Tag Archives: hope

30 Things I’ve Learned in 30 Years

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I’m thirty. Ayee. (Sidenote: crazy that I haven’t posted anything in over a year… gotta get back on it. I have lots!) I turned thirty two weeks ago and I wrote this list in no particular order. Of course I’ve learned more than what I’ve written below… things like handwritten notes being awesome and how jumping in my bed after a long day is one of the best feelings and so is decluttering. (Y’all like how I just threw in a few extras not officially on the list?) In all seriousness, I took a few days to write this and I really thought about things and life lessons that I really value. Again, in no particular order, here they are:

  1. God is love and I really do love Him. I can only love others to the extent I love myself (Mark 12:31). Meaning I wouldn’t know how to love myself without knowing God. And if I don’t love myself, my capacity to love others is greatly limited.
  2. There is nothing like family. The good and the bad lol I’m thankful for it, blessed by it and I’m realizing I appreciate my family more and more as I get older.
  3. Parents are graced with a certain strength from God. They have their own struggles and they’re still there for us. *crying face* Even as an adult, I expect certain things or take things for granted without realizing it. For example, I’m grown and I still expect mom and dad to always be there lol… and I’m so thankful they are.
  4. I know some truly incredible people and I feel really blessed to call the people I call friends friends and fam 🙂 Luh y’all!
  5. People aren’t always going to like me for me and it may have nothing to do with me. (Translation: People don’t always need a reason to not like you.) With people like this, I’ve learned to pray for them and keep it moving rather than losing focus and becoming distracted.
  6. Being healthy isn’t as difficult as it seems. It starts in the mind because, “as a man thinketh in his heart, so is he” (Proverbs 23:7). But… of course actions have to match up. I can’t think healthy and eat fried chicken and biscuits every day and never exercise. Basically, health is really practical and when we set our hearts on it and make up our minds to be healthy, I believe we will be. It’s cyclical. Thoughts will dictate actions and actions thoughts.
  7. Trusting people can be difficult. But it’s so necessary for growth! I’m not talking in romantic relationships only but career, etc. We need to understand how to develop a healthy level of trust to keep moving forward.
  8. Check yourself before you check others. You might still need to check someone lol but sometimes it’s “me”.
  9. Listen to where someone is coming from first before jumping to conclusions or making assumptions. Because my assumptions may come from my experiences and it’s not fair to project them onto another person who acted in whatever way because of his/her reasons. This one is a work in progress y’all!
  10. Not getting the last word is humbling. Lawd. Y’all feel me here?
  11. Good intentions don’t make a person good or the outcome good. “The road to hell is paved with good intentions.”
  12. I appreciate the tough times in life. Of course I’m saying this on the other end of what I’d consider some pretty hard times lol But I haven’t forgotten how those times have pushed me, shown me myself, made me draw closer to God like never before.
  13. It’s ok to do something different than what your parents think you should do. This is a part of growing up and into our own. Don’t get it twisted, I still respect and value my parents’ input. (Love you mom and dad! :D)
  14. A man who desires to please himself more than God outside of marriage won’t honor me in marriage. This one is hard to grasp and it might be a bold statement but if he doesn’t honor God before marriage, isn’t he less likely to honor God (and me) after marriage?
  15. It’s important to value yourself and know your worth. If I don’t know my worth, why should I expect others to?
  16. Perspective is everything. Being able to change my perspective to a positive one helps me trust God and see that things will work out for good.
  17. A grateful heart is a happy heart. People who can be thankful in all things, despite whatever non-good thing is happening, are likely to see more good in life.
  18. I never try to overpack but it’s one of the best ways to pack. Haa. Y’all might not agree with me here but I never really see it as overpacking because options… and you’ll always have what you need.
  19. Spend money only on stuff that I really want so I can have more to spend on the stuff that I really want and like.
  20. I like people. I’m one of those people that genuinely likes people, meeting new people, hearing their stories, etc.
  21. Get up and go! Travel. Experiencing a new culture is refreshing. Sometimes things don’t need to be super planned out.
  22. I love massages. Going to the spa is one of the most relaxing things for me.
  23. Comparison is an enemy to contentment. Firstly, you don’t know what that person has done and gone through to get where he/she is. Secondly, his/her journey just isn’t yours. Focus on God and where He wants you to be rather than comparing yourself to where someone else is in life. People who compare themselves a lot are more likely to be jealous of others or let their insecurities lead them.
  24. God is my peace. I understand what Philippians 4:5-6 means when it says “peace that surpasses understanding”. Sometimes things don’t make sense but when you trust God, you really experience a supernatural peace.
  25. Life happens. And it never stops happening. As I age (saying this sarcastically haha), it’s increasingly difficult to deal with life without God.
  26. Work life balance is an always thing. Learned this one from my one and only big bro and so happy I did! Work life balance will look different in different seasons of life, sometimes I will be working more and life balance, i.e., social time or me time is just less. And other times, life will be more demanding than work.
  27. I want everyone to know the love of God. Because let’s be real y’all, some of us are out here really broken and in our brokenness are breaking other people (knowingly or unknowingly). Am I adding to people’s brokenness or helping people heal? It’s sad to see so many people searching for peace and hope and happiness… stuck in depression, anxiety, identity issues, trying to measure up and they haven’t accepted the only one that can help them (God).
  28. I need time to think. With no distractions. Away from everything and everyone. I love these times of peace and serenity.
  29. Whole Foods is the best (grocery) store ever. Period.
  30. You’re asking to be disappointed if you do whatever it is that you do to be recognized or appreciated. It’s nice to be appreciated or recognized but that shouldn’t be your motivation or goal. How are you impacting people where you are?

