He is the Lion & the Lamb

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“The wolf shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the young goat, and the calf and the lion and the fattened calf together; and a little child shall lead them.”
‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭11‬:‭6‬ ‭ESV‬‬
https://bible.com/bible/59/isa.11.6.ESV

“And one of the elders said to me, “Weep no more; behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has conquered, so that he can open the scroll and its seven seals.”
‭‭Revelation‬ ‭5‬:‭5‬ ‭ESV‬‬
https://bible.com/bible/59/rev.5.5.ESV

“They will make war on the Lamb, and the Lamb will conquer them, for he is Lord of Lords and King of kings, and those with him are called and chosen and faithful.”
‭‭Revelation‬ ‭17‬:‭14‬ ‭ESV‬‬
https://bible.com/bible/59/rev.17.14.ESV

THERE IS NO ONE, NO THING LIKE OUR GOD

There will be a day when mercy and judgement kiss. On that glorious day we will know peace at a level that we’ve not ever experienced.

God is the lion of Judah who has and will conquer our enemy for all of eternity;

He is equally the lamb who was slain that redeemed me from the hands of death, the evil one, the sin that taunts me even on today, and my God, that Lion of Judah, that pure spotless Lamb, will rule and reign forever more.

Joy

What positive emotion do you feel most often?

“…And do not be grieved, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.”
‭‭Nehemiah‬ ‭8‬:‭10‬ ‭ESV‬‬
https://bible.com/bible/59/neh.8.10.ESV

Joy is the source of all my strength and endurance through the difficulties that life throws at me.

I cannot tell you how many countless times that joy has rescued me from various states of mind. The battlefield in my head fights against depression, regret and condemnation. The joy in my heart tells depression, regret and condemnation to sit down and shut up, because this is temporary.

Joy is a glimpse of eternity. It reminds us that one day, after Jesus returns, there will be no more tears, no more heartache, no more depression, no more regret and no more condemnation.

Maybe that’s why God tells us to be heavenly minded while we’re earthly present? Maybe, if we could just wrap our heads around it, the day after Jesus’s return we clock into eternity and out of the limitations of the clock?

God You are so good. This world has nothing for me. When time passes away and eternity is ever present, these problems we toil over will seem so small. Lord, help me make them small and You BIG, right now. in Jesus name amen!

Prayer

“Don’t fret or worry.
Instead of worrying, pray. Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns. Before you know it,
a sense of God’s wholeness,
everything coming together for good, will come and settle you down. It’s wonderful what happens when
Christ displaces worry at the center
of your life.”
‭‭Philippians‬ ‭4‬:‭6‬-‭7‬ ‭MSG‬‬
https://bible.com/bible/97/php.4.6-7.MSG

It seems as though telling myself not to fret or worry, seems a bit unrealistic. However, if God says to not do it, then what do I do instead, and how do I put this into practical application?

Theses are the steps, I believe, convert our/my worries into prayers and into conversations with God instead.

