thursday tunes//I am no victim

hey, hey, hey, lovely humans! :)

although its only been a couple of months i've been away from this space it feels like forever since i spilled some of the sunshiny, colorful words Father has given to my care for you here.

it's not a monday nor a tuesday but who says i can't share a song on a thursday? hihihihi

 so this evening, i came across this song and in a few seconds it got me hooked.

it spoke to me so much that i just had to share. :)

 enjoy!

I am no victim~bethel music

I am no victim

I live with a vision

I'm covered by the force of love

Covered in my Savior's blood

I am no orphan

I'm not a poor man

The Kingdom's now become my own

And with the King I've found a home

He's not just reviving, not simply restoring

greater things have yet to come

greater things have yet to come

He is my Father

I do not wonder

If His plans for me are good

If He'll come through like He should

'Çause He is provision and enough wisdom

To usher in my brightest days

To turn my mourning into praise

He's not just reviving, not simply restoring

greater things have yet to come

greater things have yet to come

I am who He says I am

He is who He says He is

I'm defined by all His promises

Shaped by every word He says

I am no victim

I live with a vision

I'm covered by the force of love

Covered in my Savior's blood

I am no orphan

I'm not a poor man

The Kingdom's now become my own

And with the King I have a home

it took a while for me to come to this powerful understanding. I AM NOT A VICTIM!

no matter what I've had to painfully endure because of other people's terrible mistakes and poor life choices, no matter how their choking words have pierced my heart, i refuse to see myself as a victim and live with a victim mentality.

why? because I believe I have my loving Father in heaven and He cares about me, He adores me, He wants me, He loves me even when people I thought were best in displaying His love for me treat me with such absurdity, cruelty and shove me aside with their unbelievably cold and hurtful words and silently loud actions.

i've had to endure some things these past months that have left me wondering and questioning and just trying to really understand how some folks who say they are Christian leaders could say and do certain things that arr so way out of line as the leaders they say they are.

and after much introspection and lots of time spent with the Lord i've finally reached that understanding that ever human walking the surface of the earth is a broken cistern. no matter how 'good' of a person they are or pose to be and no human or thing could ever fill the void in the human heart. only God through Jesus Christ His Son and the power of His Holy Spirit can do that if we believe.

 i've come to the point where i've stopped looking forward to any human loving me perfectly as my Father in heaven does. His approval of me is enough for me and His love is all i've ever needed. and sometimes He uses humans who allow themselves to be the physical extension of His love to show me His care and love like one loving and thoughtful uncle I have in australia but not even he could ever love me perfectly as my Father in heaven.

i won't deny the yearning of  enjoying being part of a loving and peaceful home. but till then, i'm thankful for the beautiful glimpses Father God gives me of His amazing promises to me on earth and in Heaven. i am grateful for the short and sweet experiences He gives me as i taste what it is like to be loved by a set of humans i can call family who make me feel like i belong. as brief as those moments are, i cherish them.

i am grateful.

 i understand my Father God better now.

i understand myself better now, 

and i understand other humans better now and why they can be so unstable and cold, and hurtful and mean and insecure and envious and how it drives them to do the unthinkable.

i understand why i love anne of green gables and akeelah and the bee so much too. :D

my Father in Heaven has promised me that He has not left me as an orphan. He is right here with me through His Holy Spirit.

as i yield myself to Him, and obey Him and deeply depend on Him, i'm good to go!

it's true, we're all searching and looking to be loved.

i've stopped my search, thank God!!!

i am now the one allowing myself to be the vessel to pour my Father's love and hope into little hearts that are hungry for love and affection. hearts that are desperate to be seen, known, loved.

so no. i am not a victim!

i am a victor through my Jesus Christ!

i am more than a conqueror through Him who loves me.

i refuse to be the hurt who keeps hurting others.

i put an end to that demonic cycle.

i am not a victim.

 i am LOVED!

I don't know what you have endured in your journey till now, i don't know what you are currently enduring but what i do know is if you believe in Jesus, you are no longer an orphan left in this cold, difficult world. You are His child now, so stop striving to be loved. stop looking for love in all the wrong places. stop thinking God created you to suffer on your on in this life.

