Tag: devotions

The Love Letters: Dear God

Written by Shakira on . Posted in Inspiration, Life. 2 Comments

1 John 4:7-9 says:

“Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. He who does not love does not know God, for God is love. In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him.”

Your love for me is nothing short of death defying. Literally. You move heaven and earth for me. I am Daddy’s little girl and your thoughts for me are good and not evil. I must admit I still don’t understand exactly why you love me so fiercely. So completely. So unconditionally. This love, this amazing love is the air I breathe. What did I do to deserve this kind of love? Why are you so intent on staying committed to loving me when, at times it is unrequited? Surely someone else is more suitable. More worthy of such affection. You see, there are parts of me that bring me shame. Parts that threaten to discredit the woman you’ve always known me to be.

When I tell you this you insist on reminding me that you knew me before creation and how you long to be close to me. You are relentless in your pursuit of me. Though it sometimes makes me nervous, and I fear I will let you down, please don’t ever stop. Your love has changed me. It has made me brave and it has inspired me to love at all costs. Your love has been my armor and my mirror. When the lies of this world threaten my beauty, character, or my worth it is your love that reinforces who I am. My purpose is found in You and You alone. Father, your love for me has shown me what to expect from any man who desires my affection. It has raised the standard for all who claim to love me. Your love has also been the mirror of my character. Showing me the places that don’t quite look like your “selfie”. The parts that are rebellious and stubborn. Holiness is the fruit of loving you and it is your love that pushes me to forgive those who’ve hurt me and love my enemies. Your love is compassion. It is strength. It is the most transformative power I know.

Thank you for loving me. You are a good, good father, full of mercy and grace, justice and truth. I won’t run from it anymore but I will rest in it. I will stand up in it and allow it to remove all my fear. This is a relationship I will never regret. You are the lover of my soul. I am yours and you are mine.

Sincerely Yours,

Kira

 

It is Well… Making peace with 2016

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If you’re reading this congratulations, you are among the extremely blessed individuals to physically cross over into 2017. You are alive. No, it’s not a churchy old head cliche thing to say my G, I’m dead serious (pun intended). So again, let me remind you: YOU ARE ALIVE! If I stop this blog post right now that fact should fill your heart with overwhelming gratitude and happiness. Nevertheless, there’s no denying that many of us are physically here in 2017 but our hearts and minds are still reeling from the global, local, and personal tragedies and/or disappointments we’ve encountered over the last twelve months.

I began 2016 overwhelmed by financial strain. In February my boyfriend proposed and it was one of the happiest days of my life. Excited and ready to finally take that next step, we set the date for January 7, 2017. In April we had a death in my family while preparing for my siblings graduations. By May I’d made the hard decision to move back home with my parents in order to save for the wedding and at the start of summer my fiance and mother both had great new jobs. My family’s collective season of hardship seemed to be over. Then in July while at a concert with my sister, she had a grand mal seizure. We spent the entire month at various appointments with neurologists as they determine if she has epilepsy. August 1st my fiance was abruptly let go from his job and by the end of the month the same was true for my mother. I must say, this nearly crushed me. I felt like what was supposed to be my happiest year was turning into my worst. In September another death in the family on my mother’s side and Thanksgiving weekend her brother had a massive stroke.

If you’re feeling battered by the events of 2016, trust me I understand. Many of you have buried loved ones, lost jobs, and ended relationships. It may seem like the positive affirmations, declarations, and decrees have been null and void over the last year but PLEASE hear this: God is sovereign! Proverbs 16:9 says “A person plans his ways but the Lord orders his steps.” I spent the last three weeks of this year reflecting and talking to God the father. Lord, what was the purpose for ___ , what was the lesson in ___ , how could I have handled/responded to ___ better, is ___ your will for my life or am I forcing something unintended for my destiny? These questions have yielded answers, some I honestly didn’t like so much. However, there is peace in knowing that my times and seasons are in God’s hands.

