to go before God. That one sin.. mixed with all that condemnation from the enemy can lead to a MAJOR downward spiral in your walk with Christ which is EXACTLY what the enemy wants! 

PRAISE GOD that we DON'T Have to go through all of that foolishness the enemy tries to hand us! Because Jesus lived a PERFECT and SPOTLESS life... Sinless... went to Calvary...got up on a cross with nails in His hands and feet...thorns on His heads... blood dripping from the slashes on top of slashes He endured... ALL so we could be seen as RIGHTEOUS people in the eyes of God! PRAISE HIM! 

"God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God." 2 Corinthians 5:21
WE ARE RIGHTEOUS! When God looks at your pretty little face... He sees JESUS! He doesn't see your sin.. because Jesus took that already.. He doesn't see your imperfections... He sees you through the blood of Jesus Christ! He deems you " Not Guilty!" even though we are SOOO guilty! When we sin, He gives us that unmerited grace.. that divine act of God. He sees us not as sinners.. but as people covered in His grace and mercy. 

The bible says 

" But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me." 2 Corinthians 12:9 

God's grace is more than enough to cover all of your sins! Anytime you sin He covers you and forgives you. NOW DON'T GET IT TWISTED... there are STILL consequences for your sin... you will STILL be judged on it one day... but your sin won't put a huge divide between you and God that would make Him rebuke you. His grace is the love that after you sin... you can STILL RUN back into His loving arms! His grace and mercy is what has covered you when you had sex with 10 different people and don't have that STD or an unexpected pregnancy! He had mercy on you! He has plans for you.. His grace is what helps illustrate His love to you! 

BUT PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE Do not ABUSE God's AMAZING grace! Just because He gives it to you.. it isn't rights for you to use Him up! That is a mockery of everything God is... we as His people must STOP THAT NOW! 

"Yet the Lord longs to be gracious to you;
    therefore he will rise up to show you compassion.
For the Lord is a God of justice.
    Blessed are all who wait for him!" -Isaiah 30:18

Conviction brings sorrow to you.. it is SUPPOSE to hurt when you hurt God. He hurts when you sin! It is almost like you nail JEsus right back on the cross.. thank God He took it over 2,000 years ago.. but it still hurts. The bible says that God's kindness leads us to repentance ( Romans 2:4). God's kindness and grace towards us should definitely MAKE us want to repent and turn away from any sin that can hurt us but more importantly hurt God's feelings! 

I want to encourage you today... if the enemy has brought any condemnation on your life .... TELL HIM to SIT HIS EVIL TAIL DOWN! You are covered in God's love... His grace and mercy... and you are not condemned because of your sin! You are NOT held on or bound by that sin. God wants you to run to Him and ask for forgiveness.. He wants you to turn away from anything that can harm you! Don't let the enemy lie to you anymore! You are NOT condemned ..YOU ARE FREE in Christ Jesus! Hallelujah! 

I pray that today... you understand the difference between conviction and condemnation. I pray that God has shown you that you are LOVED by Him so much that He sent His son to die for you so you DON'T have to be condemned anymore! I pray that you know that the enemy is a LIAR and the truth is NOT in Him and that He won't win! I pray that you no longer let the enemy make you feel guilty for the things in your past. Do not let Him whisper in your ear the things that you have done... or how you have messed up! Call Him out! Tell Him HE IS THE ONLY ONE CONDEMNED TO HELL FOR ETERNITY...and because you are SAVED and know that Jesus is your Lord and savior and have confessed it to the world.. YOU WILL not let Him punish you daily.. you KNOW you are righteous and spotless in Christ Jesus.. and you WILL be in Heaven worshipping God's holy name for eternity! You are LOVED by an amazing God and Have been SAVED ! 

You are SO dang Loved!!!!

Nicole L. 

Love...Studying

I made a promise to myself and God that this year I would dig in deeper! I want MORE. the best way to get more of Him is to read more about who He is. When you want to know something about a person, you read their biography or their autobiography. The bible is a biography of everything Jesus. The bible is Jesus' autobiography. When He came to earth everything in that book became Him! 

"The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth." (John 1:14). 

Okay... 

So you have this yearning desire to dig deeper into God's word. So you pick up the bible, open it, and start reading. All of the sudden your mind begins to wonder into far places and the next thing you know you have forgotten what you read. Can anybody else relate?

I know I can! 