There’s my thirty y’all! For my lovely fellow thirty plus people, holler at me in the comments. I’d love to hear what you’ve learned. The good, the bad, the ugly, the funny. Youngins, i.e., anyone in their twenties, I want to hear from y’all too. (Jk jk on the youngins, I don’t actually think I’m old :)) Alright, peace and love and hugs, hope you took something away from this! ❤

With love,

Carin

All Messed Up

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Just got home from a brief convo with a few friends. I feel like we’re doomed. I know, I should be optimistic but how we think about love, dating, sex, it’s all messed up. Biblically speaking, it’s all wrong. First of all, we can’t love, truly love, selfless love, unconditional love because we don’t know God. How can we love or know love if we don’t know the creator and giver of love. God is love. What we think is love is something else and it pulls us in all kinds of wrong directions. Giving oneself away physically does not mean love.

Many of us are slaves to sex sin and don’t even know it. Slaves meaning it controls us, our relationships, life. We may think it’s normal because everyone says it is. If no one else has told you, let me, it’s not normal. Actually, it may be the societal norm but it shouldn’t be our norm. It complicates thing in present relationships and future ones. Sex before marriage will never satisfy. Why? Because it isn’t the order God intended it to be and it isn’t true intimacy. One can only experience true intimacy after marriage, the way God intended it to be (Hebrews 13:4). You can’t connect with someone physically if you haven’t connected with him/her spiritually, mentally, emotionally, socially. As a Christian, if you haven’t entered into the covenant of marriage, there will always be some level of inhibition, lack of openness, comfort or trust.

If I can just keep it real, I didn’t want to post this. I wrote this weeks months and months ago. I feel it’s one of those topics that most people feel, act, validate based on their lifestyle and social norms. Girls Ladies, it doesn’t make you a stronger woman, more free and comfortable with whom you are because you have more partners. And boys men, talking about how many girls you’ve been with doesn’t make you more manly. Who is man enough, strong enough, bold enough to change that narrative? Some things (i.e. abstaining) may never be the cool thing to do, but are you cool enough to make it cool to talk about how many girls you’ve abstained from in your circle of friends?

As a Christian, any man or woman who isn’t willing to wait until marriage isn’t ready for marriage. There’s a selflessness, obedience and honor to God that should come first. For the ladies and the men, let me say, you are worth the wait and for anyone who says or acts differently #deuces.

Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, everyone who sins is a slave to sin. Now a slave has no permanent place in the family, but a son belongs to it forever. So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed (John 8:34-36)

If you are a Christ believer, you are no longer slave to sin. You are a son of the family of Christ, of light, righteousness, life. You are free. You have a right to be free. Free to overcome EVERYTHING you believe you cannot overcome. Everything you’ve given up on overcoming. Who is ruling? You can overcome whatever it is, depend on God to do it in and through you.

I know this is a topic that may make us uncomfortable. It doesn’t fit our lifestyles anymore so we tend to find ways around it. We start calling the Bible outdated, irrelevant, etc to justify or validate our sin as ok. If you’re a Christian, let’s acknowledge God’s truth in all things instead of disputing it because it’s difficult to accept or convicts us to the core.

I know some of you are reading this like, oh well I’m satisfied with where I am and what you believe or what you have might be good, but it’s not for everyone. Remember Christ. Jesus paid the price on the cross for us. For you and your intimacy, that you may know true love. He made a covenant with God just for you so you could be free.

❤ Carin

 

You Have Nothing to Prove

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“For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ.” This. Because so many of us are in bondage to people. We dress, we work, we act, we do for others. What will so and so think, how many likes can I get, can I get promoted for this? It’s easy to let perception, influence, recognition run us.

Naturally we want to please our family, friends, baes, boos, bosses, fans, people in general, but reality is we’ll never be good enough for everyone. We can’t please or find favor with everyone. But God. The one who matters will be well pleased with us if we trust in and follow Him over man. Sounds easy, but it’s not. Actually think about it, how often do you make decisions based on what someone will think of you vs what you really want to do or feel led to do? From the little day to day things to the “bigger” life things… be honest 🙂

Let’s talk about this “proving ourselves” thing a little bit more. It’s such a part of our culture that it seems to be a natural, normal thing. Truth is we should only be concerned with what God thinks of us, “well done my good and faithful servant.” (Matthew 25:21) And please don’t take this out of context… I’m not saying to neglect responsibility or don’t do things that are expected of us. I’m talking about our tendency to put people before God. Something I believe comes from a desire within to prove ourselves. At some point in life, a seed was planted that we aren’t good enough or that we don’t and never will measure up. Maybe it was something someone directly or indirectly said to us, a teacher, family, friends, society, circumstance or our own selves… missed expectations? Maybe it was something we’ve just internalized over time making us feel lesser than. It could be anything that’s led us to this point of believing we have to do whatever it takes to make it, to prove ourselves.

Why is thinking this way faulty? Because f r e e d o m. When we’re living to please others over God, we lack freedom and we’re bound to man. Freedom starts with an inner contentment with who we are in Christ. It means to desire what God has for you first and foremost, the willingness and ability to allow God to be in control of your life versus being influenced or controlled by our desire to be accepted by man over God. We can’t be free AND be subject to man. Isaiah 2:22 says, “stop trusting in mere humans who have but a breath in their nostrils. Why hold them in esteem?” 

Putting God first makes everything easy. Really. The challenge is that we often times are not putting God first. The demands of the world are too much and they aren’t for us to carry. The world enslaves us, causes us to live in bondage rather than freedom. We can easily get consumed with pleasing people, robbing ourselves of the joy that life should give us. When you’re feeling super pressured to deliver, as many of us do all the time, remember, the only one that really matters is God.

As a Christian, you aren’t meant to fit in with the world, doing the things the world does in the world’s way. Your life shouldn’t look like anyone else’s life. And as long as your life does or you fit in with the world doing worldly things, you’ll be unhappy, unfulfilled even because God has so much more for you. So, if you feel like a loner, or like no one gets you or that you don’t fit in, that’s awesome. It’s time to ask God where it is that He wants to take you. There’s a reason He’s unsettled you. Cheers to walking in a freedom that only God could give. I promise you, you’ll be happier than ever 🙂

As long as we’re living for him and trusting Him and letting Him be God in our lives, God will be well pleased with us. Keep things in order, God first for real, and everything else will be alright.

