Key to Success

What do you think of when you think about being successful? Often times, we think that being successful means to be rich and to have money, to be on the top, to do really well in school, to be married with 2 children by a specific age...etc. These things in and of themselves are good things. There is absolutely nothing wrong with them. In fact, we should always be striving to be a better version of ourselves. We should desire to be successful. We should have dreams and goals for our lives. We should want to live well....etc.

Pinky Promise Sisters

However, for the believer (those who believe in Jesus) there is a specific key when it comes to being successful here on this earth....and that key is obedience. Obedience can be a key that is used to open so many different doors for us. If we don't do what God is calling us to do or don't go where God is calling us to go, we are missing out on SO much...and so our those around us. Our obedience to Jesus doesn't just affect us....it affects those connected to us. As believers, we are often the link to connect unbelievers to the God who created them...the God who formed them inside their mothers womb...the One who promises to be with them always...to never ever leave them nor forsake them...the One who forgives sin....heals hearts...renews minds....gives sight to the blind...and so on. We may also have the answer to someone else's prayer...or better yet we may be the answer to someone else's prayer.

I specifically think of Saul's (aka Paul's) conversion in Acts 9:1-19. This man knew the bible, but he did not know the God of the bible. He had a lot of religion with absolutely no relationship. He spent so much of his time here on this earth killing and persecuting Christians in the name of religion...so, Saul set out on a mission toward Damascus where he had planned to arrest any of the Lords people and bring them back to Jerusalem in chains, however, on his way there....the Lord met him in his sin, in his brokenness and invited him in. The Lord told Saul to go into the city (Acts 9:6), and so Saul went. While there in the city, the Lord spoke to a believer named Ananias and gave him very specific instructions on where to go and what to do. (Read below)

Celebrating Marj's Birthday!

Acts 9:11-12

"The Lord said, 'Go over to Straight Street, to the house of Judas. When you get there, ask for a man from Tarsus named Saul. He is praying to me right now. I have shown him a vision of a man named Ananias coming in and laying hands on him so he can see again"

Ananias questioned the Lord because he was afraid. He was afraid of Saul. He had heard about this man who was persecuting and killing Christians and now he is being told to go to this very person. I don't know about you, but I most likely would have been afraid too. But, Ananias chose faith over fear. He trusted that the Lord wouldn't lead him into a dangerous place...that His grace would be sufficient. He trusted that the Lord would protect him from any harm....so he went and did as he was told to do. The obedience of Ananias was the key Saul needed to see again...not just physically, but spiritually.

Black Lives Matter

As believers, you and I may be the key to someone else's eyes being opened to see that there truly is a God out there who loves them, cares about them and genuinely wants the best for their life...that He has plans to PROSPER them and not to harm them....that He forgives ALL sin....that He sets people free...that they don't need to allow their past to identify them...or whats been done to them consume them...that they don't need to try and fix up their lives before surrendering their hearts...that they can come as they are with all of their baggage...that they will make it through whatever storm they are in...that every strand of hair on their head is numbered by the Lord and that He hears the desperate cries of their heart for peace and rest. Our obedience is the key to unlock doors not just for us, but for others....so just do it! Don't let fear override your faith. Push past how you feel because you just don't know what's on the other side.

Jeremiah 29:11

"For I know the plans I have for them declares the Lord, 'Plans to prosper them and not harm them, plans for a hope and a future"

And no, being obedient won't cause you to earn your salvation or earn Gods love, but it could be the key to your success and the success of those around you. Trust that His grace is sufficient....sufficient means "adequate for the purpose"...His grace is sufficient for whatever purpose He is calling you to.

Xoxo,

Beth

Forever totally obsessed with Jesus

Picture Perfect

It's so easy to find ourselves caught up on social media....scrolling through other people's timelines and comparing our lives to theirs...it's a place for most folks to hype up what's good about their lives...they post updates of where they are, what they are doing and who they are with....filtered selfies of themselves and their friends....or with their significant other and/or children. Social media makes things look good...it can make things, most things, look picture perfect. It's so easy to get caught up in feeling jealous, discouraged and depressed because we are busy comparing our lives to someone else's picture perfect life, but the truth is we don't see what goes on behind closed doors. Social media doesn't highlight their bad moments or weak moments. It typically doesn't display their tears or their heartaches. It doesn't glory in their moments of failure.

