Category: dreams do come true

Would you say ‘I do’?
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Would you say ‘I do’?

carriedinthecross1 Comment

If Jesus proposed to you, would you say ‘yes’?

Are you ready to spend your life with this man from Nazareth? This carpenter’s son, hated and despised by the world. Are you ready to give up everything to follow Him and His dreams for your future? Yes? To say ‘yes’ would mean He is master over your mind, body and soul, are you ready for that?
I’m not always sure I am. Does He have my soul? Oh yes! Does He have my heart? Definitely! Though, sometimes I admit He gets a little lost  in all the other ones, things, activities I love; but in the end my heart is focused on Him. Does He have my body? Okay. Harder question. Do I always help the needy? Do I always step in for the little guy? No. If I feel the Holy Spirit say ‘GO!’ Do I go? Sometimes. And here is the big one. Does He have my mind? My mind goes through so many thoughts a day/ a minute/ 1/100th of a second, that it is hard to see what or whom my mind is centered on. There are times when I should pray but I watch Netflix instead. There are times when I am not up to reading my Bible. There are times when I just can’t. Oh I could if I tried, but I feel I just can’t. Does that mean my mind isn’t centered on God?
I like to put it into a less ginormous perspective. My dog is my life. And my horse. Most days they are why I smile and feel I can push through whatever it is that is happening. Sometimes I come home and don’t play with my dog because I feel I just can’t that day. Too worn out. Sometimes I ignore him and watch Netflix, sometimes we don’t walk because it is too cold. He is the center of my world, but sometimes I don’t give him my whole attention. That doesn’t mean he is out of my focus, just not my whole focus for that time. Believe me, he will make it known if he feels ignored.
Just because my mind is 1000% off 60, and I haven’t yet taken time to focus on God, doesn’t mean my mind is off of Him. He could draw all my attention to Him in a millisecond if He wanted to, because I love Him. So does He have my mind? Yes.
If Jesus proposed to you today, what would you say? I say to say ‘yes’ and hang on, because it is going to be a wild ride.

Spiraling or climbing?
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Spiraling or climbing?

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Downward spiral .vs. upward climb

Have you ever noticed how it is a spiral? Spiral indicates fast, generally out of control and of course spinning.
It sounds like a bad ride at an amusement park, you know, the one your friends dare you to go on and then you feel too sick to do anything else for the next 2 days. 10 years later you have the confidence to laugh about it with someone. Spiral.

And upward CLIMB. With this one I visualize a mountain. I love hiking and exploring. If you let me go with my dog and spend the day someplace hiking and exploring, there is a chance we will be gone that whole day. Generally the moment we feel like…..I am sorry, I feel like, he could go on forever……when I feel like turning around is the moment I hit a steep incline. Usually it is my powerhouse Jack Russell who keeps me moving, he is probably 1/6th of my weight and yet he is the one who pulls me to the top and we stand (and I gasp for air) and he starts to head down the next trail, dragging me behind and I feel this wave of achievement. We made it to the top! Oh Ya! And look! Another hill…… I wonder what the top of that one looks like?

To hit rock bottom takes a simple ‘yes’ or a small give in your normal perspective. It happens fast, it is generally a little sickening and it takes a long time to recover.
To hit the summit takes a lot of hard work, motivation, and sometimes someone else pulling on your lead to keep you going, and you find acheivement in the end.

To climb back up from the bottom is a massive struggle and you can NOT do it without God, but you CAN do it.

