music monday// finish what He started

so, the year is wrapping up in a couple of days, and maybe you were hoping for certain things to happen this year, but perhaps things didn't quite turn out like you hoped. well, if the desires on your heart are the very desires of God for your life and He placed them in your heart, then surely, He has an appointed time for His plans to unfold in your life. 

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this year has been a re-routing of my plans. Daddy stepped in and led me to His plans. i had to let go of my will and submit to His will for me. and it isn't as if my will was bad, no. but it was still not the sure, original plan He had in mind for me even before i was conceived. it's been a hard season of adjusting and waiting. He's been reminding me to make full use of certain gifts He's given me, and He's been drawing me to Himself so much more in this season, and placed some adorable lil' people in my life to love on.

i know, oh, i know that His plans are farrr better than my wildest dreams, knowing that the highest form of holiness is the release of my will to Him.(remember before the cross when Jesus prayed- 'My Father if it is possible, may this cup be taken from Me. yet not as I will, but as You will'? yurp.--matthew 26:39) and i know that i will be more fulfilled in what He's leading me to. so, i'm choosing to dream the dreams of my Father.

i know that whatever good work He has started in me, He is going to see to it that every single word He has spoken to me will become a reality. He has His perfect timing which is not necessarily my timing. He is faithful and i will see His goodness, and twirl in His bliss. i'm a change in the making.

finish what He started~ mercyme

i don't have to know you to know that you will go through hard times, it's just part of life

don't let that moment blind you, and don't let it define you.

take heart, that's not who you are.

our God is able, more than capable to be faithful to the end.

He'll finish what He started.

no matter what you've done, grace comes like a flood

there's grace to carry on, He'll finish what He started.

no matter what you face, His mercy will not change.

He's with you all the way, He'll finish what He started.

remember you're forgiven, so there's no need to give in

to the lie that you're disqualified.

this work He started in you now, He's faithful to complete it,

the promise was sealed when He cried out "it is finished!"

He'll finish what He started.

"...being confident of this, that He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus." philippians 1:6

"many are saying of me, 'God will not deliver him.' but You, Lord, are a shield around me, my glory, the One who lifts my head high." psalm 3:2-3

"...but He said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is made perfect in weakness...' " 2 corinthians 12:9

 "when He had received the drink, Jesus said, 'it is finished.'..." john 19:30

" 'blessed is she who has believed that the Lord would fulfil His promises to her!' " luke 1:45

"the One who calls you is faithful, and He will do it." 1 thessalonians 5:24

"so is My word that goes out from my mouth: it will not return to Me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it." isaiah 55:11

"now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us, to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! amen." ephesians 3:20

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His seemingly 'delay' is not His denial. no matter how cruel 2014 has been, you are still alive, breathing, with purpose thumping in your heart, and Love coursing through your veins. Daddy is a faithful Father. let His wave of hope wash over you. He will lovingly swipe away our shame and lift our heads. ask Him what He's up to in your life and be in hopeful anticipation for what He's going to do in your life this coming new year. 

to all my 'silent' readers and not-so-silent readers, thanks for tuning in this year. i'm thankful for all the lovely bloggers i came across this year. i love the way you guys show Jesus!

 2014, you and i, we've had our ups and downs but it's time to say goodbye. bye, 2014!

'see' you guys in the new year! :)

xoxo, gen delali.

music monday// o holy night

giddy with the Christmas spirit yet? i bet! today's song is one of my favorite Christmas songs of all time. it's emotive, soulful and points to no one else but Jesus, our Savior!

