Category Archives: Relationships

December 14, 2018

The Winter Trees

By Christina

““At least there is hope for a tree: If it is cut down, it will sprout again, and its new shoots will not fail. Its roots may grow old in the ground and its stump die in the soil, yet at the scent of water it will bud and put forth shoots like a plant.” Job 14:7-9 NIV

Today I looked out, stopped. Took a pic. Love the winter SOMETIMES! Saw the flurries coming down and it looked magical. Even through the glass staring out at the bare trees, they spoke. Deep. So deep.

Skies the limit!

I love trees, its more than a logo for me;

Or a ministry. It’s something God created.

They grow together.

They are beautiful, expressive;

Maybe like sisters :-/

Sometimes that can hurt;

One and another;

But mostly an expression of sincere love.

Something lasting. Wonderful.

Love that took time.

Love that has depth.

Deep, deep roots.

Because of the authenticity,

There is a reason they never look fake.

There is no pretend.

They could never know how not to be trees.

In every season they display its true nature.

They wilt up in summer.

Blossom in spring.

Change colors in autumn.

Only to prepare for the stripping that winter will cause. It can be brutal. It’s a season to pass through for trees.

But truth be told,

Even when the conditions change around the trees

It still has strong roots, so they go through each season again and again.

Always remained.

Whoever said the life of the trees would be easy.

That’s how I have to believe about sisterhood.

We’ll get through this season and the next.

And always be the most expressive, unique and strongest trees.

With love,

A sister forever ♥️

Sharing a simple poem.

~Chrizzy

Leave a comment | posted in Emerging, Family, Healing, Health, Hope, Inspiration, Love, Loved Letters, Recovery, Relationships, Rest, Restoration

November 27, 2018

Dear Family

By Christina

Dear Family,

A big week has arrived for us and we have been experiencing big issues at the same time. The best thing that we have that is bigger than all of that is a big God that we all serve.

This is the moment where we get to all live that out and put it into practice.

Over the course of weeks and months this has been such a trying time for us all. We lost life. We lost family. We lost love and some of us even lost hope.

However, we also can say that others have gained life, gained family, gained love and some gaining more hope.

In the midst of transitional heights such as this –we experience a lot of raw emotions. This is okay. This is normal but we can’t stay in this place at all. All this is passing. Even this time may cause us to say and do things we never thought that we would do before. What do we do now? How do we embrace such great transitions? Just thinking about that as we are still healing and helping is some kind of anguish. It is never that easy for any one of us.

A pillar of our family was tragically stripped from us. Another pillar was tragically struck with illness. Others have transitioned away into their next season as this is a normal thing we embrace. Others are moving out or moving away. Some are wretched tears and others are with great celebrating. We cried, yelled, screamed, laughed, hugged…. Nevertheless, we have also said things that we probably should not have or done things we should not have. Much of what we regret but we cannot take back.

I am sorry for the things I said and done.

We can all attest to that. What can I say?  This is not going to be an easy season especially approaching the holidays.  In these next four days, perhaps we can do all that we can in the midst of our past, our pain, our purpose or any other priorities and make two people a HUGE priority this week and that is Cassandra and Matthew.

Let us love on them. Embrace them. Celebrate them. Encourage them. And help them as much as we could—but what I think they want to see more than anything else. Is that we do that together—in LOVE as a family.  A real family. Pushing aside all of our personal feelings, opinions, convictions and beliefs and work to do ONE THING ONLY THIS WEEK.

As my dear friend would always shout from the pulpit –“It’s not about you!”

It is really not.

It is about the LOVE of God and the love that He wants us to demonstrate more so even now. With all these moving parts.

I love you.

I really do.

Moreover, I hate that the enemy is using this for fuel to try and separate.  WE SHOULD KNOW BETTER!

LAY ASIDE YOUR SELF!!!! AND focus on the two that God is telling us to focus on in this moment.  We cannot give the enemy a foothold –because he is making it a stronghold and we know those are hard to tear down. Here is a recipe that I will say has been given to us.

Start with love. Start with hope. Let us follow the golden rule of Romans 12:12 and overcome this thing. It is our nature to act up –yes even as Christians! However, it is the Holy Spirits nature in us to make us press right through the natural into the supernatural and put on some SUPER LOVE.

But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection.
Colossians 3:14 NKJV

So, chosen by God for this new life of love, dress in the wardrobe God picked out for you: compassion, kindness, humility, quiet strength, discipline. Be even-tempered, content with second place, quick to forgive an offense. Forgive as quickly and completely as the Master forgave you. And regardless of what else you put on, WEAR LOVE. It’s your basic, all- purpose garment. NEVER BE WITHOUT IT.
Colossians 3:14 MSG

As I think about this precious moment of my only daughter walking down that aisle I am in such an unexplainable state. I leave those thoughts with God. But one thing we will remember is that garment she is wearing. The beautiful white gown on this bride. Symbolic of a pure love. That is the garment God wants us to put on. Just like that and that we never take this specific gown off, not for a moment.