Wedding things with my friends

We don't see the battles they face on a daily basis. We don't see the brokenness that may lie behind their smile. We don't see the depression they have to push past to just have their feet hit the floor in the morning. We don't see the anxiety and racing thoughts that keep them awake at night. We don't see their past or what they've been through. We don't see the cup of fruit-punch their cute little 2 year old just spilled all over their brand new white rug before they took family photos. We don't see the argument or disagreement that married couple just had while we are looking at their happy go lucky candid instagram photos. There is simply so much that we just don't see.......

Work friends celebrating Keri's 30th!

If one were to scroll through my social media page, they are going to see me in pictures smiling with my friends. They are going to find out that I am basically obsessed with my friends and brag about them all the time. They are going to see my many ridiculous just because I can and my makeup is on fleek selfies. They are to learn that I am generally a happy go-lucky, bubbly and down to earth kind of gal. They are going to find out that I believe black lives matter. If they dig deep enough, they may also find some posts about my testimony and where I was and what I went through and where the Lord has brought me from....and yes, y'all will find out that I love Jesus and don't keep my faith a secret. Great life, right?! Too bad life truly isn't as simple as social media makes it....

Raggae night with my Dida

The people I am most vulnerable around is my family and my co-workers. On a daily basis, they see me at some of my weakest and most frustrating moments. They see me when my fuel is low. When I'm tired. When I'm angry. When people are getting on my last nerve.They are the people who spend the most time with me by default. They see my many moments of imperfection, my many moments of failure. Social media does a good job at making it seem like we got it all together, but the truth is that we don't. I don't. You don't. Nobody does. 

Family fun weekend in Pitt!

What people won't see on my social media is that I fight with myself almost daily in the mirror...that yes, just because I no longer have an eating disorder doesn't mean that I don't still struggle with my body/self image. They don't see the moments of tears where I am in prayer broken before the Lord because so often I feel like my best just won't ever be good enough...that no matter how hard I try to be a better friend, a better daughter, a better teacher.....and....a better Christian...that I just can't seem to measure up. They don't see my anxious moments or the times where my thoughts keep me up at night. They don't see the insecurities that still weigh me down and sometimes hold me back. They don't see the fight that I have to fight through mentally to just make a decision because sometimes I easily get fearful of making the wrong one. Yes, at times I too struggle with fear like many others, but no you won't see that on social media. So, incase my social media fooled you into thinking I live a picture perfect life....you just got a glimpse of my not so perfect life..and yes, someone out there definitely has it worse than I do, and no I don't hate life, but I am humanly flawed.

Sneak peak of my quiet time w/ the Lord

I say all that vulnerably...it's so easy to look at someones life and think they have it all together...that they know where they are heading in life....what they want to do. It's so easy to view others through all the filters we have access to on snapchat, instagram, facebook, etc. It's so easy to get lost in someone else's picture perfect life. Let's stay focused.

Xoxo,

Beth

Joy is the best kind of makeup

A Diamond In The Rough

We have all heard the saying that a diamond is a girls best friend, but typically what we don't hear about is the rough process a diamond actually goes through to become the beautiful, valuable, expensive rock that it is considered to be.

Diamonds are formed in the earths mantle where they undergo extreme heat and heavy pressures. They go through a process that refines them and defines them to make them their most beautiful self. We go through a very similar experience throughout our own lives. We go through times where the heat is turned all the way up and the pressure is intense. Those are the moments I find that I'm in the midst of my process, that God is doing a work in my heart smoothing out some of those rough edges. I'm human. You're human. We live in an imperfect, broken, sinful and fallen world. The beauty of this process though in the midst of the pain, the hurt, the rejection, the abandonment, the abuse or whatever else you may have endured is that the Lord promises to finish what HE began. 

