goldthroughthefire

[goldthroughthefire]

Let Freedom Ring

Hey everyone! Happy Saturday! I hope you had a great Independence Day week! How did everyone celebrate? We just watched the Fireworks show on tv and then went outside to watch our neighbors do some fireworks! It was a pretty simple 4th of July this year, but we don't always have to do something big to celebrate. Sometimes just spending time with family is enough. Actually, that's always enough in my opinion. We shouldn't just celebrate our freedom on the 4th of July. Every day should be a remembrance of what our founding fathers did. They fought for us to be free and thanks to them, we can now worship wherever and whenever we want, marry who we want, have freedom of speech and so much more. While it's great to celebrate our country's independence and we should celebrate it every day, there's also another freedom that people often don't recognize. 2,000 years ago, Christ died on the cross for our sins and to free us from that bondage. Today, we can have a relationship with God because of what Jesus did. Before Christ came, only the high priest could go into the holy of holies to atone for our sins. A veil was in the temple to separate the holy place from the holy of holies. This was a resemblance of our separation from God at the time. When Jesus said it is finished though and breathed His last breath, there was a huge earthquake and the veil immediately tore in half. You can read it in Matthew 27:51. That meant that we could now come to God whenever and wherever. We could finally have a full relationship with Him and be in His presence forever. If that doesn't light your fire, I don't know what will. LOL We can come boldly to the throne room of God with anything and everything, knowing that He's waiting to hear from His children.

It also means we're no longer bound to the ceremonial laws. We no longer have to offer sacrifices because Jesus was the ultimate sacrifice. We can come to the Father when we sin and ask for forgiveness, knowing that He is just and right to forgive. He will help us turn from our sin and provide a way out for us when tempted. This doesn't mean we can go out and do whatever we want though of course. We shouldn't abuse the freedom we have in Christ. Galatians 5:13 says, "You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love." Jesus didn't come to abolish the law, but to fulfill it. It says so in Matthew 5:17. This means we still have to obey God, follow the ten commandments and the moral law. Jesus says everything we need to follow Him can be summed up into these 2 things. Love the Lord with all your heart, soul and mind and love your neighbor as yourself. Follow God no matter what. If you do these things, everything else will fall into place. We will want to love because He 1st loved us. He wanted a relationship with us so much that He came in the flesh to teach us how to live and to later die on the cross, so we can live with Him for eternity. We no longer have to be a slave to sin. If you're struggling with something, addiction, depression, whatever the case may be, all you have to do is run to Jesus and He will break the chains. He will help you overcome whatever you need every day. It is now possible for us to live with our Father for eternity because of Jesus. All we have to do is repent, obey Him and love God with every ounce of our being. If we do, we will be free forever. As we finish celebrating Independence week and remembering our country's freedom, let's also remember the freedom our Savior gave us. If you haven't gotten into a relationship with God, I encourage you to do it today. You won't regret it. Well, I'm out for now friends! Have an amazing week and keep God 1st place no matter what!

Lauren

[goldthroughthefire]

Guard Your Heart

Hey everyone! Happy Sunday! Hope everyone is doing well! Wow, it feels like this week flew by! Look at it this way though! We're one day closer to being with our Lord and Savior forever! That's pretty good news in my book! I'm hoping it's good news in yours as well! All we have to do is love God with all our hearts, minds souls and strength and follow Him no matter what life may bring! It's funny though! Today's culture teaches something completely different! What do I mean? Well, have you ever noticed how Disney doesn't tell you to follow God? Almost every Disney movie is about following your heart. Even Disney shows. That's like ones of their biggest mottos. I know it sounds like I have been ripping on Disney the last couple of times and I swear I love Disney! Well, the old Disney. The new Disney is a whole different story. LOL Everything I've said has been true though. You can't name one Princess movie that isn't about following your heart. Children grow up to believe that that's the way it's supposed to be. Nothing can go wrong if you do, right? Unfortunately or fortunately though, it's not true. The Bible, the Word of God, says the heart can be deceitful. You can read it in Jeremiah 7:9-10. If you always listen to your heart, it can lead you down the wrong path. Wait, what? You're probably thinking that makes no sense. Your heart is how you love. True, but ever since the fall in Genesis chapter 3, sin entered the world. Therefore, God's perfect design was corrupted. Only for a little while of course because Jesus is coming back to set everything right. Until then though, sin is in us and will be until Christ's return. That's why we need His Grace and Mercy every day. Ever since sin came into the world, it stems in the heart. Matthew 15:18-19 can confirm that. You can also read Mark 7-20-23. Unfortunately, satan knows that and will do anything he can to get us to believe otherwise. Listen to your heart, trust you feelings, etc. For years, I can definitely say that I never believed my heart could deceive me. I heard the verse before that the heart can be deceitful and I knew it was God's Word, but it never really clicked until recently. Last year, I was talking to this guy. We seemed to connect and I started falling hard. I think he might have loved me too at 1st, although I still question it at times. He seemed to want to try with me and wanted to get to know me. He was always there for me at the beginning. A few months after we met though, things started to change. He was more distant and didn't seem like he wanted to try anymore. He wanted to date other women while dating me. We weren't exclusive at the time, so I thought I could try it. Ladies, whatever you do, do not tell the man you're interested in he can date other women. It will only lead to heartache. I lasted about 3 weeks and I couldn't do it. He even said he was falling in love with me while dating other women, so after about 3 weeks I said it's either me or them. I didn't exactly say it like that, but you get the jist. He chose me at the time. I was ecstatic. We decided to go exclusive. I was on cloud 9. Yeah, that lasted about 3 days. LOL  He broke up with me saying he wasn't ready for a commitment. He wanted an open relationship. I wouldn't have it though. He also wanted to do a couple other things that didn't sit well with me. I was devastated. For a few months though, we kept going back to each other. I thought he would change and he kept messaging me. I was still in love with him after everything that happened. My heart kept telling me to give him chance after chance. The same vicious cycle kept happening though. We would get together or close to it, then he would break up with me or say he wouldn't date me if he couldn't date other women or do things that weren't good for him or us. I would stand my ground at the time, but as soon as he would message again, I would fail back in thinking he changed or would change. Don't get me wrong, our relationship wasn't all bad. He could be amazing at times, but he was just set in his ways that weren't good for either of us. The relationship was just toxic. I think I knew that it was from the beginning and he wasn't the one, but I didn't want it to be true. My heart kept saying give him a chance over and over again, you love him, so this must be it. Every lie you can think of was screaming at me because I was so in love. The heart can do no wrong, right? That still small voice that I kept ignoring though kept saying he isn't the one. It's time to let go. I didn't listen for months though, always turning back. I was following my heart. It took a lot of heartache for me to finally wake up and realize I needed to completely step back. That voice was God telling me this isn't who I have for you. Instead of trusting God though, I was trusting my heart. I finally had an epiphany though. Like ok, that's what it means when it says the heart can deceive and it's definitely true. You would think I would have learned that lesson a few years ago when I dated a psycho. Another story for another time. I'm apparently a very, very slow learner. LOL My point is that the heart can definitely deceive. We need to be careful to not always follow our hearts no matter what society says. If you do, it can lead you down a dark path. God is the only one who knows what's best for us. If something isn't in alignment with God's Word, then you should probably stay away from it. Actually, not probably, definitely. That's why it's so important for us to guard our hearts and stay in the Word. We need to train ourselves, our hearts, everything, to listen to God, trust and obey Him no matter what. Even if we don't understand something, we need to lean on God, not our own understanding. He will make our paths straight. It says so in Proverbs 3:5-6.  How do we do that then? How do we guard our hearts and know when God is talking to us or our hearts are trying to deceive us? By praying continually and staying in the Word daily. Always keep God 1st place and don't make any idols. Don't give in to the desires of your flesh. Keep watch and stand firm in your faith because the enemy is always ready to pounce and deceive you. If you keep God 1st place though and always trust in Him, He will never lead you astray. Whoever has ears, let them hear. Well, I'm out for now friends! Have an amazing week! Until next time!

