What does God look like to you?

What does God look like to you? Is He a giant in a golden throne? Is He brighter than the sun?

We all see  God every day.  God is everywhere and is everything . He is the hope ,trust, faith, patients, compassion,and joy that is in all of us everyday. God is the purest form of love that all of these would not be without .
Can you see Him in everyone . Have you ever heard a child sing and was moved to tears or awe? What about an angry coworker or neighbor ? Can you see Him in them? Of corse you can , He is in them and you. And you can do all things through Christ.
John 11:25
Jesus said noone is dead. He is the life, He is the one that brings back to life. Because you believe you can plant a seed of faith in others. That means noone is without God. God  created the heaven and the earth and all things . So God is in everything. He is in the things unseen and unheard and the things seen and heard. He is the awe in the stars, He is the beauty in a friendship, He is the passion in a soldier fighting for freedom, He is the compassion in forgivness. He is the spirit in missionaries free to spread the WORD. He is the love of a mother for her child, He is the joy in helping another. He is the peace that calms the soul, He is the faith in our prayers, He is the strength in us to keep going. He is the fire in us to speak truth. He is the rain that waters the earth, He is the rock of which we all stand on, He is the movement in the wind, He is the light in the sun , He is the nurishment in the food we eat. He is the oxygen for our lungs.He is the beat in our heart.He is the Free in freewill.  God Is everywhere and everything. God is love for us .
Psalms 37:4
God said He will grant our every desire. That is because He is our every desire. We do not desire cars, mansions, and money the flesh does. We desire faith ,hope and love  and these are God.
As I write this artical I can see what He looks like more and more, but one question comes to my mind.
What do I look like to Him?
 Do I look worth God's only son? . Do I look like the prince of peace that passed the tourch to me from the cross? Do I look like the child facing her giants with Gods aim? Do I look like the girl Esther was ,out of love for her people? Do I look like  the men willing to go in the firey furnace for Gods purpose? Do I look like the person that could part the sea for others freedom?
I humbly with tears in my eyes and confidence in my heart say yes. WE all look like these to God. God created us in His image , the same image He created His son .That image is love. God knows  the power that love is, the power that He is and what He  is capable of through us.
Do we?  . Jesus mission was to show us the power of God ( love) . Jesus knew what God (LOVE) was capable and planted that seed in others heart. Was it Esther that help free the Jews? Was it David that killed the giant? Was it Moses that parted the sea?
No, it was LOVE. The pure power of Gods love that is freedom.  .Jesus passed that tourch to us to finish planting the seeds of LOVE and bring life to others. Jesus was capable of performing miracles for others to know God , so are you. Love  is a cure for all things. We can love others because He first loved us. We can help others because He first helped us. We can teach, motivate, encourage, inspire hope for others. Are these things not a miracle to another?  You have to see Him and know the power of love through HIM. You can see Him in an angery coworker or neighbor because the power of love is the power of God. And like God love has no limit.
To me God looks like LOVE!!!!!
God is love
Love is patient .Love is kind. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes,always perserveres. Love never fails.

Completly Free

God created us in His image .We are the only thing He created with a soul to love Him back. Unlike animal who live on instinct, God created us like Him with ability of choice.
We all have free will. The situation will happen, its Gods plan, but we have a choice to go through it with Him or without Him. Without God you will HIT road blocks, traffic jams, detours, and react out of fear and short term pleasure ,like an animal on earth. With Him you will SEE road blocks, detours,and traffic jams  clearly and see a reason why .
Jeremiah 29:11 I know the plans I have for you ,the plans to prospere and of hope.
God has a completly free will ,free of fear  .God is free to love and help others with no fear of concequences. Can you imagine living that free ?What could you do different if you could be free?More like what could  you  not do?Would you be able to face your giants? Would you be able to part the see for others to have freedom as well? Would you be able to give your life for another ? He created us with the same freedom as Himself.
I hear people use the words free will in a negative way. "Free will  sucks  -" It only sucks when you do not use it, when you choose to live in the world as an amimal living on instics for yourself to profit and survive. A Free will is freedom to thrive in this world and a heart to help others do the same.
God is good and fair and free will is the greatest gift He gave us . He gave us the freedom to choose so we could know  the freedom of Jesus Christ . If we did not have the freedom to accept and choose a life in Jesus we would be not different than animals .
When you activate your free will by making a choice to see
 your life in scripure you see free will is one will.
After 13 years of being a stay at home mom I decided to re-enter the work force, to help make ends meat at home. I started working for a well known retail company sweeping floors a few hours a week for 8 dollars an hour. I knew I could be part of helping the comany and my family profit if I gave  100 percent of me to them.. When you help others you help yourself..The better I was at my job the more hours my boss gave me. The more obedient I was the more responsiblity she gave me. In four short months I found myself interviewing for a managers job. With no business knowledge or reseme' I got the job. My boss later told me I got the job because I have something that you do not  get with a  business degree, I understand the bottom line. PROFIT. When you help others , everyone profits.
When Jesus met Peter he said "Follow me . I will make you a fisher of men. "He didnt want Peter to spend his life trying to catch fish to survive .  He wanted Peter to teach others to fish to thrive. Jesus choose Gods will  and choose to live His life for the profit of others. He knew where He was going and said follow me. He wanted peter to choose the same.
God said I know the plans I have for you .The plans to prosper and hope.
If you want to enjoy life , follow Him . The more obedient you are to God the more responsiblity He gives you.
Excepting  free will is the  understanding  of ONE will, Gods will.
When the decibles ask Jesus how do we pray? Jesus said," Our father who art in heaven hallow be thy name. Thy kingdom come Thy WILL BE DONE ON EARTH AS IT IS IN HEAVEN.
Dear god , I praise you , I serve you now and forever.Amen.
One heart , one will, one purpose. What would you  give to have that kind of freedom on earth? Jesus already gave His life for you too. Except HIM and you will see .