  1. Believe God is listening: In order to believe God is listening we must believe that He exists to lead and guide us. “Look at this: look Who got picked by God! He listens the split second I call to him.” Psalms‬ ‭4‬:‭3‬ ‭MSG‬‬
    “I yell out to my God, I yell with all my might, I yell at the top of my lungs. He listens.”
    ‭‭Psalms‬ ‭77‬:‭1‬ ‭MSG‬‬
  2. Believe God is for us: God loves us. He truly wants what’s best for us. “Pushed to the wall, I called to God; from the wide open spaces, he answered. God’s now at my side and I’m not afraid; who would dare lay a hand on me? God’s my strong champion; I flick off my enemies like flies. Far better to take refuge in God than trust in people; Far better to take refuge in God than trust in celebrities.
    ‭‭Psalms‬ ‭118‬:‭5‬-‭7MSG‬‬
  3. Believe God sees us: God already knows what we struggle with, what we celebrate and sees us. He is watching, waiting to be invited into, not only our struggles, but our celebrations too. “God, investigate my life; get all the facts firsthand. I’m an open book to you; even from a distance, you know what I’m thinking. You know when I leave and when I get back; I’m never out of your sight. You know everything I’m going to say before I start the first sentence. I look behind me and you’re there, then up ahead and you’re there, too— your reassuring presence, coming and going. This is too much, too wonderful— I can’t take it all in!”
    ‭‭Psalms‬ ‭139‬:‭1‬-‭6‬ ‭MSG‬‬
  4. Believe God is who He says He is: This is probably the most important step. The previous three steps are much more challenging to apply if we don’t simply take God at His word, in His Word. “If we take human testimony at face value, how much more should we be reassured when God gives testimony as he does here, testifying concerning his Son. Whoever believes in the Son of God inwardly confirms God’s testimony. Whoever refuses to believe in effect calls God a liar, refusing to believe God’s own testimony regarding his Son.”
    ‭‭1 John‬ ‭5‬:‭9‬-‭10‬ ‭MSG‬‬
    “The Message that points to Christ on the Cross seems like sheer silliness to those hellbent on destruction, but for those on the way of salvation it makes perfect sense. This is the way God works, and most powerfully as it turns out. It’s written, I’ll turn conventional wisdom on its head, I’ll expose so-called experts as crackpots. So where can you find someone truly wise, truly educated, truly intelligent in this day and age? Hasn’t God exposed it all as pretentious nonsense? Since the world in all its fancy wisdom never had a clue when it came to knowing God, God in his wisdom took delight in using what the world considered stupid—preaching, of all things!—to bring those who trust him into the way of salvation.”
    ‭‭1 Corinthians‬ ‭1‬:‭18‬-‭21‬ ‭MSG‬‬
    “What you say goes, God, and stays, as permanent as the heavens. Your truth never goes out of fashion; it’s as up-to-date as the earth when the sun comes up. Your Word and truth are dependable as ever; that’s what you ordered—you set the earth going. If your revelation hadn’t delighted me so, I would have given up when the hard times came. But I’ll never forget the advice you gave me; you saved my life with those wise words. Save me! I’m all yours. I look high and low for your words of wisdom. The wicked lie in ambush to destroy me, but I’m only concerned with your plans for me. I see the limits to everything human, but the horizons can’t contain your commands!”
    ‭‭Psalms‬ ‭119‬:‭89‬-‭96‬ ‭MSG‬‬
  5. Believe for Salvation: It is crucial that we believe that Christ died for our eternal salvation. That He came so that we can be with Him for all of eternity. “This is how much God loved the world: He gave his Son, his one and only Son. And this is why: so that no one need be destroyed; by believing in him, anyone can have a whole and lasting life. God didn’t go to all the trouble of sending his Son merely to point an accusing finger, telling the world how bad it was. He came to help, to put the world right again. Anyone who trusts in him is acquitted; anyone who refuses to trust him has long since been under the death sentence without knowing it. And why? Because of that person’s failure to believe in the one-of-a-kind Son of God when introduced to him.”
    ‭‭John‬ ‭3‬:‭16‬-‭18‬ ‭MSG‬‬
  6. Believe you have Access to the presence of God: The Holy Spirit is the person of God that leads us while we wait for Christ to return. This encounter with God, counters every lie and misleading of this lost world. “This is the crisis we’re in: God-light streamed into the world, but men and women everywhere ran for the darkness. They went for the darkness because they were not really interested in pleasing God. Everyone who makes a practice of doing evil, addicted to denial and illusion, hates God-light and won’t come near it, fearing a painful exposure. But anyone working and living in truth and reality welcomes God-light so the work can be seen for the God-work it is.”
    ‭‭John‬ ‭3‬:‭19‬-‭21‬ ‭MSG‬‬
  7. Believe prayer is talking directly to God. Prayer is our direct line to God in heaven. Our CEO, HR and advocate all wrapped into one. There is no being put on hold or AI generated phone service, He speaks in every language (because He designed us and every language that represents us), He sees you, He hears you and is eager to guide you on the perfect plan and purpose for your life. Below are some verses on prayer: “Make this your common practice: Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you can live together whole and healed. The prayer of a person living right with God is something powerful to be reckoned with. Elijah, for instance, human just like us, prayed hard that it wouldn’t rain, and it didn’t—not a drop for three and a half years. Then he prayed that it would rain, and it did. The showers came and everything started growing again.”
    ‭‭James‬ ‭5‬:‭16‬-‭18‬ ‭MSG‬‬
    “God can’t stand pious poses, but he delights in genuine prayers.”
    ‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭15‬:‭8‬ ‭MSG‬‬
    “God keeps his distance from the wicked; he closely attends to the prayers of God-loyal people.”
    ‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭15‬:‭29‬ ‭MSG‬‬
    “God, come close. Come quickly! Open your ears—it’s my voice you’re hearing! Treat my prayer as sweet incense rising; my raised hands are my evening prayers.”
    ‭‭Psalms‬ ‭141‬:‭1‬-‭2‬ ‭MSG‬‬
    “I’ve thrown myself headlong into your arms— I’m celebrating your rescue. I’m singing at the top of my lungs, I’m so full of answered prayers.”
    ‭‭Psalms‬ ‭13‬:‭5‬-‭6‬ ‭MSG‬‬

