Love Your Neighbor as Yourself

“Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law? Jesus replied: ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself. There are no greater commandments than these.'” (Matthew 22:36-40)

Hi Beloved! I hope you had a blessed Thanksgiving. Now here we go, full steam ahead toward Christmas! During this busy time of year, let’s remember the true reason for the season. I know I get so caught up in Christmas preparations that I hardly take time to reflect on the birth of our precious Savior, but this year, I’m committed to making a conscious effort. And as the year comes to a close, I just want to share a message that has been on my heart.

We can probably all agree that 2020 has been a year of tremendous change. As Christians, we sometimes wonder how to respond to political, social, or economic upheaval. This year, we’ve been confronted with many serious issues and the solutions are not always clear. Disagreements and opposing opinions abound. Whether it’s regarding the pandemic, politics, or other current issues, it’s sometimes difficult to have a civilized conversation with someone that has a different opinion because everyone is so passionate about their position. It can be hard to understand why some people think or feel the way they do and we won’t all agree or understand each other at times. Nevertheless, the Lord wants us to remember His two greatest commandments. Above all, love Him and love others. Our response as followers of Christ should be love.

I want to focus on the second commandment, to love your neighbor as yourself, as that is typically the most difficult of the two. In Matthew 22:36-40, (see above) there are no stipulations. He didn’t say, love your neighbor as yourself, if they agree with you politically. Or love your neighbor as yourself, if they have the same beliefs, hobbies, or interests. Just love your neighbor as yourself. That doesn’t mean we have to love their ideas, words, or actions, but we should love the people.

Now, let’s look at what the bible says about how to love others. Romans 12:10 says, “Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor.” Ephesians 4:32 says, “Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.” Philippians 2:3 says, “Do nothing from rivalry or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves.” 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 says, “Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.”

Though it’s easier said than done, what would the world be like if we all put those principles into practice? Can you imagine? What an amazing place it would be! It may seem far-fetched, but we can do our part. Though we can’t control others, we can control our own actions and honor God by keeping His commandments. It won’t be perfect, we will stumble and make mistakes, but let’s pray for His perfect love to abound in our hearts. “Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love” (1 John 4:7).

Beloved, as you reflect on the events of 2020 and look ahead to next year, be encouraged and filled with hope, even in these times of uncertainty. Let’s love and care for each other and remember that the Lord is our constant. Love Him and trust Him. He is still on the throne and He is the same yesterday, today, and forever. Amen!

Have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Jesus Loves You,

Alexis

Be Thankful & at Peace in This Season

“Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever.” (Psalm 118)

Hi Beloved! Happy September! I hope you are ready for fall because it’s upon us! I can’t believe how quickly it came, but I’m looking forward to it. I am a “pumpkin everything” kind of gal and I love fall activities like going to pumpkin patches, apple picking, and looking at the gorgeous leaves. So much fun to be had and so many memories to make. Everything goes by so fast that if we don’t take the time to enjoy what is in front of us, we’ll easily miss out. Yet, how many of us try to rush through seasons? I’m not talking about the seasons of the year, but the seasons of life.

This applies to me. I’ve tried to rush through, more than once. We can get so focused on the next chapter and waiting for God to move in our lives, that we forget to live. We become restless, anxious, and we don’t enjoy what we have because we’re too focused on what else we want or what is to come. We think, if only I were here or if only things were this way, then I’d be content, then I’d be happy. But Beloved, the Lord wants us at peace in every season. Some of us are in a season of waiting or a season of transition, others are in a season of pain or loss. No matter the season, no matter the circumstance, the Lord is with you. Though it can be difficult at times, let’s give thanks to the Lord for our blessings and appreciate each and every day.

I have to remind myself of this on occasion. Many days, I am exhausted, overwhelmed, and pulled in too many directions. I have an infant, toddler, and two older kids that are e-learning, so it’s a busy and stressful season. I sometimes think I can’t wait for them to get older, so it’s “easier”. They will feed, dress, and bathe themselves. There will be no more diapers to change or bottles to wash. But then I remember how quickly they grow up and how much I’ll miss them being this young. Once it’s over, I will miss nursing, the night feedings and early mornings, the running and screaming, and constant “Mom..Mom..Mom”. Even though some days are tough, I know that I’m so blessed to have these girls and I’m grateful for each day.

