Hope for More

There are only 5 days until Christmas and you can feel it in the air... anxiety, that is! People are hustling and bustling, just as the song says, buying this and buying that; fussing, pushing, celebrating and consuming. Just the other night, my good friend found her self in a car accident- the victim of an overstressed mom, trying to make her way down the highway towards the mall, no doubt.

I think it's hilarious how, during this time of year, people seem to loose their minds. The media is full of stories highlighting disgruntled customers and impatient people during this time of year, yet, in spite of such, underneath all the frantic reactions to this particular holiday, people are really just excited and hopeful that this year will be their year for peace, love and joy, as is the undertone of the season. This year, they might have the perfect gift, or the perfect family get together; this year, maybe broken relationships will be mended, or new romances started. Maybe this year...

As I sit back and look at my own wrapped gifts, I suddenly feel a hope for peace, love and joy myself. I hope for a closeness with family members that is just as effortless on their part as it is on mine. I hope to see my daughter grow up to be smart, kind and passionate for Christ. I hope to see my husband fulfill all of his goals and dreams and I hope to one day buy my father a boat. I hope for love to arrive in the lives of each of my friends. I hope to grow closer to God. I hope to grow closer to myself.
In my opinion, each hope that we have is like a wrapped Christmas box. We know there is something inside that must be worth the fuss of gold paper and bows, but without a giver, we will never receive what ever the gift may be. Hope is a beautiful thing. It gives us drive to do the impossible and requires a faith in what is yet to come. There is strength in hoping and lovely anticipation for the revealing of what we hope for, but hoping must have a source, otherwise it is not hope. It's merely a wish.

The cry of humanity is peace. The hope of humanity is in finding a way to usher in that peace. We sign treaties that fail, make promises that are broken, ask favors that are never returned and demand justice that is only biased. The answer to our problems is a state of peace, but what source are we hoping in? If our hope is in the government, then we will surely be let down. If our source is in our money or in our success, it will be short lived. Are we hoping in that new relationship- if so, any signs of an argument could propel us into fear, not peace. If I merely hope in my ability to attain a result, it may never come to fruition; but if I hope in a source greater than myself, then odds are, I will receive what is best for me, concerning the results in which I hope for. Jesus wants to be that source for you. He wants to be what you most hope in and hope for. The idea of gift giving is not merely of habitual tradition; it's a spiritual reality, wrapped in love, and culminated at the birth of a Prince of Peace that the world continues to hope for; though they do not always recognize it.

"For unto us a child is born...And He will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace."- Isaiah 9:6

The peace that we hope for, pray for and fight for, can only be attained through the love of Christ. When we put our hope in Him, he delivers those results in our personal lives, and one day, will deliver those results for the souls of the whole world. When our hope is in Him, we will never be disappointed.
As we embark on yet, another Christmas, I urge us all to take some time to consider things that we hope for. What is it that our hearts truly long to see? Is it peace of mind on our jobs? Marriage? Children? A new promotion at work? Health for a family member? Direction for our dreams? Whatever it is that we want, consider the source we are using to realize these things. Is this source dependable, reliable or trustworthy? Can we expect this source to be a permanent answer, or will it only be temporary? Our hopes and dreams are too valuable to leave up to chance and our longing for peace is too precious to entrust with anyone other than the Lord. Trust in Him to give you what you need. He will never disappoint or fail you. His gifts are eternal and HIs promises are sure.

This Christmas, as we hope for peace in our hearts and peace on Earth, remember the one who was born to give us just these things! In Christ, we do not hope in vain and the peace He promises is everlasting and wrapped in love for all to receive, if we just believe!

An early Merry Christmas to you all!

~Pearls

Here are some inspiring ambitions that we Hope for. We know that Jesus is our source for all things and we have peace in our hearts in knowing that He will give us exactly what we need.

Living a Life on Display

I was recently reminded of a conversation I had with a friend of mine, many years ago. She insisted that, in this day and age, people could make their own choices for the particular life that they chose to live, without any spiritual consequences, because God was a loving God who dealt with every person differently and times aren't as simple as they were in the Bible. Of course, this comment really shocked me: the girl who was raised in a Christian home, who attended a Christian School and who went to church, at my parents' urging, more than 3 times a week. I was so perplexed at her statement and attempted to show her the error of her assumptions. I felt angry, almost, that she could even insinuate that a person's choices could override God's law or that God's way was not concrete and could be negotiable, depending on the person's situation or circumstance. I remember saying things like, "You really need to come to church with me"
But, to be totally honest, I was the one more in need of church than she was, because, at least she was sincere in her living. At the time, I was living a completely hypocritical lifestyle. I claimed that I was a "Christian", but I was not living a life pleasing to God. I had my checklist of "dos and don'ts" that satisfied my own conscience, but I was living far from the truth and the grace of the Gospel. Still, I made attempts to drag my heavy "Christian Soap Box" around at the ready, in order to position it just right, so that I could stand on it, firmly, and declare to the world the proper way in which a Child of God should live! In my private life, I made excuses for myself, but in front of an audience, I turned on the "church girl" switch. I was a mess. My life was far from a good example.

Years later, as I cringe to look back at that conversation, and so many others like it, because I realize that I wasn't doing her, myself, or God any favors. In actuality, I was living the life that she described. What right did I have to try and show her "the way", when I wasn't following it myself? I was the one who had deceived myself into thinking that God's word and His ways could be negotiable and that I was exempt from things clearly stated in scripture. I was the hypocrite, because I knew the truth, but rejected it. I knew what was right, but only displayed it in public, for people to see my good deeds. She was living her life in a more honest way than I was. She was not pretending. She was genuine.
During those early college years, I was full of self-righteousness, taking on the impossible burden of trying to lead others to a Jesus that I did not even know or celebrate within my own heart. I was blinded by my own attempts of "goodness" and I was a hindrance to those around me who were sincerely looking for the truth. This is the issue that we face as Christians everyday: There are people who are looking for Christ, but, unfortunately, the examples they often come across are half-hearted, soap box carriers who insist on their own personal truths, lacking the compassion and relationship with Jesus that has the power to save us all!

The scary truth is, so many people are in the "Middle", so to speak, looking for sincerity, truth and a genuine understanding of God. They are searching beyond mere belief and church attendance. Think about those in your own life, who might be among the "Middle": individuals who aspire to know God, yet try to in their own way and in their own efforts; those who are familiar with "Church", but lack a true relationship with Jesus. What about that co-worker who takes pride in her volunteer work, but has no true concept of what it really means to fall in love with Jesus? Think about that relative, who considers themselves a "good person", but doesn't understand the message of the Gospel or the gift of salvation in Christ. Or what about your neighbor, who prays and reads positive messages and engages in affirmations, but can't quite grasp their need for a Savior or their perfection in Him? They are looking for signs and proof of the Truth and guess who God put in their lives to demonstrate it... YOU!!!

As we make our choices and live our lives, let us examine the state of our own hearts, as 2 Corinthians 13:5 tells us to do:

"Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you--unless, of course, you fail the test?"

Are we passing the test? Are we relying on the Holy Spirit to do good works in us for God, or have we taken on the impossible job of trying to do it ourselves? Are we being true and authentic witnesses in public and in private? Are we sharing the love of Christ with those around us, or are we sharing legalism, denominationalism or worse yet, religion and impossible rituals? Are we hugging, or hurting? Are we giving or judging? Are we offering compassion or condemnation?

The problem with the soap box, as I came to realize, is that it's not strong enough to hold us up forever. Eventually, the weight of our own sin will cause our soap boxes to come crashing down. It's an inadequate stage and a façade. Sooner or later, it will begin to rip and tear and we will fall through. Not so with Jesus! He is consistent, everlasting and our eternal foundation!