Open heart
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Open heart

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Open heart

We all have a seed inside our hearts. A part of us that is undiscovered and trying to grow. A potential. A dream left to the wear of time and long since forgotten. Deep down in your heart, however, that dream left a seed. We all have someone we want to be. A chef, a weatherwoman, an accountant, a movie star. But to fulfill a dream takes hard work, good people, and a bull dog drive. Stats say that over 90% of people give up on their dreams instead of seeing them fulfilled. I think that is very sad. A dream is something important to us, and things that are important to us should be things we fight for. Sometimes we dream of being something that other people say we can’t be. An artist who can’t draw, or a musician who doesn’t know how to play. It is possible that maybe that means your true seed is growing into something else. Perhaps a music teacher or an art studio director. Don’t drop your dreams where you stand and move on. Sometimes the true dream is a vine of the original one. Fight for your dreams and water them. See what your seed grows. Like buying a surprise packaged of flower seeds at the plant store. All you can do is scatter them in the dirt and care for them. You know you want a flower, but what that flower looks like is entirely up to the seed. So you care for it and as it grows you love it more and get more excited to see what it will be.

Let your seed grow, and never give up on it.

Heads or Tails?
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Heads or Tails?

carriedinthecross2 Comments

Looking to God can be a struggle because the world always says ‘yes’; God sometimes says ‘no’.
To face God and accept that your answer may be ‘no’ is painful and very scary. We want a ‘yes’ answer, and we want it quickly; meet World, because he answers with what you want quickly. Why? Because World doesn’t care. He doesn’t care about you or what happens next, he doesn’t even care if you have a story or a future, if you want a quick fix, find World, because that is how he operates.
If you want perfection, look to God.
My mom always says ‘wait for perfect,’ meaning the perfect that God is preparing. My answer? I want the perfect when it comes, but I want the temporary to fill the gaps of waiting.
Stupid? Yep. Bad logic? I know. Not realistic? Absolutely.
And in a few moments of post conversation reflection I see my flaw, or error in judgement I guess would be a better term.
Wait for perfect and accept that your ‘no’ is leading you to that perfect… whatever… whatever it is you seek, wait for it to be perfect. It is easy to say this, I know, but living it means pain at times and struggle at others. If you trip don’t worry about it, confess it and trust God to set back on your path, but keep seeking God and His answers because, painful or not, they are your best option. World is what they call a ‘toxic relationship’, God, the one who cares enough to want best instead of good enough, the one who goes with you and fights for you, (often fighting against World for you, ) He is the fairy tale relationship. He is the Prince, or in this case the King, riding in to give you the life that you need. Oops. That isn’t how the story goes is it? Doesn’t the King give the life you ‘want’? No. This King gives the life you need, but the end of the story is a dream come true when follow the King.

God please guide us to you in your power. Please help us through the pain life sometimes brings and please show us your road for our lives. In Jesus name..amen.

Credit to owner for cover image

Victory takes time
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Victory takes time

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Victory takes time

John Millias’ painting ‘Victory oh Lord’

Exodus 17:11

Who remembers Moses having to hold up his hands to God for victory in battle?
Remember? As long as his hands were up God’s people were winning but whenever they were down God’s people would lose.
The battle lasted so long that Aaron and Hur had to come and hold up Moses’ hands because he was exhausted.
If you were Moses’ wouldn’t you be thinking,
‘Anytime now God! I am really losing will power here!’
Yet Moses persevered in Faith and ultimately the battle was won.
We live in a ‘now’ society.
Everything happens quickly, and we expect it to. When my wifi is slow and I have to wait a minute before something will download instead of the 10 seconds it normally takes, I am irritated. I am also an impatient person and am working on that.
You see my point though. Moses waited so long for God to bring victory that his body literally gave out on him; but Moses knew God well and had seen Him do unreal things before, so he kept his Faith and kept his hands raised.
We know God can do unreal things, so why do we doubt Him? Our arms get tired and we lower them. Our praise ceases, our prayer wanes and eventually we give up the fight. Don’t give up the fight! One more time. Don’t give up the fight! God is moving, acting and working! Keep your hands raised high! If you can’t keep them up on your own, seek help. Help from friends, family, your pastor or church, from a devotional or online Christian speaker, find somebody you trust to help hold your hands up with you. God will bring you the victory, just keep reaching up to Him and don’t stop until you see your breakthrough.