The calendar year has no bearing on the spiritual seasons of our lives. 2017 will be exactly the same as 2016 unless my perspective changes. Even if the circumstances don’t change immediately, my understanding of them can produce the fruits of long suffering and patience. If I let myself go there, I could be devastated that I won’t be getting married in 5 days. I could feel like a failure that I live with my parents again at age 33 and become angry with myself and God. Instead, I choose to see God’s plan unfold. I don’t always understand or agree with his methods but because I trust him and I know his plans for me are good, I can take comfort in knowing he’s with me. Purpose has a process! This process is unavoidable. It may include some heartbreak, embarrassment, and discomfort but ALL things are working for your good and pain is never wasted with God. 

Somewhere in the fall of 2016 God reminded me that life is not always going to be peachy, but it can be victorious. Many days I would get into prayer and worship, pouring my heart out to God. Writing in my journal and reading his holy word. In times of trial and testing we must learn to hide ourselves in him and let the joy of the Lord be our strength!  As we journey into 2017 the word of the Lord for me is change – maybe that resonates with you also. Change in perspective, attitude, thought processes, mode of operation, etc… My only goal for 2017 is to finish what was divinely inspired and to learn from the challenges of 2016. Let’s implement the lessons learned from the hardships of last year and make 2017 a year of visible change!

One Month to Love: Letting Go

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“Love does not dominate; it cultivates.” – Johann Wolfgang Goethe

In the final segment of our study on loving our circle, we explore the art of letting go. Of what you ask? Simply the need to control our lives and the lives of others. Now I know what you’re thinking: I’m not some control freak, I just have better ways of doing things; I have a type A personality. Trust me, I know you mean well, but the truth is we may not even realize we’re treating people this way. Often times we employ these controling behaviors and strategies so invisibly that we’re unaware of our actions.

All of us push people’s buttons to create the experiences and relationships that serve our purpose. Some seek to control by being perfectionists and others by being intimidators. Then there are the worrywarts who control using anxiety while others are constant planners, and some who are micromanagers. In any case, our need to control often stems from core issues in our lives.

The six most common core issues are: hurt, insecurity, pride, guilty, selfishness, and unrealistic expectations. These issues tend to be the underlying reason for our desire to control. Wordly thinking says that taking matters into our own hands will eliminate the fear of the unknown. However, this keeps us from trusting God and others. Godly thinking says that the unknown is a place of trusting God and that perfect love casts out all fear. 

Lasting love isn’t just about what you can add but also what you can let go of in relationships. Simon Peter’s relationship with Jesus is a perfect example of someone who fought for control. The fishing story in Luke 5 describes how Peter had toiled all night with his fishing mates only to repeatedly come up empty. After some resistance and questioning Jesus’ instructions, he finally receives his largest catch ever by giving up control and obeying the master’s instructions. 

This miracle illustrates for us the benefit of giving God control of every area of our lives… not just the spiritual things. He wants to be included in your education, career, friendships, and romantic relationships. There is peace in submission and power in letting go! 

One Month to Love: Risking Awkwardness

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Are your close relationships in the danger zone of “Just Okay” ? 

In each of our close relationships there is a serious need for awkwardness. The kind brought about by diving benaeath the surface and getting real. There is a tendency in long term friendships or romantic relationships to reach a place where we feel we know all there is to know about the other person. Think about it, you’ve been besties for 15 years for crying out loud, what’s there to learn? Or perhaps you feel there’s nothing more to your little brother, after all – you changed his diapers. Maybe you even overlook your parents’ evolution into changing adults?

Instead of intentionally seeking to learn more from these individuals we settle for the following: “How was your day?” “It was okay, yours?” “Eh..it was fine.” Voila! Nothing was said, nothing was learned, just vague generalities. We become strangers to each other and before long, have no idea who our loved ones have become. However, all of this can change, the moment we risk being awkward. When we ask the uncomfortable questions.

News Flash: People are not Mind Readers! 