He sees you, He knows you! He wants you to stop striving. 

He wants you to accept His love (Jesus) and all that comes with Him as a gift to you.

just believe.

It's really worth it.

i have tasted and seen that He is good! :)

Psalm 68:5 says, “Father of the fatherless and protector of widows, is God in his holy habitation.”

Deuteronomy 10:18 says, “He ensures that orphans and widows receive justice. He shows love to the foreigners living among you and gives them food and clothing.”

Psalm 10:14 says, “But you, God, see the trouble of the afflicted. You consider their grief and take it in hand. The victims commit themselves to you; you are the helper of the fatherless.”

"I will not leave you as orphans. I will come to you." ~ Jesus // John 14:18

"Let us acknowledge the Lord, let us press on to acknowledge Him. As surely as the sun rises, He will appear, He will come to us like the winter rains, like the spring rains that water the earth. " ~ hosea 6:3

you are not a victim.

you are loved! :)

delali,

xoxo.

music monday// well done

i know very well that my life on earth here is a journey, a pilgrimage, a non-competitive race, yet an important marathon still. and there's a prize- eternal, unending number of days in the beautiful presence and light of God in heaven. and sometimes the troubles of this life and its fruitless worldly pursuits try to obliterate, blot out my hope and the precious knowledge of this prize. the cares of this world try to derail me of my purpose as a pilgrim, traveler in this world to show forth the praises of Jesus who called me out of darkness into His marvelous light, to love God and people, to share the Good News of the salvation of Jesus with others through the unique and specific abilities and giftings the Lord has placed in me. 

via

and when encouragement to finish this journey well floats to me like a song, and weaves into my heart like a story, i smile and get a new surge of determination to keep moving forward towards my Home. my real, forever home- Heaven. that's what this song brings me- encouragement towards the upward call. and i hope you find it too.

i'm gonna share some words that stuck out to me in the story that goes with the song...(find the video of the story here.)

...and she said, "when i stopped and looked up, all i could see was the fog. but if i could have just seen the land, i think i could have made it. 

to me[moriah], that is a beautiful picture of heaven. so many things that we go through here on earth-all the struggles, all the distractions- it's like a thick fog that's between where we are here and where we're going to be. my prayer and what i'm hoping to do through studying scripture, praying, and seeking the Lord is to cause that fog to slowly lift so i can begin to get a tiny glimpse of what heaven's going to be like. i hope that this song, well done encourages you to put your hope in heaven and to continue to run this race to hear those beautiful words being spoken from afar that, "well done, My good and faithful servant."

well done~ moriah peters

i'm headed down this narrow road, chosen by a few

and all that i know is You told me to follow You.

i'm taking a risk and leaving it all, not knowing what i'll go through

but i'm not alone as long as i follow You.

so when my life's a leap of faith, i can hear You say, well done, well done.

i'm gonna chase You, Lord. i'm gonna show the world Your love, whoa.

i'll run, i'll run. i'm gonna run this race to hear You say well done.

if people walk with me, talk with me, looking for truth

they're gonna find out soon.

if they're following me, then they're gonna follow You.

so let my life speak loud and clear. Lord, i wanna hear, well done, well done.

i'm gonna chase You, Lord. i'm gonna show the world Your love, whoa.

i'll run, i'll run. i'm gonna run this race to hear You say well done.

i'm so glad that i get to serve You, Lord.

You're the only one i'm living for, whoa.

and i'm gonna run straight into Your open arms

i'm gonna follow You with my whole heart, whoa, whoa.

well done, well done.

i'm gonna chase You, Lord. i'm gonna show the world Your love, whoa.

i'll run, i'll run. i'm gonna run this race to hear You say well done.

i'm gonna run this race to hear You say well done.

i'm gonna run this race to hear You say well done.

well done.

