♥ TODAY IS A SPECIAL DAY ♥
Some of you may have wondered:
1. Why did I create this website?
2. What is LOVE FIERCELY?
3. & When did all of this begin?
I’ll start this off by telling you: since I was in 6th grade I had this saying I loved to tell people, LOVE FIERCELY. It all started because of an english class where we began talking about the quote…
I’M A LOVER NOT A FIGHTER.
When I first heard this I thought to myself, WHY DO YOU HAVE TO BE JUST ONE OF THEM?!? Not long after that thought – I said out loud, I AM BOTH.
TO BE A LOVER – YOU HAVE TO BE A FIGHTER!
This began my lifelong journey of understanding what that meant. One of the greatest lessons I have come to learn nearing the end of my 29th year of life is:
PURPOSE IS OFTEN AWAKENED THROUGH PAIN.
I have experienced Love, what I thought was Love, Betrayal, Rejection, Abandonment, I have been Lied to, Cheated on, & Mistreated… I have LEARNED TO FIGHT, I have come to understand what it looks like to Love yourself, to Use what has been Given to you, I made the Hard Decisions, I Chose to be the Bigger Person in situations, I have learned to Pray for My Enemies, & Bless those who have cursed me, I found that there is Purpose in my Pain, & a Promise in what seems so dark at times… I was Given THE GIFT of REAL LOVE, & now I get to Experience the Great cost of Learning to BE MY BEST, & the list goes on & on…
WHEN DID THIS ALL BEGIN?- 8 | 1 | 2015
This is a day I will never forget. I was in the worst pain I had ever felt. My husband had just left me the day before, while we were on a missions trip I was leading with students. & not only had he been having an affair, he was leaving me to be in a relationship that had developed throughout our marriage, with someone I was close to… I couldn’t have ever imagined being in this position in life – in so much pain… I WANTED ANSWERS! I needed to understand WHY things were happening the way they were. I felt alone, isolated, helpless, & MAD… but I WAS NOT HOPELESS.
I knew that God loved me.
It was hard to understand or feel in the moment… but I knew in my heart that God loved me & had the best planned for me. I didn’t know how He would use this moment or use my story, but looking back now — 3 years later I understand:
MY PAIN AWAKENED A PURPOSE I NEVER KNEW I HAD.
I know now that my life & my story can help others find freedom – to find God. I want to use my life as an example others can follow to freedom & power with God. Looking back 3 years ago today – This is the day my BEST life began:
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Today 3 years ago I was broken, rejected, & left in the same city we got married in, but today (8-1-15) – I began to hear God speak to me in ways I had never heard before… {YOU CAN WATCH A VIDEO ABOUT THAT STORY BY CLICKING HERE.}
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2 years ago on this very day, I went back to the place it all happened… New York City. It was not an easy trip for me, but I decided to redeem what was lost & not let the enemy steal a time, memory, or place from me. Once again, God began to speak to me in new ways… {CLICK HERE TO HEAR A STORY ABOUT THAT TRIP.}
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& today I am in Texas celebrating my 14th month wedding anniversary – to the man BEYOND my dreams… Living my BEST life! God really is so amazing… {CLICK HERE TO READ & WATCH OUR STORY.}
– 8 | 1| 15 –
Will always be a day I cherish, because it was the first day God began sharing with me in detail all He would do in my new life. Honestly- I didn’t like what He was telling me at first & I didn’t understand it. I thought that when things went terribly “wrong” & all you loved fell apart- There was no way God would be intentional about guiding or having a hand in our heartbreaks & worst moments. Yet I realize years later- The most cherished day in my life was also my hardest moment up to that point in my life. It’s so strange & wonderful to now see all that God spoke to me coming true in my life.
God showed me these verses in 2015, it didn’t fully make sense to me at that moment – today I look back at it & see what God was saying to me, how He was preparing me. He is ALWAYS moving us forward, but we have to TAKE THE STEPS!
I made the decision to get this date tattooed on my ankle as a reminder that God moved me FORWARD, that He had better ahead & that day will always be a reminder that in ONE DAY – God can change your perspective on ANYTHING.
PSALM 23:1-6
The Lord is my shepherd. He gives me everything I need. He lets me lie down in fields of green grass. He leads me beside quiet waters. He gives me new strength. He guides me in the right paths for the honor of his name. Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will not be afraid. You are with me. Your shepherd’s rod & staff comfort me. You prepare a feast for me right in front of my enemies. You pour oil on my head. My cup runs over. I am sure that your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life. & I will live in the house of the Lord forever.
It is interesting because this entire week I have been hearing in my head, “Your rod & your staff – they comfort me.” I knew that this was in the bible, as well as the spiritual context of it, but what I had forgotten is that this was in the EXACT verse God reminded me of 3 years ago today! So, I wanted to share it with you… When the bible says, “Your rod & staff – they comfort me…” this means:
ROD (שִׁבְטְךָ֥ – shevtecha) can refer to a scepter that shows power & authority.