There is a world full of hearts that are longing for the blessing of assurance in Christ. They need to know how much the Father loves them (John 3:16; Romans 5:8; 1 John 3:1), how their way might bring destruction but God's way can bring new life (Romans 6: 23; 1 John 1:9) and that they can be eternally sealed in Christ Jesus (Ephesians 2: 13; 2 Corinthians 5:7; 2 Corinthians 1: 21-23). This is the good news and hope of the Gospel: not that we have all the answers, but that God provided the answer in Jesus, making a way for us to be pleasing in His sight and providing His love to us, which we can then share with those around us.

It's time to break down our boxes, girls! Don't be afraid to share Jesus with others. There are so many people who are desperate for Him! Let's not keep them waiting!

~Pearls

Overcoming Complaining

Good Morning to you all! This week, I had an honest discussion with the Lord about some goals I'm wanting to accomplish and I had to confess to Him (and to myself) that my motives were becoming quite selfish. It occurred to me that, deep down, I'm still struggling with the sin and issue of comparing, complaining and keeping up with the Jones'. Anyone know where I stand?

It's so easy for us all to fall into such a trap. You have an idea that you're excited about, you covered it in prayer, read up on various blogs, books and magazines, discussed your goals with trusted friends and feel amped to put the wheels in motion, but as you try moving forward, you begin to notice others who seem so much more successful with their goals than you are with yours. So you start to compare: "She is so much more creative than me", "His networking is so much stronger than mine", "They are really getting lots of attention", "That person just won another award".
It's easy to get side tracked because it's natural to notice situations around us, especially in this day and age of social communities and reality obsessions. It's difficult to complete an entire day without being informed of someone else's success. Despite our efforts to focus on our own agenda, the problems arise when our comparing turns into complaining: "She doesn't deserve that recognition", "My idea was so much better", "He didn't earn that award", "They could never do it as good as I could"...

The problem with complaining is that it occurs out of an ungrateful heart and a lack of trust in what God is doing within us. When we are not satisfied with our own circumstances, we fall prey to complaining, and eventually competing with others, overtime. This robs us of enjoying who we were specifically created to do and to be. We all have special sets of gifts, talents and strengths and each of us are at the mercy of God's timeline. Not everyone's name will be in lights. Not everyone will arise to success at the same time and not everyone's journey to their destiny will be manifested in the same way, but regardless, we have been called to rejoice when others experience success and encourage them on their way; not harboring jealousy or envying their blessings, because you never know what they had to endure within their process to get to where they are. 

In each of us, God is unfolding His perfect plan in our lives and in our hearts, if only we just trust His process and put our lives in His hands. My destiny will look different than yours and yours will look different than others, but at the end of it all, if we keep our hearts on Christ, our lives will unfold in an existence that is beautiful to behold because we put our trust in the Lord and in His leading for our lives and direction for our goals.

Scripture tells us that when we trust the Lord with the good we want to accomplish, He in  turn will make our success brilliant!

Trust in the LORD and do good... Delight yourself in the LORD and He will give you the desires of your heart.  Commit your way to the LORD; trust in Him and He will do this: He will make your righteousness shine like the dawn, the justice of your cause like the noonday sun. ~Psalm 37:3-6

I just love that part: the justice of your cause (your goals, your endeavors) will be made to shine like the sun! See, the Lord is proud of His creation and wants to put us on display! They key to it all is to be content where God has you right now, trusting His process as you maneuver through your goals and pursue your endeavors. We must also remember that our steps are ordered by the Lord (Psalm 37: 23). So, as we strive to achieve our goals and produce our ideas, we must be diligent and stay prayerful over the direction and instruction from God, thanking Him with grateful hearts for the opportunities He's blessed us with and seeking how we can help others along the way. Ask Him to make your path clear to you and celebrate with those who are achieving success, encourage those who are needing a boost and love people as you travel along your path. Remember that when life unveils your turn for success, you will want others to celebrate with you, as well! 

Comparing takes away your focus, complaining takes away your joy. We desperately need both for the journey and cannot afford to be robbed of either. So set your sights on things above (Colossians 3:2)! Do your absolute best with what you have, full throttle. Learn from others and share your own lessons! Go hard for God, seeking His face and His approval in all that you do! His plans include you and His path is a sure win! The Jones' have their purpose and you have yours. It is unique to your life, your talents, your strengths and yes, even your weaknesses. Never doubt that you can be used of God and never underestimate the power that is unleashed when we rejoice for the goodness that is being produced in others, and in ourselves.

As I revisit my own goals, I realize that I have the unique opportunity to rejoice for my success, ahead of time, because I am learning to trust God and His process. I don't need to compare, complain or compete with anyone else. If I keep my eyes on Christ, then I will be successful and shine like the sun; my life will matter and most importantly, it will make a difference for the kingdom of God! Who I am and what I am destined to do is purposed for the glory of the Lord! I just want to be authentically who God created me to be and do what He has called me to achieve. I want to celebrate with those around me and encourage those who are still searching for their purpose.  I also want the same for you!

Trust His process!
~Pearls

Great and Mighty Things

Happy holidays to you all!!! I pray each of you had an amazing Thanksgiving with your loved ones. The Pearls and I enjoyed a friends get together, in addition to our families and enjoyed good food and funny #thanksgivingwithblackfamilies hashtags!
Its always interesting for me to get together with family. Of course, there are those individuals that you keep up with throughout the year, but I especially love getting together with those you don't see so often; especially the children! its amazing to see them grow and change and watch their personalities. For example, one of my younger cousins was just getting into everything! His mother does not eat pork, yet somehow he ended up with some ham on his plate. The whole night, he begged for cookies, and snuck at lest 3 or 4. He was told to settle down, read his book, don't talk with his mouth opened. He was a talkative, rambunctious boy and i loved it! clearly, his mom had her hands full with him. She breathed her fair share of sighs over his activities, but what was so precious is that in spite of his rowdy ways, she was never too tired to give him hugs and the love that all children need. She was there for her son, when he called for her, regardless of his previous incidences. How sweet to know that our God makes himself available to us in the same way!

Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and mighty things you do not know. - Jeremiah 33:3

much like my little cousin, spiritually, we are all rumbunctious children. We all get into mischief and sin, exploring what is not necessary for us, trying things that will harm us, hiding the truth out of fear and sometimes, we even hide from God. But it never changes his love for us. We want to believe that Gods presence is some reward for the upstanding and righteous things that we do, yet scripture shows us time and again that God makes himself near to those whose unruly ways are out of control. Consider Moses, the murderer, Jacob, the liar, Rehab, the prostitute and Peter, with his foul mouth! Each of us has sin to over come, struggles to deny and issues to grow from, and in the midst of it all, if we but just call out to God, He wants to answer us and be near to us!

Yes, there are times in our lives when we feel so close to God, when our walk seems blameless and all our prayers are being answered left and right. We feel victorious, we feel God's presence and are aware of His blessings. It's easy to proclaim the faithfulness of God during these times in our lives; it's easy to approach the throne of Grace with boldness...But what about the other times? What about when we are knee deep in regrets and struggles? What about when our shame envelopes us with sorrow and we cannot find the words to pray? What happens when our mistakes seem unending or when life throws unexpected, unplanned problems in our path? Are we not to seek God in these times? Should we not look to heaven? Is there some how a revocation upon our welcome at the throne of Grace?

In Jeremiah 33:3, the Lord speaks to Israel, a nation who is notorious in scripture for their unruly, disobedience and unfaithfulness to God. However, the Lord does not disqualify them from His presence; His does not dismiss them because of their faults. Instead, He invites them to call upon His name. He urges them to approach Him, despite their inadequacies and not only to call on Him, but to expect an answer from Him!!!

God cares about everything we go through. He cares about the flowers and the sparrows, so how much more will He pour out His compassion and love towards us, His children, who are made in His image?! There are great and mighty things in store for you and it is God's will and pleasure to produce them in you! It doesn't matter where you are coming from, what mistakes you have made in the past, or even your current condition. The fact is, God was present even in our sin... yes, even in our mistakes and in our unfaithfulness, His loving kindness and Grace abounds (Romans 5:20). He loves you- every part of you, every experience you go through, every struggle, victory, trial and accomplishment. He wants to love you through it all... just call to Him and He will answer. Put your faith in Him and He will show you marvelous and wonderful things! You are never too far and never too close for God to use and work His amazing love in you!