I’ve been through other seasons that were long, difficult, and hard to endure. My last miscarriage was one of the most recent, but I’ve been through seasons of financial strain, and difficulties at work. But when I look back, I can appreciate the growth and breakthroughs I experienced and I’m thankful that the Lord was always with me, holding my hand and leading me through. When you go through a tough season and feel angry, sad, or scared, pray for the peace of God to overcome you. Even though it hurts, you’ll be at peace knowing that God is on your side and he will deliver you!

Remember, the Lord loves you deeply and cares about what you’re going through. He hears your prayers and wants to bless you exceedingly and abundantly. In His time, what you’ve been praying for will come to pass. In the meantime, count your many blessings, be thankful, and at peace.

Jesus Loves You,

Alexis

Rest in the Finished Work of Jesus

“But our High Priest offered himself to God as a single sacrifice for sins, good for all time. Then he sat down in the place of honor at God’s right hand.” (Hebrews 10:12)

Hi Beloved! It has been too long! I hope this finds you safe and well! My last post was at the start of the pandemic, when things began to shut down and we saw changes we’d never seen before. Never did we imagine ourselves still in this position many months later. But God, He saw these changes well before they happened and has already ensured our health, peace, and prosperity. I believe now is a time of tremendous growth and I pray you are seeing God’s work in your life! If you are still waiting for your prayers to be answered, keep standing on His word. This is going to be a season of breakthroughs!

Though times may look dark, don’t worry and don’t fret! The battle is the Lord’s, so the victory is ours! When fear, worry, and doubt begin to creep into your mind, remember Jesus’ finished work on the cross. He died to give us a path to Heaven, physical health, and mental peace. Once Jesus rose from the grave and ascended to Heaven, He sat down at the right hand of the father. This act of “sitting down” means the work is finished. The High Priests of the Old Testament were always standing, always working. But in the New Testament, Jesus is our High Priest and he is resting because he has finished his work. He’s conquered the enemy and given us the victory! “But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” (1 Corinthians 15:57)

Beloved, this is true no matter the circumstance. You might think, “But you don’t know what I’m going through! I lost my job and I can’t pay my bills!” Or “I am having pain in my body and I am not getting any better!” The Lord knows exactly what you’re going through and wants to deliver you. The best thing you can do is to let Him! Rest in Him, so that He can provide for you according to His finished work.

If we want to be in control of the situation, God will let us. It’s like your two-year-old trying to tie their shoes. They say, “I want to do it!” You know they don’t know how, but they insist. So, you watch them strain and struggle. You want to help, but they won’t let you. You don’t want to rip the laces from their hands, so you wait. Eventually, they give up. “I can’t do it!” That’s where you come in. “Let me help you”, you say. You never wanted them to have to figure it out on their own, but they wanted to be in control. But, once they hand over the laces, you can help. It’s the same way with God. He will never rip the laces from our hands. He will let us try to solve our problems as long as we want, but he’ll always be ready to grab the laces when we’re ready to hand them over.

So, how do you rest in the finished work and give up control? It’s by having faith, by believing that God is on your side and that He will work all things for your good. Then, you turn every worried or anxious thought into a prayer. When you find yourself saying, “Oh no, now what am I going to do? What about this, what about that?” Instead say, “Lord, I know that you see my problem and I know I have victory in Christ Jesus. I don’t know how this will work out, but I know it will be for my good.” Then let it go and rest. “For every child of God defeats this evil world, and we achieve this victory through our faith.” (1 John 5:4)

Beloved, remember that I am always here to pray with you or for you, so please reach out. Be well and God bless!

Jesus Loves You,

Alexis

The Lord Is Our Constant

“Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.” (Hebrews 13:8)

Hi Beloved! I hope you and your family are well. What a crazy time it is! It’s quite nerve-racking for the recovering control freak (talking about myself here) because things are changing every day. Right when I think I have a good grasp on the situation, there are new developments. Now, schools are closed even longer, malls have stopped operating, restaurants are shutting down, and daily life keeps changing. This situation is unprecedented, so there is no blueprint for us to follow.

