Trust In His Timing

 

The Lord placed a little thought on my heart today & I felt like sharing...

As I've been cleaning today, I can honestly say I love my home and the season of life that I'm currently in. Memories of my childhood still flood my thoughts from time to time, and I can't help but become emotional when I think of how far the Lord has taken me. 

I remember the times of wondering when the days would become easier, feeling so discouraged because life felt like such a mess.

What I couldn't see was that the Lord had a beautiful plan that continues to unfold each and every day.

Trusting in His timing isn't always the easiest thing to do, because sometimes all we can see is the absolute mess that surrounds us. How will this ever turn out? (I've said that sentence out loud more times than I care to admit)

Maybe you're currently in a messy situation. The struggles of life are never a pleasant experience, but the best thing to do is to give it all some time and trust in the Lord with all of your heart. You may not be able to see what He's doing or how He's working everything out at the moment..

But His plan is always continuing even in those moments when it all feels confusing and overwhelming.

And when all is finished, you will see the beautiful traces of His hand throughout each and every chapter of your story. ❤️

"He hath made every thing beautiful in his time: also he hath set the world in their heart, so that no man can find out the work that God maketh from the beginning to the end." (Ecclesiates 3:11 KJV)

A Thought For Your Day

 

The Lord placed this thought on my heart last night, and I felt like sharing it today. 

It's easy to become so busy serving the Lord that we forget all about the "why" we are doing what we are doing in the first place, and more importantly, just Who we are doing everything for.

I am sharing this because I'm someone who places SO much pressure on myself with everything I do. I have always kept goals and stay super determined, becoming frustrated if something isn't finished when or how I think it should be.

And then joy is nowhere to be found...

Have you ever felt like that? 

Maybe you're feeling as though the little that you do for the Lord isn't enough, or perhaps you are frustrated because every goal on your to-do list just isn't being met due to some circumstance.

That's okay though.

Because when you think that way, you are forgetting that He cares more about the heart and the intent behind what you do for Him, more than the work you are actually doing.

It's not about what you do for Jesus.
It's all about what He did for you.

No matter if you do a little or a lot..

He still loves and cares for you just as much.

Keep doing what you're doing for Jesus, but please don't forget about Who you are doing it all for.

"But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." (Romans 5:8 KJV)

"He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much: and he that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much." (Luke 16:10 KJV)

Questioning or Trusting?

Sometimes we spend more time questioning God than we do trusting Him. 

This thought has continued to swirl around and I couldn't end the night without sharing it. Today as I was making up my bed and beginning to start my day, I couldn't help but remember my childhood being filled with tantrums. Especially if something didn't go my way. It was not a pretty sight. Some of them I remember well, which tells you, I was old enough to know better than to do that.

My mother and I have spent the past six months moving furniture in hopes of giving our house a fresh new look (each of the rooms are finished aside from taking the bed out of my workout space.)

But to be completely truthful, I have never enjoyed the process of change. I always end up loving the end result, but there's always those initial thoughts such as "why should we change it?", "I like the way things are." or "I don't really want to do it that way".

That's when I find myself in a mood.

It's way too easy to become comfortable in the easiness of our current situation and it's just as difficult to understand why our circumstances have to change.

Sometimes we spend more time questioning God than we do trusting Him.

The Lord has a perfect plan for your life and a wonderful purpose for every season you encounter. The process of change will always be a necessary part of the journey.

His plans are always SOO much greater than any that we could ever imagine for ourselves. 

Maybe you're upset over circumstances that have never made sense. You might even be uncomfortable with the unknown, and that's okay too.

Don't let your heart be troubled, my friend. Stop questioning God and start trusting Him. 

"Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths." (Proverbs 3:5-6 KJV)

The Ultimate Resolution

You will never be comfortable with change until you become uncomfortable in your mess. 

It's not unusual for most to find themselves laser-focused on personal goals or resolutions for the new year. We are three weeks into 2024, but I still felt the nudge to write a few words on the subject of change and how uncomfortable it can make you feel. Especially in the beginning. It will never not be worth it though. 

The beginning sentence popped into my mind last week, and I couldn't help but think of anyone and everyone who may be trying to function without a purpose or a plan. Those whose lives are stuck in a perpetual state of emptiness. 

Do you know someone who fits this description?

Entertaining the idea of change can honestly be unsettling. Even to the strongest individual. 

