take the mask off!

I read a book last month- devotions for dating couples by ben young and dr. samuel adams. It’s directed at serious courting couples than casual dating. And lemme chip in that casual dating by the way is a total colossal waste of time. And nope, I’m not courting…yet. ;) found the book on a thrifting expedition and decided to give it a read and prepare myself for what’s going to be gradually imminent. Doesn’t hurt, right?! ;)

via

Ok, lemme stop blabbing already. So, there’s this part of the book which struck a chord with me. it talks about something I’ve long observed. Here goes…

“we live in an “I’m okay, you’re okay” world. When we ask people how they are doing, we don’t necessarily expect an honest answer. A simple “I’m fine” will suffice. Most of us fear letting others know what is rumbling deep inside our souls. We suspect that if people really knew what was going on with us on the inside, they might reject us. Too many of us walk around wearing masks, smiling on the outside but hurting on the inside…acting as if everything is fine.

The truth is, many times I’m not okay, you’re not okay, but that’s okay. Jesus died on the cross for folks like you and me, sinners who have broken God’s laws time and time again. Remember what saint Augustine said, “the church is a hospital, where everyone is trying to get well.” However, you cannot get well unless you are willing to admit you are sick.

Some of the greatest spiritual breakthroughs in my life have occurred when I took off my mask in the presence of a trusted friend and said, “hey, I’m tired of hiding. I’m tired of living a double life. Here is what I am dealing with.” And to have that friend listen to me and affirm that I am forgiven because of what Christ did for me on the cross is an extremely cathartic experience. As a pastor, I have had the incredible opportunity to see many people experience the freedom from guilt, shame, fear, and addiction because they had the courage to confess their sin.

If you are living in fear that someone is going to find out about the real you, do not hesitate to get help. Call a fellow [trusted] member of your church, a pastor, or a counselor, and deal with that issue today. Ask God for the courage to take that first step.”

And as you may have observed, I almost always have a song to go with my content. This song by tenth avenue north encourages me to always open up to God and get real with Him. it especially spoke to me when I was in the tender stages of becoming serious with my walk with Him a couple of years ago. I was a wrecking ball headed for disaster. But I’m so, so glad I opened up to Jesus and laid all my cards down and He saved me from me. I look back sometimes and wonder how I could have been so foolish in my ways in the past. I thank God for redemption! You might be battling to give control of your life over to the Author and Redeemer. you may be fighting to truly surrender every bit and piece of your life to Jesus…imagine Jesus singing this song to you…

Any other way~ tenth avenue north

 Don’t say goodbye, don’t say hello

We’re just standing on the surface.

Don’t say alright, don’t say I know

I promise it’s not worth it.

I want to know who you are

Even if you’re falling apart.

Reach in and touch your scars

And all the shame you’ve kept in your heart

Cause it’s not enough, it’s not enough

Just to say that you’re okay.

I need your hurt, I need your pain

It’s not love any other way.

Let’s not pretend, stop your parade

Trying to convince Me that you’re alright and everything’s ok

Yet, do you even know Me?

Cause I already know who you are

and all the things that kept us apart.

So reach in and touch My scars

And know the price I paid for your heart.

A broken and contrite heart, I will not despise

Come as you are and I won’t close My eyes

I won’t close My eyes

I won’t close My eyes

I won’t close My eyes

Cause it’s not enough, it’s not enough

Just to say that you’re okay.

I need your hurt, I need your pain

It’s not love any other way.

Cause it’s not enough, it’s not enough

Just to say that you’re okay

You needed My hurt, you needed My pain

It’s not love any other way, it’s not love any other way

Yeah, it’s not love any other way.

 a lil background to the message of the song

“brothers and sisters, if someone is caught in a sin, you who live by the Spirit should restore that person gently. But watch yourselves, or you also may be tempted.” Galatians 6:1-2

“but if we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, His Son, purifies us from all sin. If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” 1 john 1:9

“therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed…” james 5:16

“my sacrifice, o God, is a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart You, God, will not despise.” Psalm 51:17

If you’re hiding the real you underneath a façade of phony smiles, be brave and open up to Jesus in prayer. Admit your struggles to Him, let Him into your heart. Let His warm and gentle ocean of grace thaw away the glacial lake frosted around your heart. Talk your struggles over with a true, trusted Godly friend and your hurting heart will begin to find healing. You may be dealing with drugs, alcohol, fornication, lust, stealing, lying, adultery, gossip, emotional trauma, suicidal thoughts…whatever it may be, find healing in Jesus. His Word in revelations 3:20 says to you: here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me.