Thrive or Survive? The choice is yours!

I recently accepted a managment position at work.  There is a young lady that is clearly not excited about the change in management. Today I fasted in prayer for God to take notice of this situation, and show me a clear perspective from His point of view. Seeing things from His view is seeing others from the inside out. You see why they are behaving a certain way. We believers need to love others enough to set our hurt aside and know when you help another you are helping yourself.
It did not take long for God to show me that  this young lady did not like change of any kind. Through memory God reminds us of things others have said in conversation.  I pieced the puzzle together today. I remember her telling me her parents went through a terrible divorse when she was 13. The change in her family dynamic was a negative one. This undelt with hurt turned her afraid of change.  She has been working for this company for years. The people she works with are her family. Although change in management is business to her its personal.
So what do I do? Well this is when you allow God to drive, I ask God to help ease this transition for her and from this let her see positive in change. Then you let HIM work. I go to work focus on  my job and be the servant HE has raised me to be. And here is the tuff part ,TRUST and WAIT .
My point of telling my story is this...Who are you right now? Are you the new person in the family? Are you the one who doesnt like change? Are you the boss that has to keep peace and put out fires? No matter who you are right now everyone has the best intentions , they want to hold the family together. You are all on the same team now and seeing the "family" profit is everyones goal. No matter which one you are God put you there, and HE wants you to learn and grow from this so that in the future you can help another . We must LIVE and LEARN in order to help. But first of all we must accept the position God put us in.
We all have a choice to thrive in life or survive in life. Thriving is when your needs are second to anothers. Surviving is trying to meet your own needs.
Make your request known to GOD and let HIM drive and all will thrive.

Who Peed in Their Cheerios?

Hello all, My 13 year old Olivia wrote here first blog. I have wrote about Olivia in many of my blogs and posts and thought it might be cool if my friends got a chance to hear from her. She will be starting her own teen christian blog and writing to hopefully comfort other teens with issues of today. Hope you all enjoy and encourage her she is spirit led and God approved.
If you've ever been in highschool, you've probably heard the phrase "Who peed in their cheerios?'

Not many people know this, but there's a lot of truth behind it. 

Have you ever been bullied? I know I have. In fact, I've been bullied by the same girl for roughly 5 years. I'm not sure when it all started, but I know it was bullying, & I know that it wasn't right. This girl would isolate other classmates & myself from our groups of friends. She wanted just ONE friend, never more, never less. She would only use them when she needed them, then just drop them when she was done with them. Does this sound familiar? Satan has done the exact same thing. 

Most of the time, it isn't YOU that has done anything wrong. Usually, it has to do with the bullies home or family environment, not yours. Someone peed in their cheerios.

It wasn't until my mother signed me up for self defense classes, that I realized I didn't have to put up with this. That I could defend myself. Not with violence, but with the way I carry myself. With confidence, kindness, honesty, &  just the right amount of integrity. God doesn't want you to be inconsiderate & judgemental, but he doesn't want you to be a bump on a log, either. There are times when you have to stand up for yourself. Not with violence or ruefulness, but with truth & understanding.

It took me 5 years to stand up to my bully, but when I did, it was healing, so I know it was the truth. 

