Comparison Kills

Heyyy everyone! 

I know it’s been a while but boiii God has been good to me! This season for me has been a self-discovery season and a season where I’m beginning to learn to appreciate and value who I am, How God made me and the gifts that God has given me and I want to share it with you!

Now the title of this blog is “Comparison Kills”!!!!! Mannnnn or girrllllll ain’t that true???With the rapid growth of social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, snapchat and all people’s self-esteem and insecurities seem to be growing even faster. You base the way you look on the amount of likes you get or the content of the videos you post on the number of views and comments. You determine your approval and impact on the amount of followers you get??. You then begin to compare yourself to other people? They sing better than you, they play better than you, they look and seem happier than you on social media, they have more followers than you, more likes, prettier, more handsome or beautiful and the list goes on and on and on! And once you start thinking like that you begin to dislike the way you are! Thoughts begin to overwhelm your mind and cause you to spiral down. You then don’t feel good enough, you don’t like who you are, the way you sound, your voice, your look , your nose is too big, your lips are too big, you are not slim enough, you are not educated or talented enough and the list goes on!Lemme share something real quick with you. Growing up I always felt like I wasn’t good enough. I have a big nose and big lips yessssss !! Blame that on my dad’s side of the family! “Big nose and lips” is our trade mark! I never felt like I was pretty enough. Out of all my friends I would be the only one that did not have a boyfriend or a guy chasing me. And I then began to believe that maybe if guys did not approach me it meant that I wasn’t pretty or beautiful enough comparing myself over and over again with my friends that did have boyfriends. Often wondering what is it that they have, that I don’t have??

And then one day as I was pondering on all these things the scripture Psalms 139:14 (KJV) really came alive to me. “I will praise you, for I’m fearfully and wonderfully made. Marvellous are thy works and my soul knows it very well”. From then on the more I compared myself with people the more this scripture would resonate in my spirit. I then came to the realisation that by comparing myself with other people I was telling the God of the whole universe, the one who created me in his image and after his likeness; the one that formed me in my mother’s womb and ordained me to serve him! The one who knows me by name and who knows everything about me. The one who holds me in the palm of his hands and who knew me and my destiny even before I was born! I was telling this God that by creating me the way He did, He made a mistake. I, as the creature was telling the creator that what he did with me wasn’t quite right???? Can you imagine??? Upon this realisation I truly had to repent and ask God to teach me to appreciate the way He created me. And as time went on God really worked on my heart and the way I saw myself!

What comparison does, it kills authenticity, uniqueness, purpose and destiny!!. Comparison is almost like you are constantly measuring your gift, progress and all against other people’s achievements! One thing we don’t realise as people is that the only person you are in comparison with and competing with is you, yesterday! Now some of you might go huh??? What is she saying??Everyday the only person you can improve and strive to work on is YOU! Everyday work on being better that you were YESTERDAY! In this day and age there are too many replica’s and not enough originals! Nothing beats the original and nobody can be a better YOU than YOU! Your DNA is specific and unique to YOU and cannot be reproduced! You are in a league all by yourself and that league is the league of YOU! Instead of spending your time trying to be like somebody else and comparing yourself to somebody else who is completely different to you, who doesn’t have the same DNA nor destiny as you try to be a better YOU!

Now I’m not saying don’t appreciate someone else’s gift, talent, business and all! Please do and support whoever you feel lead to support but don’t compare yourself! You are uniquely and beautifully YOU! I’m not going to lie I’m also going through this journey of not measuring myself up against people’s achievements and all but I’m learning to appreciate how God made me and the gifts that he has given me not trying to be like anybody else but striving to improve myself and be a better me and I really encourage you to do the same! Whether it be in business, ministry ect… whatever area it may be! It’s a journey and doesn’t happen overnight however relying on God and ensuring that you always remind yourself regardless of where you find yourself and what people say about you that God loves YOU and created YOU the way you are and He wouldn’t have you any other way! So embrace YOU, your creativity, your ideas, your gifts and talents and see how your perspective and mindset change!Like the saying goes "Comparison is the thief of all joy" Don't let it steal your joy!  Don’t allow comparison to kill what God has beautifully instilled in you! 

