Rooted Sunflower

1 Timothy 4:3 “Be ready in season and out of season.” Many people have a fear of talking to those they don’t know or to other people whom they may think hold a higher position than them, or even to other people who they think are “bad people”. Some people fear the questioning of their faith, that if they share to much about themselves they will not have the right answers to talk back. And some fear sharing in general about themselves and especially about their faith. Why is that? I have been asking myself this for some time now and I am still stumped. I find myself in many of these situations where I walk away from having a sweet conversation with someone, but don’t share the word of God with them, or even the good things He has done just in my day. God tells us to be ready in and out of season, to always give an answer to what we believe in. When we are afraid to speak up and afraid to stand up for our God, we are letting the enemy be stronger and letting him et ahold of not onl

Daniel 1:8 “But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the king’s delicacies.” This was a young man, and someone very committed to the Lord. When I read this at first, I didn’t think anything of it, like yeah, it’s a guy from the Bible that honored the Lord they all pretty much do. That wasn’t the eyes I should have been reading with. I had to place myself in his shoes as much as possible. So, David was selected to receive special attention and training. After Nebuchadnezzar saw all these men, he wanted all of them to eat his food and drink the kings wine- for most young men or really anyone it would be extremely hard to resist that temptation. “But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the king’s delicacies.” He was going to keep himself pure from the impurity around him. God blessed him in doing that; not only did He give him favor with his superiors, but he gave him a mind that was stronger and quicker than any of the ot

Isaiah 26:3 “Thou will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusts in thee.” Now this is actually a really cool story… I had found myself in moments of fear, I don’t know in fear of what, but it was not a peace at all. I still carried on with my days and tried not to think very much of it. I had gotten sick and so I figured it was just that, when you don’t feel good a lot is just off for you. God had all these flashing lights and basically arrows flashing to check my heart, but sure enough I just came up with excuse after excuse and just blamed it on being sick to feel bad for myself I guess. I hadn’t been reading the bible verses that pop up on my screen every morning, because of a bible app on my phone but the last day of the week I looked at all of them and God had placed this verse and three more on my screen. I felt as though I was just getting shot with the facts of my spiritual life. I hadn’t been in “perfect peace” in my walk with the Lord,

1 John 5:4 “For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world- our faith.” When I think about faith I think about the things I have lost faith in, my friends, family members, even myself. But why is that? Why is it that one of the biggest weapons we have as Christians IS OUR FAITH, yet at some points it is so difficult to keep it? I know what it looks like and feels like to have lost all hope and faith in the many things you love around you, just because of a circumstance, but I also know how powerful having faith, really can change your whole world. John writes about it all here in 1 John 5, how all you have to do is believe and have faith in the bigger things like God and all the things of this world will fall and be of nothing to you. I have found myselfat many times in my life saying, “God I lay down my own plans and let You take control of this life.” But then so quickly I pick things back up again, the same things He has as

Isaiah 49:16 “See, I have inscribed you on the palms of My hands; your walls are continually before Me.” Another promise God has given me in this season of my life: that He will never forget me and how can He when He has the scars to remind Him on the palm of His hands. He bore all my sins before I was even living, before I was even in my mother’s womb; “For You formed my inward parts; You covered me in my mother’s womb.” Psalms 139:13 The walls talked about in this verse, God has revealed to me as the walls in my heart. The walls that are continually being cracked by love and broken down by peace, God has shown me through all the cuts and bruises of this life, that there is real beauty that can come from it all. To know there is no one like me and to know God has created me in His perfect imagine is hard for me to really except most days. But in His hands, in His Palm, my name is written. I am loved by a King the same King that created the heaven and the earth, the same King tha

Isaiah 49:16 “See, I have inscribed you on the palms of My hands; your walls are continually before Me.” Another promise God has given me in this season of my life: that He will never forget me and how can He when He has the scars to remind Him on the palm of His hands. He bore all my sins before I was even living, before I was even in my mother’s womb; “For You formed my inward parts; You covered me in my mother’s womb.” Psalms 139:13 The walls talked about in this verse, God has revealed to me as the walls in my heart. The walls that are continually being cracked by love and broken down by peace, God has shown me through all the cuts and bruises of this life, that there is real beauty that can come from it all. To know there is no one like me and to know God has created me in His perfect imagine is hard for me to really except most days. But in His hands, in His Palm, my name is written. I am loved by a King the same King that created the heaven and the earth, the same King tha