Lately, I have gotten a ton of questions on how to sit and actually study the bible. So I thought I would do a quick blog on my "go to tips" for digging in a little bit deeper! 

It can be really difficult to take the first step in saying you will commit yourself to studying God's word, so getting committed to doing it is the very first step to take. Once you make that step with God in saying you are devoted to learning more about Him, you will be more enthusiastic about going deeper into what He has to say . 

So how do I spice up my bible reading....????


1.) I let the holy spirit lead me- 

Let the holy spirit in on your bible time. Ask Him for guidance and help to understand and comprehend what God wants you to get. Sometimes right before I read my bible I address the holy spirit in my prayer. I ask Him to lead me to what He needs me to get from my quiet time and direct my every thought. I ask Him to be with me and give me instruction as I read about who God is. The holy spirit was given to us as a helper. UTILIZE Him! He wants nothing more than to be a part of your every action INCLUDING your study time. 

"He told them, “You don’t get to know the time. Timing is the Father’s business. What you’ll get is the Holy Spirit. And when the Holy Spirit comes on you, you will be able to be my witnesses in Jerusalem, all over Judea and Samaria, even to the ends of the world.” "(Acts 1:7-8).

2.) Google is my best friend-

I ALWAYS have my bible, my journal, and my macbook handy while I study God's word. I google like a crazy woman! If I don't know a word or history about something, I will google the mess out of it until I gain understanding about it. I look for RELIABLE sources ( almanacs, libraries, etc.) to help me study and when I know it, comprehend it, I move on. 

DO YOUR RESEARCH!!!!!!!

When you meet a new person you are interested in... what is the first thing you do? You go add them on Facebook..follow them on Twitter...Google... you research them! You want to know a little bit about this person before you invest your time! God wants us to do the same for Him. He wants us to research Him.. to SEEK Him and invest our time and attention to getting to know Him. Treat God BETTER than you treat that new cutie you met..Do your research! :) ♥

3.) I journal my thoughts- 

I journal my every thought during my quiet time with God. I want to remember what He spoke to me. I write scriptures in my journal, I write worship song lyrics that pop up, I write revelation... EVERYTHING.. I write it. It makes it a lot easier for me to comprehend what just occurred in my alone time with Him. It also allows me the opportunity to go back on previous notes and study. My advice to you is get a journal, write prayers, scriptures, everything in it. 
*Side Note- Note cards are really great too! I write scriptures on them if i have them handy to memorize them! 

4.) Find a bible that works- 

Find a bible that works for you! Some people do REALLY well using the KJV ( King James Version). Others of us.... not so gifted. I personally like the Message, the NIV, NLT, ESV, and amplified ( I love the lengthiness of the amplified bible!). Find a version that works for you to help you better articulate God's word. Some will argue all day until they are blue in the face that every Christian should read the KJV.. I have no time for that dispute.. you do you.. ! Whatever works! You like it.. I love it! Find your bible or switch it up and try multiple versions whatever works! 


My best advice to spice up your bible time.... JUST DO IT! The word of God is SO important! I understand frustration behind not understanding what you are reading.. but not understanding it is no reason NOT to do the assignment. Think about school.. when you have a paper to do.. and you just REALLY don't get the topic you go and figure out how to study it! MAKE MOVES! Figure out how to drum up your interest in God's word, how to make it easy for you to understand and READ. The more you know about God the better! He is AMAZING. Once you have gotten your study pattern down it will be REALLY hard to pull your head out of the bible! 


I really hope some of these tips help you guys! 



You are loved! 

Nicole L. 

Love...Sleeping With A Broken Heart

Boy oh Boy can I tell you about the topic at hand!

I have had a broken heart more times than I can count! 

It is NEVER fun. it REALLY hurts. and it almost makes you sick to your stomach. Trust me.. if no one else knows... I KNOW. 

I know the pain can seem unbearable.. It Hurts.. there simply is no other way to put it. But with a broken heart.. you have some options.

#1- Let it stay cracked and broken and sit and wallow in self pity

or

#2- Give it to God and praise Him in the midst of the hurt

It is always easier to revert to #1. a Pity party is always awesome when you already feel sucky! Lets face it.. when your heart is hurting.. you FEEL you have the right to be " depressed." But that is a Lie from the enemy if I ever heard one ;) 

You NEVER have the right to be depressed about anything in this life. You woke up. You are breathing. and Jesus saved you. Hallelujah! So SMILE! You have things to do! 

