Category Archives: Beauty

Sep14

DAY 256 (2014)

Posted on September 14, 2014 by lsgrlr

Faith like a child. Trust like a child. Fearlessness of a child. On these are heaven’s foundation built.
(Picture by Karla S.)

Child like faith. It is the foundation of of faith. When the disciples were arguing about about who was the greatest in the kingdom, Jesus places a little child in front of them and says this, “Most certainly I tell you, unless you turn, and become as little children, you will in no way enter into the Kingdom of Heaven”. Childlike faith, childlike honesty it is what God desires. Today I fasted about issues in my heart. The need for a good church home and that God would open the doors to my future and lead me and guide me exactly where He wants me to be. Making this move (to New York) was risky, it required that I let go of everything and come to God with empty hands, so He could fill them. During my fasting and prayer time, my mind ran across my friend Karla. In order for you to understand why this interruption happened, let’s take a step back in time. Karla is one of those friends that can just look at you and somehow you feel better (even if there was nothing wrong). She just has that shiny personality and she’s wicked hilarious. I have had many moments of stomach cramps from laughing so hard. Three months into this year she experienced every parent’s nightmare (I won’t elaborate, if you’re a parent or know a parent then you already know). Needless to say her shine lost a little of it’s gleam. But even in the midst of pain, she still showed her best side (my girl’s a fighter). I had asked her to come to church with me many times over our 4 year friendship. She was never rude, but she always declined the invitation. My last day of work, a Friday, she and I left together. I had one week left in Florida, we tried to make plans for Saturday, but I had already made plans for the day. The she said, “What about Sunday?” To which I said, “Sure, but it will have to be after church.” Her reply, “Maybe I’ll come to church with you.” Me, “Yes! And you can’t back out.” She smiled, and we agreed that she’d meet me at church on Sunday. She did and she brought her adorable four year old son with her. That day when the altar call came Karla went up. The day had way more happen then I could put into a post. But when I say God met her right where she needed Him to, it is NOT an exaggeration. It started from the moment her son walked into the 4 year old classroom like he’d been going there for years, to the person who talked to her after church, who just happened to have gone through the same devastation that Karla was currently going through… coincident? I think NOT. GODINCIDENT. Today in my quiet time she flashed across my mind, I wondered how she was doing. I sent her a text. She replied with the above picture. She said, “He’s sitting in the back of his brother’s car on the way home from church… praying” and no one prompted him to do it. Floored! I was floored. Childlike faith. Want to be the greatest? Be childlike. That faith that comes from innocence. That faith that believes just BECAUSE… As I looked at the picture and read the words I said this to God, “If this was the only reason You moved me from Florida, then it is ALL worth it.”

“And He called a child to Himself and set him before them, and said, ‘Truly I say to you, unless you are converted and become like children, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven. Whoever then humbles himself as this child, he is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven'” (Matthew 18:2-4).

Lesson: Childlike faith, it is the foundation God wants to build on.

Aug27

DAY 238 (2014)

Posted on August 27, 2014 by lsgrlr

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In life we either fly or crawl. One requires that we let go of the load, and the other requires that we bear the burden. The choice is ours: Free to fly, or burdened to a crawl. (Picture by Lisa R.)

I have so much to say. There is so much that God has done in past week and a half, but I fear I will never be able to express adequately all that I have been learning. All that I have seen Him do. As I was pondering what to write and how to write. I determined that the message I wanted to most convey was the reason I had decided to embark on this journey in the first place. I wanted to see God work, but I also wanted to be used. Here’s the best way I can tell my story:

The Flying Flower

Yesterday I went for a run in my new neighborhood I happened upon a butterfly. It was white with a little bit of yellow in the center it reminded me of a daisy. A flying flower. I stopped and watched it for a bit. Then I had this thought how does a butterfly come into being. Even the smallest of children know that butterflies first start out as caterpillars. So how does this unattractive, usually stepped on bug become a flying flower? It let’s go of the old. It literally has to dissolve all of it’s old outer layer all the way to its core. This produces a protein rich goo-like liquid that then regenerates and grows all the parts necessary for the bug to become what it was truly meant to be. A flower with wings. Right now in my life I am in the stage of letting go of my outer core, so that I can become what God intended. Life has thrown many curve balls my way and instead of swinging I hid in fear worried that I might get hit. As I looked back on my life I saw many missed opportunities, many open doors that I failed to walk through. I was not ready to let go of that outer protection I had built up. Sadly though it meant I was crawling around like a bug, instead of soaring like a butterfly. Today I can say I have seen God do amazing things in the one week I have been in Buffalo, He has met me right at the point of my need. EVERY. SINGLE. TIME. Each experience has helped me shed a new layer of the outer core and has pushed me closer to the place that Christ has prepared for me. Here’s the truth we are ALL either crawling or flying. We are either living the life that God has for us or we are living according to the world. One gives us the freedom to soar. One holds us down and all we can do is crawl. The choice as always is ours. Choice wisely.

“For the Lord takes pleasure in His people, He will beautify the humble with salvation” (Psalms 149:4).

Learning to fly and not crawl. Learning to shed what is not needed so that I can lay hold of what is (needed).

