Category Archives: Encouragement

October 8, 2019

A Table Of Treasure

By Christina

“I will give you hidden treasures, riches stored in secret places, so that you may know that I am the LORD, the God of Israel, who summons you by name.”
Isaiah 45:3

Sometimes we don’t realize just how special we really are. Underneath all the external we have hidden treasures ready to expose! And just like the scriptures reveals, He is the one that has given us this hidden treasure.

Most people struggle where they don’t feel important, valued, special, recognized, appreciated, noticed or even loved! But God is reminding us of this love. Reminding us of how treasured we really are.

I kept going to a relatives house for dinner. Having special feasts served at this tall table. Until one day I heard something drop while I was eating. It was actually a box under the table that I didn’t see. There were many hidden items. All arranged neatly in a storage section under the table. All the time I was eating at the table not realizing there was more valuable items underneath.

That is how we are. We don’t realize our full potential, our capacity, gifts and talents that God has hidden inside of us. Until we search deep. Until we allow ourselves to be seen regardless of what we think may happen. It takes courage, faith and hope to do the things God has designed for us. To be the person that He has called us to be!

You may think you are not worthy, not enough or fallen short! But God is calling you to believe the very best about YOU!

I encourage you now to step out in faith! BE BRAVE! You may have heard this before… but I remind you again. Don’t give up, don’t be compacent, don’t go back to nothing when there are SO MANY hidden treasures waiting IN you.

Here is what He is saying to you:

“Since you are precious and honored in my sight, and because I love you, I will give people in exchange for you, nations in exchange for your life. Do not be afraid, for I am with you; I will bring your children from the east and gather you from the west. I will say to the north, ‘Give them up!’ and to the south, ‘Do not hold them back.’ Bring my sons from afar and my daughters from the ends of the earth— everyone who is called by my name, whom I created for my glory, whom I formed and made.””
Isaiah 43:4-7 NIV

Remember, it is not just about the first things on display. There are hidden treasures inside that make you valuable in your own unique way! ♥️

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July 4, 2019

July 4th ~ The Game Plan

By Christina

“God is our refuge and strength, A very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, Even though the earth be removed, And though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea; Though its waters roar and be troubled, Though the mountains shake with its swelling. Selah There is a river whose streams shall make glad the city of God, The holy place of the tabernacle of the Most High. God is in the midst of her, she shall not be moved; God shall help her, just at the break of dawn.”

Psalms 46:1-5 NKJV

You know that overwhelming moment is really bad. It sucks. You can’t process what to do next.

The careless lady behind the counter shared words still stinging my ears as we missed our vacation flight outta NYC!

“You need a game plan!”

I stood thinking in my head, “seriously!”

I walked away and that awful defeated feeling set in really heavy.

Then I cried. Then I cried some more.

Then I wept.

There goes my hope, my fun, my plan, my only vacation just thrown out the window as everyone was now passing me by.

This was such a sad, sad, sad defeat and disappointment. Even though I know God wants to turn it into a win, I felt like I failed… REALLY failed my family 😞

They were gonna have sooo much fun man! The plans were LIT!!! And that’s what I want.

To make my family and friends happy! To see them laugh until their stomachs hurt! That’s everything to me. This wasn’t about me! My birthday! My plan! No it was about them! The ones I love.

And I failed! I messed up cuz I didn’t have a game plan.

But God does!

He always does.

Even if it hurts or when life happens like you didn’t plan it to.

So when I don’t have a game plan, an ounce of hope, a smile or a way through—HE DOES! He will sing over me on my day to tell me happy birthday Christina. You are still in good company. Positive vibes, positive energy and positive perspective. People that are willing to take a disappointed and defeated situation and turn it into the game plan!!!

We will make it work!

God just has it all, I was never or will ever be in control like that. It’s so much letting go.

So here I am. Thankful to be surrounded by people that are willing to laugh through anything… even the disappointments of life. Im grateful. I am blessed. They are doing all that they can –above & beyond folks. ♥️

West Palm will have it’s time. Trusting God for what’s next. The best is yet to come. So keep your head up Birthday girl. Turn that frown upside down and be thankful. All that you need is right in front of you. Enjoy your life.

All that you are is all within you!

Happy Birthday 🎉🎊🎂🎈🎁

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May 11, 2019

Visit To California

By Christina

California really helped me a lot! It was so needed. So necessary. So vital for me to get out again for a while. It was an amazing 4 day getaway. Spiritual rejuvenated experience. Love and laughter. Family and friends. And just time being in a DIFFERENT place doing DIFFERENT things, hearing and seeing DIFFERENT THINGS!!!

Doing the same CRAZY busy things every day is extremely draining. Internally and externally. I’m tired every day. Pure exhaustion! Fully depleted of any energy and drive. I don’t want to do a thing but love my blanket. I’m walking around like the Charlie Brown character. But mostly frustration, overwhelming frustration. I feel trapped most days from obligations.