But, you'll always need Jesus. And if you've never met Him personally, you've not yet known the difference He can make. So many refuse to accept Him due to the shame they carry concerning their sin. It's never the easiest thing to admit the need for His help, either. 

Maybe you're in a place of hiding away within your mess because you have ultimately decided not to deal with it. Maybe you've never felt good enough. 

Jesus will forever be willing to come up into the worst of your mess; no matter what you've done or where you've been. You will never be worthy of His amazing grace, but He felt that you were worth dying for on that cross. 

 You will always be precious in His sight.

(I will delve more into prideful hearts as we go into February within the next week or so) but I couldn't allow this little late New Years themed thought to fade away into oblivion. 

If you haven't yet trusted in Him for salvation, everything about your life will remain and come to an eventual close as a dead-end situation. The matter of your eternal residence needs to be dealt with right now as tomorrow is never promised. 

If you were to pass away tonight, are you 100% sure that you would be in Heaven? There's only one way to know without a doubt and that is by placing faith in Jesus and accepting Him as your personal Savior. 

"Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life; no man cometh unto the Father, but by me." (John 14:6)

The Bible Way to Heaven

We Are All Sinners: "For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God." (Romans 3:23)

We Were Sent A Savior: "But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." (Romans 5:8)

We Were Supplied A Gift: "For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." (Romans 6:23)

We Can Simply Call: "For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved." (Romans 10:13)

 

A Heart of Thankfulness (Thanksgiving Throwback)

 Thanksgiving is one of my most favorite holidays. The fun of the moment is having the ability to stuff your face with as much food as you can without a care in the world. ( I love my mom's homemade turkey gravy and pour it over almost everything on my multi-sectioned plate.) 

    All laughs placed aside, this year has been devastating for a lot of families. The world has weathered countless storms as a whole; our surroundings are delving deeper into places of evil unrest and division as the days continue. 

We are instructed and encouraged to be grateful for each passing moment and to live with an appreciative spirit for every bit of goodness that God gives us; those small acts of provision that we so often take for granted. 

We live in such a world of entitlement.  Learn to live patiently in the moment and be grateful for time spent with family. Leave the world outside for one day, taking the time to savor His precious blessings. 

Always remember to keep a heart of thankfulness. 

"I will praise thee, O Lord, with my whole heart; I will shew forth all thy marvellous works." (Psalm 9:1 KJV) 

Give Thanks For Your Rest

 Be thankful for your rest"....

Those words have truly resonated with my heart ever since listening to them for the first time during a recent Wednesday evening church service. 

I have SO much to be thankful for. I have held such wonderful peace in my heart and mind for so many weeks now....I am immensely thankful for the rest that Jesus has given me. 

I am grateful for the little normal everyday things in life such as waking up at 6 AM to watch the sunrise; to have the opportunity to enjoy a morning nap if one is needed. 

To care about my home and to love the space I'm in, to find joy in every single part of my day.....is a tremendous blessing that I will never ever take for granted. 

It is still strange to think of how different my days were at one point. I love to write. I love to tell stories. I love serving Jesus. I couldn't imagine living without Him. 

The blog pulled me through my darkest of days. It came into my life when I really needed something to keep me going. It was therapeutic. It gave me joy (and still does when I know that He puts a thought on my heart.)

Jesus has brought me through so much personal tragedy and my story continues on with so many blessings to praise Him for. My mornings are often a time of reflection; as memories come to mind, I can't help but be moved to tears because I am not only reminded of where I was....but also of the love He holds for me. 

It was every experience I ever had that led me to this wonderful place of peace. Every wound, every wrong turn, and all the blessings in between.

Everything had its purpose. 

I think He sometimes uses storms in our lives to grow our appreciation for the little things that we would normally take for granted. I have always been thankful for my story....

And now, I am even more thankful for my rest. 

"Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost" (Romans 15:13)

The Remedy of Salvation

There is always endless beauty to be discovered as the seasons truly begin to turn; to me, nothing is prettier than those wild and wonderful West Virginia fall months.

As much as I am loving change at the moment, I'll admit that I'm just the same as everyone else. We can all be such creatures of habit. However, it can be quite the interesting experience to uncover an all new way of living. 

While in the process of placing this message together, I couldn't help but think of those who are finding themselves to be helplessly empty; those who are in desperate need of the remedy of salvation.