I truly pray that this blog blesses you!! Like, share and comment to encourage others!!

Peace and Blessings always!!

Yours Truly

Put God First

Happy New Year guys!!! We finally made it into 2019!! My goodness I cannot begin to tell you how excited I’m to have crossed over and be in 2019. And as I was pondering on 2019 the title of this blog kept pressing on my heart. Which is "Put God First This Year"!!

I don’t know about you but for me 2017 and 2018 have been good but yet quite difficult and challenging years! The end of 2016 was a horrible time for my family and I. lost my big brother in September 2016 and lost my uncle in December 2016 and both death were sudden. Not really the way I thought that year would end. I was in full blown depression and going through very challenging times in other areas of my life! And these really made me numb to the pain I was feeling. The more time went by the more challenges would come up and I just thought you know what God!!! Let’s end it here because it’s too much! I don’t think my heart can take it! But in it all God was there holding me up even when I thought I was falling his loving hand was right there to hold me and I must say like Marvin Sapp’s song says “ Never would’ve made…. Never could’ve made it without you…. I’m stronger, I’m wiser, I’m better, much better…..” That really became my story and I really got to truly understand the meaning of this song because of what I faced and went through! Fast-forward here we are in 2019!!!  And although the past couple of years have been tough I really believe that these years and whatever we’ve gone through in the previous years were to prepare and build us up for this year!

Now you’re over the turkey and the overload of food you’ve allowed yourself to eat over the Christmas period! Now we are in the New Year you are looking at the pounds you’ve put on and determined that this month would be your detox month. This month will be the month where you are cutting down on sweets, chocolates and other types of food that are seen to be high in calories! Anyone in this mindset?? To be honest it would apply more to women than men but all the same! Everyone comes into a New Year with what they so call “New Year’s resolution” where we vow to ourselves that we will do better. We will eat healthier, we will work out more, we will spend more time with our family and friends, and we will pray more! We will read our bibles more and the list goes on!

We tell ourselves that where we went wrong last year will be made right this year! We are focused and ready to tackle this New Year with our new resolutions, fresh zeal and fresh drive! We tell ourselves to keep thinking positive and have a positive attitude and everything will work out according to the state of our mind! Now all these things are not wrong at all! In fact it is very good to start the year like this with the right attitude and the right mindset however I want to turn your attention to the following scripture that has been and continues to be such a blessing to me and every time I read it; it opens my eye and increases my understanding of that scripture even more. It’s a familiair picture that it used a lot and it is found in Matthew 6:33 (KJV) “But seek ye first the kingdom of God; and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you”. Very powerful scripture! Now the NLT version puts it even better it says “Seek the kingdom of God ABOVE ALL ELSE, and live righteously, and he will give you EVERYTHING you NEED”. The NIV version is also another good one!! I’m bombarding you with different versions but they all give a different angle to the revelation of this scripture, the NIV says “BUT seek first his kingdom and his righteousness and all these things will be given to you AS WELL”. When a sentence starts with a BUT it introduces a statement that adds something to a previous statement and usually contrasts with it in some ways . The word BUT is also used to connect two statements or phrases when the second one adds something different or seems surprising after the first one (I LIKE THAT ONE!).

In this case in Matthew 6:1-32 it deals with the outward and inward expressions of piety , referring to giving, fasting and prayer (Matthew 6:1-18). Matthew 6:19-34 now deals with possessions and the issues of what to prioritise and where to put our trust. However Matthew 6:19-34 can be split in 2 parts; Matthew 2:19-24 that talks about where our treasures should be and the fact that we should not serve two masters but only serve one as by doing so we will by default hate one and love the other. We then get to the latter part of this chapter Matthew 6:25-33. In this part Jesus starts by saying to us do not take any thoughts for your life, what you will eat or drink or wear. And He turns our attention to the fowls or the air the fact that they neither sow nor reap but still God our father feeds them so how much more us his children?? The ones that were made in his own image after his own likeness. The ones in whom He breathed of himself into. God’s representatives on this earth?? How much more us??? Jesus adds that if he can clothe the grass of the field how much more??(Matt 6:25-32). This really hit me because it makes me think of all the times we forget this fact and worry about things in our lives. Whether it be our bills, our job, how are we going to make it to our next pay check but Jesus challenges us to put our trust in Him. And here Jesus is reassuring us that if he can watch over the fowls of the air and clothe the grass of the field He is more than able to watch over us and clothe us.

