Two Eyes are Better Than One!

We are living in a day when moral codes are being muddled with personal perception, idealisms and cultural opinions. What is right for her is not necessarily right for you. What you feel comfortable doing should not be subjected onto others around you who may feel differently. You have the right to live your life in whatever way you choose, regardless of what others say, because it is your personal business...or so we are told.

In our culture, we can dress how we want, say what we want, date who we want and make our money the way we want, but if anyone opposes us or disagrees with us, we put the "Hater" stamp across their  foreheads and reject them for their "intolerance". There is no longer an interest for absolute truth. The individual makes (and therefore changes) the rules, as they see fit. Nothing is set in stone. Everything can be altered, turned around and excused. Husbands can leave wives for someone younger because they choose to. Women can prance around with barely there clothes in order to express themselves or "make a statement". Children sue their parents. People change their genders. Liars create empires. Thieves walk out of courtrooms, unscathed...let the chaos begin!

We are told that there is freedom in doing however you please, but honestly, how well has that worked out for any of us? Truth be told, we need boundaries. We need guidance and instructions on how to live this life because, left to our own devices, we have the tendency to muddle things up.     As a college student, I came across many uncomfortable situations where I rejected those who tried to correct me, only to then experience the sting of being rejected by those whom I tried to correct later on down the road. It definitely is a catch 22. In the events of both experiences, love was always the motivator. People who loved me didn't want to see me continue down the path I had chosen because they knew it would end in devastation- which it did; but of course I didn't listen until it was too late. Once I began to walk in obedience and accountability in Christ, it became an urgency for me to want to help others avoid calamities as well.

When you love, it is a natural tendency to harold out warnings in efforts to help; but by doing so, we risk the displeasure of those for whom we love. It can be a very lonely life when we put ourselves in the position to speak truth to people who are only interested in living according to their own perceptions. The problem with perception however, is that it is only one sided. You can only see the situation based on your own awareness and biased notions. What seems like an oasis, could really just be a mirage and what appears to be gold, could really be nothing more than glass in the sand. Many of us know what it's like to be fooled by our own perception and misguided vision. We bear the disappointment of mistakes as the aftermath. But for those who have grown in spiritual maturity- they can see where other's can't and are in the position to lovingly lead us to truth, if we allow them. They can recognize that two eyes are better than one! Sometimes, this guidance occurs in the manner of advice, examples or correction, which is only ever for our good when it lines up with scripture.

Luke 17:3 tells us plainly to provide correction to our brothers and sisters when we see them doing wrong, but celebrate with them when they are doing right. It is our obligation to hold each other accountable and to allow others to take this position in our lives as well. The problem occurs, however when we tend to want to correct everyone else, but insist that we ourselves are always right- finding excuses to justify our own one-sided perceptions and circumstances. This is hypocrisy. It is dangerous and always futile. Ladies, we must learn to love encouragement as well as correction.

Remember, "Every word of God proves true; he is a shield to those who take refuge in Him" (Proverbs 30:5 NIV). As we grow closer to the Lord, our hearts desire is to obey Him and trust Him, because we know He is good! This includes listening and learning from those He's placed around us, who are living according to His word. In my own recent experience, I have come across an area of my life where I needed correction and of course, no one wants that. It's easier to excuse it away, or sweep it under the rug. I came up with some  pretty good rationalizations and mentally justified my faults, but what good is it to live your life purposefully with one eye closed? Imagine! The opportunities on the right would never be available to us, if we kept our right eye closed and the experiences on the left would pass us by if we never opened our left eye.

All around us, God has placed people who love us and want to guide us into success and purposeful living. We pray for answers, but reject those that He places in our paths who are willing to guide us to those answers. We ask for confirmations, but we turn up our noses at individuals who love us enough to show us our faults. We beg for vision, but we deny the power that comes from the good examples that God places in our paths. The answer is there but who can see clearly with one eye closed? We need the guidance of those around us who can see clearly, through the lenses of scripture and proven
experiences.

Despite what our culture tells us, this life is not all about us. As members of the body of Christ, it is key that we support one another in love, while maintaining biblical standards and holding ourselves and each other accountable in truth. We each have goals and plans that we want to see accomplished, and there is nothing wrong with that. When we align ourselves with mature Believers, we can walk under a covering of continued prayer, support and direction. This life was never meant to be lived alone and isolated within our own efforts. The body needs both eyes to navigate clearly. On our own, we are limited; but when we align ourselves with others for the cause and sake of Christ, there can be no stopping us!