Thank you Lord Jesus for being our breakthrough. I pray for whomever is reading this devotional that they find peace and strength and support as they wait for the victory you are bringing. In Jesus name.
Amen

Illogical Miracles
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Illogical Miracles

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When people think Star Trek (the original) two names come to mind..Kirk and Spock.
As all of you who have watched any of the Star Trek shows or movies know, spock’s race of alien believe fully in logic. In one part of one of the movies, Spock states that miracles do not exist because they are illogical. That made me think. Miracles ARE illogical. If miracles made sense then we could figure out how to do them ourselves. GOD alone can do miracles.
I do believe that God can use people to help Him do miracles, but we cannot do them through our own power. Miracles are miracles because only God can do them, it is miraculous because it makes no sense, it is unexplainable and it is amazing. I love seeing God do crazy things. We Christians call it “wow God moments.”
As my Grandfather says, “But God.”
It was impossible to be healed…but God.
The dream was too far beyond her reach….but God.
The Children of Israel had no way out…but God.
Daniel was in the lion’s den…but God.
The fire was heated 10 times the normal temperature and no one could survive that…..but God.
I am too much of a sinner for God to love me….but God…so loved the world that He gave His one and only son. Too lost to be found? Too hurt to be healed? Too dirty to be cleaned? Too scared? Too weak? Too broken? …..But God.
GOD IS ILLOGICAL! That is just how He operates. If He were logical none of us would stand a chance in this world because He would be limited to what WE could understand.
I adore my God who makes no sense to those who do not know Him. I also love His illogical, wonderful, crazy, insane, awesome miracles. Without them we would have dull, logical lives.

When dreams come true
Blog · Devotional · dreams do come true · encouragement · Jesus

When dreams come true

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I have a favorite movie….okay I have several…. but this one is top to second on my list. In the movie, when the dream finally comes true/the treasure is finally found, the protagonist lifts it into his hands and says,
“After a lifetime of searching, I can touch it.”
I wonder if that is what Heaven will be like?
After a lifetime of seeking after God we can finally touch Him.
Can you imagine the day you finally get to touch Jesus, to see Him? What will it be like to hold His hand? To see Him smile?
A dream is something you work for, and beleive me it often takes tears, determination and a galaxy full of Faith, but when that dream comes to pass and you can touch it it makes every tear feel worthwhile. Don’t you think that after a lifetime of following a Jesus we cannot see, to have an eternity following a Jesus we can not only see but we can feel will be a complete dream come true?

MOM!!!
Blog · Devotional · dreams do come true · encouragement · Jesus · mother's day

MOM!!!

carriedinthecross3 Comments

I have no experience being a mother to a person, I do however have a dog that I got at 8 weeks old, and my mom’s constant statement was,
‘Now you see what motherhood is all about.’
There were….and sometimes still are..long sleepless nights, the pain of having to punish this small one whom I cherished, the fear of him getting hurt, the times we would break the rules together, and the times when said rules no longer applied because I just can’t say no to that face. The poop in my shoe, the mud on my floors, the totally destroyed whatever he could fit in his mouth, all led to this point; Almost 7 and a half years of absolute love, not always joy, but always love.
Guess what? I miss those growing up years. I long to go back because I know that I won’t always have him.
Any mothers of human babies nodding their heads and remembering those years with your kids? Or perhaps looking toward them?
Jesus gave us mothers for 3 distinct reasons. (This is my opinion by the way)
1. To be our caretaker
2. To be our friend
3. To show us Jesus

The word ‘Caretaker’ has many limbs to it.
Protector, provider, on call doctor and sometimes surgeon, warrior against the big bad wolf; you get my point. Without our moms, or sometimes a dad or grandparent filling that role, we would die. We need that nurture and care because we are living. We feel, we need, so God gave us someone to help Him take care of us.