Are you going to let Him in or what? Cmon, and let Him in. :)

xoxo, gen delali.

beauty in waiting

"there is beauty in the waiting. He is working in me...in ways i can not see or fully understand. in the quiet and dark times, things are happening. growing is happening. changes are happening. even if we do not see them. in time, at the right time, in His time, we will see. this gives me comfort and so much hope! i do not have to see to know. i don't have to seek immediate gratification because things are coming.

via

in His time for me, i will see. He has a time for us. perfect timing. we just need to wait and trust. He will bring us what is best for us in its time. with this hope, i have no reason to hurry. whether it be a season of waiting or a season of blooming, He makes it all beautiful." ~ jennifer// beauty in waiting// (in)courage

"i remain confident of this: i will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord." psalm 27:13-14

"in You, Lord, i have taken refuge; let me never be put to shame; deliver me in Your righteousness. turn your ear to me, come quickly to my rescue; be my rock of refuge, a strong fortress to save me." psalm 31:1-2 

"there is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens...He has made everything beautiful in its time..." ecclesiastes 3:1;11

"but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. they will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint." isaiah 40:31

you might be waiting on the Lord for...

a child

a business to kick off

a job

funds for school

the special someone to build a family with

maybe you're engaged, and waiting for the big day to say 'i do' ;)

a place to call home

funds to pay off school loans/mortgage

healing for your body and soul

or maybe He's spoken some specific, special promises to you, and you're waiting for the manifestation...

whatever it might be, i pray you take it to the Lord each day. He cares and His word says He will come through.

"God is not human, that He should lie, not a human being, that He should change His mind. does He speak and then not act? does He promise and not fulfil?" numbers 23:19

xoxo, gen delali.

our deepest fear

the first time i ever heard these words was when i was happily watching akeelah and the bee. anyone remember that movie? it's a great one! the words were meant to pump courage into my fragile teenage heart, and they still ring so true in my life, especially now! they are from marianne williamson's book: a return to love, which i'd be swoon to lay hands on!

our deepest fear~ marianne williamson

our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate.

our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.

it is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us.

we ask ourselves, who am i to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous?

actually, who are you not to be?

you are a child of God. your playing small does not serve the world.

there is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you.

we are all meant to shine, as children do.

we were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us.

it's not just in some of us; it's in everyone.

and as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same.

as we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.

"you are the salt of the earth. but if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? its is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and tramples underfoot. you are the light of the world. a town built on a hill cannot be hidden. neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. in the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven." matthew 5:13-16

let your light shine, darling. someone needs to see it to be encouraged.

i hope you guys have a lovely weekend! i'm so excited about the singles summit we'll be holding at church tomorrow! good stuff! :)

xoxo, delali

Through painted deserts

I posted this blog a year ago, but for some reason the link got broken and i couldn't seem to fix it. So, i decided to re-post it. enjoy.

Have you ever read a book and enjoyed it so much you became sad that it had to come to end? It’s like you’ve become a part of the story and leaving the scene is hard for you because you want it to roll on for your continued enjoyment. Through Painted Deserts by Donald Miller is one of such stories.Somewhere in early December last year, I was looking up Christian books I could put on my to-read list, and I came across Blue Like Jazz by Donald Miller. It had good reviews and I found out it was even turned into a movie so I got convinced it must be good. Around Christmas I was looking for some good music on Noisetrade when I stumbled on a free audio version of Don’s book, Through Painted Deserts. Was I thrilled? You bet! I mean although Blue Like Jazz was what I was bent on reading, I was like why not give this a listening ear? After all it’s by the same author and if Blue Like Jazz is good, chances are Through Painted Deserts also is. Was I wrong? No!

 

In fact I’ve fallen in love with the book, seriously! (Sorry I had to scream that.) This is more like say, a short, informal review of the book with a bunch of my favorite quotes from it.

Through Painted Deserts is a memoir that takes you on a journey into how the author found the meaning of why God made us, his beloved creation... about changing, faith, finding light, friendship and beauty on the open road. It’s very touching and warms your heart in the right places. Oh, and the soothing voice of Don reading the book adds such calm and peace to the story itself.

It’s a book I will recommend for everybody especially those whose faith in God is a bit shaky and who doubt the goodness and beauty of God, people who wonder or doubt if God ever listens to their prayers and people who may need to leave their comfort zones and everything behind to go on an adventure to get a better perspective of life. It’s a book for people who get so caught up with life and forget there’s a big world out there full of the calmness and peace of God, people who don’t stop to enjoy the big, blue sky, people who don’t stop to breathe and experience the soothing nature, the works of God’s hands. Although we have to participate in life and go about our duties in order to survive, we need to take breaks every now and then to get away from the pressures and noise of it all and just enjoy God.

