Obedience.

Hello Everyone. Its been a few weeks since my last blog. Nursing School is getting all of my time. Okay so lets get straight into it (this blog will be super short). Today the Lord placed the word "obedience" on my heart as my word of the day. So all day long I'm meditating on what it means to be obedient and what obedience looks like. So on my way home, I became so hung up on getting my friend to her house so I could get to mine. I'm driving while talking to her and didn't realize I had to begun to speed. Soon as I saw the sign that read 40 MPH I hit my brakes. Just as I hit my brakes I spotted the police car and they spotted me. As I am sitting there while he runs my license, insurance, and registration the Lord brought the word "obedience" back to my mind.

"Obedience: complying or willing to comply with orders or requests, submissive to another's will" (dictionary.com)

To be obedient is a choice as well as disobedient is a choice. One brings you closer to God and His will for your life and the latter separates you from Him. Often times we ignore the early signs to be obedient until its too late to stop or we focus on our surroundings so much so that we don't see the warning signs. Like for me with my speeding earlier today. If I wouldn't have been so caught up with my own agenda of trying to get where I wanted to be at a certain time I wouldn't have gotten pulled over. So with my decision to be disobedient and break the speed limit I had consequences to face. Luckily I got a warning and not a ticket (Praise God because I'm a broke college student lol).

"Even though Jesus was God's Son, he learned obedience from the things he suffered." (Hebrews 5:8 NLT)
When we think of Jesus we think of Him in all his majesty and glory. We give special honor and reverence to Him. We're supposed to. As I read the above scripture I realized that Jesus learned to be obedient just like you and I have to. Jesus knows all too well what it is like to be human, in this world, and not understand the things God wants to accomplish in our lives.  However, even though Jesus didn't understand God's reasons as to why until later; He ALWAYS obeyed Him in the present time.

"He humbled himself in obedience to God and died a criminal's death on a Cross" (Philippians 2:8 NLT)
The debt that should have been ours to pay Jesus paid for it with His life. Even though he had the power to remove himself from the Cross he took a different approach. One that is an example for all the world. He was obedient to God all the way to the point of death! (Wheeeeew!!) Jesus didn't think put what He thought and understood over what God had said and commanded. Jesus was and is a True Disciple because although He had disciples (today more than 12 :) ) He was a disciple to the Father first and foremost.

"So you must live as God's obedient children. Don't slip back into your old ways of living to satisfy your own desires. You didn't know any better then." (1 Peter 1:14 NLT)
When you know better you do better.  I hear people say this a lot. But this saying holds a lot of truth. Progression NOT regression.

"Such people claim they know God, but they deny him by the way they live. They are detestable and disobedient, worthless for doing anything good." (Titus 1:6 NIV)
How are you living?
Nothing good comes from disobedience. Most of the time we get into trouble or make mistakes simply because we didn't listen or comply with the rules set before us. Do what God tells you. Don't question it. If you have been disobedient I urge you to stop. Don't try to rationalize why you've been disobedient just admit your wrongs to God and make the conscious decision from this day forward to Trust God and obey him. God knows ALL things. Sees ALL things. Trust Him to make the unknown, known to you. Whether you choose to be obedient or disobedient know that either choice has its consequences.

from my heart to yours xoxo -Q

Purity: The Dangers of Sex before Marriage

Hello, today I will be blogging on the subject that most people, especially Christians, are afraid to address: Sex. When you hear the word "Purity" what comes to your mind? Take a moment to think about this. . .  .  Most people hear that question and believe that purity is about just refraining from sex, but it is way deeper than that. Purity is a way of life. Your heart, thoughts, intentions, motives, actions; everything must be pure. This all starts with "guarding your heart".

God gives CLEAR and CONCISE instruction in His Word about how we are suppose to handle the delicate matter of sex. For those of us who are not married, male and female alike, we are told to "Run from sexual immorality! Every sin a person commits is outside the body" (1 Corinthians 6:18, HCSB). We are not suppose to run to sexual immorality, but AWAY from it. If we don't steer clear of immorality it is more than our virginity we will be losing. The decision to have premarital sex pollutes our mind, body, and our soul. Allow me to elaborate.

