Want more

 From God's Revival 2018

If you need a miracle and you are waiting for it to

happen, if you gave God just a little time, prayed a prayer

or two, and hoped that your situation would change and

you did the same thing yesterday and that's what you 

plan for tomorrow, how is it going to be different. You 

are still serving God on your terms. Unless you put your

all in, unless you put God first, unless you give God your

best, don't expect Him to do any more for you. Want to

shock your situation and change it? Give God worship for

24 hours. Fast a day, a week or a month. Give where

you have nothing left to give. Don't give God scraps and

expect Him to give you a gourmet dinner. Did you really

think you would reap something different from what you

sowed. Do you want God to change your life make a 

change in how you worship, in how you pray, in how long

you read. Want more? Give God more! Now is the time

to step up your prayer time. Get on your knees and give

Him praise. Want a move of God? Then get moving!

Want a miracle start walking and believing in the supernatural.

It is up to you. God will meet you where you are

with what you have to offer. Give God your best. Put

Him first. Love Him with all you have. Learn how to give

God your best today and then tomorrow give Him more,

then the day after give Him more, then the next day even

more. Give until it hurts, He will see your heart and

respond accordingly. It is your move, give Him all you got!

Let go

You are being asked to let go

of all you've ever known

so you can receive all

you've ever asked for.

That risk

That risk you are

afraid to take could

be the one that 

changes your life

completely.

~Kylie Francis

Why you exist

and if you have forgotten 

why you exist, i'll remind

you once more, there is a 

heart that lives underneath

your skin that holds the

power to change everything 

in this entire world.

~Dane Thomas

Truly loves

TO WOMAN:

A man who truly loves you will

never let you go no matter how

hard the situation is.

TO MAN:

A woman who truly loves you

will be angry at you for so many 

things but will never leave you.

As love should be

 AS LOVE SHOULD BE

I do not need you to save me. I saved myself a long

time ago. And I do not want to save you. I accept

you as you are as love should be. I just want someone

by my side to go on wild adventures with, and to feel

at home with, all the while feeling free and at peace.

~Aurora Raine

No waiting room

NO WAITING ROOM

What if you didn't wake up tomorrow and your soul is 

watching down thinking of all the things you didn't

get to do yet because you were too scared, or too 

shy, or too worried about money.

And all the things you told yourself you weren't good

enough for, swam in front of your eyes, fighting for a

place in the line, beside the words you didn't say and

the joy you forgot to have.

My friend, there is absolutely no room for anything in

your day, other than acceptance.

You will never have enough money, or time, and you

will certainly never have that perfect body the world

told you you need, to be happy.

And before you say it's too late to embrace this thing

we call life, no it is not.

You can do right where you are. Right this minute.

Get outside, breathe, look at the trees, put your bare

feet on the grass - hand on your heart to feel that

pulse - and that's it.

You're living.

Keep that up.

Wait up for the moon sometimes to get up early to

see a sunrise, just because you can.

Jump in the lake. Run, skip.

The things you need to feel alive are free and all

around my friend.

You just have to see them.

Let in opportunity and say yes to the invitations that

scare you a little, in a good way.

Say no to some of the things you force yourself to do,

knowing they rinse you of your peace.

Life was never supposed to be a waiting room, it was

supposed to be a hillside, with paths leading in every

direction and mountains as far as the eye can see,

hiding adventures and new friends behind them.

Don't let yourself get to the end of this rise without

having stopped to smell those beautiful roses.

That's the only thing you need to fear in this life.

Everything else is all part of it.

It's just a messy, complicated, beautiful and 

terrifying part of it.

Chin up, throw your arms wide open

and let it be so.

Debt forgiveness

There has been a rebuttal to this since, but I still wanted to record it...

I had a skeptic friend ask me a common question this week: "Why does God need to use Jesus to take away sin at all? Why can't He just snap His fingers and forgive debts?"

He didn't ask in a snooty way. It was a genuine question. I was glad he used the word "debt". He's very vocal about the student loan debt situation, so I decided to use that imagery to make a point. (I don't want to deter my point by something political so focus y'all).