I am truly leaving today’s blog with such encouragement of these collection of verses. I pray that we each have a God-encounter, that we take prayer more serious but also more reachable and accessible than we did before. That today is a day that we celebrate the access we have to God, to His Plan and Purpose for our individual lives and for the corporate good of the Church. That prayer is a first thought to our day not a last resort to life’s problems. Amen!

““Yes, indeed—God is my salvation. I trust, I won’t be afraid. God—yes God!—is my strength and song, best of all, my salvation!””
‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭12‬:‭2‬ ‭MSG‬‬
https://bible.com/bible/97/isa.12.2.MSG

#prayer #strength #joy #salvation #believe

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In 40 days…

In 40 days we will remember what Jesus did for us.

“looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.”
‭‭Hebrews‬ ‭12‬:‭2‬ ‭ESV‬‬


https://bible.com/bible/59/heb.12.2.ESV

Today is Ash Wednesday, the first day of our 40 day journey to the cross that Christ endured for us, for our sin, for our forgiveness of sin, for our salvation from hell, for our relationship with Him to be reconciled for all of eternity. I’m so glad that God did not allow the reconciliation of our relationship to be dependent on my own strength. I’m so grateful that it was on Jesus’s reputation and sinless life that paid a great price for my sinful decisions and behavior. I have struggled with many things throughout my life, but one that I can always find peace in, and put my full confidence in is when Jesus revealed Himself to me, I knew that I had found my savior from all those struggles and bad decisions.

If you choose to lay aside anything that gets in the way of Jesus revealing Himself to you? I promise you, that it will be the single most important decision you make, because it will ultimately lead to an eternity with the One Who created you. Jesus is real whether you acknowledge Him or not.

I challenge you that whether you’re a believer of Jesus one day or 90 days, or anything in between, take the steps to fast anything that you allow to get in the way of having a committed relationship with God. If you’re an unbeliever or doubter or unsure of this whole Jesus thing? Take the 40 day challenge to lay aside those doubts and pose your questions to God about Him. He will show up.

Lord, the next 40 days is not about rituals and traditions within a specific denomination. It is a time of reflection, remembering and reminding me of what You’ve done to secure my eternity, with You. I don’t want to miss the opportunity to know You more, to give up things that get in the way of our relationship. May we not leave this next 40 days the same as we entered it. In Jesus Name, Amen!

