Acceptance...

Accepted: generally approved; usually regarded as normal, right, etc.  This is the definition according to http://www.dictionary.com/.  Why do we long to be accepted so badly by the things and people of this world?  I have really been thinking and pondering on this a lot lately, especially since I have had so many people make comments about my body and suggesting different things I can do to lose weight.  I feel like I want to be accepted because if I am not, then there is obviously something wrong with me.  I mean I am 31 and single...these are the kind of thoughts that the enemy puts in to my mind!  I feel so unaccepted by so many "friends" sometimes.  That is why I have to find my true identity and self in Christ Jesus.  No person, not a friend or a man will ever make me or anyone else feel complete and accepted EVER!  The only person who will accept us for who we are is Jesus!  This has also made me more aware of how I look at other people around me too and it is quite the eye opener.

I could go on for a long time trying to explain myself and why it is harder for me to lose weight but, I am not going to do that any more.  I feel like maybe the Lord keeps me in a place of "discontentment" so to speak to make me desire more and more to be with Him in heaven one day.  :)  Brings me back to the wonderful song by Bethany Dillon: 

"Beautiful"

I was so unique

Now I feel skin deep

I count on the make-up to cover it all

Crying myself to sleep cause I cannot keep their attention

I thought I could be strong

But it's killing me



Does someone hear my cry?

I'm dying for new life



[Chorus]

I want to be beautiful

Make you stand in awe

Look inside my heart,

and be amazed

I want to hear you say

Who I am is quite enough

Just want to be worthy of love

And beautiful



Sometimes I wish I was someone other than me

Fighting to make the mirror happy

Trying to find whatever is missing

Won't you help me back to glory



[Chorus]



You make me beautiful

You make me stand in awe

You step inside my heart, and I am amazed

I love to hear You say

Who I am is quite enough

You make me worthy of love and beautiful
 
Lord, I truly want to be beautiful in Your eyes.  Help me to keep my focus steadfast on you! 
 
 
I hope whoever reads this, feels beautiful today!

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You are Here and Then You are Not...

It still blows my mind anytime someone passes away suddenly.  I will be honest, it obviously affects me more when it is my own family or someone that I am close to.  I lost my Uncle Jack on Monday, August 2nd, unexpectedly.  Though I am sad that he is gone, I am praising our Holy Father for redeeming my Uncle.  My uncle had a very rough life but, thankfully he found Jesus and His salvation a few years ago!  I have always had a soft spot in my heart for him.  I remember each time I would tell him that I loved him and he would always say, "I love you too kid".  I know I will see him again!  Please pray for his children, they are not believer's and I know that he was in prayer for them to find Jesus.

Today's devotion that was sent to me is so appropriate for all of us but, especially for me.  I always feel like I have to look a certain way or be a certain way for a man to like me.  Well, that is just a lie from satan and I am trying fervently to break that lie.  Here is the verse and the note along with it...I hope it touches you and fills your mind with God's truth.
"The Lord does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart." -- 1 Samuel 16:7

THOUGHT:

Have you ever wondered how many potentially good friends you may
have lost simply by judging them on your first impression of them?
I'm amazed at how the first impression very seldom tells us much of
substance about another person. We're not really going to be able
to evaluate people properly until the Lord reveals at judgment what
is really in their hearts. Don't you think that we should give them
time to reveal what is in their hearts before we make a decision
about them?! Let's don't just look on the outward appearance!

I have sadly done this too many times!  Though I know that the world is full of people who only look at the outward appearance (me included sometimes), ultimately we should only care about what the Lord sees.  Don't get me wrong, I know that the Lord wants us to take care of ourselves but, He loves us no matter what!  HOW AMAZING!

Here is another person who loves me unconditionally....

Sunshine

I truly love the sunshine!  It makes my whole attitude better.  I am however not a fan of the hot temperatures if I can't be by a pool or an ocean.  I loathe sweating!  YUCK!  Especially in nice clothing.

I would love to hear some God news from any of my blogging friends.  I could use some pick me ups and to hear how He is blessing you in your lives.

Just Some Fun

I don't have a lot to write today, but here are some fun pictures from my weekend.  My weekend started out with God showing me a beautiful rainbow as I was leaving work and the weekend just went great from there!

"Lead Me"

What a great song by Sanctus Real!  This is what I want in a godly husband:

I look around and see my wonderful life

Almost perfect from the outside

In picture frames I see my beautiful wife

Always smiling

But on the inside, I can hear her saying...

“Lead me with strong hands

Stand up when I can't

Don't leave me hungry for love

Chasing dreams, what about us?

Show me you're willing to fight

That I'm still the love of your life

I know we call this our home

But I still feel alone”

I see their faces, look in their innocent eyes

They're just children from the outside

I'm working hard, I tell myself they'll be fine

They're in independent

But on the inside, I can hear them saying...

“Lead me with strong hands

Stand up when I can't

Don't leave me hungry for love

Chasing dreams, but what about us?

Show me you're willing to fight

That I'm still the love of your life

I know we call this our home

But I still feel alone”

So Father, give me the strength

To be everything I'm called to be

Oh, Father, show me the way

To lead them

Won't You lead me?

To lead them with strong hands

To stand up when they can't

Don't want to leave them hungry for love,

Chasing things that I could give up

I'll show them I'm willing to fight

And give them the best of my life

So we can call this our home

Lead me, 'cause I can't do this alone

Father, lead me, 'cause I can't do this alone

Not just a great song for married people of for a future spouse but, what a great song to try to live up to!

Have a great and blessed week!

Pray with Me

I desperately desire to be a better christian.  I have been doing a very lousy job for several months now.  I am struggling with just picking up the bible and reading it and even worse, I am struggling to pray.  So, I ask my friends to pray with me.  Pray that I will get that fire back.  I have been a very bad example to many friends and people I don't even know.  I get so weary in waiting to see what the Lord has in store for me.  I seem to fall into a pit when something goes wrong in my life.  I DON'T want to do that any more!  I also don't want to be tested and have any more pain.  But, that is not the way life is supposed to be.  God never said the christian life will be easy. 

This verse was sent to me via my daily email and it is so great!  "As you do not know the path of the wind, or how the body is formed in a mother's womb, so you cannot understand the work of God, the Maker of all things."  Ecclesiastes 11:5  I need to moment by moment remember this promise from the Lord.  I WILL NOT understand His ways, but I just have to believe that He will show me in His time.

Thanks for praying with me!  Have a good weekend.