 

Considering I’m a ''small'' town kinda girl in this little country, Ghana, this book encourages me personally to venture out from my all too familiar surroundings to somewhere new, somewhere that’ll give me a new and beautiful perspective about life and God. I so want to leave, to venture out and experience and enjoy the magnificence of God somewhere away from where I call home, sharing His truth and forging beautiful friendships along the way... and I’m trusting God with that. I want to experience Him in canyons, on mountains, in deserts, in falling snow, in the falling of red autumn leaves, on beautiful beaches, on islands, on the open road... in different cultures. Nature has such an endearing way of reminding me not just of the greatness of God and the beautiful works of His hands but it also affirms that God really does exist.

So here are some quotes I totally love from the book. They’re like urm, spoilers of a good movie. LOL They’re quite a number but you can’t resist such lovely words that speak straight to your heart, right?!  Haha, here goes:

“Every person has to leave, has to change like the seasons. They have to or they die. The seasons remind me that I must keep changing and I want to change because it’s Gods way.”

“Everybody has to change or they expire. Everybody has to leave their homes and come back so they can love it again for all new reasons.”

“I want to keep my soul fertile for the changes so things keep getting born in me, so things keep dying when it’s time for things to die.”

“I want to repeat one word for you. Leave. Roll the word around on your tongue for a bit. It’s a beautiful word, isn’t it? So strong and forceful, the way you’ve always wanted to be. And you’ll not be alone. You have never been alone. Don’t worry, everything will still be here when you get back. It is you who would have changed.”

“No, life can’t be understood flat on a page, it has to be lived, a person has to get out of his head, has to fall in love, has to memorize poems, has to jump off bridges into rivers, has to stand in an empty desert and whisper sonnets under his breath.”

“It’s a living book, this life. It folds out in a million settings, cast with a billion beautiful characters and it’s almost over for you. It doesn’t matter how old you are. It’s coming to a close quickly and soon the credits will roll and all of your friends will fold out of your funeral and drive back to their homes in cold, in still, in silence and they’ll make a fire, pour some wine and think about how you once were and feel a kind of sickness at the idea you never again will be.”

“And so my prayer is that your story would have involved some leaving and some coming home, some summer and some winter, some roses blooming out like children in a play. My hope is that your story will be about changing, about getting something beautiful born outside of you, about learning to love a man or a woman, about learning to love a child, about moving yourself around water, around mountains, around friends, about learning to love others more than we love ourselves, about learning oneness as a way of understanding God.”

“Everything is like a symphony if you think about it; birds are perfect and crickets come out of the wet woods like a choir...nature itself worked perfectly to calm the soul.”

“Life is a dance toward God... and the dance is not so graceful as we might want. While we glide and swing our practiced sway, God crowds our feet, bumps our toes, and scuffs our shoes.”

“There is nothing I’m missing. I have everything i was supposed to have to experience the magnitude of this story, to dance with God.”

“I guess I’m looking for what any guy is looking for. I want a companion, you know. Just someone to share life with. I want her to be my biggest fan and i want to be her biggest fan too. I want us to raise kids in a home where they know their parents are in love with each other, with them, and with God. I guess that’s all I want.”

“I want a friend, a true friend. Someone who knows me and loves me anyway. Like, when I’m through putting my best foot forward, she’s still there.”

“Real love doesn’t ask “what’s in it for me?” It just gives unconditionally, it just tries to take the weight out of somebody else’s pack, lessen his load and if it gets reciprocated, that’s great, but that isn’t what you did it for.”

“Don’t kick yourself around, if you can’t climb up out of a canyon real quick, just do it slow.”

“God made a whole beautiful earth and decided to put you in it, to experience all of this beauty. You can’t do that watching television all the time.”

“Life is not a story about me, but it’s told to me and I can be glad of that. I think that’s the why of life...to enjoy God.”

“Months ago I would have told you life was about doing, about jumping through religious hoops, about impressing people and my actions would have told you this is done by buying possessions or keeping a good image... but I don’t believe in that stuff anymore. I think we’re supposed to stand in deserts and marvel at how the sun rises. I think we’re supposed to sleep in meadows and watch stars dart across space and time. I think we’re supposed to love our friends and introduce people to the story, to the peaceful, calming why of life. I think life is spirituality.”

“If I ever get frustrated with life again, if I ever get into river deep debt, I will sell it all and move out into the woods, find some people who aren’t like me and learn to love them and do something even harder, let them love me. I will sleep beneath the stars and whisper “thank You” to the Creator of the universe as a way of reacquainting myself to an old friend, a friend who says you don’t have to be smart or good looking or religious or anything, you just have to cling to Him, love Him, need Him, and listen to Him while He tells His story.”

“Some things have to end, you know. I will be leaving soon and i want to feel this, really understand that it’s happening because God breathed some spark into mud that became us and He did it for a reason and I want to feel that reason, not some false explanation.”