Be encouraged!
~Pearls

                                   

Together, We Can Do This!

Do you know why people don't like Christians? It's because there is a rumor that we talk but never do. That we preach but never follow through. That we judge but never change. It's a difficult stereotype to combat. The media portrays Christians to be dedicated toward outbursts of name calling the people we are suppose to be loving; finger pointing at the hurting, ignoring the needy and rejecting those who are different; but none of this is Jesus, therefore, none of this is true Christianity.
Labels can be a powerful thing and the message behind the label can spread to anyone who seems to resemble the majority. The problem is, there are a lot of people who wear the "Christian" label, but are not really Christians at all. They claim the name, but don't live the life. They sing the songs, but don't practice the messages and they make a bad name for those who are sincere in their efforts for Christ. Today, I'm here to not only tell you, but show you, that not all Christians conduct themselves in hypocrisy. Some people of the Christian faith really do implement what they believe in their daily living. Some really try to be the hands and heart of Christ, regardless of the situation, outcome or recognition.

Pearls of Hope strive to be those very Christians. We want to shed light and love and hope wherever we go: at work, in church, in our homes, during our private times, in our conversations and in the way we deal with everyday people. We want to be strong representatives of Christ and love the way he does. This March, we will be given the opportunity to do exactly that and we are so excited and overwhelmed at the opportunity to reach into the remote parts of the world and authentically practice our faith. We do not know what awaits for us, but we do know that we are not afraid! We are determined to live in a way that discounts the popular belief that Christians are fake. We want our lives to prove that prayer is real, powerful and necessary in our world today! We want to give of ourselves in efforts that people can walk away from us and know that they are loved and valued, no matter their background.

For 3 years, we have done just this within our own communities, right here in North Carolina. Wehave enjoyed Bible studies that taught us and challenged us, and then we have held each other accountable to practice these lessons in tangible ways, not just within the walls of the church, but in
the real world. Looking forward, we have great expectations regarding our Mission Trip to Roatan, Honduras, working with the indigenous Garifuna peoples. This community has been rejected by the mainstream society because of their unique cultural background and African roots. They live in impoverished areas, suffering from the lack of common medical necessities and lack of health education. For 5 days, we will be dedicating ourselves to loving, serving, sharing and living among these beautiful people that the world has forgotten: children who know neither father or mother, teenagers who suffer from aids and other diseases, a community who treasures literacy as if it were a Maybach and families who have been deprived from luxuries that we take for granted, like clean water and dependable electricity . We have the privilege to not only pray for them, but to do for them; along side of them. Faith without works is dead, yet works without faith is meaningless, too. As a group, we have accepted the call to be about what we read about. We want you, our family and friends, to feel pride in the fact that we are not ashamed to live and love like Jesus, in spite of a society who feels as if God is obsolete. We know he is real because he's changed our hearts. He's changed our motives and he's given us hope that we want to share.

As we prepare for our journey in March, we really want to ask you all to help us as we help others. The mission will be challenging and we need all the support we can get. Our current group goal to raise is $5,000.00 and with your help, we know that we can accomplish this goal. $5.00 adds up... $100.00 adds up. There is nothing too small that you can give, because God takes the small and multiplies them if the motives are right! Through your giving and our serving, together, we can do a great deal of good and impact the lives of people who the world has forgotten!

Garifuna Community, Roatan, Honduras

If you would like to help us, you can contribute on our Go-Fund-Me page: https://www.gofundme.com/PearlsHonduras.
Any gift you give is tax deductible and will provide great hope and positive change for families in need. Simply include your email in the message box and we will email your receipt for your personal records. We know that the holidays are approaching; what a great time to share what God has blessed us with! If you are unable to help us financially, please spread the word on social media! Individually, the goal seems impossible, but together, we have an amazing opportunity, filled with great expectations, to change the world through love, action and a willing heart!



Thank you all so very much!
Pearls of Hope

Be Thankful in Prayer

As many of you know, my friends and I are getting ready to endeavor upon an out of the country missions trip to Roatan, Honduras. We will be ministering to young women, ages 12-25 (approximately). In our training, we are learning scripture, how to share our testimony and how to leave our comfort zones. At yesterday's training, I grew in my faith from all the sharing and exchanging that went on between my friends and I. It was so powerful to green from everyone's confidence and interpretation of what God is doing in their lives and how they want so much more of Him. It's a powerful thing when you see others seeking the Lord, because, in the best case scenario, it usually causes you to operate in a deeper desire for Him, as well.

In light of the tragedy that is swooping over the whole world, we as Christians have a very unique opportunity to not only pray for those who are hurting and less fortunate than ourselves, but to also lift up our hearts in thankfulness for all God has done, is doing and will continue to do in our lives. There is no telling what my friends and I will encounter in Honduras. There is no telling how truly horrific the lasting affects of the attacks in France have left it's citizens. There is no telling how every day people are suffering in their circumstances, confused in their purposes or weary in their well doing. There is no telling because, in reality, we are truly only ever capable of completely understanding our own situations. We can empathize with people, but we are not mind readers. We cannot assume the issues of others and interpret everything the way that particular individual is interpreting their own situation. We can really only handle our own hurt, confusion, frustration or disappointment. Yet, in spite of where we are or where we may recognize others to be, we have so much to be thankful for.

1 Thessalonians 5:18

Give thanks in all circumstances; 

for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

Sometimes, even though we know in our heads to be thankful, it takes some effort to practice thankfulness from our hearts. So how can we push through the need to complain or fight our feelings of being unsatisfied? How can we ignore our pain that can seem to overwhelm us at times, or how do we overcome our own frustrations and disappointments? How do we forgive world tragedies, like

what's happening in Paris, and really trust that God has it all in control? Well, first, we must recognize that it's normal to have these moments and feelings; it's normal to forget to be thankful. This is why the Bible reminds us, in Colossians, to be thankful in prayer (Colossians 4:2). There are times where we must pray! There are times when all hope seems to be lost, when we cannot stand any longer, when anger wants to swell up within us and when life just seems to be unjust. So, we must pray! For us, for others and for the world! But in our prayers, we must be thankful.

Scripture says that "this world is not my home", (Hebrews 13:14). It's easy to get uneasy and fidgety when you are homesick. Our hearts cry out for more than this world can offer, but while we are in this world, we must realize that God has and will continue to provide for all that we need, in every area of our lives- physically, emotionally, financially, spiritually, and so on and so forth. He does not have a blind eye to our existence. He sees it all and He cares so greatly. His desire is to give all of His children good things (Matthew 7:11).
No, this does not mean that God will remove all our hard times. More than likely, He will not drop a million dollars in your pocket, or propel you to the top of your career instantly; neither does this mean that the man of your dreams will magically appear and fulfill your every dream and wish. In the experience of life, there will be tears and doubt, but God is love! His provision for our lives consists beyond the material. He wants to provide us with more of Him- more love, peace, patience, grace, mercy, wisdom, worship, truth, joy, light...ect. All these things are summed up in our relationship with Jesus and He longs to give us so much more, if we but only ask! We are not eradicated from the troubles of this life, but through the troubles, God is there and provides what we need in the midst of every storm and season. These provisions allow us to persevere through this life and in this world, that is not our true home. As we continue to grow and pursue Christ, we will live a more thankful life, produced in our hearts out of Love for our AMAZING God and result in prayers that will change what we ourselves cannot! So be thankful, in good times and in trying times, because God is mighty and a constant friend. He will not abandon us in our hour of need.

