When It Snows

“When it snows, she has no fear” – Proverbs 31: 21

Much of the country consisted of snow beholders this weekend as Winter Storm Jonas came to town. 11 states declared emergency over the blizzard that swept the East Coast. There were 8,569 flight cancellations this weekend, according to CNN and more than 74,000 people without power! From the Carolinas all the way to New York, thousands of people experienced the colossal aftermath of the icy threat.

Despite many laze fair attitude towards the weather, there were plenty people who anticipated the worst, resulting in empty isle at the grocery store, traffic jams in every gas station and Christmas worthy crowds, all lined up at home improvement stores. Eggs, bread and milk all vanished like a mist and people were eager to head home and avoid the catastrophe that seemed to be impending.  And I wondered, as I watched the news and followed the forecast, how something so beautiful- something we so often attribute to childhood pleasure and fun, could hurt so many people and bring on so much panic and fear.

The impressions of snow, in scripture, and even in our modern era, I suppose, are both beautiful and alarming. Some of our great Biblical writers liken it to purity and others liken it to trouble; and there is no wonder. For any agricultural community, snow can be seen as a threat against produce and income. Its beauty, which excites children and coats the world with a crystal glow, also had the same impact to cause alarm and dread; much like the experience of this past weekend and others long before.

As we all know, scripture was written for the most part, by Middle Eastern men, who more than likely never actually experienced a snowy day; “But even though the writers may never have felt the cold touch of snow, they had in sight two mountain tops covered [with snow]”, which strong winds might have pushed down into the valley on scarce occasions (T. Hind). The point? Well, we all of us can enjoy the beauty of snow, but we seldom see its beauty when it causes us a problem.

Sometimes, in life we experience this snow effect: When what is hoped to be beautiful turns disastrous. When the relationships we anticipated leaves us disappointed, or the raise we hoped for
wasn’t quite enough; when we feel great only to find out we are truly sick, or when our hard efforts still don’t seem good enough... That is the snow effect, and sooner or later, it falls on us all. So, what are we to do about it? Should we stay locked in doors, hoping to avoid the calamity? If so, we may miss the chance to live. Instead, maybe, we can take such moments to count our blessings, search for the beauty in the trial and ask God’s guidance to see us through.

I love the scripture in Proverbs and I LOVE that it is addressed to a “SHE”!

“When it snows, SHE has no fear”!

As women, and also men, sometimes the snowstorm doesn’t seem to quit. What began as pretty anticipation starts to clobber us at every side, freezing our dreams, blowing over our hopes, crystalizing our efforts and leaving our hearts feeling very frost bitten! Oh, if only coffee or hot cocoa could melt it all away! But, in times where we are left to scrape off the ice icicles and thaw off the pain through prayer, we can do so without the company of fear. Fear makes the storm seem colder. Fear makes the snow seem more bitter than it truly is. But we know that we needn’t fear, because God has given us the spirit of power, of love and a sound mind.

In Christ, fear has no place and there is no storm that can overcome you! You are strong enough, through Christ, to wage any storm that might blow your way. You, who seek after the Lord, are equipped with love that can melt away any negativity and any weapon formed against you! You, who remain in faith and in prayer, have the gift of a sound mind- to make decisions, judgments and plans in the midst of it all.  When it snows, you have the option to brave it, without fear!

This morning, as the Weather Channel catches us all up on the aftermath of this weekend, I imagine quite a few of us will be leaving our homes with the case of cabin fever. The malls will be packed, Starbucks will be ridiculous and driveways will be shoveled- breaking way for the new week. I want to encourage you to do the same, within your heart! Ask the Lord to help you identify any fears that need to be shoveled away. Pray for the confidence you need to face any future storms, head on, or the bravery needed to deal with the aftermath of any past storms that you’ve had to face. Consider your perspective and look for the beauty in it all! Not every storm is disastrous; sometimes, they can leave us with a little shimmering glimpse of God’s goodness!

Fear Not!

~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

How to Pray for Love

The Wedding season is once again among us! David's Bridal commercials are popping up everywhere, Facbook accounts increase with engagement announcements, reception pictures, blinged out rings and white gowns. For many of us, we can smile at every invitation and picture we come across. For some of us, it is a painful reminder that our time has not yet come.

My friends and I often have these discussions about relationships, marriage, dating in purity and waiting on the Lord. There are books, social communities, advice columns and magazine articles to help guide us to "the one" but, to honestly put it, there is no absolute solution, remedy or proof to determine the sure fired way of procuring love. Dating sites are not a guarantee, racing towards the pew to get a good seat by the cute guy in church is as silly as it is disappointing and reaching to get a good look at the guy in the checkout line in front of you, only to see that he already has a wedding ring, is just plain embarrassing! Truth be told, looking for love can be exhausting and frustrating. Yet, for the believer, we know that love is not based solely on only acquiring it, but also on offering it, as well.