‘Friend’ is always that.
Someone to laugh with, cry with, argue with; and someone you can trust has got your back. Sometimes that friend points out flaws that only a friend can, other times they are the only one who understands you, but they are always there for you.
Jesus knew we would need someone we could rely on for more than just provision and care so He made our mothers our friends.

Lastly..yes you can sigh a breath of relief….lastly and most importantly, mothers are here to show us Jesus.
Because our mothers care for us we know they have our needs in mind.
Because they are our friends we know we can trust them.
That is why they are ideal for telling us about Jesus. We know they teach us of Jesus because they know we need Him and He is essential.
We know all they say about Him is true because we trust them. We need our mothers to show us Jesus, we need to learn from this person we love and trust. If they do not show us Jesus then who will? And how can we trust a stranger or know that we actually need what they are trying to sell us? Without our mothers guidance we can easily be lost. Whether we are being that mother or have that mother, or in some cases both, this world needs mothers. These mother cheracter traits can be applied to everyone we take care of. If we care for people, befriend people and show them Jesus, then we can help Him make this world what it should be.
God knew what He was doing when He made moms undercover heros. Hopefully women of prayer who fight along side God. My mom is and so was her mom. My mom’s mom was an adopted war baby, my mom is one of three sisters who are not adopted. Becoming a mom can look very different from person to person, but that does not change the MOM dynamic. Because this world needs us ladies. Do not think the title MOM makes us week, it is the opposite, because we are MOM we are powerful. Warriors on the frontlines all over this world, no matter your race, beliefs, social status; no matter how you ended up a mom, or if you are instead gifted with being mom to those around you that you see need you, you are special and amazing, God blessed with the right traits to make this world a right place.

HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY

No matter the squalls
Blog · Christianity · Devotional · dreams do come true · encouragement · Jesus

No matter the squalls

carriedinthecross1 Comment

When chasing a dream it is too easy to think the whole thing will be Cinderella. You are working hard under a horrible task master but you keep dreaming, and then one day all your wishes upon stars come true and it’s life in the palace from here on out. That’s a nice story but not a reality. Real dreams don’t just come up to you, take you by the hand and off you go together; you have to work for them. Take heart because the harder you work for a dream the sweeter it is when the dream comes to pass. However, while working I know it is all too easy to hit the ‘I hope this is worth it’ button. Because the minuet you start doubting your goal and start wondering if it’s realistic you easily start feeling like you are putting too much into it. You may even wonder if this is God’s will at all.
I once heard an evangelist say…’if God is putting something on your heart, something you long for and can’t let go of, be prepared, because He is setting you up for it to happen.’
Pray about your doubts because your longing dream may very well be God preparing you for what He has planned for your life. And don’t let go of the helm no matter the squalls that arise, because the light coming off you once you succeed will be the light of Heaven as God cheers you on.

Rebel Child
dreams do come true · encouragement · Jesus · searching

Rebel Child

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I rebel against all fear within me
I rebel against all shame
I rebel against all past hurts
I rebel against the pain
I stand in defiance of the fear
I stand and lock my knees
I am immovable you hear
Hear what I have to say
Jesus is my king and friend and He is power beyond compare
So little imperfections in me how dare you show yourselves here
My savior cares not who I was and He guides me to who I can be
Whenever I stumble I never truly fall because my Jesus is in me

We all have little voices inside our heads that bite at us throughout our lives. Those little voices lie and taunt and yet for some reason we always seem to believe them. STOP believing those voices and begin to believe the voice of Heaven; begin to believe what Jesus says about you. You are worthy, you are loved, and most importantly you are worth dying for. Jesus never lies and His truth chases off those biting little voices inside our heads because there is nothing about us that can change the way Jesus feels about us. There is nothing about us that is unlovable because Jesus will always love us and we are beautiful because we are works of art from the master’s hand, and guess what we are pretty amazing because God made us to be amazing no matter what pur little voices say.