Life Update

Hello Everyone!

Wow it seems like forever since I last write a post for this blog. I may have forgotten how to do this. So much has happened since my last post titled Seasons of Change. As you probably noticed the header changed. I felt it was time to give the blog a new look that really represented me and what I stand for. So I hope you like what I came up with.

You are probably wondering if I'm going to start blogging regularly again and as much as I would like to that just isn't in the cards right now. However I do plan to start up again this fall. I have some really exciting changes for this blog and where God is taking it. So please be sure to check back.

Just a little update. While I have been gone I am still writing. I've been writing once a month for Daughters of the Deep and occassionly for my church blog. Outside of writing I have been very involved with my church volunteering at Anthem which is our new young adult college age ministry. I'm so excited to see what God has in store for my generation.

The big news is that I am writing a book. Yes you read that right. I AM WRITING A BOOK!!! God has been calling me to do this for a while now and I finally took the plunge. As of right now I don't have a date for when you will be able to read it but hopefully within the next year. I will say that this book is a very personal story of how I dealt with grief. I don't want to say too much just yet. So stay tuned for more updates on that.

As I am planning to return to full time blogging here again this fall I would like to know what you my readers would want to see more of. Do you want short devotions? Worship Wednesdays? Bible studies you can join in? Scripture writing challenges? Ways to pray God's Word? I want to hear from you.

Throughout the summer I am hoping to be more active on instagram and facebook. I will be joining in on Entrusted Bible study by Beth Moore with a very sweet friend of mine this summer and will be sharing what I learn from it on my social media throughout the summer.

Well I must end this post before it turns into a book. I pray for each and every one of you. Please let me know your thoughts and I look forward to returning this fall.

Blessings and Shalom,
Grace Mae <3 <3 <3

He is Risen Just Like He Said

Happy Easter! He is Risen! He is Alive!

 

I pray you all had a wonderful day yesterday and were blessed beyond measure.

As I have been reflecting in my quiet time during Holy Week I am reminded of the ultimate sacrifice that Jesus made for me. He didn't have to die yet He did because He loved me so much. I'm so thankful that He wants to know me. I choose to follow Him. I choose to love Him. I asked Him to come into my heart, forgive me of my sins so I can have eternal life. Because of what He did and has done and continues to do in my life I want to be one voice telling others about Him. 

If you don't know Him. Ask me I'd be glad to tell you all about Him. I promise you that it will be the best decision you will ever make. Following Him has changed my life and I'd be lost without Him. He is my Lord and Savior and lives in my heart. 

Easter is all about Jesus. My Savior is alive. He is risen just like He said. 

I'd like to leave you with this song as we continue to celebrate His Resurrection! 

Blessings and Shalom, 

Grace Mae <3 <3 <3 

Seasons of Change & Update

Change is a part of life and sometimes we don't understand it or like it but can't do anything to stop it. Seasons come and go. Things change as we get older. We go through hard times but even when we loose our way God is always there helping us get through. 

When I started this blog back in 2013 I had no idea what I was doing or where it would take me. I wouldn't trade the days, months, or years I spent on this for anything. God has blessed me so much over the last four years of blogging. 

What I am about to say isn't easy. Please know I have prayed hard and long over this. 

In the fall of 2015 I have felt God nudging me to pursue writing more in depth. I honestly laughed at the idea. Writing has never been something I enjoyed or that I was very good at but I said okay. I am willing to pursue this. Over the last year and a half I have gone through some of my worst times but God has always been faithful. He has opened many doors for me and has blessed me with two opportunities to write for Daughters of the Deep and my church CLA Blog. This has kept me busy and I have been finding myself stressing out over everything. Also God has been laying on my heart to write on a couple special projects of things He is teaching me. 

However, I haven't been able to work on them because blogging has taken most of my time. Please don't get me wrong. I love what I do. My passion in life is to encourage and help others grow in their faith and walk with Jesus. I just feel like I am overwhelmed and spending so much time making sure the blog and the other two blogs I write for has top quality stuff. 

So I wanted to let you all know I am taking a rest from blogging full time. I'm not sure how long I will be gone but I do know that it's not over. I enjoy this so much but need to take time to focus on God and my own needs. By quitting blogging full time I will be able to spend more time in the Word, in prayer and writing about what God is teaching me. 

Please know this isn't goodbye forever. I will occasionally write a post and update you all on what is going on hopefully once a month. Also my plan is to keep the social media updated more regularly as time allows. So please be sure you follow the blog facebook page and instagram account. 