Trust me...I know the highs of relationships and the deafening lows, but through it all, God has been faithful! Within my 10 year window frame of dating,  I experienced countless heartbreaks, broken hopes and burning tears. I'd been rejected, cheated on, lied to and ashamed. But God is good!

About the age of 24, I found myself at a place where I needed direction, because my own impatience and attempts for love were failing miserably. I remember my mother telling me, "Trina", until you fall in love with Jesus, you will never understand or appreciate how God created you to be loved".
This coming Monday, my husband and I will be celebrating our second year of marriage. For 3 years, we dated in purity: I was a virgin, he was practicing celibacy and we were determined to stay committed in obedience. I was 28 years old when I walked down the isle and I am thankful for such an incredible blessing!

Through it all, my mother's words never left me... there came a day when I realized that I HAD to learn to fall in love with Jesus! His love illuminates our understanding of what true love was intended to be. In other words, the world has it's version of love, but it will never fulfill us. It is temporary and contingent. It is self seeking and based upon carnal emotions that are here today and gone tomorrow. But the love that comes from God is eternal and when we trust our love to Him, he brings us someone who will not only understand God's love, himself, but will also be experienced enough to share that same love with us. He won't be perfect:  there will be mistakes and struggles, let downs and misunderstandings;  but through it all, the eternal love of God will overshadow where both of  you lack.

In this wedding season, where smiles and celebrations seem to be flaunted and plastered in every direction, I think about those of you who are struggling in your singleness, searching for meaning, relationships and fulfillment. I promise you, none of those things will exist outside of Christ. If you want someone to share your heart with, start with Jesus. Invest in a love relationship with Him, first, and allow Him to mold your heart in preparation for the one that He has created for you. In this way, you will find meaning, fulfillment and purpose that you will be able to share with that someone special. 

While you are waiting, wait for the Lord. Share your heart with Jesus! Tell Him about your anxiousness, disappointments, sadness and expectations. Pray that He begin to prepare your heart and create within you a love that is stronger in giving than it is in receiving. Ask for discernment to recognize the one that God will place in your path and pray for a spirit of contentment in your waiting process. Finally, pray for your husband as well. Not just that he will come, but that he will be strong in the Lord. Pray for his family and his friends. Pray over his finances and his future. Cover his struggles and temptations in prayer (because believe me, he will have them!). Pray over his exams in school and over his accomplishments. Ask God to prepare His heart for you, as He prepares your heart for him and I promise, "Mr. Man" may not show up the next day, but those prayers will not go out in vain!

Pray without ceasing... Pray for love!

~Pearls

With Hearts Lifted Up

It's been over a month since the last time we all met together for Bible Study. We believe that, as the holidays approach us, it is important to take time away from each other to enjoy our families, invest in our other friendships, get plugged into our church responsibilities and just rest and enjoy the holiday season. It's a much needed time to refresh and take a break, but I must admit that I have missed our Tuesday meetings and cannot wait to gear back up in January... which is right around the corner!!!

During our break, we have had two opportunities to just hang out with each other and celebrate birthdays. In addition to this, yesterday, we also celebrated our first PRAYER BREAKFAST!!!! It was an amazing idea that evolved from some conversations we all had one evening, via text message. There are just so many needs that our hearts are crying out for: our friends, our unsaved loved ones, our future, our past, our country, each other. We want to grow in Christ, and not go backwards. We want our love to be perfected for the Lord, for each other and for our world. We want to know and experience the presence of God, not just hear about it. We want our lives to be a passionate example of who Jesus is in us and who He can be in the lives of others.

Today, 5 of us came together to pour out our hearts. Some of us cried, some were silent. With hearts lifted up, we confessed hidden sin that we knew would hinder our prayers and our growth in Christ. We prayed for one another, we prayed for our families and we prayed that God would continue to be pleased in our meeting together and in our accountability towards one another. We worshiped the Lord, for His faithfulness, for His love, for His compassion over us. We thanked Him for His goodness and for Salvation in Jesus. We asked Him to make us bright witnesses for His name! It was an amazing time. I know that God's presence entered into that kitchen and the Spirit of the Lord lovingly listened to every cry from our hearts! Scripture says that when we call Him, He will answer us:

Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know. 

-Jeremiah 33:3

I know this promise of God was answered today. I know that He will answer our prayers to make us more like Him!

Never stop praying. 

~Pearls