#40days #fasting #praying #seeking #remembering

Friend of God

I am a friend of God

“It is only when you understand the transcendence of God that you see how amazing his immanence is, and what a huge privilege it is to be able to enjoy intimate friendship with God.”

The Bible with Nick and Pippa Gumble, Classic version 2025, day 33

We get to have an intimate relationship and friendship with God.

Transcendence means: God exists apart from, and is not subject to the limitations of, the material universe. He is above and beyond, surpassing and excelling, greatly superior to us. 

Immanence means: it is possible to experience his immediate friendship.

What that spoke to me was, God doesn’t need me, He wants to be in my life, just because of the me He created, to be a deep, intimate friend to Him. He owes me nothing. He gave me life.

The real question is: “What will I do with the gift of life, He gave me?” Knowing that He did not HAVE to create me or you, but He did. Knowing this, leads to the realization that you and I must have a purpose. The meaning of that gift of life given to you and me, is to find out why & then use every ounce of breath we have in our lungs doing exactly that.

Psalms 25:14-15 the Message

Lord, You are my creator as well as my best friend. Help me remember that if and when I lose sight of that. Amen.

#friend #hope #life #bible #truth

Unanswered Prayers?

“And amazement seized them all, and they glorified God and were filled with awe, saying, “We have seen extraordinary things today.””
‭‭Luke‬ ‭5‬:‭26‬ ‭ESV‬‬
https://bible.com/bible/59/luk.5.26.ESV

Rick Warren writes, ‘When the request is not right, God says “No”. When the timing is not right, God says “Slow”. When you are not right, God says “Grow”. But when the request is right and the timing is right and you are right, God says “Go”.’

Have you ever experienced unanswered prayers? I thought I had some unanswered prayers until I read the quote above from Rick Warren. I started to realize that every single prayer request has been answered. I started to realize that prayer is a conversation I have WITH God not AT Him. I started to realize that every request I have, with the response, comes responsibility, accountability and accessibility.

The responsibility I have is to make sure that I spend more time learning what’s in God’s heart than seeking what’s in God’s hand. When I allow God to show me what breaks His heart, my heart breaks for those things too. I learn to love what He loves and hate what He hates. My prayer requests then align with that. That’s when my prayers turn into “go”,yes and amen.

The accountability to God and my pastoral leadership helps me grow into the person God has called me to be. So when things don’t go my way, I understand and trust that God knows better than me, especially when the answer is, “no”. Or if the answer is slow down, God wants to teach me something a little deeper so I’m prepared to steward and be responsible with the, “yes” when it comes.

Having accessibility to the creator of the universe is like being able to go directly to an owner of a company to understand the vision and mission of that organization. We don’t have to go through levels of management where the vision and mission might get lost in translation rather we have direct access to the highest office in the Kingdom of Heaven. The uncreated one, the one who holds the entire world, universe, galaxies known and yet to be known in the palm of His hand. God the Father, Jesus, the Holy Spirit, welcome me to have conversation (prayers) with them. The absolute awe of that reality is profound. Does anyone else feel humbly small in comparison but also amazed that He counts us as the most treasured of all creation?

Lord, help me stay in awe of You, never losing sight of the value that You have for me, let every prayer request I bring to You align with what’s in Your heart. As I get to spend more and more time with you, teach me to be more responsible and accountable with our time together, never taking the accessibility I have to You for granted. Amen.

#prayer

Are you lost? Do you want to be found?

When I Fall by Katy Nicole

Are you lost? Christians and non-Christians alike hit seasons in their life when everything feels like it’s falling apart. Good news, feelings are not facts, they’re just feelings and this too shall pass. If you’re anything like me that last sentence made you cringe, a little angry or if you’re willing, gave you a different perspective. Which leads me to my next question.