He recently posted something about it, saying how debt isn't canceled. It's not eliminated.

It's transferred.

I thought this was brilliant.

So I asked him...Why can't the government just snap their fingers and cancel student loan debt?

He went off about how someone has to pay the debt, and because it's been accumulated by choice, it needs to be paid by someone. It can't just disappear. It needs to be taken care of.

Perfect.

Okay, I then asked him what he would do if one person came up and said they'd pay the entire debt? In this way, it's not on the shoulders of the people, and those that can't afford to pay will have their bill reconciled? They owe a debt they can't pay. But this one person, the only person who can afford it, paid it all.

He could see where I was going with this. (I was glad for that because sometimes my analogies fall flat.) He said it was the first time he understood why God just couldn't snap His fingers and forgive a debt even bigger than money. Sin debt is infinitely more serious than money debt.

Sin isn't "canceled." It's transferred. And it was transferred to and eliminated by the one Person who could pay it all: Jesus.

I wanted to share this as an example of how we can meet people on common ground to share the concept of the Gospel and the work of Jesus.

People pleasing

People pleasing tendencies will have you repeating toxic cycles that leave you tending to people who give you the bare minimum, when in exchange, you're giving them your full attention. Be sure that your kindness is a choice and not a trauma response.

~iambrillyant

Joy and sorrow

 From The Prophet 

Then a woman said, Speak to us of Joy and Sorrow.

And he answered:

Your joy is your sorrow unmasked.

And the selfsame well from which your laughter rises was oftentimes filled with your tears.

And how else can it be?

The deeper that sorrow carves into your being, the more joy you can contain.

Is not the cup that holds your wine the very cup that was burned inside the porter's oven?

And is not the lute that soothes your spirit, the very wood that was hollowed with knives?

When you are joyous, look deep into your heart and you shall find it is only that which has given you sorrow that is giving you joy.

When you are sorrowful look again in your heart, and you shall see that in truth you are weeping for that which has been your delight.

Some of you say, "Joy is greater than sorrow," and others say, "Nay, sorrow is the greater."

But I say unto you, they are inseparable.

Together they come, and when one sins alone with you at your board, remember that the other is asleep upon your bed.

Verily you are suspended like scales between your sorrow and your joy.

Only when you are empty are you at standstill and balanced.

When the treasure-keeper lifts you to weigh his gold and his silver, needs must your joy or your sorrow rise or fall.

(Side note: Looked up this book and author is Khalil Gibran whose name I recognize from some quotes I have)

We can

Butterflies cannot

see their wings.

But the rest of the

world can.

You.

You are beautiful

and while you

may not see it,

we can.

Go silent

 From The war at home

Emotional abuse works like this:

You are screamed at, and then, not knowing any better,

you stand up for yourself.

You think this is a way of being strong. You think this is a defense tactic. 

But this only provokes more screaming.

Going silent provokes more screaming, too,

but usually it keeps the threats to a minimum.

It keeps it just at screaming and not a shove down the stairs,

or order to pack your stuff and get out.

So you learn how to go silent.

How to play dead. How to cry without making a noise. How to swallow noise.

How to wipe your cheeks, get out of the car, and go about your day.

You learn.

And when the screaming has stopped, when the two of you are in the car

or out to dinner and they're all smiles, all asking for favors, all questions.

you are still hurt and annoyed and want to ask them, how?

How can you speak to me like that?

How can you pretend you did not say those things?

How can you have forgotten?

But you've learned.

So you listen to,

"Can I borrow your key"s and "how was your day"s

and you play dead. You swallow the noise.

And sometimes it doesn't matter who is speaking to you,

it doesn't matter if they're a friend,

it doesn't matter if their criticism is constructive,

it doesn't matter.

You've learned.

Any sort of speaking, any raising of your voice,

any insult and you play dead.

~Good Girl, Lora Mathis

Treading water

During a study at Harvard in the 1950's, Dr. Curt Richter placed rats in a pool of water to test how long they could tread water.

On average they'd give up and sink after 15 minutes.

But right before they gave up due to exhaustion, the researchers would pluck them out, dry them off, let them rest for a few minutes - and put them back in for a second round.