 Now remember the definition of the word BUT a few paragraphs earlier?? Well that’s where it comes in. All this things mentioned are good and its ok to think on these things BUT SEEK YE FIRST! Which means shift your attention, your focus on God and all these things will be given to you as you seek GOD FIRST. Have you ever noticed that if you need a breakthrough from God you are ready to fast for 21 days even go on a dry fast for God to move mountains but yet when it comes to seeking Him we just spend our 5 mins in the morning reading the word of the day; say a quick prayer and call it a day? Don’t worry I’ve been there! And this really grieves the heart of God as we seek for the blessings instead of the Blesser!  Not realising that as we seek the Blesser the blessings will be added! So let’s do things differently this year! And let’s seek GOD! Let’s be in a place where we yearn to know him. Where we have an unlimited appetite for his word and spending time with him. Where we seek to grow in the things of God and you will see that what you desire will be granted to you effortlessly! As I write this I’m being brought back to the story of Solomon ( 1 King 3) where God asked him what is that you want? And instead of being desire-centred he was literally kingdom-centred and asked God for the wisdom he needed to be able to rule God’s people and kingdom and that touched the heart of God so much that riches were granted to him. Solomon did not work for wealth , he attracted wealth by the wisdom God gave him and on top of that wisdom God added wealth and up to date Solomon remains one of the if not the riches and wisest king that ever walked this earth.

So let’s make it our main resolution this year!  To seek Gods kingdom and to put God first and I can guarantee you, you will never be disappointed! God will blow your mind so much so that you will even wonder what was that I was worried about? And new facets, aspects and revelations of God and His Kindgom you will experience and see will take you to a higher dimension and cause you to fall in love with God more, walk in his will and have you worry free!

My prayer for you is that as you put God first He will reveal himself to you like never before and cause you to experience him and have a deeper understanding of who he is and get closer to Him. And as you do that may everything you have prayed for according to His will be made manifest in your life! You are blessed and walking in favour! And I pray that this blog was a blessing to you!

Read, Like, love and share but above all be blessed!

God's Love For Me

I must say it’s been a while I have written a blog! God has been real good to me! Been through some of the toughest times in my life and certain areas in my life are challenging but in it all God remains good. The very fact that I’m still here; breathing , walking, talking , in my sound mind, my family well and good; having a full time job and a roof over my head is enough to give God thanks for.

Oftentimes when we face challenges we tend to focus so much on the challenge that we lose sight of the God that can take us through it. There is absolutely nothing that concerns or surprises God about your situation. God knows everything that you go through and he cares about everything that bothers you even down to you not liking how your hair looks.

You might be going through tough times in your job, in your education, in your relationship and even in your marriage! Your situation seems so challenging that you feel like will it ever be ok? Will it ever be resolved?  You are in total despair even plunging in depression. You’ve lost your passion for life; you are not as motivated anymore.                                                                                                                    

You feel like nobody understands you and even those who are seeing what you go through and are encouraging you as much as you want to believe and stand on what they say; because of what you’re facing it goes in one ear comes out of the other.  The way you are feeling internally starts showing externally. You look stressed and you either put on weight due to comfort eating or you lose weight because your mind is not on food and there is nothing that can see to make you feel better.              

  

You are trying to stay strong; you’re laughing on the outside but hurting on the inside. You are trying to keep positive and not let your emotions show in public but as soon as you get to your bedroom tears are uncontrollably flooding down your face crying out to God which seems to be the only thing you’re able to do! A lot of questions are going through your mind! Why me? How did I get here? God are you there? Can you hear me? Can you see what is happening to me? I can completely relate because I faced it all myself. In it all God hears our cries, sees the tears flooding down our faces; understands the pain we’re in and knows how we feel. And in the midst of my crying, in the midst of my depression one things was so evident which is what was holding me up and that was God’s unconditional love.

