Tag Archives: encouragement

Who’s there?

26 Thursday May 2022

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There is a battle for your heart. For your faith. For your mind. For your soul. For your purpose. The pursuit is relentless.

The Bible tells us to guard our hearts because it determines the direction of our lives. Our hearts are fragile so we must be good stewards of what we allow to affect it.

It’s like our front door of our house. Do we allow just anyone in? No. I have a ring doorbell that allows me to see who is at my front door. I don’t answer the door if I don’t know who they are. I used to feel bad if I didn’t at least hear them out. After learning the hard way I refuse to do that again.

We have to be diligent to not keep the good out, but to keep harm out. Yes, there will be times we will get hurt and not expect it, but what about allowing those who hurt you back in over and over again? Knowing something or someone is harmful is a benefit because now you can choose whether to allow it in or not.

Choose wisely my friends. Ask Jesus for wisdom and discernment. Read His word. Pray. Cause when the lies, fear, doubts, and threats of the enemy come knocking you’ll know better than to open the door. ❤️

Ponder It

25 Tuesday Jan 2022

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I recall many moments a sweet friend would give me an encouraging word and tell me to “ponder it.” She would always use that word…ponder. I had to look it up because it’s not a word I had ever used. The definition is to think or consider especially quietly, soberly, and deeply. Honestly, I was hesitant because quiet is not my style. Being an external processor I talk things out. My friend on the other hand is the epitome of quiet. She would say very little, but when she spoke you listened. Was I not suppose to talk about the things God has told me?

I’ve come to learn what she meant. What quiet looks like on the inside. How to process in the quietness of Gods presence. How to take what the Lord spoke and let it simmer in my heart like soup cooking over a low flame. Allowing time for the full flavor of it to get down deep where my heart becomes convinced. Considering the words before I speak them knowing how powerful they are. That both life and death are an option by what I speak to myself. Guarding the door of my heart carefully as to not let thieves come in and rob me of the truth.

I’ve come to learn there is a time for everything. A time to speak and a time to listen. I pray you hear me today and consider what the Lord has spoke to you. Keep the words close. Don’t allow others to bring their thoughts before you have your own. Don’t let the dream or vision get cloudy or muddied by opinions. Hold close to your heart what the Lord said and consider it a secret until the appointed time. Just like Mary and my friend Beth, believe in Him who has promised and it will come to pass. ❤️

Comfort and Joy

24 Friday Dec 2021

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The other day I woke up singing “oh tidings of comfort and joy” and for some reason it hasn’t left my heart as it’s still singing in me. I was sure there was a reason so I started to dig a little deeper.

“Then young women will dance and be glad, young men and old as well. I will turn their mourning into gladness; I will give them comfort and joy instead of sorrow.” Jeremiah 31:13 NIV

The verse speaks of what God will give us in place of something else. He is so good at that. He offers us what only he can give for what has impaired our hope. Our joy. Our healing. Our restoration. Our peace. Our mourning and sorrow can be felt by Him. Our pain is his pain. Our sorrow is his sorrow. He knows all to well the ache of the human heart in times of suffering. He promises to deliver and comfort us from the hand of things stronger than us. Anxiety. Grief. Disappointment. Pain and even death. God is the only one who could do a trade like that. This is what the angel spoke of “Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. You and I are apart of “all” people.

He will give us comfort AND joy. I wrestled with this because of the grief in my heart lately. I desperately needed something and he saw fit to bring me both. The song in my heart confirmed it. He was saying “I will do this for you. I see, hear, and know you. My hands are stronger than the ones that threaten and consume you. I am Immanuel, God with you. Your comforter. Your Father. Your peace. Your joy.”

I don’t know where your heart is today, but I do know Gods heart towards you. It’s full of love, grace, mercy, comfort, and joy. He’s more than enough to fill the empty and broken places in you. This Christmas is more than the tangible gifts, it’s about the intangible that will heal and bless your soul. What a gift!

Merry Christmas from our home to yours!

Peace over you and yours,

Emilie ❤️

Did You Know?

17 Wednesday Nov 2021

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Do you know how loved you are? Not the subjective conditional love that can’t make up its mind from one moment to the next. I’m talking about the I died for you kind of love. The love that fights for you. Believes in you. Protects you. Sees the best in you. A no matter what comes I’m not going anywhere love. If you know Jesus you know he IS this love. The love that sees you and knows you and still went to the cross for you. No one loves like Jesus. His love sets you free. His love is unconditional. We search and desire for someone to love us like this. Truth is…only Jesus could love this flawlessly. Us humans even on our best day will fail the ones we love, but His love never fails. Don’t believe the lie that you’re unloveable or hard to love. You, my love, were created out of love, to be loved, and to share this love. What a lovely truth! ❤️

John 15:13. Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.

