iShineInMinistry

Are you feeling disappointed today? Do you have this unsettling feeling in your heart and mind that something is putting a cloud over your joy? Is life as you know it feeling more like a routine set on auto-pilot than a beautiful picture of God’s plan for you? Are you waiting and starting to lose hope in letting patience have its perfect work? If any (some or all) of these statements is true for you, let me remind you to meditate on this area of scripture and also let’s remember how much the Lord loves us.

 

 

 

Romans 5:1-5

 

Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.

 

 

 

Don’t miss out on the opportunity to grow in endurance, character and hope as you start to get disheartened by how much longer this season is lasting. Jumping the gun and forcing your own way may seem like a good idea for the here and now, but think of the better option God has for you, think of all the unsaved people around you that are watching how you respond to life. Think of the amazing way the Lord is using you right now in whatever situation you find yourself in. Don’t lose heart!

 

 

 

We may not understand why things end up the way they do or how it all seems to work out, but we do know that the same God that willingly sent His only begotten Son to the cross for us always has our best interests in mind as He orchestrates each moment of our lives. Let’s trust what He is doing and let Him have His way in our lives…we will be much better off and an amazing testimony of His truth and faithfulness!

Are you feeling disappointed today? Do you have this unsettling feeling in your heart and mind that something is putting a cloud over your joy? Is life as you know it feeling more like a routine set on auto-pilot than a beautiful picture of God’s plan for you? Are you waiting and starting to lose hope in letting patience have its perfect work? If any (some or all) of these statements is true for you, let me remind you to meditate on this area of scripture and also let’s remember how much the Lord loves us.

 

 

 

Romans 5:1-5

 

Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.

 

 

 

Don’t miss out on the opportunity to grow in endurance, character and hope as you start to get disheartened by how much longer this season is lasting. Jumping the gun and forcing your own way may seem like a good idea for the here and now, but think of the better option God has for you, think of all the unsaved people around you that are watching how you respond to life. Think of the amazing way the Lord is using you right now in whatever situation you find yourself in. Don’t lose heart!

 

 

 

We may not understand why things end up the way they do or how it all seems to work out, but we do know that the same God that willingly sent His only begotten Son to the cross for us always has our best interests in mind as He orchestrates each moment of our lives. Let’s trust what He is doing and let Him have His way in our lives…we will be much better off and an amazing testimony of His truth and faithfulness!

 

 

 

Please do contact me with any prayer requests!

What are you encountering today? Is life all glitter and rainbows or do you just want to stay in bed and never come out? Are you sitting on top of the world…or in the fetal position on your floor trying to get through this thing called life? We can find ourselves in different seasons, mountains, valleys and everything in between so quickly. The best day ever can turn into the most heartbreaking moment of our life in no time flat – we have all been there.

 

 

 

This is our life cycle, but we don’t have to let our emotions get the best of us, our circumstances dictate how we respond to life or what’s in front of us decide if we are going to be joyful or not. We can go to the Maker of heaven and earth with joy, anger, broken hearts, excitement and expectancy, questions, doubts and anything else that is in the confines of our hearts. Then…we can pour it all out to Him (one time or one hundred times) and let Him be our blessed hope.

 

 

 

We don’t have to let the “good moments” be the only moments when we are sparkling with joy overflowing. But in those moments, we still need to remember that God, not the fab thing, person or circumstance that is before us, is our source of contentment. Then, when the clouds roll in (and they will)…we can still rest on that truth.

 

 

 

Please take a moment to read this Psalm – maybe even write it down somewhere so you see it often (perhaps on your bathroom mirror) and let it remind us of where our strength, hope, faith, love and peace will always rest in – the Lord! He is faithful, He is wonderful, He is with us…and we can serve Him with gladness, seek Him with joy, worship Him with thanksgiving and know that He is our God.

 

 

 

Psalm 100 (ESV)

 

Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth!

 

Serve the Lord with gladness!

 

Come into his presence with singing!

 

Know that the Lord, he is God!

 

It is he who made us, and we are his;

 

we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.

 

Enter his gates with thanksgiving,

 

and his courts with praise!

 

Give thanks to him; bless his name!

 

For the Lord is good;

 

his steadfast love endures forever,

 

and his faithfulness to all generations.

 

 

 

Be blessed as you walk with Him today…keep those #greatexpectations because He will do it!

 

 

 

Hearts and Hugs,

 

Jacquelynn Marie

Ephesians 2:10 (ESV)

 

For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.

 

 

What are the spiritual gifts, talents, joys, desires and burdens that the Lord has placed on your heart? Do you love creating, caring for, organizing, teaching, serving, worshipping? How are you using the things that bring you joy to bring glory to God? If you are feeling at a loss or think you may be off the path that the Lord has for you…pray through a few questions and see how the Lord leads you?

 

 

- Are you using every chance you have at school, work, sports and other hobbies/activities to be a light in dark places?

 

- What are the top three things that bring you the most joy?

 

- If you don’t know your spiritual gifts, ask the Lord (and pray with a few friends) about what gifts the Lord has been stirring in you

 

- Make a note of the things that excite you (writing, singing, dancing, sleeping, taking care of babies, missions, dirt biking…you get the point!)

 

 

I hope that you will allow the Lord to use you no matter where you find yourself today and that you will find joy in this season, this path, this time drawing closer to the Lord. I will be praying for you too (and you can pray for me). If you have any specific requests, make sure to leave them in the comments or send me a little note via email using the “Contact Us” button. Have a sparkly-blessed day!

 

 

Hearts and Hugs,

 

 

Jacquelynn Marie

Nehemiah 8:10 (NKJV)

 

…Do not sorrow, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.”

 

 

 

Last week during our weekly bible study the theme was humility. This is an area I have HUGE struggles with (if you know me, you know I’m a bit of a brat at times, please continue to pray). However, as the author took us through areas of the Bible and described what humility looks like in everyday life, there were two themes that stuck out for me: joyful dependence on the Lord and power under control. I love how both of the displays of godly character point to a heart of humility.

 

 

 

When you are fully and completely dependent on the Lord rather than your intellect, influence, finances and other skills, there is a joy that results from knowing you are submitted to His plan and not your goal list. Life is filled with possibilities and opportunities to look to God for guidance, wisdom, direction and truth. Knowing that we cannot do anything apart from Him and fully walking in that truth is a complete display of humility.

 

 

 

Knowing that you do have gifts, talents, wisdom from above and a sassy flesh nature that can sometimes get in the way is also something that we need to consider. When we are walking in humility, we will boast in nothing save what the Lord has given to us. We will also recognize the power that we have through Christ, but use the fruit of the spirit of self-control so that our flesh does not have a power-trip and “do the most” in situations where the Lord needs to be our defense.

 

 

 

Let us be ladies that are humble, joyful and powerful…all for the glory of God in everything we choose to do. Let us be vessels of honor that do what pleases the Lord as we realize that our hope is always in Him, no matter what comes our way!