Get this…

Let’s stop saying that God caused that to happen in your life.. or God allowed _____(insert bad thing from the past). It is NOT His will that people be ill, abused, messed up, lost, wronged, etc. When you see good come out of your mess and hurts in life… it doesn’t automatically mean that God intended the BAD to happen in order for GOOD to come. 

I know the difficult thing is when people ask why bad things happen to people who don’t deserve it. 

Bad things have happened to me that I NEVER asked for… 

but 

EVERYONE HAS FREE WILL. Because of sin, other people’s free will have SPILLED onto my life without my choice. God is NEVER okay with the bad things that have cause you to hurt. He does not rejoice in that. 

He does however, see your hurts and WILL pick your mess up, clean it up, and transform it into something only our God can do. If He is our Creator… believe that is a living characteristic til this day… He will continue to create and re-create us… so that we will be whole and experience the goodness of what He promises in Romans 8:28:

 ”And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”

He makes all things work together for YOUR good. No matter how messy or irreparable you may think some things are. 

It’s about a shift in our perspective and view of God. 

1) He doesn’t make bad things happen only to show us His power. 

2) He DOES take what sin has tainted and REDEEMS it. 

He is our FATHER. our SAVIOR. our PROTECTOR. our PROVIDER. our HEALER.

1 month ago
”

Do you have the patience to wait till your mud settles and the water is clear? Can you remain unmoving till the right action arises by itself?

Lao Tzu (via nirvikalpa)

(Source: heartmindawakening, via comeupfromthewilderness)

2 months ago
Renee Hammond. Why I love you: I’m not even sure where to start. You are so many things to me, it’s difficult to comprehend and express in words. You have given me so much bravery and have been so patient with me from the very first day we met. Thank you for praying for me and always believing in me. You are a true marker of a woman that knows Gods heart deeply. You have been such an important part of me gaining my voice back as a woman and daughter of God. Thank you for seeing me through these past few years, for investing in me, pouring out words of life over me, and challenging me to grow up in Christ. Thank you for letting me be a part of your life. I love you.

Renee Hammond. Why I love you:


I’m not even sure where to start. You are so many things to me, it’s difficult to comprehend and express in words.
You have given me so much bravery and have been so patient with me from the very first day we met.

Thank you for praying for me and always believing in me. You are a true marker of a woman that knows Gods heart deeply. You have been such an important part of me gaining my voice back as a woman and daughter of God.

Thank you for seeing me through these past few years, for investing in me, pouring out words of life over me, and challenging me to grow up in Christ.

Thank you for letting me be a part of your life.

I love you.

3 months ago
Liezl. Why I love you: My dearest cousin and friend. Our relationship has grown and transformed throughout the years. You are family and nothing can phase or endanger that. Thank you for trusting me with all that you have. I trust you and choose you to be someone that will always be close to my heart. The plans God has for you is exponentially greater than any plan you have for yourself. Look back at all the things He’s loved you through and know that He will always be willing to love you even more and that grace and mercy are extended to you no matter how life looks like. My location and life may not allow me to be right here with you but that will never get in the way of my love and hope for you. Thanks for watching all the countless shows and movies that we have, all the make up, hair, an nail polish we’ve gone through, all the food and Saturday afternoon and night we’ve Spent growing up. I love you.

Liezl. Why I love you:

My dearest cousin and friend.
Our relationship has grown and transformed throughout the years. You are family and nothing can phase or endanger that.

Thank you for trusting me with all that you have. I trust you and choose you to be someone that will always be close to my heart.

The plans God has for you is exponentially greater than any plan you have for yourself. Look back at all the things He’s loved you through and know that He will always be willing to love you even more and that grace and mercy are extended to you no matter how life looks like.

My location and life may not allow me to be right here with you but that will never get in the way of my love and hope for you.


Thanks for watching all the countless shows and movies that we have, all the make up, hair, an nail polish we’ve gone through, all the food and Saturday afternoon and night we’ve Spent growing up.


I love you.

3 months ago
Sylvie. Why I love you: It’s simple. You are the token homegirl. Haha. You bring something (many things) in my life that no one else can. You are more powerful than you perceive yourself to be. The way God sees you would blow your mind if you ever get to see even a little bit of it. You are courageous for takin leaps and bounds from everything that has ever held you back or anyone that has ever tried to bring you down. These last few months getting to know you even more has been some of the funnest, productive, and liberating times. Thank you for empowering me to do what I love with what God has given me. Thank you for letting me in, trusting me, and in turn being a great friend to me. I love you.

Sylvie. Why I love you:


It’s simple. You are the token homegirl. Haha. You bring something (many things) in my life that no one else can. You are more powerful than you perceive yourself to be. The way God sees you would blow your mind if you ever get to see even a little bit of it.

You are courageous for takin leaps and bounds from everything that has ever held you back or anyone that has ever tried to bring you down. These last few months getting to know you even more has been some of the funnest, productive, and liberating times. Thank you for empowering me to do what I love with what God has given me.

Thank you for letting me in, trusting me, and in turn being a great friend to me.

I love you.