Looking back to the seasons and things I have been through one thing that shone through it all is God’s love for me. Situations, circumstances and sometimes people have a way of making you feel not wanted, not loved and not good enough. Sometimes when we go through things and the pressures of life keeps holding us down we lose sight of the fact that indeed God loves us and his love for us is the greatest kind of Love that any human being can be the recipient of.

God loves us sooo much that He gave His only begotten son to come and die on the cross for us (JOHN 3:16). When we read the story of how it all began in Genesis ; we see that when God creates the heavens and the earth he looked back at his work and said that it was good. But when God created man he looked back and said that it was very good. Go’s thought and intentions towards us are VERY GOOD Like Jeremiah 29:11 clearly says. And in spite of the fact that man sinned against God and disappointed God; God still loved man and made every provision to keep a good relationship with man to the extent of sending His only son Jesus to come and die on the cross for us.

Jesus didn’t just get shot and die and it was over. Jesus was humiliated, beaten; he  died of a horrific death in other for our relationship with God to be restored. Woooow!!! Like the scripture says  in 1 John 3:1 "Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not.”. All of that for the people who sin and fail him time after time. How amazing God’s love is for us.

But oftentimes we look for love in the wrong places not realising that even our spouses will never love us the way God us. God loves us in spite of our wrongs. God does not compare us with our neighbour but he embraces our uniqueness. Big nose, fat lips, short hair, bum or no bum; blessed chested or flat chested ; with your one pack or your  six packs and all HE LOVES US!

Man will oftentimes place conditions on their love for us sometimes without even realising. They will love us in condition of but God loves us in spite of.

To God even on my worst hair day or “Outfit of the Day” day God still says that I’m beautiful and that he loves me. Whether I’m curvy or not so curvy; whether I’m at the top of my game or not; God’s love for me never changes and never will.

And after this realisation; I began to feel overwhelmed by God’s Love and slowly the pain of what I’m going through, of the words that were said to me that hurt me and the impact it had on me staring to diminish. God’s loves soothes the pain. When you are in a place where you receive Gods love he will exchange your sorrow for his joy; your fears and doubts for reassurance and dreams and he will renew and revive you.

Today He is making this proposal to you. Jesus sacrificed his life for you ; suffered ; bled and died just for you and all he wants is that you receive his love and let it heal and restore the broken pieces . He wants to take your heavy yoke and give you His because His is light and easy. But will you accept in proposal?

I pray that as you read this blog it will bless you and minister to you and that your eyes will continuously be enlightened and opened to the love God has for you!

Until next time! 

Love and Blessings to you all as always

Yours In Christ

Valencia 

You Betta Watch Your Mouth!!

Hello Everyone!!

I know it’s been a very long time! Almost a full year since the last time I wrote a blog!  God has been good to me and has been working on me a lot over the past year. One of the things that was laid on my heart to share was on “THE MOUTH”.

There are sooo many sermons and books written on the power of words and how we should be careful of what comes out of our mouths but I really felt lead to re-emphasize on what has already been said.Now I'm going to be realll Honest here!!!! The mouth is an issue that many people struggle with!!! Especially us women!!! From the moment we wake up to the moment we sleep we speak! Whether it be to God in prayer, to ourselves or to others.Oftentimes we really don’t realise the power we as human beings possess and that power lies in our mouth! The tongue!

The bible says in Proverbs 18:21 (KJV): “ Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof.”

When we look back in the first two chapters of the book of Genesis we encounter the story of the creation of this world. After the first 5 days of creation where God called light into being, created the waters, the seas, the sky, the dry lands and the animals; looking at what He created  He said that it was “Good”. However when God created man he didn’t say that it was good but he said that it was “VERY GOOD”; this tells me that when God looks at you and me as human beings he speaks and thinks “VERY GOOD” of us (If that makes sense). Regardless of what people think and say about us, the one that created us sees perfection.

