Holy Hunger & Satisfaction in Christ

Psalm 63 has been a favourite of mine for a while. 

I have read it over and over and studied it in-depth a year or so ago. 

As I am reading through Psalms at the moment, I reached Psalm 63 and got to take a deeper look at it again.

What never ceases to amaze me, is how no matter how many times you return to a passage of scripture, you can always come away with something new!

So this time as I read the words of the psalmist David, new things dawned on me and in the season I am in right now the meaning of this psalm became more precious to me.

I was so refreshed by what I learned I simply had to share a few points with you. I also highly suggest you study this psalm yourself, especially if you don't feel like getting into the word during this season of your life.

David writes these words when he is in the wilderness of Judah. He was in a desperate situation, he was most likely tired, thirsty and hungry. But instead of complaining about his fleshly needs, he makes holy complaints, pleas for spiritual food & water.

He knows that feeding his soul is more important that feeding his body. So He cries out to God!

There are three main references to the soul in the passage.

My soul thirsts for You

My soul shall be satisfied

My soul follows hard after You

I took a closer look at these three statements and learned some wonderful things!

1. My soul THIRSTS for You

The meaning of thirst is to have a strong desire for something, to feel dry, to have one's heart set on something. 

This should be my heart for God. A constant holy hunger. To feel dry without Him, to have my heart set on knowing Him.

(Ps 42:1-2, Mat 6:33, Hosea 5:15)

I must be diligent in soaking my soul in the water of the word daily. 

2. My soul shall be SATISFIED

My soul will be satisfied as with fat and rich food. (Ps 63:5)

Satisfied means contented, fulfilled, enjoyment, pleasure & comfort.

David knows that it is only in God that his soul will be satisfied. He knows that God alone can satisfy his longing soul.

For He satisfies the longing soul, and fills the hungry soul with goodness. Psalm 107:9

3. My soul CLINGS to You

To cling means to hold on tight, to remain close, cleave, grasping and embracing.

God never leaves us, so if we 'feel' distant from God it is because we did not remain close, or hold on tight to His promises (one of which is that He will never leave us nor forsake us!).

This psalm paints a picture of what it is to have a holy hunger & thirst. That thirst is for righteousness (Mat 5:6).

I also sensed a sort of cycle depicted in this psalm. 

Our souls thirst or long for something (God) but we often choose to fill it with other things. 

When we chose to fill and feed that thirst with God and His word we become truly satisfied. The more satisfied we become in Christ, the more we cling/cleave to Him because we know we will not experience such peace or contentment anywhere else. We thirst for Him more and more because once we have tasted and seen that He is good, our souls crave more and more. And so the cycle continues!

I hope that made sense! These are real and raw notes from my journal so I'm not sure that they always make sense to anyone other than myself! 

I hope this post encouraged you and please read and study this psalm for yourself!

keep blooming,

On Loving Jesus above all Things // Book Excerpt

Hello darlings!

I was reading The Imitation of Christ by Thomas A Kempis during my quiet time the other today (great book by the way!) and this particular chapter just spoke to my heart.
I'm going to be sharing the entire chapter (it is quite short) here in this post with my favourite lines in bold type.

I pray this stirs your heart as it did mine and that you'll pick up this book and be inspired.

Book 2 - Counsels On the Inner Life

Chapter 7

~ On Loving Jesus above all Things ~

"Blessed is he who understands what it is to love Jesus, and to despise himself for Jesus' sake.

You must surrender all other love for His love, for Jesus desires to be loved alone, and above all things. The love of creatures is deceptive and unstable; the love of Jesus is faithful and enduring.

Whoever clings to any creature will fall with its falling; but he who holds to Jesus shall stand firm for ever. Love Him, therefore, and keep Him as your friend; for when all others desert you, He will not abandon you, nor allow you to perish at the last. 

Whether you wish for it or not, you must in the end be parted from them all. 

Hold fast to Jesus, both in life and death, and trust yourself to His faithfulness, for He alone can aid you when all others fail.

Your Beloved is of such a nature that He will not share your love with another; He desires your heart for Himself alone, and to reign there as a King on His throne. If you could empty your heart of all creatures, Jesus would delight to dwell with you.

Whatever trust you place in men rather than in Jesus is almost wholly wasted. 

Do not trust or lean on a windblown reed, for 'all flesh is as grass, and its glory will fall like the flower of the grass'.

If you look only to men's outward appearance, you will soon be deceived; for if you seek comfort or gain from others, you will often meet with loss. 

If you seek Jesus in all things, you will surely find Jesus. And if you seek yourself, you will surely find yourself, but only to your ruin.

For a man who does not seek Jesus does himself greater hurt than the whole world and all his enemies could ever do him.

What stood out to you from this chapter?

keep blooming,

Getting Back Into The Word

Hello darlings!