Do you want to be found? Specifically, by God? Most of us put God in a corner, in our most desperate times, in an attempt to fix the problem ourselves. We fail to realize, God, doesn’t care how you got there, He only cares that you want Him in all areas of your life. Even the messy parts, yes, the really messy stuff that you probably even contributed to, rather indirectly or directly. God just wants to be with you. That’s why He created you. You were created for the sole purpose of being in relationship with God. It was His plan before you were ever born.

No matter where you’ve been. No matter what you’ve done or how far you’ve run, He’s there, waiting to find you. So I’ll ask you again, “Do you want to be found, by Him? Are you aware that you’re lost and need Him?”

“What do you think? If a man has a hundred sheep, and one of them has gone astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine on the mountains and go in search of the one that went astray?”
‭‭Matthew‬ ‭18‬:‭12‬ ‭ESV‬‬

Dear Lord, I am lost and ready to be found by YOU! Like a wandering sheep, I had no idea how bad things would get apart from You. I just want to be in Your presence, in Your care and lead by You. Amen

#salvation #lost #found #fall

The Struggle is Real but so is God

Shereadstruth.com

Great faith is a product of great fights. Great testimonies are the outcome of great tests. Great triumphs can only come out of great trials,’
-Smith Wigglesworth.

Reading my devotions today and this quote has just stuck with me. So many people are struggling with different things (myself included), and I thought it might encourage someone as much as it encouraged me.

What I felt the Lord say in response: “Your test shall become a testimony that leads others to Me! Your trials shall lead you to victory! Your fight, struggle, that thing that is causing so much resistance in your marriage, your finances, your prodigal coming home, is developing a faith in you that you never thought possible. Trust and believe, that though the enemy comes to kill, rob, steal, destroy, I come to give life to the full! Though you experience the troubles, trials and tests of this world, I have overcome this world! Though you may be surrounded by the darkness, I am the light that overwhelms the darkness and the darkness has to flee!”

I’m so grateful that God speaks such words of wisdom and encouragement. It makes me respond with, “Is there really anything too hard for God?” There is nothing I’m going through that God has not been through Himself. His track record is 100% conquered all evil, in His death on the cross. Holy Spirit, help to remind me of that in the middle of the tests, trials, fights, and resistance. The struggle is so real but so are You, God! Amen.

Who am I?

“And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience— among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind.”
‭‭Ephesians‬ ‭2‬:‭1‬-‭3‬ ‭ESV‬‬

https://bible.com/bible/59/eph.2.1-3.ESV

I am part of God’s family now. My life is no longer about what this world can offer me. I long to see my life worked out in eternity. I believe that I was once one way and now I know I am a child of the Uncreated One, who created everyone, a Royal Family, that wants me to walk in the identity I was created for.

Who am I? I am a child of God.

Lord, thank You for showing me who I am more than 35 years ago. Sometimes, I forget and fall back into old patterns that block the view of Your plan and purpose for my life. Help me clear the foggy mirror, to see that I am a child of God, even when I mess up. I just want to run to You, in those moments of defeat, so that Your presence reminds me who and Whose, I am. Amen.

#identity #childofGod #truth

Trust and Believe

Learn the unforced rhythms of grace.

Nicky Gumble
‭‭‭Psalm‬ ‭9‬‬:‭9‬-‭10‬ ‭ESV‬‬, YouVersion Bible App

Many know the story of Jesus calming the storm while in the boat with the disciples. (Mark 4:35-41) What’s interesting to me is that while Jesus was sleeping, they were afraid of the ginormous storm rocking their boat. However, after Jesus turned churning waters, into a sheet of reflective glass with just three words, “Peace, Be still.”, they were terrified of Jesus and of the power Jesus displayed.

It’s like up to that point they understood the storm’s power but had not truly understood the power of the man, Jesus, though they had supposedly known Him, walked with Him and ministered along side of Him.

I want to recognize that Jesus is just as powerful asleep, in my boat (life), though a storm is present, as He can, at any moment, calm the storm around me. To go a little deeper, the storm of worry cannot rock the trust I build in knowing Him, intimately, personally and intellectually. I either believe Him, or I don’t, but trust and believe go hand in hand, in every storm I face.