When God created man the bible says in Genesis 2:7 (KJV) “And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.” God did not breathe into animals nor in the other things he created but he breathed into man the breath of life and man became a living soul.  In Genesis 1:26 (KJV) “God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth”.

This tells me that after God formed man he breathed himself who is life into man. He breathed his speaking and creating power to speak things into being and to call into being things that were not (Romans 4:14-KJV). Hence why when God presented Adam to the animals he created in Genesis 2:19 (KJV) the Bible says in “And out of the ground the Lord God formed every beast of the field, and every fowl of the air; and brought them unto Adam to see what he would call them: and whatsoever Adam called every living creature, that was the name thereof”. And the fact that he created you as a human being with that power means that he trusts you to use it wisely. But how do we use it?

What do we say? Are the words that come out of our mouths edifying? Do we tear each other down with our words? If God was to replay every conversation we’ve had how would we feel? Would we be full of embarrassment and shame because some of the things that we said were out of line?

James 3:5 (KJV says)” Even so the tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things. Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth!” Although the tongue a little member of our body and in fact one of the smallest members of our body it yet has the power to damage and hurt if used wrongly. Yet many of us don’t use that power wisely! And growing up in church one of the reasons and I’d say a huge reason why people left the church and still leave the church is not because of the devil! Don’t blame it on him! But it is because somewhere along the line words that were not meant to be said were said and that caused hurt and offence. Now if somebody corrected someone or spoke to someone out of love and that person left that’s another issue all together!

And it is not as easy as it sounds because sometimes out of anger we say things. For those who like to gossip!! And TRUUUSSSSSTTT MEEE!!!! I used to be one of them! Always wanted to know the latest about people and talking about people’s business until one day the Holy Spirit convicted me that I was doing was wrong. Although at times I didn’t mean to say things with bad and hurtful intentions it still came out as gossip which was WRONG! If the person that you speak about to someone else was to sit in your conversation without you noticing them would what you said hurt the person? Cause slander and spoil that person’s reputation? Am I there yet? Not at all but I can say that I’m better than I used to be. And seriously and with all honesty sometimes I’m sooo tempted to say certain things but thank God for the Holy Spirit who convicts me and helps me to improve in this area.

Sometimes people do hurt us and there is nothing wrong in expressing how we feel and how their actions made us feel but still in these trying and hard times try to still watch what you say. Because one day you might just regret it. And as the bible clearly says in Matthew 12:36 we will give accounts of every idle word that we have said in the day of Judgment.

As not only people but people of God we must watch what comes out of our mouths! The bible says that in James 3:10 (KJV) “Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be.” We are God’s representatives down here on earth? Do we represent him rightfully in our speech?

God has entrusted us with such power and authority exercised through our words!  So let us use it wisely and to His Glory.

Hope that this blog blesses you

Love & Blessings always!

Yours In Christ

Valencia

 

 

BE FREE TO BE YOU (Be free to be Who God has called you to be)

I know it's been a while but as usual when I come out of a season I love to share what's on my heart and help y'all!

BE FREE TO BE YOU!!!!

The Bible clearly says in Jeremiah 1:5 that before We were formed in our mothers belly God knew us and ordained us. One if not my favourite scripture is Jeremiah 29:11 "For I know the thoughts I think towards YOU, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil to give YOU an EXPECTED end" the NIV finishes this verse by saying plans to give YOU a hope and a future.
Where am I going? Good question stay with me it will all make sense.

