God loves when we follow the plan he has for us, especially since he knows what’s perfect. He loves when we earnestly seek to do his will. He “delights” in our every step. He is well pleased.
There have been times where I have had to make a BIG decision. I prayed and got impatient, later realizing I had made a mistake. I still thought that it was God’s will. However, later I realized I had made a mistake that caused me to stumble. I did not wait long enough for him to bring clarity. Yet we see, that even when we stumble there is abundant grace and mercy. He is ready and willing to lift us up when we stumble.
Do you remember when you tried to ride a bike for the first time? Your parents let you try without training wheels? If you were like me, you ate the gravel. I mean, I stumbled hard. I was a bloody, bruised, beat up, wanted to give up kind of mess. Just as my earthly Father saw what had happened and helped me up, God will lift you up when you stumble. He is much better than your earthly father. He is your cheerleader. He was delighted you wanted to please him! He lifts you and says, here my child try this.
God sees the desire in your heart to do his will and live out his plan for your life and that pleases him. He is delighted you a pursuing to be obedient. Even if you stumble, he is there to lift you up. He is proud of you! So dust the gravel off and keep riding.
After hearing the news of 2 very young people from back home taking their own life, God laid it on my heart to speak up and speak life into those who are struggling. You are not alone & you are so loved.
Here’s the link to the YouTube channel where you can check out the latest updates: Speak Life YouTube Channel
I have had a goal for the past 4 years and it was to get to know God and put him first. I can finally say, in 2017 it has been accomplished. This past year, as it comes to end has shown me who I am in Christ. Nothing is more powerful than knowing your identity in Christ. When I faced trials and tribulations, the more I knew my Papa and declared his promises, the better off I was! I knew throughout 2017:
“We know that all things work together for the good of those who love God, who are called according to his purpose.”-Romans 8:28 CSB
Don’t worry about anything, but in everything, through prayer and petition with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Finally brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable — if there is any moral excellence and if there is anything praiseworthy — dwell on these things. Do what you have learned and received and heard from me, and seen in me, and the God of peace will be with you.-Philippians 4:6-9 CSB
Love consists in this: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the atoning sacrifice for our sins. Dear friends, if God loved us in this way, we also must love one another. No one has ever seen God. If we love one another, God remains in us and his love is made complete in us. This is how we know that we remain in him and he in us: He has given us of his Spirit. And we have seen and we testify that the Father has sent his Son as the world’s Savior. Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God — God remains in him and he in God. And we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and the one who remains in love remains in God, and God remains in him.-1 John 4:10-16 CSB
We love because he first loved us. If anyone says, “I love God,” and yet hates his brother or sister, he is a liar. For the person who does not love his brother or sister whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen. And we have this command from him: The one who loves God must also love his brother and sister.-1 John 4:19-21 CSB
Those are just some of God’s promises that got me through. God has inspired me to write not only this blog, but I am working on a book. He gave me my amazing husband this past year and I got a beautiful puppy this CHRISTmas! God has provided abundantly in my finances and has healed me of Bipolar Disorder. (You can check out the links below to see more on mental health) I’ve saw people find God that I prayed for and other miracles happen before my eyes! The list goes on of how God has blessed me this year.
As this year approaches I want to encourage you to keep a prayer journal to show what Abba has brought you to and through. I also remind you that “No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”-Romans 8:37-39 CSB
If we put God at the throne of our hearts where he belongsyou will watch 2018 be one of the best years of your life! I’m telling you this from my experience!
Did you reach any of your goals in 2017? What are some in 2018?
Thankyou to all those who have supported me through this blog. May God bless you abundantly in this next year to come. My hope is for you to grow into a deeper & more intimate relationship this year with Abba. That you always keep him on the throne of your heart. I pray he gives you a boldness to show people who may not know him, what pure love really looks like by showing Christ’s example. I pray you hold onto your lifelines of your relationship with God: his word, prayer, and a church family who loves God, who pushes you to know him more!
It is only natural for us to be filled with excitement as we are picked out to receive a promotion. We get excited that we are randomly chosen to win NFL tickets in a raffle. We are overjoyed when we randomly get lucky and win $20 on a lottery ticket. What if I told you that you were chosen by God? Being chosen by God, isn’t luck or on accident. He didn’t want you to be an orphan, but his child, his heir!
“But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.”-1 Peter 2:9
Before I knew my identity in Christ, I was like the verse above, identifying myself in darkness. I identified myself in depression that came along with Bipolar Disorder, Anxiety, PTSD, Addiction, and *fill whatever here*. When we don’t accept what satan has to offer and replace it with the promises that God provided for us in his word, that’s when we truly start living!
I hear on almost a weekly basis how “There’s no way I could’ve been healed of Bipolar Disorder.” If I start to “feel it come back, go to the doctor”. Often my response is, “While I really appreciate your concern. I know you are saying this because you love me. I’ve been healed by God and I’ll be okay.” Being a Child of God is blessing. I get to love on people who need it most every single day. I am able to show people that there is a light at the end of the tunnel. (“Then Jesus again spoke to them, saying, “I am the Light of the world; he who follows Me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the Light of life.””-John 8:12) Not only in the process of telling people about God, he lets me be the light in those peoples lives. (“You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden; nor does anyone light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.”-Matthew 5:14-16)
I thought being healed was amazing. But then, God used me as a vessel to pray over people with his perfect timing. It says in The Bible, it says that is more blessed to give and to receive and it’s so true! I’ve saw people give their hearts to God, I’ve witnessed miracles of healing, people giving their financial situation to God and him providing…the list goes on!
All these blessings are because of God. It’s because he said “I need a Tanja” & put me on this earth to write to you this post on how beautiful it is to be chosen by such a loving father! If you are feeling like you aren’t loved today, can I tell you just how loved you are? Will you invite God in and let him show you? If you feel like you can’t handle the circumstances you’re in, will you give it to God? You were never meant to do it alone. If you feel like you’ve done so much wrong in your life, there’s no way God would ever forgive you…Can I say that you are forgiven and you are NEVER too far from God.
God chose you because he wants you. God chose you because he wants to love on you, he’s loved you for a really really really long time! God put you on this earth because he knew you were the only one that could fulfill the purpose he has for your life.
Don’t let satan distract you from who you really are, what God has planned for you, and the authority you have. Don’t settle for sickness when God brings healing. Don’t settle for guilt when you are forgiven. Don’t worry about bills, when God will provide if we do our part. Don’t settle for lies of satan for what Jesus died on the cross!
When you know who you are with God, nothing is impossible. It’s a promise!
“For nothing will be impossible with God.”-Luke 1:37
Reflection: Ask Holy Spirit to reveal who you are and see if what you see yourself as lines up with God’s word. If it doesn’t, replace the lie with the truth of God’s word!
If you have any questions, need prayer, or just want to chat, feel free to contact me!