Yes, the whole entire world seems to keep flipping itself upside down and in spite of our humanitarian efforts, our global donations, our walks for this cause or that cause, even our well intended hugs with friends who need us most, we are of no excuse to loose hope. Life my be chaotic, and things may not always go our way, but we have everything we need in Christ, and therefore, we must choose to be thankful in all things; remembering those who are hurting, of course, and lift them up in prayer.
As we continue living in thankfulness that our God is always there, we are better able to serve and aid those around us who need to know His love! After all, that truly is our purpose: to love people and point them to the God who loves them more. We have a unique opportunity to not only help the physical situations, but to help in the spiritual as well. The truth of the matter is that there is evil in this world, and it's obvious. Its not a person or a particular group of people, it is just the enemy of sin and it  wants to defy God and take away our hope, our love and our attitude of gratitude. But we must be strong in the Lord (Ephesians 6:10)! We must remain in faith and in His love, because there are people who are counting on our prayers. We must remind ourselves, even in the trials, that God is faithful and will never break His promises. We have so much to be thankful for, because we have a God who loves us!

Here are some scriptures to remind and encourage us all to give thanks, often and sincerely, for all the Lord has done... and really, just because He is! As these scriptures encourage you, let's all continue to pray for the hearts that are hurting in Paris, and all over the world for that matter. In spite of such tragedy, God is still near. He is not ignorant to what is going on. He is not busy doing other things. He sees the pain and He hears the cries. He loves us through our darkest moments and His light will shine when all else fades. I am so thankful to know a God who will one day right all wrongs. If for nothing else, I am thankful for His love, not just for me, but for the entire world.

Ten Reasons Why Christians Should be the Most Thankful:

1. We have been adopted as sons and daughters by the King of the universe (Galatians 4:4-6.)
2. We have been saved from the penalty of sin (Colossians 1:13,14.)
3. We have true security and significance in Christ (Ephesians 2:8-10.)
4. We are part of a global fellowship of spiritual brothers and sisters (1 Peter 5:9.)
5. We are being saved from the power of sin (1 Corinthians 1:18.)
6. We have a cause, THE CAUSE, to live for here on earth (Matthew 28:19.)
7. We are engaged in an epic struggle against a dangerous arch enemy…so life’s never
    boring (Ephesians 6:10-12.)
8. We will be saved from the presence of sin someday soon (Philippians 1:5,6.)
9. Our movies are getting better (they had nowhere to go but up…I wish I had Scriptural
     support for this point.)
10. Because Jesus has conquered death we will too! (1 Corinthians 15…the whole
      awesome chapter!)
List provided by Greg Stier, from his website, Gregstier.org.

The Action of Prayer

"I can do all things, through Christ who strengthens me"

-Philippians 4:13

People pray a lot. Christians pray a lot. We ask for blessings. We ask for strength. We ask for guidance, purpose, direction, confirmation, husbands, jobs, success, love, faith and the list goes on. But what happens when we get off of our knees? What happens when the pages of scripture is closed and the day begins? Are we motivated to act out our faith? Are we living by Philippians, that we can accomplish anything in Jesus? Do we live as if we cannot fail in Christ?

Time and time again, we get encouraged by other people's stories. We see the effects of prayer in the lives of family members and close friends, even strangers. We read their books, visit their blogs, repost their statuses and admire their relationships with God, but for some reason, we find it hard to grasp the concept that the same God who loves them, loves us. The same God who hears them, hears us. The same God who sees them, sees us, and He is waiting on our action to approach Him in confidence and faith.

A relationship with God is not a VIP members only spot. There will never be a Christian who is better than another. God does not have favorites and He is not more impressed with one person over the next. There is nothing we can do to get more of His attention, we already have it all!!! When we are struggling, He sees us and loves us through it. When we are victorious, He celebrates with us, because He delights in seeing our excitement in Him. Our passions, our drive, our hopes and each complexity of our lives is so very concerning to the Lord and He has given us His precious Holy Spirit to ensure that we accomplish all things that He, Himself, has purposed for us to do. This includes our careers, our future marriages, our current marriages and children, our ideas, our dreams and all of our compartmentalized realities that we face, daily. God is in the midst, but He is waiting for us to acknowledge Him, first and for us to put our faith in Him.

"Draw near to God and He will draw near to You." - James 4:8

When we begin to move past merely acknowledging God and start actively seeking Him, He begins to make Himself known to us in ways unimaginable. He begins to move within our lives and develop His strength within us to do "all things". There is nothing that is beyond God and so therefore there is nothing that is beyond us. His power and His authority become evident in our lives, once we invite God to become evident in our hearts. What once seemed impossible to do, becomes possible with the Lord. Millions of people have experienced this, both in the past and in the present. The tools they all use is active faith in a powerful God. Their stories begin with prayer and end in action. They are not the result of privileged access and their relationship with God is not exclusive. Power spills in their lives because they believe and they walk in answered prayer because their faith produces action and confidence in the Lord. Whats more amazing is that God wants to move in your life as well. He hasn't met His quota with people in the past. He is still eagerly anticipating hearts who are earnestly seeking Him and want more of His presence in their lives.

This week, I'd like to challenge us to act out our faith in the doing, not just in the praying and believing, alone. Believing has it's place. Faith has its place; but faith without works is dead. James teaches us, "But some will say, “You have faith and I have works.” Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works (James 2:18). We need to move past the act of wanting faith and move into the action of living out our faith. We have all the confirmation we need, through Jesus, and as we live out His word in our lives, He will direct our paths! It's easier said then done, I understand, but the best way to increase your faith is to increase your prayer life. Here are some scriptures that can help you on your way as you develop a life of prayer and take those first steps in seeking  God and drawing close to Him.

Start by asking God to help you believe (Mark 9:24)
Confess any sins (mistakes, struggles, wrongful motives) that you have encountered (1 John 1:9)
Begin to read scripture for understanding, not for information (Proverbs 3:5)
Invite God's presence into your life by seeking Him and His ways (Jeremiah 29:13)
Practice Thankfulness and a willingness to obey (Colossians 3:17)

As you begin to move toward a real relationship with Christ, your prayer life will begin to increase, automatically. You will begin to experience the joy of living in God's presence and the confidence in knowing the Love of God, first hand. Power will begin to grow within you, as you begin to grow in God and the faith required to accomplish all things, will be fed through scripture and through your own experience and journey with Jesus. This process is not without it's ups and downs, but we can be encouraged by knowing that God is not distant; He is ever near, waiting for us to call on His name and desire more of Him in the every day living.

Enjoy the living! Be like Jesus! Love like Jesus!
~Pearls

Pearls of Wisdom: 5 Ways to Avoid Making a Mess of Things

When it comes to making mistakes, I am Queen!!! 

I always find myself saying the wrong thing, doing the wrong thing, making wrong assumptions and then feeling completely stupid and embarrassed afterwards. Mistakes follow me because, well... I'm human. I'm impulsive. I'm reactive. And though I want to make wise choices, sometimes, what seems wise at the moment reveals itself to be yet another mistake. Am I alone? Odds are, I'm not. Odds are, you can look back over your life... over the last 30 days even, and recognize some unwise choices you've made. As we mature into adults, the expectation is that we will grow wiser. But wisdom is not a coming of age attribute. It is not acquired by the being or the existing; rather, it is received by the seeking. Wisdom is a spiritual gift and one that must be practiced, pursued and  prayed for. It is not an accidental accomplishment.

King Solomon, the wisest man recorded in scripture, writes several books in the Bible dedicated to  wisdom and how one can acquire it. He uses personification to liken wisdom to a woman: something that should be beautifully desired and cherished. I love that! Wisdom, according to King Solomon, should take on the role of a lover, a sister and an intimate friend (Proverbs 7:4). He also uses illustrations and mistakes from his own life to compose the book of Proverbs and Ecclesiates, which, if you are not aware, will set your heart on the path to wisdom, if you are willing to expose yourself to its truths.

King Solomon, for those of you who do not know, became king at a young age (approximately 20 years old). When asked by the Lord for a gift of his choosing, Solomon answered, "Wisdom and a discerning heart" (1 Kings 3:8). Scripture goes on to say that the Lord was very pleased with Solomon's request. As a result, Solomon was not only the wisest, but also the most wealthy of any King in all the world, both in his time and in ours. We cannot imagine or fathom the riches this man possessed: Gold, Jewels, Power, even the Queen of Sheba! But, even among the midst of all of his fame, success and riches, Solomon continued to remind himself and us that wisdom is the most precious of any riches that man can obtain. When it came to wisdom, Solomon was King!