Lauren

[goldthroughthefire]

A Whole New World

Hey everyone! Hope you're doing well! Happy Father's Day to all the dads out there! We appreciate everything you do! Special shout out to my Dad! He's the best dad in the world! Of course I'm a little bias, but still true. LOL I wouldn't be where or who I am today without God and my dad! Love you dad! Just saying, I'm pretty blessed to have an amazing earthly father and an amazing Heavenly Father! Unfortunately though, some people don't have a great relationship with their dad. If that's you, for whatever reason, just remember that you have a Heavenly Father who loves you no matter what and will be there for you no matter what! All you have to do is call out to Him! He will never let you down! One of my favorite memories with my dad is singing the song, A Whole New World, from Aladdin with him. We've been singing it together ever since I was young. I was probably 4 when we started. We still sing it a lot when it comes on. Or if I'm watching Aladdin on my own, I'll sometimes call him in when the song is about to come on, so we can sing it together. No matter how we feel about Disney now, that song and movie will always hold a special place in our hearts. It got me thinking, even though A Whole New World isn't a Christian song, could it be? Let me ask this. Where would you want your whole new world to be? I bet a lot of people wish they lived somewhere else. Especially since this world is going cray cray. Yes, I just said cray cray. Don't judge! LOL What if I told you "A Whole New World" is already waiting for you? Somewhere where there's no more sorrow, pain, fighting, anger, etc. Wouldn't that be awesome? Well, that place already exists. For believers in Christ, Heaven is our "Whole New World."  Our home is with God where He will dwell with us forever and nothing but joy, happiness, love, peace and laughter are there. Revelation 21:4 says, '‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.” Jesus is preparing a place to us and when it's ready, He's coming to take us home. All we have to do is follow Him, love Him no matter what, obey His commands and keep watch. Our home is not on earth. It's Heaven. Why are so many people trying to conform to this world then? That's because the enemy doesn't want us to know the truth. He doesn't want us to be in a relationship with God and be happy. He wants us to suffer with him for eternity. The devil is doing everything he can to deceive people, making them think sin is ok or twist scriptures. If we stand firm though and not lose sight on what's true, Jesus promises we will be with Him forever. We can have hope that we will be in Heaven one day, our real home, because of what Jesus did on the cross. The only way to get there though and to have a relationship with God is through Jesus. We don't get in by just being a good person, giving to charities or whatnot. Jesus said He is the Way, the Truth and the Life. Not anything else. You can read it in John 14:6. We need to continue to stand up for what's right and true. Stop trying to fit into the mold. This world has nothing to offer you. Instead, turn to Jesus and do His Will on Earth until He calls us home. When we feel like all is lost, we can keep the candle burning because we know this isn't the end. We can hold onto hope that Heaven is waiting for us because of Jesus. The Bible says no eye has seen, nor no ear has heard what God has prepared for them. It says this in 1 Corinthians 2:9. Isn't that amazing? We can't even imagine what God has prepared for those that love Him. Sure, we have glimpses of what Heaven will look like and be like, but we don't know everything because our minds can't fathom everything God has in store for us and standing in His presence. It'll be the best thing ever though. No more sickness, brokenness, etc. Anything bad you can think of will be washed away and gone forever. I don't know about you, but I can't wait until Heaven. Our Father loves us so much, that He wants to be with us and give us nothing but joy. We're not worthy of Him, but He chose us to be with Him forever. That's why we have to be ready. No one knows when Jesus is coming back, so always stay on guard. Don't let the world distract you and keep your eyes on Jesus. Every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. One day, we will be with our Best Friend and Savior for eternity. Our Whole New World is only an inch away. I'm out for now friends! Have a great week! Until next time!

Lauren

[goldthroughthefire]

Waging War

Hey everyone! I'm back! Sorry I haven't blogged in awhile! It's been a crazy ride the last few weeks. I was sick for awhile. Just now getting my energy back. How has everyone been? I don't know about you, but I feel like the world is going crazy. Every time you turn on the news, something is happening. School shootings, natural disasters, etc. Even churches are turning away from God. One thing really blew my mind. I don't know if you heard, but Disney is now letting men dress up as Disney Princesses at Disney World. Wait, what? Yeah, I was confused too. To be honest, it made me mad. Why would you have a guy dress up as a princess where children are at? It's not even transgenders. They're actual men. That's just taking it too far. What's going to be next? I'm not going to lie, I've been thinking about giving up Disney since I found out about this. At least the movies from 2010 until now. I know people will say I'm overreacting, but am I though? You might say they're just expressing themselves or whatnot, but I think there's a deeper issue here. We have an enemy and he wants to do everything he can to confuse us and turn us away from God. He doesn't want us to have anything to do with God and go against His law. Don't you think he's doing that now? One of the biggest companies in the world is now letting men be princesses. You don't think that's going to confuse children? They're going to think that's ok when it's really not. In fact the whole world is getting confused and going against The Word. Right now, people are celebrating Pride month for the LGBTQ+ community. A whole month about celebrating sin. I know I'll probably get a lot of backlash for this, but God says it is. You can read it in Romans 1:24-32 and  Leviticus 18:22. Those are just a couple verses right there in black and white. Yes, I know we have free will and people will say they can't help it, but it still doesn't make it right. I don't want to get too deep into that today though. My point is that people are making it seem that it's ok. Not just with LGBTQ+ and men dressing up as Princesses, but in other areas too. I just found out that there's this new video game called Diablo 4 where you can kill demons. The subtitle or whatever it's called says "Welcome To Hell." Yeah, no way that game is coming into my house. People are now promoting demons and making it seem like it's no big deal. The spirit world is real though and we're not supposed to have anything to do with it or demons. Why are we thinking it's ok then? Well, the enemy is trying to plant a seed and tell us it's not a big deal. Unfortunately, many people are listening. Even Christians are starting to conform to this "new norm."  As believers in Christ though, we're not supposed to conform to this world and fit in. We're supposed to stand for what's true, good and God's Will. You can read it in Romans 12:2. I believe it's time for Christians to take a stand and let people know this is not ok. I remember this quote from the movie God's Not Dead 2 that says, "I would rather stand with God and be judged by the world, than stand with the world and be judged by God." That should be our motto. We should want to stand with God because He loves us and knows what's best for us. Don't be afraid to speak up. Will you be mocked or ridiculed or whatever? Most likely, yes. Trust me though, it'll be worth it. You might have hardships down here, but if you continue to stand with God and keep your faith, you will have great reward in Heaven. Read Matthew 5:10-12. The Gospel is clear on what's right and wrong. It's our job as believers to spread The Gospel and stand up for what's true and right, even if you'll get laughed at or whatever.

We're in a war right now. Not against flesh, but of forces of darkness. We need to step up right now more than ever. Satan is working overtime right now. Which, brings me to another thought. Why is he working so hard right now to cause destruction and turmoil and confusion? It's because he knows his time is coming to an end. He knows the end of the story, which is not a happy ending for the loser. It is a happy ending for us, believers in Christ, though. The Bible says Jesus will come back as King and set everything right, throw satan into the deepest part of Hell where he will never get out and God will dwell with His children forevermore. If you ask me, satan is just a scaredy cat sissy. LOL I believe Jesus is coming back real soon. Of course no one knows the exact time. Only God knows. It says so in Mark 13:32. With everything happening in the world though, it looks like we're closer now than ever. That's why we have to get ready. Put your faith in Jesus, turn away from your sins and own desires and don't conform with the world. Don't keep thinking you have time to get closer to God. Jesus can come back any day and it will unfortunately be too late for some people. Now is the time to get right with God and stand with Him no matter what. One day, every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. I choose to do that now though. We need to put on the full Armor of God every day and stop letting satan try to blind us. Pray fervently and keep watch. We know who wins at the end of this battle. Well, I'm out for now friends. Have a great week! Until next time!

Lauren

[goldthroughthefire]

Miracles Happen

    Bonjour everyone! How is everyone doing? It's been a couple of weeks!

    I'm back now though and ready to rumble! I don't know about you, but I love music! It's just good for the soul! One of my favorite songs is called Miracles Happen (When You Believe) by Mara! Do you know that one? It's from the movie, The Princess Diaries. The beginning of the chorus goes, "You showed me faith is not blind. I don't need wings to help me fly. Miracles Happen once in awhile, when you believe." This song isn't really a Christian song, but the lyrics got me thinking. Our faith isn't blind because we know our God, the true God, is real! We serve a living God and we know He will take care of us! He is in control of everything! All we have to do is look around and He's there! We don't have to fly on our own so to speak! All we have to do is trust in our Father! He will get us to where He wants us to be!