I coming to you today from the couch in our living room with a post that I need and I hope that you will also benefit from it.

Since the beginning of this year, I have found it difficult to have regular quiet times with the Lord.
Now life has been full of ups and downs for me ever since December 2019 till now.
I knew that I needed Jesus in those moments but it was hard to find the time and the frame of mind to sit still and read His Word.

In the past week I have tried getting back into it, but it is still a struggle however much I crave it and need it.

So here I am today with this post where I will give myself and you ideas and motivation to get back into the Bible!


1. Spend time with Him even when you don't feel like it.
One of the biggest lessons I learnt last year was that you shouldn't depend on your feelings when it come to spending time with God. You may not feel like it but it is so important that you do it anyway. Then eventually it will become easier and He will give you a desire for His Word.


2. Change things up.
This will look different from person to person but make whatever changes you think you need to get back into reading the Word.
Maybe do it in a new place in your house or outdoors. Use a new Bible study or plan.
Start reading a Christian non-fiction book at the beginning of your quiet time.


3. Listen to worship music or hymns during the day.
I always find that listening to some Christian music uplifts and inspires me and sometimes gets me motivated to spend more time with God.


4. Pour out your heart to Him in your journal.
I recently started doing this and it has been really good. All I do is pull out my journal before I start my quiet time and answer the question God asked Adam and Eve in Genesis 3, "Where are you?"
Where are you at? Where is your heart?
Tell Him how you feel and what is on your heart. He is a caring Father who wants to know you!


5. Do a Bible study with some friends or together with others on the YouVersion Bible app.
I'm doing this at the moment and not only does it keep you and your friends accountable, it is a wonderful way to grow together and connect over the Word.


6. Make it a time you look forward to.
Make this special time with Jesus special same as you would with a friend. Make yourself comfortable, brew some tea or coffee, light a candle or turn on some fairy lights, and use some pretty stationary for your journaling.
Also remember who it is that you are meeting with. We have the privilege to meet with the King of the Universe when ever we want! And He is always there waiting for you to spend time with Him.



Do you have any thought or ideas? Share them in the comments!
I'd love to hear your thoughts and I pray that we all have the strength and grace to get back into the Word and continue in it.

keep blooming,

Why I Want To Be A Mother & Homemaker

Hello darlings!

I'm going to warn you now, what I am about to say in this post might be a little controversial and many women today wouldn't share my opinions on these topics.
But I have decided to go ahead and share what is on my heart about being a mother & homemaker and I hope that you find it interesting and inspiring all the same.

My reason for speaking about this is because I think its something that is unpopular but necessary in today's society and the women that do want to pursue the life of a mother/homemaker often feel alone in their choice of lifestyle.



My Life Dream

If you were to ask me what my biggest dream in life is, my answer wouldn't be to have a great career and a fancy apartment in the city.

No, my answer would be this, that my dream is to become a wife and mother and create a home in the country where we can grow our own food, live naturally and simply and let my kids grow up getting dirty and playing outdoors.
We'd have some chickens, maybe a cow and live of the land where we could.

This is my dream,  however counter-cultural it may be.
If you share the dream to be a mother and homemaker one day I want to tell you that that is a wonderful calling and dream and if it is the Lord' s will for you then go for it!
The world needs more women to mother and nurture the next generation in godly homes that radiate Christ.


Motherhood

Yesterday, my dad told me he had been talking with our neighbor and mention how I wanted to be a mother and stay at home etc.
The neighbor was of the opinion that that wasn't a real job. He couldn't have been farther from the truth. I believe being a mother is a job, and not an easy on at that.
As a mother, you give all of yourself to raising and nurturing your kids and that isn't easy. I know from watching my own mum and other stay-at-home mothers I know.

The call to be a mother is a Biblical one too. Often in the Bible God used mothers to accomplish His will.
I believe it is a worthy calling and if I am called to be one I intend to honor that calling.



Homemaking

A homemaker is a person who manages a home especially as a principal occupation.
A homemaker is a woman who's primary occupation is nurturing and creating a home for her family.

Personally, I enjoy creating a happy, comfortable space and nurturing my space so I love the idea of having a home to nurture and being a stay-at-home mother.
Homemaking is also a Biblical practice, like the woman mentioned in Proverbs 31!

Many women in the past lived like this and families thrived. Think Little House on the Prairie...
That simple lifestyle is a healthier than the hectic rushing around most people call normal.

Read Calico & Twine for more inspiration and info on a simpler lifestyle!


Resources

These are a bunch of women, blogs, YouTube channels and Instagram accounts that embrace motherhood, homemaking and simple living.