With love always,

Carin

The One New Year Resolution Everyone Should Make

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We are fourteen days into the new year! People always joke that most people don’t make it through January without breaking their resolutions. I was thinking about this and thought of one resolution that would make it easier on us, and one that I believe will help us accomplish every goal we’ve set for ourselves. If you have only one resolution or commitment this year, make it to be closer to God. This means to spend intentional time with God daily in prayer and in His word and to seek him in everything. Honestly, if we’re doing this, everything else that we want to happen, will happen. It may not look how we want it to look or happen when we want it to happen, but if God is leading, we’ll be at peace. He will give us strength, discipline, self control and everything else we need to do that which is set before us. God wants to do life with us! 

If you wrote a list of resolutions for this year, did you seek God about them? If you didn’t write a list, take a minute to think about some thing(s) you want to give up or things you want to start doing differently or just something new in general. It takes forty days to form a habit. The Israelites were in the wilderness for forty years. Moses was with God forty days and forty nights on Mount Sinai. After fasting forty days and nights, Jesus was tempted in the wilderness. What’s the theme here? Do you ever notice recurring themes in your life? Understand what is required of you to see it change.

And he was there with the LORD forty days and forty nights; he did neither eat bread, nor drink water. And he wrote upon the tables the words of the covenant, the ten commandments. Exodus 34:28

Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. And when He had fasted forty days and forty nights, afterward He was hungry. Now when the tempter came to Him… But He answered and said, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.’” Matthew 4:1-3

And the LORD’S anger was kindled against Israel, and he made them wander in the wilderness forty years, until all the generation, that had done evil in the sight of the LORD, was consumed. Numbers 32:13

These are amazing examples for us. There’s something about the “wilderness” (i.e. a barrenness in your life), God’s word, prayer and fasting. God’s word needs to be put into action. Maybe fasting is something else you want to try this year. Giving up something to focus your attention on prayer… maybe it’s food or drink (check out the Daniel Fast, Daniel 1:10, 10:2-3), sexual intimacy (for the unmarried folks), social media or something else you desire greatly. Make a sacrifice and commit that time to God to really seek him and see how your life will change.

The easiest way to “success” is to seek God. Put and keep God first and He will take care of everything else for you. But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things (see vs 25-31) shall be added unto you. Matthew 6:33.

Two weeks in, to a year of growth and blessings, happy new year y’all!

❤ Carin

God’s Promise To His Chosen Servant

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God is with you. Isaiah 49 is a chapter full of depth about God’s promises to His chosen servant. We are living in crazy times, so crazy that sometimes I wonder if these are the end times… just me? In the midst of all the craziness, all we can do is stand on God’s promises to us. It can be easy to lose hope or just feel like what you’re working towards is pointless, but when we realize what God has promised us, we’ll be able to stay focused and walk in an unspeakable joy that no one and no circumstance can take from us.

In a time of favor, I have answered you in a day of salvation I have helped you. Those who wait for me shall not be put to shame. For I will contend with him who contends with you, And I will save your children. I will feed those who oppress you with their own flesh. These are just a few of the promises from Isaiah 41 and 49 that stood out to me. Here are some of the scriptures in full, keep them as reminders for yourselves!