Lord, help me with my unbelief so that my trust in You keeps the storm of worry out of me. Amen.

Who Am I?


“The two most important days in your life are the day you are born and the day you find out why“. 

Mark Twain

“At the beginning of your pleas for mercy a word went out, and I have come to tell it to you, for you are greatly loved. Therefore consider the word and understand the vision.”
Daniel‬ ‭9‬:‭23‬ ‭ESV‬‬

You are greatly loved. Though this passage was written about Daniel, it’s true for us too. So many think that God is on His throne looking to and fro of whom He can punish, no my friends, that’s the devil.

God is right there with you. Waiting for you to do life WITH Him. Everything He created, including you, He created with a healthy, loving, joyful relationship in mind, with YOU. I assure you that regardless of what you have done, forgiveness and a new start, He would gladly give.

I know this because I read where He joyfully laid down His life for all, even the ones that would reject Him, to make forgiveness a viable option for our sinful man. God is not mad at you. God is madly in love with you. He created you to be in relationship with you. The healthiest, safest relationship available to all who would receive it. Will you receive it?

I pray that anyone reading this, encounters the living God today. In all His fullness. That this encounter leads them to repentance. That today is the day of their salvation. That they understand the vision of eternity in mind. We will all face eternity one day but we will all not end up in the same place. Lord enlighten the eyes of their hearts so that see the one true God that you are. No decision is still a decision. Choose this day who you will serve, God or the devil. For me and my house, we will choose God.

Open the floodgates, Lord

Flow

“He opened the rock, and water gushed out; it flowed through the desert like a river.”
‭‭Psalm‬ ‭105‬:‭41‬ ‭ESV‬‬
https://bible.com/bible/59/psa.105.41.ESV

Can you imagine waters flowing through a desert and how refreshing that would be? I find myself in seasons of desert-like dryness and just when I think I can hardly take it, the Lord, floods me with His refreshing waters of loving-kindness. He restores my soul. He reminds me of His promises to me, that we are in a covenant that cannot be broken.

It is hard to remember a promise in the middle of a dry season. We are stretched, tested and tried. Often being brought to the edge of ourselves. Then we notice something? A trickle of water coming through the rock of our hearts, that have hardened, become jaded, disappointments, betrayal closed us off from everything, sometimes, including our promise.

Fortunately, for us, God reminds us ever-so-gently, that we have a promise to focus on IN THE DESERT. No matter what it looks like, feels like or be like, God will fulfill His promises, beloved. Let the refreshing waters of His promise, His covenant, with you, restore your soul. Let His truth flow through the desert places of your heart. Do not let the dangers of the desert, let you lose sight of the floodgates of promise that flow through the desert like a river.

Lord, help me, remember who You are, who I am to You, and the promises that will get me through those challenging times in life. Amen.

Embrace the interruption

“The heart of man plans his way, but the Lord establishes his steps.”
‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭16‬:‭9‬ ‭ESV‬‬
https://bible.com/bible/59/pro.16.9.ESV

If you’re anything like me, interruptions in your plans can be frustrating and bring to the surface a side of you that you’d prefer no one would see.

I’m really working on welcoming those interruptions to see if I am missing something in the bigger picture, specifically the picture that God holds in His hand. My goal is to give room for a God moment, a divine appointment or an adjustment that brings about a better plan for me and whomever is also a victim (er, I mean, gifted) to these unplanned interruptions.

What if interruptions were gifts from God, not situations taking from us but gifting us something better than we could’ve ever planned in the first place?

Let’s picture how many interruptions (gifts) that we pushed aside to focus on our own plans and agendas, sitting on a table. How big is your pile of unopened gifts? Mine is bigger than I prefer to mention here, however, I thank God for giving me a different perspective on interruptions. I don’t want to miss out on anymore opportunities stemmed from my plans being interrupted. Today, I commit to embracing the interruptions that come my way.