Yes, I’m sure you know this, but it needs to be said. For example I like to shop (duh, what’s the name of this blog… hello) and that is no secret. My friends also like shopping. What most of them don’t know is that I prefer to shop alone, early in the day, without a crowd. I’d much rather eat with a group than shop with one. Unfortunately, my friends aren’t mind readers, so when I’m squimish about going to a big mall on Black Friday it only appears as if I’m avoiding the squad.

While my scenario wasn’t a serious one, this same principle applies to your familial relationships and the romantic ones. We all recieve love differently. Some of us respond to gift giving, while others need verbal affirmation, still some require acts of service to truly feel loved. The point is, none of these needs will be met without us verbally expressing our needs to those who love us. Let’s resolve today that we’ll risk the awkwardness by asking neccessary questions. Let’s have the willingness to be uncomfortable and go deeper!

One Month To Love: Being All There

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“Right now, there are three relationships in your life that trouble you.”  This was the bold statement that greeted us in the opening chapter of our 30 day devotional “One Month To Love” by Pastor Kerry & Chris Shook. I’ll be honest, this statement caught me off guard, however as I seriously considered it, I knew it to be true. As I begin examining the relationships I have with the people closest to me, I see much room for growth and improvement.

September 12th we began this devotional and week one was all about The Art of Being All There, how to truly be present with those we love. I have to be honest, I seriously struggle in this area. We are a generation of multitasks, possibly even more so than our parents due to the reality of social media and technology overload. How often are you having a conversation with someone but going through your mental to do list? Or sitting at the dinner table on a date while checking your IG notifications?

Active Listening involves being fully concentrated on what is said rather than just passively hearing the speaker. It is the act of listening and responding with the intention of producing mutual understanding. Knowing this, I’ve realized that I’m often not as attentive as I should be with my loved ones. It’s my desire that I become a daughter, friend, and wife who can be all there. One of my fiancé Jason’s favorite sayings is “Just be”. It’s a reminder to actually live in the present, to take it all in, and to love, listen, and nurture those in my inner circle.

Total Surrender: The Beauty of Brokenness

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Can you recall times in your life where you felt completely alone? Perhaps there was a situation that left you overwhelmed? Sucks right? It’s never easy to go thru seasons of intense pain such as heartache, depression, mourning, or even illness. Our natural response is to run and hide or curl up and die. However, these times are usually when we cling to God the most. Think about it, when you broke up with [ insert former bad here] or lost your job at [ name of company ] didn’t your prayer life shift? I’m willing to bet you that during those seasons of your life you saw a lot of spiritual growth.

I remember this time a couple years ago being in the ER once a month from April to June in excruciating pain from several large kidney stones. If you’ve ever had a kidney stone you know that it feels like the wrath of God, no seriously. During post-op recovery it hurt to move, let alone use the bathroom. I had to learn all about taking better care of my health. It was during this time I decided to draw strength from my gift, worship. So many days I spent reading God’s word and meditating on scriptures about health and healing. I came across Hillsong United “Oceans” at one point and that song changed my life. It was a reminder that in every season, God requires my trust.

Without faith it’s impossible to please God and seasons of pain will test our faith…but you can push through! You see, beauty begins where self – reliance ends because we must learn to depend solely on our Father. When we come to the end of ourselves, in complete surrender, we become beautifully broken and God can use our situation for His glory. Scripture tells us God is close to the brokenhearted ( Psalm 34:18 ) so if you’re currently hurting allow Him into your pain and let him make beauty from ashes. Don’t try to cover up the pain with makeup and pretty masks. What’s more important, your image or your impact? 

Satan would love for your pride and shame to keep you from sharing your story with others, those who are experiencing the same trials. It’s his desire to make you feel like a hypocrite when you look at your past ( or present struggles ) compared to your confession of faith. Remember this sister, we overcome by the word of our testimony. WE ALL overcome…not just the one who was tested. Your testimony could stop another woman from experiencing the same hurt, so allow God to use you as He sees fit! Romans  5:3-4 states: “We rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope.” Be encouraged love, all things are working for your good…even this! XO – KIRA

 

Pretty Hurts: The Distorted Reflection

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Pretty-Hurts-Music-Video-Beyoncé-Part-2

Would you rather be described as beautiful or pretty? (Ask yourself and answer honestly) Now ask yourself, Is there a difference between the two? 

