I Am Alive

Read Genesis 25, Matthew 24, Esther 1, and Acts 24 in the She Reads Truth Bible plan. Excited to start the book of Esther. Did you know this is only book in Bible where God is not specifically mentioned? In Chapter 1, King Ahasuerus throws a week long banquet flowing with wine and food. At the end of the week he summons his wife, Queen Vashti to come see him. She refuses. We don’t know why she refused to show up. We can speculate all day long. The King didn’t like that answer so he issues a decree that she is never to come in His presence again and he is to find a new wife.

I took a few things away from this and one was from the devotion in my Bible. We don’t get all the details in our lives. Why do things happen the way they do? Some are based on poor choices. Yet, other things happen like school shootings, losing loved ones to cancer and the list goes on and we are left to wonder why. This is why it’s important to trust God and seek Him in His Word and prayer.

The second thing I got from this is how important it is to choose a spouse. Maybe the Queen finally had enough of her husband’s antics? Maybe she married him for the power and money? I really have no idea. It’s clear though that something caused her to not obey him. I am thankful for a husband who loves God, prays for me and even causes me to seek God more when we disagree so I can truly love unconditionally and not selfishly.

I encourage you to not settle when choosing a spouse. Seek God and He will bring the right person into your life. #abiding

Lisa

I’ve been reflecting on my trip to Mexico last week the last couple of days. I’m now back to reality at home in Indiana with snow on the ground and in bed sick with the flu that I apparently caught while traveling home.

I don’t take as many vacations as I used to. And for that reason I seem appreciate it more when I do get away. Life has had a way of slowing me down over the last few years. I’ve realized that I hid from a lot of pain by running away from it all and seeking happiness in adventures and relationships that weren’t right for me. The thing about that is when the adventures stop, I’m still stuck with me. I’m stuck with the not so great memories of those bad relationships too. The not so great times tend to become the focus a lot of the time which can paralyze my mindset into thinking I’m never going to be happy again. Never going to experience joy again. Never going to move forward. Never going to have a healthy relationship again. Unfortunately the enemy gets a grip on me when I’m feeling this way.

Getting away from everything last week to spend a couple days on the beach and see my favorite musician perform was good for the soul. But now I’m back to reality and sick as a dog.  I haven’t felt this lousy since I had the flu 10 years ago. I sent my friend a message and told her I was home and that I was sick and her response was “Play hard, PAY hard.”

Is that true? Do we always have to payback our happiness with misery in some form? Am I being punished for having fun last week?

Absolutely NOT! It’s just life. Along with all of the crappy things that I experienced in my past…the bad things help me appreciate the good stuff even more. I used to hate myself. Seriously hated the person looking back at me in the mirror. Today I’m older, grayer, achier, but I love the me on the inside. This older, wiser me knows that the best is yet to come and God isn’t finished with me yet. The bad things helped shaped who I’ve become. Even this nasty flu bug isn’t going to get me down because I know I didn’t get sick because I had a good time last week.

My new motto isn’t play hard, pay hard, instead it’s play hard, PRAY hard. Because life isn’t always going to be cheery but knowing that God is beside me getting me through it gives me hope. I have faith in his timing. And I know that the old me died when I made the decision to follow Jesus a couple of years ago. Instead of looking backwards with remorse I am constantly praying for God to show me what lies ahead. I am not being punished for having a nice vacation. I am being reminded of why I NEED Him in my life from here on out.

Romans 6:4 We were therefore buried with Him…that…we too may live a new life.

Blessings,

Stacey ~ iamalive

 

Sharing another message from my friend Lisa. We both recently purchased the She Reads Truth Bible and are reading it along with the Foundations 260-Day Bible Reading Plan for Busy Believers by Robby and Kandi Gallaty. If you are seeking a daily Bible study and would like more information on either of these, please message me. They are both AMAZING and great when used together!