What are some ways that we can make room for God, when we’re hyper-focused on the plans we make?

Below are a few ways from Proverbs to soften our hearts to those unplanned moments:

Who Am I?


“The two most important days in your life are the day you are born and the day you find out why“. 

Mark Twain

“At the beginning of your pleas for mercy a word went out, and I have come to tell it to you, for you are greatly loved. Therefore consider the word and understand the vision.”
Daniel‬ ‭9‬:‭23‬ ‭ESV‬‬

You are greatly loved. Though this passage was written about Daniel, it’s true for us too. So many think that God is on His throne looking to and fro of whom He can punish, no my friends, that’s the devil.

God is right there with you. Waiting for you to do life WITH Him. Everything He created, including you, He created with a healthy, loving, joyful relationship in mind, with YOU. I assure you that regardless of what you have done, forgiveness and a new start, He would gladly give.

I know this because I read where He joyfully laid down His life for all, even the ones that would reject Him, to make forgiveness a viable option for our sinful man. God is not mad at you. God is madly in love with you. He created you to be in relationship with you. The healthiest, safest relationship available to all who would receive it. Will you receive it?

I pray that anyone reading this, encounters the living God today. In all His fullness. That this encounter leads them to repentance. That today is the day of their salvation. That they understand the vision of eternity in mind. We will all face eternity one day but we will all not end up in the same place. Lord enlighten the eyes of their hearts so that see the one true God that you are. No decision is still a decision. Choose this day who you will serve, God or the devil. For me and my house, we will choose God.

Boundaries, Commitment and Priorities

How do you balance work and home life?

Balance

Finding balance in an overwhelming schedule is challenging. However, I have found that being successful in the process comes down to these three things, boundaries, commitment and priorities. Out of these three things I utilize techniques, within the process, to stay balanced, effective and efficient with my time, energy and resources.

Boundaries are used in many ways to protect as well as provide a separation between what is allowed in our lives and what is not allowed in our lives. A well thought out boundary will keep wandering things from showing up in our plans. Boundaries also have a door, which is the flexible portion of our day. Through this door we can put out things that aren’t working and welcome in help to get things done more efficiently and often times, quicker. Boundaries protect from distractions and the unexpected things that pop up in life.

Which leads us to the next thing, to maintain balance, is commitment to the goal. Whatever isn’t part of the goal has to be considered a hindrance to end result and must wait until after the goal is met. Commitment to yourself, your family and your work will develop our next technique.

Prioritizing, is probably one of the hardest for me because I often think everything is a priority. As if I’m some kind of super human that can get everything done, never say no to volunteering and always being available for every human in my life. In order for me to prioritize I go through this thought process:

1. Does this take away from my needed downtime?

2. Does this sacrifice time with my family?

3. Does this give me energy or does it drain me of energy?

4. Does it maintain the balance I am fighting for or will it cause imbalance?

Allow me to put this in perspective. If I’ve scheduled some down and an alert pops up or someone asks me to run an errand or really any plethora of things the people we love asks us to do, it’s important to give myself that time. Otherwise, I become rundown, burnt out and sometimes even sick from not taking rest when I need it and when I schedule it.

When something or someone takes time away from my family specifically, mealtimes, bedtime, before school time or vacation time; I actually get offended. I already have to divide my work life from my family life, there is no make up time for supporting my husband at his office event, helping my kids through every stage of childhood, listening to them, going to their events, volunteering at their school and taking them to birthday parties. Truly consider how short 18 years is and you’ll learn to prioritize, real quick.

Never do anything that pulls more energy than it gives. That’s it. That’s the self-guided rule for prioritizing, and when to say yes or no.

That last one is tricky. Some things will cause imbalance but they’re one time, never to happen again, events. If they give you more energy than they take, then be flexible and enjoy it.