"Take my words to heart. Follow my commands, and you will live. Get wisdom; develop good judgment. Don’t forget my words or turn away from them. Don’t turn your back on wisdom, for she will protect you. Love her, and she will guard you. Getting wisdom is the wisest thing you can do! And whatever else you do, develop good judgment. If you prize wisdom, she will make you great. Embrace her, and she will honor you. She will place a lovely wreath on your head; she will present you with a beautiful crown.” My child, listen to me and do as I say, and you will have a long, good life. I will teach you wisdom’s ways and lead you in straight paths. When you walk, you won’t be held back; when you run, you won’t stumble. Take hold of my instructions; don’t let them go. Guard them, for they are the key to life."
-Proverbs 4:4-13

In this passage, we can uncover the key elements of obtaining wisdom and how this will produce within us a life of success for ourselves and an example for others. Wisdom will crown our lives and provide protection, success, honor, beauty and long life. If we do things God's way, we are guaranteed to experience these elements of prosperity because they are a reward to those who seek wisdom, which, as scripture teaches, comes from God (Proverbs 1:7).

1. First, we must recognize that wisdom is a spiritual principle. It can't be acquired through books or late night cram sessions. It's a condition of the heart; a willingness to live based on the guidance and instruction of the Lord and those who are in spiritual maturity who love you and who lead by example. It's more than simply good advice. Wisdom is rooted in trust and obedience.

2. Although we can become smarter by making our own mistakes and learning from those lessons, true wisdom is exercised by avoiding those mistakes all together. According to Scripture, who ever trusts in their own thoughts is a fool (Proverbs 28:26). Instead of trying to do things on our own, wisdom requires a relinquishing of our pride and an admittance that we need support and direction in this life. By nature, it seems that we are rebellious creatures and we tend to make choices out of haste; yet "Wisdom cries out... since you refuse to listen when I call and no one pays attention when I stretch out my hand, since you disregard all my advice and do not accept my rebuke, I in turn will laugh when disaster strikes you; I will mock when calamity overtakes you—when calamity overtakes you like a storm, when disaster sweeps over you like a whirlwind, when distress and trouble overwhelm you"(Proverbs 1: 24-27).
None of us are naturally wise (1 Corintians 3:18)! But those who seek wisdom heed the warnings from those who are spiritually sound and experienced in living life. If we refuse, we have no one to blame but ourselves for the consequences we will surely suffer. It's our generations' misguided downfall that we can live without regrets. This is not true. When we don't heed wisdom, regrets are sure to follow. Wisdom eliminates disaster and distress.

3. The third way to avoid making mistakes is to recognize that Wisdom must be sought after. It won't be an accidental addition to your life. There must be a pursued hunger to gain wisdom. Ways in which to seek after her is through humbling ourselves to ask questions and advice. Pride keeps us from exposing our struggles to others. We don't want people to know that we are lacking in an area or suffering in another, so we keep it to ourselves, avoid people, lie and make excuses; all which scream UNWISE! If we want to truly live in Wisdom, then we must become vulnerable- facing the truth that we all need help and then seeking the necessary people of whom will guide us. The first step in seeking such help is Prayer! As we pray and ask the Lord to expose our hearts, we can also ask Him to guide us towards people who can pour into us, encourage us and guide us in wisdom. Trust me, it might be difficult and even embarrassing, but the alternative can be destructive to our very purpose and path in life.

4. Once we have aligned ourselves with wise people, the next step is to practice wisdom, purposefully. This basically means that acquiring wisdom far exceeds having a good conversation. How does it benefit anyone to hear wisdom, be taught wisdom and then continue to do the opposite?
I for one get very frustrated when people ask my advice and then don't practice it. It's difficult to pour your heart into helping someone, only for them to take your words and essentially disregard them. I by no means am comparing myself to the Spirit of God, but I imagine He gets a little peeved when we have access to scripture and all it's wisdom, yet don't apply it. We are so blessed in this country to have the freedom of accessing wisdom through God's word. We have access to scripture through our Bibles, through church, through the internet and apps. We can download, upload, order and sing scripture if we want to; yet how much of that is laid on the way side, as we neglect this wisdom in order to figure things out on our own? Doing such puts us at a disadvantage: not just spiritually, but practically as well. "Listen to advice and accept instruction, that you may gain wisdom in the future" (Proverbs 19:20). Remember, we are not just living haphazardly. There is an enemy that wants us to forget about wisdom. He wants to keep us in the dark so that he can manipulate us and keep us from our victory. Wisdom holds the key to life, but she expects to be pursued.

5. Lastly, Wisdom must be loved. Proverbs states that fools hate wisdom; basically, a fool is one who does everything opposite of what we have been discussing today: They don't understand it's a Spiritual component, they are intent on doing things their own way without any help, they are prideful and won't seek guidance from others and they ignore any advice or warnings that they may receive from those who love them. 

"Apply your heart to wisdom" and "Do not forsake her, and she will keep you; love her, and she will guard you" (Proverbs 23:12/ 4:6). Believe it or not, loving and respecting God is the beginning of all wisdom. A fool says in his heart there is no God (Psalms 14:1). God is wisdom and God is love. When we love God, our natural reaction is to love His wisdom as well, understanding that seeking God means seeking wisdom. It is a simultaneous journey, but the first step is love.

When we live out these principals of wisdom, according to scripture and the leading of God's Spirit, we can most definitely avoid the messes that life so strategically places in our path. When we pursue God, we pursue wisdom, which comes from God and God alone. He is wisdom and therefore is the source to acquiring it. Intellect can be taught, but wisdom is a gift that comes from our Holy Lord. Proverbs 1:7 tells us that the fear of the Lord (to reverence and love God and to respect His commands) is the beginning of all wisdom.

I admit, sometimes, mistakes just happen. It's part of living. When we mess up, it's always smart to learn from these mistakes, but it's wise not to make them at all. In so doing, we save ourselves so much heartache, valuable time and our state of mind. Learn from your mistakes... don't repeat them. But at the same time, pray for wisdom and discernment so as not to even put yourself in the position to make any unnecessary messes. In this way, you reap multiple rewards and honor God at the same time! Wear wisdom like a crown and be prosperous in decisions in all manner of life. We must wantour choices to be lovely and free of stupid mistakes that bring regret and shame. I want my marriage to be lovely... so I must be wise in the way I operate as a wife. I want my friendships to be filled with honor, so I must choose my friends wisely. I want my finances to be secure, so I must use discernment when it comes to making purchases and investments. In life, we have so many options to choose, so many choices to make; life is hard enough without falling prey to poor decisions that will only result in clean ups on isle 12!

*Just for fun, I thought it would be encouraging to share with you wisdom that some of us Pearls have acquired throughout our lifetime and experiences. Below, a few of the girls share lessons that they have learned. I hope it blesses you!

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"Make up your mind to not live in excuses or reasons to quit. When things get difficult, use those challenges to shape your character. Running from hard times only prolongs your pain. Don't be afraid to live without compromise for Jesus, because this will eliminate any regret or uncertainty".

-Ariel

"My mom used to always say, "fear is the devil's favorite weapon but we should always use our weapon of faith".

-BB

"Keep God first in all that you do! His plans are always better than our plans and He knows which way we should go. Ask for His guidance. Also, cherish the time that you have with your children. Don't let things get in the way of those special moments because time doesn't slow down as they grow! Those are the moments they'll remember and love you for the most!"
-Shari M.

"The best lesson I ever learned from my mom is, 'watch other people so that you know what NOT to do'. I've avoided so many ridiculous mistakes and embarrassments by this simple piece of advice!"