Ya feel me?

And I want an escape because then I start to mope and count the losses. That’s not good either. Or I think about what is taking so long to get to a more fulfilling place. I need a real rest so I can do things that not only bring me joy but move to my true calling.

And boredom. Yeah that could have seeped in too. That’s just been my reality on battling with the mundane. I know there’s more. But where’s it been hiding from me? I can’t be doing this day in and day out and not have no joy. I’m not supposed to be frustrated 24/7! No! No! No!

Then came Cali! Wow. Everything I needed right there. Word. Breathtaking scenery. Mountains and trees. Great weather and sun. Shops and walkway streets. It was spiritually blissful to my aching soul. I was able to breathe again.

Take me back.

Most importantly, keep me rejuvenated! People actually like my strange smile. I like it more! I like how it feels to be free INSIDE and not congested with the responsibility of working life.

The 212 conference in San Jose was a purpose and destination. But it became way more than that. It was life again. Drive again. Energy again. Hope again. Resilience again. Birth again. Every message spoke as answered contemplations right from my journal. The unseen tears were wiped away. God was doing it again. Making me feel like it’s a good day again and a good place that I am in.

I shook Bishop TD Jakes hand. I soaked up every word on his night!

Just be who you really are
And be good with you!!!
I AM ON MY SIDE!!!
You are enough!!!!

Inside my heart pushed away the numbness. And I felt those words deep. They were well received by me. Well received!!!! Selah…

Joel Osteen rocked the house with his message on “Designed to Withstand” as it spoke to the adversity we all face. We can move through this triumphantly.

Dharius Daniels reminded the preacher in me to be a water walker and keep praying those powerful simple prayers that I do. It works! It’s heard! I am one of the twelve. I will always be an exception. God will find a way to make an exception for me because I am heading down the humble path He has for me to learn in this journey now. It’s a perfect plan God… let’s do this.

Ron Carpenter reminded me to keep the wonder! To seek God and know that He has given me authority to triumph as well.

And the people I was with— reminded me how nice it was to laugh again and get fired up inside. It was amazingly nice. 9 of us went. 9 lives forever impacted.

I’m never going to forget this LIFE BUILDING experience!!!! Thank you God because you selected me to be somewhere so I can be a part of something out of the ordinary. That was extraordinary. ♥️😇

““Come,” he said. Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus.” Matthew‬ ‭14:29‬ ‭NIV‬‬

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May 8, 2019

Time To Refine

By Christina

“This is GOD ’s Word on the subject: “As soon as Babylon’s seventy years are up and not a day before, I’ll show up and take care of you as I promised and bring you back home. I know what I’m doing. I have it all planned out—plans to take care of you, not abandon you, plans to give you the future you hope for.”
Jeremiah‬ ‭29:10-11‬ ‭MSG‬‬

How often can many quote this scripture? “I know the plans that I have for you, to give you a future and a hope.” But I love The Message translation, because it contains the details that we all seek!

As soon as Babylon’s seventy years are up…

Yes! That’s called process. It’s the process within the process. The process within the promise. The process within the plans that God speaks over you. And we all have to go through it. There is no shortcut, back door escape or way out of His plans! There just isn’t. And we can fool and disappoint ourselves when we forget “after the seventy years are up.” That is very important detail.

Now for Babylon it was seventy years. Maybe for you it’s seven years. Maybe mine is 17 years. Maybe someone is in a season where it is 7 months, days, etc. Whatever that may be just know we all have to go through what we are going through. It is always to refine us.

Refine is to remove impurities or unwanted elements from (a substance), typically as part of an industrial process; improve (something) by making small changes, in particular make (an idea, theory, or method) more subtle and accurate.

We must be ready. God is not going to fund our confusion. He is not going to give the keys to the car over in the hands of an infant. He will not bring you into a place that you are not ready to move in. So when those things hurt the most, we must comprehend that every removal is for improvements!

Now we are surely designed to withstand, but the very moment that we are taking on more of what He has planned is the moment that we can easily collapse. Don’t collapse while you wait for that plan to carry out.

Just go through that timeframe and trust the One that orchestrated your life from the beginning of time. He is a God of order and we know this but still fuss over because of that wait. Give it to God. The longer we wait the better it will be for us. It’s always worth the wait for good things.

I would rather wait in any fine italian restaurant for a dish like zuppa de pesce than for a slice of pizza. Those better meals require more time and preparation. And it is oh so good! Topped with dessert and coffee, God knows what He is doing.

So as soon as your time in this process is up, you will have all that He planned for you. We just need to enjoy where we are at today because we really don’t want to miss every special season. Every promise starts with a plan. If you find your promise in an infancy stage just give it time to grow, prepare and mature. Eventually it will happen the right way and in the right process of time.

So stay filled, hopeful and trust in Him. Be at peace. He said He is going to show up and take care of you, just as He promised to give you the things hoped for.

He just needs time to refine.

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