At the end of the day, it comes down to this, decide how your day is going to go. It’s your God-given day, treat it like a gift because tomorrow is not promised.

K. Howard, Author of Beautifully Broken

What is your career plan?

My career path has been a twist and turn of events, changing the course when necessary and adjusting the course as needed. As a young girl, I always loved writing but my career path was limited due to our financial situation.

I chose the career of beauty and fashion through becoming a stylist. 25 years of provision, memories and on-the-job training to hone my entrepreneurial skills.

Then, I fell two-stories and broke my back. This, tragically brought my career to an abrupt end. Which I really could’ve used while I was going through my divorce.

I dabbled in the hospitality business for about five years. I loved the people but the rest of it was a whole lot of work with very little compensation for the work.

Circling back, I found myself at the keyboard, pouring my heart out to God, while I divorced the person who I once loved that became our worst nightmare. As I shared these daily thoughts with my social media audience, these writings started to engage others and help them through their struggles. Though all of our struggles were different, we all shared these common themes: a need for hope again, a place to process these trials through our faith and to stay the course until we were out of the storm, raging inside of us.

Beautifully Broken ministered to me while I was writing it through grief, tragedy after tragedy, financial devastation and the unknown.

The cover with the ceramic piece that represents the Japanese art of Kintsugi. This is the general concept of highlighting or emphasizing imperfections, visualizing mends and seams as an additive or an area to celebrate or focus on, rather than absence or missing pieces, according to Wikipedia.

I’m a momma to 4 beautiful daughters and Nana to 8 grandchildren. I started my writing journey, as an outlet, at the age of 9 when I lost my daddy to a careless murder. I have experienced a journey through life that has not been easy, to say the least. Yet each challenge became a breeding ground of opportunity to share my life’s testimony to God’s amazing grace; reflecting my freedom from the chains that bound me, my victory over unforgiveness, and the God-given ability to overcome many struggles, through the outlet of writing.

As a faith-based author my goal is transparency and intentionality to share my heart with purpose, and given the opportunity, to capture your heart, challenge your mind, and stir your emotions with each stroke of my pen.

My motivation behind the project?

To allow my journey to answer these questions about your journey:

1. Who is God to you?

2. Who are you to God?

3. Why does that matter?

I believe that if we can answer these questions with conviction and confidence, we can maintain our faith through the most diffficult of times.

My hope for the reader/audience?

My prayer is that at the end of this 40 day journey of devotions and journing, the reader would exchange the weight of their worries for the gift of salvation and freedom to clock into an eternal purpose. To allow their creator to repair the brokeness in their lives with His unconditional love.

How did writing this impact me?

This project started with my own difficult season that I was journaling through. I was reminded over and over again that God is cheering me on through all of life’s challenges. He can take what is broken and make it beautiful.

Beautifully Broken is a 40 day devotional that breaks down what we believe, the impact of sin, forgiveness, who God is to us, who we are to Him and why that matters.

Whether you’re new to the faith, struggling with your faith, in the middle of a difficult time or returning to your faith, this devotional will help you be more confident in what you believe and why.

If you would like to join my journey:

Email me at: kelliann@fromthedepthsofkell.com on how to receive a signed copy of Beautifully Broken

or

Click on this link to order from Amazon:

Beautifully Broken: Maintaining Faith During Difficult Times: 40 Day Devotional

https://www.amazon.com/Beautifully-Broken-Maintaining-Difficult-Devotional/dp/197365170X

Don’t label me

What are your favorite brands and why?

I like uniquely designed things that enhance the positive attributes of my body shape, my personality and my style.

It’s not about whose label is on the inseam, it’s about how a piece of clothing, jewelry or cosmetic makes me feel when I wear said items.

So don’t try to brand me with someone else’s label. Just let me shine on in my own identity. (giggles a little) So I guess my favorite brand is me because I’m a one of a kind design.