Psalm 84:11

As I seek to find victory in my own struggles this truth seems to get more real and fitting as days go by.

“The Lord is a sun”
He’s my sun: bright, warm, and comforting Giver of life.
“and shield:”
Not only does He comfort me but, surrounds me with His protection.  He provides safety during times of comfort and times of crisis.
“The Lord gives grace and glory “
I hardly paid attention to this part of the verse because I would always skip to the next phrase. This morning I looked at a variety of devotionals that shared on this passage and as I continued reading I realized that many writers put much emphasis on this specific part: “The Lord gives grace and glory” Suddenly I realized why I would always skim through it; I’ve been struggling to believe it. Although I say it, I haven’t been applying this truth to my life. I struggle to trust that The Lord gives grace and glory to me. And when I’m doubting Him, the more I lean towards disbelief and it becomes harder to believe the truth. The truth is that The Lord gives grace and glory not just when we are doing well but, when we are walking ahead of him on our own agenda. He will give grace in whatever way or form to everyone.
He will give grace to believers because they seek it, to sinners because they need it.  And as he’s given us grace, glory is alongside. Some say honor and respect, others view it as the sweet promise of eternal life. Regardless, Hope is alive! And we can cling to the truth that God gives grace and glory, while comforting us and providing safety in this life of ours.
Now for the part that really caught my attention:
“No good thing does He withhold from those who walk uprightly”
God is a good God. I think a lot of times when I’m not walking uprightly, I’m not thinking straight. So walking uprightly, what does it really look like? That doesn’t necessarily mean ripping the runway every time. But it means, “walking in a manner worthy of the Lord, to please Him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God” Colossians 1:10

In this stage of life, walking uprightly means surrendering my hurt, pride, and bitterness to Jesus. It means denying myself, and following Him. It means admitting that I need Jesus. It means loving the unlovely and extending grace to those who have wronged me.
As I continue to chew on this truth and take time to reflect, I pray that this truth continues tearing down the walls in my heart that lead me to continual surrender.
I also hope this brings encouragement your way.

relishing moments.

moments.
defined as “a very brief period of times.”
The bible compares life to vapor, appearing one moment and gone the next. (James 4:14)
Many things can happen during these “moments” of life,
so how do we fully grasp these times?
As I sat in the living room trying to figure out how to unravel my thoughts
and share the reasoning behind the name of this blog,
my husband shared this quote with me:

There’s a lesson in everyday unfortunately,
I have a well establish habit of falling asleep in class.
Nate Larki

I’m so guilty of missing out because I’ve fallen asleep. In fact I love to sleep.
I miss out on relishing moments because I choose to dream away.
Relish? No, I do not speak of the green flavoring that goes on hot dogs.
but to relish, meaning to enjoy greatly, to embrace.

The first time I ever heard the saying “relish the moments” was from a song called “Blue Skies” – Natalie Lauren. I listened to this song as I struggled preparing for my wedding. By the way, No one ever really tells you how challenging engagement season is. In fact being engaged was one of the most challenging times of Jay and I’s relationship. So many things were happening and I just didn’t know how to enjoy engagement period without accepting the fact that there were things beyond my control.
I remember two weeks before the wedding, Jay and I were walking through a conflict that lead to a real conversation. By the end of our talk, we agreed to Trust The Lord and let our actions show what we believe. In other words, Let our actions speak what we believe. As we began taking action in what we both agreed to do, it was then when I truly began to seize the moment. We were getting married within the next two weeks, and I had wasted so much time trying to take matters into my owns hands which didn’t do anything but stress me out.
I learned how to truly embrace and enjoy the moment I was in.

The only way I can (we can) genuinely relish the moments life brings are when Christ is the center of it all. ALL meaning –
He is FIRST in my Finances, Interests, Relationships, Schedule and Time.
When I put Him first, everything else falls into place,
and I am able to fully enjoy whatever season in life I face.

relish the moments.
because life is nothing but a vapor.
& you do not want to miss out on the lessons these moments of life bring.
Make the most of every opportunity (Ephesians 5:15-16)

with that said, I share with you a moment I will never stop relishing;
my wedding day.

Until next time,