    Our God is also a miracle working God! Just like the song says, miracles happen once in awhile, when you believe. Although, I don't believe God wants to do miracles once in awhile. I think God wants to do miracles in our lives every day! He wants us to have abundant lives! God wants to and can do the impossible! Nothing is too hard for Him! Jeremiah 32:27 says, "“I am the Lord, the God of all mankind. Is anything too hard for me?" My question is, are you believing for a miracle in your life? Are you believing for your situation to turn around, whatever it might be? Are you believing for that dream to come to pass? Some people think that God is no longer in the miracle working business. They think that was just for the Bible days. It was cool then, but it's not for now. Why isn't it though? God didn't change. He can still do the miracles He did long ago! Hebrews 13:8 says, "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever." If He can do it then, He can do it now! I've seen Him do all kinds of miracles! I told you about the story when the rain stopped in my blog a few weeks ago! That wasn't a coincidence, that was a miracle! And hello! I was only supposed to live to be three and I'll be 28 in July! Well, 26 in my eyes. I like to say I'm going backwards. LOL I wasn't supposed to be here though! It's a miracle I'm still here! I'm planning on sticking around for awhile, Lord’s willing and the creek don't rise! LOL

    I've even seen God do little miracles! Especially, in the last few weeks! This may seem insignificant to some people, but I needed a new ID because mine was expired. My dad and I had to go to the DMV. You know how those places are! They usually have long lines and you have to wait forever and a day. My dad said we would just leave and get my ID online if the lines were long. We get there and go in. No one was in line at the desk where you get your picture taken, so we went up, got my picture taken and went to the next desk to sign papers. No one was in that line either. We went right up and did what we needed to do. I promise you, we were the first in line at every desk we needed to go to. The whole process took 10 or 15 minutes, where it should have taken 10 or 15 hours. Ok, I might be exaggerating a little on that. LOL I know it seems small, but I believe God moved people out of the way, so we could get out of there quickly. Why? I don't know, but I think it was part of God's plan or just favor on my life!

    Do you have faith that God will do a miracle in your life? Maybe your flame is going out because you don't see anything turning around. God is still in control though and can do great things in your life! He wants to bless you beyond anything you could ever imagine! All we have to do is ask and have faith! If it's in His Will, He'll do it! Get your flame back and start believing again! As the group Point of Grace says, keep the candle burning! You don't even have to have big faith! Matthew 17:20 says, "Because you have so little faith. Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.” A mustard seed is the smallest seed on the planet. If you have that much faith, God will go to work and give you a miracle. He wants to bless His children. Anything is possible with God on your side!

    The reason some people aren't seeing miracles today, like people getting healed or whatever the case may be, is because we're not believing and trusting God that He can. If you do though, you will see plenty of miracles! When you do recognize a miracle, give God the praise! Don't say the oil or medicine healed you. It's true in a way, but God is the source! He just used that medicine as a resource! Ultimately, God healed you! Even waking up every morning is a miracle! Whatever it might be, recognize the blessing God is doing and give Him praise! All perfect things are from above! Deuteronomy 10:21 says, "He is the one you praise; he is your God, who performed for you those great and awesome wonders you saw with your own eyes." Make sure to count your blessings every day, have faith, even if it's not a lot right now, and watch God do miracles in your lives! When He does, recognize they're from Him and give Him the praise! Never take your eyes off our loving Father! Well, I'm out for now friends! Until next time!

Lauren

[goldthroughthefire]

Never Forsaken

    Happy Friday everyone! How was everyone's Easter? Hoping amazing! Why shouldn't it be, since we celebrated our Resurrected Savior? Which, we should do every day! He's alive forevermore! Can I get a hallelujah? Everything didn't seem great though on that Friday, two thousand plus years ago! Jesus was committed for a crime He didn't commit and was arrested. Beaten, flogged and mocked, the crowd and religious leaders said to crucify Jesus! For what reason? He didn't do anything wrong! He healed people, loved them and forgave their sins! Jesus had the authority to forgive sins because He was the Messiah, the Son of the living God! The religious leaders couldn't handle change though or being called out on their wrongdoings, so they plotted to get rid of Jesus! Judas, one of Jesus' disciples, betrayed Him for thirty pieces of silver and turned over Jesus! He was then brought to Pilate, the Roman Governor, for questioning and sentencing. Pilate didn't want to have Jesus killed at first, but he finally gave into the crowd and handed Jesus over to be crucified. After the long walk to Calvary, they nailed Jesus to the cross, waiting for Him to die. A few hours later, Jesus took His last breath, suspended on the cross. This had to happen of course for us to be reconciled with God, but at the time, everything seemed hopeless. The disciples didn't understand why this happened. They started doubting that Jesus was really the Messiah. They took down Jesus' body from the cross and buried Him in Joseph's tomb (Not His father, Joseph). They wrapped His body in cloth and rolled the stone in place to seal the tomb. Feeling defeated and hopeless, they went home to prepare for the Sabbath the next day. Guards were also placed in front of Jesus' tomb to make sure no one stole the body. Everyone celebrated the Sabbath the next day. On Sunday morning, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to the tomb to annoint  Jesus' body. When they arrived at the tomb,  the stone was rolled away and there was no body. An angel of the Lord was at the tomb and said that Jesus was no longer there. He has risen, just like He said He would. Of course, there's no way the body was stolen because the tomb was being guarded 24/7. The Women ran to tell the disciples and Jesus appeared to Mary Magdalene first. He later showed Himself to the disciples. Everyone was overjoyed and Jesus spent time with them on earth continuing His ministry until His Ascension, forty days later. He then sent the Holy Spirit to guide us and help us feel His Presence. You can read this story in any of the Gospels. Matthew, Mark, Luke or John. What does the story of Jesus' Resurrection show and tell us? A lot of things of course. That He loves us unconditionally, He's our Savior and Messiah, we wouldn't be anywhere without Him and so much more. What I also think it tells us though is that Jesus will always be there for us no matter what!  Maybe you feel lonely, that no one is really there for you or you don't really feel that unconditional love. You need a friend, father or someone to just talk to. If you're feeling like that or if you're feeling like the world is crumbling down around you, Jesus is the answer! He will be anything you need, promising to never leave you or forsake you! All you have to do is call out to Him and He's there in the snap of a finger. He's even there when you don't realize it. Psalm 94:14 says, "For the Lord will not forsake his people; he will not abandon his heritage." We are His children and He promises to always be there for us! We don't have to worry about anything because Jesus will provide anything that we need! Just like a loving Father, He will catch us when we fall, always by our side! Satan tried to separate us over two thousand years ago, but Jesus rose again saying I'm never leaving My children! Romans 8:38-39 says, "For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons,[a] neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord." God will always be in time, on time, everytime for us. Just like He was when He provided a way for the Israelites out of Egypt, when Paul and Silas were in jail, when healing the leper or lame and on so many more accounts. In fact, the whole Bible shows us that God is always there for us! I'm sure you have some stories as well! I know I do! I remember a few years ago when I dated a psycho! Literally! Ladies, I advise you to never date one! LOL I was at my lowest at that time! Always worrying, stressing, having bad thoughts in my head! Jesus was right there for me though! I don't know where I would be today without Him! He's the one who told me to get out of that relationship and helped me through the healing process! In my darkest time, He never left my side! Still hasn't! Duh, I'm still alive when all odds say I shouldn't be, so that should tell you a lot! I finally got out of my funk after maybe six months or so, but I honestly don't think I would have made it through without God by my side, comforting me! What I'm saying is, even at your darkest times, greatest times, whenever, God is with you! Always has been and always will be! All we have to do is trust in Him and call on His name! He's the same yesterday, today and forever! The cross and satan couldn't even keep Jesus away from us! Sorry, not sorry, but we're stuck with Him! LOL I'm positive that it's the greatest thing since sliced bread though! If you want to be stuck with anyone, be stuck to Jesus because He's all we really need! As we finish celebrating this Holy week, let's remember God's unconditional love for us and that He will always come when we call! Thank Him and worship Him, not only this week, but every second of every day! He's the greatest Friend we will ever have! Well, I'm out for now friends! Until next time! Have a great week!

