It’s Okay

SO today, someone came up to me and told me “It’s Okay”.Yep, that’s about it. Those two words though (technically three if you think it’s counts for two words #dry sarcasm).

Well, question would be, why would those two/three words be THAT important. I’ll explain. We were praying together, for someone else that wasn’t me, and this person just stopped, looked me in the eye and said, “God just want’s you to know It’s okay”. Those were the exact words right there.I was looking fine, I was kinda feeling fine, nothing seemed wrong with me but God knew I was (and I am) struggling with some things. Isn’t it funny how God knows Exactly how you feel and what you need to hear? When those words were said to me I wanted to cry. In fact, I almost did cry (well not almost, I shed a tear or two and tried to stop it before it got to a weeping point) because I felt like this was a confirmation that God is watching and He really KNOWS it’s okay.

So why did this words carry such impact to me today? Well, there are many reasons. After all, I’m a college student right, and we worry about EVERYTHING, ALL.THE.TIME. My worries are huge though! Or maybe not if you asked God. I have been looking back at the semester, we only have just over a month of school left so it’s at that point where you start calculating how well you need to do to get that good GPA. So I am worried, I have been adding things up and it just doesn’t seem to be lining up the way that I would like it to be. My grade have got me worried, I think I might fail! Yes, it is that bad. I spent at least an hour and a half tossing and turning in my college bed yesterday night; thinking about what that looks like, what explanations I would give my parents if my grades turn out the way I think they might, thinking of all the studying strategies to get in those extra points and percentages, what appointments to make, how many hours I need to put in now (or rather how many hours I can afford to sleep). The list goes on and on, and it kept me wide awake while my roommate watch an episode, then another…then another of Greys Anatomy, not knowing what was going on in my head.

So when I got that word of encouragement it spoke volumes to me. It told me; it’s okay that you are struggling, it’s okay that you don’t know what to do, it’s okay that you feel like you have to work your butt off to survive another semester of college, it’s okay to cry about your failures (or the possibility of failure), it’s okay to feel like you are inferior for a moment, IT IS OKAY.It also told me that God was watching, that He was seeing what’s going on, that He still hasn’t forsaken me, that His work has just began, that just because I feel hopeless doesn’t mean I AM hopeless.

It told me that God was pulling up His sleeves, getting those tennis shoes on, and getting ready to “raise the standard”. So you see, it wasn’t just an “it’s Okay”, it was God speaking through a couple of words to my Heart, begging me to listen.

I know that there may be many, many people going through all those struggles right now. College students, of course, because winter break is just around the corner. It’s good that it’s coming but it also gives that realization that, if you don’t bring that D to at least a C it might be over for you at this point. But you know what, God says it’s okay.

But it’s not just about college students either, it’s for everyone. The struggles that you are going through that you can’t deal with….It’s okay. The tears that you just can’t stop crying…It’s okay. The feelings of being lonely, unloved, forgotten…It’s okay. The uncertainties, the questions you have for God, those are okay too…It’s all okay.

And, more than anything, God SAYS it’s okay and when He says that He will not just leave it there. He will work at it!! So as one week ends and another starts, through whatever might be happening, it really is important to realize that God is watching, He is there, He know EXACTLY what you are going through. I might be very repetitive in this post but well, just pouring my heart out there.

So yes, I am still worried about my semester…VERY WORRIED!!!But with that, I have found some sort of peace because I KNOW that God knows. And when God knows, He starts working…That gives me comfort!!

Luke 12:25-28

The Message (MSG)

25-28 “Has anyone by fussing before the mirror ever gotten taller by so much as an inch? If fussing can’t even do that, why fuss at all? Walk into the fields and look at the wildflowers. They don’t fuss with their appearance—but have you ever seen color and design quite like it? The ten best-dressed men and women in the country look shabby alongside them. If God gives such attention to the wildflowers, most of them never even seen, don’t you think he’ll attend to you, take pride in you, do his best for you?

The Compliment-acceptance challenge

YOU LOOK (ESPECIALLY) BEAUTIFUL TODAY…

One of my biggest, biggest problems is accepting compliments…And I think its an “African” thing (listen to me say African thing there, American influences)…anyways I ‘ran into’ (and ‘ran into’ because you realistically can’t RUN into words and stuff) this passage and a short commentary on it I thought I’d share it (and my thoughts on it) with you guys….

1 Thessalonians 5:11
“Therefore encourage (admonish, exhort) one another and edify (strengthen and build up) one another, just as you are doing.” [Amplified]
“So speak encouraging words to one another. Build up hope so you’ll all be together in this, no one left out, no one left behind. I know you’re already doing this; just keep on doing it.” [The Message]

I just chose these two versions because I think they are pretty cool…but I would encourage you guys to try and find other versions as well

Sometimes, as Christians, we think that it is our duty to encourage others and make them feel better about themselves/their situations….and that is true, we are called into that walk. Encouraging others is part of following God.