Like I mentioned in previous blogs I grew up with low self-esteem didn't think I was good enough and didn't like me. I often used to compare myself with other people who were in the same field as me like other singers,  other young dynamic preachers etc.  Whilst doing that I started to envy them not realising what was inside of me.
Some people used to tell me that I was waayyyyy too loud, wayyy to energetic and too talkative and I used to try the tone everything down,  not talk too much not crack too many jokes untill something inside started to feel like noo!!! Enough is enough! That is not me and I shouldn't try to change to please men. If God put it in me and didn't convict me about it its a part of me that God has need of. And the more God was dealing with me on  how to accept ME. I realised that I was more and more becoming people bound rather than being God bound. I had allowed people to determine how I should be instead of allowing my creator to break me, make me and mold me into who he wants me to be.
Don't get me wrong sometimes God will convict you of something through people but if it causes heartache, distress and hurt IT AIN'T OF GOD!!
There isn't another me like there isnt another you. God has created you uniquely fashioned with a specific purpose that only YOU can fulfill. Nobody can be a better you but you!
Being in leadership amonsgt 4 other guys where I was the only female and the youngest one I was always told how I should behave in order to look proper and that meant burying who I was, who God made me to be to become this woman they wanted me to be. Did what they do work? NOPE! NOT AT ALL! Instead it made me more insecure. I felt like I was putting an act on, and always wondered what if I drop that act, will people take me seriously? Will people still like me? Untill one day the Holy Spirit reminded me that GOD has the final say over me and that GOD made me this way for a reason and for the purpose he has for me and looking back then and looking at myself now I have grown a whole lot and what I was told to tone down is what God has been and is using to enable me to fulfill my purpose and connect with various people from various walks of life.
And since then I have become PEOPLE FREE!!!!! Dont care about what people say on whatever I do anymore. Its all about what God says about me! Becoming people free will enable you to fullfill your destiny. And so what you praise a bit louder than everybody else? You dance a bit more than everybody else? You dont sing as high as another singer? YOU ARE YOU and THAT'S WHAT MATTERS  and its high time you EMBRACE WHO YOU ARE!
To return to the scripture I highlighted God has amazing thoughts and plans concerning YOU and for YOU his thoughts and plans towards YOU are for YOU and nobody else!! There are things with YOUR name on it just for YOU!! Don't forfeit the purpose God's plans and purpose for your life by comparing yourself to oher people, you keep on wishing you were like someone else. The truth is that by carrying on like that you will never be able to be a better YOU because you are trying to be somebody else and you will never be able to fulfill YOUR destiny because you are too busy trying to fulfill somebody elses!

Be Encouraged!! Be people free and God bound but above all BE FREE TO BE YOU!




Love y'all

Yours In Christ

Valencia

It's time to LET IT GO

Wow!!! What a title!  May Sound cliché but it is soo true and real! Life, people and circumstances have a way of leaving things with us. Some good and some bad! We need to hold on the good things and let go of the bad ones!  But it is often the bad things that we hold on to causing us to be stagnant and not move forward!  For the past 2 years God has really been dealing with me on this topic. Like I shared before I grew up in a single home.  Things were not always easy!  I've had my wilderness experiences and valley seasons. I've had my heart broken many times,  various people hurt me including people I loved HARD!  Disappointed by many,  hurt turned into bitterness which eventually turned into unforgiveness.  I was leading Praise & Worship carrying unforgiveness!  I was interceeding for people with hurt in my heart.  I was serving in pain.  I wanted to be free; I wanted to forgive but I didn't know how.  Until the Holy Spirit began to minister to me.
The first thing He said to me was that He doesn't send wounded soldiers to battle.  God is more interested in your well-being and your emotional, physical as well as spiritual state more than what you do for him. Oftentimes we're hurting and instead of taking a back seat and allowing God to heal us and mend our broken hearts we keep serving not realising that we're an easy prey for the enemy as we're already weak!  he'll know where to attack us! I did it for so many years! It took me to get sick for God to slow me down and take time to heal me! Let Him do it! If you need to take time out do so! Don't wait till God has to do it for you!

