The Cocoon Season

What do you do when you find yourself with unanswered prayers? What is your response when the choices you made don't seem to be adding up and your next move seems impossible to make?
Tonight, despite the rain, Pearls of Hope nuzzled into couches with coffee and confidence, discussing these exact life issues. "And We are Changed", by Priscilla Shirer was the book in everyone's hand and we couldn't help but bubble over with excitement over the subjects that were highlighted in our latest

read.

"Do you understand that when Jesus loves you, it doesn't matter how bleak your circumstances appear? It doesn't matter how dark life looks from the inside of the cocoon. He loves you...What the caterpillar calls the end of the world, God calls a butterfly"!

There are places and spaces in each of our lives where we feel as if we are unseen by God or we feel as if we are in a small confined experience, unable to move or see, discern or make productive choices. This is our cocoon season and we each find ourselves there from time to time. But we are never unnoticed by God. So often, we are so busy trying to bypass this season or skip it all together, because it's uncomfortable and sometimes even scary. But it is in the dark cocoon where the caterpillar is transformed!

"I want to be changed by God into what He wants for me. What we want is nothing compared to what His plans are and we can't miss out. If we miss out then we won't know what it's like to be that butterfly. It takes faith to endure the cocoon seasons, so we have to be prepared to pray more and trust God's process. The "cocoon season" spoke to me. It was my favorite part of the book and I wrote it on my mirror."- Brandi Joy Meyers

The discussion over this book as magnetic! One by one, each of us had comments to share on lessons we have learned or are continuing to learn. We laughed and joked, expressed our frustrations, encouraged each other and determined that, even in our dark times of confusion or anxious desires for what we hope will come, we can trust God to produce a beautiful change within us and bring us to the place where we can fly in our purpose and soar on the wings of His unfailing love!

Maybe you are in a cocoon season right now. You're not alone! You have so much promise! You are more than your circumstances! You are not defined by your current condition. The cocoon is not forever. It's only the end to a beautiful beginning! Christ has more in store for you than you could ever hope or imagine!

Believe God's truth with all of your heart and trust His process of transforming you into the beauty of His vision for you!

-Katrina McCain, President

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

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

Our Passion for Christ!

For 6 months, the girls and I planned for the Passion Conference, hosted by pastor Louie Giglio, which took place just this past weekend! My husband, my brother and his girlfriend also joined us, and it was an amazing time in the Lord! It was an experience to be shared, and so we want to update you all on our adventures and experiences that we learned from this weekend!

Upon beginning this trip, our hearts were filled with great expectations! We engaged in all out worship with Matt Redman, Crowder and Chris Tomlin; sat under speakers such as John Piper, Judah Smith, Lecrae and Christine Caine and met some really inspiring Christians from all over the country. In my heart, it was like a little taste of Heaven... But now we're back, so what are we left to do? Christine said it best: we are called to work! "God is not interested in co-stars", she said in her lovely and riveting accent. "He is looking for co-laborers". 

I want to work to the glory of God and be used to enhance His kingdom, don't you?Upon beginning this trip, our hearts were filled with great expectations! We engaged in all out worship with Matt Redman, Crowder and Chris Tomlin; sat under speakers such as John Piper, Judah Smith, Lecrae and Christine Caine and met some really inspiring Christians from all over the country. In my heart, it was like a little taste of Heaven... But now we're back, so what are we left to do? Christine said it best: we are called to work! "God is not interested in co-stars", she said in her lovely and riveting accent. "He is looking for co-laborers". I want to work to the glory of God and be used to enhance His kingdom, don't you?

Many of us went to Passion for different reasons, but all of us left with a new energy for the Lord. This weekend was much needed for me. I'm realizing more and more how much I need Jesus and His mercy and grace over my life. We all have high hopes and good intensions, but if not driven by love and compassion, we will miss the mark every time. The Lord really spoke to my heart concerning this. I know that I have an incredible work to do for His glory, not mine! I have a promise over my life to make His name famous and to share God's love with others, but in His timing and not mine. I'm learning everyday- it is a process that I am joyfully and humbly experiencing. I'm so thankful for the people that are sharpening me like iron and who love me and are supporting me through my
journey with Jesus. He has great plans and I am willing to do the work and continue to plow like
Elisha! All of this is for the Savior! All I have is only for Him! Our attempts to do better or to improve our lives is only a form of powerless religion. We don't have the means to correct our own mistakes, because sin brings death and a dead man can't change their circumstances. When we come to Jesus, he brings new life and begins to live in us, providing the power we need to live pleasing lives for God!

Lord, give us a Passion for you!

~Pearls

Merry Christmas!!!