Lauren

[goldthroughthefire]

God Has The Wheel

    Happy Saturday everyone! We made it through another week! Woo-hoo! How has everyone's week been? Hoping well! Even if it wasn't the best, God is still in control, so we always have something to be thankful for! Isn't it weird though that we sometimes forget that He's in control? Sometimes we try to take the steering wheel and drive through life ourselves. Even if we don't really recognize it. We try to fix things by ourselves when things get a little crazy. I know I do and sometimes often! I have trouble with kidney stones, so I have been trying to figure out how to prevent them or at least not have them as often. If you have ever had kidney stones before, you'll know why! They hurt like the dickens! LOL My friend, who is also a nurse, found out that Nettle tea might help, so I started taking it last week. We didn't do a lot of research at first though. We did a little, but I felt like I needed to do more. Mostly because I wanted to make sure I was doing everything right and it would be ok for me, which is a good thing. After awhile though, I started being consumed with it. I started worrying about what if someone didn't give me the amount I wanted, how I was going to pay for it or if it would really work. I even researched different companies that made Nettle tea to make sure it was legit, which is good because I don't want anything unhealthy, but not if researching is all I'm doing. I would hear myself bringing it up every day, sometimes multiple times. One day though, while I was researching, I realized deep down, I was taking the focus off God and doing everything myself. He was reminding me that He was in control and that I was trying to take the wheel. I didn't even realize it at first, but when I heard God's voice, I'm thinking He's right! Which, He always is of course! LOL From then on, I just stopped worrying and trying to take control. If I don't get the amount I want, no big deal. If I'm supposed to take it, God will provide for it. And ultimately, God is the source for healing, so if He wants to use the tea as a resource, He will! I just need to back up a little and let God do His job! My point is, anyone can try to do things on their own, but is that really a good idea? Especially when our loving Father is the One in control! He's been doing this for a long time, so I'm pretty sure He knows what He's doing! Make that, I know His knows what He's doing! Job 12:10 says, "In his hand is the life of every creature and the breath of all mankind." All we have to do is trust God! Which, I admit, it can be hard sometimes! Especially if you feel like your world is crumbling down around you or something isn't going your way! You want to take things into your own hands and take action! You just want to help God out a little. That's what Moses did. After God brought the Israelites out of Egypt with Moses leading them, they wandered in the desert for 40 years because they didn't trust God. One day, the Israelites were complaining that they didn't have water and were thirsty. They started arguing with Moses saying that he should have left them in Egypt. At least they had food and water there. Moses went into the tent of meeting with his brother, Aaron, to ask God what to do. God told Moses to take his staff and speak to the rock. Water would then come out of it. Moses and Aaron went out of the tent of meeting to gather the people, but Moses didn't listen to God. When the Israelites were gathered together, Moses became upset and struck the rock instead of speaking to it. Water came gushing out, but Moses didn't trust God enough in the moment. He took his eyes off God and took matters into his own hands. Since Moses didn't trust God enough and didn't obey Him, he never entered the Promised Land. You can read this story in Numbers 20:1-13. Even the Heroes of Faith sometimes tried to take control and didn't fully trust God always. He knows what we need though and is fully aware of everything that is going on. He has you in the palm of His hands. We don't have to worry about anything. If it's in His will, nothing can stop it! Just turn your attention to Him and trust that He will work all things together for your good! Even if we have a schedule set, but you feel like God might be wanting you to do something else, listen to Him! You might have a plan, but sometimes God will lead you in a different direction! Maybe you prepared a speech to give and it was time to go on. All of a sudden though, you feel like you're supposed to say something else. That's the Holy Spirit telling you to change course. Don't be stubborn and say you already planned everything because you're not in control! God is! He knows what's best! Proverbs 19:21 says, "Many are the plans in a person’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails." We can't put God in a box! We try to sometimes, but all of a sudden, He's over there doing something else. That's because we're not in control and we're certainly not in control of God! We have free will of course and can do our own thing, but we don't always know what's best for us. We think we do, but we really don't. I've been there way too many times. LOL That's why we need to trust God and lean on Him. Like a loving Father, He knows what we need and when we need it! He'll help us and move mountains when it feels like all is lost! Psalm 46:10 says, "He says, “Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.”  When life gets hard or when you want to do things on your own, take a step back and turn your eyes to the One who created the universe. It says in Luke 12:7 that God numbered all the hairs on your head, so surely He knows what's best for us and what we need. Ask for His will to be done, obey whatever He calls you to do and trust that He knows what He's doing! God is in control and always will be! Well, I'm out for now friends! Remember to praise God always! Until next time!

Lauren

[goldthroughthefire]

Ashes From Beauty

    Aloha everyone! No, I'm not in Hawaii! I'm hoping to go there someday though! It's on my bucket list! How is everyone doing? I can't believe it's been a week already! It seems like it flew by! Have you guys been anywhere lately? My last big trip was to the Dollar Store with my Dad. I may have went a little overboard there! We were out $50 later. Hey, a girl's gotta spend! I bet my Dad was kicking himself for suggesting going to the Dollar Store! He thought I couldn't spend much! Don't worry, I proved him wrong! LOL One item though, I regret buying! I have been redecorating my room and I saw this decal for the wall. It was of the Eiffel Tower with French writing and pink flowers. I was in love with it at first! My Dad thought it was tacky, but I thought I absolutely needed it. I wanted a little more color to my room and at the moment, I thought it would do the trick because I didn't see anything wrong with it. I overruled my Dad and bought the decal. Kids, just for the record, please listen to your parents! I wish I did on my shopping spree! LOL My friend put it up a few days later and when she left, I would keep glancing at the Eiffel Tower decal. Do you know how some things look great on paper, but then it might not be as great when put into action? Yeah, this was one of those times. The decal looked beautiful on the paper, but when it was put up on my wall, it looked like someone threw up on it! LOL Every time I looked at it, it got uglier and uglier! I had to have my Dad take it down! It wasn't even up for 24 hours! Yeah, my Dad might have said I told you so a couple times. LOL It's weird though! How can something that looks so beautiful at first turn out to be the ugliest thing you've ever seen? It got me to wondering, isn't that sorta like sin? Any sin can look so great at first or beautiful! It can even make you think you need it or that it will satisfy you. Eventually though, things get ugly. Maybe you were at a party and had a few drinks trying to loosen up. All of a sudden, you're drunk. Doesn't seem like a big deal, right? You're just having fun or trying to take off the edge. When you get behind the wheel though to go home, you're so drunk that you swerve and get in a major accident. You're injured and have to go to the hospital. How did things turn around so quickly? You were just trying to loosen up a bit to enjoy yourself and having a few drinks seemed like a good idea. Sin always has consequences though. It might look good in the beginning, but soon enough, it will rear it's ugly head. Why would a loving Father keep us from something that would make us feel good? Our Father sees everything and knows when something will harm us. God is our Protector.

    A Doctor says, "An apple a day keeps the Doctor away," but what if the apple was poisoned? A lot of people know the story of Snow White. Near the end, her stepmother in disguise offered her a wishing apple. It looked desirable to Snow White at first, not only because it looked delicious, but because she thought it could grant her what she thought she needed or wanted. She didn't know it was really poisoned though, ultimately costing her something. What is your poisoned apple that satan is trying to tempt you with? Is it one more drink to help calm your nerves or a one night stand because you want to feel wanted? He'll do it with any sin saying it's just a little bit of fun or it'll be worth it. That's because he wants us to be separated from God. The enemy will try to do anything to get us to turn our backs on God and give into temptation. He's been doing it since the beginning of time. It's the oldest trick in the book. Make sin look like everything you need or want, when it's really not.

