JUNK

Today while cleaning out emails, I got to thinking about the JUNK folder.  Ya know, the place where strange, unwanted email goes...the stuff we DON'T want to see.  Well about once a week, I usually  skim through these to see if something important went there by mistake which happens occasionally.
I am appalled at the items I see in my junk folder!  Sometimes just advertisements of someone wanting you to buy something, but also a lot of sinful things.  Things placed there to tempt us.  Here's where the lightbulb went off...
The HEART is similar to the INBOX and the JUNK folder is a lot like SIN.  Sin sometimes seeps in and tries to ruin our lives.  We try to avoid it so we put it in a folder and try to forget it but we're human and sometimes we foolishly open and entertain it.  The junk [hate, lust, gossip, unforgiveness etc] then gets inside us and contaminates our hearts much like a virus does to a computer. 
Just like sin, junk is inevitable. We are not immune to sin, however, we are in control of what we allow into our lives.  Temptations will come, sometimes looking so appealing we don't even recognize what's happening.  That's where JESUS comes in.  He died for our sins...He represents the DELETE button and erases all the junk/sin so our email/hearts can be free again! 
So don't let the junk hold you back from the life God has for you.  Forget the past and let Jesus heal your heart!  Lean onto Him when things just don't make sense and He will see you through the storms.
Proverbs 3:6 "In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He will make your paths straight."

God Speaks

There was a time when I actually thought that people who say they heard from God actually heard His voice appear from out of the sky.  This made me think for the longest time that I was inadequate because I couldn't hear Him or worse that maybe He didn't want or care to talk to me.  Of course, that is a lie. God speaks in many ways, I am not at all surprised by this as He can hear all of our prayers whether we speak them aloud or not.
Some of the stories I am about to share have already been told to friends in person or via other social media forums, so bare with me as I gather them all here.  I feel someone needed to read this today.
God has been speaking to me, I guess, all along.  My heart/mind/spirit just wasn't open to it.  I say "I guess" because I can't exactly pinpoint the time when I heard Him for the 1st time.  All I know is, He is talking to me more and more everyday. 

I am a very visual person and God knows that...so most of my experiences are visual, however, He has surprised me other times as well. There's a verse that found me (Ecclesiastes 3:11) once while helping a friend move some things.  It was inscribed on a trinket I found in her car that she ended up giving to me because she didn't remember buying it nor where it came from.  That same verse was shown to me AGAIN on a random (wrapped) gift I opened at a bridal shower not that long ago.  The kicker if those 2 times weren't enough is, my birthday is 3/11!!  So God definitely wanted me to hear those words!  
Last year, I was vacuuming my car at the car wash and while I was doing that, my mind was racing with thoughts, depressing thoughts...to be honest, I was having a horribly bad day.  I was just sad about a lot of stuff and feeling like God wasn't listening.  As I was vacuuming I noticed something behind one of my tires on the ground.  It was one of those round  pendant buttons that people pin to their jackets to show what band they love or some quote they like. (think of the movie Office Space and those buttons or "flare" Jennifer Aniston wore on her suspenders).  Anyways, I picked it up because I didn't want it to pop someone's tire and when I flipped it over, I just smiled because in that moment God spoke to me through it.  The button said "I am loved."  It was as if God was hugging me right then and there, telling me I was loved.  I wish I would have kept it, unfortunately I threw it in the trash...but do you get what I am saying?  GOD SPEAKS!!

Just like today, I was sitting behind this vehicle and the license plate said "SEEK HM."  Sure someone could argue and say it's just a coincidence, but for these things to always happen precisely WHEN and WHERE I need them most?  I'm sorry, buddy...I am going to have to disagree with you...those are not coincidence at all!!  That's God!!

He has spoken to me in dreams, He has guided me through songs...my point, God speaks if you listen and open your eyes!  I trust Him completely, not saying that it's always easy...but the closer I get to Him and the more I trust Him...He has shown me specific plans for my life.  Crazy plans that I never could imagine!  Unfortunately that also means the enemy has and will use whatever he can to turn me away and make me doubt God's promises and trust me, the enemy is very clever.  But after everything God has showed me thus far...why on earth would I doubt Him? 

