Blossoming in His Presence

 Growing up I was quite the dreamer. I loved to read autobiographies and biographies about great men and women who changed the world. I desperately wanted to do and be remembered for something grand.  I remember saying, once, that I didn't want to marry an ordinary guy, I wanted to marry a dreamer of impossible dreams; and I was only six years old! Like anyone else, I went through a plethora of different dreams. From being a fearless astronaut to being a compassionate princess, I was full of possibilities. The only thing about it was that I got my idea of great from people's perspective.  When God first started to reveal His calling to me, I was a little hesitant. It wasn't quite as grandiose as my own plans... at least I didn't think so. In fact, His plan didn't have the least bit of my name being well known. Oh, wait a minute...  You see, that's where we as humans, miss out on true greatness. We think greatness is determined by fame, money, and power. Our eyes...

   As I was reading an article about relationships, it sparked a burning desire to share my heart on the matter.   Like every other decision in life, who you decide to spend time with is a choice that should be guided by the Holy Spirit. Only He knows who will truly be a friend to you and help you reach your destiny, or who could ultimately destroy you.  I'm a girl just like every other girl. Since childhood my ultimate dream has been to be a wife and mother. I imagined my wedding day, played mommy with my baby dolls... the whole nine yards. However, I made some big life commitments at a young age.  While I was still a pre-teen, I made the decision not to date. My parents didn't make that decision for me but I'm pretty sure they were glad I did. I wanted my teen years to be years of developing myself into the young woman God had called me to be. I wanted to solidify who I am, what my dreams are, and who God is to me. My focus was to develop my relationships...

  Walking hand in hand with Jesus... what utter joy and bliss!  Time and time again, I have seen the benefits of yielding my will to His. True, oftentimes, His way doesn't seem all too appealing. On many an occasion I have thought, "Lord, You don't really want me to do that do You? Please say no." However, without fail, laying aside my natural desires have always resulted in my heart being changed. It's almost as if our natural desires block out that which we will find the most pleasure in and we have no idea what we are missing out on. Our Heavenly Father knows us far better than we know ourselves. "For I know the plans I have for you,” says the LORD. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope." (Jeremiah 29:11 NLT)  We often enjoy waving our free will around, dearly loving the rights of independence; as a child who wants to do everything by itself yet lacks the wisdom or complete knowledge required to accomplish the ...

  As ladies, we secretly dream of a Prince Charming who would love us passionately enough to be willing to die for us. Why? Because the act of dying for another is the ultimate sign of devoted love. Yet, so often we tend to overlook the fact that such a Man does exist and He did freely give His life for us.   Perhaps we neglect to acknowledge this fact because we never actually saw it with our own two eyes. Since we live in such a visual age, I want you to imagine a picture with me. Allow this visual to come to life in your mind's eye, as if you were watching a movie or experiencing it yourself.   Are you ready? Picture this: There you stand at the foot of the cross as it looms above you. Gazing up, you find Jesus watching you tenderly. His chest heaves heavily as His breath becomes harder to take in. His air intake begins to take on the sound of wheezing gasps as the weight of the world's sin rests on His shoulders. He has been beaten to a pulp, being so disfigured...

 "I'm over here! Look at me! You want me! You need me! You have to have me!..."   One doesn't have to listen long before one hears the cares of this world shouting for attention, particularly your attention. In the midst of all the daily stress and worries, God, most often, gets pushed to the back burner. I mean, think about it. The One whose thoughts are consumed with you  24/7 , doesn't even get the first thought of your day as you sleepily reach over for your cellular device.  Just picture Jesus sitting at the side of your bed, eagerly waiting for you to awaken from the sweetness of slumber. His heart is bursting with tender love as He observes the peaceful expression of rest on your face. He can hardly wait to talk with you, to hear your voice. Awakened by your alarm, you quickly hit the off button. A loving greeting is on the tip of His tongue but before He can even say a word, you are already scrolling down your Facebook as if life changing events occurred...

The blogging journey has begun! Recently, my pastor has been saying that this is a year to write, as a result a blog was birthed in my heart. I am a young woman who is passionate about sharing her Heavenly Father's heart. This blog is an extension of my passion. Through it, I hope to encourage growth just as I also am growing. The more I bask in the light of the Son, in the warmth of His presence, the more I begin to bloom into the woman God created me to be. The process is an exciting one and I look forward to sharing it with you all! Keep an eye out for new blog posts and feel free to leave comments or share with your friends. Let's bloom together!