3 months ago
Yarly. Why I love YOU: My yayitas. You bring so much genuine happiness and joy in my life. You have got to be one of the most adorable and beautiful people I know. You ate talente beyond words but your humility speaks larger volumes. Our friendship has truly been God ordained. Crazy how similar parts I our pasts.. Dark and hurtful things… Have brought us together to show us how powerful God can love, heal, and restore us as women. You are a true marker of strength and faithfulness. The way you have fallen in love with Jesus has spurred me on to pursue Him whole heartedly day by day. I simply just have so muh fun with you and could not ask for a better friend in you. I praise God for protecting you and keeping you. So excited for the days to come for you… And how you will change this world! I love you.

Yarly. Why I love YOU:

My yayitas. You bring so much genuine happiness and joy in my life. You have got to be one of the most adorable and beautiful people I know. You ate talente beyond words but your humility speaks larger volumes.

Our friendship has truly been God ordained. Crazy how similar parts I our pasts.. Dark and hurtful things… Have brought us together to show us how powerful God can love, heal, and restore us as women. You are a true marker of strength and faithfulness. The way you have fallen in love with Jesus has spurred me on to pursue Him whole heartedly day by day.

I simply just have so muh fun with you and could not ask for a better friend in you. I praise God for protecting you and keeping you. So excited for the days to come for you… And how you will change this world!

I love you.

3 months ago
Why I love you: You have been a crucial part to my transformation and really falling deeply in love with Jesus. The biggest common denominator, common factor, and strongest bond hat brought us together is the very thing that hasature our friendship. No one else in my life has held me as accountable as you have. No one else can really know what I think and feel before I even say anything. No one else can give me the boost and encouragement the way you do. No one else has also inspired me to pursue God as faithfully as you do. With all the scary and tough things you’ve overcome, I feel like there’s nothing I should ever say that God cannot handle. Thank you for always remaining who you are and letting your life be a daily testimony to me. I love you.

Why I love you:

You have been a crucial part to my transformation and really falling deeply in love with Jesus. The biggest common denominator, common factor, and strongest bond hat brought us together is the very thing that hasature our friendship.

No one else in my life has held me as accountable as you have. No one else can really know what I think and feel before I even say anything. No one else can give me the boost and encouragement the way you do. No one else has also inspired me to pursue God as faithfully as you do. With all the scary and tough things you’ve overcome, I feel like there’s nothing I should ever say that God cannot handle.

Thank you for always remaining who you are and letting your life be a daily testimony to me.

I love you.

3 months ago
”

I’m attracted to the extreme light and the extreme dark. I’m interested in the human condition and what makes people tick. I’m interested in the things people try to hide.

Johnny Depp (via sketchmedesire)

(Source: teendazee, via whenyouholdmyown-deactivated201)

5 months ago

*** hope for those who cannot have hope for themselves***

just as children depend on adults to nurture and care for them in a way that they can’t. just as a plant depends on water for its growth. just as an adult depends on his job for income. just as people depend on food for nourishment. just as an ill or injured person depend on medical care for healing. just as electronic devices need energy. just as businesses need consumers. just as vehicles need gasoline. 

we ALL need something more than ourselves. (no matter how successful or sufficient you may feel in life) 

the hopeLESS need people to stand up for them and feed them, nourish them, water them, invest in them… the hope and confidence for their future and lives that they cannot see or are not willing to see for themselves. 

It’s a beautiful thing to be able to be broken for others. It’s a healthy thing. It doesn’t mean that your life stops functioning because you are SO broken for others that you no longer can function yourself… but it is a rare and PURE thing to be able to have a genuine heart for the hurts of others.

Hillsong’s “Hosanna” possesses one of my all time favorite lines in a song:

“BREAK MY HEART FOR WHAT BREAKS YOURS.”

To know that we live in a broken world, full of broken people whose free will may have impacted others positively or negatively… I hope and pray that I never stop feeling a portion of what our Father feels for us. It makes me feel human and sometimes really vulnerable…. but I KNOW that He has a HOPE for ME that is greater and bigger than I can imagine. 

That’s the hope we need to have for each other. For our families, friends, and the people around us. 

8 months ago

I am not complaining. Just observing. 

 Our society seems to take pride in the whole notion of ownership and entitlement. Seems like everywhere we go, we expect customer service to treat us like kings and queens. If they get our order wrong, we google and look up their manager or corporate’s number/email and make sure they hear about our dissatisfaction. 

I have been to the DMV twice this past week and have also observed some interesting trends. Ten minutes of waiting will turn faces red and raise voices. 15 minutes? Oh it’s over… raising your voice is not enough, publicly humiliating employees is the best way to go. 

We forget that these people who “serve” us are people too. 

Matthew 20:16 “The last will be first, and the first will be last”

I feel that this parable in Matthew 20 is quite applicable to situations as these. No one is greater than another. If you ever feel cheated or undeserving of treatment by employees/employers, cling to what Jesus promises. God is fair and just. He sees the hard work of people and he sees injustice all at the same time. Someone getting your order wrong is not detrimental to your life or your salvation. Let it go- bless the waiter/waitress by your kindness and grace (yes you can tell them what you need and want with truth AND grace). 