"do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. but store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." matthew 6:19-21

"enter through the narrow gate. for wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. but small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it." matthew 7:13-14

" 'His master replied, 'well done, good and faithful servant! you have been faithful with a few things, I will put you in charge of many things. come and share your master's happiness!' " matthew 25:21

"but whatever were gains to me i now consider loss for the sake of Christ. what is more, i consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake i have lost all things. i consider them garbage, that i may gain Christ and be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ...but one thing i do: forgetting what is behind and straining towards what is ahead, i press on towards the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenwards in Christ Jesus." philippians 3:7-9;13-14

"do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? run in such a way as to get the prize. everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. they do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last for ever. therefore, i do not run like someone running aimlessly, i do not fight like a boxer beating the air. no, i strike a blow to my body[a daily dying to self-saying no carnal pleasures/sin] and make it my slave[subjecting thoughts and actions to the obedience of Christ] so that after i have preached to others, i myself will not be disqualified for the prize." 1 corinthians 9:24-27

"therefore, since we are surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. for the joy that was set before Him He endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. consider Him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart." hebrews 12:1-3

i pray that you, yes you, reading this will not lose sight of heaven as you walk with the Lord to accomplish your purpose on this earth. i pray you don't lose hope when life gets messy and hard. i pray you get to fully know the specific talents, abilities and spiritual gifts God has given you, and i pray you choose to use them to honor only Him by using them in a specific, unique way to share the Gospel, the Good News of Christ to a dying world. i pray you finish this journey on earth really well and relish in your heavenly reward of eternal life + you get to hang out with the hero of your story-Jesus! the super loving, caring man to ever walk the face of this earth! ahhh, the best life ever! :)

xoxo, gen delali.

music monday// lighthouse

this song echoes the urgency i need to have as a Christian to not slumber on my duty to proclaim Christ as i pass through this earth to my heavenly home. it's a wake up call to all of us.

via

lighthouse~anthem lights

like ships bound for shipwreck most people just simply drift along

and miss their destination without knowing anything is wrong.

no direction and without a care

feels so good and then you're lost out there.

don't you remember how it felt till someone showed you the way?

it's up to you, it's up to me to be the lighthouse

they should know they're not alone.

so shine so they can see the lighthouse and find their way back home.

tragically we've forgotten the reason we're even here at all

worse still, we remember, it's just that we feel so comfortable

do we notice? do we even care? all the people that are lost out there

so climb to the highest point, scream in your loudest voice

there's a Lifeline waiting for you

strike up the brightest fire, fan the flames and let it burn

just let it burn, the world is waiting.

"you are the light. 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 5:14-16

"for we are God's handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do." ephesians 2:10

so what are we screaming on the highest point with our words and our lifestyle? 

"for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and all are justified freely by His grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus." romans 3:23

"if we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness." 1 john 1:9

"Jesus answered, 'I am the way and the truth and the life. no one comes to the Father except through me." john 14:6 

we are proclaiming that

"if you declare with your mouth, 'Jesus is Lord,' and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved." romans 10:9

we are proclaiming God's greatest commands 

"Jesus replied: 'love your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' this is the first and greatest commandment. and the second is like it:'love your neighbor as yourself.' all the law and the prophets hang on these two commandments." matthew 22:37-40

how do we love God? 

"Jesus replied, 'anyone who loves me will obey my teaching. My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them. anyone who does not love me will not obey my teaching. these words you hear are not my own, they belong to the Father who sent me.' " john 14:23-24

we are declaring the importance of living out the great commission of exalting Christ among all unreached peoples of the world.

"then Jesus came to them and said, 'all authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. and surely, I am with you always, to the very end of the age.' " matthew 28:18-20

dear Christ follower, let's not get too comfortable on this earth, knowing that we have an all important task to fulfill here wherever we find ourselves-home, school, work, vacation-everywhere. let's reflect Jesus, the Light of the world. dear unbeliever, i love you, i do. and God loves you wayyy more. i pray you come to believe in His Son, Jesus and walk closely with Him before it's too late. 

when we pass on, there are two places our souls will go to-heaven or hell. a life with Jesus leads to heaven. choose wisely.

xoxo, gen delali.