STAFF (מִשְׁעַנְתֶּ֗ךָ – meshantecha) is a stick that one leans on.
- The ROD reminds us of His authority over all things, it helps us to move forward – on the other hand, it is also for our protection. His STAFF is also there for us to lean on, to rest, & to find peace.
& that is just how God works… It is in the midst of our “worsts” that God shows up with our BESTS. Below is one of the scriptures God led me to that has become a reality in my life today!
PROVERBS 30:5
Every word of God is perfect. He is like a shield to those who trust in him. He keeps them safe.
Inside of my greatest heartbreak – was also, my Greatest VICTORY! & right in the middle of your hard times, God is at work! You will – like me, look back & see God working on your behalf! When you use the word of God as a guide in your life & you choose to trust God, it is like shield that keeps you safe – God wants to protect you, & He will… But we have to also take action with what we KNOW TO DO!
NEVER GIVE UP! NEVER DOUBT THAT THE GOD WHO CREATED YOU WILL SEE YOU THROUGH– & BRING YOU INTO YOUR GREATEST VICTORY.
WHAT IS LOVE FIERCELY?
To LOVE FIERCELY – means a few things to me but lets start with the meaning of the two words.
Fierce: Heart-felt, powerful intensity.
Love: To feel love for, cherish, show love to; delight in, approve.
My love is deep. The more I give to thee, The more I have.
The quote above is one written by Shakespeare, it’s from Romeo & Juliet. This is what I want my love to look like… This is what LOVE FIERCELY means to me!
Depending on your experience, “love” is something that can make you happy or it could make you cringe. I’ve had an interesting relationship with love. I have loved & been loved. I have been broken & healed. Sometimes, love hurts, & love isn’t always easy. Running away is easy. Quitting is easy.
I believe in fighting for Love so much – I got it tattooed down my spine.
MY PAIN AWAKENED A PURPOSE I NEVER KNEW I HAD.
To Love Fiercely… is to know that even though you might get hurt, & most likely will at some point – it’s worth it. In the bible, Love explained by saying, It is patient, pure, genuine, never looks for wrong, & it never fails! This is not often what our Love looks like. Our Love looks like a scoreboard & it is easily shut down & shut off based on what others do…
To love fearlessly is something that I work on every single day. It is the most difficult thing a person can do. But I think it is worth it to FIGHT FOR LOVE… The kind of love that God wants us to show. & even though you will most likely encounter heartbreak in your life, I hope like me – You will never stop loving. I know that I will never regret Love, even when given to those who have tried to ruin me, break me, & even those that still try & tear me down- I CHOOSE LOVE OVER HATE. I WANT TO FIGHT FOR LOVE!
WHY DID I START THIS WEBSITE?
I created it FOR YOU!
When I was in my most hurtful seasons, I didn’t have anyone to talk to or relate to. I felt completely alone in my journey, I knew I had God – but I had no one to learn from that had been there done that in my life.
I wanted to create a place where people didn’t feel alone, that they could know God was going to come through for them… I want this website to be a place of healing & hope!
When I think back to today 3 years ago – MY LIFE IS SO DRASTICALLY DIFFERENT. & While I am the same person – I am also COMPLETELY DIFFERENT!
1. I KNOW WHAT I AM CAPABLE OF.
Before 8| 1 | 2015 – I did not know the depths of my strength or how hard I could fight for what is right! I had no way of knowing what God could do through my story. & God has great things for you too!
2. I KNOW HOW TO FIGHT FOR WHAT IS RIGHT.
People think that fighting for what is right is subjective or based on a feeling… But I have learned that in a very difficult situation – YOU HAVE TO SEE WHAT GOD SAYS ABOUT IT. & base what you fight for on the word of God, not your feelings…
3 .I KNOW WHAT IT MEANS TO TRUST GOD IN HARD THINGS & HARD TIMES.
You hear it all the time, TRUST GOD… & that is easier said than done. Trusting God requires constant action & choice. Often, it is in the darkest moments or the most uncertain times that you see in action if you trust Him.
4. I KNOW THAT NO MATTER WHAT HAPPENS AROUND ME – GOD IS AT WORK IN MY LIFE & LOVES ME UNIQUELY.
Through the most difficult times – I have learned that God NEVER LEFT ME. He was always thinking of my BEST & showing me how what happened would be useful in the kingdom of God. I know now in whatever I face, because I have seen Him in action – God is at work in my life & loves me! He loves you & is at work in your life as well!
Some people start blogs to get famous or make money… I literally had this idea of creating free content to share with people like me, who needed someone to look to.
To learn from a woman who is flawed, but pursuing God – someone who knows they NEED God’s strength & power in her life… & be encouraged by monthly posts to help me in my own journey to being my BEST FOR GOD!
My hope is that through me sharing my life & by being REAL about it all – that you find Strength | Hope | Peace | & realize how Loved you are!
I was crying out to God just now, asking for answers, reading and my phone shows a notification of your post. I needed this. I really really needed this!
That is SO INCREDIBLE. I am so glad you shared that with me – God is good!!