Communicate in Love

When asked a direct Q, answr truthfully. Mean what U say. Don't allow fear of a presumed outcome that may nvr happen keep U quiet abt how U really feel. Express yourself bodly! The truth of your feelings, wants & desires should NEVER be held against U! ALWAYS COMMUNICATE IN LOVE!!!

Ephesians 4:15 NLT

Instead, we will speak the truth in love, growing in every way more and more like Christ, who is the head of his body, the church.

1 John 3:18 NKJV

My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth.

That statement above was what I was writing on my Facebook status update literally just now! I was getting ready to post it, but surprisingly  I felt lead to add more and it developed into something much bigger! ♡♥ how the Holy Spirit works!

Have you ever spoken the truth, only later come to realize there was no love behind it??  "You were so focused on right being RIGHT and wrong being WRONG and being truthful, but not always being aware of speaking from the heart?"

A fear that I've been struggling with lately is being completely honest about things I don't like or things that I strongly believe are considered disrespectful towards me. Deep, in the back of my mind, I feel my honesty and how expressive I am about certain subjects will be held against me. I know it sounds silly, but those are my thoughts. I feel in the end, I'll be resented for feeling the way I feel.
But when it's all said & done, I'll only have myself to blame for passing up those opportunities. It may be too late the next time.

So, in conclusion, I say, SPEAK THE TRUTH, BUT SPEAK IT IN LOVE! Don't let the focus be about right & wrong. When the love is there and it's truly genuine, everything else will fall into place. There's no fear in LOVE!

1 John 4:18 NKJV

There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love.

THANK YOU, LORD JESUS FOR USING & CHOOSING ME TO BE A BLESSING TO YOUR PEOPLE! I DON'T LOOK FOR THE PRAISE, FOR I DON'T THINK OF THESE INSPIRATIONALS ON MY OWN. THANK YOU GOD FOR BLESSING ME AND DEVELOPING ME DURING THIS SEASON! I LOVE YOU!!!

BE BLESSED & ENCOURAGED IN THE LORD TODAY!!! ♥

~Raven J.

All Things Through Christ

I TRULY CAN do ALL things through CHRIST who strengthens me!!!

Philippians 4:13

I felt led to post a blog about this after my own personal accomplishment tonight.

We all have things we feel we can't do or are afraid to try from fear of failure or intimidation. For those who don't now, I'm sure there was a point somewhere in your life when you didn't always feel so fearless and determined!

No matter how GREAT or SMALL the accomplishment, you should always be proud of achieving something you felt you could not.

About a week or so ago,  I bought this.

I wanted to put it together right away, but didn't. I thought about asking my Bae, but decided against it. I said to myself 'some things I just need to do myself and not be so quick to be dependent on someone else because they may not always be there.'

I've always been a hands-on & visual learner and almost always just skim through manuals. To make a long story short, as I started looking at pictures I initially felt intimated n automatically thought I couldn't assemble this and should just ask a man to do it for me. Lol That would be too easy.

I just spoke out loud and said "Okay, Lord & Holy Spirit." All the while through, I just kept thanking the Holy Spirit and just relying on His guidance. I didn't trust in my own capabilities, but His! I was sooo proud of myself! Proud WOMAN moment! Hahah I know a lot of very independent women who do it all and don't wait for anyone to help them and don't ask unless absolutely necessary! I'm independent, too, but not so much to where I'm foolish enough to think I don't need help from time-to-time.

Let me correct that - I ALWAYS need help! I/You/We NEED the Holy Spirit 24/7!!! The fears & intimidation I had was NOTHING because the Holy Spirit was there to HELP me despite my doubt. 

And here you have it.

Viola!!!! 

I KNOW SOMETIMES IT'S EASIER SAID THAN DONE,  BUT TRUST IN THE HOLY SPIRIT DESPITE HOW AFRAID YOU ARE OR WHEN PEOPLE SAY YOU CAN'T! Tell them, "I can't, but MY GOD CAN!" 

