The Love of Money vs. The Love of God

 

It will always be better to have a little bit with Jesus than a whole lot without Him. 

Friend, there's nothing in this world worth more than a personal relationship with Jesus, and certainly nothing more precious. Living requires money and yes, it IS a blessing when it helps to meet our needs, but no material possession is sweeter than knowing and following Jesus. Nothing fills up us more than than trusting in and leaning on Him, and nothing else ever will. 

It's easy to become consumed with the love of money, but it's always better to be swept away by the love of Jesus. It provides such sweet contentment, while the love of money always leaves room for complaint. 

Just want to share a few verses with you today:

"Better is a little with righteousness than great revenues without right. A man's heart deviseth his way: but the Lord directeth his steps." (Proverbs 16: 8-9)

"For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows."  (1 Timothy 6:10)

"But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out." (1 Timothy 6-7)

Be Aware of The Pitfalls

    I think we could all come to the collective agreement that the times we are experiencing are truly unprecedented. Everything about our world has grown to be strangely unfamiliar. The unbelievable change in the hearts of some humans continually renders me speechless---the inherent respect for authority and the regard for wisdom have been lost amongst this generation.

    My adjective of choice when describing the crumbling state of our society will forever be 'endangered' because we are living through dangerous circumstances that are ever-changing---there are three core pitfalls that have continually plagued humanity throughout the ages, yet each have grown to be more noticeable in a rather short amount of time---the spirit of entitlement, the presence of distraction and overwhelming confusion will be at the heart of my message today. 

The word 'pitfall' was placed on my heart during a recent Sunday morning ride to church. As I was glancing out the passenger side window, a vehicle had somehow fallen into a ditch. The person was on their phone calling for help and two people were standing in their front yard watching---I'm sure wondering what all the commotion was about.

Mom and I concluded that the person must have been distracted while driving that morning--perhaps texting on their phone as many people do even though they shouldn't. Other times while on the road, I've witnessed someone deliberately using the wrong lane to make a turn and cringed at the obvious confusion of those behind the wheel while at a stoplight.

These are all blatant examples of the aforementioned pitfalls that we can all easily fall into if careful vigilance is not applied to our lives daily--- however, this message is specifically for those who have never accepted Christ.

 I want to spend the rest of today diving deep into the definitions of all three pitfalls while providing an applicable thought on each of them. The remainder of the message won't waste any more time--and my prayer is that it will be helpful to whoever reads this today.

• The Spirit of Entitlement:  I've never before witnessed another time of such entitlement within our world; so many are choosing to live solely for themselves---behaving with selfish intent all while disregarding any presence of rule or order; have you ever personally met someone who lived as though they knew it all? An awful lot of people are making decisions before consulting the One who truly knows all. This particular point is such an important lesson to hold onto. Walking around with a haughty spirit is never wise.  Live humbly and trust in the Lord to direct your path. He knows what's best for you. 

          "Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall." (Proverbs 16:18 KJV) 

            "A man's heart deviseth his way: but the Lord directeth his steps." (Proverbs 16:9 KJV)

• The Presence of  Distraction:  Another pitfall that is well worth mentioning is the presence of distraction that so easily presents itself when we least expect it. I could write SO much on this one point---distraction is truly everywhere you look, in every direction. Our minds should stay on all things eternal---especially if you're lost, it's important to think about your eternal place of residence and to seek the Lord while He may be found. You should never allow the temporary pleasures of this world to keep you from knowing and experiencing the wonderful peace that only He can provide.

            "Let thine eyes look right on, and let thine eyelids look straight before thee. Ponder the path of thy feet, and let all thy ways be established. Turn not to the right hand nor to the left: remove thy foot from evil." (Proverbs 4:25-27 KJV)

"Seek ye the Lord while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near: Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon." (Isaiah 55:6-7 KJV) 

• The Overwhelming Confusion: We are living through a time of such overwhelming confusion; one cannot watch the news reports without questioning every aspect. Could we really trust that the world will be honest with us? What is the truth and where can we find it? The truth will forever come through God's perfect Word. There's no greater wisdom to be found; God is NOT the author of confusion. His Word will forever be a light amid overwhelming darkness; the greatest source of peace through tribulation.

"For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints." (1st Corinthians 14:33 KJV) 

        There's SO much more on my heart to write as part of this message, but I will simply end it all by inviting you to allow Christ into your life if you've never accepted Him as your Savior. 

Maybe you've fallen into a ditch and desperately need a helpful hand to pull you out of the pit. You can always count on Jesus; all you need to do is call upon His name.

