I am who?

I am

Beautiful not Bitter

I am

Strong not weak

I am

Pure not naughty

I am well written, Blundering no words

I am

Classy never Sassy

I am

Sweet never Sarcastic

I am Womanly and not a Girl

I am

Clear as Clarity.. Never Muddled nor Mixed

I am..

I am Lovely not the Vixen

I am the Heroe not the Villain

I am

I am

AM I????

or MAYBE it was the other way around..

Time To Bloom

Have you ever planted a flower? Usually in the spring is when we enjoy the beauty of most plants,
but some flowers actually bloom in winter. The Japanese Pieris flower or Lily of the Valley Shrub are one
of those rare beauties. It can withstand cloudy days, wintery cold temperatures, and frosty nights.

I am a SURVIVOR. A survivor , a survivor of a broken home and divorce, a survivor of marital
hardship and unfaithfulness. I am a survivor of a mental and mood disorder. I am a survivor of cancer. I am  a survivor of loved ones passing away, YET we are ALL survivors in some way or another. We all come to crossroads, we all face mountains and storms to a degree. BUT there is HOPE...

                         GOD WALKS BESIDE ME.. BESIDE US.
I've learned that God is FAITHFUL and that HE is REAL. That he sees my life and all it's imperfections,
and that HE DESIRES for me to come to Him. God doesn't want me to change myself, He KNOWS I am
to weak to do that, because He knows He can and will change me, HE WILL CAUSE ME TO BLOOM.

You may be wondering if Christianity in it's truest form is real, if Jesus is real. You may have a ton of unanswered questions in your life. Well PLEASE don't just take my word for it. GO AHEAD, ask HIM,
with an open heart and HE WILL ANSWER YOU. I promise. GOD REVEALS HIMSELF TO THOSE
WHO ARE SINCERE ABOUT KNOWING HIM. Why? BECAUSE IT'S HIS WILL FOR YOU TO KNOW HIM, LOVE HIM, AND REALIZE HIS PRECIOUS LOVE FOR YOU..

Today God is asking me something. God is asking me to THRIVE not just SURVIVE. Because
He has a purpose for me. A PURPOSE FOR YOU.

The Japanese Pieris plant can BLOOM in all kinds of weather . SO MUST I, and you can too.
So how are you doing today? Are you just surviving or are you THRIVING? The definition of
THRIVE in the dictionary is  to grow vigorously : FLOURISH and to progress toward or realize a goal despite or because of circumstances.


ENCOURAGEMENT: HE WANTS YOU TO THRIVE AND STOP JUST SURVIVING. 
So ask Him to reveal Himself to you today. He knows YOU ARE NOT PERFECT, so no fancy prayers
or fancy words, just come, with an OPEN HEART and OPEN MIND. Don't be afraid. He knew you would ask :) Here is a sample prayer below if you don't know where to start. Just find a quiet place or stop where ever you are.


Prayer:
Dear God, I don't know why things happen and at times it's hard for me to understand life , and there are things I am bitter or hurt and in pain over.
I ask YOU GOD, if  YOU are REAL, PLEASE show me  who YOU say YOU are, a GOD of Love and Truth and Justice. I confess my unbelief and even defiance toward YOU. And Jesus if
it is true that YOU DIED on the CROSS for me and ROSE again ,then REVEAL it to me. MAY YOU
HELP ME TO THRIVE in YOU and just stop surviving in this world. 
IN JESUS NAME,
AMEN 


GOD BLESS YOU on your JOURNEY. HE IS WITH US. WITH YOU. TODAY and ALWAYS.
Darlene

Everyday Beauty

Bible in Basic English
For the rest, my brothers, whatever things are true, whatever things have honour, whatever things are upright, whatever things are holy, whatever things are beautiful, whatever things are of value, if there is any virtue and if there is any praise, give thought to these things.
                                                                             Philippians 4:8


Have you ever sat outside a playground near a park or school and listened to the chatter of little voices
playing? Is it not a beautiful sound? The innocence. The unbridled laughter of chasing the other, or skipping rope. Playing tag near the monkey bars. Getting  that feeling in the pit of your stomach as you race down the slide. Giggles you can't contain.
 The laughter of a child, such a beautiful noise...


Have you ever strolled along the shore of the beach , waiting for sunset? You pause and look at the golden
rays, reflecting and shimmering across glistening waters. Frothy waves rumble over shiny seashells, they form foamy bubbles that tickle your toes. The tiny waves recede back into the gills of swimming sea creatures down under.

One time , as I was learning to surf; a dolphin popped it's head just above water, dove back under and swam right past me! Not even 3ft away! My heart just about gave out, because at first glance from the corner of my eye I thought
it was a shark! But it's one of the most memorable moments I've had. I pictured for a moment all the beautiful amazing sea creatures God created. I was thankful Mr. Dolphin didn't kick me out of the water, for
my obvious lack of surf skills. Or was that what he was trying to tell me:)


Have you ever seen the city from way up high on a nice clear day or watched her begin to come alive at night, with all the tiny little lights and zooming cars make glowing strings of light flash across the freeway? Amazing..


Have you ever walked past a bakery and just allowed the smells and aroma from the fresh baked goods
to permeate you and cause you to linger and bask in it's goodness? Picture all the scones and breads and sweet temptations being freshly brought out of the ovens! It's aroma rivaled that of any fine perfume bought in Paris! Oui Ouah ! Wouldn't you agree? Oh the simple things!


Have you ever watched the face of a weary homeless man, sit down to take a bite of the first fresh hot meal
he's had in days? After making his way down cold streets, cold stares and pushing and bearing the weight of his life's belonging on one little shopping cart, he's finally made it to the shelter. The sweet serenity that naturally comes over his being is one that brings sweet serenity to my soul.


Have you ever sat up close to a nice warm fire on a chilly night? Warming your hands in it's embers glowing, the crackling sound so soothing, the heat so inviting, sending shivers away. Don't forget sharing stories with friends and loved ones over a nice
toasty cup of Mexican hot chocolate ! Que Bueno !

How about the moment you came to the realization that God was truly real? And it wasn't a realization you had come to on your own. It was like the lightbulb went on and that the absence of this realization, or
revelation had been alienating you from a life of true love, hope, and inner peace?
It was a strange awareness that God had been trying to get your attention many times, but all the phoniness and wax of this world could no longer plug your ears,  or rather my ears. For the first time your mind and
heart were listening.  Like a love crashing down on your shores of ignorance, an eager yet patient love, waiting just the right moment, just the right season, for you to be ripe. For you to be picked, for me to be picked. I look back
 at that moment and now see all the times God watered my thirsty heart,my lonely and sad heart, when no one else could fill me.
It was an another ordinary day for some other, but for me, it was my day.


And Today? Well today I try to take God for His word. Taking one day at a time, because I have cancer

and I have a chemical imbalance ( Bipolar affective disorder) and today I feel  them both, bearing it's
weight on my shoulders. God promises a safe landing, not a calm passage. Amen? Amen!