In this second try - how long do you think they lasted?

Remember - they had just swam until failure only a few short minutes ago...

How long do you think?

Another 15 minutes?

10 minutes?

5 minutes?

No!

60 hours!

That's not an error.

That's right! 60 hours of swimming.

The conclusion drawn was that since the rats BELIEVED that they would eventually be rescued, they could push their bodies way past what they previously thought impossible.

I will leave you with this thought:

If hope can cause exhausted rats to swim for that long, what could be a belief in yourself and your abilities, do for you?

Remember what you're capable of. Remember why you're here.

Keep swimming.

Costly

Following Jesus is costly,

not following Jesus costs more.

Detachment

Detachment

Detachment is experiencing our feelings without allowing them to control us.

We step back and look at things objectively.

We let go ad accept what we cannot change.

We detach from others' choices.

Knowing that their spiritual work is not ours to do.

We choose how we will act rather than just reacting.

We step away from harmful cravings.

Detachment is a deep breath of peace and patience

in response to unexpected anger.

We can listen without losing ourselves.

With detachment, we see our own mistakes honestly,

make amends, and start afresh.

Detachment allows us to be in the world but not of it.

It frees us to lead our lives with grace.

Lacking

 by Lisa TerKeurst

If we get wrapped up feeling anxious about whatever is lacking in our life (finances, relationships, etc.) and forget to be self-controlled and alert, we are prime targets for Satan to usher us right away from God. We start doubting God, doubting His ability to really be able to provide and justifying our way right into sinful patterns. We lower our standards in ways that we never thought we would.

Oh, sweet sister, if you don't have a friend who can speak truth into your heart, let me be a voice of reason and encouragement today.

Remember who you are. Remember Whose you are. And never compromise. God has a plan for you. Cast all your anxiety on Him because He CARES for you! (1 Peter 5:7)

Keep going

 Keep Going

When things go wrong, as they sometimes will,

When the road you're trudging seems all up hill.

When the funds are low and the debts are high,

And you want to smile, but you have to sigh,

When care is pressing you down a bit,

Rest if you must - but don't you quit.

Life is queer with its twists and turns,

As every one of us sometimes learns,

And many a failure turns about

When he might have won and he stuck it out;

Don't give up, though the pace seems slow -

You may succeed with another blow.

Often the goal is nearer than

It seems to a faint and faltering man,

Often the struggler has given up

When he might have captured the victor's cup,

And he learned too late, when the night slipped down,

How close he was to the golden crown.

Success is failure turned inside out -

The silver tint of the clouds of doubt,

And you can never tell how close you are,

It may be near when it seems afar;

So stick to the fight when you're hardest hit -

It's when things seem worst that you mustn't quit.

~Edgar Guest

Mid-life

Mid-life is when the universe gently places her hands upon your shoulders, pulls you close,

and whispers in your ear:

I'm not screwing around. All of this pretending and performing - these coping mechanisms that you've developed to protect yourself from feeling inadequate and getting hurt - has to go. Your armor is preventing you from growing into your gifts. I understand that you needed these protections when you were small. I understand that you believed your armor could help you secure all of the things you needed to feel worthy and lovable, but you're still searching and you're more lost than ever. Time is growing short. There are unexpected adventures ahead of you. You can't live the rest of your life worried about what other people think. You were born worthy of love and belonging. Courage and daring are coursing through your veins. You were made to live and love with your whole heart. It's time to show up and be seen.

~Brene Brown

Beautiful heart

No amount of

physical beauty will

ever be as valuable

as a beautiful

heart.

~Wonders Diary

Buckets of water

I love when people

that have been

through hell walk out

of the flames carrying

buckets of water for

those still consumed

by the fire.

~Stephanie Sparkles

Everything

 God is fixing the

broken pieces of 

your life. Get ready

for restoration.

God is preparing you

for everything you

prayed for.

Travel

from Places I'd rather be

I urge you to travel.

As far and as much as possible.

Work ridiculous shifts to save your money

Go without the latest iPhone.

Throw yourself out of your comfort zone.