We can all become fearful in times of uncertainty. Whether it’s the fear of financial distress, the fear of inconvenience, or the fear of falling ill, it can be difficult for us to stay cool, calm, and collected. But, during these troubling times, we can look to the one who never fears, the one who is the same yesterday, today, and forever. He never gets nervous, worried, or flustered. He never waivers. Though we may face uncertainty in the world, we can be certain of His promises. We can pray for His peace and strength when we are fearful and weak. “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)

Beloved, we can rest assured that He ALWAYS has a plan. Though we may be shocked and caught off-guard, He knows the past, present, and future. Satan develops these new diseases and strains of viruses to steal, kill, and destroy. But God is always 100 steps ahead. He saw this coming long ago and has been at work orchestrating a plan for your protection, healing, financial difficulty, and restoration. Satan is trying to catch up to God, not the other way around. 2 Chronicles 20:5 says, “Lord, the God of our ancestors, are you not the God who is in heaven? You rule over all the kingdoms of the nations. Power and might are in your hand, and no one can withstand you…‘If calamity comes upon us, whether the sword of judgment, or plague or famine, we will stand in your presence before this temple that bears your Name and will cry out to you in our distress, and you will hear us and save us’.”

Things have been difficult and there may be more changes ahead. This time of year, life is so full. We were planning vacations, graduations, weddings, baby showers, dance recitals, and it has all come to a screeching halt. Many parents have been scrambling to find childcare and/or keep up with online school assignments. Some have experienced sudden layoffs or a sharp decrease in business. Others have contracted the virus and some have become very ill. Things have changed so drastically in such a short time. It reminds us that nothing in this world is promised and things can change in the blink of an eye. But, our Lord is constant. He is the one we can count on, no matter the circumstances. We can have faith that He will always bring us through the valleys and set us on the mountain top. He is in control, will always deliver, and will never leave us. “Cast your cares on the LORD and He will sustain you; He will never let the righteous be shaken.” (Psalm 55:22)

What Satan brings for harm and destruction, God can turn around for our good! He will restore what has been lost, 10-fold! Remember that the cross has the final word, so let’s keep our eyes on the Lord and be at peace. “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33)

Beloved, will you join me in this prayer?

Dear Lord,

We thank you for the many blessings in our lives. We know you love us so much that you gave up your one and only son, so that we could be joint heirs to the Kingdom of Heaven and be blessed with health, wholeness, and prosperity. Lord, we also know that you see our sufferings and trials in this fallen world. But, you have overcome the world and we know you have a plan for our protection and restoration. We pray that this virus is quickly and completed eradicated and believe for complete healing in those that have contracted this illness. Lord, please be with the parents that have taken time from work or had to make difficult adjustments to care for their children while schools are closed. Give them your wisdom, grace, and peace. Speak your reassurance to those that have lost jobs or have businesses suffering in this time of change. We know that you have a plan to prosper us and not to harm us. For those that have had to change special celebrations, we pray that you comfort them and easily make a way for them to restore what has been postponed or canceled. Lord, we stand on your promises as a constant in our lives. We know that you are in complete control and have already given us the victory over Satan’s plans for chaos and destruction. You will turn this situation around for our good and prosper us more than we can imagine!

All these things we believe and receive in Jesus’ name,

Amen!

Jesus Loves You,

Alexis

Do Not Be Afraid, The Lord Is With You

“Don’t be afraid, for I am with you. Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will hold you up with my victorious right hand.” (Isaiah 41:10)

Happy February, Beloved! I hope you are having a blessed week. I was going to write something to go along with Valentine’s Day, but have been compelled to write about this topic instead. Lately, I’ve been hearing so many reports about freak accidents, natural disasters, and new diseases. We all know there are many dangers lurking in this fallen world, but it seems like we are more aware now than ever. Constantly, we are reminded how fragile life is and that there is no shortage of things to worry about – our loved ones, our jobs, our possessions – and it’s easy to get caught up in the hysteria of the world. Satan is working overtime to fill us with anxiety and fear.

This is a dangerous world, but the Lord says, Do not be afraid! In fact, “Fear not,” is the most repeated command in the bible. Over and over again, the Lord reminds us not to fear. Why is that? It’s because fear is the enemy of faith. In Hebrews 11:1, it says, “Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.” The dictionary defines it as, “complete trust and confidence in someone or something”. If we have the assurance, trust, and confidence that God will be true to his word and follow through on his promises, how can we be afraid? And if we are afraid, how can we have faith? The bible says, “For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.” (2 Timothy 1:7)

So, what does God promise us about protection in this world? Isaiah 43:1 says, “Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze.”

