Seasons Change. Jesus Doesn't.

I LOVE FALL!

In fact, I love fall so much, I could shout it to the world!

I LOVE FALL!

There's something so magical about that crisp feeling in the air. It's a feeling I can't quite find the words to describe but there are moments when the sun is shining, the leaves are changing colors, the air is crisp and it just tugs at my heart strings.
To me, fall is another piece of evidence of how much our Creator truly loves us! :)

Entering into this years season of Fall, God has placed a few things on my heart that I'd love to share.

The simple minded part of me, loves fall for these reasons:
* Changing leaves 
* Pumpkin EVERYTHING
* Thanksgiving!
* Change of weather. Which brings me to..
* Cute, cozy sweaters to wear
* Bonfires and SMORES (gluten free of course!) 
* The promise that Christmas is coming!

But this year I thought to try and tap into the spiritual reasons there are to love Fall and came up with this:
Fall is a beautiful reminder that all things change; nothing ever stays the same. Seasons or trials will come and go. Things will grow and things will die. I am in a season of my life now where I feel things are forever changing. A lesson that God was teaching me last week is nothing even remotely relatable to what He's teaching me this week! Our church is forever growing and changing, along with, our Worship Team. (PRAISE JESUS!) My family just went through a rather tough little season. Our country is about to go though some major change as well. Change is everywhere!

Like I just said, nothing stays the same. Things are constantly revolving. Life is so unpredictable; so unstable Except ONE thing.

JESUS.

A couple of verses that I discovered that fit this topic are some I'd love to share with you.

"The grass withers, the flower fades
when the breath of the Lord blows on it; 
surely the people are grass.
The grass withers, the flower fades,
but the word of our God will stand forever."
-Isaiah 40: 7-8

"Jesus is the same yesterday and today and today and forever."
-Hebrews 13:8

"For I the Lord do not change."
-Malachi 3:6

So while the trees are changing colors and the leaves are dying and falling off the trees..while the temperature outside changes from hot into cooler weather, our God DOESN'T CHANGE.

His love, His mercy, His grace, His power, His patience, His strength, and His holiness remains the absolute same.
What promise and hope we can get from this truth in an ever-changing and evolving world!
What promise and hope we can get from turning to His Word and knowing that it will never be different. That everything He said and meant 1,000's of years ago, He still means them today!

His victory on the cross? Remains the same.

His promises for us? Remains the same.

His plans for us? Remains the same. We were born with God already knowing every move we would make and every thought we would have. And in this moment, even as you're reading this, He is WORKING things for our good. (Romans 8:28) WHAT A GOOD FATHER! 

So I promise that even though much can change in our lives and outside our windows, God will never ever change. His Being and His nature will remain true and the same for forever.

So with all that said, Happy Fall! Hope you are all able to drink some apple cider and enjoy a snuggly fire :)
Much love sweet friends! 

#beyougoals

A few weeks ago, my sweet friend Morgan, (check her out over at Yellow Door Diaries) sent our small group an email with a link to a video made by Sadie Robertson. If haven't seen the video yet, you can watch it here.
In the video, Sadie talks about the latest hashtag trend that is all over social media.
For those who do not know what hashtag is or means (you'd be surprised!), dictionary.com defines it as:

noun

1.

(on social-networking websites) a word or phrasepreceded by a hash mark (#), used within amessage to identify a keyword or topic of interestand facilitate a search for it:

The latest trend has been all about commenting on the picture or status of somebody that posts about their life and hash-tagging "#___goals"

I've seen this range from "#thighgapgoals", "#beautygoals", "#friendshipgoals", or the most popular: "#relationshipgoals"

As Sadie says it's all about people comparing themselves to others and wanting to reach a goal to have what another person has or be like another person. She goes deep into what her own personal issues with jealousy and other flaws that she has. Sadie mentions how she wants to see a world filled with confidence and to have all of us strive to be the best "YOU" that we can be.

I couldn't agree with this video more. I give her SO much credit for putting herself out there to speak about what GOD laid on her heart. How she spoke to confidently about being content with what God gives YOU and not looking to others for that contentment. 

I know that this "goal" thing is a just a form of joking (maybe I just don't have a sense of humor?) around but is it really? 

Let's face it, we live in a world where jealously can rear it's ugly head into us at any moment. We've all looked on the other side of the fence and wondered what it would be like if we could have what that person has, or look like that person does.

I'm SO super guilty of this. I am no where near the size 2 I used to be. I struggled with (and come on, honestly, I still sometimes do) looking at other women who were in good shape and super skinny with such jealously. I couldn't just recognize how God made them beautiful, just like He did with me. I focused on how I didn't even come close to having a waist that tiny. Instead of looking at my body and realizing that I was blessed enough to house a tiny human for 9 months!

Another example? My marriage. I see husbands that shower their wives with flowers and jewelry and sometimes felt animosity toward my husband because I didn't get that from him. I forgot about what he DOES give me. How laughter, emotional support and physical love works so much better in our marriage then material things. It's always been that way and I couldn't be more happy.
Like mentioned in the video, this doesn't mean to not have goals! This doesn't mean that you can't look up to and admire other people! I love to model my marriage and how I parent my daughter after my parents. They are such an inspiring example of strength, love and patience to me. But while looking up to them is great, I keep in mind that we are all different people. Eric and I do what's best for ourselves and our family at the end of the day.
I hope this is all making sense :)

Sadie uses 1 Samuel 16:17 as a reference in the video:
 7 But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but theLord looks at the heart.”

YES! This verse is SO beautiful! How nice would it be to look at others the way The Lord looks at us? To look at one another's heart instead of their looks? To stop comparing and start appreciating!! Appreciating what we have AND what others have. It's hard, I know, (this is why we are no where near how perfect Jesus is!) but we NEED to find contentment not in what this world will give us, but with what God gives us.
Why are we struggling so hard to be like everyone else when our Creator spent so much time crafting and putting us together?
I am not kidding when I say WE ARE ALL BEAUTIFUL!! 
Seriously! We all have something we are good at and can contribute to this world.
So what if you don't have a thigh gap?! (Join the club, haha!) So what if your neighbor is driving a Bentley and you're still driving your Honda Civic from high school?
So what if her eyebrows are thick and shaped to perfection and you can barely see the hairs on yours?
So what if your friends husbands buys her flowers and diamond earrings and yours takes you to Chic-Fil-A for a date? (Totally prefer Chic-Fil-A!!!)
There is contentment in JESUS! There is beauty found in JESUS! There is peace in JESUS! There is peace in knowing how much He loves and cares for us how we are, how we look and will always come to where we are RIGHT NOW! There is peace in knowing that He gives and promises us FAR more then anything this world can ever offer.

As Sadie said in the video, I, as well, know that God might not be a thing for some people but I want to challenge you as well to try something new. See what this Jesus guy is all about because I PROMISE He does not give disappointment like this world can give.
I think each one of you are so special and beautiful.
If there is anything you'd like to touch on that I haven't in this post, or just want to chat about, you know where to find me: gfmamaj@gmail.com
MUCH, MUCH LOVE!

P.S. Lets create some new hashtags eh?
#beyourselfgoals
#beorigionalgoals
#beyougoals
Lets start to use social media to inspire others and tell them they are great! Throw somebody a compliment and see how it can change their day!