I was inspired today.

Hey there friends!

I felt inspired today. By so many things!

I had to get up extra early for work today, and I kind of had a bad attitude about it, but then it kind of turned around when I got in the car, I turned on "All Sons and Daughters" their song called "alive" and I've heard it so many times, but this morning it was especially beautiful, just because I realized, I am ALIVE. I thought back to so many times in my life where I almost lost it, I wasn't ALIVE. Truly I was lost and dead. I have so much to live for and God just reminded me of that this morning. It's good to know that someone cares about you that much no matter what you do. It blows my mind on a regular basis. Another thing about God that blows my mind is His grace. We are soaked in all the grace. He unchains us from ALL that we have done, His mercies rise like the sun on the horizon. We are alive because of His grace. We're alive in Him, without Him we are simply useless and dead.

Okay another thing was the beauty out my window! Holy smokes God was showing off. It's cool how he can make something so beautiful He is like the ultimate artist. Seriously, how ahh I have no words to describe Him, I become speechless.

Another thing would be my mom, I just like really realized how cool and pretty she is today. I love her to death! Really she is like my best friend. Ah man!

Another thing would be my faith was tested today. I was reminded how easy it is for the world to change you and how hard it is to change the world. Sometimes it really isn't the cool thing to stand up for God, or do what God wants you to do. It's really hard, but I was so reminded of the greatness and the rewards and the benefits that come with following the Lord and it's so worth it! Embracing God is the best thing we can do for Him, said in Romans 12. So embrace God in your life. I've been thinking about what that meant, what does embracing God really mean?

Embracing Him means not going with the world.

It means standing out and being different.

People notice different and when they notice you, they will notice God.

In the dictionary embrace is defined: to take or receive gladly or eagerly; accept willingly: to embrace an idea.

To receive gladly the blessings from God, but thanking Him for them and eagerly embrace Him with what you get.

Overly talk about God and love Him too much. Well you could never love Him too much.

Embracing Him means including Him in your daily life.

Make it know to other people that you follow and love the Lord.

It means not being ashamed of Christ.

That's what embracing God means to me.
 

 

 

I hope you all had a good day. (:

 Oh and P.S. one more thing, it just amazes me how much money is coming in for my missions trip. I know with everything in me that I am supposed to go on this trip because He is definetly providing everything. It's SO stinkin cool to watch God in action.

HE. IS. SO. GOOD.



When God speaks through music

Woah I don't know why I'm so excited about this, but God just spoke to me through music ha He's never done that to me before... kinda super cool! It's a song that I have listened to over and over so  many times, but today on my way home from church I really listened to the words and it was INSANE.

"Rainbow" by Josh Garrels

Somewhere over the rainbow
In a world without end
The old river flows down streets of gold
It’s the light of men
Come all you weary travelers and
Rest your bones
No trouble will beset my son
Who comes back home

Red was the blood that fell to the earth
The orange flames gonna burn all the dross and the shame
Of my selfish works
Yellow harvest gathered in the sun
The white winter will give way to the green growth of our love
Flood waters rise swiftly, deep and blue
O great wing of indigo healing gonna shelter you
*Black sky when the promised one died
Rejected and alone
Now rise to the Lord of the skies
Where he sits on the clouds enthroned

Somwhere over the rainbow
In a world without end
The old river flows down streets of gold
It’s the light of men
Come all you weary travelers and
Rest your bones
No trouble will beset my son
Who comes back home

Basically this song to me is talking about hope and how all the weary travelers (us) have a hope. That somewhere over this fake and broken world there is a life without end and there will be rivers that flow on streets of gold. (that's heaven) and all us weary travelers can rest our bones and there will be no trouble, this song is like how heaven will be. We will have rest in heaven.
God was rejected and alone, now He has risen and is Lord of the skies and everything where He sits on the clouds enthroned. WOAH. When you understand this song you'll understand the feeling I'm having right now. WOAH.

My Mom.

Well tonight I just want to talk about my mom actually. I've always know I've had the best one, but today it hit me in a weird way.. like I have the greatest mom in the whole world. Sometimes I wish people could experience how great she is the way I do, but then I realized it's so special to me. No one could ever replace my mom, no one can experience her the way me and my sisters do. That may sound selfish, but it's so special to me. I don't take my mom for granted ever, I really do thank God for her all the time. She is not like anyone I have ever met and she really isn't the typical mom haha. I promise.. I hope to be like her one day. I really really do. She is TRULY the greatest women I have ever known. My mom is the most special to me, I love when she gives me advice on my boy trouble. And gives hugs randomly, she doesn't give them too often, which just makes them that more special. I love how she loves me, sometimes I don't understand it, but I know she does. Ugh I just love my mom.

I'm so blessed to have a mom, let a lone the one that I do.

Understanding God.