Thank you again to all my readers and encouragers. I appreciate your faithfulness and support. Please keep in touch with me. I care about you all. This is just a change in the season and like in nature it's only temporary. Right now I am needing to go with what my heart is telling me and what God is telling me. I love each and every one of you. I want to leave you with this song. This song has blessed me and I just wanted to encourage you today. I look forward to coming back and sharing with you what God has been doing in my life while I'm gone. The love I have for this blog and part of my life will last longer than a lifetime. 

Blessings and Shalom,

Grace Mae <3 <3 <3 

Influence Knows No Season

Do you just have one of those phrases people use that just strikes you the wrong way? 

Recently someone told me that we weren't as close as we once were because we were in different seasons in our lives.  At the time, I agreed and we caught up on some superficial chit chat and went our separate ways.  The more I replayed the conversation over in my mind, the more I thought about being in "different seasons" and tried to figure out what season I was in and why that meant we weren't continuing to invest in each other. 

This encounter lead me to a couple realizations that pointed me to God's Word. 

First, we are always influencing the people around us whether we are aware of it or not.  I have only to look at the words and actions of my five year old son to see that he is influenced by me on a daily basis.  This influence know no season. 

Second, we get to choose how we want to use that influence.  Hebrews 10:24 says, "And let us be concerned about one another in order to promote love and good works."  As followers of Jesus Christ we are to point others to Him  We do this by truly caring about people and where they will spend eternity.  We show we care about our fellow sisters in Christ by pushing them to pursue holiness by bring obedient to the Word of God.

Third, our time of influence is limited to the days we have on earth.  Rather than excusing ourselves due to our current "season" of life, I believe we should be intentional with our impact by living out Ephesians 5: 15-16, "Pay careful attention, then, to how you walk- not as unwise people but as wise- making the most of the time, because the days are evil."  We must seek to invest ourselves in the lives of other, this requires effort and it is urgent for we do not know how many days we have left. 

So, I have determined that no matter what different seasons me and my dear sister may be in, it is not an excuse to neglect the powerful influence we can have on each another.  It just may mean that we have to work a little harder at it right now.  Now, I encourage each of  you to consider the people God has placed in your path and evaluate what kind of influence you are having in their lives.  Are you pointing them to Christ by how you live your life and what you say or are you neglecting the gift of influence you have been given?

Go forward and use to gift of influence you have been given sweet friends!
 
-Kristi

Worship Wednesdays - Find You Here

When I first heard this song I cried so hard. This song really touched my life. My life right now has been a mess but I am relying on God to be with me. 

I really love the bridge that says.

Here in the middle of the lonely night

Here in the middle of the losing fight, You're

Here in the middle of the deep regret

Here when the healing hasn't happened yet

Here in the middle of the desert place

Here in the middle when I cannot see Your face

Here in the middle with Your outstretched arms

You can see my pain and it breaks Your heart

I pray this song touches you as it did me. My prayer for you today is that God will find you wherever you are and whatever you are going through. 

Meditation Mondays - Compassion that Broke Barriers

Hey Everyone! 

Today's post will be directed over to the blog our church started. I am so excited to be part of it and pray that it will encourage someone today. Let me know what you think. One of my passions has been writing and sharing what God is teaching me and doing for me in my life with others. In my article I talk about compassion and how Jesus showed compassion. 

Have a blessed day!!!!

Compassion that Broke Barriers

Blessings and Shalom, 

Grace Mae <3 <3 <3 

Meditation Mondays - Writing Letters to your Future Husband

Today's post as we wrap up our mini series I'd like to talk about writing letters to your future husband. 

As I talked about last week praying for your future husband is important writing letters to him is something special. I have found that writing these letters is way to help me know that someday He will read these. I write about how I am thinking of him and praying for him or when something special happens in my life. 

You can write these on notebook paper, in a journal, or even on your laptop. It's another way to share your heart for your future together with him. The letters don't have to be long. I've thought about buying a special journal to use for my letters and prayers. Right now I am just using notebook paper which works just fine. It doens't have to be fancy, it can be plain and simple. 

Here is a letter that I wrote to my future husband that I wanted to share with you. 

Dear Future Husband, 

I haven't met you yet or maybe I have. Only God knows you are the right person for me. As I have been praying God laid this on my heart. Sometimes it feels like an eternity waiting for you to come into my life. It's hard seeing others around me finding love and moving on with life. It makes me want you more. I want you to know that I am waiting for you. I am not giving into temptation. I pray for you every single day and hope you are praying and waiting for me too. What a day it's going to be when we finally meet? I can't wait to see what God has in store for our future together. Just know that I love you. 

Much love,

Your Future Wife 

<3 <3 <3 <3 <3 

Do you write letters and notes to your future husband? Do you find it helpful? Let me know in the comments. 

Blessings and Shalom,

Grace Mae <3 <3 <3