Jarrid Wilson Blog

If you don't know Jarrid Wilson is then I ask you to read his blog.

It's full of simple, heart-felt posts that leave you thinking.

 

Today's blog was titled, "Don’t Put Your Trust In A Man Unless He Puts His Trust In God."

 

He called out to Christian women everywhere and challenged us

to seek the man who seeks God's heart.

 

- His main points (seriously, just go read the complete post; it's all good) -

 

1) You can’t put your trust in a man until he can first put his trust in God.

2) A real man opens more than the door; He opens his bible.

3) A real man will lead you closer to God than he will to himself.

 

Wow.

 

Ladies, we all want love.

However we need to know that if God is not the focus in our life or the main focus in the life of our man then the relationship will crumble.

 

I did a bible study many months ago about appealing to the leader in our man.

I think we women are too quick to pick up the role of leader in a relationship.

That's not how it works.

He leads - in spirtual things, in the relationship and in the home.

Appeal to the leader in your man.

Allow him to lead.

If he isn't willing to be the spiritual leader then you need to find someone who is.

 

 I firmly believe Godly men are still out there.

I believe men can rise up as spiritual leaders.

I believe it can happen. Prove me right, guys.

 

"Don't put your trust in a man unless he puts his trust in God."

 

 

Rachel

 



Hope, not Fear

 

Does my life style reflect my hopes?

Do I consciously live each day striving to achieve my dreams?

Do I allow fear to hold me back?

Does laziness limit my choices?

 

Side-note: if you aren't passionate enough to go after it then you never wanted it in the first place.

 

Think about it.

Are you limiting yourself by not making choices that positively impact your dreams?

 

I think Nelson Mandela said it best:

 

"May your choices reflect your hopes, not your fears."

 

Live in Hope, not fear.

 

 

 

Rachel



Taking Chances,...

I've been doing some much needed self-evaluation this last month or so.

My realization? I have so much work to do on me.

One thing I realized was this, I don't take enough chances. I just don't.

I sit in my comfortable space where it's familiar and homey.

I watch the world go by and say, "I wish."

Enough of the wishing and watching.

I told a friend the other day that I just lack courage. I fear failure even in the small things. It's easier to never try rather than risk it. I close myself off from adventure, relationships, learning opportunities and chances at happiness simply to avoid the pain of screwing up again or hearing the dreaded,
" I told you so."

And that's wrong. How many memories or relationships have I missed? How many opportunities I have lost? All due to fear of taking a chance.

So this girl is done with all the above... I'm going to start taking more chances in all areas of my life.

Yes, there will be mistakes, there will be pain and heartache, but that's part of taking a chance.
There are no guarantees in the unknown. You have to make the jump in faith and see what happens.

Because like the artsy picture above says, “If you never try, you'll never know."

*Post side-note: I am in no way pardoning poor decision making. Be wise when taking chances.

Rachel

Resolution #897

Confession is good for the soul, right? Okay, here's my confession. -deep breath-

I'm that person who makes new years resolutions and then never follows through with them. I lack drive and if I'm honest with myself, I'm pretty lazy when it comes to meeting my personal goals.

This is what happens:

 

January 1 -" This is THE year! I'm going to go hard and reform! Adios bad habits!"

February 1 - "I can do this. Get it together, RC!" 

March 1 - "Eh, I've got all year,..."

April 1 - "I really need to start working on this,..."

May 1 -  "okay,... I probably start after summer vacation."

June - August 1 - "It's so hot,... I'm just gonna wait until until it's cooler."

September 1 -  " Ugh,... will it ever cool down!?"

October 1 - "Ah,... cooler weather... I'm just gonna sit here and enjoy it."

November 1 - " There is too much going on this holiday season for me to work on me."

December 31 -  looks at Resolution list, "I hate myself."

 

Oh what! like you've never procrastinated a little!!! Stop judging.  LOL!

 

My new year's resolution should just be "STOP WITH THE PROCRASTINATION."

 

But seriously, this year I want to be that person who follows through with their goals. I want to be that person who at the end of the year looks back and checks off their resolutions rather than moving them forward another year.

 

What's the point of having goals(resolutions) if I just sit back and waste tine!?  This new year of 2014 is going to involve more personal committment to me. Perhaps that sounds like a selfish way to put it but that's what needs to happen. I need to work on myself this year. And I think I know just where to start, ... Procrastination.

 

Rachel

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2013 Recap

Yes,... I'm still here. It's been a quiet year for me on Blogger but let's face it, no one was holding their breath each day waiting for a blog post from me so I have no regrets in that aspect.

2013

Wow. I can't believe it's nearly over; only five days to go and how many New Year's Resolutions did I meet? That's right. None. I'm not richer, skinner, healthier, tanner, artsier, married and I don't have a dog. I really know how to achieve and meet goals, huh? Let's add "Read the goal meeting/stop procrastinating/inspirational book" to 2014 resolutions.

But overall, 2013 wasn't a horrible year. Let's see,...

• I became an auntie at the end of 2012. I LOVE IT! I spoil precious Baby Kensi each chance I get. She is so cute,smart,precious, lovely and darling ...etc. Oh! you wanted to see a picture of her? Well, here you go! See I told you she was a cutie!

