Another Year Gone By...

Each year on the night of my birthday when it's just about to end and I'm praying and thanking God for the beautiful people He's surrounded me with. I take a moment to look back on the last year I lived. I breathe in each memory, moment, smile, tear & begin to realize where God needs me to be.. and that's. right. here. 

In this moment, is exactly where He wants me. To be laying in my bed with my stuffed tiger Angus that I got from my brother & thanking God for the lessons learned, the mistakes, the people, the amazing times and the sad times. Because every single on made up this moment right now. 

Often times, we get so caught up in the year that by the end of it we never realize we were grateful for it all.

 It was hard as hell to live through some of the moments I did, but I had also never been happier in other's. 

It's crazy how one day you can be living it and the next you're rememising about it, and than you realize that memory was 8 years ago and not 10 days ago.. and you realize that you're growing up and you're not even sure you know how to. 

It's the most mind boggling thing to wrap my thoughts around and I know so many of you are with me. 

Jesus' love and forgiveness and healing gives me all the more will to live another year, and that's all I need. 

I don't need a party of a hundred, or posts on my Facebook wall. (although shoutout to the awesome people who did) Because as long I have Him holding me here, and the grace and mercies that come along with Him.. I'm me & I'm set. And that's it. 

I think back a year ago today at nearly midnight and I know I was thankful for the season God had put me through then. I realize seasons change, and the leaves fall and the sun rises and some memories fade away & people come and go. But if you're not grateful for the mistakes, be grateful for the lessons. The Lord put it there for a reason. You're here for a reason. 

Another year, a million more blessings. 

     thank you to anyone who's stuck along                      

    with me. we have many more journeys to     

      venture through. 18 is just the start.❤️

His Better Plan

Growing up, I was never the controlling type. I let things role as they did, and allowed God to have full control of my life.

As you get older you realize you want that "power" in your own hands & you want to call the shots. But when I stop for a moment to think, and pray; I know... God has a bigger and better plan for me. And anything I do to create my own path, will fall through because I'm not the one who's in control, God is and that's what I want. 

Ever think to yourself, maybe I should stop for a breathe and let The Lord lead the way? Not often. And that's because we doubt we'll know where to go or what to do. When it feels right and you're doing what you love, or you feel like it's the best thing to do, that is most likely God leading your way. Though everyone experiences "signs" and direction differently. Because we each have a specific way of communicating with Jesus.

 "Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path." (Psalm 119:105)

No matter where I am, I know Gods word is with me, and I can speak to Him anytime I want. Not just at night before bed, or in the morning before my day starts. I want to do my best for Him daily, and strive to be the best daughter of God that I can be. Although I am sinful, I will not fall down without letting the Lord pick me back up where I fall. I will not lead my own path, because I do not know best. I will honour and obey my God because He loves me and forgives me. 

Never let your heart get tired of loving the Lord, and love Him with the burning passion He's ignited in you. 

(some other verses to check out on letting the Lord lead): 

Proverbs 3:5-6

Psalm 32:8 

Isaiah 58:11

                 THANK YOU, xoxo

Stranger Than Fiction

Often times I catch myself talking very intensely with God, like I'll be praying and just chatting with Him & then I break out into a puddle of tears & whether that's normal for other Christians or not, it's my normal. 

Anyways, I came to praying and talking to God about how I treat people & how others treat me. 

It began with me praying for people in general to start treating me as I deserve.. This sinful, fearful, shameful young girl deserves to be treated in a much better manor than she has. But why? 

The way I treat other people is the same way I'm being treated & that got me thinking.. if I began to give my 100% to everyone- whether you're a stranger on the street, a customer at work, a family member & particularly the people I live with, or someone I highly disliike.. If I create enemies in my heart & I'm not giving 100% of who God made me to be to other people, than what am I doing? 

If I began to give me 100%, I would get 100% back. Whether it's Gods plan to show you 100% from others in the first day, or He blesses you with it 50 days later. You don't know. Sorry. 

But it's Gods hope you show HIS love to others. And at this point in my life, I believe that if you give that, you'll get it in return no matter the time or day. You deserve to be loved regardless of who you are and what you've done & you will find what your heart is aching for. And that's coming from a girl who is still at the "hoping for the hope in the hard place" stage. 

Who am I to say I deserve to be treated better when I'm not sure I know how to treat people either? who are you to do the same? 

For me it was time to put down the fiction and come to realize life has a reality to it & we need to stop treating people like characters in a book, as if they'll just forgive us and move on that's not real life & as much as I wish it was.. it's not. 

This just really hit my heart tonight & I had to share it. Feeling so empty, and wondering why; leads you to a million different thoughts, but if you can branch it off and then find the root; you'll have a brand new life goal in no time & I want nothing more than to give what I'm receiving and vise-versa. 

I pray and have hope you'll do the same in your daily walk. 

Thanks so much for reading. Have an amazing rest of your day & God bless you!! <3 ❤️💜 

Addiction & Forgivness

I know that so many of us have addictions. They alter depending on each person. I know I'm addicted to cellular activity, I'm addicted to makeup, youtube, I'm addicted to thoughts & always wanting something to do but hardly finding time to fit it into my schedule. As of right now I'm addicted at looking at colleges & knowing exactly where I want to go.. 