Find out how other people live

and realize that the world is a much bigger 

place than the town you live in.

And when you come home,

Home may still be the same,

and yes, you may go back to the same old job,

but something in your mind will have

shifted.

And trust me,

that changes everything.

Bigger blessings

When God wants to move you to bigger blessings,

He'll allow a heavy storm to pour on you.

Every plant grows after rain.

Speak your love

 by Donna Ashworth

Speak Your Love

There are many things to fear in this life

but I have found that there is one

to be feared above all

the things you failed to say.

Always speak what is in your heart

always speak to those you love

as though that sentence

may be the last one you utter.

Because if it is

you will play those words over and over

and ache with every fibre of your being

to replace them with better

to replace them with love.

To tell that person how magical

wondrous and joyous

they were.

Never fall into the trap of believing you have time

to speak your love

time is not something we can rely on.

Speak your love

every day

speak your love

come what may.

Your light

by Donna Ashworth

YOUR LIGHT

Your light does not come from your success

your light is not ignited by perfection

or achievement

or body shape.

Your light is not fueled by popularity or acceptance

neither is your light at any risk of being put out

when other lights around you are bright.

Your light is simply made of the you-ness that makes you you

the worries you have in the night

the music which sparks your joy

the books you had to read twice

the memories stored safely in your heart

the people you love and the people who love you.

Your light is never dependent on how you look

or how you perform

it's just there

and it's quite simply brilliant

and it's all yours.

And it lights up every room you walk into

whether you activate it or not.

What a wonderful thing.

Goodbye

"Goodbye" is a 

cup we must all

drink from.

What a beautiful

and devastating 

truth.

~Erin Van Vuren

Everything

 They say before something great happens to you, everything falls apart.

Butterfly

 From Flying Free

The butterfly is only beautiful because the caterpillar is brave.

Not leave you

Genesis 28:15b

Behold, I am with you and will keep you wherever you go, and will bring you back to this land; for I will not leave you until I have done what I have spoken to you.

God's Divorce

From Flying Free

What Modern Preachers Would Tell God When He Divorced Israel

by Natalie Hoffman (satire written by Elle Renee)

Jeremiah 3:6-9

During the reign of King Josiah, the Lord said to me, "Have you seen what faithless Israel has done? She has gone up on every high hill and under every spreading tree and has committed adultery there. I thought that after she had done all this she would return to me but she did not, and her unfaithful sister Judah saw it. I gave faithless Israel her certificate of divorce and sent her away because of all her adulteries. Yet I saw her unfaithful sister Judah had no fear; she also went out and committed adultery. Because Israel's immorality mattered so little to her, she defiled the land and committed adultery with stone and wood. In spite of all this, her unfaithful sister Judah did not return to me with all her heart, but only in pretense," declares the Lord.

So God is getting a divorce. Here's what modern conservative elders and pastors might write to Him if He were a member of their church. (The following is similar to thousands of letters received by abuse victims when they escape their abusers).

What Modern Preachers Would Tell God When He Divorced Israel

Dear Yahweh,

We hope this email finds you well, experiencing all joy in all the fullness of the grace of our benevolent Lord and Savior, who lavishly bestows mercy and goodness beyond what we deserve.

We are thankful you accepted our invitation to meet with us last week and have spent the days since in sober prayer, going after the Lord for how we can best serve you in this critical time of battle for your marriage. Marriage is, as you know, the Creator's design, the foundation for a healthy society, and Satan wants nothing more but to destroy this above all else. If marriage is destroyed, the church is destroyed, and we are confident in your love for the Creator's design that you don't want to contribute to humanity's destruction.

As you shared last week, Yahweh, you are considering divorcing your bride, Israel, due to her unfaithfulness over the years. We are concerned to hear this and must tell you we fear for your heart. as shepherds of your soul and graced by the Creator of Life with a special anointing, we feel strongly we need to express our concern over your judgment and decision making. We only share our trepidations out of fervent love for you as fellow brothers and sisters in the Kingdom, for the well being of your soul and the glory of the Gospel.