NOOOO.. I am not being heartless! Believe me! I get the whole " I want to be sad.. my heart hurts..." thing.." but I know that my God is the ultimate comforter and He has plans in every situation. So NO! I will not accept the invitation to your own personal pity party.. nor will I support the cause! Sorry... My God is bigger than heart break!

 Psalm 34:18 

" The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit." 

Sooo... your heart is broken....


Now what?!?!?!?

Step 1.) 

Start with Forgiveness....

“You’re familiar with the command to the ancients, ‘Do not murder.’ I’m telling you that anyone who is so much as angry with a brother or sister is guilty of murder. Carelessly call a brother ‘idiot!’ and you just might find yourself hauled into court. Thoughtlessly yell ‘stupid!’ at a sister and you are on the brink of hellfire. The simple moral fact is that words kill.

^23-24 “This is how I want you to conduct yourself in these matters. If you enter your place of worship and, about to make an offering, you suddenly remember a grudge a friend has against you, abandon your offering, leave immediately, go to this friend and make things right. Then and only then, come back and work things out with God. (Matthew 5:22-24).

You HAVE to forgive who ever hurt you! It is a MUST! God said if you have an alt ( you have something against...) with your brother or sister.. you must reconcile with them and forgive! If you don't.. you might as well have committed murder! That is CRAZY! So while you are holding on to your little grudge.. you are ultimately creating not only separation between you and the person you are beefing with... but between you and God. you are SINNING every minute you DON'T forgive that person for your heart ache! In our sin.. God is separate from us. You must repent.. turn away and run back to God. In this case, you must forgive... run to God and let Him heal you! 

Forgiveness is SO huge to God. He shows us in this scripture by saying.. He doesn't even care if you are about to give up an offering to Him! You have to LEAVE what you are doing and go make good with your brother or sister! I love this scripture because it kind of reveals how selfless God is. He says... "forget my offering.. go make things right with your friend.. then come back to me!" 

Forgive...Forgive... and then Forgive again! You can't begin the healing process with out it! 

Step 2.) 

Let God Hold You...


"Fear not, for I am with you. Do not be dismayed. I am your God. I will strengthen you; I will help you; I will uphold you with My victorious right hand." (Isaiah 41:10)


God said He has you! He will give you strength! Read this verse over...and over... and over again until you understand the POWER behind the words in this scripture :

FEAR NOT...
I AM WITH YOU...
DO NOT BE DISMAYED...
I AM YOUR GOD...
I WILL STRENGTHEN YOU...
I WILL HELP YOU...
I WILL UPHOLD YOU IN MY VICTORIOUS HAND!....

WHEW!.... Say that out loud a few times and you will FEEL the power in it! God has you... heartache is nothing to God! He can take that pain and replace it with VICTORY! stand in Him! 

Step 3.) 

Trust God....

"Do not let this happy trust in the Lord die away, no matter what happens. Remember your reward! You need to keep on patiently doing God's will if you want Him to do for you all that He has promised. His coming will not be delayed much longer. And those whose faith has made them good in God's sight must live by faith, trusting Him in everything. Otherwise, if they shrink back, God will have no pleasure in them."(Hebrews 10:35-38).

With heart break comes healing! It never fails. now it is up to you how long the healing process takes! It all depends on how long you decide to take before you let God have your ENTIRE life! When you trust God and His plans... you understand there is a greater purpose for your pain. He has something GREATER in store for you! But until you learn that He is the RULER of your life and not just a God with opinions... you won't ever discover true healing! 



"I waited patiently for God to help me; then He listened and heard my cry. He lifted me out of the pit of despair, out from the bog and the mire, and set my feet on a hard, firm path and steadied me as I walked along. He has given me a new song to sing, of praises to our God. Now many will hear of the glorious things He did for me, and stand in awe before the Lord, and put their trust in Him."(Psalm 40:1-3)

God hears your cries. He feels your tears! He wants nothing more than to wipe them away for you! Once you learn to trust Him with your heart.. He will give you a " new song to sing, of praises..." He will make you HAPPY again! You will begin to see there is something beyond your feelings and emotions... something more He needs from you... and that is YOUR HEART.. broken or not! Trust Him. 

Step 4.) 

Know that God Gives Peace....

"Come to me ,all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light." (Matthew 11:28-20).

"Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid."(John 14:27).

"I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world." (John 16:22).