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o holy night~ kerrie roberts

o holy night, the stars are brightly shining,

it is the night of our dear Savior's birth.

long lay the world in sin and error pining,

'til He appeared and the soul felt its worth.

a thrill of hope, the weary world rejoices

for yonder breaks a new and glorious morn.

fall on your knees, oh, hear the angel voices

o night divine, o night, when Christ was born.

o night divine, o night, o night divine.

chains He shall break, for the slave is our brother

and in His name all oppression shall cease

sweet hymns of joy in grateful chorus raise we 

let all within us praise His holy name

Christ is the Lord

then ever, ever praise we

noel, noel, o night, o night divine

noel, noel, o night, o night divine.

o night divine, o night, when Christ was born.

o night divine, o night, o night divine.

there were a number of prophecies that God gave to His people years and years before Jesus was born to fulfill them all. here are some of those prophecies in the old testament:

"therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: the virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call Him Immanuel." isaiah 7:14

"for to us a child is born, and the government will be on His shoulders. and He will be called Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. of the greatness of His government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David's throne and over His Kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and for ever. the zeal of the Lord Almighty will accomplish this." isaiah 9:6-7

"a shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse; from his roots a Branch will bear fruit. the Spirit of the Lord will rest on Him- the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding, the Spirit of counsel and of might, the Spirit of the knowledge and fear of the Lord- and He will delight in the fear of the Lord.." isaiah 11:1-3

" 'but you, bethlehem ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of judah, out of you will come for Me one who will be ruler over israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times.' " micah 5:2

the fulfillment of the prophecies are found in these scriptures in the new testament:

"but after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, 'joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. she will give birth to a son, and you are to give Him the name Jesus, because He will save His people from their sins.' " matthew 1:20-21

"while they were there, the time came for the Baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a Son. she wrapped Him in cloths and placed Him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them." luke 2:6-7

"suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God saying, 'glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom His favor rests.'...so they (shepherds) hurried off and found mary and joseph, and the Baby, who was lying in the manger. when they had seen Him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about the Child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them." luke 2:13, 14,16-18

"on coming to the house, they(wise men) saw the Child with His mother mary, and they bowed down and worshipped Him. they they opened their treasures and presented Him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh." matthew 2:11

"on the eighth day, when it was time to circumcise the Child, He was named Jesus, the name the angel had given Him before He was conceived." luke 2:21

"the Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us. we have seen His glory, the glory of the One and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth." john 1:14

just like the wise men and shepherds, we have every reason to worship our Savior and be full of joy and love for Him and people, and celebrate that He was born to save us from our sinful nature, to reconcile us back to God, our Father, and to give us eternal life spent with Him! nothing should hold us back from sharing the truth of Jesus with people, especially in this season.

it's all about Jesus Christ, not the christmas tree or decorations, sparkly gifts or the delicacies. it's all about the most important gift ever!- Jesus and His gift of eternal life, which by the way is totally freeee! simply believe in Him, confess your sins, invite Him into your heart and choose to obey Him each day. 

a merry and meaningful Christmas to you!  :)

xoxo, gen delali.

music monday// light up the sky

sometimes we go through some things, and we yearn for a sign from God to assure us that we are really not alone. and sometimes this yearning is a whisper in prayer, or a thought running round in our minds, hoping that He will do something, give us some sign that He is with us.

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and the truth is, He is always with us. even if we don't see the 'sign' we ask for. He is as sure as the sun. He is the sunshine in your hair, the wispy cloud in the sky, the cool, afternoon breeze softly touching your face. God is everywhere. His beautiful creation testify that He is. something cannot come out of nothing, and creation attest to this that He is the Creator, He is the very breath within us. and He is always with us.

i've always loved this song. enjoy!

light up the sky~ the afters

when i'm feeling all alone, with so far to go,

the signs are no where on this road, guiding me home,

when the night is closing in, is falling on my skin

oh, God will You come close.

light, light, light up the sky

You light up the sky to show me You are with me

i, i, i can't deny, no, i can't deny that You are right here with me

You've opened my eyes, so i can see You all around me

You light, light, light up the sky, 

You light up the sky to show me, that You are with me

when stars are hiding in the clouds, i don't feel them shining

when i can't see beyond my doubt, the silver lining

when i've almost reached the end,

like a flood You're rushing in. Your love is rushing in..

so i run straight into Your arms,

You're the bright morning sun

to show Your love there's nothing You won't do.

have i not commanded you? be strong and courageous. do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go." joshua 1:9

"...its truth is seen in Him and in you, because the darkness is passing and the true Light is already shining." 1 john 2:8

"when Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, 'I am the light of the world. whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life." john 8:12

"the Lord is my light and my salvation- whom shall i fear? the Lord is the stronghold of my life- of whom shall i be afraid?" psalm 27:1

"those who look to Him are radiant; their faces are never covered with shame." psalm 34:5

"i lift up my eyes to the mountains- where does my help come from? my help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth." psalm 121:1-2

"...and surely I (Jesus) am with you always, to the very end of the age." matthew 28:20

He is not just with you, empathizing with you, but He is actively involved in weaving your pain and heartache into something beautiful. be encouraged, friend.