“No weapon forged against you will prevail, and you will refute every tongue that accuses you. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, and this is their vindication from me.” (Isaiah 54:17)

“The Lord will keep you from all harm – He will watch over your life; the Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore.” (Psalm 121:7)

“But the Lord is faithful, and he will strengthen you and protect you from the evil one.” (2 Thessalonians 3:3)

“A thousand may fall at your side, ten thousand at your right hand, but it will not come near you.” (Psalm 91:7)

Before Jesus ascended to Heaven, the last thing He said to his disciples was, “I will be with you always, even until the end of the world.” (Matthew 28:20) This verse has always brought me great comfort. If He will be with us until the world is literally over, He will certainly be with us if our child falls ill, if we lose our job, if we go through divorce, or if we experience the hardship of a natural disaster. And if He holds us with His victorious right hand, we will come out on top. He will work all things for our good.

Yes, this world has many things to fear and Jesus said there would be tribulation. But, we can rest assured that we are divinely protected, no matter what evils are lurking around the corner. If we have to walk through flames, we will not be burned, and if we have to cross a river, it will not overtake us! So, Beloved, DO NOT BE AFRAID! The Lord is with you (and your loved ones) wherever you go! Amen.

Jesus Loves You,

Alexis

Embrace the New Year With Peace and Gratitude!

“Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful.” (Colossians 3:15)

Happy New Year, Beloved! I hope you had a wonderful Christmas holiday! I can’t believe we are in the new year. The year 2020, what a blessing! Every new year we tend to have a new vision. We analyze which areas of life we’ll focus on improving and we write down a list of personal goals we want to accomplish. Whether it’s improving fitness, getting a promotion, or spending more time with family, we all love to start the year motivated and with a new plan. This year, I plan to spend more time on writing, helping my husband grow his business, continuing to focus on fitness and spending more quality time with my kids.

With the excitement and busyness of it all, I want to remind everyone to be at peace this year! “The LORD gives strength to his people; the LORD blesses his people with peace.” (Psalm 29:11) While it’s great to have a new vision for a new year, it can cause us to become restless. It’s easy to get laser-focused on obtaining our new goals and sometimes we forget to focus on being happy with where we are at this moment. We make life all about what is ahead and that has the ability to affect our peace. We are encouraged and motivated in the beginning and then if results don’t happen quickly, we start to lose the joy of it all.

We feel like we “have” to reach these milestones we’ve set for ourselves and if we don’t, we’ve failed and feel a sense of despair. What’s worse is that we tend to compare our “personal goals” to the goals and accomplishments of others. Sometimes we look at what our family and friends are accomplishing and feel discouraged. It seems like those around us are checking items off their lists – being promoted, getting engaged or married, having a baby, or buying their dream home. If those are things we wanted for this year, we can feel envious and start to lose hope.

We can’t even truly be happy for our loved ones because instead of focusing on their blessing, we are focusing on our lack. We aren’t happy with our lives because we are too focused on what is ahead, what others have and where we “should be” in life. But the bible tells us to be at peace. Philippians 4:6-7 says, “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.”

Beloved, please know that you are not defined by your accomplishments and achievements. Having dreams and goals is great! But reaching them or not reaching them is not the measure of who you are. You are royalty, a child of the Most-High God and even if you don’t get to the gym everyday, double your revenue, or get completely out of debt this year, you are still worthy, loved, and blessed. And if you’ve been waiting on God for a particular blessing, keep praying and believing! Be at peace and know that your blessing is on its way!

Do not look around and be discouraged when others are blessed with something you are longing for. You don’t have to compare yourself to others. You can rest assured that our Lord has more than enough blessings for everyone! He can bless your neighbor with a promotion and still bless your business to reach its highest earning potential. He can bless your co-worker with a healthy baby and still bless you with healthy twins! There is no limit to what God can do and through him all things are possible. Don’t be discouraged if some goals you set for this year, don’t become an immediate reality. Have peace in knowing that God has an amazing plan for you and that he wants you to have the desires of your heart. We have to trust his timing above our own and results will happen! Romans 15:13 says, “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” Be filled with hope. God will deliver!