Philippians 1:6
"And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue this work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns"

It's so easy to get caught up in the fast paced life that we live in this fast paced world. We expect ourselves to quickly reach the mark of perfection that we so desperately strive to reach. The truth is, we won't meet that mark until Jesus returns...so for now, we cling to the promise that He made to finish what He began! When we look at a diamond and think about it's deeper meaning, it literally represents process. You may be a diamond in the rough, but you are also a diamond in the making! The heat and pressure of life may be turned all the way up (I know this to currently be true for my own life) and some days I feel like I just can't win, but I'm reminded that this too shall pass and I am being refined into the image of God and defined by His love and not this worlds. People will love you one day and hate you the next. 

My friend Kera who
just recently got engaged!
Congrats lady!





Isn't it interesting how when folks get engaged and then married a diamond ring is typically exchanged? From my perspective, it's a promise to honor the process of two imperfect human beings becoming one. A reminder to not quit when the going gets tough, to not throw in the towel and give up because life has turned up the heat and the pressure seems to be too much to bear.

Isaiah 43:2
"When you go through deep waters, I will be with you. When you go through rivers of difficulty, you will not drown. When you walk through the fire of oppression you will not be burned up, the flames will not consume you"

Wherever you may find yourself in your process, please don't quit. Don't quit on yourself and do not quit on the Lord. He is for you and not against you. He loves you and goes before you promising to never fail you. It's so easy to feel that God has forgotten about us in the heat of life, but we have to remember that He didn't promise a perfect life free from trouble, but He did promise we wouldn't have to go through it alone.

Xoxo,
Beth

Some of the diamonds I call friends.

Hakuna Matata

It means no worries, for the rest of your days........

Worry and anxiety are two of the main silent killers in today's society...they literally suck the life right out of us and can be so extremely detrimental to our health. We lose out on sleep because we are awake worrying about situations we can't change. Did you know that worrying about money won't actually add a single penny to your account? But what it will do is steal any peace and joy that you do have. 

Worry never adds, it always subtracts. I have also heard it be said that, "worry is a down payment on a problem you may never have". Majority of the time, we are worried and anxious about something we have zero control over...something that may actually never happen...usually because we have come up with a million "what if" scenerios in our mind about how something may or may not turn out...and then many of us will go as far as analyzing every little detail and come up with plans on what we will do if our "what if's" actually happen.

Matthew 6:34 (MSG) 

"Give your entire attention to what God is doing right now, and don't get worked up about what may or may not happen tomorrow. God will help you deal with whatever hard things come up when the time comes"

The Lord tells us to give our ENTIRE attention to what He is doing in this current moment...not part of our attention. If our attention is spread out in a thousand different directions, we become overwhelmed and before we know it, that anxiety and worry kicks in. Worry is a negative form of meditation. We are replaying negative things in our mind like a broken record. That negativity doesn't take long before it begins to soak into your spirit and contaminate other areas of our lives. Then we begin to wonder what the heck is going on and why we are feeling the way we are feeling...before we know it we look up and realize how consumed we have been in worrying about problems that we have missed out on so much in life.

I can't speak for anyone but myself...but personally, anxiety stole most of my college life. I was worried about EVERYTHING....to the point where my menstrual cycle stopped and I formed blisters all over my shoulders. I literally had moments where my brain was in such a fog and I could not think straight....moments where I had absolutely zero appetite. I had lost a ton of weight as it was, but being stuck in a place of severe anxiety caused me to loose even more.

No, my battle with anxiety hasn't completely faded, but it's not nearly as bad as it used to be. I've learned, by the grace of God, how to combat my anxious thinking with positive truths and through prayer....God never promised to take away all of our problems, but He does promise to give us the strength to fight through them.

Isaiah 40:30-31

Even youths will become weak and tired,

    and young men will fall in exhaustion.

But those who trust in the Lord will find new strength.

    They will soar high on wings like eagles.

They will run and not grow weary.

    They will walk and not faint.

So...whatever season you have currently found yourself in...whatever situation that has you worried sick your stomach....wether you consider yourself to be a believer or not....this can still apply to your life...so, don't give up! I'm praying for you!

