Category Archives: Emerging

June 21, 2019

Welcome SUMMER!

By Christina

YEAH! What an amazing season we are entering.  This is one of my favorite times of the year 😉 July & December! ❤ And I am probably not the only one.

The summer fun is just going to begin. As July approaches, I am in WONDER! For so many very unexpected and beautiful things took place for us.  One of which was a complete surprise to me by my hubby!

We had been in some beginning stages of discussion for our anniversary and a wedding vow renewal that we had wanted to do for sometime now.  Our story is more than crazy, but such a unique one for us to really appreciate and LOVE!

In any case, I also have not been able to wear my original engagement ring (due to the obvious!!!!) for many years now.  It was one of the first times he truly surprised me when he placed that promise ring on my finger years ago!  The second time he surprised me in our whole relationship is NOW! He got me a new and beautiful ring to re-propose!!! LOL! And I am soooo laughing out loud now as I type this because it’s cute. Also very special.

On Father’s day –this past Sunday, before he went to minister he began to mention me! In my mind I was thinking, “what in the world!” LOL but he started to say he would never be the father of our two beautiful kids without me.  He paused and got choked up as he told the church, “if you only knew all that we have been through!”

At this point, I began to truly cry.  I still had NO clue what he was doing and why he extended it about going on and on about lil ole me! He then reached in his pocket as he shared, “Since we have been together 27 years…I want to ask you if you wouldn’t mind spending another 27 plus years with me!”

I was completely FLABBERGASTED! I had no clue that this man went out of his way to get me a new promise ring for our next half.  This was so unexpected.  What a season it has been for me…on a day when it was about the Dads and nothing about me –he made his day about US! That just meant the world to me. He also said to me, “Truly, this is your season!”

“I will remember the actions the Eternal has taken,
    reminisce on Your ancient wonders.
I will reflect on all of Your work;
    indeed, I will study all You have performed.
O God, Your way is so different, so distinct, so divine.
    No other god compares with our God.”
Psalm 77:11-13 (The VOICE Translation)

I must give God thanks–for all that He has done and all that He is doing now in my life to make me remember that no matter how long I had to wait (yes, if you only knew) that this meant everything to me. I have a lovely husband, a wonderful and supportive family and currently right where I need to be. I can say that this has been a VERY difficult wait to arrive to this season where I can breathe a bit again…. was it worth the wait?

It is worth knowing that God’s promises for me and my house have always remained.

This is a blessed season. Just beautiful to enter in, dance in and celebrate in.

I needed this. God knew and waited to show me that this promise will come to pass before my very eyes –where I will truly laugh with everything in me and smile like I am glowing with His radiant abundance of love that covers me.

Thank you God.  And thank you to the one that you have for me.

#forevergrateful

#youknowme

#welcomesummer

#itsourseason

 

 

 

Leave a comment   |  tags: | posted in Celebration, Emerging, Inspiration, Recovery, Relationships, Restoration, Transition, Trust

February 9, 2019

Uncharted Waters

By Christina

There is a time for everything,
and a season for every activity under the heavens;
a time to be born and a time to die,
a time to plant and a time to uproot,
a time to kill and a time to heal,
a time to tear down and a time to build,
a time to weep and a time to laugh,
a time to mourn and a time to dance,
a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them,
a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing,
a time to search and a time to give up,
a time to keep and a time to throw away,
a time to tear and a time to mend,
a time to be silent and a time to speak,
a time to love and a time to hate,
a time for war and a time for peace.
Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 NIV

I received a text message the other day —

“Write. When your mind is cluttered, write about it.
Many of us need it!”

I guess this is a big time of silence for me. I think because I am honestly still so angry and I am trying to get past all that.  It is that so much is encompassed in the anger. Frustration, regret, upset, sickness, loss, contention, division, disappointment…. yeah the list goes on! And I’m angry about it.

I try to be as silent as I can and sometimes it breathes out.

I think I am still so upset about the things that are so way out of my control.

The sudden loss is still aching in my soul. I could only lie there in the dark and wanna scream so loud but no sound is coming out. But the tears are rolling down my face. Tears of rage. Tears of frustration. Tears of loss. Tears of disappointment. Tears! Tears! And more tears! I think I am even crying on the inside.