I encourage if you haven't ask God into your heart that you do that right now!  I also encourage everybody to get involved in a church ministry and surround yourself with believers who will stand with you.  Be open and let God do the rest!!  Blessings!

Hakuna Matata

https://youtu.be/nbY_aP-alkw

In Swahili, Hakuna Matata simply means "there isn't a problem/trouble."  That's the topic for my blog today...

Ya see, life can be running real smooth, everything is GREAT...and then BAM!  Worry sets in.  Something negative or not the norm can swoop in, steal your joy and spread like wildfire.  Your perfectly good day can go sour in a matter of seconds! 

That's the enemy.  He's sly like that.  The enemy's sole purpose is to STEAL your happiness, KILL your joy and DESTROY any confidence you might have had. [John 10:10] His goal is to make you feel so alone and defeated that you turn your back on God.  I mean, afterall, God wouldn't let these bad things happen to us, right?

I'm going to be really transparent right now.  I am the worst at worrying.  I over think everything and because of that, sometimes I make really poor decisions when I know better.  

I guess that is a part of human nature, however, making mistakes comes with a price.  Once you surrender to Him though, everything suddenly gets put into perspective.  For me, it makes me sick and physically hurt now when I mess up.  It hurts me so much when I know I disappointed God. This is how I recognize I am growing closer in my faith because I didn't always feel like that.  

Before, I was only afraid of getting punished by my parents etc. Now, I am more concerned with how my actions affect others, how my sin hurts God's feelings and the knowledge that I've disappointed Him, hurts ME.

Despite all of that, I STILL sin.  But you know what, despite my sin, my God still loves me.  

I think that is something that's finally sinking in

...GOD WILL ALWAYS LOVE ME.  

No matter what.  No one will ever love you like He does!  So instead of beating yourself up over something you've done or didn't do, hand it to God and leave it.  Because worry is not of God.   

You are though...  

You are a child of God that died for your sins so you don't have to beat yourself up or worry anymore.

He loves you...

  

~Hakuna Matata~

What are you waiting for?!

I saw this sign over the weekend and it gave me a chuckle because well, I tend to laugh about a lot of random things. At the time, I was thinking..."Yeah, what you waiting for?" Surely not talking to myself...instead, being a bit of a smart-aleck about something else. Then a little afterthought/voice went off in my head... "YOU." 

Yep. Me. (explosion sound) 

Anyways, the words on that sign can mean a lot of things to a lot of people... 
Why haven't you applied for that new job? 
Why haven't you gotten serious about your health? 
Why are you procrastinating by reading this blog? lol Seriously, it can mean ANYTHING...But in that particular moment, God basically slapped me in the face with brutal honesty. "You."  

God is waiting on ME. Now, maybe you're reading this and thinking "Wow, I thought Crystal was a Christian...She's always serving at church and "preaching" on social media and she seems to have it all together..." Well, first of all, we ALL have stuff. Actually, if I'm being honest, the closer I get to Him...the more "stuff" the enemy throws at me. Every stinkin' day. It's a definite struggle once you make that jump. But I can tell you it's all worth it.   

I AM a Woman of God. 
I DO serve in many areas of my church. 
I DO post a lot of Christian related things that I will not apologize for by the way... 
But I certainly DO NOT have it all together. This little afterthought/voice I heard today? Basically tells me I have so much more to learn and let sink in. 

Do you know that we are the most important thing to God? All He wants is our time. He is a jealous God though and He doesn't want us doing anything that jeopardizes our relationship with Him. So why do we run?
Because we're HUMAN.
Because sometimes it hurts when God gets real.
Because sometimes we get caught up in "stuff." 
Because our emotions and our flesh...what WE want instead of what GOD wants, sometimes seems more important. But it's not. God wants only the best for us.  What could be more important than that? 

So, back to the sign... 
What am I waiting for? 
What are YOU waiting for? 
What are WE waiting for? 

We know exactly where God is. He is consistent. Even when it feels like we're alone, God is there. 
God is waiting on us.