Change of Scenery

28 Thursday May 2020

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I remember it so well, crossing the California border headed to Texas. I had no idea what God had in store for us. All I knew was it was gonna be good…eventually. We saw so much potential and possibilities but never realized the journey ahead was for healing. We had so much toxic surrounding us. Every where we went it was there. Unhealthy relationships. Broken dreams. Messed up mind sets. Damaged trust. In Gods grace and mercy he took us to a safe place to heal. To find him, again. To find each other, again. To find ourselves, perhaps for the first time. I love our story of how God redeems everything if we let him. We must yield to his careful hands to take what’s toxic and broken and turn it into something healthy and whole. Only he can do it. Don’t resist his tugging you away. Isolation can be hard as we all have seen in recent days. He has to take you aside and silence the noise for you to hear him speak truth. Life. Healing. Into EVERY broken place. You are safe there. It will hurt, but you’ll heal. I realized after all these years that he was preparing us for the hardest journey we’d ever face. We needed to be emotionally whole to deal with the physical torment of cancer ahead. I’m so glad we said yes. I promise you’ll never regret the change of scenery that healing offers. Go my friend and be healed. ❤️

Remember…You’re a Force to be Reckoned with! 

26 Tuesday Jul 2016

Posted by in Daily Truth, Encouraging, Faith, Hope, Jesus, Prayer, Self Reflection

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This past weekend we went to the movies. I usually don’t watch these kinds of movies, my vote was for Dory!! However, during the movie the Lord began to show me some things. I saw a new generation of women rising up and taking their place. I saw the misfits and discouraged in their callings and gifts coming forth to realize they’re not crazy but in fact have a purpose. He showed me how we cower because of pressure and try to become what the world wants and in the process forfeiting who we are. Others have intimidated and used our gifts for their own gain and my heart was stirred as I watched women be degraded, silenced, and pushed aside. I’ve been one of them! Silenced by fear and rejection. Pressured to change who I am. Intimidated and used by those whom I loved and respected. Pushed so far into a corner, I lost myself that is until Jesus said enough is enough! Oh ya! Go get em Lord! It’s time we realize who we are, why we are here, and be brave enough to walk it out. I won’t rest until every women knows the value they hold in Jesus. You are not a mistake, stupid, useless, helpless, too far gone, ugly, fat, too old or young. You were created with a purpose! Your past is just that, the past. I know it hurt. Heck, it darn near killed you, but let it serve as a reminder that YOU ARE A FORCE TO BE RECKONED WITH! You’re still standing! God is for you! Take heart and move forward with courage, power, and a God who never loses!! 

Plot Twist 

06 Friday May 2016

Posted by in Encouraging, Faith, Hope, Jesus, Prayer, Self Reflection

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I love watching a good movie or reading a good story. However, I do not like it when there is a serious plot twist and it throws me for a loop. I wasn’t expecting it! Seriously!! Way to change it all up!! 

Oh how our lives can be the same way. One day we are good and the next day BAMM it all changes. No matter what the changes are, good or bad, it takes a minute {or longer} to wrap our minds around what is going on. Adjusting to the change may take a little more time as well. 

I recall our first months in Texas. Talk about plot twist! I could not for the life of me wrap my mind around living in Texas. I mean, we are here, in Texas, but in my mind everything was California. Writing my address took some time for me to put the correct state. Realizing that my friends and family were not as close as they used to be. Knowing that I would have to make new friends terrified me.  

Some plot twist can throw you so far off and if we’re not careful they can destroy us. Like the passing of my dad. Never saw that kind of pain coming; for him or for my family. Some things won’t ever make sense and searching for the why’s will lead us down the road of bitterness. A dark and lonely road filled with shadows and despair. No good dwells there. 

I want to be strong. Resilient. Brave. Ready to face what comes unafraid.  Instead, sometimes I run and hide. Cowardly. Full of fear. A damsel in distress who needs rescuing. Through these past years Jesus has reminding me over and over and over again that if I run to him he can take any plot twist and turn into a story that brings hope, restores faith, and encourages others not to give up. Oh sure, I may have to face the big bad wolf or a wicked witch {hopefully not literally} but never alone or without a victory.  

With Jesus as the center of my story ensures that my ending will be fruitful, purposeful, and more than I ever dreamed or imagined. I may endure loss but he has promised to restore. So, I’ll take the plot twist knowing that it will ALWAYS be used for my good!