Tag Archives: peace

My New Years Resolution: 6 Ways to Live a Healthy Life Inside and Out

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I step on the scale and hold my breath as the machine I dread so much decides my fate. I hope to actually see a change in my weight this week. All I want is to finally see positive results.

But to my dismay, the numbers are not what I want to see. I step off, only to get back on for a second time. Scales are always off the first time, right?

As the inanimate object that seems to have so much control over my life loads, I find myself saying a silent prayer:

“Dear Jesus, I want to lose weight. I’m sick of my curves and extra flab. I want to feel pretty. Please help?”

After what feels like forever, the number is finally revealed. It is exactly the same. It is not what I want to see. Those ugly red numbers are like a flashing light, taunting me. Every time I see them, a voice inside me screams, “You are fat! Not good enough!” and frankly, I’m sick of it.

I’m done looking in the mirror and seeing negative things. I’m fed up with working out regularly, only to put myself down. I need to appreciate my body. I am sick of degrading the body God designed, and looking to the world for acceptance.

This year, my New Year’s resolution is not to lose weight. My resolution is to respect my body and honor it. My body was paid for with a price. It is not my own, so from here on out, my body will represent its creator: God (1 Corinthians 6:20).

Even though the magazines and television shows tell us that we are not good enough, God says that you are wonderful and loved. He knit us together with his delicate hands and crafted us with a purpose (Psalm 139:13).

Ignore the lies the world feeds you and look up, because your creator is staring down at you with the most adoring eyes. You don’t have to change.

made

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Respecting and honoring your body is easier said than done, so after a heartfelt conversation with my fabulous friends, we came up with a guide to help you walk the talk. To help you kick-start your year, next week I will discuss Six ways to live a healthy life inside and out. Stay tuned because you don’t want to miss this!

What My Wedding Meant to Me

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On January 3rd, 2015 I experienced my wedding day and it was something I will hold close to my heart forever. You see, I come from a family of mostly shotgun weddings. Abstinence was non-existent and elegance was foreign. So as I looked at myself in the mirror with my white dress, make up, and well-designed hair I just couldn’t seem to look away.

Feel Pretty

“Lovelle, do you feel pretty?” my bridesmaid Lindsey asked me.

“Yes” I said in amazement. “Yes, I really do.“

My wedding symbolized so much more than marrying the man of my dreams. My wedding symbolized the redemption of a horrible past and God’s unfailing love. 

My white dress symbolized purity, a concept that was hard to accept because I was sexually abused. God really showed me the meaning of the verse in 2nd Corinthians 5:17. He says that those who find Christ are a new creation. Their old life is gone. They are made new…

My husband symbolized a broken cycle and true love with a person God chose specifically for me. As both of our families joined together and prayed around a corner (to keep from seeing each other before the wedding) I couldn’t be happier because even before we said “I do” we were able to start our new life off with a focus on God.

Family Prayer

I think one of my favorite memories though was the father daughter dance. It wasn’t even two years ago that I was without parents. I remember being on my knees praying to God. All I wanted was to be loved.

I never thought it was possible, but God answered my prayers by giving me two amazing parents and I can honestly say they are better than even my wildest dreams.

They were worth every bit of abuse.

They were worth the long journey of pain.

They were worth the confusion and every horrible situation I faced.

Father Dance

Its funny to me that the one thing that I thought I would never have in my wedding, God proved to be so. As I took my Dad’s hand and danced to our song I began thanking the Lord for the many gifts He had given me. When the song ended I grabbed my Mom and we all began to cry. We cried because we knew that this wedding wasn’t about us. It was about God, His ability to answer even the craziest of our hearts’ desires, and His ability to redeem.

In the past, I never really understood the significance of a wedding but now I do. It was the best day of my life and it was so full of joy. I want to relive this moment for the rest of my life.

My marriage was a celebration to God for everything that He has done. It was His love that saved me and it was His strength that sustained me. This wedding was proof that everything that was taken from me, God, in his love, redeemed.

~Lovelle ❤

My Lesson From a Homeless Woman

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She pushes a shopping on the sidewalk of a busy road with a torn jacket that doesn’t look very insulated in the thirty degree weather. Written all over her face is sadness.

You don’t have to look very long to see that this woman has had a hard life. 