So many in our world today are experiencing deep-rooted devastation in the midst of an aimless search for purposeful fulfillment and a place of rest for their weary souls.

Those temporal sort of remedies that exist in the world will never reach down below the surface of the heart; none of them could ever provide the sort of peace that radiates from within.

Only Jesus has the power to do that. The condition of your heart is never surprising to Him. 

It's scarily simple to appear all put together on the outside, while living in the midst of chaos behind closed doors.

There's always an opportunity for a new beginning through trusting in the remedy of salvation; by placing every ounce of your faith and trust in Jesus Christ.

There are so many who are reluctant about living the Christian life; lamenting that they won't be good enough to live it, or that surrendering their current lifestyle would be much too difficult.

Knowing Jesus and living for Him is never about being good enough. He loves you in spite of your mess and He wants nothing more than to help you claim victory. 

We all need Him each and every single day.

Life was never meant to be lived without the sort of love and guidance that only He can provide, and choosing to do so will leave you with an existence that's both imbalanced and uncomfortable in the long run.

You will be left as someone who spends every day feeling completely unsatisfied and terminally empty.

Making the decision to trust in Jesus will be the best choice you will ever make. He will completely change your life in the most beautiful way.

All you have to do is ask Him into your heart. Let your life become one that is worth living. Make it count for the cause of Christ. 

"For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it." (Matthew 16:25)

"For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved." (Romans 10:13)

"But the LORD said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the LORD seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart." (1 Samuel 16:7)

I Will Praise Him (A Life Update)

 Hey there! 

I'm quite uncertain as to how to begin this post; so much about my life has changed all in the span of three and a half weeks. It has been the most wonderful blessed whirlwind of an experience and I'm slowly adjusting to a new and unfamiliar sense of normalcy. 

Some of you know that I was officially diagnosed with polycystic ovarian syndrome in March of 2020. (It is a common endocrine disorder that affects women of childbearing age and results in hormonal imbalances and fertility issues.) 

My health began rapidly deteriorating in the spring; the situation only continued to worsen throughout the summer. A CT scan in May showed cysts on both ovaries; with the addition of constant fatigue, hot flashes, abdominal and pelvic pain, debilitating brain fog and irritability...it all made creating anything an impossible task. 

I was placed on an all new treatment at the beginning of October and it has completely changed my existence for the better. 

It was discovered that I had been dealing with low progesterone and estrogen for quite some time; the mental health aspect of it all began as early as my freshman year in college.

After so many years of unnecessary struggle...my hormones are finally experiencing perfect peace. 

My heart is SO thankful for the love and care of Jesus.

 I am never deserving of His wonderful mercy, nor His grace; yet He has shown so much of it in spite of how human I always am. 🙌

"The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusted in him, and I am helped: Therefore my heart greatly rejoiceth; and with my song will I praise him". (Psalm 28:7)

-Jesus will be your greatest source of strength in times of weakness. 

-A wonderful haven of refuge in the face of uncertainty.

-A powerful shield of protection in the midst of an unrelenting storm. 

All you need to do is trust in the Lord and He will help you. 

 

A Love For All Seasons (Saturday Thoughts)

 

The love that Jesus has for you will never be dependent on what you are able to do for Him.

The deepness of His unconditional love was made perfectly known as He was dying on that cross. He gave His life for every imperfect soul. His strength was given for every bit of our weakness.

I have kept this thought on my heart recently, though throughout my life, I never really meditated on it before now. I just felt like today was the perfect moment to share.

How could Jesus love us so much that He would die for us?

I love to stay busy and I love to write for His glory. I love the blog & I feel so blessed that He has kept His hand on it for so many years now.

But I know sometimes it's easy to become too busy if we aren't careful, no matter what we're doing or where or how we are serving the Lord. We so often forget that it's never about us or our abilities, but rather it is ALWAYS about Jesus and the power of His wonderful mercy and grace. Our worth will always be found through trusting in Him.

Discouragement can settle in our hearts and minds if we never try to remember that. Life has its moments & the seasons are always changing.

God's love for you is something that will never ever change, and no matter what the days may bring, that love will continue carrying you through every season you face.

"But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." (Romans 5:8 KJV)

"Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest." (Joshua 1:9 KJV)

Secure Your Armor (Armor of Salvation Series Part 2) (September 2023 Reissue)

   I have held onto the second installment of this timely and truthful message for quite some time. The Lord placed these first initial thoughts in my heart during the first few weeks of last summer and I don't think there'd be any better time to finish out my message on the armor of salvation than right now. As the clouds of darkness continue to envelop our world, there is nothing more important than securing your armor of salvation. 