Xoxo,

Beth 

Divine Frustration

Frustrate (v): to cause someone to feel upset or annoyed, typically as a result of being unable to change or achieve something

I mean, we have all been there...we have all found ourselves in situations that leave us feeling frustrated and if we are really honest, a bit angry. Now, if I'm honest, lately I have found myself extremely frustrated with things I have witnessed Christians post on social media. So, with that being said...I'm not going to publicly bash anyone because none of us are perfect, however, after venting and having a conversation with one of my friends...my frustration began to make a little bit more sense.

Anyways, I have read certain sayings such as,

"If you can't build with them, don't chill with them.

You can't keep a clean reputation hanging

out with messy people"

So, I took it to the Lord and began to let my frustrations out because I just couldn't quite understand how this lines up with the gospel, because the truth is....it doesn't. It doesn't line up with the example Jesus left for us to live out here on this earth. Jesus hung out with some of the messiest people (people like me..) and he actually didn't have a clean reputation. He was accused of being a drunkard, a glutton and a friend of "especially wicked" sinners because of who he chose to associate with and spend his time with. Jesus spent his time with broken people...people who had been through some stuff. People who carried some seriously heavy baggage from their past who were struggling to move forward. He saw beyond the surface level of their behavior and looked into their hearts and saw their need for healing, love and compassion. He spent time with them, got to know them, built relationships with them, prayed for them, ate with them, etc. He wasn't concerned about His reputation or what the religious folks would think about Him....simply put, He didn't care one bit and neither should we...(easier said than done, trust me I know...)

One of my main squeeeeezes

And why is it as Christians, we sometimes get so caught up in "God is taking us higher...." Higher? Where exactly are you going? We are already seated in heavenly places in Christ, so how much higher do you want to go? (Eph 2:6). Instead, we should probably take a good hard look at the gospel because the example left for us is one of humility...one where instead of going higher, we go lower. Jesus came down low and lived life here on this earth to reach broken and lost people. I may not know your story, but I know I was at the lowest of my lows....I was at the end of my rope trapped in a fog of depression. I yearned for a way out, I wanted to take my own life. I actually prayed and asked God to let me die in my sleep, I didn't think I could make it another day. Life was no longer worth living for me -- but thank God that He doesn't answer all of our prayers....phew! He came into my valley and walked me out of my darkness and into the light of His love and grace. It is important that we don't forget our low moments or where we came from so we can walk with others through theirs.

So, who are we to be so focused on going higher that we forget where we came from? That we fail to walk through those low valley's with our friends who may be going through a dark time and need some extra TLC? Avoiding certain people because we are so concerned about our "Christian reputation" and how others in the church may begin to view us? 

It's time to stop playing church and actually go out and be the church. This probably stepped on a lot of religious toes, but that's totally cool...we can still be friends!

Cheers,

Beth

Don't Give Up

If you have ever reached a place where you simply just want to give up, you're in good company. We pass by people every single day who may just be on the verge of giving up and throwing in the towel.  The weight of life has simply just become too much. Things didn't work out the way they expected, they hit a few bumps in the road and made some mistakes. That someone who has felt like giving up...that someone is me...and I'm sure at one point or another, that someone was (or is) you too. 

Luke 5:2-4

"And He saw two boats drawn up by the lake, but the fishermen

had gone down from them and were washing their nets. And getting into one of the boats, [the one] that belonged to Simon (Peter), He requested him to draw away a little from the shore. Then He sat down and continued to teach the crowd [of people] from the boat. When He had stopped speaking, He said to Simon (Peter), Put out into the deep [water], and lower your nets for a haul."

Here we meet Simon (Peter) and his two other fisherman friends. They were literally out toiling all night trying to catch some fish, but unfortunately...they had caught none. They were exhausted and weary so they had given up and began to wash their nets, until Jesus stepped into their boat. He stepped into their boat and told them to go back out deeper into the water and lower their nets once more. In other words, Jesus was saying, "Don't give up, just try again"

So they went back out into the water and lowered their nets...and this time after being encouraged by the Jesus himself, caught so many fish that their nets were literally breaking (Luke 5:6). This time they were not operating from their own strength, but they allowed God to work in their situation, failure and lack. What situation are you in that you need Jesus to step into your boat?