"And if these mountains had eyes, they would wake to find two strangers in their fences, standing in admiration as a breathing red pours its tinge upon earth's shore. These mountains, which have seen untold sunrises, long to thunder praise but stand reverent, silent so that man's weak praise should be given God's attention."

"It's a wonder that those exposed to such beauty forfeit the great questions in the face of this miraculous evidence."

“I think again about this small period of grace, and thank God for it, that if only for a season I could feel the why of life, see it in the metaphor of light, in the endlessness of the cosmos, in the miracle of friendship. And had these mountains the ability to reason, perhaps they would contemplate the beauty of humanity and praise God for the miracle that each of us is, pondering the majesty of God and the wonder of man in one bewildering context. Their brows are rumpled even now and their arms are stretched toward heaven.”

Whew! (That’s a good whew, LOL) I’ve come to the end of the lengthy but lovely quotes from Through Painted Deserts. It’s such a good read and I love how the acoustic guitar plays in the background at the end of the final chapter. It ends on such a beautiful note that it even gets me teary-eyed (In a very good way.) I hope you enjoyed them and that you’ll read the book or better still get the free audio version right here. It’s a good read (have I mentioned that already) and you could listen to the audio book (all twenty-seven chapters) in a day. I personally didn’t want to consume all the yummy goodness in one day so I chose to listen to it in bits, over a number of days to let it all sink in. God bless Don’s kind heart for giving it away for no cost and for allowing others to go along on the journey with him through the mind’s eye. He sure has a way with words and he writes from a place of honesty and truth.

People travel all the time. Probably you do or you currently are. What I’m beginning to realize is that you could travel the entire world and it wouldn’t really mean anything until you travel with meaning, with the knowledge that God created all these magnificent things in life. Traveling should awaken us to the wonder of God and rekindle our love for Him. It should involve loving and sharing God’s truth to the people we meet along our journeys. Let’s always remember what Jesus said “And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength. The second is this, you shall love your neighbor as yourself. There is no other commandment greater than these.” Mark 12:30,31 In our everyday living, we should not lose focus on loving God and people. And if you love people, you would want to share God’s truth with them so that they get saved. So travel to enjoy God and love people along the way!
:)

 Jesus loves you. xoxo

Delali.

You Are More

Hi guys! I want to share a few words with you today. Sometimes less is more, right?! ;)

“You are more than where you have been. You are more than the mistakes of your past. You are more than the belittled expectations placed on you. You are more than how the world defines you. You are more than the doubts and fears that hold you bondage. You are more than what people think and say of you. Everything that seeks to define who you are, everything that tries to tell you what you’re worth, is nothing compared to the way your Creator defines you. You are more.” -Alessandra Ferguson

God’s Word says of you in 1 Peter 2:9 “But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.” 

“What manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God! Therefore the world does not know us because it did not know Him.” 1 John 3:1 

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.” 2 Corinthians 5:17 

“And you, being dead to your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He has made alive together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses, having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us. And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross.” Colossians 2:13-14

Dear friend, whenever you feel inadequate and the world hollers at you that you’re not good enough, please remember these words okay? Rest in the truth of who God says you are. Our identity is found only in Christ, so don’t let this world bring you down. Through it all, remember the unconditional love Jesus has for you. :) 

Have a meaningful day! xoxo

Your friend,

Delali.

Heartwarming Thoughts

Hi friends, I stumbled upon this heartwarming thought and I said to myself, why not share it on here?! I hope it resonates with how you feel sometimes deep within. 

“It took me years to be okay with how the world works. After months, I’ve finally realized that it’s okay to be sad when other people are happy. It’s okay to be happy when other people are sad. It took days for me to be okay with people leaving, for me to accept that that’s just the way life has to be at times. Sometimes the people we love leave, sometimes we only see that we loved them after they’re already gone. And after several hours, I’ve decided that I’m okay with that. This is the way things are. I’ve also realized that maybe, just maybe, the people that matter will never really leave. And I’m okay with that too.” – Unknown

I pray these verses soothe your soul wherever you may be and in whatever you may be going through. :)

“If the Lord had not been my help, my soul would soon have dwelt in the land of silence. When I thought, “My foot slips,” thy steadfast love, O Lord, held me up. When the cares of my heart are many, thy consolations cheer my soul.” Psalms 94:17-19

“Three times I besought the Lord about this, that it should leave me, but He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is made perfect in weakness.” I will all the more gladly boast of my weaknesses, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities; for when I am weak, then I am strong.” 2 Corinthians 12:8-10

“Remember not the former things, nor consider the things of old. Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.” Isaiah 43:18,19

Have a very lovely weekend and never forget that Jesus loves you so much... in the good, in the hurt, and everything in-between! XOXO  /bye

Delali.