While we do acknowledge that Israel has indeed had multiple affairs, we need you to know that we have also called Israel into our offices and have spoken to her to get the full picture of the situation. We showed her a couple of Bible verses, and she was quick to show repentance, tears streaming down her face, quick to mimic the words that we prayed over her.

She was very sorry you did not seem to understand how regretful she is to have been caught and is ready to do anything we tell her to do in order to remain in the same type of marriage you have been in. We are delighted to hear and witness this from Israel. Hallelujah to the Creator for redeeming and restoring all things and being faithful to help us in our time of trouble. As is evident, the Creator does indeed answer our prayers. We ask you therefore to not give up hope in praying. It is the Creator's will that your marriage is saved. He hates divorce and so logically, he hates the one who files for divorce.

Indeed, there will be no grace or safety for those who willfully disobey the Creator in this way. Therefore, as shepherds of your soul, we must plead with you to reconsider and humble yourself and repent of your lack of faith in the Creator's law. You made a pledge before the Creator - a covenant. Israel has apologized, and it is your obligation and duty to forgive her. It is as if these actions never happened. You must resume the type of relationship you had prior to knowledge of the affairs.

We would strongly suggest you resume intimacy immediately, to help restore the marital bonds, as well as proof your marriage from continued vulnerability and temptation. Ask her how you can serve her in this way, and let her know how desirable she is. Perhaps reflect on your own actions to determine if there was anything you did or didn't do to tempt or cause her to go astray. We can help you find something wrong in yourself if you have trouble discerning, and then we will help you shame yourself until you fix her behaviors with your perfected performance.

I know you were very emotional last week when telling us about some of the marriage struggles you have endured over the years. I know you feel as if you have suffered long enough, but your feelings are wrong - the Creator calls us to long suffering, even hundreds of years in some cases. He is pleased when you suffer for the sake of the Gospel, as an intact marriage is how the world will know us as the Creator's disciples. Israel's whoring is unfortunate, as are the times when she sacrificed her own children's lives to her lovers, but these common marital issues are not beyond the grace of the Creator.

Remember, you are actually the worst sinner you know. Again, she has said all the right words we needed to hear and acknowledged how wise and able we are to help the two of you, so we are confident she is ready to move forward, bringing change through the power of the Spirit and the new communication and intimacy skills you will be able to provide her with our guidance.

Again, there is really no need to "set boundaries" with her, as the latest trend in psychology is purporting. They like to tickle the ears and confound the wise, so we implore you to be on guard at this most critical time in your life and marriage. Remember, your very life, as well as your remaining children's lives, are at great risk while you consider divorce.

We've come to realize setting boundaries is just an excuse and evidence of pride and control. The Creator provided Church Discipline as a creative way to control what we don't like, and so you must trust us, as the shepherds of your soul, to be the only ones capable of exercising an appropriate "boundary."

We really hope it does not come to that, Yahweh, that we would need to begin a discipline or excommunication hearing should you not heed our expertise and care but instead harden your heart towards reconciliation with Israel. We love you too much to let you make your own decisions or trust your own judgment or hear from the Creator yourself. In this emotional time, in fact, Satan will confuse you more than ever, distorting your ability to even hear or recognize the Creator. You must trust us to be your confidence, voice, judgment, authority, decision maker, discernment, guide & overall lord. For the glory of the gospel as the Creator wills it to be. It is our humble role that we have not asked for, but must steward for the sake of your soul.

Please reconsider your thoughts about divorce. We've attached some material we hope will persuade and condemn you as you go about your day, paralyzed in fear that we might be speaking truth and worried about how disappointed and wrathful the Creator might actually feel towards you for even considering to value yourself above the law.

We are praying every day for you and your children, Yahweh.

By the grace of the Creator we serve, when we offer thanksgivings for enabling us to not be like other people.

Your Biblical Pastors & Counselors

Jeremiah 6:14

They dress the wound of my people as though it were not serious. "Peace, peace," they say, when there is no peace.

 

Opposition

Why such opposition? Because our enemy knows there are few things more powerful and life-giving than two people, a husband and wife, walking with God together.

Good yet

 If it isn't good yet, God isn't done yet.

