under your skin

I hate how the devil just knows how to get you. Things can be going so strong with God, yet he just knows all too well how to get under your skin. He knows your insecurities and at a moment you are weak, he comes unwelcomed.

I woke without pushing snooze for the first time in a long time this morning. Woke up, had a great breakfast and made it to work by 7. today was going to be a great day...

Nope.

But tomorrow is a new day. I am finding I am needing God in all times, and need to constantly pray to him.... "put on all of God's armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies and tricks of the devil."

As my walk with Jesus becomes closer, it only makes the devil want to get me even more. the devil wants me to NOT glorify God. I am going to have to be ready and alert at all times for his sneak attacks.

Its funny, I saw a commerical for a diet with a little blue monster that keeps popping up and the girl just shuts the monster away. Made me think of what I need to do... :) Shut the devil away with "whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable-if anything is excellent or praiseworty-think about such things."-Phil 4:8.

God, prayers to the Japinga family.

writing

I havent written in a while. I wrote a poem last night...and im going to share a few lines. If you wanna read the whole thing, drop me an e-mail.



"Your the unbrella
When the weight of the world
falls down like rain
preventing me
from going insaine

you are the bridge
when the world
falls out of place
With open arms
to me
you always embrace. "





God is so cool :)

baby its cooold outside.

-2 degrees. wow thats wicked :) Had great company here at the house tonight. it was great. I love how being around people just brings joy to my heart. Looking forward to what this new week brings.

Story.

Story.

Everyone has a story to share. The 80 year old man with his whimsical jokes and war stories, the grandmother with stories of joy and laughter and cooking recipies, the new mother and baby moments, to the 4 year old sharing about her day at school. The thing I find the most intriguing is not everyones story is heard. Not enough people are willing to hear, to listen, or lend an ear to peoples experiences. Each memory and experience had shaped and added personality a person contains. Each freckle reflects endless memories in the sunshine, crows feet to reflect each moment spent laughing. Anyone and everyone can learn from each other; it is up to us to ask, to listen, and to learn from them.

From people I have personally met or heard stories from others, have shared many things with me. I may have not always follow the advice they gave, but after experiencing some things on my own, I wish I would have listened. The life lessons from our elders, peers, parents and grandparents really do reflect the experiences we come across in our own life, regardless of how silly it may seem at the time. 1 Peter 5:8-0 "Be sober, viliginate, because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. Resist him, steadfast in faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world." I remember rolling my eyes at my parents as a kid, thinking o great another lecture. But as I grow older, I will get better at listening and remember to listen.

History; a topic I thoroughly hated growing up. This is something horrible to admit, but its true. Granted I loved hearing stories from my grandpa and was intrigued by the memorials in D.C, but i never really appreciated or actually understood history. But when it comes down to it, everything one does changes and affects the future. The decisions and the actions one makes is a cause and effect to the future. If Nixon was never president, would the Watergate scandle ever exisited? What if Martin Luther King never shared his dream? How would that of changed history? I find it amazing how the decisions and choices we make not only affect ourselves, but can also affect those around us. There are a LOT of people who have greatly impacted my life, mostly for the better. And i am sure I know i have adjusted peoples lives, whether in a good way, or not.

Whats important with people's story, is that in each story..there is God. Right in the middle. in the crap, the good, etc etc in the story.

***G***

ST*O*R Y

***D***

This weekend, I had the blessing to hear a story; the story of an incredible woman. How much she loved people. How she was loved. and so on. Daisy.

What an inspirational person. It was so great to hear stories about her, and to learn and see what an amazing woman she was. I might not of known her well, but I know she is someone I want to be like. Someone to look up to, to learn from, and to remember. Her positive attitude and perspective on life is one to mimic. Daisy has spread her "seeds" to us all, and it is up to us to enrich the "seeds" and gifts she gave us, and to spread our own. I know there is a lot of "daisy" in me, and Im going to work on making the daisy in me shine. Her story is one I will share, learn from, and spread.

Matt 13:31 "Though it is the smallest of all your seeds, yet when it grows, it is the largest of garden plants...." Simply put...plant seeds in the seeds of people and of Gods word through love.

Thank you Daisy for your faith, attitude and hope, and especially, for showing us all how to love. Have fun dancing, singing, sewing, and loving in heaven :)

Power of Prayer.

"Pray as though everything depends on God. Work as though everything depends on you." -St. Augustine.

This was a quote that really stuck out to me today at church... I find myself working so hard...but forgetting the most important thing...the power of prayer.

When you look in the bible, many people put prayer as a first priority. I remember from studying the book of Daniel, he is a huge example of this. In Daniel 6:10 it says, "he went into his house with his window open towards Jerualem, he knelt down on his knees three times a day and prayed and gave thanks before his God..."

Or even Nehemiah, whom we talked about it church, how he cried out for help for being mocked.

In Matthew 7:7-8 "Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be open." Ask. Seek. Persist in prayer.

A crutial part to prayer, is in 1 John 1:9. "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness."

Thinking about this quote has really got me thinking about prayer. God. and so much more. A funny picture came into my head at one point today. I was thinking about that stupid energizer bunny. it can run and run and run and work ALL day, but the battery is EVENTUALLY going to fail. Without the power of the battery, its not going to work. Just as us...we can work and work and work, but without the power of God, the power of prayer, we will fail.

I feel like this quote is implying a balance between my prayers and my actions. And that it depends on me and my prayer, and the power of God to fulfil anything.

Its like saying, everything could come down to me, and my power of prayer. People are depending on me, and my God. And I am depending on God.

therapy

It was funny when I was laying in bed last night my mind was twirling. I was like God i wish I had a therapist, someone who i could just talk to who I could just bitch and complain to, share my worries, concerns, fears, etc. I have so much going on! Granted I have friends who are amazing and do so much for me and put up with my crap, but sometimes i feel bad putting it on their shoulders! but anyways, after I had this thought i was like DUH!!. God is my therapist. God is anything and anyone I need. He is there always. and is always there listening and by my side.

God is great.

Thats all.