    God knows what's best for us though and if He says sin isn't good, then I'm pretty sure we should listen to the One who loves us! Not the one who wants to destroy us! He is the only One we need and who can fully quench our thirst or fulfill our hunger. John 6:35 says, "Then Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty!" It's been proven time and time again that sin is not good! Just look at the father who is now divorced and can't see his kid every day because he had an affair or the person who struggles with addiction and loses everything. Those things looked good in the beginning, but in the end, it cost them everything. That's because satan is the father of lies. You can look it up in John 8:44. Satan never tells the truth and if we're not careful, we'll listen to him because our flesh is weak. That's why we need to pray often and be in the Spirit. Matthew 26:41 says, “Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.” King David was one of the greatest kings of all time! It even says David was a man after God's own heart in Acts 13:22. Just like the rest of us though, David let temptation get the best of him. He was supposed to go to battle, but decided to stay back and let the army handle everything. One evening, David got up and went to the roof of his palace. There, he saw this beautiful woman, named Bathsheba, bathing on the roof. He was taken aback by her beauty and stared at her. Satan saw an opportunity to strike and he did, hard! All of a sudden, David wanted Bathsheba to sleep with him. The problem though is that she was married to one of the troops in David's army, Uriah. It didn't seem like a big deal though. All he needed was one night to do the deed. Uriah was off to battle anyways. He would never know. Besides, David was the king, so he could have anything he wanted, right? So, David sent for Bathsheba and they slept together. He knew deep down it was wrong, but he didn't care. It looked so right in the moment. Sin usually does. He sent her off after he was done with her. Everything seemed good to David, but sin always comes back to bite you in the butt. Some time later, Bathsheba finds out she's pregnant by... Who? You guessed it, David! Not a big deal though, right? David thinks he'll just bring Uriah back home and he'll sleep with his wife, thinking the baby was his. David sent for Uriah and he came back to the palace, but he never went to his house. He wouldn't go home while his men were in tents still fighting in the war. David tried everything to get Uriah to go home. He even got Uriah drunk. Uriah still didn't go and sleep with his wife. David realized he was in trouble and started to panic. The sin wasn't looking as great right now. The only thing David could think of to possibly right the wrong was to get rid of Uriah. He sent a letter to Joab, the commander of the army, to put Uriah in the front line and draw back, so he would be killed. When Uriah went back to battle, David's instructions were followed and Uriah was put in the front line. He was struck down and killed. Problem solved, right? David took Bathsheba as his wife. His sin came with consequences though. He broke up a marriage and his child died. David knew it was wrong and that it displeased God, but he didn't care because it looked good in the moment. His flesh was weak and he let temptation get the best of him. It ultimately cost him his baby. Later, he realized what he did was wrong and repented. God forgave him, but David still had to go through the consequences. Just like any loving parent. If you break the rules and later apologize, knowing it was wrong, your parents will forgive you, but you still have to face the consequences. You can read the story of David and Bathsheba in 2 Samuel 11-12. This is why it's so important to put on the full Armor of God every day and pray. Otherwise, you won't be able to fight temptation when it comes. The devil will whisper in your ear saying it's ok and you might listen. It will always have a consequence though. What about cursing? There's nothing wrong with it, right? Matthew 12:36 says, "You will have to give an account of every Idol word you speak on the day of judgement." You won't see it in the moment, but you reap what you sow and harvest time is coming. Is it really worth risking an eternity with God?... Everyone might be doing it, but that doesn't mean it's right. Especially, if God says it isn't. That's why we're not supposed to conform to the world. We don't know everything. Instead, look to God and know His commands. Stand up for what's right, even if everyone else is doing it and even if it looks desirable to the eyes. Romans 12:2 says, "Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will - HIS good, pleasing and perfect will." We'll all slip sometimes of course, but we should always do our best to walk a Godly life. Repent and God will  be faithful and just to forgive. Always stand firm in your faith and next time you're tempted to do something that you know is wrong, I pray that you will seek God and His infinite wisdom. Always remember He is everything you need! Well, I'm out for now friends! That was definitely a book! LOL Until next time!

Lauren

[goldthroughthefire]

Just My... Blessing?

    Guess what? You get me again for this week and for the second day in a row! Aren't you guys lucky? Or should I say blessed? Either way, I know you guys are ecstatic to read my blog again! And yes, I know I should probably eat a big slice of humble pie! LOL Happy St. Patrick's Day everyone, officially! I was a little early yesterday because I didn't think I was going to blog today, but I think it'll be worth it! Especially since I get to share with all you amazing people! Btw, if you're not wearing green today, avoid everyone because this is most likely the day where you will get pinched! LOL This is the day for Leprechauns, green, anything Irish, cornbread and luck! At least, people think it's luck! Some people will say "Just my luck" or "Luck of the Irish" when something good happens. What if luck has nothing to do with it though? Luck means something happens by chance or good fortune, taking God totally out of the equation. Since we all know God is in control, I'm pretty sure luck isn't the right word. Now, is God going to control the dice, so you can win at Yahtzee or some other game? That's here nor there. Maybe, maybe not. Most likely for me though because I'm one of His favorites. LOL Just kidding. What I'm talking about though is something bigger! Let's say you're a shepherd in a field. You have 11 brothers, but your father favors you. He gives you all his love and a multi-colored coat. The brothers get jealous, but what really burns their butts is that you can also interpret dreams. You also worship God and love Him! All of this sends the brothers over the edge and they sell you into slavery. You're sent away to Egypt, your father thinking you're dead because that's what the brothers tell him. All hope seems lost, but then Potiphar, the captain of Pharaoh's guard, bought you. After a while he became intrigued by you and knew something was different. You two become close and he puts you in control of his household. Things seem to be looking up for awhile, but then you get accused by Potiphar's wife for trying to sleep with her. You try to explain it wasn't true, but Potiphar is so mad that he throws you in jail. Things aren't looking good again for you. All that time though, you still worship God. Praising Him, thanking Him, trying not to complain. You still pray even while in a dungeon. All of a sudden, two of Pharaoh's workers,  a cupbearer and a baker, were thrown in jail. They have dreams and they don't understand them. You overhear and say you can interpret dreams. They tell you the dreams and you interpret them. The cupbearer will be set free and the baker, well, let's just say not so lucky. Both dreams came true. The cupbearer was set free. The baker wasn't as fortunate. A few years later, Pharaoh has a dream that he doesn't understand. All of a sudden, the cupbearer remembers you and tells Pharaoh you can interpret dreams. Pharaoh sends for you in jail. They bring you to Pharaoh and he tells you his dream. You say a famine is coming and someone needs to be in charge of the land and the food. Pharaoh is so impressed by you, that he makes you second in command. You'll be in charge of everything right under Pharaoh, helping everyone get through the famine. What just happened? You went from living in a dugeon to living in a palace. In charge of Egypt, hanging out with the Pharaoh!  Luck? I think not. If it wasn't luck, then what was it? I would like to call it a blessing from God! God saw you doing your best and praising Him in the midst of trouble! Still believing for your dreams, even if everything seemed hopeless! And since it was in His will, He made everything happen at the snap of His fingers! By the way, this story is real! You can find the story of Joseph in Genesis 37-50. There's no such thing as luck, unless you want to say it is in a game or something like that. If it's something bigger though, that's God blessing you! He's in control of everything and if it's in His will, He'll make it happen, not chance! He also loves giving gifts to His children! James 1:17 says, "Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows." God will bless you with plenty of things! Especially if it's something you need. If you need finances and you're struggling right now, don't worry, God will bless you in the right time! Place your trust in God, not luck! He will give you everything you need and every dream He put on your heart if we stay in faith! Mathew 6:30-33 says, "If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well." All we have to do is trust Him, love Him and serve Him, and He will give us everything we need with our dreams! Even if everything seems hopeless, God will get you to where you need to be! I have a disability called Spinal Muscular Atrophy, SMA, which pretty much means my muscles don't work. I can't move, eat and I need a ventilator to help me breathe. When I was diagnosed around six months, the doctors told my parents I would only live to be three or four. All science said I wouldn't make it past then. If I did, then definitely not past seven. Doctors don't have the final say though, God does! Almost 28 years later, I'm still here and going strong when everything else says I shouldn't be! That's not luck, that's God blessing me with good health! He isn't through with me and He isn't through with you! He never will be! If you keep serving Him, loving Him, praising Him, then He will pour His blessings on you! Everything you need and, if it's His will, want will be yours! God is in control! Keep your faith in Him, not luck! Well, I'm out for now friends! While you celebrate St. Patrick's Day, don't forget to put God first no matter what! Until next time!