Letting go

 From The Soul Journey with Sarah Moussa

Letting go...

To let go isn't to forget, not to think about, or ignore.

It doesn't leave feelings of anger, jealousy, or regret.

Letting go isn't about winning, and it isn't losing. It's not about pride, and it's not about how you appear, and it's not obsessing or dwelling on the past.

Letting go isn't blocking memories or thinking sad thoughts, and doesn't leave emptiness, hurt, or sadness. It's not giving in or giving up.

Letting go isn't about loss and it's not defeat.

To let go is to cherish memories, and overcome and move on. It's having an open mind and confidence in the future.

Letting go is accepting. It's learning and experiencing and growing.

To let go is to be thankful for the experiences that made you laugh, made you cry, and made you grow. It's about all that you have, all that you had, and all that you will soon again.

Letting go is having the courage to accept change, and the strength to keep it moving.

Letting go is growing up. It's realizing that the heart can sometimes be the most potent remedy.

To let go is to open a door, and to clear a path, and to set you free.

Helping someone

Helping someone is one thing and being used is another. You can hold a candle for other people, in fact you should, but you shouldn't burn yourself to give them light. Be a kind person, not someone's favorite tissue paper.

~Anamika Kamal Makhija, Smoking Words

How to stay

 From Flying Free

This pretty much sums up "M-1"

How To Stay With A Narcissist...

It is recommended that you understand that the relationship rules for narcissists are different than those for others. The following suggestions will help you to have a close, ongoing relationship with a narcissist:

1.  Make sure you collude with your narcissist to reinforce the belief that relationships are one-sided and that he is entitled to have a fantasy wife, child, etc. Become comfortable at living with double standards and performance-based approval.

2.  Do not require him to share in household or child-rearing responsibilities. Make sure you are willing to carry these weights yourself. In fact, make sure you are ultra-responsible in all areas of your relationship. Do not expect the relationship to be 50-50. A more realistic expectation is that he will require 100 percent of your emotional energy and almost, if not all, of your personal identity.

3.  Be available as a sponge or garbage pail to absorb his rage and shame. When he needs a place to dump all his negative emotions, make sure you are readily available with a willingness to listen, understand, forgive, and feel empathy for his anger.

4.  Let go of your need to be listened to, validated, or respected.

5.  Become comfortable with indirect and incomplete communication. Learn well how to navigate silent treatments and gas-lighting. Do not expect dialogues, but learn to be a captive audience for long monologues and diatribes. Do not ask questions for anything requiring a specific answer. Learn to solve problems without your loved-one's input or approval.

6.  Try not to venture too close to an independent thought. Be sure and check with your narcissist to see if your idea is accurate or smart. He, after all, is an expert on everything and knows what is best. In fact, sometimes it is recommended to steer clear of thinking for yourself altogether.

7.  Embrace your relationship with betrayal. Your narcissist will betray you. It might not be sexually, but it will be in one form or another, particularly designed for your specific susceptibilities.

8.  Realize that love to you and love to your narcissist have entirely different meanings. For a narcissist, "love" happens when you are a secure, stable source of narcissistic supply. Understand that when a narcissist tells you he loves you it means you are helping him feel good about himself by providing steady narcissistic supply. Narcissistic supply is what narcissists depend on for emotional "stability." Typical forms of narcissistic supply include sex, power, control, one-sided relationships with no accountability, compliments, subservience, obedience, admiration, and other requirements unique to the individual.

9.  Lose yourself in him. Be what he wants you to be. Don't have your own individuality. To do this, let his words and actions convince you that your value is based on what he claims it is.

10.  Learn to dissociate from your emotions. Being with a person who cannot attune with you, see you for who you are, care about your feelings, or value you for your individuality is very painful. It is important to numb your emotions by dissociation, or some other means of anesthesia. It is too hard to feel the emotions engendered by your unmet relationship needs, so being adept at emotional numbness is a recommended goal for a person who wishes to remain close to a narcissist.