I have found myself so frustrated with God lately. I don't understand Him sometimes and it makes me so mad. But who am I to say that I get to understand Him? No one said life is easy, but guys that doesn't mean that you give up on God and do your own thing. That is what I have found myself doing so much lately. I've finally had enough of doing my own thing and giving up on God. I and am completely surrendering myself to Him. It is one of the hardest things I've had to do, doing what God wants you to do when you want to do the complete opposite can sometimes be impossible. Honestly most of the time I don't understand Him, but I have to take a step back and realize who I'm trying to understand. God. Jesus Christ. The Maker of everything. Like that is even possible to do? Okay Paige. Ha I can be so stupid sometimes. I feel like trying to understand God is like putting his importance down a level. We're not necessarily supposed to understand Him, bottom line is that He knows what He's doing and all you have to do is trust Him. The depth of your relationship with God is up to you.

I started reading a book called "Lady in Waiting" today and it opened up my eyes to a few questions to ask myself.

• Has your faith been a lifeless ritual rather than a vital love relationship with Jesus?
• Do you know more about pleasing a boyfriend than pleasing the Lord Jesus?
• Does your commitment to Jesus cause those around you to seriously consider whether Jesus is Lord of their lives?

We serve a good God. Mmm I want to be known as the girl who was in love with her Savior. I want to be known as the girl who people said that they saw something different in me. I don't want to be like everyone else. I just want God. His plan is clearly different from the one I thought was right. It's the hardest thing to walk away from what you want. It's not easy, but that doesn't mean you shouldn't do it. God has something better. TRUST HIM. That's where I'm at. At the end of my rope, waiting, I'm done taking matters into my own plans. I'm giving this to you God.

P.S. don't forget to thank Him. For whatever situation you're in. You may not understand it. But just try to understand one thing. "He knows the plans He has for you, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future". It's not easy, but God loves you. YOU are His beloved. be LOVED.

Thoughts on this New Year.

Hey Everybody! It's kind of been a while. I just haven't been feeling very inspired lately and haven't had anything to write about. But then it hit me!

Well it's New Years sweet. So what it this year going to look like? I've just been thinking and praying about it a lot.

Just reflecting on the past year and just looking at myself as a person and how much I've changed, it's incredible and I have seen that it had all been for the better. Who I was a year ago is no were near who I am today. Just seeing how God used me and how He has changed me. Trust me it was probably the hardest thing going through those changes. I'm so thankful that God never gives up on us. Can I get an amen? I just wanted to highlight some pretty cool things that happened in my 2012..

1. I got my license (whooop!)
2. I got my very first job at American Eagle.
3. I went on my first missions trip to Mexico
4. I got high honor roll a couple times (it's kind of a big deal for me)
5. Relationships. I learned a lot. haha
6. I said goodbye to depression and sadness. (I've been free for 6 months now)
7. I've realized it's okay to be a dork and who cares what people think.
8. I've realized I am truly beautiful (woah that took a while)
9. My family became my best friend. And I couldn't ask for better people.
10. I survived.

The list goes on and on literally I have so much listed in my journal. To sum it all up.. GOD IS GOOD.

Alright onto 2013...
My thoughts on this wonderful New Year ahead of us. Oh boy, I really do have high hopes for this year. So much to look forward to. I love the feeling of a fresh start. I believe with everything in me that God has such BIG plans for me. Something that I realized is that with out God nothing is possible. Everyone wants a good year. But what is your definition of a "good" year? What do you want to accomplish? Don't do resolutions oh please don't haha those are stupid and never last. Make a list and on this night in 2014, read it and see what you've done. Kind of like a bucket list for 2013. Just an idea! Okay back to God haha I was in church on Sunday and oh boy was it good! A quote stuck out to me.. Apart from Jesus, church is nothing but a good habit, mission trips are nothing but humanitarian aid, and apart from Jesus we are nothing. Live your year off of that. We are NOTHING without Him. You can have an amazing boyfriend/girlfriend and be all happy with them, but that one thing should not be the base of your happiness. That is SO dangerous. Base your happiness off of something that will last forever and is eternal and you know you are secure in the Lord. Without God your year will suck, guaranteed. Instead of searching for things of the world, like boys, girls, good grades, money, success, love, happiness, shoes, clothes, etc.. Yeah those things are great, but just put God in front of all of them and your set. He will open doors and lead you to things you actually need and then you will truly be successful.

My 2013 will consist of..

• Embracing God:

My goal is to know Him deeper. I pray for a desire to know Him more. I want to be so lost in God that people see something different about me the second they look at me.

• Leading someone to the Lord:

This has just been a burning desire inside me. I want to have a heart to heart with someone about God and I want to be able to answer those hard questions about God. It's scary but I want to do it. Even if it's someone who is struggling with God and knows Him, but is lost and gave up.
(if your that person, I'm your girl.)

• Live Passionately:

Last year I was in such a dark place and wanted to die and was just lost. This year I want to live life appreciative and embracing the little tiny things. I want to stop often and just smile and embrace my favorite moments. Life is so precious.

• Pursue my dreams:

I have all these dreams, I want to start walking them out.

• Lastly, Be a world changer:

I want to be different. I want to stand out. I'm not of this world, who cares what people think! I want people to know God, really know Him and see the way He can change their life, like He changed mine. I want to share my testimony with as many people as possible.

 

I have high hopes and dreams for this year. It WILL be a great one.

With God ALL things are possible.