As many of us became teenagers we probably only heard this statement "don't have sex before marriage", from parents, church leaders, older friends, etc. This was the very phrase that I was told. However, no one told me why or how to wait to have sex before marriage. No one told me how it would cloud my judgement and how it would destroy my relationship, which it did. I didn't realize that with each guy I gave myself to I left a little piece of myself behind and took a piece of them with me. I knew the bible verse that stated "and the two shall become one flesh; so then they are no longer two, but one flesh" (Mark 10:8, NKJV). I, in my lack of knowledge, thought that this verse was simply talking about when one marries another. Later, I soon found out that I had this ALL wrong. You may not have realized or realize it, but once you have sex with someone you give them the means to which they can sort of control you and your emotions because "for by whom a person is overcome, by him/she is also brought into bondage"(2 Peter 2: 19, NKJV). When you have sex you link your soul to that person's, so then there is no room for God to be in the mix if you are not married to them. The emotional toll of sex is so expensive, especially for women because we are emotional beings. Simply put, "you cannot make love to a man and remain unemotionally unattached no matter how hard you try" ("Lady in Waiting", Jackie Kendall). You will stay in a relationship where you are being mistreated or abused longer than you have to. Take time to think about a friend that you have who has stayed with a guy who you and she both knows didn't deserve her, but she just couldn't let go. Soul-tying is the answer for that. I was once that girl. This one guy treated me so bad, but I "thought" I couldn't let him go because I "loved" him (pssh. that was pure lust sent from satan himself). He was like a drug I just kept polluting my body with. Believe me, I had tried in my own strength to end it, I could not. (*praise break* Thank God, He reached into the depths of my soul and freed me from that bondage!!) Sex will have you going further than you want to and staying longer than you should. Sex outside the confines of marriage is dangerous. STDs and unplanned pregnancies are a serious matter. There are diseases like AIDS/HIV and Herpes that you cannot get rid of and are then faced with the embarrassment of having to tell your someday spouse about it. Keep in mind something is lost when physical passion begins.

Make no excuses for sexual immorality. If you are practicing it I strongly urged you to STOP. It is NOT God's will for you and that person. For the bible says "It is God's will that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality; that each of you should learn to control his own body in a way that is holy and honorable, not in passionate lust like heathen, who do not know God". Not only are you sinning against your own body you are separating yourself from God. I don't know about you but that alone was reason enough to repent and run away from that sin. Here's another thought that entered my mind that turned me away from the fornication I was in, "think about the person(s) you are having or had sex with and the person(s) they have had or are having sex with and the person(s) they all had sex with, you are one flesh with ALL those people. (take that all in for a minute, its a bit much isn't it?) See how emotions come into play. You can lay with a person feeling one way before you have sex, but get up feeling completely different afterward simply because now you have took on their emotions too. You see, sex is bigger than just you and that person that is why it is purposed within the confines of marriage ONLY.

........... A woman's purity is a lifelong guard of the heart. Walking in purity is guarding the key to your heart, giving that key to God, and focus more on growing in friendship with someone not growing romantically with them. I say that to say this the way you think and behave must be pure too. Simply because you no longer engage in sexual activity does not make you pure. What are you allowing to enter through your eyes and ears? How are you dressing, modest or immodest? How are you interacting in your friendships with the opposite sex? All of this matters. You have to guard your purity and the purity of others with all that you have. If you long to be ONE with anyone be ONE with God. He is the only one that can totally fill that need to be loved and He is the ONLY one that will make you whole. If you are virgin and reading this, my dear sister, I take my hat off to you. You have something that many of us wish we could get back. Hold on tight to your innocence and don't be persuaded by "sweet talk" to give up the gift God meant only for your someday spouse (if He wishes for you to marry) to unwrap and for the Lord's glory. I'll tell you flat out you are NOT missing out on anything by refraining from sex. If the person you're dating cannot wait because they "love" you or they say "we are going to get married anyways" please don't hesitate in showing them the door! For the ladies, who are like me, God made you a virgin again, hold on tight to your new found purity. God honors your decision and you honor him with it. He smiles upon that. I'm sure your someday spouse (if its God's will) will love you even more for it. Set clear standards ahead of time if you are or will court and don't make the mistake of going too far. A man of God "will not pressure a woman verbally, but will cherish her with his declaration of love and take her home before they have to regret any violation of their purity ".