In our lives, lets begin to examine ourselves and look intently into the mindset that we carry: Are we so full of pride that we insist on living life with an "I"m going to do what I want to do" attitude? Do we live as if we are our own masters and in need of no one's help? How has that worked out for us in the past? If you've had success doing your own thing regardless of the consequences, then by all means...keep at it! But I'm confident to say that the majority of us have some emotional, spiritual and even physical scars from trying to live our life wholly based on our own perceptions. When you look over the past few years, was there a situation where you wish you had have listened to that person, or taken some advice more seriously? It's never too late to start living in accountability! In my experience, it is the gate God uses to keep us from the wolves!

I urge you to consider people in your life who could be your accountability partner. Pray and ask the Lord to guide you and usher in people who will love you and hold you up! Choose those who you know are living Godly and uncompromising lives for the Lord. By aligning yourself in obedience alongside with them and trusting God to use His love to guide you, you might start to notice that life is much more beautiful with both eyes wide opened!

Keep your eyes on Jesus!

Katrina McCain, President

Temptation Does not Disqualify You!

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.~

Hebrews 12:1-3

What is the goal and mission of the life of a Christian?  Is it just to go to church? To read you Bible? To do good things and say kind words?
Truth be told, you don't have to be a Christian to do those things! In fact, there are many different faiths who teach on the similar and simplistic values of what we have considered to be "Christian". There are unspoken social rules that will praise your for doing what is kind and fair, and condemn you for anything less. There are even good natured Atheists who make a habit of preforming such routines in their own lives, without the help of the Holy Spirit and without the salvation of Jesus. So, when you think about it, doing good things is not the crux of the Christian's purpose. Our good deeds are not more valid than someone who is not a Christian and our temptations are not fouls that disqualify us from our faith. We have been called to live above the positives and negatives that seek to distract us from our true purpose.

Goodness, like beauty, is in the eye of the beholder. What is good for someone doesn't mean it is good for everyone. And what was good yesterday is not guaranteed to be good today. This is how temptation enters our lives: by trying to convince us that our goodness is the standard and the measure by which God accepts me. But, according to scripture, this is far from truth. God's acceptance of me is totally based on my acceptance of Christ. When I am focused on His heart, then temptation will have no power within mine!

So, considering the scripture, how is it that we can develop our hearts to stay focused on Jesus and avoid the trap and the distraction of trying to be good? First, we must understand that focusing on Jesus doesn't mean that temptations around us will disappear. There will still be issues to face, habits to break and thoughts to battle. This is not a measure of your goodness or of your Salvation. 1 John 5:11-12 tells us that our Salvation is wrapped up in God's goodness through Jesus. If we have Salvation in Christ, then we need not fear temptation. Instead, we must use perseverance, just as Jesus persevered while He was on Earth. There were plenty of temptations, including His trial in the wilderness, when the enemy tried to tempt him (Matthew 4: 1-11). Yet in this distraction He kept His eyes on the mission- on His heavenly Father.

Hebrews 12 also brings forth another key element to staying focused: we must throw off everything that might hinder us, as well as the sins that seem to always try to get the best of us. For everyone , this will be different. Each of us struggle in different areas. My issues and temptations are different from yours. Your struggles are different from your co-workers and your co-worker's struggles will be different from their neighbors. Each of us have struggles that are uniquely specific to our own hearts and lives. Yet ALL SIN will hinder us from staying focused on Jesus and if we are not focused on Jesus, we will find ourselves drowning in temptation and ineffective for the ministry in which He has called us to complete for the Kingdom.

If goodness is the standard, then what is our need for Christ? Temptation cannot be battles by our good efforts or our positive affirmations. Jesus alone can keep us from falling, but we must keep our hearts on him! Anything that removes Christ as our priority is a hindrance to our relationship with Him, and if we are not living out our salvation in an effective manner, we are in danger of becoming a temptation for others who are watching our lives. Believers and  Non-believers are watching your life and according to this scripture, so are those Christians that have already gone before you. We are always surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses... they are cheering us on and they want us to be successful in our relationship with Christ and in our spiritual development here on earth. Even the non-believer wants to see you successful, because they are looking for something authentic. They are watching the closest because they are looking for reasons to hope and believe.

We can be "good" on our own, but there is no life change in that. Understanding that loving Jesus is not about our goodness gives us a better appreciation of God's grace, because, eventually, we will all fall in one area or another. But, when we move past a selfish faith- a faith that is only motivated by what we can get for our lives, we become humbled in the fact that we must keep our eyes, our hearts and our lives focused on Jesus. The mission is not to receive blessings, opportunities and prosperity for ourselves; our highest mission is to show the world what Love really looks like. And His name is Jesus!
Every rose has it's thorns, but that does not disqualify its beauty! We must persevere through our blessings and in our pains (and there will be many hard times), but we don't have to be afraid of our struggles or temptations, because we know that all things will work together for our good, if we only keep our focus on the Lord! (Romans 8:28). This is where our Joy comes from! Knowing that in my victory, I am encouraged, but in my weakness, God gives me His strength! Either way, we win! But, we must lay aside those things that will hinder and distract us, and
we must be sensitive to the lives that surround us- using us as their examples in the faith and looking to us as models for Christ.

