The Quiet Place

A few days ago I was on the phone with my Dad and he informed me that I couldn't come home for Easter. Because my mom's job has her helping distribute food to the community during this pandemic, she is not able to have contact with anyone who lives outside of her house. Unfortunately, that means me too. My heart sank a little when I realized not only could I not visit with my family and little nieces and nephew, I also would be completely alone in an empty, mostly packed up house for Easter. I knew it wasn't the end of the world, I had spent Easter away from my family before, but it's never been like this, it's never been completely alone. The world has never been quite like this before at all. Shut down, silent, on pause. If that wasn't enough for you already, I'm also being required to move from a place I've been living for the last almost 6 years, during this crazy, and those logistics sometimes feel like something entirely else on its own. BUT this ...

What does it mean to "take up your cross"? Well, I'm finding that taking up my cross means completely submitting to God. It means letting him cut all the things off of me that need to go. It also means obeying what God has asked of me and letting things go when He says "no, my daughter, this isn't for you". Each of these things are challenging in their own way. That last one though, that has been the hardest for me. Yet, in all of the pruning, the pulling out and cutting off; I am still grateful, and I am still blessed. I'm still grateful because I know that God disciplines those he loves, I know that when he disciplines me it's because I'm HIS daughter. I'm grateful because I know that the pain of the pruning leads to an abundant life. It leads to a better Hillary, a better follower of Christ, and a better kingdom builder. It brings God more Glory, and it fills me overflowing with His spirit of peace and joy.  Taking up my cross...

Sister, YOU were created for a time such as this!!! You could have been born at ANY point in History but God saved the best for last!!! YOU were reserved for THIS time because God knew He could trust you!!! He knew that you would remain faithful and do EVERYTHING that he has for you to do!!! How AMAZING is that!!! Rest in this truth today sister, your breath today is far from insignificant, error, or mistake. The life in you today was purposeful with exact planning. Praise God for his Perfectness!!! 

One of my MOST FAVORITE sisters (Lauren Daigle) just came out with a song called "You Say" and it is SO GOOD!!! It has been on my heart so much lately. I just love it! It resonates with  my heart SO much because it reminds me of who God says I am. It encourages me to take authority in prayer and over every situation; it reminds me that on my weakest day, I am stronger than the enemy. The enemy is crushed under my feet because of Jesus Death on the Cross that ALREADY won my Victory!!! Thus, without further adieu, I share this song with you. :)  Be blessed Sister, you are worth dying for. YOU ARE Who GOD SAYS  You Are. Also, this is another amazing song about who God says we are!!! <3, 

Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.  Hebrews 12:2 I have been feeling a bit overwhelmed tonight. I am currently searching for new jobs and pondering the future, dreaming of good things and hoping for the least amount of disappointments. There is a lot of life happening right now and I find myself once again needing to fall into the arms of my savior. I can't do this, I need God's help and guidance. Tonight I turn to these verses as my reminders that God is my helper and he is always with me.  Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain the the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. John 15:4 Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners...

This is a good time of year to re-evaluate, to step back for a moment and look at how our relationship with God is and what we can do to grow closer to him. Though the blog has been quite, I have been learning and growing a lot these past few months. So today I would like to share with you some of the most important things I have taken away from church sermons, bible studies, and Holy Spirit reminders.  Recently my pastor spoke on Intimacy with God. He described Intimacy with God to be like a newly married couple driving in an old car. The Husband driving and the wife sitting as close to him as she can. Then one day when they are old, the wife asks her Husband why he is sitting so far away from her. Looking over from the Driver's seat he responds, what do you mean? I never moved. The lesson being that if we are from from God it is because we have moved away from him, not him from us.   We can draw near to God by maintaining Keystone habits. Keyston...

Something I've been learning this week is that amidst the struggle, God is sovereign. God used a brave young woman from my church to help teach me that. Last night I watched this sermon from a favorite series my church did back in January. On the link I posted, this sister of ours shares her testimony and struggle. The most powerful thing for me from that sermon was that she dared to share her struggle while currently in the midst of it. And though she is struggling, God has used her life to teach and transform the lives of a great many. If that is not a testimony to how great the grace, mercy, and power of our God is, I don't know what is. Moreover, it shows the unlimited grace given to us for our struggle through Christ's sacrifice on the cross. "But think about this: while we were wasting our lives in sin, God revealed His powerful love to us in a tangible display—the Anointed One died for us." Romans 5:8 VOICE Dear sister, God's grace is suffic...

Photo Source Unknown - Credit Google image search "Proverbs 4:6" I cannot tell you how true this verse has been for my life. As a young girl I asked the Lord for Wisdom and he did not disappoint. Having the gift of Wisdom from God is one of the things I am most grateful for. I am indebted to God for the understanding he has allowed me. It has protected me from many things. God has used Wisdom in my life to bring glory to His name in many ways and I am so grateful that he chose me as a vessel for this.  I remember sitting in my last field seminar class as a senior in college. We were taking a last chance at the end of the two years we had spent together to go around and say to each one, something genuine and good.  Then it happened. My classmate understood me dead on. I was stunned that someone saw me and understood me so well, especially since that someone wasn't even a close friend of mine. The note I have of the words she said to me reads,  "Diamonds ar...

"But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us. We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed." 2 Corinthians 4:7-9  Photo Credit Hillary Read 2 Corinthians 4:1-18   Even in the midst of the darkest circumstances God is good.  That is exactly what this passage tells us. And I love how that last part brings the point home... "Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day.   For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.   So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal." I have learned that even in my darkest places God's hope is there shining through, providin...