In addition to the goals I listed above, I am also going to focus on gratitude. Everyday, I want to thank God for all the blessings in my life. Even in the midst of struggle or sorrow, it’s amazing what being thankful can do. When you really stop and think about all your blessings from God, it has the ability to change your attitude from one of sadness, envy, and lack to one of joy, thankfulness, and peace.

Beloved, in addition to focusing on your personal goals this year, I encourage you to focus on peace and thankfulness for all your blessings (past, current, and those to come). Remember that the Lord will be with you through all the highs and lows of this year and that you are deeply loved, richly blessed, and highly favored. “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” (John 14:27)

If you have a prayer request, please reach out! I would be happy to pray with you or for you. Also, send this link to any friends or family members that might need a word from the Lord today. Be blessed!

Jesus Loves You,

Alexis

The Word of The Lord is Life!

Bible

 “My child, be attentive to my words; incline your ear to my sayings. Do not let them escape from your sight; keep them within your heart. For they are life to those who find them, and health to all their flesh.” (Proverbs 4:20-22)

Hi Beloved! I hope that you are having a blessed week! Things are getting a bit cooler in my neck of the woods, so it’s time to swap out the A/C for the heater and bring out the sweaters and boots! The crisp air also drives folks to the fireplace with a cup of coffee (or tea) and a good book. So, I thought I would write about the importance of reading “The Good Book”, as the bible is called. 🙂

Beloved, how much of the bible would you say you’ve read? It can definitely take time to read. It has 1,189 chapters and it is an amazing story! I think this is an area where most Christians greatly differ. Some have read the bible cover to cover (perhaps even twice, I know people who have done it!). Others have read only the New Testament or only the Old Testament. Others have followed along with their church study group, read a random chapter here and there, or gave up after selecting the King James version and getting a headache after reading a verse like, “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” (2 Timothy 2:15) Pardon? Can you please repeat that one?

I fall somewhere in the middle. I haven’t read the entire bible. I have read the entire New Testament and am working on the Old Testament. Currently, I am reading 1 Samuel. Years ago, when I first started reading the bible, I started with Genesis 1:1. That works for some, but it didn’t work for me. I started to lose steam after a few chapters and stopped reading for a while. When I decided to get back to reading, I prayed about it first. I said, “Lord, I desperately want to read your word, but it can be so overwhelming! I don’t know where to start and sometimes it is hard for me to understand. Please give me wisdom and an open, hearing heart.”

When I prayed this prayer, I got the message to “see Jesus”. So, that is what I did. I went to the New Testament and I started reading all the chapters that had text in red. In most versions, the words of Jesus are in red. Reading about His grace and His miracles really motivated me. I started reading more and more and then I read the whole New Testament. I even started to truly understand and this kept me going!

Why is reading the bible so important? What are the benefits? Reading the word of God gives us hope, wisdom, strengthens our faith, improves our physical health and can be used as a weapon against the enemy.

Gives us hope: Romans 15:4 says, “For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through the endurance taught in the Scriptures and the encouragement they provide we might have hope.” The word has many beautiful promises from God for both this life and after. When we read the word, our hope is renewed as we remember how much he loves us, that he will never leave us or forsake us, and that he is always on our side.

Gives us wisdom: 2 Timothy 3:16 says, “All scripture is inspired by God and is useful for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, so that everyone who belongs to God may be proficient, equipped for every good work.” The word of God teaches us and trains us in the way we should go. It gives us knowledge and wisdom to see and understand things differently than the world.

Strengthens our faith: Romans 10:17 says, “Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word about Christ.” When we keep hearing the word of the Lord, we are encouraged by stories of David, Elijah, Elisha, and the Apostles. We remember that we can accomplish all things through Christ who strengthens us!

For our physical health: Matthew 4:3 says, “The tempter came and said to him, ‘If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become bread.’ Jesus answered, ‘It is written, Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’ ” Food alone cannot sustain us. The word of God is nourishment to our bodies. It’s life and health to our spirits and our flesh.

As a weapon: Esphesians 6:17 says, “..and take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.” When we know the promises of God, we can stand firm against the enemy’s attacks. He is the Father of Lies, but with the word of the Lord in our arsenal, we have the power to speak life and completely shut him down.

