Find You On My Knees

This is for sure my all time favorite song. I listen to it every time I am having a hard day or struggling and it just reminds me that I can always find my strength in God and he is always faithful.

True Forgiveness

   A friend of mine posted something on twitter that really had nothing to do with me but it really got me thinking. He said

“You have not forgiven until you've completely let go of everything you hold over that person"

 

    This really hit me hard because I thought that I had forgiven and let it go but I realized when I thought of them my heart was still hard.  This really shook me and broke me down.  I want to not feel that anger towards that person anymore because it is not right.  Even when someone wrongs us in the worst way God tells us to forgive.  Even if they never say they are sorry for what they did to really hurt you we are still told to forgive.  So last night I really just got into the word and started seeking for some guidance from God.  Here are a few of the verses that I found where God talks about forgiving others.

 

Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother when he sins against me? Up to seven times? “Jesus answered, “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.”

Matthew 18:21-22

 

 

For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.

Matthew 6: 14-15

 

 

So watch yourselves. “If your brother sins, rebuke him, and if he repents forgive him. If he sins against you seven times in a day, and seven times comes back to you and says, ‘I repent,’ forgive him.”

Luke 17: 3-4

 

When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, “If any one of you is without sin, let him be the first to throw a stone at her.”

John 8:7

 

When they came to a place called the Skull, there they crucified him, along with the criminals – one on his right, the other on his left, Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.”

Luke 23:33-34

 

 

  The word of God has the answer to any question you might have.  In the first verse it is one that if you grew up in church or are a believer you would know.  It is just saying that no matter how many times someone has sinned against you that you are to forgive them. 

  The second verse is also a great example of God telling us to forgive others and to not hold bitterness in our hearts to others so that he can in turn forgive us of the sins we have committed against him.

  The third verse is the same lesson as the first.  The forth is one that I think everyone struggles with and I know it is defiantly something I struggle with.  People are so quick to judge other peoples sin but nobody is without sin.  No sin is greater than another and it is not for me or for anyone to judge others.

  The last verse is the one that really gets to me every time I read it or think about it.  It seriously broke me down because while Jesus was being crucified and tortured instead of being angry with us for our sin that he had to carry and die for.   He cried out to God and said “Father forgive them for they do not know what they are doing”.  The savior of the world cried out in his moment of pain for me and for you that God would forgive us.  When I read that and really understand what forgiveness is and the love of my savior I find that my heart is softened to even the worst offenses that have been made against me.    

  Sometime we think we have really let go of something until in some way God brings it to our attention that we have not really forgiven the way he has told us to.  Even though the realization of the fact that I was not truly forgiving people shook me it also helped me to let go and forgive the right way.

  God is so good and I am brought to tears when I think about how much God loves me and how much I love him.  It is a love I can’t understand and a love that only God can give to us.  I pray that today and every day my heart would be softened more and more to people and my heart would be open to what God has for me and what he is saying to me. 

White Christmas Run

That's right I did my run outside today in the Snow and its 29 outside! It was really hard and yes my face is hurting from the snow/sleet hitting me in the face but I did it and I feel GREAT!!! :)

Christmas Communion

   So every year on Christmas Eve my family does communion at the church they all still attend First at Firewheel and I always enjoy it! But this year I did communion with my parents and my younger sister at my parents home.  It was really special my dad read Luke 2 the story of Christ's birth and the reason we celebrate Christmas. 

    He also talked to us about what communion is all about and that Christ came to this earth as a baby just so years later he could die for our sins.  I love taking communion and remembering the sacrifice that Christ made me for me and for everyone.  I pray that this Christmas we would all take some time to remember the real reason for the season and Thank God for sending his son to this earth to die for us.  