Milena Ciciotti YouTube

Mrs Midwest YouTube

Girl In Calico YouTube

Housewives are Not Oppressed Mrs Midwest YouTube Video
Homemaking Practices You Can Start TODAY! Mrs Midwest YouTube Video
Why I Love Being a Homemaker Mrs Midwest YouTube Video

Farmhouse on Boone Blog


So those are some of my thoughts on the matter!
What are your thoughts? Lets chat in the comments!


keep blooming,

Good & Bad Fruit // Lesson from the Garden

Hello darlings!

Summer is coming to an end.
This was clear to me as I was out in our garden harvesting the last of the delicious plums from the tree in our backyard. They were littered all over the ground underneath the tree.
As we have been quite busy, we weren't able to keep up with the amount of plums this tree was producing.
So as I was trying to salvage as many good plums as I could from the ground I had to pick through the already rotting plums to find the good ones.

I would see a plum that looked perfectly fine but as I picked it up and turned it over I found that it was either rotten or being eaten away by half a dozen bees.

This formed an analogy in my mind.

Sometimes a Christian's life will look great on the outside or from the side they show the world but in reality they are rotting on the inside.
They put up a front, a show, to make it look as though they are following Christ but in the shadows they lead a life of sin.

Jesus called out the Pharisees and scribes on this very issue. On the outside the Pharisees appeared to lead righteous lives. But their hearts weren't in it.
They were not actively pursuing a relationship with the Lord.

"Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs, which outwardly appear beautiful, but within are full of dead people's bones and all uncleanness.

So you also outwardly appear righteous to others, but within you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness."

Matthew 23:27-28 (emphasis added)

Lets look at the root of this problem.

"A healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a diseased tree bear good fruit."

Matthew 7:18

I believe that this, shall we say heart condition, is a result of an 'unhealthy' or 'diseased' heart.
Like the Pharisees, we can sometimes have knowledge of God and the Bible and do all the Christian things, but in our hearts we don't personally and intimately know God and so cannot follow him well.

There needs to be a balance or head knowledge and heart knowledge in our walk with Christ.

Challenge

Here is a challenge for us all.

- Does your heart resemble a lovely juicy plum or a bad rotting plum?
- What fruit is your life producing?

"For no good tree bears bad fruit, nor again does a bad tree bear good fruit."

Luke 6:43

As I was reading the verse above I read further into this chapter and discovered Luke 6:45.

"The good person out of the good treasure of his heart produces good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure produces evil, for out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.

Luke 6:45

So my point is this, if we truly treasure God and His Word and seek a relationship with him, our hearts are 'healthy' and our lives will produce fruit.

Let us all be real Jesus-loving, Christians whose lives produce much fruit the radiates Christ!

I hope my rambling made sense and that you got something out if this post.

keep blooming,

What God Has Taught Me This Year

Hello darlings!

I'm coming to you from our dining table today with Phil Wickham's songs playing in my ears and an empty glass that held my yummy coffee next to me.

As this year comes to a close I've been reflecting on the past year and thinking about the year ahead.
One of the big things that has been on my mind is what God has brought me through and taught me this year.
He has taught me many things, but I want to focus on the main ones in this post.

First off, God taught me that He is fully dependable and faithful. He is so, so faithful my dear readers!
He is faithful to stay with us with each step we take, faithful to provide, faithful to comfort us and bring us through times that we could never face without him by our side.
When I look back this year I can see very clearly He was in which he has shown me his faithfulness and it is so important to look back at be reminded of the good things God has done.

Another thing God has shown me in the last few months is that He is worthy of my trust.
I wrote this post a while back talking about trusting in God and my main takeaway from a youth retreat I attended.
Now I have a small testimony to share that started back at that very youth retreat.
I was asked at the youth retreat if I truly trusted God. I wanted to say yes but I thought and prayed about it.
At the time, I don't think I could fully say that I did trust God, with my life, my family, or my future.
But with tears streaming down my face I committed to God and carried on with my life.

A few weeks after my brother & I had left the retreat, my world was tipped upside down and with it my family's world. We are still in a hard place but as I look back on the past couple of month which have been some of the hardest and most unpredictable of my life, I see that I was in a way being tested.
In a way, I feel that God was asking me, "Do you really trust me even though you are going through hard times? Do you trust that my purpose in all of this is really for your greater good?"
And now I smile because I see that He was and continues to grow my faith and was using the past few months to mold and shape me.

It is one of the most wonderful things to look back in your life and see how the puzzle pieces of random and various events fit together into a beautiful pattern!
At the time you may not see how any of the things in your life have a purpose or connect, but God always has a better plan to make something beautiful out of the brokenness.

Now I feel that I can step into 2020 with full confidence that God will lead through all of it, whether through sunshine or rain, He will be by my side.

keep blooming,

Do I Trust God?

Hello darlings!

After taking a break that ended up being longer than I anticipated, I am ready to gather some of my thoughts into a wee blog post for you!

So a week ago, I and my brother attended an annual youth retreat organized by some friends.
It is always a highlight of my year and this year was no different!