-Katrina

"Make the necessary sacrifices early so that you can live the life you dreamed of later. Follow the Holy Spirit with your whole heart. Live in truth and trust! Enjoy your entire journey and look for positive lessons that are birthed out of your afflictions. Don't make excuses when you fall short of God's standards. Ask the Lord to change your heart."
-Brandi B.

Love Wisdom my Sisters!

~Pearls

Running Your Race

Do you know what I love to do when I'm tired... I mean, really, REALLY tired? I like to sleep. I like to put on my fav Victoria Secret sweat pants, with the green stain on the left hip, throw on my worn out UNC-Charlotte T-shirt, put my hair in a bun, turn my phone off and all the lights, creep into my comfy Queen-sized bed, throw the covers over my head, say a quick, "Thank you Jesus for this day. I love you, Lord. Amen", and just be knocked all the way out! (Excuse my ebonics!) I love to sleep. Especially when I'm tired.

My friends and I kid about this all the time. Monday mornings seem to be the worst and our group chats are filled with funny memes that exaggerate our exhaustion. I get tickled by the silly cartoons, the faces that fall in the coffee cups, the pillows being placed over heads and the comedians who crack jokes about the upcoming doom of the inevitable work day. In all honesty, if we all had the choice, work would never be done. We'd all spend our days with our heads laid on our down pillows. Work is tiring. Sleep is comforting.
My point? Well, sometimes, in the tiredness, we don't truly appreciate the work. We don't see the effects, the positives, the advantages or the blessings. How can we? We're tired!!! But in our fatigue, I wonder, how many of us, like myself, only anticipate the rest and not the results?
What about in our Spiritual lives? How many of us ever grow tired of well doing? How many of us long for our heavenly rest from the work and fatigue of living our lives as selfless ambassadors for Christ? How many of us, I wonder, only get through our opportunities to witness, give back, share love or extend forgiveness, only in anticipation for the time where we don't have to do it anymore?

Scripture tells us, "Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up"- Galatians 6:9

Sometimes, we get tired of work; even if the work is good and fulfilling. We're human and our minds grow weak with repetition. It's the same with our spiritual lives. The spirit may be willing, but our flesh gets so weak sometimes (Matthew 6:24). We don't always want to turn the other check all the time, it gets tiring. Some days, we don't want to encourage others, because that can get exhausting. Loving those who are rude and ungrateful gets frustrating and we want to throw in the towel. Even reading and praying... it can seem redundant and unsuccessful, and our natural response is not to even bother with it for one reason or another.
We can get so down on ourselves and so focused on the relief and the not results, but scripture urges us not to give up! Just this past Friday, I was reminded of how persistence can change patterns. If we want to be effective and live lives that count, we have to be willing to be persistent in our living. Even when it's hard, even when we are tired, we cannot give up on doing what it right. We cannot give up on showing love when others hurt us, or telling our loved ones the truth, even if they do not receive it with joy. In the long run, we do others and ourselves a disservice when we refuse to get up and press on.

"Therefore, since through God's mercy 

we have this ministry, we do not lose heart"- 2 Corinthians 4:1

"And as for you, brothers and sisters, 

never tire of doing what is good"-2 Thessalonians 3:13

Pressing on takes courage and determination. Persistence requires resolve and commitment. It's frustrating when we don't see results right away, but I am reminded of the Bible's call towards us as athletes- particularly runners (I Corinthians 9:24). In this scripture, it is brought to our attention that in a race, there can only be one winner. Yet at one point or another, I know that runners get tired, especially long distance runners. Think about Allyson Felix, who won the Olympics for the women's 200 meter in 2012. Or Thomas Longboat who broke the Boston Marathon time in 1908. What about Forest Gump who ran cross-country? Ok, maybe not Forest Gump; but the point is, running a race, doing good deeds, working for the Kingdom of God... it can all be hard work. But if we get tired, if we let the fatigue get the best of us, we will never win the prize; we will never earn the reward.

There are indeed times for rest. But when the rest is over, are we willing to get back to work? It's not always easy. The sun won't always shine and the birds won't always sing, but when I dig deep in my heart, I realize that I'd rather be in the race than in the bed. I'd rather be doing and becoming and achieving all that God has for me, rather than dreaming about what could be.

If your Spiritual nap has taken up more time than you originally intended, it's time to wake up! If you are on what seems like your last leg and find yourself entertaining fantasies of your warm cozy bed, let me give you a fresh push of encouragement: Don't give up on doing what is good! Don't allow yourself to tire from being used of God. He has a plan for you and a prize at the end of your journey, if you don't give up. Rest in Jesus and he will carry you! There will be hills to climb, bruises to mend, bushes to jump over and rivers to cross. It will get difficult at times, but beautiful at others. There will be days when you just want to stop and take in the scenery, and that's ok. At least you'll still be in the race. The important thing is to not give up. Sure, you might yawn at times or need some energy to make it, as all athletes do who are actively pursuing the gold. But nothing gets accomplished if you dream your day way.

Don't give up. The BEST is yet to come!

~Pearls

Rich Girls!

This is for the good girls, the fun girls, the "I don't need a thing" girls! We wear our heels high and our earrings low. We pop bottles to celebrate minuscule things and change relationships out of boredom. Who needs to read scripture? We have our own way of doing things. Our opinions are worth a million bucks! We have our makeup and our magazines, our fun, our rings and our friends! Our bank accounts urge us to spend out of plenty! We have gold to decorate our bodies and education to adorn our minds. 1,000 strangers follow us on IG and the girl next door is no competition for us. We are rich girls! We are legends in our own minds...but we are lacking greatly.

We are a people most poor. We show off our assets and present our lives as prosperous to all our friends on social media, but underneath the name brands and the selfies, the degrees and the business cards, we stand in calamity caused by a lack of wealth that only comes from the Spirit. Our lack of need has resulted in our lack of truth. Our riches and our confidences in our own capability has left us spiritually poor. Our lips are red with plans and suggestions, but our hearts are hollow from a lack of light."Everyone has their own truth", it is declared, yet as a people, we are stumbling in the dark. We are following this teaching and that fad; this person and that new philosophy, only to end up lost along the way. We are told that there is no longer any relevance in God's truth, because God is circumstantial and absolute truth is obsolete. In our high times, we look within, but isn't it funny how tragedy causes our nation to look outward and up in times of need? Why is it that Truth is such a scary thing? People want to avoid it, disclaim it, reject it and excuse it away. They try to find loop holes and exceptions, but why? Simply put, it's because the very essence and origin of Truth is God himself, who is light.

In the book of Mark, Jesus confronts a young man who was a product of his own riches. He claimed to be on the quest for truth and corners Jesus for an answer (Mark 10:17-27). In this situation, the man asks a simple question: "What good thing must I do to receive eternal life?" Scripture tells us that Jesus loved this young man. He knew what laid in his heart and presents the commandments to the young man, who simply disregards them, having felt justified that he had never offended any. He was convinced that his lifestyle was up to pair with God's standards. So Jesus tells the man to sell everything that he has and follow him; this was his way to eternal life. But instead of being excited to do so, Scripture tells us that the young man sadly left. He valued his earthly treasures above the truth. He could not hack it. He didn't just refuse a truth, he refused THE Truth. He turned from Christ, because the call wasn't easy or glamorous.

Looking over this story, it occurs to me that the road to finding the Truth is a quest of self abandonment. There is no glitter or bling. There won't be any neon lights to brag on our arrival or any headlines to announce its value. Accepting God's truth is a trade of charm. It requires not only a curiosity to know, but also a willingness to let go. In order to find God, we must loose ourselves. In order to receive heavenly riches, we must be willing to risk our earthly ones. This can come in the form of laying aside our pride, rejecting our right to be heard, compromising our needs and our wants for the benefit of others', forgiving when it isn't fair and even, at times, admitting to our own short comings, instead of excusing them away.

