It's been way too long!

It really has been too long since my last post! I really did enjoy writing and sharing my thoughts- I have so many jumbled in my head. This was always a great way to express myself and the new things God was teaching and revealing to me. I'm thinking that I need to pick it up again. I'm asking the Lord to transform a lot of me and make me new. I feel this new year deserves a new me! The Holy Spirit needs the "me" to get of the way so that "He" can live wholly through my life. Part of this transformation will be physical. I've FINALLY started my journey toward a healthy life. It's only taken me 10 years and 70 pounds to get tired of myself! I can't live overweight and truly serve God to the capacity that I feel He's lead me. I know that to serve Him overseas I'm going to have to get in gear and get healthy. He can't dwell in a rundown temple, filled with garbage! We're clearing her out so there's more room to dwell! Another part of this transformation is what I do in my spare time. Watching TV cannot consume my life! I'm changing my habits. I want to become crafty! With this new fascination to Pinterest, I've seen my creative juices start to flow. I've made some tasty treats(healthy of course!) and some pretty neat scarves and art projects. I'm hoping to do more. I'm also hoping to write. I'll use this blog to let those creative juices flow too! I'll be praying about my next entry! I want God to surprise me with something outstanding that He'll teach me- and then I'll teach you!

To Be Loved.....

I've been wondering why women long to be loved. I talk with my girlfriends candidly about how we're so fabulous-yet find ourselves "unloved". Of course we are loved- our friends and families love us dearly, but to experience intimacy with a companion- one who chooses to love us because he acknowledges how fabulous we truly are. In my young life, I have come to learn (although it has been painful) that relationships are difficult. Often what makes them difficult (and painful) is love- something that should be easy, painless, and natural. In my wondering as to why I feel the need to be loved I am discovering a certain truth- we were created by God- God is love. When God formed us and knitted and wired us together He placed in us a desire to be loved. This is why we care and nurture others. This is why we love a hug from friends and family. This is also why when we experience people who do not love we are heartbroken and saddened. Oh what it must do to the heart of our Creator when we fail to embrace Him. When we ignore who He is and what He has done for us. When we deny the love that He has for us. I'm learning to fall in love with the Lover of my soul. I pray that you who feel you are unloved, unworthy of love would see the love that Jesus Christ has for you and that you would accept it and too fall in love with the Lover of YOUR soul!

Beauty is in the Eye of the Beholder!

I was recently (like today) watching a show on television about various beauty treatments and ideas of beauty from other countries. I sat in shock at how displeased we are so many times at our appearance. This is true for females, males, skinny, plump, good hair, bad hair, etc. We are obsessed with beauty and what we consider to be beautiful.

My heart quickly responded to the Lord. I wonder how sad He is when we are unhappy with what we look like and when we fret on our beauty? Beauty is of course in the eye of the beholder. Beauty is also in the Eye of the Creator. Wow! I remembered what David wrote in the 139 Psalm "For you created my inmost being, you knit me together in my mother's womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well." When we were created God created us and knit us to stand and trust that we were made fearfully and wonderfully!! This of course brought a smile to my face and a sigh to my heart remembering this truth! I was then led to Proverbs 31, the wife of noble character, a lady I strive to become. In verse 30 it says, "Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised." How true is this!?! Trends and fashions may come in and out of style, weight may fluctuate, hair may change color or fall out altogether, but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised. I desire to be a woman to be praised!!

I just wanted to remind you (along with myself) that God has created us in His image. He loves us and adores us just the way we are. To the Creator we are beautiful!!! Behold Him, as He beholds you!

Hate to Wait!

Well, it sure has been a long time since I last posted a blog. I'm hoping you haven't hated waiting. I've come to realize that I hate to wait. I'm thinking I'm not the only one with this problem, but it is definitely a problem I'm not wanting to deal with. Last night, I came home from a trip and was unpacking and putting away my groceries and jamming out with the Lord. We were listening to John Waller and his song "While I'm Waiting" came on and ministered to me in a big way. I kept thinking about all the things I've been waiting for and I began to see many of the attitudes I have during these waiting periods. Let me just say, that they aren't characteristics of Christ. The Holy Spirit quickly broke my heart and began to work something within. During my time of waiting, I am going to seek the Lord passionately, develop a stronger prayer life, be active in ministry, and develop myself as a true "Lady in Waiting".

I’m waiting
I’m waiting on You, Lord
And I am hopeful
I’m waiting on You, Lord
Though it is painful
But patiently, I will wait

I will move ahead, bold and confident
Taking every step in obedience

While I’m waiting
I will serve You
While I’m waiting
I will worship
While I’m waiting
I will not faint
I’ll be running the race
Even while I wait

I’m waiting
I’m waiting on You, Lord
And I am peaceful
I’m waiting on You, Lord
Though it’s not easy
But faithfully, I will wait
Yes, I will wait

I will serve You while I’m waiting
I will worship while I’m waiting
I will serve You while I’m waiting
I will worship while I’m waiting
I will serve You while I’m waiting
I will worship while I’m waiting on You, Lord

I wanted to include the song lyrics by John Waller.

It is My Name!!!