One of the things that I took away from the retreat this year was the question of "do I trust God?".
This simple but impacting question was posed to me and some other people one evening during a conversation after dinner.
I was very blessed by the whole conversation but the main thing that stuck with me was whether or not I trust God.
Let's apply it to some specific things:
Do I trust God with my life?
Do I trust God to be with me wherever He leads me?
Do I trust God with my love story?
Do I trust that God will remain faithful?

I could go on but all these questions boil down to this question, "do I trust God?".
As always it is important to look at what God's Word says about this topic.

Proverbs 3:5-6 
Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.
In all thy ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct thy paths.

Psalm 70:1 
In thee, O Lord, do I put my trust: let me never be put to confusion.

Isaiah 26:4
Trust ye in the Lord forever: for in the Lord Jehovah is everlasting strength.

The Hebrew word for trust is batach and it means to have confidence, to be bold, to be secure and to feel safe.
Can you confidently say that all these things are true in your relationship with God?


While I have been pondering these things, the old song Tis So Sweet came to mind.

Tis so sweet to trust in Jesus,

Just to take Him at His word

Just to rest upon His promise,

Just to know, "Thus saith the Lord!"

Part of the not-so-secret secret to fully trusting in God is in the first verse of this lovely song.

"Just to rest upon His promise". When we are trusting in Him, we trust that His promises are true and that they are a firm foundation for us to stand on.

The Bible is full of God's promises to us from cover to cover. You can probably think of several off the top of your head.

Let them really sink in and ask yourself if you really believe that He will never leave you or forsake you, that He will supply all your needs, and that He hears your prayers.

So I leave you with a little challenge.

Take some time each day to meditate on one promise from Scripture and do so until you fully believe and trust that it is true.

Pray and ask the Lord to help you to trust Him with all your heart, and surrender each day to Him.

keep blooming,

Living to please the Lord

Hello darlings!

Are you living a life that is pleasing to God? Or are you living to please others and fit in with the crowd?

For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ. ~ Galatians 1:10 ESV

If you're like me, maybe you answered yes to both questions. Maybe you have good intentions of living a godly lifestyle but still lack total commitment and surrender to Him.
It is hard to live in a way that is pleasing to the Lord, especially when there are so many influences in our culture that tell us to do otherwise.

We might intend to dress modestly, but are told by clothing brands and advertisements that that is simply not attractive.
We might have the desire to spend time in God's Word, but our culture says that it is much better to relax and watch a movie instead.

I speak to myself when I say that I think we need to redirect our goals from pleasing the world to pleasing our loving Father.

Living to please others is a very futile goal. The truth that I think most of us know is that you can never please everyone.
Not everyone will like the way you dress, not everyone will be passionate about the things you are passionate about, not everyone will agree with you about everything, not everyone will like you.
We cannot rely on the opinions of others because they will always be different, varied and sometimes we simply do not know what people are thinking.

But what we can rely on is what God thinks of us. His thoughts about us, his creation, are recorded for us to read in the Bible.
God will not forsake you, He cares for you, He loves you more than anyone else ever could, He gives us grace and mercy when we make mistakes.
While we may not always know what others think of us, we can be assured of what our Father in heaven thinks of us.

And that is all that matters. We are on this earth solely to give glory and honour to Him. Our purpose in life is to live for Him and make him known among the nations. To pour out His love to everyone around us just as He did on the cross for us.

Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. ~ Colossians 3:23-24

To close this off, I do believe that when a young woman (or a guy), lives his or her life out in a way that is pleasing to the Lord, it will show and even cause others to be drawn to you. The love that God will show people through you is attractive(not in a romantic way, although it can be)!
So in the end you may get new friends, get noticed by others or even attract a great godly guy, but all of this is only and added bonus(if you will) to truly living for Jesus and focusing on Him to satisfy and fulfil you.

When a man's ways please the Lord, he makes even his enemies to be at peace with him. ~ Proverbs 16:7

Make drawing closer to the Lord, serving Him and loving others some of your main priorities in life and other good things may come out of that.
The Lord bestows blessings upon those who demonstrate full surrender and obedience in their lives.

I delight to do your will, O my God; your law is within my heart. ~ Psalm 40:8

Recommendation: Listen to THIS podcast episode by Revive Our Hearts called 'How You Can Truly Please God' to help you learn more about this topic!

This is just something I was pondering last night and sat up to quickly jot down!
I hope and pray that it blesses you and that together we will be renewed by the transforming of our minds as we behold the face of Jesus daily and become more like Him every day. (Romans 12:2)


keep blooming,

Hannah

gratitude not mindfulness

via Unsplash

Hello darlings!

As I was taking my dog Molly for a walk today and breathing in the fresh air, I was struck with a thought.
A thought that I will now share with you.

In the past couple of years, one of the popular practices that many people have begun implementing into their lives is mindfulness.
I'm sure you've heard that word before, in a self-help book, on the Internet, or on the cover of a colouring book.