The Rich Young Ruler held on too tightly to his own sense of perfection, which kept him from knowing the Truth. He did not recognize that his heart was filled with self-righteousness and pride. He lacked humility and faith. In his heart, he carried filthy rags and garments. He depended on himself and not the Lord; not realizing that his self-made riches were really only rags compared to what God had for him. Nothing we can create could ever compare to God's plans for us. The reality, however, is that we must first recognize our need for God's truth in our lives, despite our opinions of ourselves.
Our young friend in this Bible passage failed to recognize his need for what Christ was offering him. He was a hero in his own mind; convinced that he had never done any wrong and unwilling to part with his own efforts of success. The opportunity for a trade was offered to him, in exchange for these rags, but He assumed that he was clean, based on his own understanding. The young man asked for an answer, but when given the truth, he walked away. For him, the truth was just too honest for his comfort. Many of us are like him. We look at what we haven't done, while ignoring what we have done. Welook at what we don't need, while ignoring what we do need. Yet, we all need the Lord, and we all need Truth. We can look at his situation and pity him for it. We could say, "How stupid of him. He could have encountered Heaven!" But the fact is, all of us have walked away from the Truth in one area or another; yet, if we are to encounter God, we must first be willing to not only seek the truth, but accept it.

"Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me."~John 14:6

In each of us, there is a Rich Young Ruler. Some of us are rich in our intellect. Others in our finances or in our relationships. We may be rich in our social status or in our education. But when it comes to knowing God, we must be willing to abandon all those things, in order to receive something greater! The time is coming, has come and will come again, when we must face the Truth of ourselves in the light of God's Word and His Will for us. If we accept His Truth, despite the difficulties and discomfort, the Bible says that a crown of glory awaits for us (2 Timothy 4:8).


In irony of it all, when we are willing to loose our riches, our entitlement and ourselves, all for the sake of Christ, well, we really gain it all back (Matthew 10:39). What seems scary to let go of, or fearful to face, is often times what is required for our progression. The truth, as we know it, is limiting; but trusting in the Truth of who God is and what He wants for our lives is transforming! This is what it really means to be rich, girls! I hope you all receive the Truth within your own hearts, that God's ways are higher than ours, that our treasure should be laid up in heaven and that a crown of glory awaits those who are obedient, faithful and pursue His Truth til the end. It won't be easy, but it will be worth it. It's an awesome trade if you think about it: Riches for Rags!

Let the treasure of Truth shine in you!
~Pearls

God Misses You!

Relationships are so important aren't they? As humans, we sometimes tend to measure our existance by them. We are sisters, daughters, friends, co-workers, wives, girlfriends, best friends, cousins and aunts. We wear so many hats with so many different relationship labels on them, and each have their

special place in our lives; each require a certain measure of investment. In order to preserve or to create a relationship, it requires our time, attention and a portion of vulnerablility an openness on our part. We can't expect to maintain friendships if we never share personal thoughts or feelings. We can't 

claim to be close to our siblings and families if we never communicate with them or extend ourselves to them on a regular basis. Our boyfriends and spouses would not feel close to us if we never trusted them with our secrets and co-workers would retreat from us if we operated in distance on our 9-to-5's. Yes, Relationships require openness and availability. Think about the one person in your life that you simply cannot live without! Are they in your mind? Great...Now, think about how you might feel if

that one person never called you, never accepted an invitation from you, never extended an invitation to spend time with you, always had other plans, promised to hang out with you, then always cancelled or worse, came by to see you in a rush to leave. How would that make you feel? 

In our Christian lives, as unbelievable as it might seem, we tend to treat someone very special in that exact same way: We rush our visits and conversations; we make promises to spend time and then cancel; we ignore His calling or make excuses as to why now is not a good time and we even consider Him to be an option and not a priority. For those of us who are married, if our spouses treated us in such a way, or if our BFF did any of those things on a consistent basis, we would be irate!!! We would be so upset and hurt and let down... yet we often treat our Savior in this way throughout our day, our weeks and even throughout the course of our lives. We do not always give Him the quality time that He deserves. 

As Believers, it is our privilege to spend time with God- knowing that it is time spent with His spirit that makes a difference in our lives and moves upon our hearts to please the Father, through Jesus! Yet, our hectic lives and demand from this world can consume our every second of our time, if we let it. So then, what are we to do? Should we just accept the fact that we do not have time for God- the God who invented time for us? Should we make excuses and hope that He will understand? I think we all know the answer to that is, "no". Of course not! Our God is more precious than that and should take precedence in our lives, inspire of the schedules, the dates, the careers and the "me" time. He deserve our very best in each day that He offers to us because each and every day, He has blessed us with His best!

"My soul, wait silently for God alone, For my expectation is from Him."
~Psalm 62:5

This scripture gives me peace in my soul and helps me to separate the truth from the demands of life. I want my continued desire to be for my God; not just His blessings, but also His presence in my life. Yes, God has given us a life to live, but He's also given us time to spend with Him. Each day, there are moments that we can set aside to share with our Lord, yet we do not always take advantage of them. We thank Him for our days, yet He might not receive an invitation from us to be apart of it. We ask Him for more things, yet His true desire is that we just want more of Him! He promises to never leave us or forsake us, but have we given Him that same promise in return?

Our God misses us! Let's remember to spend time with Him, every day. He's done so much for us already, what more could we ever need outside of His blessings of life and Jesus? This week, let's all commit to daily prayer and scripture meditation. Let's remember to thank the Lord for our job and not complain about it. Let's lift up a friend, instead of gossiping about them. Let's be joyful in giving, instead of grudgingly holding on. Let's tell our savior "Good Morning" each new day, and share His love with someone who needs the reminder!
Jobs are important, but our Lord is more so. Hanging out with friends is essential, but our Lord is more so. Planning our next move, our next vacation, our next party or our next date is dire, but giving our hearts and our time to God is even more so. Let's stop letting things get in the way of the most important relationship we could ever have. Lets open our hearts to anticipate spending time with our Savior who loves us so much! He is waiting for an invitation from us to become a regular part of our existence, not just our moment-by-moment or day-to-day.

"Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person (spend time), and they with me." -Revelation 3:20

Time is precious and cannot be replaced. I want to spend mine on pleasing Jesus, don't you? Let's take this challenge together! Let's live a life that shows the Lord how much we love Him and include Him, every step of the way!

~Pearls

Like Her Father

Today marks one month since my daughter has been born. It's honestly taken me these past 31 days to analyze, understand and put into words my feelings regarding this amazing miracle. It's incredible to me that, for 268 days, I carried a human being in my body. Oh... how I remember those heavy feelings of discomfort, how my food used to taste like spoons, how putting on a pair of pants was a true accomplishment and all the tears I cried over ice cream and the Disney movie, Mulan! (I could not get enough of that movie!!!)

All in all, my pregnancy was smooth sailing. I didn't get one single stretch mark, I only gained 29 pounds, my husband treated me like a dream and I was able to celebrate with all my dear ones. My hair did not fall out, I didn't get any acne and I can still fit into my original jeans and shoe size! It was a wonderful pregnancy... but a ferocious delivery.
The day she came, it was like a vengeance and during it all, I had to remind myself that my child had purpose and that God would not abandon us now; which He didn't. So, on September 4, 2015, my lovely little lady emerged into the world, with a cry that sounded more like a song; and in that moment of her arrival, I was reminded of all my prayers and hopes for her. My husband kissed me and we gave thanks!

Since that time, I have watched my darling daughter grow. I have entertained countless family and friends who have "oohed" and "awed" over her, and most times, I felt super proud; but I must admit, for the sake of this article and for my efforts of being vulnerable with you all, there were times where a certain comment really got on my nerves: "Oh, she looks just like her Daddy".
"Oh, Katrina, you had nothing to do with this baby did you?"
"Oh, that little girl looks nothing like you!"
"Maybe the next baby will look like, Mommy, cuz this little baby looks just like her Daddy".

Can I vent?.....

Ok, I carried her for 9 months!!!!! My body got big and uncomfortable. I had to go on medication for minor complications that were scary, no less... I was hospitalized. I had to endure an emergency C-section... where is my recognition... WHY Doesn't MY BABY LOOK LIKE ME?????