Lauren

[goldthroughthefire]

Pray Without Ceasing

    Dia Dhuit mates! That's all you're getting from me for Irish talk! I just had to Google how to say hello! LOL How is everyone doing? Hoping well! Happy St. Patrick's Day! If anyone found a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow, please let me know because I could really use it! LOL Just kidding. But, remember that our real treasure is in Heaven, which is what we should be striving for every day! We can get a glimpse of Heaven though right now! How? I'm glad you asked! Even if you didn't, I'm telling you anyways! LOL When we communicate with God, we enter His Throne Room! We can be in His presence through prayer! I don't know about you, but I'm pretty sure that's something to be excited about! If that doesn't light a fire in you, your wood's wet! LOL My question is, how's your prayer life? Are you communicating with God every day, thanking Him, asking for what you want or need, repenting? Maybe you don't see anything happening, so you gave up on praying. Or maybe you don't know how. You think you have to use big words or put on a big show. Prayer is just a regular conversation though. You don't have to use humongous words or practice. Just come to God as you are and talk to Him! It doesn't even have to be a long thought out prayer! It could just be a sentence or two! The point is, God wants you to come to Him no matter what! Even if you don't know what to say, it's ok! God will know what's on your heart! Romans 8:26 says, "In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans." All we have to do is come boldly before the Throne! What about what you're asking for? I'm sure everyone has something they're waiting on! A need, a want, a dream! Maybe it's taking longer than expected! You might be getting frustrated, so you quit asking for it! If it's something God put on your heart though, don't give up! Keep asking and believing! God's timing is perfect, even if we don't understand it! Ecclesiastes 3:1 says, "There is a time for everything,and a season for every activity under the heavens."  Don't give up on what you're asking and believing for! It may take time, but if you stay in faith, God will provide! If it's in His will, nothing can stop it! 1 John 5:14 says, "This is the confidence we have in approaching God, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. " Prayer works for anything! Believe me, I'm a witness to it! I remember years ago when I was probably around 10, maybe a little younger, my dad had a handicapped bus! My parents were divorced and it was my time with him. I can't remember where we were, but my Grandma was also with us and it was time to go back home. We got on the bus and started driving home. Btw, my Dad was the driver, since I can't drive. I was his back seat driver though. Believe me, he needed me! Still does! LOL Just kidding. Anyways, as he was driving, it started raining. It was pouring down to beat the path! If you don't know this about me already, I'm on a ventilator to help me breathe and in a wheelchair. My wheelchair is electric, so if my wheelchair and vent got wet, we were in trouble! We needed it to stop raining before we got home! I was in the back of the bus with my Grandma, telling my Dad how to drive, I mean, enjoying the view! LOL My Dad yelled back to me saying, "Hey kiddo, you got faith?"  I yelled back,"I've got faith!" So, my Dad started praying for the rain to stop! I'm paraphrasing the prayer of course because I don't remember the exact words, but he prayed something like this. "Lord, thank You for being in control of the weather! We need rain, but when we get home, we need it to stop raining! We can't get any of the equipment wet, so we're trusting You to stop it!" All of a sudden it started raining harder. We were probably a mile or so from our house, so Dad kept praying with me agreeing. He said, "Lord, it's fine that it's raining now! We need it for the crops and stuff! But, when we get home, we need it to stop! We know You're in control!" I'm agreeing with Dad the whole time. My Grandma is a Christian too and a God-fearing woman, but she was rolling her eyes and thinking we were nuts! I mean, we are, but the good kind! LOL A few blocks or so away from our house, it was still raining, but it slowed down a little. We kept praying, thanking God and asking Him to stop the rain. We turned a corner, a block or two away from home. The rain was still going, but slower now. When we turned on our street and pulled up to our house, My Dad stopped and asked me, "Kiddo what do you hear?"  I didn't miss a beat and said, "Nothing!"  The rain had completely stopped the minute we turned on our street and pulled up to the house! We hurried up and got me unloaded and inside! The moment Dad got me inside and closed the garage door, it started raining again! Now, tell me that wasn't God! Come on, you know it was! What am I saying? Never give up on praying! God hears you and will answer! Jeremiah 28:12 says, "Then you will call on Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you."  Now, He might not always say yes! Sometimes He'll say wait or no, but that's only because He has something better for you! If you keep the faith though, nothing is impossible with God! Don't let doubt creep in and cripple your faith! James 1:6 says, "But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. " Dream big and ask big knowing that God is in control! That's was Jabez did! People thought he would be a nobody! His name even meant sorrowful! Jabez knew that wasn't who he was meant to be though! He came boldly to God through prayer and asked Him to enlarge his territory! Asking God to bless him and to keep him from harm! God heard Jabez and gave him everything he asked for! You can read the prayer in 1 Chronicles 4:9-10. We need to do the same! Come boldly to God and He will do what you ask if it's in His Will! If not, don't get discouraged because that means He has something better! All we have to do is have faith and keep in communication with Him! Even when life is hard, never give up, knowing  that God is with you no matter what! Romans 12:12 says, " Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer." Last, but certainly not least, never stop praying for strength to stand against temptation! When we stop being in contact with God, it's easier for us to fall into temptation! We let our guard down and satan will strike! We might not even realize it! That's why it's so important to pray every day, so that we're ready for the attacks and to go against our flesh! Mathew 26:41 says, “Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak." Put on the full Armor of God every day and pray fervently! Ok, I'll shut up now! Sorry for the book, but gotta go where the Holy Spirit takes ya! LOL Until next time friends! Have a great week and remember God is always in control! Praise Him every day!

Lauren

[goldthroughthefire]

In The Midst of Adversities

    I'm baaaack! Did you miss me? I already know the answer. Absolutely! LOL Just kidding. I hope everyone had an amazing week! God is still on the throne, so I would say we're doing pretty good! Even if things seem a little rough right now! I know a lot of people I know are struggling. Maybe you are too. Satan could be striking really hard in your life right now and you might be wondering why. You might be wondering what you did wrong or why things aren't getting better. You're trying to do everything right, but the wrong thing keep happening. You feel like you're never going to get out of the pit. Something must be wrong, right? Not exactly! What if I told you that you might be going through trials because you're doing everything right? You could be honoring God with all your heart and doing everything for Him. You pray every day, read your Bible, worship Him and show love. If you are, that will get the enemy's attention. He doesn't want you in any kind of relationship with God. He wants you to hate God and turn our backs on Him. Satan will wreak havoc on anyone who is on fire for God because he doesn't want you to have anything to do with Him. That doesn't mean you're doing anything wrong though. You may think you need to change, but if you're honoring God and keeping Him 1st place, keep doing what you're doing! The enemy knows you're getting closer to your destiny and that you and God are tight! That freaks him out because he knows he's losing, so he'll do everything he can to destroy you and your relationship with God. In John 10:10 it says the thief comes to steal, kill and destroy. Satan is the father of lies. We don't have to worry about him though because the forces that are for us are greater than the forces that are against us. If we keep being our best and serving our Lord and Savior, God will work everything out! What satan tries using for harm, God will use for your good! A long time ago, Paul and Silas were preaching the gospel to the people and doing the works of the Lord in Philippi. The leaders didn't like what they were saying and doing because they didn't think the way the people thought. The leaders had Paul and Silas beaten and thrown in jail with shackles bound to their feet. Everything seemed like it was going wrong. But, it wasn't because Paul and Silas were doing anything horrible. It was because they were doing everything right. They were honoring God and putting Him 1st place. That got satan's attention and he did everything he could to knock them down. Paul and Silas didn't let the bad breaks get them down though because they knew who was still in control and who had the real power. Not satan, not the people, but God! At midnight, while still in prison and everything looked hopeless, Paul and Silas started singing praises. A few minutes later, I don't know the exact time frame, the walls began to shake, the shackles fell off and the doors opened! All of a sudden, things turned around because they never took their eyes off God. The jailer or prison guard was sleeping and when he woke up, he saw that the prison doors were opened. He thought everyone escaped, so he drew his sword and was about to end his life. Paul called out in the knick of time though and said, "Don't harm yourself! We're still here!" The jailer then asked what he must do to be saved and gave his life to Christ! Paul and Silas were then set free and continued preaching the gospel. What satan meant for harm, God used for good! A life got saved! Nothing or no one can stop your destiny if you keep doing the right thing and keeping God 1st place! Sure, satan will try everything he can to stop you because he knows you are praising God, but he ultimately has no power! God does! He can turn around any situation! Jeremiah 29:11 says, "For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." God's plans are for us to live abundantly and to the fullest. He never promised that life would be easy. In Matthew 5:45 it says that the rain will fall on the just and unjust. That means everyone will have troubles, but if you keep doing your best and praise God no matter what, He will bring you through the fire. We can know that when satan attacks, that's ok because it means we're getting closer to our destiny and we're on the right track. Next time something happens, we don't have to worry because we know God is in control! Just keep praying and thanking God! Don't give up! In 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 it says, "Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus." If you continue to do this, even while it seems like everything is falling apart, nothing will shake you. Resist the devil and he will flee. Or as dad and I like to say, resist the devil and he will run like a scaredy cat, chicken head, sissy. LOL Not even satan can separate you from God if you stay strong in your faith. Romans 8:38-39 says, "For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord." If you're going through a tough time right now, keep seeking God and putting Him 1st place knowing that He is still in control! Satan will try to distract you, but don't let him! We read the book, so we know we win! Well, I'm out for now friends!  Stay blessed and remember to always praise God! Have a great week and I'll see you soon!