(This article has some great point on mindfulness and self-care! I got some of the inspiration for this post from it and it explains both from a Biblical perspective.)


In on YouTube video I saw once, a lady was suggesting the practice of mindfulness as a healthy habit and demonstrating an exercise for mindfulness were you take note of your surroundings carefully and meditatively. "Notice 5 things you can see, 4 things you can smell" etc.

I remembered this when I was out walking today because I was enjoying the fresh air and the way it smelt.
Then I thought how instead of tuning into your surroundings, practising mindfulness and self-care, we should be pouring out gratitude to God for all the small and beautiful things he gifts us daily.

I love to take a step back and notice all the beautiful things in life(especially nature)that sing the praises of God.
I love to think about how the air smells during different times of day, how the sky looks, beautiful flowers, the seasons and appreciate how lovely they are.

But instead of simply being mindful of these things or meditating about them, we should praise the Lord and be thankful that God created all things beautifully and for His glory.

Take a moment today to look at the things around you, count your blessings and cultivate a heart of gratitude!


I will praise thee, O Lord, with my whole heart; I will shew forth all thy marvellous works. ~ Psalm 9:1


O Lord, how manifold are thy works! in wisdom hast thou made them all: the earth is full of thy riches. ~ Psalm 104:24


keep blooming,

xo, Hannah

Bible Study with Me // 2 Cor 12:9-10

via Unsplash

Hello darlings!

It was one quiet afternoon. I decided to sit down and do an in-depth Bible study.
I made my coffee, got out my pens, Bible and all the other necessary tools and sat down at my desk.

Little did I know what the Lord would show me from His Word when I devoted that time to Him.
That is the first point I wish to make. Take time, take time out of your day to spend in the presence of Jesus. When you give Him your time, He will bless it.

Also, lately I have been reading large portions of Scripture, and while that is all fine and dandy, I forgot the importance of "eating small bites and chewing slowly".
The analogy of eating fits very well with the reading of the Word. When you scoff down your food(the Bible), you are less likely to enjoy it, enjoy the flavor and to reap the benefits of it.
Whereas if you chew each mouthful slowly, you can enjoy the taste and it will be much more beneficial.

Back to the real reason for this post!
Come along with me as I study these few precious verses that have so much to offer.

In case you wish to know, here's what I used for this little Bible study.
• Bible (of course!)
• Highlighters and pens
• Coffee because why not? (This was one of the nicest coffee's I've had in a while!)

I typed out the verses I wanted to study and printed it out so that I could write all my notes around it.
In addition to that, I printed out a study guide on these particular verses of  2 Corinthians 12.


By now you are probably wondering which verses I chose to study!
I chose 2 Corinthians 12:9-10 because I just felt that those where verses that I should study a bit more in-depth.

But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness."
Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.  ~ 2 Cor 12:9-10 (ESV)


I began by saying a short prayer and then I read the full chapter of 2 Corinthians 12 so I could understand the context.

After that, I went through verses 9 & 10 and highlighted and circled certain words.
I used pink for what God does/His character and green for what we do or should live out.
The words that I circled were words that I thought were important and significant or ones that I wanted to look into more.

That's another tip I have for you! Look up the meanings of words even if you think you already know it. Often it will give a deeper meaning to what you are studying!

For instance, other words for sufficient are enough and adequate.
Think about that, His grace is enough for you, and it is adequate to meet your daily needs!

I also wrote down a summary of the meaning of grace. I think it has to be my favourite explaination of what grace is!
"Sweet, unmerited favor from God that offers forgiveness, not because of who we are but because of what Jesus has done." ~ Whitney Daughterty (I wrote a whole post inspired by this quote a while ago and you can read that here. )

Then I read through the study guide, writing down my own thoughts and some points from the study guide that I wanted to remember.

I wish I could share with you all the points I got out of this small passage but a few of my favourites will have to suffice.

• Sometimes instead of removing the hardship in our lives God simply gives us His grace we need to handle it. His grace is sufficient to meet all our needs.

• God can remove the burden or strengthen the shoulder that bears it. Whatever will bring Him the most glory! Thus showing His strength in our weakness.
We must acknowledge our own weaknesses and insufficiency in order to receive the sufficiency of God's grace.

• When we're forced to depend on His grace for strength, our dependence on God makes us stronger than if we were to be self-sufficient and proud.

• In light of his life and accomplishments, we would say that Paul was a very strong man. But he was only strong because he knew his weaknesses and looked outside of himself for the strength of God's grace.


There is much more I wish I could share but these few points are a glimpse into what I learned!

I apologise that the lighting is bad in this photo. By the time I was finished with this, it was dark out and I had to turn the light on!

My hope is that this post would encourage you if you are in a place where you feel weak and helpless. Let God's grace be your strength and lean on His everlasting arms of love!