I took you from the ends of the earth, from its farthest corners I called you. I said, ‘You are my servant’; I have chosen you and have not rejected you. So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. Isaiah 41:11

Though you search for your enemies, you will not find them. Those who wage war against you will be as nothing at all. Isaiah 41:12

For I am the Lord your God who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you. Do not be afraid, you worm Jacob, little Israel, do not fear, for I myself will help you,” declares the Lord, your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel. Isaiah 41:13-14

This is what the Lord says: “In the time of my favor I will answer you, and in the day of salvation I will help you; I will keep you and will make you to be a covenant for the people, to restore the land and to reassign its desolate inheritances, 9 to say to the captives, ‘Come out,’ and to those in darkness, ‘Be free!’” Isaiah 49:8-9

Kings shall be your foster fathers, And their queens your nursing mothers; They shall bow down to you with their faces to the earth, And lick up the dust of your feet. Then you will know that I am the Lord, For they shall not be ashamed who wait for Me.” Isaiah 49:23

But thus says the Lord: “Even the captives of the mighty shall be taken away, And the prey of the terrible be delivered; For I will contend with him who contends with you, And I will save your children.” Isaiah 49:25

Do not fear, do not be afraid, I will keep you, I will help you. How awesome are these promises? Psalm 34:19 says, “Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivers him out of them all.” For God to be known, he uses His people and works through them. The Bible never says that we won’t go through anything. It says that our afflictions will give us a reason to praise and glorify God because of the victory we receive.

Happy Monday. Keep going. Stand on God’s promises this week. His word will give you strength.

With love,

Carin

When Will You be Done Living a Simple Life?

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You are running away from peace, love, happiness and don’t even know it. You may think you are doing what brings you happiness, but, it feels like you’re in a constant state of confusion. You are digging deeper in the things you are trying to run away from: loneliness, emptiness, unforgiveness, the desire to be loved, the list goes on. The relationship or job promotion, the drugs, sex, alcohol, shopping or whatever it might be loses it’s appeal after so long and you’re back at step one, you feel empty and you are pursuing that love, the success, your purpose, only to find these things no where. That’s because they can only be found in one place, with God. If you are saved by grace and know God, the ways of the world shouldn’t be your ways (Romans 12:2, 1 John 2:15-17). If they are, you will forever be running. So, when will you be done living a simple life?

A simple life is not living by God’s word. It is simple to say yes to the flesh, to your desires. It is simple to say that the Bible is outdated and to pick and choose what you want to believe because society is “evolving”. A simple life is being like everyone else around you, doing what everyone else is doing, accepting what everyone else is telling you to accept. It is simple to live how you want to live. It is not simple to live by God’s grace. But, why, shouldn’t it be? If you believe and walk by faith, then why is it so hard to live by His word? We make it tough on our own because we do not walk in the fullness of the Lord (Ephesians 3:14-19).

It’s not that God doesn’t want you to be happy or to have fun. It’s that the more we sin, the further we go from God. The further we are from God, the further we are from being where He wants us to be, doing what He wants us to do. There is no peace in that. You will forever be empty and looking for something more because true happiness, true joy and purpose only comes when you are wholeheartedly serving Christ and letting Him lead you.

My reality isn’t your reality and your reality isn’t mine. Yes, there are biblical truths that none of us can deny, but when it comes to living, each of our journeys are unique to us and that is between God and you. You just have to keep it real.

I have given them Your word; and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. I do not pray that You should take them out of the world, but that You should keep them from the evil one. They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth (John 17:14-17).

Are you willing to stand apart, to go through the trials, to be bold, to be different? I don’t mean different like the world defines different, but different because God is calling you to stand apart and go somewhere only you can go if you let Him lead you and take you there… Through the fiery furnace like Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, through the wilderness to the promised land like Moses, through trials and prisons like Paul. Are you ready to live more than a simple life?

With love,

Rinny

Stop Living for “Me”

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Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too. You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had. (Philippians 2:3-5 NLT).

Your life is for others, not yourself. Think about where you are and all the people that have helped you get to that point. Your parents, siblings, a teacher, pastor, friend, but also maybe a “random” person that you’ve met at some point who just gave you a timely word. If these people weren’t in place throughout your life, would you be where you are? God knew exactly what you would need, when and how you would need it and who He could use to help you. God wants us to know that He’s created us for more than ourselves. He wants us to live for others even though it’s not always the easiest thing to do and sometimes may require sacrifice. I know, the world says differently… do what makes you happy, we teach self expression, individuality, independence, pursuing what you want, living your truth. But, what is your truth if it’s not the truth? 