Lauren

[goldthroughthefire]

Sacrifices

    Hola everyone! Como Estas? That's as far as my Spanish goes! LOL Hope everyone is having a blessed week so far! I know it's about to get better because you're about to read the best blog ever! I might need to practice my humbleness! LOL Today, let's talk about sacrifices or giving offerings. Why do we sacrifice? I'm hoping it's to show love to someone and because they're important to you. People can sacrifice their time, money or something else because they care about someone. It's giving something up even if we don't want to because we love the other person more. For example, if you're planning to do something, but your loved one needs someone to talk to, you might sacrifice your time to listen to them. Even if it messes up your plan and the things you wanted to do. You give up or sacrifice your time because you care about your loved ones and put their needs in front of your desires or wants. I was thinking if we can do that for people, why don't we do it for God as often? Of course, we don't have to offer a sacrifice to God because we're no longer under the old law. And I'm not talking about sacrificing burnt offerings or whatnot because Jesus was the ultimate Sacrifice. Romans 6:14 says, "For sin shall no longer be your master, because you are not under the law, but under grace." But, shouldn't we want to sacrifice  or give up things for God because we love Him more? Especially if the things we desire or want aren't of His Word. 1 John 2:15-17 says, "Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in them. For everything in the world- lust of the flesh, lust of the eyes and the pride of life - comes not from the Father, but from the world. The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever." I use to be a huge horror fan! My movie collection would have like 50 horror movies, maybe more. Halloween was my thing! I loved everything witches, ghosts, demons, you name it. Movie wise, I mean. A few months ago though, around Halloween, I started thinking, "Is this really honoring God?" His Word says witchcraft is a sin and don't mess with the spiritual world. Deuteromony 18:9-14 says, "When you enter the land the Lord your God is giving you, do not learn to imitate the detestable ways of the nations there. Let no one be found among you who sacrifices their son  and daughter in the fire, who practices divination or sorcery, interprets omens, engages in witchcraft, or casts spells, or who is a medium or spiritist or who consults the dead. Anyone who does these things is detestable to the Lord; because of these same detestable practices, the Lord your God will drive out these nations before you. You must be blameless before the Lord your God. The nations you will dispossess listen to those who practice sorcery or divination. But as far you, the Lord your God has not permitted you to do so." I wasn't exactly dabbling with witchcraft or the spiritual world of course, but I was watching movies with what God said was wrong. The horror movies could even make me feel bad afterwards. Especially if I watched too  many in a row. Probably because it wasn't what God wanted. Even though I still loved the horror genre, I had to decide if it was more important than God, the One I'm supposed to love. The answer is, it wasn't, so I gave up or sacrificed anything horror to show God He was more important. Now, I don't think I was going to hell or disobeying God by watching them exactly, but God is more important than watching those movies. I'm still giving up or sacrificing stuff for Him. This is my way of showing Him I love Him more! I'm sure God already knows that and I don't necessarily have to, unless it's a conviction, but I want to. My point is that we should all show God we love Him and sometimes sacrifice some stuff, even if you don't want to. I'm sure Jesus didn't want to be crucified and sacrifice His life, but He did it anyways. Matthew 26:39 says, "Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed," My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as You will." " Why did He do it then?  Because He loves us unconditionally! John 3:16 says," For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life." We're more important to Him! He was willing to sacrifice everything for us, so why shouldn't we be willing to do the same? Nothing is more important than our Lord and Savior! So, ask yourself if the things you love are really honoring God. If not really, what's more important? You might not want to, but sometimes we need to sacrifice things for the ones we love and we should always be willing to give everything or anything to God no matter what! Like Steven Curtis Chapman says, it's my turn to give my life away! Well, I'm out for now friends! Thanks for reading and I hope you have an amazing week! Stay blessed and keep giving God praise! He is always in control! Until next time everyone!

Lauren

[goldthroughthefire]

Resurrected Dreams

    Hey everyone! Long time, no see! I haven't blogged in awhile, but hopefully I'm back in the saddle! Just in time for the Easter season too! Since it's the start of the season, let's talk about resurrection! Not just about our Lord and Savior, but also about our dreams! We've all had dreams that didn't work out or haven't come to pass yet! You might have been frustrated or given up on what you have hoped for! It can be discouraging waiting! Trust me, I know! I've been dreaming for years to find the love of my life and it still hasn't happened! I can get upset sometimes, not understanding why God hasn't fulfilled my dream yet. I think He needs to hurry up and get moving! We all think that at times about our dreams, but here's the thing we have to remember! God's timing is not our timing! If He did everything we wanted right now, we would miss our true destiny! Trust God to bring whatever your dreams are to past when the timing is right! Not on your time, but on His! You might be going through a rough time right now thinking that you're never going to see your dreams come through! Maybe you've even given up on some dreams, but sometimes we have to go through dark places in order to get to our destiny! It might feel like it's a Friday now, but Sunday is coming! Don't give up when things get hard! That means you're closer than you think! When they nailed Jesus to the cross on Good Friday, everything seemed hopeless! He died that afternoon and was buried! It didn't seem like anything was going the way that it should, but when Sunday came, the whole story changed! Jesus rose from the grave and was alive again! I'm pretty sure no one saw that coming! LOL And He's still alive today! Even on the darkest day, God was still working and He's still working today! He can resurrect anything, including your dreams! All we have to do is keep trusting Him! If you've given up on a dream, start believing again! Get your fire back and even if it seems like nothing is happening, keep believing! God is still in control no matter what! When the time is right, you will see your dreams come alive! During this Easter season, start dreaming again and watch what God will do! Just like Jesus, your dreams will be resurrected! Well, I'm out for now! I'm going to try to hopefully post once a week again! If not, at least every other week! Until next time friends! Stay blessed and keep giving God praise!