Beloved, I encourage you to increase your bible reading for the rest of this year. Make a commitment, through the end of 2019, to read more. If you aren’t reading it at all, start by reading ten minutes per day. If you are already reading 30 minutes, increase to 45. If you are reading an hour, increase by 15 minutes. If we focus on the word, I believe we will see miraculous things happen in our lives. Our long-awaited prayers will be answered, we will see healing, and any mountains in our lives, will become mole hills.

I’m going to challenge myself as well. I have been falling behind lately. I have a reminder on my phone that says, “Read Your Bible” everyday at 9:00 pm. Usually, I snooze it because I am “busy” and promise to get to it later. Sometimes, later never comes. Then the next morning, I think, “Well, I just didn’t have enough time yesterday”. But then I remember the 45 minutes I spent on YouTube…..oops. The truth is that there is always time! We can wake up a little earlier, spend a little less time on social media, or go to bed just a little bit later. Spending extra time with the Lord in prayer or in His word, is never time wasted and something you will never regret. If you don’t have a bible, download a free app. If you don’t know where to start, pray for wisdom. If you can’t quite understand the language, switch to a more modern version. So, are you with me!? Let’s do this!

Beloved, I am always here to pray with you, for you, or even just to chat! Please feel free to reach out at any time. Remember, you are deeply loved, richly blessed, and highly favored.

Jesus Loves You,

Alexis

Forgive Yourself As You Forgive Others

“Forgive us for doing wrong, as we forgive others.”

(Matthew 6:12)

Jesus wants you to forgive others and forgive yourself.

Hi Beloved! I pray that you are having a blessed week! It’s October, yay! I really love the fall. The air is crisp, the leaves are so beautiful, and everything is pumpkin flavored (yum!). The fall season is also a time of reflection for me. For whatever reason, I start to reminisce about years past, initially with fondness, but somehow it always turned into regret. I got angry with myself for things I should have said, shouldn’t have said, should have done, shouldn’t have done.

Occasionally, it was regarding life choices, but mainly it was about relationships. Why was I so cold to this person? Why was I so self-absorbed that I didn’t see this person needed help? Why did I say such mean things to people? Why didn’t I care about others more?

Then the self-loathing would set in and I would start asking the questions, why am I such a loser? Why do I always say and do the wrong thing? Why can’t I be like (insert better person’s name here)? I would just wallow in regret.

Beloved, a lot of teachings focus on the forgiveness of others, but you need to focus on forgiving yourself just the same. Trust me, I know that it’s much easier said than done. When we make mistakes, we can be so hard on ourselves. We can let our guilt and regret consume us and take over. It can eventually have serious consequences. Self-loathing and self-hatred are behaviors that take years to develop and can take years to improve. They can lead to dangerous actions, such as cutting or self-mutilation and even suicide.

Beloved, I’m here to tell you that the Lord knows everything you have ever done in your life and He loves you! He even knows every bad thought that has entered your mind and He still loves you! He sweat blood in the Garden of Gethsemane and wore a crown of thorns, so that your mind can be free from anguish and pain.

We are all far from perfect. Thankfully, we don’t have to be, because Jesus is. He wants you to walk in divine forgiveness. The bible is full of stories of people making mistakes and wrong choices that hurt themselves or hurt others. Two of these stories include Jesus’ disciples. 

The first is Peter. In Matthew 26:34, Jesus spoke to Peter. “‘Truly I tell you,’ Jesus declared, ‘this very night before the rooster crows, you will deny Me three times.’ Peter replied, ‘Even if I must die with You, I will never deny You.'” After Jesus’ arrest, Peter did a complete 180. “Then they seized him and led him away, bringing him into the high priest’s house, and Peter was following at a distance. And when they had kindled a fire in the middle of the courtyard and sat down together, Peter sat down among them. Then a servant girl, seeing him as he sat in the light and looking closely at him, said, ‘This man also was with him.’ But he denied it, saying, ‘Woman, I do not know him.’ And a little later someone else saw him and said, ‘You also are one of them.’ But Peter said, ‘Man, I am not.’  And after an interval of about an hour still another insisted, saying, ‘Certainly this man also was with him, for he too is a Galilean.’ But Peter said, ‘Man, I do not know what you are talking about.’ And immediately, while he was still speaking, the rooster crowed. And the Lord turned and looked at Peter. And Peter remembered the saying of the Lord, how he had said to him, ‘Before the rooster crows today, you will deny me three times.’ And he went out and wept bitterly.” (Luke 22:54-62)