Addictions in life like I said a moment ago, vary from person to person & they can be worse or smaller. 

Sin is all the same to God, as is addiction. Everyone is equal to God, we're all sinners no matter the depth in human eyes & opinions. So why hide what is right in front of you everyday? 

Addiction is so easy to pass over, yeah I go on my phone ALL.THE.TIME. 

And yes I think until I cry, and yes I watch YouTube videos until the website crashes.. But those "small" addictions are equally as sinful in Gods eyes as pornography, drugs, drinking, cutting. Or anything else the world would consider to be "worse then theirs".

But what are we addicted to in God that makes us go back so often? What do we find so attractive about God? What makes us cling to that hope He instills in us to follow Him? 

His forgiveness. 

We come back to Him because we know He listens although He isn't physically visual, we go back to Him because He will love us no matter what, when the addiction gets boring or no one loves you anymore.. You realize for even a split moment, Jesus' love is better than what the world offers. (John 16:33: 

"I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”) 

In conclusion to what I'm trying to make as short as I can, Gods forgiveness and love should be our addictions & addiction is hard to overcome, and it starts with being accountable to your sins. 

I'm leaving a link to a book that I have that will help on your journey through addiction. please go check it out!

(Addiction & Grace By Gerald G. May)  http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/0061122432?pc_redir=1411891584&robot_redir=1

Who are you?

Something the Christian mind is rare to grasp, is the knowledge of knowing who you are in Christ.. 

Even those words are hard to take in (for me at least) who am I in my Lord Jesus? What do I represent? what do I do in my daily walk to honour, praise & love Him? Who. Am I. In my Heavenly Father? 

That's somethig that for some people can take years to come to. It takes trials, heartache, challenges & lots of soul searching, and honoring and loving God to figure it out, and for people it may always change. He may always have something new in store for you, I'm not the one who knows that. 

But, in saying all this. Do you know who you are in your Father? Has he made you who you're suposed to be, or are you still learning? Are you living for Him and in search for your purpose? If you're loving and living for Him, that's where you'll find it; that's where you'll find yourself. 

It's hard to say who I am in Christ sometimes, and how valued I am in Him that I really am. How loved I am, and how as a Christian; I am a child of Gods. 

John 1:12 I am God's child.

"Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God" 

Romans 5:8 "

but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us."

- Galatians 2:20

- Ephesians 2:4-5 

There are so many verses I can name off, and so many for you to read. Open your bible today, and keep searching for who you are in Christ. You're his to unfold, and you're His child to be loved. Never let that leave your heart, and open your heart for more. You are and will be, who you're supposed to be. 

                     xoxo Victoria 

Free Will

Many people struggle with the thought behind "well why would God have me do this, or allow this person to die, or let this happen to me?" I have one main thing on my heart right now & that's free will. 

God created us with free will (self-choice) because He wanted us to love Him without force, because Love is patient, love is kind & it isn't forced upon us. (1 Corinthians 13:4-7) We choose who we love, we choose what we do each day, we choose who we dislike, because God gave us the free will to do so. He never created us to forcefully love Him. 

When God set Adam & Eve in the garden, He gave them a choice & asked of them only one thing not to eat. (From the tree of knowledge) and they disobeyed because of self choice & temptation. (Genesis 3) 

Because God gave us free will, temptation exists and we create sin. Something God never wanted, but was created through Eve's sinful act, which then created separation from God. 

When making choices, we need to remember who created choices in the beginning & He never wanted us to not know Him, or sin against Him, but we do and we have. 

In Christ there is forgiveness, and refuge & love. We just have to seek to believe, to love & to know Him. 

The free will and choice to love Him because He loved me without difficulty from the begging & through my sin, was the best choice I ever made. He loves you even though you struggle and even though you have sinned. You are forgiven, set yourself free from burden. Because He's already set you free. 

      Praise Him because God is good! 

                       I love you! 

                          Xoxo 

Shine the Light

You toss and turn around, struggling to open your eyes, to this brand new day. You finally let your blue eyes meet the day and God did not wake you up today to have another "good" day, another ordinary day of getting by. 

He woke you up this morning to make a difference, to live for Him & to be the light.  

Matthew 5:16

In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven." 

Each day we live is a new day to manifest The Lord and teach people what He did for us. 

One of the best lines I've ever heard is "if it's good news to share, you won't mind sharing it". The good news of our saviour and what He did on that cross for us, is the most exciting news in the world, and it's the only thing God wants us to do for what He did for us. Just share the gospel with the world, share his Love and have people know the amazing news!

A lot of times, people who don't believe or who aren't Christians think that you're supposed to feel  something different & sometimes people do, and sometimes people don't, it's all on how you connect with God (The Holy Spirit). But the feeling is living for him, and being the light in the world for him because of His sacrafice. 

I find it quite fair that that's all we do is love Him back, because he loves us so unconditionally. 

Jesus is Love. And Real Love can live within us, all if we let it! 

Shine your light today.