So many things I just cant control… the uncharted waters of life. You never know what’s really going to happen. Sadness wants to sweep over just like that river. And it’s cold. A whole body of water and it feels empty. Bitter. Freezing! Just a whole set of winter coming on so strong. What a season and what a way to start the year when you thought it would be at its best.

Those uncharted waters and great unexpected just come banging down that door. Flooding in–uncontrollable! It rips at your soul. What could I do but know there is a time for everything. In life –things happen! Good, bad, ugly, beautiful, great, crazy –uncharted! That huge place of the unknown. Not knowing how long this winter is really going to last, not even the groundhog could pick that up! SMDH!

I heard a small preaching from Upper Room –YouTube.  Not sure who the preacher was but oh when he spoke he really hit home with so much of what I was feeling and he read this scripture from Ecclesiastes! He said this –“Change is inevitable, but progress is optional!” The heart is in a raw place a lot because of transition now.  When you take the measureables and see the fruit of the Lords doing. Relational transitioning one way or another, sometimes we grieve the transition. Especially that sudden loss! He continued to say… “How has our heart progressed?  This is where the Lord meets us in a profound way.  He is there intimately and deeply. Let Him shepherd you and meet you in places where people can’t! He see’s you and knows where you are and speaks words to you where you are in your reality.”

This is my reality. An unexpected shift and turn these past few weeks! What a head spin so much so that it made my body so ill! All I could do was lay there and try to get some internal rest, if that even makes sense. It’s so obvious that my whole body demanded it after being so worn out mentally, physically and emotionally. That’s what happens in the unknown and unexpected places –it actually weighs you down big time!

I’m tired!

I’m tired of the loss!

I’m tired of the disappointments!

I’m so tired of the things that I thought I had a hold on and then it ripped from my grip!

Only God can steer this ship now in the waters that I find myself swimming in these days.  Only God. In this season of life, He is the Captain of this ship! He’s in control of the uncontrollable. And I must securely run to Him–if there is anything that I could know in the unknown, is that even there His love will find me. He is with me in these uncharted waters more than anything or anyone I could want to be there with me.

It’s a heavenly thing now. That is this season we are in. ❤ Keep steering God, keep steering!

Leave a comment | posted in Emerging, Rest, ROSE, Transition

January 6, 2019

ENOUGH

By Christina

Wow! Done! Day 5… first book of the year and what a POWERFUL one at that! @thesinglewoman … Mandy Hale; Thank you for sharing YOU with us… the uncut, fully flawed, unapologetic and authentic version of who God made you to be! It’s MORE than enough! It’s a walking testimony to the lives of everyone that has ever doubted themselves, questioned, felt like never ever enough. But this powerful message is a lifeline for us and a reminder that LOVE SHOWS UP… and let’s us know that we are enough. To us… that love is God! God shows up every time we fall into that slump to remind us… let it be, I got this. I am with you always even to the end of this age!!! #iamenough ♥️

How many times have I felt inadequate? Not capable? Not enough? Last? Lonely? Sad? Confused? Disappointed? Oh my God! He knows it all. And so I loved this woman’s story! I wrote down the most profound reminders.

Page 89!!!! Even tapped it again as I found it:

”And maybe, just maybe, our enoughness, our worth, has nothing whatsoever to do with who’s beside us and everything to do with what’s inside us.”

Page 87:

”When you lose yourself, you find yourself.”    â€I think I needed to lose myself for a little while, to wander, to wonder, in order to realize I will always, always be able to find myself again in the things that I love. In the things that I’ve always loved. The heart of who we are, who we were, way back when—it never really changes.”

Page 102-103:

”Because that’s what love does. It shows up, and it means you are right where you’re at. Love kneels and comforts and speaks softly of hope even when all hope seems lost.” â€œBecause that’s what love does. It’s sacrifices. It misses out on sleep. It puts the other person ahead of its own comfort. LOVE SHOWS UP.”