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

"That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved." (Romans 10:9 KJV)

    

A Shareworthy Thought

 

I have written and shared countless messages surrounding the following thought; as it has been placed on my heart to share yet again, I will never pass up an opportunity to do so.

I will always love sharing this part of my testimony. It has forever given me the greatest joy.

As a teenager, I was always someone whose greatest desire was to feel love and acceptance from those around me, namely peers within my own age group. I fiercely held this belief that being classified as different was somehow not okay. Those years of my life were truly devastating and it was more than difficult to see the reasoning for it all. 

Anybody who was anybody in school never wanted much to do with me. I was known as "the smart kid with a disability" and that's seemingly all I had going for me at the time.

As I continue to grow older, I am able to look back and see so much of the Lord's divine protection through circumstances that were incredibly painful.

From the beginning, I was separated and set apart for His glory. I missed out on so much that could have wrecked me, and I couldn't even see it at the time.

I share all of this again to reiterate that we are living amongst dangerous days. The prideful presence of sin continues to be welcomed and encouraged....the theme of the all new and upcoming generation that we are witnessing reaches far beyond the search for love and acceptance. There will never be enough words to describe the darkness that exudes from most of today's youth.

May you never feel ashamed to stand out and away from the crowd; it will never be wrong to live a life separated and set apart by God. You may seem strange or unusual to some, but that's perfectly okay. Just keep on keepin' on.

Sometimes what feels like the most painful rejection could actually be His divine protection. 

And if you've never trusted Christ as your Savior, I encourage you to allow Jesus into your heart tonight. You need to know that the path you're currently traveling on will wreck you in ways you never thought were possible.

Choosing to follow Him is the greatest decision one could ever make. 

Forgiving And Forgetting

Everything starts in the home ❤️

Sunday morning messages in church have recently revolved around the definition of family and the importance of building and keeping a solid foundation of faith within the home; that first sentence carries so much significance because it holds SO much truth---the home is at the heart of everything: it serves as a place of rest for the weary soul, a source of refuge throughout personal seasons of trouble, and an escape that provides freedom from the division and deception that holds an unrelenting presence in our world today. 

The phrase "forgiving and forgetting" came upon my heart recently through listening to these messages---brokenness effects countless families today as a result of bitterness and unforgiveness that resides within the heart.

It's never healthy to hold grudges against someone you love. We are living in such unprecedented and uncertain days; the most perfect time for all of us to forgive and to forget. 

The act of forgiveness can sometimes seem impossible--heartbreak and betrayal certainly hurts and the ache lasts for quite a while. 

Extending true forgiveness to someone comes from realizing the severity of our own sins---humans tend to judge the wrongs committed towards them with a self-determined point value system. 

(I have been super guilty of this as well!)

We think "They did such and such, but I would never do that!"

My friend, all sin is equal in the eyes of God; no matter the severity. Choosing not to forgive even the tiniest of offenses will only keep you in the spirit of bitterness. 

Forgiveness is meant for YOU. It's purpose is to provide peace. Forgetting doesn't excuse the wrong, it simply means you shouldn't think about it anymore. Give it to the Lord and let it go.

May you remember all that Christ has forgiven and forgotten in your own lifetime; may you never allow the past to stop you from pressing on for Christ.

"Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice: And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you" (Ephesians 4:31-32)

"Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus." (Phillipians 3:13-14)

A Quick Word On Division And Deception

 

I have waited some time to share my thoughts on what occurred this past weekend. I have never before witnessed another time filled with such evident division and deception; in my opinion, this is no longer about political affiliation, but rather a raging war against the looming presence of evil that not only involves our country...we are in deep trouble from a global standpoint as well.

I truly believe that the greatest hope we have within this lost and dying world is found through leaning on Jesus Christ; whatever decisions we make, we must place our faith in Him, fully trusting in the power of His wisdom and guidance.

Please pray for America. Pray for our world. We all stand in desperate need for revival and resolution.

 "If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land." (2 Chronicles 7:14 KJV)

What Your Heart Needs

God's Word will never fail to provide you with what your heart truly needs. 

The world has grown to be such an unfamiliar and uncomfortable place to be. The cost of living continues to climb, becoming more expensive with each passing day. 

(The price of groceries is truly insane!) 

My mother and I originally decided to cut back on our spending when it came to our food supply as were innocently trying to save some money. (Because what else isn't costly these days?) 

We have since abandoned that particular strategy as it was causing SO many problems for us both---vitamin deficiencies that made our bodies weak and our minds unhealthy. 

Even in the midst of so much wordly turmoil, I am immensely thankful that God faithfully provides whatever we need whenever we may need it. 

