Yesterday my pastor spoke a LIT message on offense. What he said really spoke to me as I walk through a situation in which I've been deeply offended. Just that morning I put on my "angst" playlist and angrily belted out lyrics as I was on my way to church and I had literally told God, "Just today and then I promise I'll get over it." I've been saying that to God for about three weeks now.     It's funny how we know not to do something or how to act in a situation yet we sit there and say, "God, five more minutes and I promise I'll stop!" God is not an alarm clock that we can keep snoozing.      Zechariah 3:7 "This is what the Lord of Heaven's Armies says: If you follow my ways and carefully serve me, then you will be given authority over my Temple and its courtyards. I will let you walk among these others standing here."     What happens when you hit snooze? You sleep longer. What happens when you sleep longer? The day ...

  So, you've been hurt and  it's not fun, trust me, I know. These past couple of weeks I have been going back and forth and up and down with everything trying to understand how to move past being hurt. Well, it's time to deal with the damage.   "Staying hurt or offended is a choice... just like moving forward is a choice..." -Alberto Bello    So how do I deal with the damage?        I let it go.    Yes I am VERY aware how much easier said than done that is but the reality is, I can not move forward if I am looking back.    Mark 12:30-31 "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: Love your neighbor as yourself. There is no commandment greater than these."        Love God. Love people.    People will hurt you. People will fail you. People will do you wrong and everything in you will scream "hate t...

    Hebrews 10:32-36 "Think back on those early days when you first learned about Christ. Remember how you remained faithful even though it meant terrible suffering. Sometimes you were exposed to public ridicule and were beaten, and sometimes you helped others who were suffering the same things. You suffered along with those who were thrown into jail, and when all you owned was taken from you, you accepted it with joy. You knew there were better things waiting for you that will last forever. So do not throw away this confident trust in the Lord. Remember the great reward it brings you! Patient endurance is what you need now, so that you will continue to do God's will. Then you will receive all that he has promised."   "Patient endurance is what you need now..." I've heard patience and I've heard endurance but patient endurance is a whole different ball game. I can endure being single, I've done it before I'm pretty positive I can do it again, but...

  I have an issue with today's "single empowerment". Being empowered and strong-willed while being single isn't a bad thing, but the issue I have with the "single empowerment" is when empowerment turns to spite. I have been very guilty of being spitefully single in different moments of my life. What is spitefully single? It looks different for so many people. "All *insert gender here* suck/treat you bad/can't commit/etc." "I'm single because all *insert gender here* can't love me because my last significant other didn't." Don't get me wrong, it's amazing you know your own self-worth but when you begin to walk through this amazing, yes I said amazing, season of singleness with spite towards the opposite gender you will grow a bitter heart. Bitterness WILL hold you back.    Ephesians 4:31-32  "Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassion...

  As I walk through different seasons in my life and learn new lessons I like to bring my readers along with me. I am in a very interesting season in my life: the season of singleness. Yes, I am single. Holla at yo girl.. just kidding. This is the first post of the Single Series. If you are walking through this season with me then read on, if you have already conquered this season please feel free to give any advice to all of us struggling out here.   I think I have finally come to terms with being in this season. Why was it so hard for me? The thought of being "alone" made the thought of being in this season unbearable.      Stop thinking that it is bad to be alone.  I noticed this interesting pattern in my life: the second I put people before Christ I ended up in a season where turning to Christ was my only option. I think I have finally realized that it is my best season! Christ should always be our first response to our everyday life and if He isn't our...

  Matthew 14:25-31 "About three o'clock in the morning Jesus came toward them, walking on water. When the disciples saw him walking on the water, they were terrified. In their fear, they cried out, 'It's a ghost!' But Jesus spoke to them at once. "Do not be afraid,' he said. 'Take courage. I am here!' Then Peter called to him, 'Lord if it's really you, tell them to come to you, walking on the water.' 'Yes, come,' Jesus said. So Peter went over the side of the boat and walked on the water towards Jesus. But when he saw the strong wind and the waves, he was terrified and began to sink. 'Save me, Lord!' he shouted. Jesus immediately reached out and grabbed him. 'You have so little faith,' Jesus said. 'Why did you doubt me?'    This past summer has felt like the longest summer in my entire life. I have never experienced bitterness, stress, anger, exhaustion, even hatred, as much as I have experienced all of ...

   Ecclesiastes 2:10-11 "Anything I wanted, I would take. I denied myself no pleasure. I even found great pleasure in hard work, a reward for all my labors. But as I looked at everything I had worked so hard to accomplish, it was all so meaningless-like chasing the wind. There was nothing really worthwhile anywhere."    In this life we are all searching for meaning and purpose, we live in a culture of filling our hearts with things that can seemingly show the meaning to our life. We search in people and in things to fill whatever void that is in our hearts. We take this job, date this person, drive this car while we live in this home but work in this city, all in hopes to find a satisfaction and purpose. Unless you are turning to Christ, your search for purpose will end up unsatisfactory. You will never be at peace in life if you continue to turn to the world for a sense of security. Mark 8:36 "And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your own sou...