music monday// giants fall

Isn’t it interesting how Job’s wife told him to curse God and die when God permitted the enemy to afflict Job? In the creamy, sunshiny years of abundance she basked in the provision of God but when trouble came she lost hope and decided to persuade Job to do same. We’ve got to be careful who we listen to when things are shaky in our lives. The enemy can use people close to us to work fear and helplessness into our hearts.

via

The mountain is gigantic, true. The pain is like torture, true. But don’t you dare give up. whatever pain you’re feeling now is way better than the fire and torment of hell. Even when it feels like hell, remember hell is far crazy and eternal than what you’re going through. the affliction now is only temporary, and the Lord will deliver.

Sometimes I feel too small and inadequate to do the things the Lord lays on my heart. You may have felt that too. But remember the thing with feelings. They are tricky. It’s one of the tools the enemy can easily use to rob us of victory. David didn’t have time to look at how small he was in comparison with goliath. His confidence didn’t come from himself at all. He rather dwelt on the power and strength of God. So clearly, we ought to focus on God’s confidence, His power, His ability through us.

 giants fall~ francisca battistelli

Everyone’s telling you

To let go of what you’re holding to

It’s too late, too far

You’re too small, it’s too hard

Throwing water on that spark

Living deep inside your heart

With oceans of reasons

The things you’re not seeing

But oh, maybe they don’t

Know what you know

That you’re not alone

Don’t you be afraid

Of giants in your way

With God you know that anything’s possible

So step into the fight

He’s right there by your side

The stones inside your hands might be small

But watch the giants fall

We could really live like this

Can’t you imagine it

So bold, so brave

With childlike faith

Miracles could happen

Mountains would start moving

So whatever you may face

Ask and believe

You’re gonna see

The hand of God in every little thing

Miracles can happen

Anything is possible

Watch the giants fall.

“the Lord will fight for you, you need only to be still.” Exodus 14:14

“david said to the philistine, ‘you come against me with sword and spear and javeline, but I come against you in the name of the Lord Almighty, the God of the armies of israel, whom you have defied.” 1 samuel 17:45

“reaching into his bag and taking out a stone, he slung it and struck the philistine on the forehead. The stone sank into his forehead, and he fell face down on the ground.” 1 samuel 17:49

You may be feeling inadequate because you see yourself as average or a plain jane. Please, don’t let your petite size, or looks fool you. You are made in the likeness of God, the Almighty! He does not called the qualified, He qualifies the called. You matter, your words matter, your gifts to serve people matter. Whatever He’s calling you to do, you can do it! and watch the giants and criticism fall.

xoxo, gen

Waiting in hope

Hi guys! So, I’ve been a lil MIA huh. Well, I’m here now. :)

For many years, I’ve waited. Waited on the Lord for His promises to take root in my life and bloom. Sometimes it seems as if it’s going to take forever for what I pray for to show up, while other times without a beat, God faithfully answers my silent prayers. (yeah, including the ones I'm too embarrassed to say. *facepalm*)

“But I will hope continually, and will yet praise thee more and more.” Psalm 71:14

I’ve prayed and waited for big things. Big things like...

Healing and good health when I was particularly ill some years ago. Like, weird, serious sick when the doctors couldn’t figure out what was wrong, and yet I miraculously got healed. Praise Jesus.

A change of heart on a particular night when I knelt in prayer & for real laid it all at Jesus’ feet and surrendered, as hot tears trickled down. I rededicated this life of mine back to its Creator, the one who knows best. The most important decision ever I’ve made is to accept Jesus as my very own sweet Savior. This is a daily wait, a daily dying to self as God purifies me & plucks out all the weeds in my heart.

Provision for school...for mission trips.

My sanity. (The kind of crazy I deal with aint easy, people!)

Good friendships... for a heart that refuses to give up on healthy, Godly friendships despite some of the rotten ones I’ve had. Aint cool when friendships end up being one-sided and, I don’t know about you but I don’t dig being the third wheel either. Ya feel me? It’s not friendship when they try to make you beg for their attention.

Good grades.

My undergraduate studies. I’m thankful I graduated successfully after four looong years!

 

“So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth;
It shall not return to Me void,
But it shall accomplish what I please, and it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it.” Isaiah 55:11

And I’ve waited and prayed for ‘little’ things like...

Not snoozing the alarm when it goes off and actually getting my sleepy self to rouse.

A good night’s rest.

The rain holding up on a day I forget my umbrella.

Getting a seat on the bus early, to avoid too much hassle.

Hoping the food i just ate isn't sticking in between my teeth. 

The soles of my shoes not wearing out too fast, cos God knows I do lotsss of walking lately, especially on work days. (I’m serious guys.)

And the list goes on...

As I’m thankful to God for answering most of my prayers, new prayers are making their way up to Him. And all I can do is wait. 

“But if we hope for what we see not, then do we with patience wait for it.” Romans 8:24

In this season of my life, God is reminding me to wait in hope. No matter how fast I wish and pray for my one year mandatory service of work to my country to end, I’ll just have to wait. Why do I want it to end you ask? Cos what I’m doing is not really my passion, and of course, the allowance is nothing to talk of. You can barely save from it. The government aint paying well for the hours I put in and it totally drives me nuts knowing that I could be somewhere else on the globe, and making more for the same amount of hours I’m putting in. It’s like my labour isn’t valued, and that’s.not.cool. So you see, low motivation right there. But like you wait for a convenient time to give in to that bad itch in that super awkward spot, I will wait and work as though I’m working for the Lord. This too shall pass.

“Rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation, continuing instant in prayer.” Romans 12:12

 

I’m praying big, adult prayers...I’m trusting God, like reaaallly trusting Him to honor the prayers I pray for my Godly man. I’m waiting in hope, leaving God to write out my love story, believing that at His right and perfect time, the man He knows deserves my heart will come and really pursue me, and I wouldn’t have to compete or beg for his love. I’m trusting that wherever on this earth he may be, our paths and stories will intertwine in God’s time. Because really, in God’s time, He makes ALL things beautiful. It may seem like a fantasy or even wishful thinking to believe that a man who loves Jesus with all His heart exists and is somewhere also waiting to meet me, to love on me, but it’s oh, so real. I’m walking by faith, not by sight so...

 I will wait in hope.

“Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” Hebrews 11:1

For all the dreams & plans I have for my future, I’m leaving the details to my Father, whose thoughts are higher and waayyyy better than mine. I’m in safe hands. 

“Blessed is the man that trusts in the Lord, and whose hope is the Lord. For he shall be like a tree planted by the waters, which spreads out its roots by the river, and will not fear when heat comes; but its leaf will be green, and will not be anxious in the year of drought, nor will cease from yielding fruit.” Jeremiah 17:7,8

The wait isn’t easy. The wait is tough, it’s hard, scary even. But it’s going to be so SO worth it.

And like John Waller rightfully says,

I will serve You while I’m waiting,
I will worship while I’m waiting.

Wait on the Lord. xoxo 

Delali.

New Year, New You?

So it’s a new year ...again and most of us have decided on some changes that need to be made in our lives. These changes could be in the area of how we are, our attitudes, our spiritual lives, careers, education, relationships, health and the list goes on. We’re all determined to make the best out of this New Year and that’s a good thing.

Some map out things that are attainable within their capacities while some people get so carried away with all the excitement and make over the top goals that do not look close to reality. It’s good to make changes and want to be better. And yet some don’t even make an attempt to set goals for the year because they have this mentality that people never really change and that’s a rather sad and pessimistic way of thinking because change, and I mean good change does really happen. With such mentality such people find it difficult to embrace anything good because their minds are in this dark, gloomy place and their attitude can unfortunately dim the hopes of others who genuinely want to change for the better. To the cynics and pessimists out there, stop believing and spreading that lie that people can't change, because they do change by the grace and help of God.

A new year does not mean you automatically transform into this whole new person in a blink of an eye or achieve all these things you want in the year without any hitches here and there. No, that’s some fantasy. In fact for the new year I didn’t get me a new hairdo or some new look. I look like the same ol’ me but I have a renewed mind. Moreover, the only sure time we will change in a twinkling of an eye is at the sound of the trumpet. 1 Corinthians 15:51,52. So till then let’s keep working on sticking to our plans for that change that we so desire because change can happen when we are deliberate and conscious about it.

A new year gives all humanity a whole new slate to write on, it’s a chance to somehow get it right this time. Change can be a gradual and stressful process and needs utmost commitment. We shouldn’t expect any of our plans to see fruition when we’re still so lazy, making excuses and keep postponing things we ought to do.

We start the year with so much energy and enthusiasm but as the days slowly pass by, that fire and passion slowly dies out. You may be wondering why. Well have you spoken with God about the plans you have? And what did He say? God speaks to us through His Word. 2 Peter 1:3 says “His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence.”  So are your plans for the year in accordance with the Bible? Are they godly plans or a bunch of selfish, ungodly goals? God put us on this earth for specific purposes so we must seek Him and be sure what we plan is endorsed by Him. “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.” Ephesians 2:10

We must not lose that passion we commence the year with. We must keep it burning anew each day. A vision board might as well help you focus on these plans. Here's my vision board for the year.

I don’t want to be getting mad all the time so I write boldly “SLOW TO ANGER”. Also, I want to learn how to drive this year (I know, I’m such a late bloomer, lol better late than never.) So in view of that, I put an image of a car on my vision board. I've also decided to write and blog more often this year in working towards being a professional writer soon so I put there “Writer”. Seeing these visual representations of my goals helps me remember what I need to be doing. If you’ve not yet come up with any goals, do some soul searching and find what you really need to do this year. It’s not too late, you can create your own vision board too, plus we’re only a week into the New Year. :-)

We must continually pray about our goals throughout the year and ask God for the strength to stay on track. We must be patient in Christ for all that we pray for. “Yet those who wait for the LORD will gain new strength; They will mount up with wings like eagles, They will run and not get tired, They will walk and not become weary.” Isaiah 40:31 Lets not try to do it all by our strengths but rather put all our hope, dreams and goals in the Lord.

Don’t be like Nahor who didn’t even start the journey to Canaan by being all pessimistic about change. Don’t be like Terah who stopped midway in the journey because he got into a comfortable zone. Don’t be like Lot who strayed from the right path because the beauty of the Jordan valley caught his eye when they were so close to stepping into Canaan that he decided to settle in Sodom where there were wicked men and great sinners. But rather be steadfast to your goals like Abram (later Abraham) who obeyed God and stayed committed to the journey and in return God was faithful and gave all that land to he and his descendants. Genesis verse 11:31,32; verses 12 and 13.

We must not expect God to turn our lives around when we fail to do our part. He’s ever willing to help you but are you willing to sacrifice time to help you? Are you going to stay new throughout the New Year?

Jesus loves you for real. xxx

Delali.