Actually, a tree ablaze

I want to dedicate this post, authored by Ann Voskamp and posted on her blog this early November day, to my best friends because I know we've all battled and fight daily to let go of the measuring sticks.

“The world isn’t a forest of measuring sticks. The world is a forest of burning bushes. Everything isn’t a marker to make you feel behind or ahead; everything is a flame to make you see GOD is here. That God is working through this person’s life, that God is redeeming that person’s life, that God is igniting this work, that God is present here in this mess, that God is using even this.”
“Walk through life with a measuring stick – and your eyes get so small you never see God.”
(Read more...)

From, How the Hidden Dangers of Comparison are Killing Us 

… {and Our Daughters} : The Measuring Stick Principle

He and I are gonna live a great story together

Guys you gotta give yourself this gift, watch this video.
You know what my thoughts are as I finish it? Well, some are these (the truth is I'm thinking many more, enough to reflect on every day from now on and I really want to!):
Jesus wants me.
What makes my heart light up, He knows cause He made me that way, just that way.
And He wants to do it with me.
And He wants me to believe who He says I am and be fearless cause He's my Dad and Lion of Judah.
And we're gonna write a story together, He and I.
That's the plan. Not the ones I have in the night and then forget about in the morning. That's the plan that He laid out before I was born (1). Crazy huh? Could I be that important to be so well-thought of? So important that my journey is something God has personally reflected on, designed and brought to life?
I just have to believe Him so that we can live the story that He has made me for from the beginning.
And you know what? I love being me. And the best part is that God really wants me to love that, and even better than that, He loves me being me even when I hate it.
I love having a Papa like that.

(1)Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be. (Psalm 139:16)

What He sees

"Nothing can be hidden from My love. It searches and reaches into the very depths of your being and sees all. But that doesn't change My love for you; it makes Me love you all the more in a way that you could never understand. You see your faults; I see your love for Me. You see your failings; I see the times you persevere and make it." -Jesus

Best interests at heart

From Jesus with Love

I have your best interests at heart. Everything that has happened to you, or will yet happen to you, or hasn’t happened to you, has all been according to My plan. You haven’t been forgotten, missed, skipped over, neglected, or any of the terrible lies that the Enemy might whisper to you. You’re right where I want you, and being in the center of My will is what will always bring you the greatest joy.

He goes for the impossible cases

-Clip from "Dreamer" (2006)-

God specializes in making the impossible work.
If you feel like you're the runner with the disadvantages. Maybe a mare, of which none have won the race before. Perhaps you've gotten hurt and don't feel fit for the run. Or very few people or none believe you can make it. Let me tell you that God believes you can and that He'll cause the unbelievers to drop their mouths open! He can turn the disadvantages of whatever situation into victories and cause what others believed to be impossible, become possible.
Think about David and Goliath. Young, inexperienced, inadequately armed David going to face a giant of three meters tall who is a veteran warrior. Talk about odds and risks. Now, remember who won?
I've got an impossible situation, and I know there will always be one or many in my life. But I'm comforted with the fact that Jesus goes for the impossible cases! -And He does because those demonstrate His enormous power.
There's nothing too hard for Jesus. After all, He made the universe out of nothing! And He loves to do the impossible! He loves overwhelming us with His love and power, He loves to awe us and show us how well cared for we are. He loves showing us who is Boss and Who can do all things! All we need to do is believe and keep the faith when everything around us looks dead wrong. That's the hard part, but it's worth it if we wanna see the miracle.

“Faith does not operate in the realm of the possible. There is no glory for God in that which is humanly possible. Faith begins where man’s power ends.” -George Mueller

What's there when nothing else is?

There's a part in the "August Rush" movie that made my eyes widen, my heart skip a lil beat and an expression of realization wash over my face.
Lois was talking to Evan, the little boy, and told him: "Never leave your music, never forsake it. Because when there's no one and nothing else, your music will be there, a safe refugee where you can go to and find strength to live on again. I learned that the hard way."
To me, the one thing that has been my refugee time and again, in the worst moments I've gone through, as well as the good, has been Jesus.
Seeing it this way, no one would ever dream of abandoning the one thing that will be there for them when nothing else can.
For those of us who want to keep our sanity, our wholeness, our living life, Jesus is not just the only thing that can keep us together come what may, but also the only thing that will be there when all else deserts us...how could we ever think of deserting Him..?! -He lives to give us His all.

Take the lead

There are many important things in life that this movie is able to portray, I love it! Not to mention the exciting dancing. Living life with passion. I don't really remember the number of times I've watched this movie, but it's a favorite.
There is nothing that can keep you down, or hold you back unless you let it.
When you feel you're not made to do something in particular; those feelings mean nothing, unless you don't wanna do it. Otherwise you could become the best in your field! -with passionate learning.
We could have a broken life and broken dreams, none of which are beyond repair, if we wanna repair them. Dreams' wings can grow too, and there are people out there that testify to that.
There is really no set of boundaries but the ones we put on ourselves. We can be great and have great lives, doing what we like to do and doing things that matter. I know that it seems more like I still have a pick, and perhaps someone older doesn't. But then again, there are no boundaries set, no limits to what you can do or not do. You may never become the president of a country, but if that's your dream and passion and goal, you'll get there. The people that outstand in a crowd are those that do what they wanna do with all their hearts, against all odds. Be it become a musician, find a lost love, open an orphanage, run in a marathon, raise a strong family, become the best you can be.

Who still wants it?

A motivational speaker started off his seminar by holding up a $20 bill. In the room of 200, he asked, "Who would like this $20 bill?" Hands started going up.

He said, "I am going to give this $20 to one of you, but first, let me do this." He proceeded to crumple the bill.

He then asked, "Who still wants it?" Still the hands were up in the air.

"Well," he replied, "what if I do this?" And he dropped it on the ground and started to grind it into the floor with his shoe. He picked it up, now crumpled and dirty. "Now who still wants it?" Still the hands went into the air.

"My friends, you have all learned a very valuable lesson. No matter what I did to the money, you still wanted it because it did not decrease in value. It was still worth $20.

"Many times in our lives, we are crumpled, dropped, and ground into the dirt by the decisions we make and the circumstances that come our way. We feel as though we are worthless. But no matter what has happened or what will happen, you will never lose your value in God's eyes. To Him, dirty or clean, crumpled or finely creased, you are still priceless."—Author unknown