Suddenly, her face lights up and she looks down at a little dog in the front of her worn out shopping cart with a smile. As I observe the situation I see the dog with a nice collar dressed a pretty sweater and the dog is wagging her tail with excitement.

Unlike all the people in the cars driving by, who didn’t even glance at the woman for a second, the dog looked at the woman with adoration and love.

As the light turned green, we continued on our way, and the woman disappeared behind the miles ahead of me but what I had witnessed in those couple of minutes taught me something.

Just like that dog, I want to look at people with the love and adoration. I want my life to be the hands and feet of Jesus and I want to do whatever I can to tend for his sheep.

Beauty in everyone

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That may mean giving a simple smile to a woman who was obviously ignored or possibly even donating some of my clothes to those who go without.

It could be opening up my heart, having a shoulder to cry on, and an ear that will just sit in silence and listen.

It’s funny to me that you could see that beautiful woman lived without so much, but when she smiled, you could see peace and contentment.

Contentment is learned not earned, and you could see that is how that woman lived her life.

Never disregard your surroundings because sometimes those who are counted as nothing, can provide us with the most important lessons.

God Will Sustain

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She opens her Kindle and reads a passage from a devotional. Once she is finished she grasps one of my hands and signals for my dad to join in. He comes and stands beside me. In unison they bow their heads and begin to pray.

First my mom, and then my dad. Their soft and gentle words fill my ears with peace and contentment.

These past few weeks I’ve seen my mom and dad go through so much. I’ve seen them experience loss, pain, and stress. Despite every situation they encounter,  I see them walk through it with grace and beauty.

In every situation that is encountered, they take time to step back, process, and look to God the maker of heaven and earth.

Sustained

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That moment with my parents is something I will never forget because I learned a very valuable lesson.

Through their example, I learned what endurance really means.

Endurance is being brave enough to express your emotions. It is admitting that you are weak because we can’t get through this life on our own.

Only through God can we succeed.

Endurance means digging into your word, even when your emotions say “no”.

It’s bowing your head and surrendering your day to God because ultimately, he is the one in control.

The world says endurance is doing it on your own, but the bible tells us endurance is through God. His power is shown through our weakness (2 Corinthians 12:9).

Endurance is not about us, It’s about Him. Remember that you are enduring when you fix your eyes on him.

Through Jesus You Are Redeemed

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The breeze can be felt and the end of the summer is right around the corner. She sits in front of me pouring out her words of wisdom. As we talk about my growth this summer we begin to dive into one of the biggest areas I still need to work on… Interaction with my peers.

“I’m never going to be like my peers. I have a different view of things. My life will never be happy-go-lucky” I say.

She looks at me with her wise and gentle eyes, and says a powerful statement,

“Don’t say that. God can redeem you.”

I see an epidemic in this culture and it breaks my heart. 

Girls that have a broken past don’t find true healing. Instead, they mask the pain and heartache with a happy face and a stature that tells the world, “I’m just fine.”

They hide themselves behind excuses like, “Nothing’s going to change” and “My past has made me this way“.

Door

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Those thoughts used to captivate me.

I would walk around with a feeling of inferiority, making excuses for my pain. I was always hiding behind a past that I didn’t want anyone to see.

Occasionally, if someone looked at my actions close enough, they could see the results of my unresolved issues.

The results could be seen through the awkwardness I felt around my peers. They could be seen through my constant need to be in total control of my life.

For so long, I hid behind my “christian” facade.

I would tell others  God had redeemed my past, yet I wouldn’t let him redeem my future.

I would make excuses for thoughts and actions that were associated with my past. I would say that those actions were okay because they had made me who I am.

I was wrong. My past didn’t make me. God did.

I am so thankful God sent me that wonderful woman this summer. I will never forget those wise words she spoke that day when she called me out for the lies I had been telling myself for so long.

I know now that when Jesus took on pain for our healing, He didn’t do it so that we could be healed partially.

I believe that when Jesus was tortured to death on that cross for you and for me, He sacrificed Himself so that we could be healed completely.

Beautiful girl, you are made in his image, You are precious in his eyes. I know what it’s like to hide behind excuses and man-made lies. SO STOP! God can free you from the bondage of your past. Christ came to set you free, so let Him. Remember that your past can be redeemed but your future can too.

When God set’s you free, your past no longer effects you.