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.

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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.

music monday// nothing is wasted

i knoww, it's tuesday, not monday. ;) connection problems.

welp! so, today i'm sharing a story and a song that have a dear place in my heart.

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story// no wasted pieces: a tourist strolling through a european village stopped to observe a master craftsman of gold filigreed porcelain.

he watched as the craftsman took one of his loveliest pieces, an exquisite vase, and carefully examined it. after a few minutes, a faint smile of satisfaction touched the corners of the artist's mouth.

the workmanship was perfect. the size and form were just right; the artwork, intricate and delicate. then, to the horror of the tourist, the craftsman picked up a hammer and smashed it into a thousand pieces.

"why" cried the stunned man when he finally retrieved his breath. "why did you do that?"

the craftsman looked at the tourist and explained. "you see, my friend," he said, "the value of this vase is not in its perfection. not in the artwork, not in its form or shape- as lovely as these may be. no, the value lies in the fact that i am now going to put these pieces back together again. with gold!"

so it is with our lives. the value of our lives lies not in our perceived perfections or lack of them...not in what we've done or left undone...not in how hard we've worked...not in our efforts, as sincere as they may be...not in the hope that we'll get a second chance to redeem ourselves. no, the value of our lives lies in the fact that God wastes nothing. He takes all the pieces of our lives, even the imperfect, shattered fragments, and puts them back together again with His blood, which is infinitely more precious than gold.

by gigi graham tchividjian from currents of the heart

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nothing is wasted~ jason gray

the hurt that broke your heart, and left you trembling in the dark, 

feeling lost and alone

will tell you hope's a lie, but what if every tear you cry 

will seed the ground where joy will grow

nothing is wasted, nothing is wasted

in the hands of our Redeemer

nothing is wasted.

it's from the deepest wounds that beauty finds a place to bloom

and you will see before the end,

that every broken piece is gathered in the heart of Jesus,

and what's lost will be found again.

when hope is more than you can bear

and it's too hard to believe it could be true.

and your strength fails you half way there,

you can lean on me and i'll believe for you

and in time, you will believe it too.

nothing is wasted, nothing is wasted

sometimes we are waiting in sorrow we have tasted

but joy will replace it.

nothing is wasted in the hands of our Redeemer,

nothing is wasted.

"but He knows the way that i take; when He has tested me, i shall come forth as gold." job 23:10

"and we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose." romans 8:28

"you intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives" genesis 50:20

"no temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. and God is faithful; He will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. but when you are tempted, He will also provide a way out so that you can endure it." 1 corinthians 10:13

"do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. and the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." philippians 4:6-7

"...weeping may endure for the night, but joy comes in the morning." psalm 30:5

i'll be the first to shoot my hand up if asked and admit that i've been through, and still going through some things that i don't understand. maybe you're going through some sticky, messy times and what you see with your eyes may make you feel or think that God has abandoned you. nope. He hasn't. never once does He leave His beloved children. 

whatever test it is, keep seeking Him through it. use your eyes of faith to keep believing in His promises of deliverance. God is too faithful not to bring an end to your present struggle! you might think your time and resources are being wasted in your circumstances or that the pain is too much. do not lose hope. you are being refined for something great ahead. and you will celebrate. :)

xoxo, gen delali.

music monday// give me Your eyes

after i confessed with my mouth that Jesus is my Savior and believed it in my heart of hearts, i was transferred from the kingdom of darkness to the brilliant Kingdom of Jesus. and that was the cue for Holy Spirit to come into my heart and take me through the process of sanctification. i have been saved by grace [undeserved favor] alone. God expected me from then to gradually start bearing the fruit of Holy Spirit.  