This is one of the initial questions we are asked to ponder in Beauty Begins: Making Peace with Your Reflection by mother/daughter team Chris Shook & Megan Shook Alpha. Chapter One entitled The Distorted Reflection invites us to discover the beautiful truth about God’s word concerning us, his precious daughters. But first, we must confront the lies we’ve accepted about ourselves via the OG liar himself, Satan. Jesus sheds some light on Satan’s entire agenda in John 10:10, “The thief comes only to steal, kill, and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” 

See, the enemy of your soul wants to rob you of your self-worth, self-image, and your self-esteem. If Satan can get you to believe the lie that you are inadequate & cause you to hate your reflection, he succeeds in getting you to declare war on yourself. Why? Because he would hate for you to realize how fabulous you are or how fearfully & marvelously made you are…or that you represent God’s artistry. If you ever came into the knowledge that you are distinctly unique & important to God, you’d be unstoppable! Unfortunately, many of us accept the lies without question and the quest to be pretty and perfect begins.

In the song Pretty Hurts Beyonce poetically describes the ugly truth about our societal obsession with pretty: “Pretty hurts, Shine the light on whatever’s worse. Perfection is the disease of a nation. Pretty hurts, Shine the light on whatever’s worse. Tryna fix something, but you can’t fix what you can’t see. It’s the soul that needs the surgery.” After listening to such lyrics, one has to ask, If pretty hurts why bother? Well, as Chris & Megan point out in our reading, over time our culture has confused the concept of pretty with true beauty. With each decade changes in fashion & beauty impacted our overall perception of what was desirable.Pretty varies from culture to culture & is constantly changing within cultures.

In American society we’ve shifted from curvy to slim to waif thin back to curvy again. Hemlines have gone up an down, changing every decade as much as our fad diets. When women rely solely on the inconsistency of cultural ideals, it promotes insecurity & a need for man’s validation. The remedy for our national disease is the truth of God’s word and a willingness to embrace our true reflection in Christ. Beauty begins at the Cross! God took the ugliest event in history and used it to produce death defying, earth shaking, unconditional love.

It’s time to turn away from the images staring back at us in the media & see our true reflection in God’s word. Don’t believe the lies that you’re too fat, too skinny, too dark, too pale, too weird, too nerdy, etc… You are a masterpiece, God’s work of art! If you haven’t already, grab a copy of Beauty Begins and join Kira’s Krew as we finish up our 2nd quarter study of Self Love this month. Ecclesiastes 3:11 says that “He has made everything beautiful in its time.” Rest in this truth all week long and allow God’s love to cast out all fear. This week, make a list of beautiful traits you would like to build into your character, based on the Fruit of the Spirit found in Galations 5:22-23. Allow the seeds of love & righteousness to produce fruit!

Love you to life, XO

 

 

Love as a Way of Life

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In this last chapter Sally Clarkson shared with us how her son Nathan left home for film school in New York, a city full of temptation and was confronted with his own commitment to the Lord. How would Nathan live his life? How would he use his time on campus to make an impact in the lives of  his classmates? It was simple…Nathan chose to love. God is love and He uses us to express His love to others! 

  1. Love is patient. Are there people in your life who need to see your patience so they’ll have time to grow? As the eldest child of three, I can often taken on the role of sister/parent. This can sometimes result in being demanding and critical. I’m the oldest, I’ve been there done that, just do what I say… This is not how you show your siblings godly patience. Moving forward, I want to create a place of safety for them where they have space to learn, grow, and become their own unique selves.
  2. Love is kind. What do you need to do to give kindness to others? Being kind means that I take the time to consider someone else’s feelings, perspective, and their situation. It is to be selfless and Christlike. To really spread kindness, I can not be self-centered.