Living as Christ is not a natural way of life- this is why we rely on His Holy Spirit to give us the strength and love that we need to be successful! So don't worry, God has it all under control! When you fall, confess your mess and keeping pressing on! Don't get distracted by trying to be good and don't allow your temptations to steal your confidence in Christ!!! Focus on God's love for you and let that be your motivation and your focus. I promise, it will fill your heart and spill over into the lives of those around you!
  

Be encouraged!

~Pearls

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.

Polished

There is an aura of relaxation and self-preservation connected to the feminine experience of the Nail Salon. It's a place of comfort and refuge from a hectic day at work, or an apparatus of expectation- the middle ground between the ordinary and the fabulous. For most women, there is something pleasurably satisfying about leaving the nail salon with a  fresh mani-pedi. You walked in with dull, chipped, peeling color, only to leave with fresh, clean and shining nails. It's a wonderful feeling. It's a lot like our Spiritual process. Let me explain.

There was once a time when I used to do my own nails. Convinced that I was saving money for other things and reluctant to become dependent on someone else, I casually purchased cheap polishes that averaged around $6 dollars or so. I had an entire collection of vivid colors. I kept my nails trimmed and had cotton balls on hand. I would take my time to touch each finger tip and patiently wait for the coat to dry. The end results were pretty... but sadly, extremely temporary. There were even instances where I had to re-do my nails twice in one day or suffer the "crack-effect", due to my cheapness. So, one day, I decided to stop shopping at Walmart for my nail color. I would, instead, invest in more salon quality nail products. I began to pay the $12 dollar fee for more expensive brands and I even invested in a top coat. The laquer and upgrade in quality really made a difference! It had more of a luster in appearance, maintained it's condition for almost twice the time as the cheaper brands and it seemed to me that I was still able to hold onto my own ability to appease my appearance and control of my wallet. Although there were definitely notable positives to my nail polish upgrade, the higher quality came with some side effects. For one, the wait time for drying took much longer and since I did not have my own nail dryer, often enough I ended up waisting time and product due to reapplication of one finger or another because of smudges, scrapes and demarkations. See, the more expensive polishes require more drying time. It may have appeared to be dry on the outside, but the undercoats were often times still damp, unbeknownst to me. Another side effect was the new fumes. Cheap polish doesn't carry as heavy a smell as more salon quality polishes. It took me a while to get used to whiffs of colored chemicals, which of course was accompanied by the need to use stronger nail polish removers. These side effects obviously didn't chase me away from doing my own nails, but over time, it became a hassle.

Friends of mine would urge me to go to the salon with them. I always would insist, however, that I didn't need to. I knew how to do my own nails. I was saving my time and money... but was I really? Probably not. Considering the time alone that it took to apply, re-apply, remove and apply again due to smears and smudges, chips and cracks, I ended up waisting more money than I actually saved and Lord only know how much time it cost me! But in my mind, I was convinced that I could do it on my own. I remember the first time I stepped foot into a nail salon, I was a skeptic. I honestly had no desire to be there, but after numerous invitations, I finally accompanied my friend Kourtney one day after classes. She wanted me to join in the seat next to her, but I declined. I didn't need someone else to do for me what I thought I could do for myself. I felt self-sufficient, but I watched as she placed her hands into the palms of the lady across from her. They had friendly conversation with each other, as the women stripped away the old color and prepared her hands for the new. The women were friendly and very attentive. They helped my friend choose her color, complimented her on her selection, massaged her hands and feet, shared laughs and stories and within an hour, her nails and toes were done. I was astonished to learn that she was able to keep the same color for 2 weeks! I remember glancing down at my nails, shiny, but already cracking; but that initial visit wasn't enough for me to change my mind. Leaving that nail salon, I felt intrigued because it wasn't just about nails... it was an entire experience that my friend could look forward to. It was an opportunity to be taken care of by professionals who made a job feel like an art. She was well taken care of. I secretly became curious about what that might be like for me.