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"He saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of His 

mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that, having been justified by His grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life." titus 3:5-7

now, out of Daddy's great measure of love for me, i'm compelled to bear fruit, good fruit. and this is seen through the actions i take, what i do. so, i do not work for grace, but i work from grace. God's love, His salvation compels me to die to my selfish nature and get out of my little world even when i don't feel like it and display His love- share the Good News of the salvation of Jesus, feed the hungry, clothe the naked, support projects that provide clean water to people who walk miles and miles for water which isn't even that clean...His love within me compels me to be empathetic to the plight of people and be moved to action.

our prayer should be that our hearts break for what breaks His, to see and hear the people in despair and be His hands and feet to them by doing something to help. how wonderful it'll be if we ask Him to show us how people are really feeling deep down, beneath the facade so we can speak Truth into them. i bet many suicides, self-abuse and horrible choices would be avoided. are you paying attention to that friend, that co-worker, that stranger in the coffee shop? is there something God is showing you? i hope you see and move to action.

give me Your eyes ~ brandon heath

look down from a broken sky, traced out by the city lights

my world from a mile high, best seat in the house tonight.

touch down on the cold black top, hold on for the sudden stop

breathe in the familiar shock of confusion and chaos,

all those people going somewhere. why have i never cared?

give me Your eyes for just one second

give me Your eyes so i can see everything that i keep missing

give me Your love for humanity 

give me Your arms for the broken-hearted the ones  that are far beyond my reach

give me Your heart for the ones forgotten

give me Your eyes so i can see.

yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

step out on a busy street, see a girl and our eyes meet,

does her best to smile at me to hide what's underneath.

there's a man just to her right, black suit and a bright red tie,

too ashamed to tell his wife he's out of work, he's buying time.

i've been here a million times, a couple of million eyes

just move and pass me by i swear i never thought that i was wrong.

i need a second glance, give me a second chance

to see the way You see the people all along.

"suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. if one of you says to them, 'go in peace; keep warm and well fed,' but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it? in the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead." james 2:15-17

"you see that a person is considered righteous by what they do and not by faith alone...as the body without the Spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead." james 2:24,26

"but the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control." galatians 5:22-23

"and whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him." colossians 3:17

i hope you see what God shows you, i hope you hear the silent cries of many wounded people around you, i hope you put yourself in the shoes of others and try to feel what they go through, feel the desperation in their hearts. but it doesn't end there. i hope you are compelled to do something. 

let's bear the fruit of Holy Spirit. :)

xoxo, gen delali.

music monday// somebody like me

i would be the first to admit that i have the tendency to be judgmental. sometimes i get into the ditch of judging before i realize what i'm actually doing, thanks to Holy Spirit convicting me. so this is not me trying to be all miss perfect and holiest of holy. this is me calling out my sin and challenging myself and you to be more mindful of how we react towards people who are neck deep, drenched into the bog of sin.

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we must be the bigger person and let the love of Jesus inside of us move us into action by helping folks to come into repentance. the gathering of Christians should be the last place where people struggling with sin should feel judged and condemned. the church is where spiritually sick people go for healing so why do we sometimes condemn people with our sharp looks and gossip/slander? we only drive people who need Jesus away when we wrap ourselves with such attitude.

Jesus has called me to be a friend to sinners and help them get to know Him personally. however, i must remember that bad company corrupts good character. so where do i draw the line? i believe i can build a healthy friendship with those who don't really know Jesus and help them see Truth but make sure they are not the ones influencing me to go astray from Jesus. i must remember that the people i surround myself with consistently, my close friends should be people passionately chasing after Jesus as i am. but this also does not mean i ignore people God places in my path to influence and show His love to.