While it's always important to protect your physical body from becoming undernourished, both your heart and mind are continuously and desperately in need of nourishment from God's Word every single day. 

Oh how dangerously easy it is to think we can get by with only eating once a day or skipping meals entirely. 

Sadly, it's also easy to view our time with the Lord in that way too if we aren't careful. 

Any time spent with the Lord whether it be through prayer or Bible study remains SUPER important for our lives on a daily, yet it's common to want to push it aside without taking into consideration the harm it will cause. 

Simply because we're in a rush to tackle our to do list, or we're having a day where we feel okay, so we think we don't need Him. 

That way of thinking will end up costing you every ounce of everything good He has ever given you---robbing your soul of its peace, joy, and hope. 

You'll end up half-dead spiritually speaking and that's never worth the time you think you're saving. Nothing is more valuable than time that is spent with the Lord. 

Whether it is just to acknowledge Him in praise for just a little while, to ask Him for help, or to take the time to sit down and do a deep study of His Word----whatever time you spend will be worth it! 

"My son, attend to my words; incline thine ear unto my sayings. Let them not depart from thine eyes; keep them in the midst of thine heart. For they are life unto those that find them, and health to all their flesh." (Proverbs 4:20-22 KJV) 

Let Jesus Take The Wheel

 

Have you ever reached a point in life where every aspect of your existence felt out of control? 

I can still remember my first (and only) attempt at driving a vehicle. I had just celebrated my sixteenth birthday and the level of excitement I felt was indescribable. I couldn't foresee the challenge that was ahead of me; even through what turned out to be a frightening situation, the Lord taught me a valuable lesson that I know I will never forget....even though as humans, this particular struggle is still real for all of us. 

After a few times of practicing on the local high school parking lot, I decided that I wanted to try driving on the road, even though I was still not the greatest when it came to steering the vehicle. I felt ready to try. I drove up to the intersection and as the light went from red to green, it was my turn to begin driving down the road. 

The first few moments went surprisingly well...but the sights and sounds of the cars surrounding me threw my body into full blown panic attack mode. Within minutes, I could no longer hear my mother calling my name. To this day, all I can recall is beginning to hyperventilate and my mother reacting quickly, grabbing the wheel from the passenger seat, and somehow leading us to safety. 

Have you ever tried to take on a situation all on your own even though it was something that you knew you wouldn't be able to handle?

Maybe you're in a place where everything that surrounds you feels overwhelming. It's way too easy to think that we have the ability to handle all that life throws at us on our own; when the tough really gets going, it's even easier to find ourselves panicking and becoming painfully unaware of the Lord and His presence. 

Friend, it's important to remember that Jesus is and will remain ever-present through every single panicky moment you face. Your circumstance may have you thinking you're alone in fighting the battle; the season of trial that you're traveling through may have left you at a complete loss.

Please know that the Lord will forever stand by your side. You're never alone and He will never fail to somehow pull you into safety when you least expect it. That's just who He is. 

 Let Jesus take the wheel.

"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)

Hey There! (Life Update + Upcoming Projects)

 Hey there!

We are already coming to the end of May and I cannot believe it! SO much has transpired in the time since any material has been published! 

I am doing well and I am SO excited to dive back into the world of storytelling and blogging. I have always written openly and honestly and the time management struggle is quite real for me. 

I've given it to the Lord and the thought of putting together a list of daily tasks came upon my heart, so that practice was officially put into place as of this morning! 

I am so thankful that the Lord cares about every single detail of our lives---even those that seem small in size and not really that big of a deal. 

Time management is such a common struggle and it's something I want to pray on in regards to writing about in the near future. (We'll see where the Lord leads, but it may be awhile)

I haven't forgotten about Molly's Zone; there's so much joy in my heart tonight as I'm writing this. I am planning, hoping, and praying to easily slide back into my weekly Tuesday morning schedule starting in June! 

I cannot wait! Jesus continues to help me through every ounce of struggle and I will never deserve it! I am SO thankful! 

Never allow Satan to make you feel as though the Lord doesn't care about those tiny struggles that you continually face. He's always wanting to be invested and involved in every detail. He loves you and His greatest desire is to help you through it all. 

"My help cometh from the Lord, which made heaven and earth.He will not suffer thy foot to be moved: he that keepeth thee will not slumber. Behold, he that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep." (Psalm 121:2-4 KJV)

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 tiny 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.

My challenge for you today is simply to keep doing what you're doing for Jesus, but please don't forget Who you are doing it all for.

"And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men; Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ." (Colossians 3:23-24 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 go 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.

Are you questioning God or are you 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)