You may not know this either, but Jesus himself was bullied. Throughout his whole life, he was constantly being bullied. & every single time, he told the truth. He stood up to the bully in the most perfect way possible. He wasn't rude or judgemental when he talked to his bullies. He was honest & truthful when he dealt with them. He asked them to prove Him wrong. Even when he was nailed to the cross, even when he was publically humiliated & harasses & tortured, he didn't resort to rudeness or vulger. He asked God to forgive them. 

Jesus knew that the bullies didn't know any better. In the 21st century, when people do something wrong, like bullying, they usually don't know any better. Maybe they were raised being bullied, so they think thats how they have to treat everyone. Or maybe they just want something you have, & have no way to get it, so they're ruled by jealousy. 

Everything we have or are going to go through, Jesus has already gone through, as well as many others. If you ever find yourself being a target of bulying, think of this scripture:

Ephesians 4:29

"Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such a is good for building up, as it fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear."

My black and white world.....

How well do you  know the scripture,"" All things are possible through Christ who strengthens me. ??? How often do you practice it???
If you know this scripture well then you know "Ask and you shall receive, seek and you shall find, knock and the door will be open" must be understood, believed and practiced in order to see the grace and favor in the first scripture.
What a bold statement, All things are possible!!! Big miracles are given to those who dream, believe and do big things for God. God said all things are possible, ALL.
Lately I look around and see people praying  and dreaming big , but not doing big things in faith. We are  not entitled to answered prayers just because just because we believe in God. Jesus believed in God but he did not sit around praying, he did big things to show his faith. Jesus went out of his comfort zone and was fully dependant on God to pull him through each step of his life. In order to experience the full power of "ALL thing are possible", you must know Jesus was our example to FOLLOW. Because he stepped out of his comfort zone for us, we can through his strength do the same thing.
Did you know Jesus sweat blood the night before He was crucified. When we have anxiety we go to the doctor and get a pill, Jesus went to God in prayer and God helped Him face His fear.
If you want a better marriage, you must tell God what you want for your marriage(ASK)
Be relentless in your search for a way to get it. (SEEK)
Here's the tuff one,  Do what you need to do (KNOCK)
God helps those who help themselves. God makes a way for those who seek a way .
Do you raise your children to be dependant on you for the rest of their life? Do you do everything for them all the time? Or do you teach them what your doing and why so they can do it on their own? Do you want your children to grow up to be confident and free?
So does God!!!God want us to know all things are possible through christ .  Do not fear the world. Jesus showed us we can do anything we want but we must get up and do what we want done. All the words in the bible were written for us to follow not  just read and pray, they are for us to stand on holy ground and claim. Those words are instructions for freedom.
Jesus said I am the way the truth  and the light. So we must know his ways, see his ways, and do his ways.
How well do I know the scripture all things are possible through Christ? Well, once I overcame my fear of being rejected by the world and stepped out of my comfort zone and saw that God was teaching me how to be comfortable in Him in uncomfortable times, then I stopped seeing the world in color and saw the world in black and white. I don't see a lot of colorful options I see two . I see Hope and Fear .I see them everyday in all people around me. Hope gives and fear takes. Now that I see the light I address others accordingly. I either encourage or motivate others in the right direction. Sometimes its not easy and most of the time I sacrifice my feelings but, it is ALL possible through Christ.

The Passing Of The Torch.....

Have you  heard the saying ,"There are too many cooks in the kitchen?"

 When God looked down on Earth and saw  (too many cooks in the kitchen)total chaos, He knew He needed to intervene and make a change. He sent Jesus and Jesus was the intervention , the change. 

Jesus taught us how to take total chaos(desires of the flesh ) and use a perfect blend of grace and truth (fruits of the spirit)and make a difference.
John 14:6 "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me"

 When there is a lack of compassion ,show them compassion. When there is a need for truth ,speak truth. When someone is mean show kindness, when someone is prideful be humble. Where you see a lack of something teach it by showing it to another,  over and over until they get it. 

Jesus showed us how to be relentless for another  in our teaching. They literally had to nail Jesus to the cross to stop Him from teaching . Even there on the cross He was  still  teaching  .He taught us to pass the torch.
We believers are called to be leaders and shepherds of our own flock of followers ,but good leaders are great teachers.

Jesus knew when He was on the cross   His love and passion for God was taught for the profit of God and His people. He trained others to take on His job and become  leaders. He knew He was a change, and knew it was time for us to be a change.
There are times when it seems there are too many cook in the kitchen around us,  there are times we feel like we are up against a giant, there are times we feel we need to part the waters for Gods people ,there are times we see things need to change in order to get better. Don't be afraid. God sent Jesus to show us that because of what Jesus did for us, in faith we can do now . Do the things you ask God to change in prayer. Prayer is not a question it is the answer for God to use you to intervene. Allow the gift Jesus left in you  (Holy Spirit ) to lead you to make the difference.
Matthew 7:7 "Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be open"

. Use the passion God gives you about something and the passion in your heart to show God Jesus life was worthwhile and you understand His teaching and training  . Teach others the right way to live. Be proud to be the change in others lives and get ready to pass the torch Christ passed to you.

