Today is the last day of 2012. Wow! This year has been full of so much...heartbreak, pain, frustration, tears, confusion, doubt, love, joy, happiness, hope, God...This year I have learned so much, about myself, about God, about my future, about love--what is truly is and is not...2012 is not at all what I expected it to be, but it was everything that it needed to be. Now, 2013 is going to be amazing! It is going to be full of God's favor in my life. This year He will provide for me a car, a job, a home of my own, new friendships, and maybe even a new love. This year will see the miraculous, orchestrated only by God, supernatural release of my brother from prison. This year will see many dreams ans hopes come into fruition. This year will see a supernatural provision for my entire family, my sister, brother, parents, and myself. I declare that the year 2013 will be a year of salvation for my lost family members and a new level for those who know Him already. This year will see the release of books, starting of businesses. This year we will see the glory of God in our lives and in our church like never before. This year will be a year of blessing and favor. This year, the year of "rebellion and satan" (what the number 13 represents), we will see the complete opposite of that---a year of complete and total humility and submission to the Lord Jesus Christ and a year full of His power, His grace, His mercy, His faithfulness, His love, His provision, His Spirit, His peace, and so much more! This year, I will experience Him in a new way, on a new level. This year, He will activate the "above and beyond" in my life, while I learn to "Just Breathe" and trust Him.
This year is going to be amazing!!! Are you ready?!?!?!?
Monday, December 31, 2012
Thursday, December 20, 2012
Ugh! yet, not really:)
Sometimes I hate that I remember dates so well...Don't get me wrong, I love that I remember birthdays and anniversaries for the ones that I hold close...what I hate is that I remember birthdays for the ones who broke my heart, the ones who I no longer a part of my life...I hate that they are still a memory...I have a quote on this blog that says, "the beautiful thing about memories is that they are yours, whether they are good, bad, or indifferent...they belong to you. And no matter where life takes you, your memories tie you to where you've been." I just want to forget...I don't want to remember birthdays...maybe with time I will forget, or I will just remember the good memories and not the bad ones, the painful ones. Just maybe...
On another note, it's almost 2013! Do you know what happens in 2013? My brother comes home!!! YAY! I am so excited, I just can't contain it! This will be the last Christmas, the last New Year that we will have to spend without him...I can't wait to see what God has in store...I can't wait to see how He will move in my life, in the life of my family:) I can't wait to write it all down and then read it later! How exciting will it be to read it all, to share all that God has done? I'm so ready to start writing some good stuff, to start writing about all the "Above and Beyond" stuff that God will be doing in 2013!!!
On another note, it's almost 2013! Do you know what happens in 2013? My brother comes home!!! YAY! I am so excited, I just can't contain it! This will be the last Christmas, the last New Year that we will have to spend without him...I can't wait to see what God has in store...I can't wait to see how He will move in my life, in the life of my family:) I can't wait to write it all down and then read it later! How exciting will it be to read it all, to share all that God has done? I'm so ready to start writing some good stuff, to start writing about all the "Above and Beyond" stuff that God will be doing in 2013!!!
Friday, December 14, 2012
Remember...
I sit here watching the news, and reading all my facebook friends post, about the shootings of 20 innocent kindergarten children, and 7 adults--by a 24 year old man. All these posts talk about the evil in this world, about the sadness and heartbreak that they feel for the parents and families of these innocent people...yes, I do feel heartbreak...I am not a parent, but the thought that this could have been any one of my nieces, or my mom who is a teacher, saddens me, the reality of this world. However, for me, the tears that I cried were in part for the soul of the one who pulled the trigger over and over again. He was a human being also. He was a sick man, yes, but he was still a human being. The Savior of this world, the One who died for me, the One who has given me so much joy and freedom, spared my from so much pain and suffering, is also the One who died for this man. Jesus loved him just as much as He loves me. He died for Him just as much as He died for me. I am sure that His heart was grieved today also, but not only for the children, for the innocent, but for the one who did this.