Page 105-106:

”But you know what happens to girls who allow themselves to become life rafts? They sink themselves. They get dragged into whirling, swirling cesspools of drama and chaos and dysfunction. They start to mistake mirages for the real deal. They start to question why they seem to never be enough.”

”You are not a life raft, you are not a compass, you are not bread crumbs, you are not a flashlight, you are not a Band-Aid, and you are not a stop along the way as he attempts to ‘find himself.’ You are a destination. A whole, complete person who deserves another whole, complete person. You are wonderfully, beautifully enough.”

“But find your own way. Chart your own course. And never use another human being and their feelings and emotions as your GPS. Never look to another person to rescue you.”

And that’s the point! It’s a God thing! He is everything we are ever going to need. We are enough, just as He is to us. He made us that way!

E N O U G H ♥️

2 Comments | posted in Celebration, Emerging, Encouragement, I AM, Identity, Inspiration, Love, Loved Letters, Peace, Recovery, Relationships, Restoration, Transition, Trust

January 1, 2019

2019 Agenda

By Christina

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!  2019 Agenda begins.

Write daily! Every day, some how some way. Here is a start to that.

I was pondering the beginning of this new year, as we all do our new resolutions–does it ever change or make things better? I want it to be.

I want to be more intentional in so many areas that are an essential part of my life. Things that need to be a part of my life and also the things that need to be eliminated from my life that are toxic.

I spent my first day of the year waking up with the group morning prayer on Facebook live. Went back to sleep for a bit and rose up to begin the grind.

What are some of the things that are always on my list…better health (body, soul & spirit). Then the year continues and we eventually tack on the junk here and the junk there. Before you know it, we’ve just repeated the same insanity way of living because of habits.

  1. BREAK HABITS! Habits that weaken my body, soul and spirit. Meaning – food, everything I consume that will nurture this body, soul & spirit. I have to feed it the right things. Healthy meals, consistent regimen, positive thoughts, improved relationships and a deep pattern of study for the mind. Prayer, fastings OFTEN and reading of the Word with spiritual and professional growth books.
  2. DON’T QUIT! Keep doing the things that are healthy for me. Repetition and intentionality of all the above. I can’t quit, I can’t slack and I can’t take these lengthy breaks or vacations from the things that will improve and create healthy habits.
  3. REST & RELAXATION! Why can’t I rest the way I need to at this age and season of life? So be it, I will do it. I am going to sleep my adequate hours, take my lovely naps that I love when I need rest. I am going to pamper myself, dress well and organized. I am going to factor in my spa time. It is that necessary. Especially when I need to disconnect to connect. This is a vital.
  4. BE PURPOSEFUL! If it doesn’t serve the overall goal or purpose for my life then cut it out. Remove it. Skip it. Don’t do it. Don’t entertain it. Nothing negative –ABORT anything that tries to attach itself to the womb of my body, soul and spirit that would try to bring me decrease or harm. De-clutter, throw away all junk. Rid yourself. Health FIRST! That’s my resolution–that’s my agenda for 2019!
  5. BE CREATIVE! That means doing all the things I love to do, write, journal, design, organize my home, work space and everywhere I go. Spend the time to invest in my creativity, let it out and pour it out. These are the things that help me to be authentic. I have a lot to give and it is never to hold it back. Create the environment, the setting, the atmosphere, the mood and the things that reflect the love of God and the beauty of nature.

Scripture:

Do you see what this means—all these pioneers who blazed the way, all these veterans cheering us on? It means we’d better get on with it. Strip down, start running—and never quit! No extra spiritual fat, no parasitic sins. Keep your eyes on Jesus, who both began and finished this race we’re in. Study how he did it. Because he never lost sight of where he was headed—that exhilarating finish in and with God—he could put up with anything along the way: Cross, shame, whatever. And now he’s there, in the place of honor, right alongside God. When you find yourselves flagging in your faith, go over that story again, item by item, that long litany of hostility he plowed through. That will shoot adrenaline into your souls!
Hebrews 12:1-3 The Message Translation

May this be a glorious year where we see the impossible become possible… that chains, habits and all toxicity be broken. Anything that wearies us be detached and replaced with STRENGTH!

Let us grow like never before and fully flourish in 2019. ❤

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