Blessings,

Stacey ~ iamalive

Good morning world. Loved hearing the pages of my Bible being turned this morning as I read from Genesis, Matthew, Ezra and Acts. Of course, Noah’s story is one that always astonishes me. God regretted making mankind and he was grieved. So he instructed Noah to build an ark. He was going to destroy everything with a flood. Noah, his family, and a male and female of every living creature would be allowed in the ark to survive the flood.

I sat here and imagined if that were to happen today. Am I walking with God in a way that He would choose me out of the entire world to build an ark? Most likely not. Even if He did, would I be obedient enough to follow through? Or would I talk to my inner circle and say, “you won’t believe what I have been asked to do!?” I would make a list of the pros and cons. Maybe I would even try and bargain with God. Crazy I know.

Wickedness still exists on earth and I know God still grieves. The good news is that He sent Jesus to save us from an eternal death because of our sin. I want a faith and obedience like Noah. God may not ask me to build an ark but He does ask me to do other things. Sometimes I am obedient and sometimes I am not. May 2018 be the year I completely surrender my desire to be in control and to humbly do all that I am asked to do by God Almighty. #abiding

Lisa

 

Every year seems to have a different story and 2017 was definitely a brand new chapter in my life.

My word I chose to guide me one year ago today for 2017 was SUCCESS. I accomplished success in a sense and I am a bit more comfortable financially than I have been for quite a while. But when I chose my word last year I didn’t intend for it to mean financial success. My goal was to conquer new, unexpected things that came my way with confidence even when they felt difficult. I am happy with the way I handled many of those things because I did so the best way I knew how. And although I wanted to on occasion…I never gave up. A writing mentor of mine once described me as “tenacious” and I actually believe that now.

However, with all of the tenacity I lost a bit of my joy along the way. Actually, I lost most of it. Being so busy with work zapped my energy and took up most of my time at the expense of my creativity. I spent less time writing and creating and more time working and sleeping. That made me crazy. But I KNOW God has had me in this season for a reason.

Today is the beginning of a brand new chapter in my book. And my word for 2018 is JOY. I have been praying for it to come back. I forget sometimes because I get distracted easily, but I know I need to make a conscious effort to choose JOY every single day no matter what my circumstances. Not constantly wanting more but being content with what I have, where I am, and looking forward to where I am going next – not looking back.

2017 was not a bad year. It was a transition year. It was a season of life like all of the rest and I am thankful for every moment of it because it made me stronger. I might not be where I want to go just yet but I have faith in God that my season will come.

Looking forward to seeing what 2018 brings for all of us. Praying for peace, love, happiness, strength, success…and JOY for you as well!

What is your word for 2018? Please feel free to share in the comments below…I’d love to hear it.

Blessings,

Stacey ~ iamalive

My Life 2017 (Click play. Thanks for being a part of the journey!)

 

 

Sharing Lisa’s message from this morning. This one really hits close to home.

Blessings, Stacey ~ iamalive

Read 1 Peter 5 & 1 John 1 today in #f260 plan. 1 Peter 5:6-7 was a lifeline I clung to in some very dark times. “Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.”

Anxiety. Suffered from this for many years. It was to the point of paralyzing me. It was verses like this that slowly pulled me out of the pit of anxiety. It was realizing my anxiety was coming from not acknowledging God is in control not me. He loves me. He has a plan for me. In His timing He will work everything out. It was truly humbling myself before God Almighty. If you suffer from anxiety I encourage you to hold these two verses close to your heart. God will take this from you. #lhtheword

Lisa

I’ve never really figured out what it is about certain songs that have more meaning to me than others. It is either the particular song, the mood I am in when I hear it, or a combination of both. I heard a Hillsong United song from their new Christmas album this morning. The worship band at church performed it…it’s called Seasons.

It was beautiful. The lyrics just got to me. It was a message I needed to hear. It gave me hope.

If you haven’t heard it yet check it out. I think there are probably a few other people out there who might need it too.

“And when I finally see my tree…Still I believe there’s a season to come.”

Blessings,

Stacey ~ iamalive

Click play…