Be Blessed & Encouraged in the Lord, Luvs!!! 

♥♡

~Raven J.

WILL WE STILL TRUST HIM?

"I don't have all the answers to certain situations and we probably never will, but SOMETIMES things do happen. God DOES allow to SEE IF WE WILL STILL TRUST HIM? WIN, LOSE, OR DRAW....Do we still love Him & Trust Him with our life NO MATTER WHAT HAPPENS. NO MATTER WHO OR WHAT COMES N GOES..

I first wrote this back on March 16 to a friend I was talking to about how she dealt with a very bad breakup. The conversation basically was about her praying to God and how she felt her prayers were falling on deaf ears. She said she would pray to the Lord constantly and asked for strength and for the pain to be taken away. She even prayed for her ex who consistently betrayed her. My friend has serious doubts when it comes to males and is so very afraid of trusting their actions or believing their motives when they appear genuine.

A lot of times we have anger in us, buried so deep and we don't always know why. I told her to let go of that anger and pray to the Lord because only HE can help you let it go. It was then she told me how she did pray but felt the Lord wasn't hearing her because she didn't feel any change within herself about the situation. She still felt bad and was still hurting. She thought the Lord didn't care or she was being punished for something.

1 Peter 5:7 NLT

Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you.

Psalms 55:22 NLT

Give your burdens to the Lord , and he will take care of you. He will not permit the godly to slip and fall.

Many of us at some point in our lives have felt that God's silence was  equal to Him being dismissive.

Psalms 46:10 NLT

“Be still, and know that I am God!"

The silence of God can seem like great torture, but on the contrary, it's one of the times we find great strength in Him. His silence increases our faith. How badly do want & need Him during that hour? Will we still believe & trust Him to be who He says He is when we feel He's not listening and doesn't care? Patience in the Lord isn't an easy thing to have.

Numbers 23:19 NLT

God is not a man, so he does not lie. He is not human, so he does not change his mind. Has he ever spoken and failed to act? Has he ever promised and not carried it through?

One thing I know for sure without a shadow of doubt is the Lord does care about us and He deeply cares about the things that happens to us! Never let anyone or allow any of your circumstances to make you feel like the Lord has forgotten about you or that He doesn't care about you. We may forget about Him, but He never forgets us!

I pray you are Blessed & Encouraged in the Lord!!! ♥♡

~Raven J.

What 'kind' of GOD U believe in

Good Morning, Luvs! Happy Wednesday!

I just feel led to do a little quick post about this after a discussion I had.

What kind of God are you believing and trusting in? Do you believe your God loves you and wants the best for you? Do you think your God cares about you and what you go through? More importantly, do you believe your God died and rose again for you, SO YOU COULD HAVE LIFE, A LIFE OF FREEDOM & NO MORE BONDAGE!!!

That's the Lord Jesus whom I believe in! HE HEALS! HE'S POWERFUL! HE'S LOVING! HE'S MERCIFUL! HE'S FORGIVING! HE'S AWESOME! HE'S SOOOOO MANY THING'S THAT I WOULDN'T  EVER BE ABLE TO LIST THEM ALL!

Last year, some people were freaked out about the 2012 prediction - thus the end of the world. Now, those who KNOW the Lord & KNOW his word should have known better for the Word of God says "No man knows the day or the hour". So, bump what all these scholors n scientists try to predict. "God is a man that He cannot lie". IF HE said He'd do it, Trust & Believe that IT IS DONE!

I continue to say that I find it very ironic that the same people who KNEW that prediction couldn't be true, are some of the same "BELIEVERS" who can't conjour up enough faith for the Lord to heal them from an illness! They don't have the faith that the Lord will see to them being able to pay their rent. They don't believe that He will help them when they call on Him in prayer. How can you have in a powerful God regarding something that's specifically contrary to what He says, but the simple things of everyday life, you have great doubt and fear regarding your situations. You panic instead of trusting!