This is how I know that God has changed me...that He has changed my heart. I am angry, but not at the man who did this, rather the one who so deceptively controlled this man's thoughts, actions. Yes, this man made a choice...a really bad choice, but God still loves him. I can't help but wonder if he ever heard the name of Jesus. I can't help but wonder if anyone ever reached out to him. A teacher? friend? neighbor? co-worker? classmate? mailman? pastor? Did anyone ever pray for him, really pray for him? If so, did they pursue him? Did they fight for him? Did they constantly love him and get in his business, make him talk? I wonder.
Our struggle is not against flesh and blood...So, as you process the events of today, I challenge you to remember who the enemy is...to remember that we have been called to be the salt of the earth, the light in a darkened world...Greater is He who is in us! I challenge you to speak life into all those around you...you may never know how dark their world is, you may never know how powerful your love, friendship, encouraging word, or prayer is to that person. I challenge you to listen closely to the voice of God, the Holy Spirit as He leads you to the hurting and dying people of this world. I challenge you to remember that for God so loved the WORLD...we must love like Christ loves, we must embrace as Christ embraces, and we must forgive as Christ forgives..."Father forgive them, for they know not what they do"...sound familiar?
Dreaming with Him,
Andrea
This is how I know that God has changed me...that He has changed my heart. I am angry, but not at the man who did this, rather the one who so deceptively controlled this man's thoughts, actions. Yes, this man made a choice...a really bad choice, but God still loves him. I can't help but wonder if he ever heard the name of Jesus. I can't help but wonder if anyone ever reached out to him. A teacher? friend? neighbor? co-worker? classmate? mailman? pastor? Did anyone ever pray for him, really pray for him? If so, did they pursue him? Did they fight for him? Did they constantly love him and get in his business, make him talk? I wonder.
Our struggle is not against flesh and blood...So, as you process the events of today, I challenge you to remember who the enemy is...to remember that we have been called to be the salt of the earth, the light in a darkened world...Greater is He who is in us! I challenge you to speak life into all those around you...you may never know how dark their world is, you may never know how powerful your love, friendship, encouraging word, or prayer is to that person. I challenge you to listen closely to the voice of God, the Holy Spirit as He leads you to the hurting and dying people of this world. I challenge you to remember that for God so loved the WORLD...we must love like Christ loves, we must embrace as Christ embraces, and we must forgive as Christ forgives..."Father forgive them, for they know not what they do"...sound familiar?
Dreaming with Him,
Andrea
Thursday, December 13, 2012
New Beginnings!
I've been thinking alot about this year...the year 2012...about the things I had hoped for, the dreams I had...etc. As I look back, as we are about to close out 2012, I remember so many things. I remember what my life looked like this time last year. I was emotionally connected to someone that I loved with my entire being-who was becoming connected with someone else while I wasn't looking. I was sad, I was depressed, I was confused about my purpose in life, what I wanted, etc. Honestly, I was living a life of disobedience. Satan is sly like that...he gets in and then before you realize it, you are in deep. I was lonely and I wasn't seeking God like I should have been...when that happens it's a setup waiting to happen. I gave him a foothold...by the time I realized what had happened, what I had done...it was too late. I was already so in love that I figured I could "him. I could make him want the same things I wanted, love God the way I thought he needed to, be who I knew he could be...THEN I went to this thing called "THE RAMP" and my life was forever changed. I can't explain what happened, and I can't believe that it hasn't even been a year yet. God drastically changed me. He gave me hope, joy, delivered me from the fear of man. He showed me that He has a destiny for my life and asked me to dream His dreams for me. I came back a different Andrea. Completely different.