Recently I've done a lot of thinking about names. It's odd, but true. I've thought about there meanings, there importance, there orgins. All that good stuff that comes from a name. Then on Sunday it really hit me. You see, Sunday was my birthday. Yes, it's true. I celebrated my 26th birthday- don't every gasp at once : ) I was thinking about that joyous day when I was brought into this world and my parents looked at my gorgeous face and said, "Will call her....TISHONA MARIE...." As a child, that name was well....odd. It's definitely rare, if not ever heard of around these parts, but it is my name. As I got older I began to appreciate it more and more. I mean it is my name. Then do you ever have those moments when you truly realize..IT IS MY NAME!!! I began to do some research online. I was curious about the meaning of names. I began to search on baby name websites different names and there meanings. Well as you could probably have guessed..Tishona is no where to be found. But, it is my name!! This saddened me, but not too much. I then remembered another baby who was born and brought into this world. When his obedient parents looked at his gorgeous face they said, "We will call him JESUS!!!"

Wow! Isn't that fabulous : ) That is HIS NAME!! I was then reading in Isaiah 9:6, "For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace." THOSE ARE HIS NAMES!!! Jesus has many names. These names represent all of who He is. There are many more than the scripture in Isaiah mentions. I was thinking back on this year that I have just experienced. I was thinking of the different characters that God has shown Himself to be to me. He has surely been my Counselor, my Prince of Peace, Restorer of my soul, Sanctuary, and Lover of my soul. His names are great! He is great!

This Christmas as we thank God for the birth of His son and the gift of eternal life that we have through Jesus, let us be aware of His name!! As His name is on our lips, let us praise Him for all of who He is!! Remember Acts 4:12 "SALVATION IS FOUND IN NO ONE ELSE, FOR THERE IS NO OTHER NAME UNDER HEAVEN GIVEN TO MEN BY WHICH WE MUST BE SAVED."

A Girl and Her Shoes!!!

Well if there is one important fact that everyone should know it's - DON'T MESS WITH A WOMAN AND HER SHOES!!! I love shoes! I believe I have for the longest time. I remember being a little girl and wearing my fabulous "jelly" shoes- oh yes!! I know you know the ones I'm talking about- hard, plastic, brightly colored shoes that left great blisters- yes those are the ones! Now however I have moved on to big girl shoes- oh yes!! I know you know the ones I"m talking about- hard, man-made material, 3 inch heel that leave great blisters- yes those are the ones!! I got a great deal on them though. They were one sale over the Thanksgiving Holiday- buy one get one half off!!! So of course I bought the black pair and got the brown ones half off- or visa versa- either way- everyone loves a great deal!

Let me tell you about this truly remarkable deal that I have found and have came to cherish!!! The advertisement read, "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life." John 3:16 Wow! That is one deal that I'm thankful I didn't pass up!

Just as most of my divine spiritual moments arise, I was taking my shower this morning and was just praying and thinking and thanking the Lord for all He has done for me. Well in that list of things, came the gift of forgiveness! It's such a powerful word. I have been FORGIVEN!!! My sins, my mistakes, my shame, my guilt, have been erased from my life and forgotten by my Savior. That is truly a fabulous gift. I began to think of how powerful it is for a believer who has experience this forgivness to forgive others. I think begin to think of my past hurts, pain, and scars. I began to ask God to teach me to forgive just has I have been forgiven. By this point in time I was now putting my "face" on and drying my hair and doing all the rest of my morning routine. I was getting dressed and was preparing to slip into my new shoes. You remember the ones that I got a great deal on!?!

Something on the inside struck my attention- the label on the side of the shoe that has the size and all the info about its creation also listed a name of that shoe- FORGIVEN!!! Yes, it is true!!! My shoe had been named Forgiven. I was thrilled!!! I thought well isn't that just so special. Not only was my shoe names Forgiven, but so was I!!!! On the day that Christ forgave me of all my sins He named me- I am FORGIVEN!!! So I slipped my foot in the shoe- by this point I felt like Cinderella slipping her foot in the shoe from the prince! I was going to walk in my Forgiven's all day long!!!! Isn't that what we should all do? Shouldn't we all walk in His FORGIVENESS!?!

And Out of the Fog

This weekend I went to Richmond to the EKU Homecoming. It was a great time of reuniting with wonderful friends, catching up on the latest news, and experiencing one of the greatest parades east of the Mississippi! But I must confess that the greatest event that happened to me was something I witnessed this morning that resonated deep within my spirit.

I left Richmond around 8 this morning and was headed home. I had my radio on K-Love and I was just praising the Lord and watching the Sun rise in the beautiful, blue, cloudless, Autumn sky. It was a great day to praise the Lord. The roads were clear, the air crisp, and the sun bright and shining on the fiery mountains. As I'm moving along and praying I come to a small valley that was thick with fog. I became quite nervous because I couldn't see anything before. I soon thought of deer or other animals that love to get their morning breakfast and feared that they would jump in front of me. I seriously was worried that I would hit anything in front of me because it was thick fog and I couldn't see too far in front of me. I knew the sun was shining. I new the sky was clear. But I was in this mess of the fog. I was blinded for a short time. And out of the fog I drive into the clear, blue, cloudless sky that I new I was in the entire time. As soon as breaking through the fog I said "thank you Jesus" and I was soon reminded of the "fog" that we often travel through in life.

We can be moving quite well in our journey through life. Thinking everything is picture perfect and then we hit the "fog", whatever it may be and we can't see and we are blinded for a brief sometimes lengthier periods of time. Even though we walk in the blindness, in the confusion, and in the darkness, we know the Son is still shining, the Son is still on His throne, the Son is still Sovereign! And out of the fog we come and into His marvelous light!!

As I continued driving and the sun was out longer and the effects of the sun was being felt more intensely, the spots of fog were less. They were less often, less dense, and less intense. Again I was thinking that the longer we are in communion with the Son, the longer we are spending intense time with the Son the spot of fog will grow less and less. The Son will make a greater impact in our lives and our journeys can be clearer and "picture perfect" before Him!