Cast you burden as bait reel in love beyond measure.

My daughter has been preparing for an intense competition. I have invested all of me into helping her prepare for this for the past year. I do this out of  selfless love so Olivia can enjoy her life. The competition is now a few hours away and to say I am nervous is an understatement. When Olivia comes to me with nerves and anxiety, I take it in myself and give to  her encouragement and praise, so she can enjoy the experience and perform with confidence.  . I feel like I am carrying the weight ,stress, and anxiety so she can just have  the experience. I know the stakes are high and  the consequences . I also know what she can do when she is driven without doubt.
God knows what we are capable of when we do not have doubt.
Psalms 55:22 Cast your burdens to the Lord, and He will sustain you; He will not permit the godly to slip and fall.
As parents we do this all the time for our children, when they are in a spelling bee, when they tryout for a sport, anxiety is a part of life and a part of our kids lives and we do the best we can to protect them from the feeling  of anxiety. We do not want our children to be afraid, distracted and have doubt in themselves.  If I could I would use my own body as a shield to protect her from this. Olivia trusts me . She knows  I am on her  side and no matter what happens  .Olivia is dependent on me emotionally, financially, physically spiritually every way because she is young. God wants us to know ,He knows how we feel for our children because He feels the same for You His child. God does not want His child to be burdened , go to Him repent , give Him your worries because He can handle it and He want s you to enjoy life. God said cast your burden to the Him . Every time you doubt Him your reeling them back in. Cast your burden out with confidence  ,knowing prayer is the answer. Know that prayer is asking God to intervene.
If Olivia came to me with her anxiety and worries, she comes seeking comfort and I make sure she knows she is not alone and I'm going to do all I can to help her. The comfort and confidence I give her strengths her.
That is exactly how God wants us to come to Him.  Like a child seeking comfort, and confident knowing He is doing all He can to help.
Matthew 18:3 "I tell you the truth , unless you turn from your sin and become like little children, you will never get into the kingdom of heaven."

I can take all the hardship from Olivia and give her hope. Because I understand I've been there and her problems, although seem big to her, I see them all working out if she perserveres  .My happiness is in seeing her happy .Loving her with unconditional ,selfless true love and her feeling that love at the end of the day is all that matters.
Empathy: ability to understand and share the feeling of another.
We are able to feel for others because of love.
When Olivia comes to me with her burdens she is weak  vulnerable , in need,  this strengthens me . What I mean is you make my baby cry you better watch out. I become driven with passion and fire.
Have you ever had a child say someone was mean to them? Has anyone ever made your child cry or afraid or hurt? What happens inside you when your baby comes to you with her stress? Do you not take it personal ?
2 Corinthians 12:9 "My grace is all you need.My power works best in weakness " So now I will boast about my weakness, so that the power of Christ can work through me.
After your child comes to you ,you  grab your baby and hug them and remind them someone will have to go through you to ever hurt her and seriously mean it. You have so much inner strength because your baby is relying on you . you could probably move a mountain or fight an army ,whatever it takes . Olivia can rest assure I will take care of her.
We can feel this Love because God first loves us .
Knowing all this I can go to God with my worries, burdens,weakness that I deal with as a wife and mother ,the burdens I carry for my family I take them to God. Although I want to make all things right for them ,I am humanly flawed and weak.I can not make make all things right. God always makes a negative a positive.God only makes all things right.So I am proud to take my families burdens to God to make right ,I can strengthen God by saying I am sorry I need help.I want to tell you whats bothering me .I would rather work through this with you than without you.
When I learned I could enjoy being dependent on God .I found joy on earth like nothing I have ever known.  I am blessed, chosen,adopted,favored, and forgiven.I am protected and loved. Just like I can carry the afflictions for Olivia just so she can enjoy life, God does the same for me.
God wants us to know , It does not matter what you have done , It does not matter how big the task, He knows the outcome .The burden , the worry ,the sin does not matter it does not change His love for you .Loving you is all that matters. you are His child and when you bring your problem to Him He takes it personal and He is strengthened and driven by passion and love for you. You can rest now , know that what seems big to you is small to Him.Know that God can only make a negative a positive.Know you are blessed,chosen, adopted,favored,forgiven,protected,and loved.
Love is all that matters