Beautiful, Courageous You

Tag Archives: compassion


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A Captured Heart

Follow your dreams

God wants to heal you from depression, anxiety, shame, addiction and whatever else holds you captive, He wants you to dream again, dream big! You were created  for purpose, to have a vision for your life that captures your heart and imagination, something so big that you become purpose-driven.

For this to happen you must first confront your captors, those past hurts, habits, unforgiveness and all else holding you captive, must be dealt with before you can launch out into a new life of complete freedom and joy, ready to dream again, to truly live again!. Doing this requires courage, plenty of it!

Author Bob Gass writes: “On the heels of every dream there’s a demon of doubt. No sooner is your dream conceived than your mind is suddenly filled with all the reasons why it may not work…” Your inner dialogue may go something like this:, receiving prayer ‘doesn’t really work’, going to a counselor ‘may be a waste of time’, I have been this way for so long now I doubt anything will ever change… this is ‘just the way I am’… “ and there will be folks around you who’ll be quick to confirm those fears. In spite of that, you must forge ahead and dream; otherwise you’ll spend the rest of your life fulfilling the dreams of others”.

It is time to stand firm and declare you will not stay this way, break free from the shackles of fear, God has more for you than you have been settling for. ‘Rise up; this matter is in your hands… take courage and do it.” Ezra 10:4


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… You Find Me Bigger!

Aslan

In the book *Prince Caspian, Lucy sees Aslan the lion for the first time in many years. He has changed since their last encounter. His size surprises her, and she tells him as much. ‘Aslan,’ says Lucy, ‘you’re bigger.’ He replies, ‘That is because you are older little one.’ Lucy says, ‘Not because you are?’ He replies, ‘I am not. But every year you grow, you find me bigger.’ And so it is in our walk with Christ. The longer we serve Him, the greater He becomes. It’s not that He changes, but that we do. We see dimensions, aspects, characteristics we never saw before; increasing and astonishing increments of His purity, power and uniqueness.

It is only recently that I have realised God is much bigger than the religious box I had been holding Him in for the past 15 years. As I grow in the true knowledge of who He is I am in awe of the many facets to His goodness, mercy, forgiveness and love. David wrote: ‘Let all that I am praise the Lord; may I never forget the good things He does for me. He forgives all my sins and heals all my diseases. He redeems me from death and crowns me with love and tender mercies. He fills my life with good things…’ (Psalm 103:2-5)

May you see Him ‘bigger’ today… get a BIG view of God and this will translate into BIG courage! For He is bigger than the financial pressure you have, bigger than the sickness you’re battling, bigger than the persecution of other’s, bigger than the relationship problems your dealing with… bigger than all that life has to throw at you. He is Lord over all that comes against you, Hudson Taylor said, if He is not Lord over all, He is not Lord at all!

 

 

*ref; Bob Gass Word For Today


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Super Sweet Blog Award

What a lovely surprise and thank you so much,  Ellie from New Creation Ministries for the unexpected nomination of Super Sweet Blogger Award!  Ellie is a wealth of inspiration and encouragement check her out at;http://newcreationsministries.wordpress.com

Cupcake4

So as expected, I am to follow all the simple rules for this  award and with that goes the pleasure of nominating 13 other sweet bloggers.

Rules for this Blog Award:

1. Thank the blogger who nominated you.

2. Answer five ‘Super Sweet’ questions, listed below.

3. Include the Super Sweet Blogging Award Icon in your blog post.  (simple, copy image above)

4. Nominate a baker’s dozen, so cute (!) 13 other deserving bloggers.

5. Notify your Super Sweet nominees on their blog.

My Five Super Sweet Questions for this Award:  (You Answer the Same One’s)

1. Cookies or Cake?

Cookies… with a cuppa

2. Chocolate or Vanilla?

Chocolate… very dark 🙂

3. Favorite Sweet Treat?

Dark Lindt chocolate ball… or ‘balls’

4. When Do You Crave Sweet Things The Most?

Once the kids are in bed… peace & quite = treaty time!

5. Sweet Nick Name?

Ducky… my blonde hair as a kid, teamed with wearing yellow made me look like a little duck (apparently)

Here are my nominees:

http://rogertharpe.wordpress.com/

http://prayerworkscafe.org/

http://godthang.wordpress.com/

http://homemakingwithheart.com/

http://pureglory.net/

http://foodaddiction2freedom.com/

http://unshakablehope.wordpress.com/

http://faith1stministries.com/

http://dianereedwiter.wordpress.com/

http://shareaverse.wordpress.com/

http://healthnutmumblog.wordpress.com/

http://iprodigaldaughter.wordpress.com/

http://www.hikingphoto.com/


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He Loves Me!

CS LewisGod has uniquely created each one of us to interact with Him as individuals and your prayer style should be consistent with the way He designed you.

Be yourself, approach Him with your own personality, your strengths, weaknesses and everything that is you. In the book of  1 Samuel we read a story of Hannah,  heartbroken and grief stricken as she was childless in a society that considered not having a child the ultimate failure. When Hannah cried out to God she wasn’t on her knees with head bowed and whispering her petitions, rather the Word says she was ‘in bitterness of soul and wept in anguish’ chapter 1:12 . God wants to meet with you, He wants to take you just as you are.

I recall a time of desperate prayer on my knees in the pouring rain as I ‘wept in anguish’, God answered and my journey of healing began in that desperate moment. God loves that we come to Him with our emotions, our hurt, our true self, just as a parent does with his child. I want my children to feel they can come to me with all manner of problems, not hide their emotions under a veil of fear.

When my daughters come to me and show dependence on me as the role of a loving parent, I feel fulfilled, my heart bubbles with love in that they trust me with their deepest hurts.

In similar ways, the parent child relationship defines the attitude we ought to have in prayer an attitude that focuses on God and expresses absolute dependence on Him as Father, the One who gave us life and who loves, cares for, provides for, and protects us.

Sometimes at night I hear my little girl praying, not some mechanical script, but words that flow from a heart of thanksgiving and faith in a Heavenly Father that in her words, ‘makes everything okay because He loves me’. God is not manipulated by long-winded, rehearsed babbling but rather He is moved by our heart attitude, an attitude that seeks His presence… not His presents.