Aug22

Random (hopefully inspired) Thought

Posted on August 22, 2014 by lsgrlr

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I have hidden Thy word in my heart.
(Picture by Lisa R)

Joshua 3. “So when the people broke camp to cross the Jordan, the priests carrying the ark of the covenant went ahead of them. Now the Jordan is at flood stage all during harvest. Yet as soon as the priests who carried the ark reached the Jordan and their feet touched the water’s edge, the water from upstream stopped flowing. It piled up in a heap a great distance away, at a town called Adam in the vicinity of Zarethan,while the water flowing down to the Sea of the Arabah (that is, the Dead Sea) was completely cut off. So the people crossed over opposite Jericho. The priests who carried the ark of the covenant of the Lord stopped in the middle of the Jordan and stood on dry ground, while all Israel passed by until the whole nation had completed the crossing on dry ground” (Verses 14-17). Did you see it?! I’ll re-write it: “The priests who carried the ark of the covenant of the Lord STOPPED in the middle of the Jordan and stood on dry ground, while ALL Israel passed by until the WHOLE nation had completed crossing…” God stands in the midst of our Jordan and makes our storms, our oceans, our sea of problems DRY ground. The best part? He stays there till we completely cross!!! I want us to notice God didn’t take the sea away, it was always there as the people crossed. God’s not in the business of removing our seas, or our storms they are there for a reason. They help grow our faith, they teach us to put our trust in the one and only person that can walk us through it. The lesson: Don’t fear the seas, even if they rage. Our God can make them as dry land.

Jul12

DAY 193 (2014)

Posted on July 12, 2014 by lsgrlr

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Look into the mirror and understand, we are NOT what others say we are. We are who God created us to be.

I saw the music video to the song, Try, today. It is by Grammy award winning artist Colbie Caillat. The video, I have to be honest, brought me to tears. Not because it was sad, but because it was beautiful and honest. I am a female and the standards that I am judged by many times are harsher and more critical than say, the standards my brother is judged by. Not because I am less somehow, but because while my brother will be judged on his abilities. Many times before people ever find out what I am capable of, I am judged by my looks. Am I slim enough, pretty enough? These are questions that many times plague the female population. The lyrics of the song lead to a very important question: “Get your sexy on. Don’t be shy, girl. Take it off. This is what you want, to belong, so they like you. Do you like you?” Do YOU like you? Such a simply question, yet so profound. Why? Because many times we can’t answer. We have become so busy trying to become what society thinks we should be, that we don’t know who we are ourselves. So how could we even begin to know if we like ourselves? It took me a while to like me, and I can honestly say that I do. I may not be the prettiest girl out there, but I am loved by the people in my world. I like my laughter (I love to laugh). I like my personality (stubborn, nerdy, and funny… it’s an awesome combination). We are created in God’s image, each of us has a purpose and I can guarantee that purpose is NOT to fit into society’s cookie cutter standard of “cool”. So stop trying so hard. Be who you are. We weren’t made to fit in, we were created to STAND OUT!

“So God created mankind in His own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female He created them” (Genesis 1:27).

So what’s the plan? Be me. Because I like me.

Here’s the link to the video (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GXoZLPSw8U8&feature=kp). Enjoy!

Jun28

DAY 179 (2014)

Posted on June 28, 2014 by lsgrlr

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Beauty is NOT the physical. It is the HEART.
(Picture by Rose Starr)

I haven’t posted a “DAY” for a while. Not for lack of inspiration or learning, but mostly because I felt what I have been learning lately is something that God is doing in me (not that it won’t be shared later, but for now it is between God and I). However, today I was perusing my FB page and saw a letter that my friend Rose posted. The letter is written by Rose’s 13 year old daughter Hope, who recently came back from a missions trip to Haiti. I found Hope’s view of what true beauty is to be refreshing and very God centered. Her very simply and straight forward point of view, made me realize that God’s view of beauty is truly NOT the physical, but the heart. Here is Hope’s perspective (I hope it blesses you as much as it blessed me):

Haiti was not what I expected… Everyone told me how beautiful it was, and yes, parts of Haiti were visually pleasing, but the streets of Port-Au-Prince were not very pretty at all. Dirt, trash, and people did not just line, but filled the hot “pavement.” And oh, the smell! Everyone we saw seemed so poor and I wanted to help them. Haiti IS beautiful, but not visually – Haiti is beautiful in the people. The sweet spirits of the children, who just want to be loved, made Haiti beautiful. And the love the caretakers have for their children. The miraculous work God is doing in Haiti, and His unstoppable, never-ending love for every single person there was wonderful to see. It was amazing to hear unbelievable stories from missionaries living in Haiti. And I loved spending time with the children and doing VBS. Our team was spectacular, and each member has such a strong calling to help people and spread Jesus’ love, which is so inspiring. I love them all so much! Leaving Haiti, I feel sad, as if I’m leaving home, but I know that the experience is one I’ll remember all my life, and Haiti will always be in my heart and prayers. Haiti is a beautiful, yet broken country that needs help. So please pray that the country will be healed. Haiti wasn’t what I expected, it was better. Thank you to everyone on the team!
~Hope Starr

“‘Do you hear what these children are saying?’ they asked Him. ‘Yes,’ replied Jesus, ‘have you never read from the lips of children and infants You, Lord, have called forth Your praise'” (Matthew 21:16).

So what’s the plan? Child like faith.