From our Hearts to Yours, we would like to send a very special, "Merry Christmas", to all of our readers, families and friends! As we gather together with our loved ones, it is so important that we take time to meditate on all the blessings and wonders that The Lord has given to us- starting especially with His Son, Jesus! On Christmas Day, we can be thankful that the greatest miracle was wrapped in human flesh as an eternal gift to all who will believe and obey! Thank you Jesus, for your love and the beauty that your love brings to our lives!

We pray that you all will continue to enjoy the love and happiness of this very special season, finding ways to share the blessings that God have given to you with those around you! Remember, we set aside this time to celebrate the Giver, and not the gift!

Merry Christmas!!!!

~Pearls

Flying High for Jesus

We all have our "Lots" in life. Mine tends to be my consistent exposure to misunderstandings and disappointments with others. Sometimes I wonder, "am I the ONLY one" who is serving Christ with my whole heart? Where are all the other "Christians" who are willing to reject the norms of the culture and live a life that is contrary to popular belief?" Sometimes, we can feel like we're the only ones flying high...sometimes, we can honestly feel as if we're the only one flying at all.

In Daniel, the prophet records his experiences as a young man, where the pleasures of life were surrounding him and free for him to indulge and take part in. There were many young men from his homeland who didn't seem to mind participating in various affairs. But not Daniel. Scripture says that he chose not to "defile himself" (Daniel 1:8).

Those around him probably thought he was so extreme, or not realistic, but Daniel was willing to fly high for God. That is how I want to be. I want to be like Daniel: I want to live a life that is so closely reflectant of Christ, that no one would ever have any questions or any doubts about my commitment to Him. I want to make sure that my choices, my activities and my lifestyle is as far from the middle road as possible. At the end of the day, what does it matter if it's not pleasing Christ? And who do I think that I am to justify certain behaviors that I would not want to include Jesus in?


In our Christian society, people talk a lot about "conviction"; using the term as if to justify their own personal feelings towards one thing or another. But truly, our only conviction, as Christians, should be to live a life, based on scripture, such that others are drawn to Christ. If my choices and lifestyle are contrary to scripture, then my feelings are irrelevant. We must all consider the teachings of Paul, which are lead by the Holy Spirit:

"And whatever you do or say, do it as a representative of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through him to God the Father."- Colossians 3:17

So I'd like to ask you this: are your deeds a representative of the Lord Jesus, or are they a representative of the culture, your friends or yourself? And if, indeed, you do have a heart for Christ, whose authority and influence are you navigating your choices by?

I hope we all humble ourselves enough to realize that this life for Jesus is not to be lived on our own terms, but on His. He continues to give us the power, through the Holy Spirit, to stand firm against temptations and activities that do not reflect His name. So the choice boils down to us: are we willing to Fly High for Jesus, even if that means flying all by ourselves? I hope we can all come to a place in our hearts, where we are willing to take such a challenge; just like Daniel. I hope we can all decide that our priority will always be to please our Savior and not our culture or our selves!

Something to think about...

~Pearls

Shine Your Light!

Ok...First, let's start out by screaming a very hearty...  

HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY!!!!! 

I realize we are late... and many apologies for that. Most of the girls, including myself, had various festivities to engage in, as many of you did, I'm sure.

Did you enjoy the festivals, the cookouts and the crowds? What about the heat waves, the music and the pool? And did I mention the fireworks? How were those? Did they still captivate your attention and leave you with stars in your eyes, like when you were younger?
During my celebrations, I couldn't help but notice the looks on the faces of strangers, as they held their heads back to in full view of the sky, and I caught myself doing the exact same thing! What is it about those fireworks that always causes us to hold our breath with anticipation? It never fails: one color, on explosion one effect after another, calls crowds and crowds of people, young and old, to stop and stare and abandon themselves for even just a few moments. Nothing is so important, during a fireworks display. The "rat race" seems to quiet down, people are filled with a sigh of relief, hope, love, joy, appreciation, even tears can creep up in someone's eyes. It's so magical and awe-inspiring, and I'm left to think... "wow, that's how the world should feel whenever they find themselves around me!".

In Matthew 5:14-16, Jesus declares that we are the light of the world. In other words, our lives are most definitely on display and should be lived in such a way that we draw attention to our God. My love for others should be neon! My patience and kindness should rocket across the room! My worship and humble spirit should ricochet from within me and God's truth should be splattered across my life for the world to see!

What about you? Consider your life... does the world see Jesus when they see you? Does the world hear Jesus when they talk to you? Can they see exciting, neon outbursts of giving or joy or compassion in your life?  If not, this week would be perfect to allow the Holy Spirit to do mighty works within you. Just ask Him with confidence, because that's exactly what He wants to do! Jesus saved you to put you on display for His glory! The whole world is just standing around, looking and waiting for a fireworks display in me and you... let's give them the best show ever and in the process, God will get all the glory and the praise!!!!

Love and Shine!
~Pearls