Throughout this year I lost love, I felt pain. I know what it feels like to be betrayed, to be cheated on, to find out that everything you believed to be true was a lie. I know what it's like to grieve the death of dreams, love, life as I knew it. I know what it's like to have everything stripped away from you and to be left with nothing, or at least what feels like nothing. I know what it's like to sacrifice. You see, God has always chased me, pursued me. He has always been trying to get my attention, to take me to a greater level with Him. No matter what I wanted, what my flesh wanted, my spirit, my soul, ALWAYS wanted Him more than anything else. My flesh wasn't strong enough to give everything up on my own, so my prayer was for His help...and although I would have saved myself alot of pain and heartache if I would have done it myself, He helped me. Even though I let Satan deceive me, to distract me from God's dreams for me, God was still pursuing me. He was still chasing me. He is still chasing me, still pursuing me. This year of 2012---as I mentioned in an earlier blog--I learned that He is enough. God is enough for me. I have learned about the kind of love I deserve, the kind of love I desire. I don't want to be pursued by a love that is selfish, that turns to another when it gets to be too much work. I have learned what is and is not okay. I have learned that God loves me so much that He has created a man out there for me that is praying for me. As I pursue the Lord, and as he pursues the Lord, God will lead us to pursue each other.
So, although 2012 was a year that I was asked to sacrifice much, to walk away from much, I am thankful for the lessons learned. And I am more thankful that soon I can put 2012 behind me and look towards 2013! 2013 will be a year of new beginnings! A year that puts my "above and beyond' into action! So, keep your eyes on this blog, I will write about my new beginnings, the new things that God is going to be doing in my life, in the life of my family. 2013 will see my brother being released from prison, it will see my new job, new car, and who knows, possibly even a husband:)! You never know...
Still dreaming His dreams,
Andrea
Throughout this year I lost love, I felt pain. I know what it feels like to be betrayed, to be cheated on, to find out that everything you believed to be true was a lie. I know what it's like to grieve the death of dreams, love, life as I knew it. I know what it's like to have everything stripped away from you and to be left with nothing, or at least what feels like nothing. I know what it's like to sacrifice. You see, God has always chased me, pursued me. He has always been trying to get my attention, to take me to a greater level with Him. No matter what I wanted, what my flesh wanted, my spirit, my soul, ALWAYS wanted Him more than anything else. My flesh wasn't strong enough to give everything up on my own, so my prayer was for His help...and although I would have saved myself alot of pain and heartache if I would have done it myself, He helped me. Even though I let Satan deceive me, to distract me from God's dreams for me, God was still pursuing me. He was still chasing me. He is still chasing me, still pursuing me. This year of 2012---as I mentioned in an earlier blog--I learned that He is enough. God is enough for me. I have learned about the kind of love I deserve, the kind of love I desire. I don't want to be pursued by a love that is selfish, that turns to another when it gets to be too much work. I have learned what is and is not okay. I have learned that God loves me so much that He has created a man out there for me that is praying for me. As I pursue the Lord, and as he pursues the Lord, God will lead us to pursue each other.
So, although 2012 was a year that I was asked to sacrifice much, to walk away from much, I am thankful for the lessons learned. And I am more thankful that soon I can put 2012 behind me and look towards 2013! 2013 will be a year of new beginnings! A year that puts my "above and beyond' into action! So, keep your eyes on this blog, I will write about my new beginnings, the new things that God is going to be doing in my life, in the life of my family. 2013 will see my brother being released from prison, it will see my new job, new car, and who knows, possibly even a husband:)! You never know...
Still dreaming His dreams,
Andrea
Friday, November 30, 2012
ENOUGH
I sit here today looking back over this past year, and yes, I know that we still have 4 weeks left in this year, and God can do alot in 4 weeks...but as I look back over this year, I think I can wrap it all up in just one word if I had to. I would say this year has been ENOUGH. Maybe not in the way that you think...not in the "I've had enough", or "enough already" way, although both of those apply, but in the "He is ENOUGH" way. That's what He has taught me, that's what I have learned this year. My God is ENOUGH for me. He is more than ENOUGH for me. I don't need anything, because I have Him. I don't need a car, a job, a place of my own. I don't need love from a man. I just need Him. He is more than enough for me. If He never blesses me with another thing, if He never fulfills all the promises that He has given me, He is already more than ENOUGH. He's more than ENOUGH! He's been bigger than any dream, and desire that I have ever had. He's been bigger than any hurt, or heartbreak that I have suffered. He's been more than ENOUGH for me.
