Fearfully and Wonderfully and Beautifully Made Photography.

As many of you know, I have been trying my hand at the business of Photography.
As of recently, I am 'Official'. Well, sorta. My photography now has a name. And a blog with the same name. If you're interested Here is the link to my Photography Blog: fwbphotography.blogspot.com

I won't forget.

I’m getting older.

            Another year.

This year, I want to be a better remember-er.

            Those of you reading this may or may not know me personally, regardless, I’ve changed.  And not merely my looks, etc. No, I mean CHRIST! You see, over the past four years I’ve been learning. And learning. And guess what? I’m still learning.  Learning to live to, in, and through my Lord.  Learning to believe, to love, to serve…Well, I think my case is presented.  God has truly, to the deepest sense, been teaching me so much the past four years.  He has been teaching me pretty major things; things I still have lots of working/learning on. 

            So, I’ve compiled a sort of ‘Remember’ list of lessons from these past four years.  A Remember List in which I put some (not all, there are to many for me to count; that’s why I need a savior, btw.) of key things I believe that I have been, and quite frankly, still am learning, from my God, The Almighty.

Without further ado, here it is folks:

I won’t forget

-God delights in me. Now, I knew this from a young age. But I never really allowed it to hit home, well not till recently. And guess what?  When you begin to believe and embrace that ‘He has rescued you because he delights in you..’(psalm 18:19), it changes things.

-What you focus on is where you’ll end up. Please take this into consideration, for the sake of your soul.

-It is no longer I who lives, but Christ who lives in me.

-I am treasured. Emotionally and mentally I’ve always been the sensitive type. And not in a good way.                                                                                                                                                   Well, I must back up a bit.  These past four years have been a lot for me. And some of the days extremely challenging and trying. And I’ve had more than plenty things said, not said, implied towards, and have been treated in ways that I would allow to make me feel much, much less than treasured.  Being exaggerative, I allowed the devil to use it. Let me just say, he did a good job.  I felt unloved, worthless, and so many more things.  I became them; I was not pleasant; I did not love; I was a total wreck by the time I’d go to bed each night.  But guess what?  The pain and hurt isn’t the end.  There’s more to your story and mine that’s too bright to ignore.  God, all along, had treasured and loved me.  He knew it all, he’d heard all my negative ramblings, but He still chose me! Not only that, but He (in His word) claims, celebrates, and accepts me as HIS! My Redeemer treasures me. Dearly. This brings me to another point…

-I am found in Christ.  Not in the approval of people.  Not in anything. In CHRIST! In Him , I have peace that surpasses all understanding, I have true hope, I have an everlasting rock, I have my dearest companion, I am a bride, I have true satisfaction, I have forgiveness, In Him I have undeniable truth, I have eternal joy, I have abundant and everlasting life, In Him I find my strength, In Him is my EVERYTHING!

-Christ came to break my chains apart.

-I exist to know, make known and glorify The Maker. That’ll preach.

-It is only my duty to go hard for my Lord.  Galatians 6:9: "Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up."  Luke 17:10: “…So you also, when you have done all that you were commanded, say, "We are unworthy servants; we have only done what was our duty."  Romans 16:19: “…Be excellent at what is good, be innocent of evil.”

-Family is where it’s at! Both literally and in Christ!

-I have some ridiculously amazing people in my life. Seriously, The Lord made them. That’s pretty awe-inspiring. Love them well.  Which brings me to another point…

-Love well.  Be overflowing with the Agape of God! Have a heart that Loves, in 1 Corinthians way. Love is not easy, actually it is the exact opposite of what my culture makes it look like.

Some of the Biblical principles on Love:

*Love is selfless

*To love well is to serve Christ well

*Love is hard

*Love all

*God is Love. When we reflect our Creator’s sincere love, we do what we were made to do.

-Embrace the Lord and His word. When you declare over yourself the Lord’s word, it changes you. Supernaturally.  When you read, dig deep and put it into practice, Christ in you shines through. Though, you MUST be consistent.

-Speak positive things over your Life. Cling to the life-gving, positive words of The Lord. It’s essential to a healthy mindset/perspective.

-Press on to what lies ahead. Philippians 3 MSG Version; Paul says pretty dang well. Hebrews 12:2-3, James 1, Hebrews 10-11, Colossians 3:1-17.