God gives peace in the midst of a storm. He says it CLEARLY. Christ overcame the world so you have NOTHING to worry about! There is no amount of pain that God can not mend. His peace is like no other! It is ULTIMATE and everlasting. You don't have to worry anymore. You don't have to feel pain anymore because Jesus died so He could take that from you! Get before God. Sit at Jesus' feet... and worship Him. Thank Him in advance for the peace He will give you. He is such a comforter. 

Heart break hurts for a second... but remember.. you may be hurt now.. but the hurt WON'T last forever! 

God has something in store for you! Something you just can not see! Cast it ALL on Him and don''t worry about it anymore!

God is in the heart business! He repairs them.. He mends them.. He heals them.. but most of all He captures them! Seek Him. 

He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds -Psalm 147:3

You are SOOOOOOO Loved By God it is RIDICULOUS!!!!! 


He is Crazy Crazy In love with you!!!!!!!!!!

Nicole L.  <3

Love...Where You Are

It is the holiday season!!!!!!!  So I wanted to write a short blog on some things that I personally have been dealing with! So here goes :) ...

Chances are you have heard of tons of new life events from the people surrounding you! Engagements...weddings...baby announcements.. new relationships .. the list goes on and on! Tis the season for life changes!

In the midst of all of the exciting news you might find yourself just... there. or at least that is what you feel like.

I can relate.

It is really hard to sit and watch everyone's lives changing around you. I have a FEW quick tips to help you with all of the new changes going on around you....

1.) If you see all of your loved ones making major life changes BE HAPPY FOR THEM! and TRULY HAPPY. A true friend rejoices with their friends in EVERY season! You have to step outside of yourself and be excited with them for this time in their lives... because when your time comes you would want the same respect! Don't get bitter or jealous!

You shall not set your desire on your neighbor's house or land, his manservant or maidservant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor. (Deuteronomy 5:21) 

Don't sit and observe what everyone around you has! When God is ready to give you what He promised you.. He WILL... stop hating! put your little selfish pride to the side and find true joy and peace. 

2.) Get content in Christ. So what everyone seems to have your "dream life." focus on Christ and what He is asking you to do! Don't ask for a husband if you KNOW you can't even be a good friend. that is simply nuts! spend your time with God.. in your word! let Him mold you and shape you and make you into the person He needs for you to be! God has a plan for you! He has your every step strategically planned out! 

¹¹ 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) 

God has PLANS for YOU! He made them before you even had a mind to conjure up any of your own little plans! Sit your tail down and get good in God! Know that He has you. Spend your time consumed in Him and His presence and forget the rest! 

3.) Your ways are not God's ways. You can't keep comparing and contrasting your life to everyone elses. He has specific steps for YOU. specific goals for YOU. stop looking at what people around you have and start focusing on you! You think their grass looks greener than yours.. but that is simply because they have put in the work to make that grass green! Stop expecting your crops to grow and you haven't even planted ONE seed! tend to your crops so you can get YOUR harvest! 

For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD. 9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.( Isaiah 55:8-9) 

The way your mind thinks is not even CLOSE to the way God thinks. You will NEVER understand why He has your life mapped out the way He does.. but you will appreciate it in the long run. See, there is a bigger picture that only God sees. We get the small pieces of the picture at a time. God places those pieces together one by one.. but only He knows what the picture turns out looking like. So rest. God has you. He won't leave you looking stuck! 

4.) God wants you to be happy! God wants nothing more than for you to be happy.. but happiness doesn't always come in the form we think it should. It all goes back to the scripture above.. Isaiah 55:8-9. We simply are not on God's level when it comes to the plans for our lives. His plans will always out do our plans. It is like we want to go get McDonalds to eat..and God says " No! I have a steak..lobster...Shrimp... Chicken...any type of food you ever wanted to eat buffet ready for you." WHYYYYY do we KEEP trying to pick up McDonalds when God told you He has GOT YOU! Sit DOWNNNN Please! Get comfortable in God's arms and don't worry. He will make your desires MATCH His desires and that is when you will find true happiness. 


This holiday season... don't focus on what you FEEL you don't have. Focus on the very breath God gave you every day. Focus on the family you have surrounding you. Focus on the amazing AWESOME savior God sent to this earth to die for YOU.The next time you feel discontent with your life. Sit down and write a list of TEN things you are Super grateful for. God keeps blessing you! You just keep missing YOUR blessing because you are too focused on someone else's blessing! STOP THAT! 




I pray everyone has an AMAZING CHristmas ! 

You are LOVED! 

Nicole L.