This may seem like a simple thing for some of you, good. I'm glad that you have always known that He's more than ENOUGH for you. I'm glad that you have always let Him be ENOUGH for you. It hasn't always been so easy for me. There have been times, many times, where I didn't let Him be ENOUGH for me. I wanted more than I was willing to let Him give to me. He let me have those things, He didn't stop me. But I ended up still being unfulfilled, still needing something more. I was trying to fit a man, possessions, etc, into the places of my heart that only God could fit. I was trying to let the things of this world be ENOUGH for me---it didn't work. I remember once during my prayer time telling God that I didn't want anything to distract me from Him. I wanted Him to be ENOUGH for me. I wanted Him to be all that I ever needed...from that day on, slowly, He began to remove everything in my life that I was putting before Him, everything that I was trying to make ENOUGH for me. Until one day, I stood with nothing. There was absolutely nothing left but Him. This year, I have had nothing but Him. He has been my everything. He has been ENOUGH. He has been more than ENOUGH for me.
You know what's really exciting about this---is that because I know that He is ENOUGH for me, because I really know that I don't need or even want anything but Him--His blessings for me will be more than I have ever dreamed. He will still fulfill His promises over my life. He will still give me the very desires of me heart:) He will still fulfill every dream. He is more than ENOUGH for me! What a lesson to learn! I wouldn't trade this year for anything, I wouldn't trade this "lesson learned" for anything! Because He is ENOUGH for me, because I truly know that He is ENOUGH, I won't expect someone else to fill places in my heart that are reserved for Him. I won't expect someone else to be my Savior, my Provider, my Cover, my Lover, my Peace. He is all those things and more to me! He is ENOUGH!:)
A long time ago I made a distinct choice for Him. I chose Him over everything and everyone. I chose to follow Him and His voice over the voices of others, over the voice of my own wants and desires. I wanted Him more than I wanted anything/anyone else. I knew then that making this choice would be hard, that I would lose things that I had invested in, things that I loved more than I ever thought possible, but I knew that I had to do it. I had to choose Him. This year has proven to be just that---hard, full of hard choices---but so worth it! Seeing how my choice has directed my life, and seeing how, another who made a different choice, has directed his life--I can honestly say God has been more than ENOUGH for me.
I thank Him everyday for His grace and His mercy. I thank Him for the pastor who spent months/years teaching me how to hear the voice of God, and then how to obey His voice. I thank Him for the people that He has placed in my life for guidance, counsel, wisdom, love, and prayer support. I thank Him for the person that I am today. No, I am not by any means perfect, but I have come so far. I'm excited about the future! I am excited to know that He is more than ENOUGH for me:)!
Dreaming His Dreams,
Simply Drea
This may seem like a simple thing for some of you, good. I'm glad that you have always known that He's more than ENOUGH for you. I'm glad that you have always let Him be ENOUGH for you. It hasn't always been so easy for me. There have been times, many times, where I didn't let Him be ENOUGH for me. I wanted more than I was willing to let Him give to me. He let me have those things, He didn't stop me. But I ended up still being unfulfilled, still needing something more. I was trying to fit a man, possessions, etc, into the places of my heart that only God could fit. I was trying to let the things of this world be ENOUGH for me---it didn't work. I remember once during my prayer time telling God that I didn't want anything to distract me from Him. I wanted Him to be ENOUGH for me. I wanted Him to be all that I ever needed...from that day on, slowly, He began to remove everything in my life that I was putting before Him, everything that I was trying to make ENOUGH for me. Until one day, I stood with nothing. There was absolutely nothing left but Him. This year, I have had nothing but Him. He has been my everything. He has been ENOUGH. He has been more than ENOUGH for me.