In Matthew, the disciples asked Jesus what is the greatest commandment. Jesus responded, “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind… And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.” (Matthew 22:36-40). If we focused beyond ourselves, wouldn’t the world look a bit different? God also commands us to do unto others as we would have them do unto us. Not just family and friends, but everyone, even the most annoying, miserable person who gets on your last nerve :).

When you realize that your life is about more than you, you might find it easier to make it through the tough times and find joy in everything. God comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. And when others are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us because we understand (2 Corinthians 1:4). There’s greater purpose to your trials, to your six figures, to your pain, to your happiness.

“You don’t become happy by pursuing happiness, you become happy by living a life that means something to someone else. The happiest people are not always the richest or most powerful ones, but rather the ones that are kind to others, have peace, love, etc. Happiness is a byproduct of purpose. The more you busy yourself in your God calling, serving others, loving others, praying and being a blessing to others, you find your happiness, your blessing.”

Life is about more than “me”. Live for yourself, but live for others!

With love,

Carin

Being Frustrated with God

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Keeping it real as you can tell with my title lol. Ever since I really gave my career over to God, it’s been a roller coaster. At least that’s what it feels like, tons of uncertainty, doubt, ups and downs. Sometimes I question why I quit my job, where would I be if I didn’t quit my job and start my own company? I heard a sermon last month, A Temporary God Appointed Wilderness, that really put some things in perspective. (Must listen if you feel like you’re in a wilderness… crazy how direct this sermon was for me!)

When our circumstances don’t look like what we want them to be, we began focusing on our situation and ourselves. We take our eyes off of eternity, which is what God wants us to focus on. We start thinking “maybe God has forgotten about me”, questioning why He doesn’t hear us or why we aren’t hearing from Him in our most helpless place. We start focusing on the wrong things, success defined by wordly standards, our job or lack thereof, our failed relationships, loss of a friend or family member, our empty bank accounts or whatever it might that’s troubling us. What we forget is that in all of these things is that God is still with us, he hears us, he has answered us. There is purpose in our struggle (James 1:2-4, Romans 5:3-5).

I lovee this passage that I read in Isaiah: 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! People of Zion, who live in Jerusalem, you will weep no more. How gracious he will be when you cry for help! As soon as he hears, he will answer you. Although the Lord gives you the bread of adversity and the water of affliction, your teachers will be hidden no more; with your own eyes you will see them. Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, “This is the way; walk in it.” (Isaiah 30:18-21) If you’re like me, you might be frustrated, you might want to give up. Reread these scriptures and think about how powerful these words are, especially vs 19, “As soon as he hears, he will answer you.”

Our difficulties, our trials are much bigger than us. They are for eternity. Think of it as a growth period, sometimes short and sometimes so long that it feels like an eternity to us lol. 2 Corinthians 4:18 says, “So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.” The unseen is eternal. Eternity is being obedient to God in the now. Success to God is being obedient to Him. God is most concerned with eternity, which is why He takes us through the wilderness. He is preparing us for His eternal work through our lives. Sometimes, there is no easy way out.

So, keep praying, keep waiting, keep believing. In the midst of waiting, He’s breaking our trust issues with Him. He is dealing with our faith, our character, our spiritual maturity. In all honesty, we actually have no reason to be frustrated with God. God’s word says He is waiting to show us His mercy, His grace (Isaiah 30:18), His favor. He wants to give us every good and perfect gift. He know the plans He has for us… we just have to believe and endure as He has called us to.

The Lord will fulfill His purpose for you (Psalm 138:8). He who started a good work in you will finish it (Philippians 1:6). It’s His promise!

With love,

Rinny

Living on God’s Timing

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Trusting God’s timing is not always easy. It can get frustrating actually… God, do you even hear me? Even though I know everything happens for a reason and the season (good or challenging) I’m in is making me learn and grow in whatever way God wants me to, it’s kind of easy to stop giving thanks despite the outlook and to start getting discouraged.