We conquer. We rise above. We find a way.

With love,

Christina

4 Comments | posted in Celebration, Encouragement, Faith, Family, Healing, Hope, Love, Loved Letters, Relationships, Restoration, Transition, Trust

July 16, 2018

Jesus Is

By Christina

Jesus Is:

The Great I AM;

The Bread of Life;

The Way, the Truth, the Life;

The Resurrection and the Life;

The Lion of Judah;

The Word…. and I can go on!

You know what else Jesus is?

O F F E N S I V E!

Yup! He is and was offensive. He had to be in order to be effective. He had only three years with these disciples to transform them into apostles! He had to be fast! Quick! Swift! Bold! Strategic!

He had a timetable, not theirs.

Excerpt from “The People Factor” by Van Moody states:

Peter, with his fiery temperament probably mixed with horror and devastation at the thought of losing his Lord, reacted immediately. He called Jesus aside and began to rebuke Him, contradicting what Jesus had said by declaring, “Never, Lord! . . . This shall never happen to you!” (Matt. 16: 22). In response, Jesus spoke strong and shocking words to Peter, saying, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; you do not have in mind the things of God, but the things of men” (v. 23). How would you like to be addressed the way Jesus spoke to Peter? And would you ever be so bold with a close friend? Jesus was! Even though His relationship with Peter was valuable and important to Him, He prized truth even more than friendship.

See if Jesus were to move by feelings, He would not have gotten anything done. He would not have spoken to His disciples the way that he did. It was offensive. He called Peter the Devil! Wow! That would crush us. But instead it built Peter to be the great apostle that won 3000 souls on his first sermon.

Jesus only had three years with them, He had to be offensive yet effective! Today we are filling ourselves with facts—

Good advice;

Tips;

Tools;

Articles;

Social Media;

More conversations…. making us more subjective to the mind of man rather than the mind of God.

If we were to exchange the time spent on conversations, tips, tools and advice with the Word of God then we too would be as effective as Jesus.

We keep depending on the wrong source. Please don’t misinterpret this.

Sources are great but they are not sovereign.

God’s Word is sovereign, final and the absolute truth over any situation and it should govern our every move.

We may make mistakes yes, but let’s get up quickly to rise above the adversity and diversity of opinions and move forward using the Word of God as our sovereign source of substance.

This will help us make the best decisions, have the best relationships and the best outcome for our lives. 

Dear God –may our hearts move toward humility and healing in the most stressful states we could find ourselves in. Move us to Your Word as a guide. May we search it diligently DAY & NIGHT. So we can keep in alignment with Your Kingdom purpose over our lives. Amen.

1 Comment | posted in Inspiration, Peace, Prayer, Relationships

January 30, 2018

He Calls You Beautiful

By Christina

My beloved spoke and said to me, “Arise, my darling, my beautiful one, come with me.”
Song of Solomon 2:10

He calls me beautiful.

He calls me by name.

He knows me intimately and intricately.

He hears my cry and understand me.

He is always with me–never forsaking me.

With this in mind it brings me joy.  I can smile, rejoice and be in great comfort.

Many times in life we are only at full confidence if others think highly of us, exalt us, like and love us.  It is certainly wonderful to have that but that should never be the source of our confidence.  We have to become so in love with God that it is superceding to all other relationships and priorities of life.  Imagine–with that concept, that is how He is with us individually and as a body.  Able to extend His vast love for His children.

He love us so much.  He is IN love with us.  He is filled with love for us.  He operates out of His everlasting love for us.  It is not going to run out, fade away, discontinue or shift away from us.  That love will always be present in our lives and it will always be the greatest. So just when we think we may not be enough or that we may not be so important–in the eyes of God we are GREAT to Him.  He doesn’t stop thinking of us as the psalmist declares in Psalm 8:4, “What is mankind that you are mindful of them, human beings that you care for them?” That even as much as the angels in heaven are so beautiful–God thinks of us MORE.

Even having His one and only Son Jesus–God thinks of us more and gave Him for us to have an eternal life with Him.  All that He has done so that we can live a victorious life and a life of great joy and abundance no matter what tries to come against us.  God is for us and God is calling us.  There is no love greater than the Love that the Father has for us!

You are His top priority. He has you as a favorite. He is your first responder.

You are no competition. He is not looking at any flaws. He sees you as beautiful.  Every time and every day.

HE CALLS YOU BEAUTIFUL!

By Planetshakers
Album: Legacy
You Call Me Beautiful

 

3 Comments | posted in Love, Loved Letters, Relationships