  

  Baby K

• I found a new addiction in 2013 - Pinterest. Y'all... I have planned my future house, pets, wedding, kids, photos, recipes, jobs, Bible reading, etc. It's a problem. Ladies, if you don't have a Pinterest, don't get one. It's a black hole of home decor and wardrobe planning. Major time waster unless you are a "go-getter" who actually does the DIY projects.
• My best friend of nearly 20 years got married.  She was lovely and she got married at a Southern plantation. Um, can we say classy!? How time flies, just yesterday we were meeting for the first time in grade school and now she's married.
• My hobby of photography became a little more profitable this year.  Now, I know my skills are limited (to put it nicely) but I had more people requesting me to take their photos this year and honestly, it was a great feeling. I have so far to go and so much to learn but I'm up to the challenge.
• I got a new job at the Bank. Due to a series of crazy events (which I won't go into) I was hired as an assistant in the Commercial Lending Department. Key music to A Whole New World.  It's completely different and I'm learning so much. I feel overwhelmed some days by it all but it's going to work out. I truly believe God placed me here.

And these things are just a tip of the 2013 iceberg! All in all, it was a good year but between you and me, I have a feeling next year will be even better!



Dreams

Have you ever had a day where you take a moment, a pen and a notebook to simply dream?

Dream of what you want? Dream of where you’d go? Dream of things you would do?

Dreams can encourage and motivate us to better places if we allow them. They can place a drive and passion down deep in us that will propel us further into the plans God has for us. The key is allowing God to use dreams to move us. If we refuse to grow and we remain content with our little sphere of influence and our small responsibilities we will eventually die. We will face the death of creativity, of imagination, of passion and of growth. We will become hardened to any type positive change. We open the doors to bitterness and stagnant thinking.  Dreams keep us alive!

I sat down recently and allowed myself to dream, and then I wrote down the things I want to accomplish.  

1. I want to develop my skills in writing. I want to write something so meaningful that it inspires change. I would love to write a book or article that would be published. My words don’t have to be widely read or known. I just want to reach and influence more people.
 
2. I want to become a better photographer. I want to be able to capture a memory for future generations. Sounds corny, but hey! It’s my dream.  I also believe that photographer would be a great side-job in the future. So by bettering my skills I would be positively impacting my future finances. 
 
3. I want to adopt a child. Those who know me know that adoption is my heartbeat. So many children long for a mom and dad to love them and provide a home for them. I can do that for a child. I can rescue them and change their lives. 
 
4. I want a home – a place where all feel welcome. I have an Aunt who's home is like that. You walk in the doors and immediately feel loved. That’s what a home is supposed to feel like and that’s what I would love to provide. 
 
5. I want to provide a retreat for ministers and families. I want to give them a haven to rest in during a tough situation. I want to help them find direction and answers. I want a place where they can stay and be together as a family. I realize that vocational stress can tear at the family unit. I want to help strengthen that unit.

Not sure of how it will all come together but those are a few of my hopeful dreams.

This girl can dream all day long. But there comes a time when you have to get up and work to achieve the dreams. Dreams are worth nothing unless they are acted upon. Unless you use the inspiration of the dreams to act, the dreams are nothing but vain imaginations, useless and soon forgotten.

So I’m taking steps to act upon my dreams so I can help bring them to life.  Hopefully I have a couple of my dreams checked off by this time next year but if not, I will still hold on and keep them alive. Some dreams take time and may not come to pass in the time-frame that we wish but it doesn’t mean the dream is dead. Keep feeding your dreams. Encourage yourself.  Be prepared to step through doors that will lead you towards your dreams. You never know where God is leading you and what dream He is about to bring to pass. 

Your dreams could be just around the corner. So to paraphrase a popular Journey song, "Don't stop dreaming..."

Hosanna

Matthew 21:8-11
8 And a very great multitude spread their clothes on the road; others cut down branches from the trees and spread them on the road.
9 Then the multitudes who went before and those who followed cried out, saying:


“Hosanna to the Son of David!
‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!’Hosanna in the highest!”

10 And when He had come into Jerusalem, all the city was moved, saying, “Who is this?”
11 So the multitudes said, “This is Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth of Galilee.”

Since tomorrow is Psalm Sunday and the beginning of Holy Week, I had been reading Matthew 21. I finished the passage regarding Jesus' entry into the city of Jerusalem and noticed a footnote in the text. I followed it and the footnote stated this, "In the original Greek text, Hosanna literally translates into phrase 'save me.' " 

I've always been under the assumption Hosanna was a praise but it's not - it's a prayer.

The Jews weren't just worshiping on the original Psalm Sunday - they were crying out to the One they believed could help them.  "Save us, oh Son of David! Blessed is He who comes in the Name of the Lord. Save us, One who is Highest!"

 If only they would have realized that was exactly what He was coming to do. He was coming to answer the prayers of past, present and future generations. He was coming to Save, to Redeem and to Free us.

"Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!" John 1:29 

Tomorrow morning, on Psalm Sunday, the prayer, "Hosanna - Save Me!" will be rising across the world and it will reach His ears again.  Even 2000 plus years from the cross and resurrection, He is still just a prayer away. He can still hear our cries. And He will still answer and save us.

Hosanna, Jesus. Hosanna.