You know what's really exciting about this---is that because I know that He is ENOUGH for me, because I really know that I don't need or even want anything but Him--His blessings for me will be more than I have ever dreamed. He will still fulfill His promises over my life. He will still give me the very desires of me heart:) He will still fulfill every dream. He is more than ENOUGH for me! What a lesson to learn! I wouldn't trade this year for anything, I wouldn't trade this "lesson learned" for anything! Because He is ENOUGH for me, because I truly know that He is ENOUGH, I won't expect someone else to fill places in my heart that are reserved for Him. I won't expect someone else to be my Savior, my Provider, my Cover, my Lover, my Peace. He is all those things and more to me! He is ENOUGH!:)
A long time ago I made a distinct choice for Him. I chose Him over everything and everyone. I chose to follow Him and His voice over the voices of others, over the voice of my own wants and desires. I wanted Him more than I wanted anything/anyone else. I knew then that making this choice would be hard, that I would lose things that I had invested in, things that I loved more than I ever thought possible, but I knew that I had to do it. I had to choose Him. This year has proven to be just that---hard, full of hard choices---but so worth it! Seeing how my choice has directed my life, and seeing how, another who made a different choice, has directed his life--I can honestly say God has been more than ENOUGH for me.
I thank Him everyday for His grace and His mercy. I thank Him for the pastor who spent months/years teaching me how to hear the voice of God, and then how to obey His voice. I thank Him for the people that He has placed in my life for guidance, counsel, wisdom, love, and prayer support. I thank Him for the person that I am today. No, I am not by any means perfect, but I have come so far. I'm excited about the future! I am excited to know that He is more than ENOUGH for me:)!
Dreaming His Dreams,
Simply Drea
Friday, November 16, 2012
All the Glory!
Satan knows our weaknesses, so that's where he fights us the most. For me, my weakness lies in my thoughts. He fights me hard here---sometimes to the point of torment. Maybe that's why I get headaches sometimes. I don't know why it's my thoughts, it always has been, for as long as I can remember. Believe me, I have come a long way. I have the tools to know how to fight back. I know what my "triggers" are. I know that if I have too much "empty" time on my hands, my thoughts get a way with me. Yesterday was one of those days. I KNOW that God's plans for me are bigger than the ones I have for myself and I KNOW that His timing is perfect. I KNOW these things, but sometimes I still feel defeated. I was sad. Sad that I still don't have a job, I'm car less, I'm living with my sister (not that I am not completely appreciative of this fact), that I am 33 and not at all where I wanted to be in my life at this time. If you would have asked me a couple of years ago, I believed that "things were looking up." I had a job, a car, was living on my own, and I had a boyfriend that I just knew I was going to marry. Things were awesome! And then everything changed...EVERYTHING changed. God completely stripped me of everything---it didn't happen all at once, but it sure did feel like it!
Yesterday was a day that I kept allowing Satan to get in my head...I started to believe all of his lies...BUT today is a new day! Today, as I was praying and reading my blogs, my journal, letters, etc, God reminded me that HE is still in charge! I don't understand any of it, and some of it I brought on myself---just not being obedient immediately (which is disobedience). I held on to somethings alot longer than I should have. I am so thankful for His never ending love grace. I began to allow Satan to use the very things that I have been forgiven of, and the very things that God has promised to do for me, to try and bring me down. I had taken my eyes off of God and placed them on my circumstances. I KNOW better than this-yet I did it anyways.
Yesterday was a day that I kept allowing Satan to get in my head...I started to believe all of his lies...BUT today is a new day! Today, as I was praying and reading my blogs, my journal, letters, etc, God reminded me that HE is still in charge! I don't understand any of it, and some of it I brought on myself---just not being obedient immediately (which is disobedience). I held on to somethings alot longer than I should have. I am so thankful for His never ending love grace. I began to allow Satan to use the very things that I have been forgiven of, and the very things that God has promised to do for me, to try and bring me down. I had taken my eyes off of God and placed them on my circumstances. I KNOW better than this-yet I did it anyways.
In my prayer time today, I laid down on my bedroom floor and repented for not obeying God soon enough, for not letting go soon enough, for not "marrying Him" as completely as I should have this year, for not trusting Him enough. I got up with the peace that passes all understanding. I have, once again, been forgiven and have been extended His grace and His mercy. His promises are Yes and Amen. The things He has promised me, are still mine! I am learning everyday more and more about who He is, who He is to me. I am learning to lean on Him completely and live a life that is all His. Knowing that He is ENOUGH! He is enough for me. I don't need a job, a car, a husband, etc. All I need is Him. Everything else is just a blessing from Him because He loves me.