11. Be a ready and willing scapegoat to his anger. Narcissists are always angry - their anger is either expressed covertly or overtly. Be open to taking all the blame for everything he is angry about. And even if he's angry for another reason, be willing to try to fix it for him and make things better. Be aware that a key characteristic of a narcissist is that he is chronically angry. Learn to adjust yourself to this reality.

12.  Be comfortable with loneliness. Being in a relationship with a narcissist is a very lonely experience. The more you learn to live with emotional deprivation, the better you will fare in your relationship.

I must warn you, that if you decided to become emotionally healthy, set boundaries, speak up for yourself, and do not follow the above suggestions, your relationship with your narcissist may not be sustainable.

Because narcissists need narcissistic supply like you need love, if you do not remain a good supply source (as these tips are designed to ensure) then you may lose this relationship altogether.

Our society

 From The Soul Journey with Sarah Moussa

You work 12 hours a day: You have no life.

You work 6 hours: You will have nothing in life.

You don't work: You're a waste.

Living with your parents: why don't you feed yourself.

You live in a rental property: You give money to someone else.

You have your own house: You can't pay it off for the rest of your life.

You're an entrepreneur: You exploit others.

You are an employee: You allow yourself to be taken advantage of.

You have a new car: How ridiculous, buy a house.

You don't have a car: How ridiculous, buy one.

You go on vacation: He probably doesn't know what to do with the money.

You don't go on vacation: He certainly doesn't have the money for it.

Posted a photo: He likes to draw attention.

You will not disclose anything: For sure, he has something to hide.

You're single: No one wants him.

You're in a relationship: Let's see how long it lasts.

Gained weight: These will be health problems or he will have them sooner or later.

He lost weight: These will be health problems or he will have them sooner or later.

You have a tattoo: You're a rebel.

You have no tattoo: You haven't experienced anything.

You're married: Who made him do that?

You're single: Still single?

You have a lot of children: How many do you want to have? Who is going to feed them? This is so irresponsible.

You don't have children: You're infertile.

This is our society and especially the internet and social media.

People will always have something to talk about and criticize.

Therefore, if you are happy about yourself, then everything else, especially the talk of others, to hell with it!

~Unknown

Sacred Dreams

A million miles away

Do you see it now?

In her eyes?

The distance.

You've lost her.

While you were busy

taking her for granted

she drifted

a million miles away.

~NJP

Different version of you

 From Beautiful Mess - A Women Connection Group

A different version of you exists in the minds of everyone who knows you.

~Oogimauskii

I read a book that blew my mind. The main character goes crazy when he realizes no one really knows him.

The gist is that the person you think of as "yourself" exists only for you, and even  you don't really know who that is. Every person you meet, have a relationship with or make eye contact on the street with, creates a version of "you" in their heads. You're not the same person to your mom, your dad, your siblings, than you are to your coworkers, your neighbors or your friends. There are a thousand different versions of yourself out there, in people's minds. A "you" exists in each version, and yet your "you" , "yourself", isn't really a "someone" at all.

Didn't ask for much

 She didn't ask for much,

not the world, not your money,

not even all of your time,

just your hand

and that wouldn't have

cost you a thing.

~Robbie J. Sherrah

Sparks a light

 You often feel tired,

not because you've 

done too much.,

but because you've 

done too little of what

sparks a light in you.

~Alexander den Heijer

Ready

It's a terrible thing, I think, in life to wait until

you're ready. I have this feeling now that actually

no one is ever ready to do anything. There is

almost no such thing as ready. There is only now.

And you may as well do it now. Generally

speaking, now is as good a time as any.

~Hugh Laurie

Damaged people

 The Way Damaged People Love

Damaged people love you like you are a crime scene

before a crime has even been committed.

They keep their running shoes beside their souls every night,

one eye open in case things change whilst they sleep.

Their backs are always tense as though waiting

to fight a sudden storm that might engulf them.

Because damaged people have already seen hell.

And damaged people understand that every evil demon

that exists down there was once a kind angel before it fell.

~Natalie Gill

God still

God is still good,

even when I don't understand.

God is still faithful,

even when it doesn't make sense.

God still has a plan,

even when I can't see it.

God still reigns,

even when things look like chaos.

God is still near,

even when I can't feel him.

God is still God.