TRUE LOVE

The summer of 2010 started like a regular summer until the most amazing man (;)) stepped in. Very long story short (one day i'd be UBER GLAD to share it with you, but until then ;)!), we started talking and eventually began dating. Over the course of the year and half plus we have been dating, one thing (to sum it all up) that we have learned is that the key to our relationship is....you guess it! COMMUNICATION. (Please don't underestimate that skill). Learning to excel at this skill as individuals (to God and each other) and as a couple has been the instant glue in our relationship....and believe me, it's been a journey, but one that has been and continues to be an extremely satifying journey.

Through COMMUNICATION, we have learned how much we are different(gender differences, personality differences, worldviews, temparament) as well as how much we are similar! (our needs, our dreams and our hopes). We recognize two important things: 1) only through communicating have we been able to understand how we are different and why, and 2) only through our communication have we been able to recognize how AMAZING GOD IS.

Check this out: Do you REALLY think that the differences between a way a man and a woman think is coincidental? If you do, you have missed the GREATER purpose of relationship as well as the width and depth of God's love.

God is a God of diversity. In all things that He does, He seeks to be glorified. God commands that we love one another as we love ourselves. He knew that He could only show us the extent of His love if He could stretch our minds to learn how to respect and appreciate differences in others. After all, WE are different from God.

WE are humans. HE is God.
WE are mortals. HE is immortal.
WE are sinful. HE is holy.
We are selfish. HE is not.
WE are limited in knowledge. HE is omniscient.
WE are limited in our powers. HE is omnipotent.

Despite our differences (HIM being the perfect ONE), He still loves us UNconditionally. He is patient with us. Yet it's funny that as imperfect beings, WE tend to be the impatient ones. WE think we're the best out there and everyone should be and think like US. We are impatient and disgusted that other people are different, or think differently or act differently. We are easily turned off by OTHERS' sinful nature, yet fail to realize that WE ARE basically on the same boat. We fail to realize that everyone has the same basic needs, thaty they just have a different way of expressing or receiving those needs because of how life has shaped them. If only we had time to communicate with these people we would find out how SIMILAR we are.

What I have learned in my relationship with the most awesome man in my life is that without communication, our relationship would have already ended. Without being patient enought to sift through our differences, we would not have had the amazing opportunity to find those similarities. If we had not found those similarities, we would have given up already because we would've thought we were "incompatible". If we had given up, we would have missed out on the joy and the happiness of experiencing a secure, honest and loving relationship (praise GOD for wisdom and patient!). The fire wasn't easy to go through, but it made it alot feasible knowing that we could communicate to each other and help each other during the chiseling process. We came out lookin' better than ever, feelin' better than eva, and lovin' each other better than ever.

It is the same in our spiritual relationship with God. We are extremely different from God (we think and act differently), but both God and us want to the same thing- the best for us as human beings. But how can we understand each other if we are so different? Our differences are basically that God is "spiritually discerned" and we are not. How can we be spiritually discerned? COMMUNICATION!!!!!! Praying without ceasing.... Even Jesus did it...there's a reason for that. Praying for the Holy SPIRIT who is our comforter and our guide.


GOD IS RELATIONAL. and ultimately, if we are seeking TRUE LOVE (which is Him), we must seek Him first and through Him, find our perfect earthly one. I did ;)


BE BLESSED.!

Do you WANT to Hear God?

This year, specifically, God has been revealing Himself in ways that I never thought were possible. He has put me through FYRE...and today I can testify that my faith and character have strengthened...again, in ways that I never thought were possible.

Testimonies are too much for me to share, and I don't even know where to start. The past couple of weeks though, (beginning of April), I have been participating in this April Fast with a young group of people, which requires me to do two things: spend more time in His word, and one day a week together- to fast for 12 hours.

Long story short, the more I started to lengthen my time with God, the more I wanted to spend time in His presence. The more I spent time in His presence, the more peace I experienced. The more peace I experienced and am still experiencing, THE MORE I BEGAN/am beginning TO HEAR HIS VOICE. and the more I hear(d) His voice, THE STRONGER MY FAITH.

----> I remember a couple of months ago, it was a struggle to wake up in the morning because I was overwhelmed by the daily 'required' tasks. I would be so tired, and would rush through my devotion (it's so funny because my previous experiences already have testified that it is when I was the most busy, that I needed to spend the MOST time with God!) but hey, isn't it easier to "blow off God" since we can't see Him and focus on our job requirements since we have to say our bosses, for example?

I struggled to wake up..and today, God woke me up at 4:30am....and I have been spending time with Him for at least an hour, and I really don't want to stop.

{MY DEVOTION TODAY: Acts 10 ---> noticed that both characters were praying and because they were praying, they were able to hear God, which led to a reunion, which led to the Holy Spirit's presence in their midst. As a result, souls were saved!!!!). You can't blow off PRAYER!!!!

----> I also remember not feeling the aspect of "fasting" because it was just too much. But I have always asked the Lord for the experience of hearing His voice...and to make a long story short, if you want to hear God's voice...FAST!!!! and PRAY. you will be so hungry that you won't even have the energy to worry, and because you won't have energy to worry, you will be able to hear the Holy Spirit.


What's up with this whole Holy Spirit talk?

Well, check this out: if the Holy Spirit is supposedly your Comforter, and Your Guide...then doesn't it make sense to PRAY for Him so that He can help you make better decisions in your daily life? (duuuuhhhhh. :)

Anyways, this month has been A BLESSING x10. Things are being revealed to me (about myself first and most), and I can not stop being amazed at what God has done, is doing, and will do.

Trust HIM!!!

Spirit of Power.

The motto this semester has been: TO LET SELF DIE AND LET JESUS SHINE.

So a friend and I (along with anyone who might be wanting to join in!) are stepping it up and spending this week in prayer...Interceding for OTHERS and FORGETTING SELF.

This morning I had my hour date with God from 8:45am-9:50am. It felt so good.

The verse for this week comes from 2 Timothy 1:7

For God has not given us the spirit of timidity (or fear) but He has given us the spirit of POWER, LOVE, CALM, WELL-BALANCED MIND, DISCIPLINE AND SELF-CONTROL!!!


Happy WEEEK!!!