Whatever your up against, don't give up. Let go of those things that hinder you and keep you from running the race God has set before you. You were created on purpose for a purpose. You matter...so keep going and don't you dare give up on that dream and vision lying in the depth of your soul! Others are waiting on you to be all God has called you to be.

Love,

Beth

You Can't Sit With Us!

If you have ever seen the movie, "Mean Girls" then you know exactly what part of the movie I am referring to....but incase you haven't, there's a scene in the movie where Regina George is told she couldn't sit with her friends because she was wearing sweatpants....on a Monday...gosh, how DARE she?! She broke the "law" according to the mean girl code of ethics. She no longer blended in...instead, she stood out...she was now considered a "misfit"....at least for the rest the day.

Misfit (n): something that fits badly, as a garment that is too large or too small; a person that does not fit in; not suited

Think about the message this sends...and sadly, how many times do we as Christians (many of us atleast...) send this message to the world around us? At arms length we silently scream, "YOU CAN'T SIT WITH US....YOU'RE NOT SAVED....YOU'RE STUCK IN YOUR SINFUL WAYS...DON'T COME ANY CLOSER...I MIGHT GET DIRTY"......as if we were born clean and saved. It's no wonder people don't trust Christians or want to even step foot inside a church. I don't know about you, but I'm not perfect. There are moments each and everyday I find myself in need of the grace of God to make up in the areas I lack. There are moments daily I have to remind myself "God, you're grace is sufficient".

Romans 3:23-24 (NLT)

"For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God's glorious standard. Yet God freely and graciously declares that we are righteous. He did this through Christ Jesus when he freed us from the penalty of our sins"

If you really reflect through the accounts of the Gospel, Jesus spent more time correcting the Pharisees than He did anyone else. When the Pharisees (religious leaders) caught a woman in the very act of adultery, they took her in accusation before Jesus...and He was the ONLY one qualified to throw a stone at her, but instead....He corrected the Pharisees who acted like they were all that and a bag of chips and one by one the stones fell from their hands....He didn't condemn her, instead He forgave her and loved her back to life. We have to really check our hearts and ask ourselves what we see in others...is all you see in other people their sin? Or do you see the King in them? Do you see the Queen in them? If you can only see what's bad, you will never be able to see what's good. Begin to look for the beauty in others, to see the good and encourage them.

Happy birthday Rachael!

Matthew 9:10-11 (MSG)

 Later when Jesus was eating supper at Matthew’s house with his close followers, a lot of disreputable characters came and joined them. When the Pharisees saw him keeping this kind of company, they had a fit, and lit into Jesus’ followers. “What kind of example is this from your Teacher, acting cozy with crooks and riffraff?”

Jesus spent time "reclining" and relaxing (see definitions below) and "acting cozy" with what the bible refers to as, "especially wicked sinners, crooks, and riffraff". In other words, that would be me...and that would be you (yes, you!).  He made himself available to humanity, to broken people who were sick and in need of a Doctor. He wasn't closed off with his arms crossed or jumping down people's throats for every shortcoming, failure and mistake. He wasn't uptight, anxious and religious about life. He was able to act cozy with sinners without acting cozy with sin....there is a difference. He was intentional and built relationships with them, connecting with them, meeting them where they were at and loving them back to life and we are called to do the same. Paul imitates this same example in 1 Corinthians 9:19-23 where he became a "slave" to all people to bring many to Christ, even though he was free. Paul made himself relatable and found a common ground with those around him so he could meet them where they were at and love them in ways they needed to be loved.

Recline (v): to lean or lie back in a relaxed position

Relax (v): to become less tense, rigid, firm or anxious

We live in a fallen world with broken people who are crying out for help, yet we fail to hear their cries...or even worse...we hear their cries and turn the other way. We can be so consumed in serving in the church that we fail to go out and be the church. We fail to love that friend, that family member or that co-worker and instead we judge them. We criticize them for being in the very place we were once in. We keep them at arms length instead of getting to know them. We don't know what they have been through; what burdens they carry or what pain they may be dealing with. Everyone has a story and sometimes we have to take the time to slow down and listen to those who are willing to share. Many of us act like the priest and temple assistant in the parable of the good samaritan who passed right by the Jewish man left stripped, beaten and half dead on the side of the road. It was the Samaritan that came along and took care of this wounded man. He soothed his wounds with olive oil and wine and bandaged them. He took him to an inn where he was safe and cared for. He even payed for the medical expenses needed to help this man get back on his feet. (Luke 10:25-37)