He was feeling guilty and angry with himself. He lied and betrayed someone he loved. What happens next, shows the love of Jesus. After Jesus rose from the grave, the angel said to the women, “‘Do not be alarmed. You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He has risen! He is not here! See the place where they laid Him. But go, tell His disciples and Peter, He is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see Him, just as He told you.'” (Mark: 16:7) The angel saying this is very significant, “go tell His disciples and Peter”. Jesus wanted him specifically to know that He wasn’t angry with him. He still loved him. In a later meeting, He even asked Peter to watch over his people, even though he denied Him, even though he wasn’t perfect and Peter went on to become a very important figure to the early church.

The second is Judas. He betrayed Jesus for silver. “Then one of the Twelve, the one called Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests and asked, ‘What are you willing to give me if I hand Him over to you?’ And they set out for him thirty pieces of silver. So from that time on Judas looked for an opportunity to betray Jesus.” (Matthew 26:14)  After his betrayal, when he saw what happened, he was overcome with guilt. “Judas saw that they had decided to kill Jesus. He was the one who had handed him over. When he saw what happened, he was very sorry for what he had done. So he took the 30 silver coins back to the priests and the older leaders.  Judas said, ‘I sinned. I handed over to you an innocent man to be killed.’ The Jewish leaders answered, ‘We don’t care! That’s a problem for you, not us.’ So Judas threw the money into the Temple. Then he went out from there and hanged himself.” (Matthew 27:3) If he would have waited a few more hours, there was another that would have hung for him. I believe that if Judas were still alive, Jesus would have gone to him first to tell him that He still loved him and that he was forgiven. Sadly, he was so overcome with guilt and self-hatred that he was not there to receive forgiveness. 

Beloved, if there is something you’ve been carrying that is causing you to be consumed with guilt or regret, let it go, in Jesus’ name! At the cross, Jesus not only carried our sickness and diseases, but he also bore our shame, guilt, and regret. If you’ve wronged a loved one and the relationship is broken, the Lord can completely restore! If you’ve hurt others in your past, know that you are loved and completely forgiven! I understand it’s not easy. It has taken time for me to get to this place, but by the Grace of God, I’ve come a long way! Even when you decide to forgive yourself, Satan will try to come to you with negative thoughts, but rebuke him and focus on Jesus’ finished work at the cross. Every time you feel guilty, just repeat, I AM FORGIVEN! Remember that you are the Righteousness of God in Christ Jesus and that you are deeply loved, richly blessed, and highly favored. Amen!

Jesus loves you,

Alexis

You Are Worthy and Loved

“This is love: not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.” (1 John 4:10)

Hi Beloved! I hope you are having a blessed week! I wasn’t actually planning to write today, but the Holy Spirit gave me a word that someone must need to read.

Beloved, if you are feeling depressed, feeling lonely, feeling rejected, feeling unlovable, or feeling worthless because of your past or recent failures, because of hurtful words someone said, because a relationship just ended, or because your life isn’t going as planned, let me tell you that YOU ARE VALUED! YOU ARE SPECIAL! YOU ARE LOVED!

YOU, reading this post right now, you mean everything to the Creator of the universe. He loves you so much that He sent His son to take your place and atone for your sins. In the Greek language, there are four major words for love: agápe, éros, philía, and storgē. They all have different meanings and are used in different situations. The bible says that the type of love the Lord has for us is agápe love. This is the deepest form of love, unconditional love, self-sacrificial love.

The bible also says that Satan is cunning. Sometimes he works from the outside to bring destruction to our lives, but one of his favorite tactics is to attack our minds. He knows this strategy is effective. If he can drop negative, self-sabotaging thoughts into our heads or bring people into our lives that treat us harshly, try to ruin our self-esteem, or make us feel worthless, we can feel so insignificant that we destroy ourselves. He’s always trying to separate us from our Father’s love. When we don’t believe we are loved, we more easily engage in destructive behavior and develop habits that are harmful to our mental, physical, and emotional health. But Beloved, don’t believe Satan’s lies. When bad thoughts creep in, you have the power to say, Satan, get behind me! Get away from me! I’m not going to believe your lies! The bible says that absolutely nothing can separate us from the Father’s love and He is always with us. Matthew 28:20 says, “I am with you always, even to the end of the world.”