Occasionally, I would go back to the Salon with Kourt... but only to accompany her. I wouldn't order
any services for myself. Even when a lady once urged me to let her take care of me, I kindly said, "no thank you", but really, I wanted to say, "ok". It did look very relaxing and beneficial, I just wasn't willing to part with my own routine of doing things my way. I didn't need her to do something that I could do for myself; or so I thought. It was honestly years before I got desperate enough to venture into a nail salon on my own. I had finally gotten so frustrated with trying to manage myself in my own hands. My left hand was always shaky, causing my right nails to look a hot mess. Cracks seemed to magically appear, no matter how much of a top coat I would use and chips and smudges were inevitable! The moment I felt satisfied with my own work, something would smudge or I'd accidentally knock my hand on the counter and ruin my hard efforts. After a few days, the polish would chip and loose it's shine. It was a mess! I was frustrated.
The first time I went to get my nails done, I'll never forget it. It was for an interview and I wanted to feel confident. I was nervous because I didn't want to pay a ridiculous fee and I was afraid that it would be a waist of time. I was hesitant to trust a stranger to make me look good. What if she was rude and started to speak a different language around me? What if they didn't have any colors that I liked? What if they were expensive? What if, after all the time and money, my nails still chipped? I had all these doubts in my mind, but I figured I should at least give it a try; why not? As I sat in the warm leather chair and chose my services, I can honestly say, the experience delighted me so much that I regret ever taking so long to try it! the women were friendly, diligent and had loads of suggestions. The woman who helped me was very bubbly and sweet and has never forgotten my name. I've been seeing Mrs. Lee for over 2 years now. She knows all about my career, my favorite colors, my sweet marriage and my pregnancy. I know about her home life in Cambodia, all three of her children, how she and her husband started this business from nothing and we have developed some funny jokes between the two of us. Not to mention, my nails are healthy and strong and always very pristine! For years, I was missing out on such a comforting and enjoyable experience, although I didn't even know it.

Many people, convinced that they can do life by themselves, miss out on the wonderful experience of

knowing Jesus. They think that putting their trust in the Lord is a waist of time. They see their friends or family going to church and reading the Bible, they might even join in on a service every now and then or pray when they need assistance, but in their minds, they have control over their own lives and they really don't feel the need for help from God or anybody else. They might notice things here and there in their lives that aren't up to par, so in their own attempts they try to upgrade themselves, just like I tried to upgrade my polish products. For a while, it seems to do the trick for them. They might go on a non-drinking fast for a couple of weeks, no-sex for the first few dates, they might try to loose weight or try a new hobby, quite a bad habit or change their wardrobe; so many attempts for their own personal self-maintenance, but it's only temporary. On the outside, it may appear that life is good, but underneath their top coat, stuff is still wet and unfinished. Like my nails, the cracks in life eventually begin to surface. They get hit with unexpected events that cause smudges and demarkations in their plans to stay in control. No matter how hard they try and no matter how many different upgrades, changes, investments and alterations they make, it still isn't enough and they begin to question their abilities. Those who have the heart of wisdom eventually come to the understanding that they cannot change their hearts on their own; they cannot maintain the God standard in their own efforts. Others continue to wander, trying this product or that technique, never truly finding satisfaction. We all were once there and I thank God for all the spiritual Kourtneys that aren't afraid to invite us into places of love and offer us the opportunity to experience what it's like to put our lives in the hands of someone who is more capable of governing us than we are.

In our own efforts, we think we are saving ourselves; but truly, we are just waisting time. Going round and round in circles of our own efforts, our control, our abilities and our way only leads to a life lacking in luster and full of chipped frustration. But when we allow ourselves to trust in the Lord, place our faith in His suggestions for our lives, rest ourselves in His ability to color our hearts with His love and relax in the joy of the experience of Salvation, well... that's when we really start to shine!

Ephesians 2:8 tells us that Salvation (being accepted by God) will never happen in our own efforts. Instead, God invites us to come to Him, through Jesus, to experience His love and life changing power that we can never attain on our own. It is a gift, a treasure, a permanent establishment of His presence and His perfection in our lives. No, we will never be perfect. The smudges of our past might always grip our minds, but in Jesus, they don't have the power to grip our lives. He asks us for our chipped hearts and smudged up lives, in exchange for his permanent radiance and eternal coat of glory! Christ calls to each of us, saying:
 "Come, take a seat. Give me your hands...give me your heart...give me your life. I have big plans for you! I have desires to make you shine and radiate in this world and in the next! You don't have to live in frustration any more. I know you are trying to improve yourself. I know you are afraid of letting go of control. You think you have found a short cut, but it only has you running in circles. Let me message your messes out of your life. Let me wash you with the water of my word. Let me give you a new life, one that will not fade away or loose its shine over ime. Let me coat you with my joy, my peace, my confidence and my hope. Let me laugh with you and share my heart with you. I have much to offer you that you could never acquire on your own. Trust me. Give me your hands...give me your heart...give me your life."


He wants so much more than to just change your exterior or the color of your experiences; He wants to change your life and polish your heart! He wants to establish a beauty within you that will not fade or peel away. Will you let Him? I pray that you do! I pray that we all will one day fully understand and experience how Salvation can polish our lives and radiate our existence with the eternal luster that only comes from knowing Jesus!

Trust Him with your hands...with your heart and with your life! I promise, you will not be disappointed.
~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