january 2023- what GOD is teaching me

hello friends! it has been a minuteeee!! I have missed yall + writing for S+L! journaling/writing is something i do and love to do for the Lord, so I am excited to be writing again here. First, for the LORD, He is so awesome and worthy of it all for His Glory, but secondly, for me to be able to reflect and remind myself of what my sweet God has/is doing! What a Savior! This year one of my spiritual goals is to write a blog once a month sharing what God is teaching me about His awesome self, His Word, my sinful self, life, and ministry, etc! I am so excited, I say this often but it is so true... GOD IS SO GOOD!! Over this past month, He has left me in awe of Him so many times!! These things shared with you today are some things God has and is still teaching me over this past month. I will never "arrive" until the Lord calls me home, so I am still learning from the Lord for how to grow in Him in these areas :)) I have prayed that GOD will use these things to relate with you or/and encourage you--whatever HE desires. I am glad you're here. He loves you deeply friend. To God be the Praise forever, AMEN LORD!!

JANUARY-- this month began just returning home from our youth retreat at Shocco Spring in Talladega, AL. GOD moved in my heart and I am so grateful for the kind stewards of God's Word who poured into the students (me) there. It was a wonderful time to go right before the new year, to "reset" (spiritually) and seek the Lord and learn from HIM.

Prayer-- This is something that God is still, and will always be teaching me how to do. God has been teaching me that I can always talk to Him. I feel so much closer to GOD when I take time to slow down and speak to Him. One way God is showing me this is through my car drives// I live very close to my high school, but when I get in the car instead of turning on my music right then (because I LOVE MUSIC) to take a minute to talk to Him-- also when i get into my car after practice or after school-- Another way is something God showed me to do in 2020 is to write down the things i am praying for and pray for them. God helped me do that as a spiritual goal in 2020, but 2021 and 2022 I didn't do it as I should have. This year, God's still helping me pray through that list--- it might be a different way for you, but however is best for you to pray-- to wake up and go to a solitary place outside your home, write down in a journal, make prayer cards, talking outloud, go on a prayer walk-- whatever you know best helps you stayed focused during prayer, connect with GOD that way! He loves you!

"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 NIV

Answered Prayers-- God has left me in AWE of Him for several reasons, but the answered prayers of the Lord are some I just HAVE to share as some of my favorite things from this month! Okay, so God can be really quick to answer sometimes if its HIS plan. A friend of mine I met my junior year, because of God's providence, and again got to know my senior year (God's providence), she did not want anything to do with GOD. Over that time, at different moments I would pray for her salvation. A spiritual goal I prayed for from 2023, was for 4 people God would save, and bless me to win them to the LORD. Well, I had not seen her in a bit since last semester, then we came to school in January and literally 12 days in of the new year, I got a dm on instagram from my friend saying that she wanted to find the Lord!!! PRAISE GOD!!!! WOW!!!! that night she prayed to receive Christ into her life!! GOD IS THE GOD OF SALVATION!! He answered a life changing prayer for my sweet friend + so kindly, He allowed me to be the one she talked to about it! I praise the Lord, for HE is GOOD, and His LOVE endures FOREVER!!! AMEN!!

The God of my emotions-- God has been showing me in such a real way, like I have not experienced before in this area, how HE is in control of my emotions... now let me explain :)) I know we are human and we get happy, disappointed, and sad; but God is our friend and our comforter, when we are hurting and we cry for Him to help heal our hearts, HE can and does in His perfect timing. How I have seen God do this is through my relationship with Jackson. He is in college right now away from our hometown and this time of year (Jan-May) we do not get to see each other as often as we do in the other parts of the year. It is hardest to say goodbye when he goes back in January because we both know how we are about to face a time where its unknown when we will exactly get to see each other-- BUT GOD, HE is our Comforter right!!! Yes and Amen, He is. Jackson and I were praying and still pray over this time and Jackson always prays "to give God the pen to write our relationship, and write as seems best to HIM".... I have seen God comfort me during this time. Last year, I was a wreck. Friend, I was so sad and I chose to let those emotions overtake me and influence how I treated those around me out of my sadness. It was difficult. This year, I talked to God about it and HE has been my help + strength. Do not let me fool you, there are many days where it is challenging and each day I miss him so much, but my GOD has been teaching me these things. GOD is there + He has been my comforter and it amazes me how when we bring our emotions to Him, HE can help us. I have had my sad heart be comforted and encouraged by my Savior!! What a loving God that even cares about how His daughter feels. Thank you LORD!! <3

Character of GOD- through all of these amazing things that GOD is doing-- saving my friend, faithfully answering prayers, moving and teaching me things in my QT with Him, being my help and comforter, and much more- I am seeing the character of GOD. We did a cool thing at our youth group last wednesday where we went through a psalm and in each verse, found a characteristic of GOD! In January, GOD has shown me He is love, good + true, faithful, constant (the same, throughout all generations), perfect, kind, gracious, righteous, just, ruler, Lord, my teacher, king, Savior, comforter, friend, and worthy of it all.

"Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever." -Hebrews 13:8

Obedience and Surrender- over the past two weeks, God has been teaching me obedience and surrender. I notice when I start to feel like there is something I am not telling God, or not wanting to do because I don't want to and don't want to mention it to GOD.... then I need to talk to GOD + repent and surrender. When my heart seems to find limits to my "yes" to God, I am in need to repent, to surrender, and obey my GOD. For example, I am in my last semester of senior year. I know I need to be trying to show Jesus' light at school these last few months the best I can.... but so often, even today, I failed to do my complete best for God. I choose to sit in the class and do my work and keep to myself, I choose to read my book, or listen to music, when I could be engaging with the students near me. I fail but I am still learning about surrendering and obeying. Of course, there is the initial repentance of my sin + surrendering my life to God, obeying the Lord in Salvation, and praying to receive Christ into my life, but here I am sharing about the daily, dying to self, picking up our cross and following Jesus ----- i have a long way to go and still am learning! All I have is the LORD'S--- (from winter retreat) "God has placed you in the exact place, time period, generation (school, family, friends, team, work) where He wants you to be to SHARE the Gospel" In His will, I am at the exact school where HE wants me to be to shine for Him my senior year, even at the end, to finish strong for GOD!

Gratefulness for those He has placed in my life- God has opened my eyes to see again the blessing of those He has placed in my life and how grateful I should be to Him for them. GOD has so kindly given me godly parents who love me and teach me the way that I should go, that when I am older, I won't part from it. He has kindly given me awesome, solid Christian friends who point me to Christ, keep me encouraged in the Lord, and in biblical community. An answered prayer of the sweetest boyfriend who pushes me closer to God every single day. A wonderful church family, hard-working cheer team, and the kindest people that pray for me. What a JOY these blessings from the LORD are that I DO NOT deserve.... my heart overflows to the LORD with gratitude!! Thank you LORD!!

To lean on GOD- During the past few weeks at the beginning of the month especially, I was struggling with my skills performing at our games as a cheerleader. This year I was given the opportunity from the Lord to be the captain of my cheer team and the enemy was discouraging me about if I was being a good leader or not. However, in all of this I was anxious and defeated. I might make a blog about this more in depth, but in a simple share, God was my strength and taught me to 1) put in the work and work hard for HIM. 2) to trust in Him and lean on Him. I was getting very discouraged and upset with myself and the enemy was throwing his untruthful darts of lies at me, but God is my shield! He is for me + truly heard my prayers to Him, and the prayers of those around me praying for me too in this area! God is our strength! He helped me do better in my performance and leading my team so that they (prayerfully) see Jesus! <3

"The LORD is my strength and my shield, in whom my heart trusts. I am helped, so my heart rejoices; with my song I praise him." -Psalm 28:7

Remembrance- God also has shown me through the Old Testament that I need to remember where GOD has saved me from, and what valleys we have walked through together and how He's led me....He deserves all P R A I S E !! The Israelites at the end of Joshua were following God, but in the beginning chapters of Judges, this faithful generation did not share what God had done to their children, so when they grew up they served other idols and turned away from GOD. A commentary talked about the "power of forgetfulness." They forgot and they turned away. Father, I don't want to forget, not even to turn away, but to become stagnate in my gratefulness. Same with the blessings above, when I forget to thank the Giver of the gift, I am not as good at being grateful. When I remember where God heard my desperate cries for help and where He healed me, delivered me, and saved me, I am overflowing with PRAISE because I remember. Father, teach me to remember You and Your Salvation that changed my entire LIFE and gives me purpose!!

Satisfaction in GOD- God has been teaching me, in my quiet time with Him, how beautiful His presence is and that time with Him and in His Word can satisfy my heart if I make the time to meet with Him. Right now, I am currently reading through the OT and I am in Judges. It is so interesting what all is happening with the Israelites and the stories that are taking place. Just this morning, God drew me into His Word and He was teaching me. There is no place like His presence. Thank you God for keeping your promises that when we draw near to you, you draw near to us (James 4:8)!! Teach me Lord to be satisfied in you and your Word! Thank you for teaching me.

"For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart" -Hebrews 4:12

Thank you Jesus for all the things you are teaching me and I pray right now will continues to. I will never "arrive" and I always need you. Please let this blog serve as a reminder for me to remember what you are doing in our walk together Lord, and maybe if someone is reading, have your plan be done and let it encourage them or relate to them and build them up in Christ! I love you JESUS -- YOU are SO GOOD LORD, Amen!!!!