God is the only One with the right to condemn/judge a sinner, not me or you. but it doesn't mean i should look on unconcerned when i see someone going down with sin. the Word teaches me to correct [not condemn] people in love. the way i call out the sin in others, the tone i use matters. if we correct in a judgmental, harsh, condemning manner how can the person in sin be willing to change for Jesus? they're likely to rather become angry, bitter and feel unloved and walk farther and farther away from people who are supposed to be radiating with the love of Jesus and go seek comfort in their sins/wrong company. and the viscous cycle continues until someone like me decides to be brave and really reach out to the 'unlovable' and be the hands and feet of Jesus to them.

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how would you feel and where would you be if Jesus held your sins against you and decided not to come and die to take away your sins? you and i would be doomed if He didn't love us enough to forever cleanse us from our sins.

this song convicts me so much! see how the little boy was ready to reach out to the old drunken man? oh, how Jesus is so right about how we need to be like children to enter into the kingdom of Heaven!

somebody like me ~ jason crabb

the congregation parted like the red sea when that old drunk stumbled in down

the aisle and took a seat right in the middle of amazing grace.

he could feel the judgement they were passing,

thought to himself 'aint that just how some folks acting.'

he'd rather be on the street than in this place and with tears on his face

you'd think somebody would put their arm around him

you'd think somebody would hit a knee, pull him in, say a prayer,

that's what i'm talking 'bout right there.

you'd think somebody would practice what they're preaching.

well, i wonder who that somebody could be.

prob'ly somebody like me.

well, he's got problems nobody wants a part of.

when he got up and slipped out nobody stood up.

they don't wanna make a scene so they let him walk outta there without a prayer

you'd think somebody would do something different

you'd think somebody would go against the grain,

be the one to run him down, bring him back and turn him around.

you'd think somebody would wanna make a difference.

well, i wonder who that somebody could be.

prob'ly somebody like me.

oh, can i get a witness? somebody, somebody. oooh yeah.

you'd think somebody would put their arm around him

you'd think somebody would hit a knee, pull him in, say a prayer,

yeah, ooh

you'd think somebody would put their arm around him

you'd think somebody would hit a knee, pull him in, say a prayer,

that's what i'm talking 'bout right there.

you'd think somebody would want to make a difference

well, i wonder who that somebody could be.

prob'ly somebody like me.

"and if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? do not even pagans do that?" matthew 5:47

"'a new command I give you: love one another. as I have loved you, so you must love one another. by this everyone will know that you are My disciples, if you love one another.' " john 13:34-35

"while Jesus was having dinner at matthew's house, many tax collectors and sinners came and ate with Him and His disciples. when pharisees saw this, they asked His disciples, 'why does your Teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?' on hearing this, Jesus said, 'it is not the healthy who need a doctor, but those who are ill. but go and learn what this means: "I desire mercy, not sacrifice." for I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.' " matthew 9:10-13

"do to others as you would have them do to you. if you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? even sinners love those who love them. and if you do good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you? even sinners do that." luke 6:31-33

"instead, speaking the Truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of Him who is the head, that is, Christ." ephesians 4:15

"do not judge, and you will not be judged. do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. forgive, and you will be forgiven." luke 6:37

"if we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. if we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. if we claim we have not sinned, we make Him out to be a liar and His Word is not in us." 1 john 1:8-10

"then i acknowledged my sin to You and did not cover up my iniquity. i said, 'i will confess my transgressions to the Lord.' and You forgave the guilt of my sin.' " psalm 32:5

"whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. for whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen." 1 john 4:20

"when they kept on questioning Him, He [Jesus] straightened up and said to them, 'let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her' [adulteress.] again He stooped down and wrote on ground. at this, those who heard began to go away one at a time, the older ones first, until only Jesus was left, with the woman still standing there. Jesus straightened up and asked her, 'woman, where are they? has no one condemned you?' 'no one, Sir,' she said. 'then neither do i condemn you,' Jesus declared. 'go now and leave your life of sin.' john 8: 7-11

let's ask Jesus to help us carry Him to people who are broken and need the Hope tucked within us, to learn how to love people who are lost and at the same time to have the wisdom to know how to properly relate with them so we don't end up being influenced to go astray from Him.

xoxo, gen delali.