However, we don’t often realize the importance of the way we receive these in return. The act of receiving compliments is just as important. 

Me and a friend were talking about this fear of compliments the other day and just how awkward the whole thing is. I mean, to me anyways, a lot of things cross my mind in that 5 seconds between the end of the compliment and my response to it. let me give you an example, if someone comes up to me and says, “wow, you look beautiful”. I start thinking, “do I not look beautiful on other days”, “Should I just smile, will they think that is rude”, “But I think the outfit makes me look too short/fat/dis-proportioned”, “are they just saying that because they are my friend”, “should I just say thank you, or should I try and find something to compliment them for”, or even “I looked at myself this morning and I liked the outfit so I know it looks good (well this one hardly ever happens). The list goes on and varies depending on who gave the compliment. Basically, compliments just make me feel awkward, truth be told. And so our conclusion was, every time someone gives me a compliment my response will be……wait for it…..”HI!”….yep, HI as in HELLO…

How do you respond when someone compliments you? Think of the times when someone says something like ‘I love you hair’ when you’re having a bad hair day (ladies) the first thing you say (the first thing I say anyways) is “really, no.My hair is terrible, I don’t like my hair, it’s such a mess”…The first response is most often negative; it promotes lack of confidence and thoughts along the lines of, maybe the other person is “just being nice”

Accept compliments gracefully, after all, the things that you are, that you do, that others see of you are works of God. If you don’t accept it you are looking down on what God said is “perfect” and “good”. God made you in His image and values your every thought and presence.

Accept the good that others see, and be sincere about it. Compliments are meant to edify us and draw us closer to seeing ourselves the way God sees us.

HOW WILL YOU ACCEPT COMPLIMENTS THIS WEEK….I hereby dub this the “COMPLIMENT-ACCEPTANCE CHALLENGE”….Let the games begin (that said because the new hunger games aka enders game is coming out soon.lol)…

have a great week!

YOU ARE GUYS ARE ALL SUPER AMAZING (compliment number one)

http://youtu.be/2gTXjPTFTYc

You’ve already been Justified, why are you stressing?

“And those whom He thus foreordained, He also called; and those whom He called, He also justified (acquitted, made righteous, putting them into right standing with Himself). And those whom He justified, He also glorified [raising them to a heavenly dignity and condition or state of being].” Romans 8:30 [amp]

Ever had that feeling where you just don’t think you are perfect. There is so much doubt going on, you feel like you just can’t measure up to anything and there is just nothing there for you. I have! So many times. I have days where I don’t even want to get out of bed because I am thinking, “what good will it do me anyways”. I think to myself that there really isn’t any weight that I hold, that whether I am there or not no one will even realize. It’s funny though that God always has a different idea, a different perspective of who we are, a different perspective of our worth and a different perspective on how much weight we hold (and no, not that weight in pounds because ey, that’s another story).

These feelings of worthlessness are magnified, especially, when God has a plan and is laying things down in front of you. There are times where I really feel like God wants me to do something, something big, something real, but then I think to myself…”that’s too big for me” or “I’m not prepared for that”. Ever felt like that? The thoughts of, maybe if I take some more time and practice that to get better then I can try and do it. It is human nature to feel like that, no doubt. To feel like we need to make and effort and make sure we are perfect before we do what God wants us to do now. 

In Romans 8:30 we are told, clearly, that God has got it all under control, that He has chosen us and equipped us. That He has JUSTIFIED and GLORIFIED us for the purpose set out for us. Isn’t that beautiful? But why is it hard to accept this, to embrace the graciousness that is so vivid in this passage? It is easier to dispute it and make our own claims. It is just easier to rationalize and fill in the gaps for God. I do it all the time, so I know. I hear His plan or read on the direction He wants me to go. Then I think to myself, maybe He meant this or, maybe He actually wanted me to do things this way. I am sure God looks down on me sometimes and gets super frustrated, just thinking, “why won’t she listen to me?”.

It is a struggle that I face daily, I struggle to walk in the glorification and the justification given to me by God. I find it hard to believe that He has actually made me right by Him. I think to myself often that I have to work at it all myself, that I need to understand before I take that step. At the same time, I challenge myself to walk in faith of this promise and know that God has got my back.

What is one thing, in your life right now, that you feel led into but are struggling to follow through with? Is fear holding you back? If God has led you, He has prepared you for it. Stop doubting and walk out in it, He has already prepared the way (and prepared you) for what’s in store!

GO GET IT TIGER!!!