I also hope that you were inspired to take out your own Bible and study these verses for yourself and find the treasures that God has in store for you in His Word or that you would simply set aside time in your day for Christ.

keep blooming!

xoxo
Hannah

She is called Daughter

 

                                                     

             

She stood there. Watching. Waiting and dreaming. 

Watching the wind toss the branches of the trees. Waiting in the stillness. And dreaming of things still to come.

She adored the sweet solace she found on that quiet hill. 

How the dainty flowers that grew there, bobbing back and forth in the breeze.

For many years she had come here and always to escape the crowd. How they pushed and pulled her; it filled her head with fog.

So she came to the quiet hill that felt closer to the sky, to have heavenly conversations with the Father of her heart. 

Sometimes she would just sit and think. 

Other times she might sing. Often she would pick armfuls of blossoms. But always she knew whose watchful eye was over her and she'd smile at the thought.

It was while she was standing there dreaming, that when the breezes stilled, she heard the grasses rustling at her side.

She saw a figure approaching, though she knew not who it was. 

He came right beside her and looked her in the eye. But she was not afraid, for he whispered to her, "Daughter".

It was him, her dear Jesus. He had Compassion in his eyes. Peace written on his face and many other beautiful and heartfelt things that made her love Him more but most important of them all was the love that made holes in His hands.

She took His hands in her own and smiled up at him. 

They sat and talked for hours about all the troubles and joys of life.

"And about your dreams," He said, "keep them stored in the depths of your heart. For when the time is right my love, I will cause them to take place. 

If they are not to be, then you must let it be so. I will always be there next to you, and that is what you must know."

Then He rose to leave and embraced her in His arms. Jesus walked back through the flowers from where He came before. 

She watched and saw two pathways, that were imprinted in the grass. 

One was hers and one was His.

Side by side, forevermore.

Photo Credit: Pinterest

Words: Me                               

Behold Your King // Christmas Favourites Part 2

Hey Wildflowers!

I first would like to apologize that this post is a little late, due to computer issues and travelling.
But I am here now to complete this two-part Christmas Favourites post!

You can read Part One here.

For this part of my Christmas favourites, I wanted to focus on the spiritual part of the season.
This December I found a few great resources to get into the Word and fully prepare for the celebration.

The first one is a 3-part series by Revive Our Hearts called Unto You Is Born This Day.
In these three sessions, Nancy Demoss Wolgemuth take us through Luke 2 in a way I haven't ever read before. My eyes were truly opened to many new things about the Christmas story I thought I knew so well.

Next are three classic Christmas carols that I fell in love with this Christmas.
Infant Holy, Infant Lowly is a beautiful and sweet carol that is similar to Away in a Manger but has a different aspect.
O Little Town of Bethlehem is one that I never much liked when I was younger but I really quite like it now. It reminds me of Micah 5:2, here it is prophesied that the small town of Bethlehem is chosen out of all Israel to be the birthplace of the Mighty Ruler.
Come Thou Long Expected Jesus is also one that I came to appreciate and love.
So, now I strongly recommend that you go and listen to these carols and bask in their joy before the Christmas season is over!

Moving on, another favourite of mine was Luke chapter 2. Have you ever thought about how real, beautiful and wonderful the Christmas story is?
It is real because it is from the Bible. Mary and Joseph were real, ordinary folk who God chose to serve a great purpose.
It is beautiful because of how it was all so carefully planned and came about so perfectly, in a way that only God can accomplish.
And it is wonderful because it holds so much joy, hope and peace for this day and age. In the midst of unrest, wars, trials and anger, God has brought peace for us.

I truly hope that you all had an AMAZING Christmastime with your loved ones!
Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to you all!

xoxo
Hannah

6 Simple things YOU can do that have Eternal Value

Hello, Wildflowers!
So lately, this topic has been on my mind and it has been prompted about it by some different sources too. The topic of making a difference, doing things for God's glory and changing this world a little bit at a time.
As Christians, we are called to live lives that bring all glory and honor to Him. What I lot of people don't realize is that you don't have to do anything super amazing to achieve this. You don't have to go and serve in a foreign country (if you're called to do this then it's a different story but don't feel like you have to just to be a good Christian), you don't have to be noticed for what you do, you don't have to give all your money to make an impression.

~ The simplest, most mundane acts can bring glory to God if done with the right heart and intent. 

And so in this post, I wanted to share some ideas that have come to my mind of simple ways you can start doing things that matter. Things that have eternal value.

1} Sponsor a child

This is something my parents have done with a couple of children. One of them actually became a doctor and he is now married and has a beautiful little daughter. Though my parents don't sponsor him anymore we still keep in touch.

It's a great and simple way to impact another person's life. I would absolutely love to do this once I get a steady job! There are a few organizations that do it but one, in particular, I have heard about is Compassion. 