The first installment (which I have linked right here) provides a brief but detailed description of an endangered generation whose world doesn't offer a promise of protection from any source of deception; the world we live in today presents numerous challenges and life doesn't seem to be getting any easier. You cannot make it through life without a defender. You cannot make it in this world without Jesus.

Well, how does someone fight against the powers of this wicked world?

I cannot continue the message without first writing an urgent plea for those lost souls who may find themselves reading this--if you've never accepted Christ as your Savior, if you've never asked Him into your heart---now is the perfect time to get the matter of your eternal resting place settled. Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. That whosoever includes you, my friend. 

"Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved." (Romans 10:13 KJV)

The warfare against humanity surrounds us every single day; however, victory can be achieved through knowing all about how to fight against it.

"Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:" (Ephesians 6:14-17 KJV)

Our minds are truly powerful and in a world that's filled with such confusion and deception, it is crucial to trust in and rely on God's precious Word as it is a quick and powerful sword that greatly prepares us for the battles that lie ahead. The breastplate of righteousness references salvation--the bulletproof vest that guarantees the presence and full protection from the Lord in urgent times of need

"For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart." (Hebrews 4:12 KJV)

"God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble". (Psalm 46:1 KJV)

The shield of faith also carries great significance because it is the basis of prayer--we must pray without ceasing because Satan preys without ceasing--honest faith placed in the Lord will be your greatest weapon as it provides much-needed strength that you will never have the ability to possess on your own, throughout all seasons of life. Trust in Jesus. Be sober and stay vigilant.

"Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:" (1 Peter 5:8 KJV)

 Every heart beats in need of Jesus; if you've never accepted His wonderful gift of eternal life, please know that you were never meant to live without Him and you will never know a greater source of love...an honest treasure that is incorruptible and unconditional. 

Won't you call upon Jesus and secure your armor of salvation today? 

A Place And a Purpose (Molly's Zone Turns Eight!)

September 1st will always be a wonderfully blessed day.

I simply cannot find the words to describe the amount of thankfulness and gratitude that I hold within my heart for every opportunity that the Lord has given me to serve Him through being able to write for Him and to share the truth of His precious Word. 

Today, Molly's Zone celebrates the eighth anniversary of its launch, and my heart is immensely filled with joy. Time truly flies when you're having fun, and I've had a blast! Thinking back to where I was eight years ago brings me to the remembrance of a time when I was without a place to belong in the world : a then-recent college graduate without purpose as well (my whole life at that point revolved around functioning as a professional student)

Wanting to "fit in" was forever my goal---if I wasn't an acne-ridden teenager trying to blend in with everyone at school, I was a 20-something-year-old college graduate who was attempting to lay ground on the perfect "normal person" career foundation as someone with cerebral palsy. 

I never considered writing for Jesus---not even once. I felt Him working on my heart concerning this path as early as 2011---but I chose to ignore every gentle tug, simply because I thought my plans were promising enough. The final three years of college worked out well despite a disastrous freshman year, but as numerous job interviews were unsuccessful, I could feel discouragement beginning to form within my heart. The entire summer of 2014 was an unforgettable season that finished with my mother being formally diagnosed with discoid lupus. Everything in my life became an absolute mess.

I threw myself back into the world of higher education for another semester in the spring of 2015---holding out hope of working in medical coding and billing; those months flew by and I was still left unsatisfied as that career pursuit turned out to be unfruitful as well. 

After rededicating my life to the Lord in June of that same year, I spent countless tear-filled nights in prayer fervently searching for the much-needed purpose that I knew only He could provide.

Three weeks passed before I was presented with the opportunity to begin blogging for an occupational therapy business based in Atlanta, Georgia; through its creation, I would be given the chance to provide a source of encouragement and wisdom for those with disabilities. I said yes to the idea without hesitation--simply because I believed that it was the result of answered prayer.

Fast forward to September 2023 and this little blog continues to be an enormous blessing that I will never fully deserve. Writing for the Lord provides me with such joy: the overwhelming presence of peace and the sense of purpose within my heart are two priceless treasures that I hope and pray will keep Molly's Zone running in the years to come.

"And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose." (Romans 8:28 KJV)