I’ve seen some of my friends put this into action (shout out to Marina Francis), loving people who serve us well, having grace when they mess up, and going the extra mile to praise them when they are exceptional. 

I’m sure God has greater plans for all of us to spread the gospel, share his love in other countries and places but we need to take responsibility for our own environments first. Our hearts will not magically transform into loving and grace-giving hearts once we get on the flight to our mission trips- it starts here. 

*maybe i’m feeling this way b/c my last three starbucks drink were so BOMB? 

9 months ago

(via angeliquecrest)

9 months ago

NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC FILM ON NORTH KOREA and it’s DICTATOR KIM JONG-IL

Please take the time to watch. 

What’s going on in N. Korea?:

“North Korea is one of the world’s most tragic humanitarian disasters today - yet it is also the least known. For over 50 years, whole villages have starved, lacking basic necessities to survive. Parents continue to escape across the border to China to find food, work and better opportunities. Mothers and sisters who intended to return are ravaged by the demands of sex trafficking, leaving children to fend for themselves. For refugees in China who have managed to evade being captured, they are left with little choice but to stay hidden in underground shelters, fearing repatriation to North Korea’s prison camps - notorious for raping, torturing or working its victims to death.” -Liberty In North Korea 

From a Christian perspective- after you watch this film, it could break your heart into millions of pieces. To me, the biggest stab in my heart is when I realize that N. Korea has not had the chance to know who God is and all his wonderful loving and gentle ways. It’s interesting to see that wherever you may be, whatever you may have, it seems as if the need to HAVE SOMETHING GREATER TO PUT YOUR FAITH IN/HOPE FOR, is one basic need we share as human beings. The fact that either out of fear or true admiration- they worship KIM JONG-IL as if it were the only thing keeping them alive, makes my heart yearn again such injustice. 

Meeting a N. Korean refugee this past week, seeing personal footage of how bloody and how DEhumanizing N. Koreans are treated for even speaking one word against Kim Jong-il has caused my heart to burn and my prayers to increase. The way I’ve seen brothers and sisters at an age when people think we are the most self-consumed,come together and raise over $5,000 to free not ONE, but TWO N. Korean refugees…. has lifted me and has me so excited to see Matthew 28:16-20 become more fulfilled.

WATCH THIS! 

more to come. 

9 months ago
Daughter of Christ, a man will not define you, your friends will not define you, your job will not define you, your success will not define you, your past will not define you, the world’s expectations of you will not define you - leave that job to God.

Daughter of Christ, a man will not define you, your friends will not define you, your job will not define you, your success will not define you, your past will not define you, the world’s expectations of you will not define you - leave that job to God.

(Source: justgenesiz, via sylviebt)

10 months ago

Restoration takes you from glory to glory!

I was reading some passages this morning and it all tied in with restoration. (Isaiah 61) 

In relation to that, I’d been in some funk of not connecting deeply when reading my Bible or not being able to apply it when I’m out in the real world and outside of the comfort of my bed and room. I woke up so thirsty and so hungry to realign myself with His promises and the presence of the Holy Spirit that too, is promised to me. I had nothing else to say but to cry out how much I need Him and how much I need the Holy Spirit to show me things that I can’t see with my own eyes… to unlock what is right in front of me in printed letters that I am too calloused to see. 

Reading about what a just God and Father He is and how he wants His children to receive justice and restoration… I felt a jolt of fresh air and new life as I realized that God does not just restore- He gives you better things than before. FORGET YOUR FORMER WAYS AND YOUR FORMER LIFE BECAUSE WITH RESTORATION GOD INTENDS TO BRING YOU FROM GLORY TO GLORY!

I struggle with comparing things …. ALOT. (that really is an understatement but Tumblr doesn’t have the option of underlining, red lettering, extra large-ing fonts craziness). It is frustrating at times to see yourself stuck in a whirlwind of disillusionment- realizing that things aren’t going your way… or that the idea of how you should be treated and loved isn’t everyone else’s idea. 

Stopping the tracks to a train that’s headed nowhere , FAST is hard at times. but it becomes so much easier when you realize that your LOVING LOVING FATHER always has more for you on the other side. He can love YOU better than the closest people in your life can. Don’t look for gifts, presents, and treatment from the people around you, they are just people too… just as feeble, weak, and double-minded as you are… but remember, our treasures are stored in a place that He’s gone ahead and made for us. THAT IS the ultimate RESTORATION gift! He will restore YOU to your rightful place with Him and will replace your ashes with a CROWN! 

So join me in and asking Him for strength in forgetting the former things (meaning, not dwelling in them so much that it becomes bigger than your reality and future.. b/c even the good things can blind you from seeing even greater things that are and will be happening around you), and looking forward to each day and each moment to glorify Him and claim that each moment will be sweeter than before! 

We have so much to look forward to! 

10 months ago

mandu:

i’ve messed up a lot, but to know that someone still loves you despite your faults is the best feeling ever. 

10 months ago