To truly love as a way of life means to totally yeild our lives to the leadership of Jesus Christ. To learn and accept his love for us, and to then spread that love abroad. We must invest our time into caring for those around us, as well as ourselves!

We’ve come to the end of our devotional series “You Are Loved: Embracing God’s love for You” and I have to say that I’ve enjoyed these last eight weeks. A healthy relationship with the Lord is one that stands on the foundation of his love for us. His unwavering, unchanging, unconditional love. What an amazing gift!

Loving is Our Kingdom Work

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Love is God’s universal language. We are commanded to love our neighbor as ourselves and in doing such, we become more like Christ. Many times people can’t understand God’s love and forgiveness for them because they haven’t felt such love from the humans around them. Here are some facts about real love:

  • Love is an obedient choice
  • Love heals relationships
  • Love is the beginning of friendships
  • Love initiates
  • Love inspires others
  • Love comforts

As I reflect on these truths, I realize that I can surely grow in this area. To show the love of Christ everyday means I need to see every interaction as an opportunity to sow. People should know that I’m a believer after being in my presence or observing how I carry myself and serve others. This will require me to abandon my assumptions, prejudgments, and past grudgrs so that I can effectively be used by God to bring healing and compassion. What a privilege to love and be loved!

He calls Us Beloved

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Last week those of you who have subscribed to the blog and become Kira’s Krew joined me for week one of #Love16 , our year long exploration of love. For this first quarter we’re spending eight weeks (February & March) learning about God’s love for Us. Our devotional of choice, You Are Loved: Embracing God’s love for You by Sally Clarkson and Angela Perritt is off to a great start. In chapter one Sally describes for us how having her daughter Joy, after several miscarriages, gave her a glimpse at the unconditional love God the father has for his children. She then begins to explain for us how this love is unchanging. At the end of each chapter there are reflection questions, I’ve decided I will share my thoughts with you all here:

  1. Do you realize nothing you do will ever separate you from the love of God? How can you live in this truth? Romans 8 assures us that not even death can separate me from God’s love. Although I will never truly understand just how much He loves me, or why he continues to seek relationship with such an inconsistent human like myself, knowing this truth gives me security and peace.
  2. What does it mean to you that God is a warrior big enough to fight your battles? Zephaniah 3:17 tells me that God is the mighty warrior who saves, and that he takes great delight in me. This means that I don’t have to consume myself with worry and have paralyzing anxiety about the course of my life. It means that during the hardest times of my life I am not alone and helpless, but I have supernatural assistance from my heavenly Father.
  3. There is only one one-word definition in scripture about God–God is love. Can you think of anyone in your life who needs to know this kind of love from you and God? The essence of God is love. I wholeheartedly believe an understanding of this love and putting it into practice is what will impact the lives of those around me for the better. My family, friends, and coworkers need to see consistency in my character and my conduct. As a representative of the Kingdom of God here on earth it is my duty to love my neighbor as myself and to share the good news of Christ.
  4. What about when you blow it again? How can you quickly restore fellowship with God and others? Psalm 86 tells me that God is full of compassion and slow to anger. He is a loving father. Like any father there will be times when he must correct me when I’m wrong but he is always merciful and kind. He wants what’s best for me and knows the best path for me to take. I in turn must learn to repent of my sins and yet be just as gracious with myself. Not repeating conversations of self pity and defeat but rather meditating on God’s promises and resting in his love.

Listen, life is beautiful but it can also be extremely rough. There is no escaping the ups and downs but you can go through them victoriously with faith, hope, and love. One of the best decisions I’ve ever made was accepting Jesus Christ as my savior. He makes life worth living!

We’re already into week two Knowing God. Our memory verse is Jeremiah 24:7 “I will give them a heart to know me, that I am the LORD. They will be my people, and I will be their God, for they will return to me with all their heart.” Here the meditation scriptures:

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