Glimpse

I want to share a story with you all. This story is on going, and I want to share why. My mother and I were at a thrift shop a few days ago and I saw the most elegant dress, ever, red carpet worthy, brand new, never worn. I tried it on, just because. 

It was beautiful. 

I started thinking about how silly it was, for me to get it, having no where to wear it. I was kind of sad, to find this seemingly flawless dress, very much affordable, but to have no where to wear it to. I have never been to prom, and no one ever asks me to Army balls (my father is military.) 

I put the dress back and didn't think about it again until tonight, when God reminded me of something. 

He will give us glimpses of His plans for us, and we have to trust that He does stand true to giving us the desires of our heart. Even if it was just a dress, He saw how much I adored it, and I can promise you as clear as day He said, "Not that dress, not this time, but one day." 

He's done it before, and He has never failed on His word. At 15 it was a red corvette "Not that car, not this time, but one day." One day came a month ago when my parents and I bought a new Corolla, and though it isn't the corvette, it sure drives like one, and bonus: a backseat & gas mileage. 

That dress is nothing more than fabric, but His promises will last forever. Whatever it is, whatever glimpse He has given you, whatever your "not this and not now, but soon" moment is, take faith in it. I know things get hard, and as a teen I know that many battles lie ahead of both of us, but He is with you. He wants to bless you. He wants you to have a better job, a safer home, a newer car, a better state of health, and it will all come in His timing. Until then, treasure the glimpses, but never forget to keep looking up. 

-Arial "Lioness of God" 

Make it Count

There are no little victories when it comes to overcoming sin.

Smile when you do good, because He is too, and repent when you misstep, because there will always be a way to turn it around. Every choice we make will bear a consequence, good or bad depends on which path we took.

If you ever find yourself justifying an action, don't take it. With God there is peace, so if the choice is righteous there will be no debate needed. You will be faced with questions and chances today. Questions about your faith. Chances to further it. Temptation. Trials. Keep in mind that even our thoughts must be guarded, from our thoughts comes our actions.

Every little thing counts.

Make today count in a good way.

Partakers

I know bad things have happened to you. I know you've done bad things. I know as you read this there's a hole in the pit of your stomach weighted by all the times you were wronged and all the wrongs you've done. But I also know this, more than anything else and clearer than anything else, He took care of that over 2,000 years ago. He bore our guilt, our shame, our disgust at the world and at ourselves. He suffered it so that in His name we wouldn't have to. There will always be pain, I'm not stupid to think otherwise. The world is going to hell in a hand basket, and things are getting worse by the day. But we aren't of the world. We aren't partakers in its demise. We aren't branded with the same curses anymore. He gave us forgiveness. He gave us freedom. He gave us the promise of eternity with Him and through the Holy Spirit He gave us His presence right here and right now. So don't fall into that hole in your stomach. Don't believe the lies that your doomed, that you deserve your suffering, because you don't. No matter how bad you've had it or how bad you've been, we are never past redemption. The world will keep going down until He returns (trumpets, big white horse, angels: Revelations) but we aren't meant to follow its lead, but His. You've been set on a different path and by grace you have been given the right to walk it . . .

One Nation

One nation.
Under God.
That nation isn't just the USA. That is His people. His church. His followers. When we stand UNDER GOD we too can be INDIVISIBLE. When we put aside silly battles and focus on the war for righteousness, when we look to one another not as enemies or a basis for comparison, but as friends and allies in this war, we will find that freedom isn't given by our government, but by our King. In HIM lies the ultimate freedom, freedom from sin, from shame, from fear. Freedom from insecurity, from hatred. When we put ourselves under Him, we too are indivisible.