I remember one afternoon, while she was finally asleep for her nap, I cried out of exhaustion and asked God, "why"? I really did. Imagine... my pride was so large and my ego and vanity so high in the clouds that I actually had the nerve to question God regarding her looks. Never mind her health or her existence, right? I was so wrong in being so upset about her looks, but like the loving Father our God truly is, He gently taught me a lesson in that moment.

"Katrina", the Holy Spirit whispered to my heart, "she looks like her father, because that is how she is suppose to look". And like a light, the profoundness of that truth overwhelmed me and I thanked the Lord for loving me enough to teach me such an impeccable lesson.
See, we are all children of God. Our purpose is to please Him, love like Him and reach others for His

kingdom. In so doing, we begin to look like our Heavenly Father. When I operate in the fullness of my Faith, I look like my Father. When I love, despite being hurt, and live in obedience, no matter how difficult... I look like my Father. When I forgive and pray, when I encourage others and stand up for what is right, I look more and more like my Father. That is the goal and the purpose of each of our individual lives... to look like our Heavenly Father!

Regardless of what we are facing or what we are going through, we must all resolve in our heart of hearts that, if we are to live a life of true meaning, we must choose to reflect the Lord and His goodness, His holiness and His justice towards others. We should all aspire to love like Jesus, live like Jesus and immitate Jesus; by doing so, we begin to resemble the Father and all glory will go to Him, because He has brought us all a mighty long way and wants to use us to reach others of whom He wants to bless as well.
It's easy to recognize this in our prosperous moments, when things are going our way, we naturally want to operate like Jesus and reflect the Father. But, I am realizing that in our storms, in our surgeries, in our dissapointments  and in our discomfort... these are the moments where He wants us to look like Him even more! It seems impossible, but in our weakness He is strong, and has anointed us all, though Jesus Christ and the power of the Holy Spirit to be the lights in this dark world, reflecting His image and proclaiming His love to everyone we meet and in any situation we may find ourselves in.

In a split second, the Lord convicted my heart and taught me the importance of looking like my Father. Now, when people gasp at how much my baby looks like my husband, I smile and say thank you. Yes, she looks just like her Daddy and one day, through prayer and our commitment to raise her
in the grace of God, she will begin to live a life that will reflect Christ and cause her to look just like her Heavenly Father as well. I pray that I look like the Father , too! I pray that all of our lives will begin to be lived out in efforts to reflect His unfailing love, His beautiful nature and His faithfulness.

When we look like the Father, we look Beautiful!
~Pearls

The Conditions of Our Hearts

We are inundated with choosing one thing over the other. In an average day, choices need to be made and I believe it's our truest character that truly wants to put a good foot forward; to treat others the way we want to be treated and to show goodness and kindness towards everyone. These are the intentions that we begin our days with...But, what happens when the chaos of the day takes its toll on us and we no longer want to treat others fairly? What are we to do when turning the other cheek only feels good in theory? Or when you'd rather pamper yourself instead of offering kindness to others? What happens when you don't want to read your Bible or drive 20 minutes for another Church event? What about when you don't want to pray anymore or when you are sick of Christian platitudes? What happens when your gut feeling tells you to do the exact opposite of everything you know is pleasing to the Lord or when you the thought of giving one more hug or making one more apology leaves you irritated and annoyed? Believe, there comes a time in each of our days when we'd rather just take care of us. We don't always feel like taking the high road and our hearts are often satisfied with "doing good unto me". It's human. It's natural. But, I'll tell you what should happen, instead... in those moments when we are exhausted of doing the right thing, there we find the life changing opportunity to live out obedience and faith, as a result of abiding in Christ.

See, in our mistaken culture, we are taught to go with what we feel. Music tells us to follow our

hearts and live in the moment.  Books and articles tell us to lean into our intuition or intellects and our friends and co-workers advise us to do whatever it is that makes us happy. We have been conditioned to consider "us" first and to please ourselves. This is contrary to scripture, yet, to our own defense, it all makes a lot of sense to live life that way!  It is the nature of man... to put us first; however, that will never fulfill our Spirits. Being self-centered is selfish and blocks others out, including the Lord. When we are lead by the flesh (that natural instinct that we innately respond to) our decisions will reflect the flesh. We will lie to help ourselves, give in to immoral desires to feed our cravings, we will fall prey to greed and self satisfaction, abandon the need to practice patience or cheat to get ahead. These are the natural responses to our humanity and the condition of our true hearts. The reality is that, without Christ, the compass of our hearts are a little broken and we cannot trust its direction 100% of the time.

When we are faced with those moments where decisions need to be made and action needs to take place- basically every moment of our day- whatever is in us will come out of us. Scripture says, "The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?" (Jeremiah 17:9). Essentially, this scripture is explaining to us that we as humans are capable of doing any deed when placed in certain circumstances or situations. No one's heart is above any sin or crime. This is why, as a true and humble Christian, we must have compassion on everyone who wrestles or struggles with any sin, because no one's heart is above any mistake. I am just as prone to murder as the murderer; I am just as prone to adultery as the adulterer and I am just as prone to addiction as the addict. All that is required is the right situation, circumstances and opportunities, and if not rooted in Christ and filled with Him, then we will all fall, over and over again.

Whatever we pour into our hearts is what will come out. If I pour natural wisdom into my heart, if I fill myself with understandings of this world, popular culture and it's opinions, invest in the entertainment that challenges the standards of Christ or if I lean too heavily on my own way and prioritize my personal freedoms, then the actions of my heart will reflect such. But if I am filling my heart with God's word, surrounding myself in environments and activities that are pleasing to Him- if I am filling my life with worship and consuming the wisdom of Christ, then my actions and choices will be reflecting of Him. The key to living a victorious life is abiding in Jesus! I'm not saying that living for the Lord is "easy" or that making spiritual and effective decisions for Jesus comes without a struggle, but what I am saying is that too many of us are putting up a harder fight in our faith because we are not using the appropriate tools. Following our hearts is a 50/50 chance, that we cannot put total trust in. Looking inward, and not upward results in us losing our way and mistakenly making choices that we never intended to make. We are not praying, we are gossiping. We are not reading our Word, we are watching compromising TV dramas and listening to music that is less than glorifying. We are reading magazines that support our flesh, instead of searching the scripture for ourselves. We are entertaining relationships that are pulling us away from the Lord, instead of encouraging us to pursue Him more. So, when it comes time to stand in the fire or when it comes time to make a choice for Jesus, whatever we are putting in us will always be what comes out.

Instead of following our hearts, that may or may not lead us astray, the more successful strategy is to follow Christ- who will never steer us wrong! Living for us only limits us. Our purpose is above mini-skirts and TV dramas. Our lives are beloved by God and His calling over us is intended to flash His glory and overcome the powers of evil in every area of our lives! Sisters, hear me out: You are precious in His sight! Your existence supersedes that of the label that this culture is trying to place on you or the mindset that our world is trying to produce in you! Stand tall in the light of the Love of our Savior! You have been chosen to be a beacon in this dark world! You have been called to live a life that is called out. When others are tripping in the dark, Christ has blessed you with His salvation to offer a lamp to those who are falling! But in order to be effective Christians for Christ, we have to live out our faith, not just talk about it. We have to prove it everyday, with the way we live, the conversations we partake in and the relationships and activities we invest in. If we truly belong to Christ, we must constantly abide in Him and put our faith in him, and not ourselves. In so doing, we are better equipped to set the example for those who are watching us, proving our faith is legitimate and true!
This is a call to remind us all that we are living for something and Someone greater! Our hearts suggest only temporary resolutions, providing minimal satisfaction that we may or may not regret afterwards. Abiding in Christ and living for the Lord is a guaranteed measure for peace and confidence on a daily basis. If we keep our eyes and heart on Him, then He will fill us and use us for His glory! He will prove to the world, through us, that He is all that they need!

Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless it abides in the vine, so neither can you unless you abide in Me. "I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing.
-John 15:4-5

Let's live a life of Faith that Proves the Love of Christ!

~Pearls