*"Maybe God has them like that for the same reason I was the way I was. To overcome that & be a witness to someone else that God can change ANYONE... To think God wants them to stay that way is an insult IMO to Jesus Christ! Christ healed way too many people, never turning those away who sought after Him, for them  to say God wants them to be mentally, physically or emotionally ill! That's a ploy of the devil!"*

This is all I was able to write in my 30-mins before starting work. I'll definitely finish it up later tonight!

Have faith in the Lord people when it comes to your circumstances & situations! The Lord wouldn't have told us to come to Him and GIVE Him our cares if He didn't plan on seeing us through or making a way. He wants us to TRUST HIM in every possible situation!

Be Blessed & Encouraged in the Lord today! ♥

~Raven J.

Be Prepared For What U Prayed For

Happy Thursday, Luvs!

After having an exciting meeting with an executive VP at my job regarding the steps I needed to take to get my foot in the door that will lead to the writing industry where I can either get paid for Blogging, freelance writing, scholarship opportunities to get back in school and other possibilities, I felt this writing of mines from last year was PERFECT  for today!!!

BE BLESSED & ENCOURAGED IN THE LORD TODAY'! ♥

~Raven J.

Tuesday, October 16, 2012 8:15 P.M.

***The Lord gave me this a couple of days ago, but I didn't write it down. I thank the Holy Spirit I still remembered it! I pray you are Blessed and Encouraged by this! Not looking fo praises or anything. I'm just honored that the Lord can and does use me to be a blessing to others!

Don't wish for a spouse if you're going to be selfish and aren't willing to make sacrifices. Don't wish for children if you're still going to live like you don't have any resonsibilites. Don't wish for that promotion at work if you plan on slacking and goofing off.

Luke 12:48
New International Version (NIV)

"From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked."

Don't wish for that house if you're not going to make it a home. Don't wish for that car if you're going to let any and everybody drive it and abuse it...yet those people aren't ever around when it needs repairs.

1 Corinthians 4:2 New International Version (©1984)

"Now it is required that those who have been given a trust must prove faithful."

Don't wish for things that you know you're not trying to change for. And don't wish for things you outright KNOW you're not ready for! Ask the Lord to help and prepare you to be ready..in season and out.

2 Timothy 4:2 Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season;

Blessing to Others

Philippians 2:4-5 NLT

Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too. You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had.

Hello Luvs!

I take it your week has been great so far. If not, turn it over to GOD!!!  More snow out here by me...A lot of people are WANTING Spring already! Lolol I know we all seem to try & rush the seasons, but like anything else, maybe we should try & be more thankful and enjoy each season for however long we have them...says the woman who hates the cold and could live WITHOUT seeing snow ! Haha

After receiving this feedback on Instagram

regarding my last Blog post, it was put in my spirit to write about being a blessing to others. I know that's a strong gift the Lord has given me to share with others - Encouragement! Part of me has known that I was blessed with the ability to give helpful advice and encourage others, but last year, it  became more evident like never before.
After finally getting my Blog going the beginning of this year, I started promoting it on Facebook, Instagram and Google +. I received so much positive feedback and was told how my posts were a blessing and were right on time. I knew I was in my season of finally putting my writings out there to the public.

People that really know me, knows I love to write and it is my hope & dream to have a career in that field. But..UNTIL that day happens, I am truly thankful that the Lord has chosen to use me to bring Glory & Honor to Him through my writings to encourage others! I'm truly humbled and just so Thankful for the Holy Spirit!!!

Be Blessed & Encouraged in the Lord today! ♥♡

~Raven J

Philippians 2:1-2 NLT

Is there any encouragement from belonging to Christ? Any comfort from his love? Any fellowship together in the Spirit? Are your hearts tender and compassionate? Then make me truly happy by agreeing wholeheartedly with each other, loving one another, and working together with one mind and purpose.