How many people truly learn this lesson? How many people take for granted these "simple things?" I'm not saying that when God does give me all those things (and He will as He has promised) that I will every moment of every day remember how blessed I am and not take one thing for granted, but I will try my very hardest to know how blessed I am. I have promised to give Him all the glory when He fulfills every promise! For my perfect (Kindergarten) teaching job, He will receive all glory. For my car (my orange 2013 JEEP wrangler unlimited sahara edition-all decked out), He will receive the glory! For the place I will call my own (home), He will receive the glory! For my husband (perfect for me, amazingly handsome, romantic, sarcastically funny, on fire for God husband), He will receive the glory! For the release (early 2013) of my brother, He will receive the glory! For the salvation of my WHOLE family, He will receive the glory! For the blessings that I don't deserve yet He gives me because He loves me, He will receive the glory!
So, no matter what Satan tries to do, no matter how hard he fights me, HE WILL NOT WIN! My God will receive ALL the glory!:)
To Him Be ALL Glory,
Drea
So, no matter what Satan tries to do, no matter how hard he fights me, HE WILL NOT WIN! My God will receive ALL the glory!:)
To Him Be ALL Glory,
Drea
Tuesday, November 6, 2012
Grace
It's been a few weeks since I have posted anything...I don't know why, I don't have a job, but I have been busy...I'm volunteering my time at my church until I get my promised job;) God has been doing amazing things in my life, I wish I could really just sit down and tell you everything that He's done, has been doing, etc. But, since I can't and you probably don't have the time to just sit and read this blog for hours on end, I will share what I can!
First, I just recently read a book that forever changed my life! It's called "Captivating" by John and Stasi Eldredge. It's a book about how God created woman, and how we, as woman, should view ourselves. My whole life I have dreamt BIG dreams, "impossible, unrealistic" dreams...mostly about my future husband and how 'perfect' he would be, how 'perfect' our lives would be together...throughout my life and certain circumstances, I gave up on those dreams, realized that maybe they really were unrealisitic in such a realistic world---even as a Christian. This book changed all that for me! This book helped me discover that all those dreams, were God given dreams to me. The way I desire to be romanced, pursued, wooed. The way I love and am loved, everything. This is how God created me, as a woman, beautiful in HIS IMAGE. I am created in His image. Why wouldn't the God who created me, the One who knows me better than I know myself, know exactly how to win my heart? When God created man, it still wasn't complete. He created woman, and that was His final piece. I was His final piece. So much I learned through this book...it has forever changed my life. I highly reccomend it--for every woman, to understand the very depths of your desires were truly given by God, and for men, to understand why woman are the way we are...and what we need from you.
Second, He is enough. God is enough for me. I am 33 years old and single. I have been single most of my life. I have loved and I have been broken. Yet, I have learned (still learning) that He is enough. I am complete in Him. He is the Lover of my Soul, the Romancer of my Heart. When He chooses to bring a husband to me, that man will only compliment me, not complete me. He will write my love story, because I have given Him the pen! Everything that I need, every desire that I have is truly fulfilled by the Creater of my being. I will live this time of my life, this time of "singleness" completely and soley for Him. I will live my singleness with purpose, completely sold out to Him and His calling on my life!
Third, His grace is all suffiecient! I am so thankful for it. I would not be where I am without it! I am seeing that as I look back on my life, just how important of a role His grace (and His mercy) has played in my life. Because of His grace, I am single. I know that may sound weird to some, but to me it makes perfect sense. What 'could have been' would have been detrimental to the calling and anointing He has on my life.
Fourth, I choose Him! I chose Him:) I chose Him. That's a huge feat in my book! I made the choice to follow Him with everything that I was, everything that I am. Even in my brokenness, in my pain, I still chose Him. I would like to say that it was an "easy" choice, but that would be a lie. Choosing to give up love, a life of happiness and fulfiullment with a man who I loved, and loved me, not knowing if I would ever get this chance again...wasn't an easy choice, BUT I did it, or rather, in the beginning someone else made this choice for me, but ultimately I chose because in my heart, in my soul, I KNEW there was something more...I knew that He had a plan for me that was greater than the one I was living.