When you are feeling low, isolated, unworthy, ashamed, or like a failure, remember that the truth is you are perfect, you are righteous, you are precious, you are worthy. You are a child of the most-high God. The King of Kings and the Lord of Lords, loves you so much that He sacrificed everything for you. “See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him.” (1 John 3:1) Beloved, because the world does not know him, they do not know your true worth. But don’t listen to what the world says about you. Meditate on the truth, declare the truth out loud and always remember that you are deeply loved, richly blessed, and highly favored. Amen!

Jesus loves you,

Alexis

The Power of Prayer

“I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If in my name you ask me for anything, I will do it.” (John 14:13-14)

Beloved, I hope you are having a blessed week! For some, it’s “back-to-school” time and things start to get busy with packing lunches, picking out school clothes, homework, and after-school activities. I’m starting a new routine and actually added “read bible and pray” to my calendar. There are only so many hours in a day and spending time with God can sometimes take a back seat. However, it’s so important to spend time with Him! Spending time with the Lord helps us stay focused, calm, and at peace. He lavishes us with an abundant supply of Grace, while our other tasks demand from us.

This post is about the importance of spending time with the Lord in prayer. Prayer – it seems so simple doesn’t it? It almost seems too easy. In our society, we’ve been taught that only big actions that make a splash are effective or worthwhile. We have been taught that we must do more, be more, give more. When a family member or friend is going through a hard time and there is no big gesture we can offer to solve their problems, we say, “Well, I guess there is nothing I can do for them, but pray.” Like, it’s a last resort. Like, really, pray? Is that what it has come to? We can’t do anything else?

But beloved, believe that prayer is effective! Prayer is our most powerful weapon against the enemy. When we pray, it creates a shield that is impenetrable to Satan’s attacks and makes us a magnet for God’s blessings. We can pray for those that are sick and they will be healed. We can pray for those with addictions and they will be delivered. We can pray for those going through a divorce and they will be comforted. We can pray for protection of our loved ones and they will be divinely protected. We can pray for wisdom, confidence, peace, faith, hope, and the Lord will deliver. In Mark 11:22-24 it says, “Jesus answered them, “Have faith in God. Truly I tell you, if you say to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and thrown into the sea,’ and if you do not doubt in your heart, but believe that what you say will come to pass, it will be done for you. So I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.”

In 1 John 5:14-15, it says, “This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us – whatever we ask – we know that we have what we asked of Him.” The Lord loves you and wants you to have the desires of your heart. He hears our prayers and wants to answer them all, exceedingly and abundantly above what we’ve asked. The best part about prayer is that you can pray anywhere, anytime! You don’t need to be on bended knee, wearing a prayer shawl, in a prayer closet. The Lord wants to hear from you wherever you are!

Just talking to the Lord counts as prayer. I mainly pray while driving in my car. I’m alone, it’s quiet, I’m reminded of the Lord’s goodness through the beautiful landscape. I don’t even have my eyes closed (which I’m sure the other drivers on the road appreciate). I tell Him all of my worries and my concerns. I thank Him for my blessings and thank Him for his love. I tell Him my desires and pray that they become a reality. There have also been times that I don’t even have the words and I’ve simply said, “Lord, I don’t even know what to pray for in this situation. I’m just so overwhelmed, angry, scared, confused….., so Lord, I just pray that your will be done.” In the above scripture, 1 John 5:14-15, it says if we ask anything according to His will, it will be done. We don’t always know how things will turn out, we don’t always see the light at the end of the tunnel, but we do know that we are loved by the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords, we are joint heirs to the Kingdom of Heaven, and our Father’s will is to bless us and give us all perfect things. So, we know that if He works it out according to His will, that situation will turn out better than we could have imagined! It will be in our favor and for our good!

Beloved, I encourage you to pray without ceasing! If you or a loved one is facing a challenge today, pray! If you are stuck in a dead-end job or want a more fulfilling career, pray! If you want perfect protection for your family, pray! If you want to thank God for His blessings, pray! The Lord loves to hear from you. We are the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus and James 5:16 says, “…The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.” If you have a prayer request, please reach out. I will pray for you or with you. If you have a testimony, please share. I would love to hear all the wonderful things our Lord is doing in your lives! For in Him, all promises are Yes and Amen!

Jesus loves you,

Alexis