Shouldn’t this be simple though? There’s ALWAYS a reason to give thanks. God is faithful, He gives us His best, He promises us good things. God doesn’t lie and He isn’t a God that changes His mind (Numbers 23:19). He’s planned out every second of our lives, including our tests and trials. If we keep our focus on Him, won’t we always find victory?

“God has set a time to deliver and send His favor upon us—and it usually comes in our worst hour of trial. That’s the time when we’re no longer struggling to do things on our own. Instead, we admit, ‘Lord, I can’t do it—it’s a mess. I give it all over to you.'” I heard this and it made me think how much God wants us to truly understand dependence, how dependent we should be on Him, to have faith in Him and what He is doing and wants to do through us. Once we reach that place of total surrender, then God can really move.

I tell you the truth, anyone who believes in me will do the same works I have done, and even greater works, because I am going to be with the Father. You can ask for anything in my name, and I will do it, so that the Son can bring glory to the Father. Yes, ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it! (‭John‬ ‭14‬:‭12-14‬ NLT)

God is always faithful. We are the ones that neglect Him, lose focus and direction, especially in our tough times when we start looking to everyone and everything to give us an answer. We forget that through our struggles, trials or tests, we still have purpose. We start taking care of ourselves and focusing on ‘self’ instead of letting God take care of us. If we take care of God’s ‘house’ first in our lives, then our ‘house’ will be in order (Haggai 1:7-11). Don’t lose focus. God has us where we are for a reason, so why give up? Everyday, we are being molded, changed and pruned for something greater than we can see. Someone needs you to push through, someone needs to hear your story, to see your victory.

And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him (Hebrews 11:6 NIV). Trust God 🙂 Continue to seek Him and spend time with Him daily… read the word! Think of it as food lol. It will give you strength and sustenance for your journey. Remember that God loves you so soo much and will never forget about you.

So do not throw away this confident trust in the Lord. Remember the great reward it brings you! Patient endurance is what you need now, so that you will continue to do God’s will. Then you will receive all that he has promised (Hebrews 10:35-36).

With love,

Rinny

Life Is A Gift

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Anybody realize how crazy this world we live in is? While I was still in India/Dubai (promise I’ll finish blogging about the trip soon), I read about a shooting at LAX. I was talking to my sis and parents about it and just thought how ridiculous that was. I returned to NY on a Wednesday and never thought I would experience something similar on a Saturday night, tonight.

Tonight I realized how much I take my life for granted. It really is a gift!

What a precious gift. I’m more thankful for his grace and mercy towards us. I’m sharing this story just to show how amazing God is. A group of us went out to celebrate our friends’ 24th and 25th birthdays. We were a pretty big group.

Most of the group went skating while a few of us decided not to skate and chill in the warmth at a coffee shop in the park (Bryant Park), including me. I was on the edge about skating. I reallyy wanted to, but I sprained my ankle about a month ago and thought it wasn’t the best idea for my first real physical activity (besides walking) since injury to be ice skating. Really though, this was nothing but God that kept me off the ice tonight.

After about an hour ish of being at the park, we heard three loud noises. These didn’t really sound like gun shots, but we realized they were after seeing people running and hearing screams. We all got up and ran. The six of us that were sitting, chillin got to a safe place and tried to get in touch with our friends on the ice. Worried about them, we couldn’t do anything but pray. Finally, we got in touch and heard that all of them were safe, no harm, no injuries. Praise and thanks to the most high only!

Several of my friends were just feet away from one of the young men that was shot on the ice. Nothing but God’s grace that saved them. Just as we started our night with praise, our night ended in praise. Thank you Father for life.

Besides reflecting on God’s grace and protection, this experience made me question how I’m living. If this night were my last, would God be pleased with me? Would I hear, “Well done my good and faithful servant,” at the gates of Heaven? Would you?

Living life to the fullest isn’t YOLO as the world says it, but YOLO for eternity. You only have one shot at eternity and that’s while you’re here on earth living.

With love,

Rinny