Looking back, I can be confident in my choice. I can be confident that the choice that I made to follow after Him, to STAY exactly where He told me to, when noone else understood, I chose. I know now, that His promises for my 'happily ever after,' my 'dreams come true,' and 'beyond my wildest imagination,' are right around the corner...yes, obedience sometimes requires sacrifice, but it is so worth it! I am not the same! I am higher than I have ever been, happier and more content that I could have dreamed. My only cry is for the soul of one who didn't make the same choice...he chose to follow after what he could see, what he could touch, what made sense, and now, his soul is lost and he doesn't even realize just how far...
Thank you God! For you love, your passion, your desire for me:)
Dreaming His Dreams,
Andrea
First, I just recently read a book that forever changed my life! It's called "Captivating" by John and Stasi Eldredge. It's a book about how God created woman, and how we, as woman, should view ourselves. My whole life I have dreamt BIG dreams, "impossible, unrealistic" dreams...mostly about my future husband and how 'perfect' he would be, how 'perfect' our lives would be together...throughout my life and certain circumstances, I gave up on those dreams, realized that maybe they really were unrealisitic in such a realistic world---even as a Christian. This book changed all that for me! This book helped me discover that all those dreams, were God given dreams to me. The way I desire to be romanced, pursued, wooed. The way I love and am loved, everything. This is how God created me, as a woman, beautiful in HIS IMAGE. I am created in His image. Why wouldn't the God who created me, the One who knows me better than I know myself, know exactly how to win my heart? When God created man, it still wasn't complete. He created woman, and that was His final piece. I was His final piece. So much I learned through this book...it has forever changed my life. I highly reccomend it--for every woman, to understand the very depths of your desires were truly given by God, and for men, to understand why woman are the way we are...and what we need from you.
Second, He is enough. God is enough for me. I am 33 years old and single. I have been single most of my life. I have loved and I have been broken. Yet, I have learned (still learning) that He is enough. I am complete in Him. He is the Lover of my Soul, the Romancer of my Heart. When He chooses to bring a husband to me, that man will only compliment me, not complete me. He will write my love story, because I have given Him the pen! Everything that I need, every desire that I have is truly fulfilled by the Creater of my being. I will live this time of my life, this time of "singleness" completely and soley for Him. I will live my singleness with purpose, completely sold out to Him and His calling on my life!
Third, His grace is all suffiecient! I am so thankful for it. I would not be where I am without it! I am seeing that as I look back on my life, just how important of a role His grace (and His mercy) has played in my life. Because of His grace, I am single. I know that may sound weird to some, but to me it makes perfect sense. What 'could have been' would have been detrimental to the calling and anointing He has on my life.
Fourth, I choose Him! I chose Him:) I chose Him. That's a huge feat in my book! I made the choice to follow Him with everything that I was, everything that I am. Even in my brokenness, in my pain, I still chose Him. I would like to say that it was an "easy" choice, but that would be a lie. Choosing to give up love, a life of happiness and fulfiullment with a man who I loved, and loved me, not knowing if I would ever get this chance again...wasn't an easy choice, BUT I did it, or rather, in the beginning someone else made this choice for me, but ultimately I chose because in my heart, in my soul, I KNEW there was something more...I knew that He had a plan for me that was greater than the one I was living.
Looking back, I can be confident in my choice. I can be confident that the choice that I made to follow after Him, to STAY exactly where He told me to, when noone else understood, I chose. I know now, that His promises for my 'happily ever after,' my 'dreams come true,' and 'beyond my wildest imagination,' are right around the corner...yes, obedience sometimes requires sacrifice, but it is so worth it! I am not the same! I am higher than I have ever been, happier and more content that I could have dreamed. My only cry is for the soul of one who didn't make the same choice...he chose to follow after what he could see, what he could touch, what made sense, and now, his soul is lost and he doesn't even realize just how far...
Thank you God! For you love, your passion, your desire for me:)
Dreaming His Dreams,
Andrea
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