-It’s not about me. To an extent, it is. It is in that, My Savior loves me more than I comprehend, but I must maintain an outlook of “Him and Them”!  I am called to serve God, then others, I am third.  It’s not about me. It’s about Him and Them.

-Live in a manner that pleases The Most High.

-Be a light. Be determined to be the change you want to see.  Speak Positively. Spread the change that Christ brings.

-My cup runneth over. In all manners, God has deeply and richly blessed me. So undeserved. So grateful

-I’m learning that I’m still learning.

-ABOVE ALL SEEK THE LORD.

-God doesn’t fit into my plan, I fit into His.

So, I don’t have it all together. But I’m learning.

Well folks, I’ve decided I won’t forget.  The Lord has done great things for me. Through Him, In Him, and to Him, I’ll remember. 

And I'm curious...This year, how do you intend to Remember/Learn from what you've learn't and are learning? I'd love to talk with you!

P.S. So very sorry for all spelling and grammar errors!! Because of the way I typed this, I am currently unable to correct them.

Faith in Christ

Jesus was entering the city of Capernaum, where much of his ministry took place, when a Centurion’s messenger approached.  But the Centurion was not just your ordinary Centurion, this one was truly inspiring.  He had faith that Jesus was the healer without even it being done before his eyes!   You seem when the faith-filled Centurion heard Jesus was coming, he sent his messenger with a message pleading for his servant’s health.  The Servant had a sickness and was not doing very well. The Centurion, in his message, explained that he was unworthy to have Jesus under his own roof, much less to see him, but he was a man of noteworthy authority in the area. He was a man of power, yet he believed Jesus could heal his servant without even coming into his home because he, The Centurion, was unworthy!  This man was also realizing, though, that because of his strong faith in Christ he had power to DO things!  This is a quality many Christians lack today.  His faith was so radiant and true that Jesus promptly healed the servant, who was not even on the scene! Jesus marveled out-loud, he had not seen faith like this special Centurion’s in all the land!  Jesus also proclaimed that this man’s extraordinary faith had made his servant healed.  What a great God!  Jesus went on to say that this Centurion, because of his belief in the power of God, would have a place amongst Abraham and Jacob’s table in heaven. When our faith is true, as the man of authorities was, God moves!

          One day Jesus had been giving another one of his radical sermons. When He was finished, he had his disciples get into a boat and go on ahead, instead of waiting for Jesus.  Jesus had his disciples go, because he was dismissing the crowd and afterwards he was going off to pray with no distractions. But maybe there’s more of a reason as to why he had them go on ahead.  So the disciples left, just as their master had told them to.  Long after they’d been going, a fierce storm arose, batting at the disciples’ ride. They were naturally, though not rightly, terrified.  This storm would surely destroy them and the boat. No wonder they were fearful!  But Jesus saw this opportunity as a way to test them.  Soon after the storm began, the disciples looked and saw Jesus walking towards their boat.  Their rabbi was walking on water!  How astounding! So Peter, out of the faith that had risen in him because of Jesus, stepped out and walked water, now knowing this wasn’t some kind of a trick.  But soon, Peter began to doubt again and began sinking.  His faith is what had kept him walking towards Jesus.  Jesus lifted Peter and explained this to Him. He also took the opportunity to rebuke Peter for his little faith, sharpen him, and, I believe, to show that this Jesus was truly the Son of God.  People worshipped and were in awe of what God had done. So you see, our faith and perspective are vital to living this life of following Christ.

          Jesus was once again surrounded by a large crowd of people, which we see several times in the detailed Gospels. One of the women in the crowd, a poor woman who was generally looked down upon, had been suffering terribly for 12 years.  Imagine, twelve years of horrid sickness!  She’d become poor trying to cure her hemorrhage; this woman been living in a state of utter desperation.  She’d heard much about this Jesus, and came up to Him and touched his garment. This faith-filled woman had done it, because she believed simply touching the garments of Him would heal her.  But Jesus immediately perceived it, because He is God.  So He asked who had touched Him.  His disciples thought this was a foolish thing to ask, since he was probably bumped by a passer-byer, due to the many people.  But Jesus knew.  The woman, sobbing fell at Jesus’s feet saying it was her and explained her miserable condition.  This was a woman who believed and had faith in Jesus. And this, said the Lord, is why she was healed. He then told her that and also that she could go in peace and be well again! Once again, the power of strong faith, In Christ, had saved the day!