2} Pray

Yes, I said pray. Small word, big impact. Prayer is so, so, so powerful. It's such a seemingly small and simple act but it changes everything.
It is a weapon, a comfort, a personal and beautiful part of your relationship with God and a brilliant way to spend time.
Prayer is also a way to serve others. Praying for others is giving up a small amount of your time to bring requests to God.
I am not perfect at this but lately, I have been challenged to purposefully pray for my Christian brothers and sisters as well as other things, people and situations. I challenge you today to take a little moment daily to pray for people.




3} Serve right where you are

You can serve in your own home. Go the extra mile with the chores. Offer to cook dinner. You get what I mean, where ever you are right now you can find simple ways to go the extra mile and give up your time to help and serve.
Just because I am saying this doesn't mean I am good at it mind you! Most times I would much rather paint or read or watch YouTube videos instead of making dinner, doing extra jobs or helping out elsewhere. But




4} Donate to a Christian ministry

Again, I would love to support my favourite Christian ministries and what they do if I had a regular paying job.
By supporting ministries, you can help them to continue, grow and do even more impacting things.
A few ones that I love are:
Girl Defined,
The Bible Project,
and Coffee & Bible Time




5} Listen to that little voice

You are probably wondering what on earth do I mean! I mean, do you ever have times where there's a little whisper in your mind that prompt you to do things, you might shove it away or act upon it.
(I should mention here that there are two types of "little voice". The evil one and the good one. I am talking about the good one here.)
The good little voice that tells you to go and help that person with their bags, or go and play with your siblings instead of on your phone, or wash those dirty dishes instead of your mum having to do it. The voice that tells you to do those things that you could choose to leave or obey. Obeying it might have amazing results. It might create a domino effect (see the movie I'm Not Ashamed for examples of this).
I hope you get what I mean! If you are confused, I can elaborate in the comments!




6} Invest your time in others

This point is pretty self-explanatory really. Spend your time with others and encourage them, treat them to cake and coffee, pray with them etc. It means a lot when you go out of your way to spend time with family/friends/other people.
This goes especially for the younger generation. I know for me that I want to invest time in my younger sister. To be there for her and support her. As older siblings, this is an important role we have.

Note: These are only ideas. I am by no means perfect and don't always do these things. But I have been challenged to and I hope you are challenged and inspired too.


There you go, people! I hope you are inspired and will take away at least one thing from this.
Have a great weekend!


xoxo
Hannah

a poem I wrote by accident

via Pinterest

~

Journaling

by Meeee

"Journaling in a tree,

so many thoughts in my mind,,

I want to write them all down before

they vanish out if my memory.

Pen to paper,

as I breathe the evening air,

thinking of God's blessings,

to which nothing else can compare.

~

xoxo

Hannah

Lies you are probably believing

(Collab with Audrey from The Road 2 Wherever)

Before I start, I just want to introduce you to a friend of mine. Audrey, blogger @ The Road 2 Wherever, and I are collaborating together to give you some thoughts and encouragement on fighting lies you are most likely believing and what we did to fight ours.

I met Audrey through Coffee and Bible Time's new bible study called Uprooting Lies Planting Truth.

Audrey, along with two other girls, and I were accountability partners for this bible study.

More info on the bible study later!

Here's a list of lies I tackled during this journey and the Bible verses that combated them:

1. I am not beautiful. (Proverbs 31:30, Psalm 139:14, 1 Peter 3:3-4, Ephesians 2:10)
2. God doesn't give us more than we can handle. (James 1:3-4, 1 Cor 1:4-8) Plus some great advice from a dear friend, who said, "God never allows us to go through anything that is bigger than the grace he gives us to handle it. In everything, we are enriched by Him. By believing God won't give us more than we can handle, we are totally eliminating our need for Him."
3. God alone can't satisfy me. (Phil 4:19, Psalm 90:14, Isaiah 58:11)
4. My value lies in how I look. (Proverbs 3:15)
5. My true happiness will only be fulfilled when I get married. (Matthew 5:6) ((getting married is one of my biggest dreams.))
6.  God should fix my problems. (Phil 3:10-11, 2 Tim 3:12, Luke 14:27)

Some of those are pretty harsh but I being honest here. These are things I was struggling with and some I still struggle with.

This is a list of common lies a lot of people(girls) believe:

1. You are not good enough.
2. You must earn God's love.
3. You are not beautiful.
4. God is so far away.
5. I can't overcome my sin.
6. I am worthless.
7. It's my life.
8. God causes suffering.
9. God is not good.
10. I am alone.....the list goes on!

So, are you believing some lies? You may believe some lies and you don't even realize it. The Deceiver is very sneaky and cunning in his ways. He whispers lies at you everywhere you turn. BUT, did you know that you most likely have the most powerful weapon right under your nose? Yes, the Bible and God himself!
The Bible is our weapon. It is our sword!