Then God began to tell me that on my own, I can't forgive. I need his grace to forgive.  I was busy trying to forgive and when I would see the person that hurt me I'd go back home crying because the hurt still felt fresh.  Thats when God told me, give it to me.  You just be willing to forgive and let my grace empower you to forgive.  When you forgive someone you don't forgive them for them but you forgive for yourself.  You're the one that's hurting! They're out there living their lives! They might even have forgotten  what they did to you! And that unforgiveness starts taking root in your heart.  Tainting your heart. The Bible says in Matthew 5:8"Blessed are the PURE in heart for they SHALL SEE GOD ". When your heart is tainted by bitterness, anger,  unforgiveness and many more you are not able to hear God clearly or even feel him near because these things cause a bridge between you and God.  When I realised that I said to myself I don't want to allow anything to get between me and God.  And I surrendered everything to Him . Told God how I felt,  told Him EVERYTHING!  And he began to pour his love and peace into me. The more I asked him to help me forgive and to give me the grace to forgive and LET GO!The better I Felt! I felt soo much freedom and peace! Today I stand as a living testimony!! I'm not  a 100%  there but I'm definitely close!  God is AMAZING!!!!  And NOTHING and NO ONE is worth jeopardising your relationship with God.  Whatever it is!! LET IT GO ! Bring it to the Master! He's waiting for you!  You're not in this alone!  He's right there with you!
Be Encouraged!  You will get through it!

Love Yourself

Hello Everyone!!

Here's my second blog of this year called "Love Yourself!"

Ever been in situations where you just didn't love you! Times where you didn't like you? The way you look? Big nose, small nose?  Big cheeks no dimples? Big thighs or short?You go through people's Facebook pages and people's Instagram's pictures and the more you see beautiful ladies and Gents you start to compare the way you look with the way they look? Then you become more and more depressed because you want to look like them but you are far from it? You wished you had longer hair, slimmer waist, more muscles or a better build?
Well ladies and Gents this blog is for you!
I'm addressing both men and women but I'll be speaking from a woman's perspective.

Growing up like I mentioned in one of my previous blogs I grew up with low self esteem! Never thought I was pretty enough and never thought I was good enough for anybody! Out of all my friends I would be the only one who didn't have a boyfriend or a guy after me. And to be honest it did hit me in a way because I thought if nobody comes to me that means that I might not be pretty enough nor beautiful enough! So I grew up with that mentality!  I would look at other girls!  Tall, skinny, long hair and all and I would think I wish looked like them!  I was a Christian don't get me wrong but I still didn't think I was beautiful!
Until the scripture  Psalms 139:14 was made reality to me! It says "I will praise you, for I'm fearfully and wonderfully made. Marvellous are thy works and my soul knows it very well".
The more I was going through those times of not really liking myself the more this scripture would resonate in my spirit. And I had to realise that by comparing myself with other people I was telling the God of the whole universe,  the one who created me in his image and in his likeness; the one that formed me in my mother's womb and ordained me to serve him! I was telling that God that he made a mistake by making me the way I was! When I realised that I had to repent and tell God sorry for not appreciating myself,  sorry for not appreciating how you've created me! And I had to ask God to show me how to love myself! You see as human beings we were made for companionship that's how God created us however you can NOT and you will NOT  love your spouse properly if you don't love yourself! That's why for some people God delays the arrival of your spouse in your life because he wants you to learn how to love yourself and how to love Him. Then and only then will you be able to love yourself!  You will not only be able to love yourself but you'll be able to receive love!  All these things don't just come by wishing!  They come by having a close walk with God! Ask him to teach you about love! To help you to love yourself and give and receive love! To help you to see yourself the way He sees you! If you ask him He will surely do it!! Whatever can be changed if it's weight loss or eating healthier taking care of the body that God has given us by all means do it! But the things you can't change!  Learn to appreciate them because that's how God made you!
You are beautiful,  you are special, you are intelligent and loved!  Don't let the things you see the models you see determine how you are going to view yourself! Be bold, brave and confident in who God made you to be! Nobody else can be you better than you!
So when you wake up in the morning after your devotion, look at yourself in the mirror and tell yourself: I'm beautifully,  fearfully and wonderfully made! The way I look is how God made me and I'm going to love ME!
Big nose, small nose, big lips, small cheeks, big thighs and whatever else. YOU ARE BEAUTIFUL!!
Learn to value yourself!!  And don't ever sell yourself short!!
This change will not come suddenly! It does take time! But the more you do it the more you shut the door by which the enemy will try and come in to make you feel low about yourself!  As you do it! You will build confidence in who you are and you will be able to be all that God wants you to be!

Pray that this blog encourages you! Leave a comment to encourage others!

Love y'all!