God is calling for us to be a Samaritan (one who is compassionate and helpful to a person in distress) in the lives of those around us who need some extra TLC. He is calling us to soothe their wounds and carry them to the inn of our heart where compassion resides...where they can be loved back to life! I challenge you to look around you and ask God to open your eyes to the people who may need an extra dose of His love...that might simply mean to extend a helping hand or lend a listening ear. Let God lead you.

Love,

Beth

4th of July camping trip!!

If you missed my last blog post called 

"No Man Left Behind" <--- check it out here

No Man Left Behind

So, it's finally 2016! 

For the past month or so, I have read countless posts on Facebook from numerous people about who they are "cutting off" in 2016...and sadly, most of those people are Christians. Now don't get me wrong, I get it...I get that not everyone can rock with you in every season. There have been people along the way I've had to simply let go of...some of my friendships have had quiet seasons until God brought me to place where I was able to effectively be a light in a dark place....but to see SO MANY posts about cutting people off has left me frustrated and so sad. 

Matthew 5:15-16 (NLT)

"No one lights a lamp and then puts it under a basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father"

There are so many people in this world who are hurt, lost, confused and broken and we are busy cutting them off because they aren't saved? Because they are doing things we may not be doing? So many times I have heard, "they aren't going where I'm going!" Since when is it all about you? Since when is it all about me? Aren't we going to heaven? Don't we want others to come along with us? I swear y'all these posts have left me heart broken, to the point of literal tears. I think about my family, my friends, my amazing co-workers....the people in my circle that don't know Christ and how much He loves them and cares for them despite their pain, their heartaches and their troubles. Life is hard, let's not make it any harder.

Plus, why wait until the New Year to officially cut these people off? We should be intentional year round about being Spirit led...and not all of a sudden stop talking to folks when the New Year starts. I don't want to stand before God one day and have Him ask me about those people I left back in 2015 and why I didn't let my light shine in the midst of their darkness. Use discernment and be Spirit led....I'm most definitely not telling you to keep a (wo)man in your bed that has not paid the price for you called marriage...so honey/sir, this is not your confirmation. 

And I get it....some friendships aren't always healthy. I went through a quiet season with a friend of mine who isn't saved...and for the longest time I thought God was protecting me from her because of her lifestyle...but in the end...it turns out that God was protecting her from my religious mindset. I wanted to force Jesus down everyone's throat....but that's not how it works. God had to grow me to a place where I could relate to others and meet them in a place where they are at to effectively love them. No one is ever saved because they were rejected by a Christian that proclaims the love of Christ. I used to be able to tell people all day, "God loves you!" yet fail to actually love them...but actions speak louder than words. Just sayin'.

If God has truly, prayerfully led you to let go of some people, by all means do what you need to do. But be prayerful instead of irrationally cutting people off that you could potentially lead to the Lord. I say this from experience because there was a time in my life I was most definitely not saved and had absolutely zero relationship with Christ and most likely wanted nothing to do with Him...one of my now closest friends (Hi, Jenny!) could have chosen to "cut me off "because of the way I was living, but she didn't. She chose to stand by me, to accept me, to love me despite of me and let her light shine in the midst of my darkness. She didn't cut me off, nor did she condemn me and force Christ on me. She made me curious about her faith. She made me want to know the God she served.

Jude 1:22-23

"Go easy on those who hesitate in the faith. Go after those who take the wrong way. Be tender with sinners, but not soft on sin. The sin itself stinks to high heaven."

How can we go after anyone going the wrong way

 when we have decided to cut them off? It's the sin ITSELF that stinks....not the person...they are still created in the image of God just like you and I.

My forever friend (Jenny) who let her light shine

Cheers to a brand new year to let your light shine for Jesus and leaving no man behind!

Love,

Beth