Ephesians 6:11-17

" Put on the whole armor of God that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.
Wherefore take unto you the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, having done all, to stand.
Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; and your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith you shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.
And take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. "

Hebrews 4:12

" For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than a double-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart."

If at any time you are believing a lie, doubting something or anytime at all, turn to the Bible.
In God's word, you will find the truth, you will find peace, satisfaction, and fulfillment. You will have the power to stand against the things the Satan throws at you and not be swayed by the winds of the world.


Now, do you want to fight the lies you believe? Aside from God's word, here are a few other things that might help:

Coffee & Bible Time's Uprooting Lies Planting Truth Journal and info
Lies Young Women Believe Book by Nancy Leigh DeMoss Wolgemuth
Lies Young Women Believe Blog

Uprooting Lies Planting Truth Journal Trailer

The main lie that I uprooted was the lie that God doesn't give us more than we can handle(in relation to trials). I am free from this lie and I have accepted that God allows trials to grow us and further His kingdom.

James 1:12-15 really opened my eyes and helped me too.

Make sure you check out Audrey's post and comment down below whether you are going to try this out and fight the lies you believe!

xoxo

Hannah

Numbers 11:14 // My Quiet Time Series

Yesterday I was reading the book of Numbers, chapter 11. Suddenly, one verse jumped out at me.
One single, little verse.
It was verse 14 and it said: "I am not able to bear all this people alone, because it is too heavy for me."

Now, I'll just give you a bit of background on this verse. The Israelites are in the wilderness and despite having all their needs provided for they complain to Moses.
Imagine that! You are leading thousands of people through the wilderness to a wonderful land and they complain non-stop to you! They say they had it better in Egypt, they had nicer food instead of just manna all the time.
The verse that stood out to me (Num 11:14) is one that Moses says when he his asking God for help.
Ok, we have some background. Now, these are a few things that struck me about this verse and the overall events.

1. The first thing Moses did was speak to God. He had a problem and he brought it straight to the Lord. It was a hard time for Moses. He was probably exhausted and tired of the people's whining. He knew he needed God's help.
2. Moses recognized that he was unable to do it alone. So he pleaded with God. This was a great first step, that he realized he needed help.

I personally related with Moses in his cry to God. Often in hard times, we feel as though we can't go on. It's too hard and we feel really bogged down. We say "It's too much", "I can't handle it" or "I've had enough".

We might doubt His goodness and faithfulness. But I want you to know, as I try to remind myself, He is always there working in wonderful ways that maybe we cannot see at the time. And if you stop and look back you will see that He has done amazing things in the past. Turn around and face the future with faith and hope, trusting that He has a great plan to make you more like Christ.

xoxo

Hannah

Abide

So I've been thinking about this word a lot lately and today(my birthday) I got a beautiful necklace with the word 'abide' stamped into it.
I've also been loving Audrey Assad's version of the old hymn 'Abide with Me'.
So today I decided to write a short post uncovering a few things about this word.

abide
1. to remain; continue; stay:
    Abide with me
2. to have one's abode; dwell: reside:
    to abide in a small Scottish village

Definition from Dictionary.com

To remain. Continue and stay. Think of that in relation to Christ. Let's see what the Word says in regard to this precious word!

Psalm 91:1

He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall abide (emphasis added) under the shadow of the Almighty.

John 12:46

I have come as a light into this world, that whosoever believes in Me should not abide in darkness.

John 15:10

If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father's commandments and abide in His love.

(There are many wonderful verses that talk about abiding, in the book of John and I highly suggest that you look them up and read them, John 15 has the most and it is a beautiful chapter.)

1 John 2:28

And now, little children, abide in him; that, when he shall appear we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before Him at his coming.

I think that this word is a beautiful way to describe our relationship with Jesus and how we must live out the rest of our lives as Christians.

I have a few notes to share with you from an article that I found here.

Read John 8:31!

"Abiding in the word of Jesus means remaining in that force field of the word. It means not leaving it."

"Abide means never ceasing to walk in the light of the word, as though any other light could show you the secrets of life."

This article unpacks John 8:31 very well and I do suggest that you read all of it to understand fully. 

So in conclusion, there are a few ways that we can abide in Jesus.

1. Read His Word and dig deep into it. Root yourself in it, abide in it, remain in it and continue to use it to grow your understanding of Christ.
2. Pray in order to strengthen your relationship with Him and learn to trust Him with your life.
3. Dwell on Scripture. Meditate on it.
4. Continue. As you, therefore, have received Jesus Christ the Lord, so walk in Him. Colossians 2:6  After you have received Jesus into your heart, continue to follow Him, abide in Him, keep running the race.

Lastly, Audrey Assad's "Abide with Me".  It is the last song on her album Inheritance. 

xoxo

Hannah