There are huge prices to pay for sex outside of marriage and once the seal is broken physically it is forever gone, but God can reseal you as new spiritually and emotionally. Don't give in to the temptation it is not from God nor is it His will for your life. I hope I cleared up some things for someone today. I wish I had someone to tell me about the damage of awakening love too soon. Ask God to "Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me". (Psalms 51:10, NIV).

from my heart to yours. Blessings xo. -Q

(P.S. I recommend the book "The New Lady in Waiting: Becoming God's best while waiting for Mr. Right." by Jackie Kendall) you won't regret it (:

Out with the Old....

 "For I am about to do something new. See, I have already begun! Do you not see it? I will make a pathway through the wilderness. I will create rivers in the dry wasteland." (Isaiah 43:19 NLT)

Its a new year, a new day; one we have never seen before and will never see again full of brand new grace and mercy. I'm so excited about what God has already done in my life and the lives of others in 2015. It is with an expectant attitude that I wait to see His plan unfold. My advice to you is GET READY !!! God is about to do some things that will blow our natural minds.

  "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ he is a new creation, old things have passed away, and look new things have come." (2 Corinthians 5:17)
Before I fully laid down my life and found my true life in the Son, my New Years were pretty normal. I would go to church on NYE but spend the rest of the year in turmoil. Turmoil between doing the things of the flesh mostly with doing a small amount of things from the spirit. . . . . . .
 HE makes ALL things NEW !! The excitement I feel can't truly be placed into words. This is the first year of many that my life, in its entirety, has been fully surrendered to Christ. I am no longer trying to do things on my own. I am at His discretion. Something about the beginning of this New Year feels so different but finally the way I should not only spend each year but each day: Following Christ. There's something so grand, so powerful about walking with Christ. You CANNOT stay the same. You will not be able to walk in the fullness of God and what Jesus did on the cross until you lay down your life for Him. This walk is a day-by-day surrender to the Lord, His will, and His way. It is not to be taken lightly. You will have to lose yourself in Him to truly find who you were created to be. So, this means old ways, habits, and even people must be cut loose. I'm not saying don't love them, I am saying just love them from a distance like over -------------------------------------------------------> here. (lol). Understand something, everyone cannot go where God is going to take you. Just like you cannot go with them. I say this because your purpose is not just for you. It is for the glory of God. Certain relationships, friendships, etc. will hinder you from getting where you are supposed to be. We were not meant to do this life alone, we all need people around us that will lift us up and speak life into us when we need it. Any person or thing that is draining you or holding you back CUT IT OFF. Whatever God tells you to do, do it. Know that anything He tells you to do majority of the time you will be reluctant to do it but do it despite how you feel because God has your best interest in mind at all times. Halfway obedience is still DISOBEDIENCE. Remove ANY dead weight that you are trying to take with you and see how much faster you can run forward.  

"But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and reaching forward to what is ahead, I pursue as my goal the prize promised by God's heavenly call in Christ Jesus." (Philippians 3:13-14 HCSB)
 New Years is the time where most people make resolutions that are more unrealistic than realistic. Unrealistic goals are harder to achieve. Set goals that you know you can and will accomplish. My ONLY goal this year is to maintain a flourishing relationship with God. I was going to make a full list of things that I wanted to accomplish. However, I realized that majority of the things I may have put on that list would have been temporary and I was reminded by the Holy Spirit to focus on things eternal. Although I have only set one goal it is an important goal and it has things tied to it. When you grow in Christ, focus on Him, and allow Him to govern every decision you make you will prosper in each and every area. You will have troubles and different trials but being anchored in Christ you can face whatever because of Him.

TRUST GOD! TRUST GOD! TRUST GOD! TRUST GOD! TRUST GOD! TRUST GOD!
If I had a million tongues I couldn't say "TRUST GOD" enough. It is essential! Seek Him out. Trust His Word. Apply it to your life EVERYDAY! TRUST that small still voice. TRUST your intuition. These are just some of the ways that God speaks to us through His Holy Spirit. TRUST that whatever God tells you will come to pass. His word cannot return to him void. (Hallelujah!!!!!)  He may not make things happen when you want Him to but He is NEVER late and rarely early but ALWAYS (like seriously ALWAYS) on time. Know that God is always behind the scenes working things out for your good. So for the next 364 days I challenge you to place ALL of your trust and your entire life in His hands. Here's to the New Year but not just any New Year ; A New Year with Jesus Christ leading you the whole way for the rest of your life.
"And blessed (happy, to be envied) is she who believed that there would be fulfillment of the things that were spoken to her from the Lord." (Luke 1:45 AMP)

from my heart to yours. -Q