Lauren

[goldthroughthefire]

Break the chains

Happy New Year everyone! I hope everyone has had a great start to the year so far! If not, don't worry. It's still early and God is still in control. Let me tell you, I have not been doing well with all my resolutions. Including with me shopping less. I got a Pay Pal account during the holidays and I don't know if you already know this, but that thing is addicting. LOL Seriously, it's a blessing and a curse for someone like me. I was on EBay and Amazon pretty much 24/7. Although, I did buy Disney shirts, so I can't really complain. Dad on the other hand, can because he takes care of everything financially. LOL Just kidding. He didn't complain. Mostly because I didn't tell him everything I bought. Shhhhhh... Don't tell. LOL Oh crap, he reads my blog! Oops, my bad. Guess my secret is out. LOL Sadly though, last night I decided to close my Pay Pal account. I no longer have the freedom to shop and buy things whenever I want. I now have to be responsible. Why did I do that to myself? LOL It had to be done though. Even though it was painful at the time. Still is painful. Especially when there are these Wicked pants that are on Amazon for $30. They're super cute and I'm a huge Wicked fan! A little part of me is dying inside every second that ticks by because I don't have those pants. LOL Ok, I might be exaggerating just a little. LOL Anyways, believe it or not, that Pay Pal account was keeping me from God's path for my life. I didn't realize it at 1st, but it was. That's exactly what addiction can do. I'm not just talking about the big addictions, like smoking and drinking, but also the small ones, like shopping or even Facebook. A lot of people don't realize it, but even Facebook, TV, and exec, can be bad for you if you let it. Satan uses all kind of stuff to distract you. Even the small stuff. If you're not careful you'll get caught in the trap and pay more attention to the material things and do things that satisfies you. It can also affect God's plan for your life. Not that He'll change His mind exactly, but the plan might be put on hold because of your actions and decisions. For example, I was spending way more money than I really had. Seriously, if I didn't cancel my Pay Pal account I would probably be broke right now. LOL Just kidding. Anyways, Dad and I are wanting and needing big things. But, how am I suppose to ask God for more if I don't take care of what I have? I have to be responsible with what God gives me in order to go farther in life. And not forget my 1st love, which is God. Shopping was starting to take my attention away from God. All I wanted to do was shop. I was feeding my addiction, instead of feeding myself with the Word of God. Luckily, I was able to stop before I got too deep. I knew it was keeping me from going forward in life. I had an epiphany, even though I really didn't want 1. LOL Now, I'm trying to get back on track and focus on God. I already declared that 2019 is going to be a great year and I'm not going to let anything mess that up. You don't have to let your addiction defeat you and get you off track. It might feel good at the time, but it could be your downfall at the end. You have to make a choice. Either feed your addiction, whatever that might be, and stay where you are or break the chains and go in God's direction for your life. Let me tell you, I'm pretty sure you're going to want to follow God's path because I guarantee you that it's going to be amazing! Let's start the new year off right and break the chains on anything that might be holding us back and get ready for God's blessings for our lives! I'm out for now! Until next time!

 Lauren

[goldthroughthefire]

Happy New Year!

Today is the last day of 2018 and can I just say hallelujah? LOL 2018 hasn't been the best year for a lot of people. I know it hasn't been for me. I've lost a few things. A relationship didn't work out for the 2nd time and I'm not on good terms with either of my brothers. I've been hurt and torn down. But, in the midst of the bad things, I've also had good things happened. My Dad and I started leading worship together, I started my blog, I made an amazing new friend who is always there for me and I'm alive! I don't know about you, but if only living this year was the only good thing that happened, then that's a pretty good reason to celebrate! LOL What I'm trying to get at here is even if your year wasn't the year you hoped for don't just sit around and sulk. Give thanks to God for the good things in your life. There's always a reason. Even if your life looks like it's crashing down at times there's always a glimmer of hope somewhere that everything is going to be ok. And it is! Do you know why? Because God is still on the Throne. He's never going to let you down. He loves you too much! God never gives you too much that you can't handle, even though it sometimes feels like He does. Seriously, I can't tell you how many times I've thought God was having a bad day. LOL Just kidding. He will always come through for you no matter what. When a storm comes God always sends a rainbow. Don't focus on the negative things. Ok, I'll help you out a little. If 2018 has given you grief, just look at it this way. You made it through. You're still here. When something was supposed to harm you God used it to make you stronger. He brought you to a new year with new beginnings. And right now I'm declaring that 2019 is going to be a great year! Not just for me, but for everyone. Shake off what happened in 2018 and start fresh. Ring in the New Year by thanking God what He has done in 2018 and what He's going to do in 2019. Blessings are coming your way! And don't forget that God is always with you! I hope everyone has an amazing New Year's! I'm out for now! Peace! LOL

 Lauren

[goldthroughthefire]

Follow Your Dreams

I'm baaaaack! Took me long enough, right? LOL Sorry it took me so long to write again! I've been sick since Thanksgiving and then it took a few days to get out of my lazy mode. I'm better now though and ready to blog again! Whoohoo!!! I gotta say, that sickness knocked me down for a while. I didn't have any energy to do what I was supposed to be doing and wanted to do, like my blog. I just started it a couple weeks before and then I didn't write for about 3 and a half weeks because I got sick, then continued to be lazy. It felt like satan was throwing everything he had at me to stop me from pursuing one of my passions. He knew I was following God's path for my life and he wanted to do everything he could to stop me. I admit, I did fall into the trap for a while and got sidetracked by the distractions in life. Not when I was sick because I believe that rest is 1 of the best medicines, but afterward. All I wanted to do was Facebook. Believe me, I was a Facebook junkie for the past 3 and a half weeks. LOL  Honestly, I can't say I'm completely out of my lazy mode yet, but I know it's just satan trying to get me off track. So, I just have to push through and keep trusting God. I refuse to let satan win! Friends, this isn't some new plan that he just came up with. I'm sure every time you have started pursuing your dreams and God's plan for your life it was just a matter of time before you started thinking that your dreams are impossible or you've been told no so many times that it's never going to happen. Or maybe you just became plain old lazy, like me, and kept putting things off thinking you have all the time in the world. Don't believe those lies! That's just satan trying to discombobulate you and get you off track. He knows that you are winning and God is about to bless you tremendously. He's doing everything in his power to try to stop you. But, I want you to notice something. Do you realize that I've never capitalized the name satan? That's because I want to emphasize he has no power! He doesn't deserve a capital S. God is the only one with the power. If God puts a dream in your heart it's going to come to past. All you have to do is obey Him and go after it. Don't believe the lies that you can't or they're too big. God is the Author and Finisher of our faith. If He says it's going to happen, then it's going to happen. No doubt about it. And, I promise you if you keep obeying God and following  your dreams you're going to feel amazing because that's how I'm feeling right now. Go out there and follow your dreams and God will help you through. Oh, and get ready for huge blessings in your life! Well, I'm out for now! Don't worry, I'll write sooner next time! LOL

  Lauren  

[goldthroughthefire]

Thankful

Happy Thanksgiving everyone! Fall is finally here, although I swear we went right to Winter. Lol It's that time of the year again to spend time with family, have a big dinner, watch football (boring! LOL) and be thankful for everything we have. But, honestly, we shouldn’t just be thankful today. Everyday should be a day of Thanksgiving because God has given us so much. Sure, we don't eat turkey everyday or watch football, but it's not all about the material stuff. It's about remembering how blessed we are and telling our family and God how much we appreciate them. Also, don't just be thankful for the big things. Be thankful for the small things too. When Dad and I were having our own Thanksgiving dinner last night we were saying things that we were thankful for. When it was Dad's turn he said he was thankful for indoor plumbing. Some people would probably laugh at that and blow it off. I admit, I did laugh at 1st. It's amazing how much poop can come up in our conversations, especially during Thanksgiving. LOL Just kidding. But, then we started talking about why he was and I realized how lucky we are to have indoor plumbing. Some countries still don't have it. They still have to dump there stuff out the window. I can't imagine how hard it would be to live like that! Luckily, we don't have to. There're so many small things to be thankful for along with the big things. Don't forget about them! And most importantly, don't forget to thank our Lord for saving you. That's the most important gift of all. Jesus died on the Cross for our sins, so that we can live with Him for eternity. All of our sins are forgiven. He loves us so much that He sacrificed His life for us. He'll do anything for us. Why wouldn't we be thankful for that? It's a free gift and I'm all about free gifts. LOL So, today, while we eat turkey, watch football and spend time with family let's not forget to pause and thank God for everything  we have. In fact, I'm going to do that right now. Lord, thank You for everything I have! Thank You for my family and friends! Lord, thank You for bringing me home where I belong and for 24/7 nursing! I also thank You for the small things, like indoor plumbing, heat and so much more! But, most importantly Lord, thank You for sending Your Son, Jesus, to die on the Cross for my sins, so I can live with You for eternity! I love and praise You! In Jesus' Name, amen! Until next time friends!  Lauren