Magic For Your Ears

This Video is one I have watched so many times and I love it even more each time I watch it! These two just sound so great together I LOVE Bon Iver! I know I should just be listening to Christmas music today and maybe sharing that but I am going to go with some Bon Iver instead! Hope you watch it and love it as much as I do!! :)

Fun for the Holidays

  So the past few days have been a lot of fun and I have not done anything super exciting or crazy but I got to spend some time with the people who I love the most! Went running with my two best friends Bekka and Tracy on Wednesday and then again on Thursday with Bekka! Because it is still warm here in Texas after our run we wanted to try and get in the Christmas mood so we decided to go check out some Christmas lights in Rockwall.  The houses in this neighborhood were so crazy and beautiful it was a lot of fun to see it!

  Last night after my work Christmas party I went over to my parents house and my sisters were all there and the kids and their husbands! The kids opened some gifts, we all had some pizza and Ellie (my little niece) and I played dress up and had our own little dance party! After that I took the kids back to my sister’s house and we made a fort & played with some of their new toys!
 I am so excited about this Christmas I really think this holiday season has been the best in years which was totally unexpected for me.  I thought the holidays would be hard because I have always heard it sucks when you are alone on the holidays.  I think it’s because for the first time in years I feel less alone than ever because I have all of my friends and family!!! 
   This time of year can be a great time of year or it can be a really hard time of year but in the end it’s your choice.  You can choose to be happy and enjoy it or you can dwell on what you might not have.  If everything else in your world is falling apart and you can’t think of reason to be happy remember the reason for the season and that is the Christ came to this earth to save us! That is enough for me and I pray that we all remember that we have all been blessed with a savior! :)

Hall Of Fame

http://vevo.ly/QY2xTq

  I really love this song and this video so I wanted to share it because I feel like it is such a great message! No matter where you come from or what your situation might be if you want something bad enough and you work hard enough you can make it happen!

  This doesn’t mean it will be easy or that it will fall into your lap... Nope you have to dedicate yourself to whatever it is you are striving for.  I am learning this with trying to train for a half marathon I mean it’s not a crazy goal or anything but it’s tough.  I have never been a runner and I struggle with it every day but I know that in the end it will be worth all the hard work! I never regret going for a run and getting up early but I do always regret when I don’t go.

  So if you have something that you want to do then go for it and don’t half way go for it really push yourself every day and it will happen!

 

 

Gossip Girl

  So I will be honest I have a few guilty pleasures when it comes to TV Shows and I just watched the series finale of one of my favorites "Gossip Girl". I stinking love that show and it might seem kind of silly but I am so sad that it is over.  I actually only started watching the show back in June when I had been in Washington for awhile.  I watched all the seasons in time for the last season to start and I was hooked.  

  I seriously could have kept watching that show for years but I think it ended really well.  Chuck and Blair ended up together and so did Serena and Dan plus we finally found out that Dan is Gossip Girl!!! CRAZY but I love it and it will forever be one of my favorite shows!!

Counting Our Blessings

  So it’s been a few days and so much has happened in the world that is just so heart breaking and makes you want to hold the ones you love closer and tighter than ever.  My heart breaks for the victims of these shootings that happened in the last week.  Both in Portland and in Newton people were killed and it seems like there was no point to these killings.

 It makes my heart ache for the families of the victims because I can’t even begin to imagine the pain they must be in or how confused they must be.   I know they are in my prayers and will continue to be in my prayers every single day because this is a pain that only the King of Kings can heal and the only peace will come from the Prince of Peace! I have never been through anything that hard but I do know that in every struggle or hard time I have been through when I walked through it with Christ it hurt less.  So please pray for the families that they would not only find peace in Christ but that God will start to heal their hearts!

  This past weekend was a pretty good one in my life because I got to spend most of the weekend with my family and it was a lot of fun! Saturday I took the kids and my sister to grab some lunch and we had a picnic at the park! Then the kids played for about an hour and I played with them and just enjoyed being with them. 

  My sister has 3 kids and they are seriously such a blessing in my life and I love being able to spend time with them.  Then Saturday night my sister and her husband and the kids and I all went to look at Christmas lights together and it was so much fun! We stopped by this little place in Richardson called Santa’s village and went into some of the little houses and played tag under the “magic tree”.  Sunday was also a day full of fun with the whole family, we all got up and went to church together then we all went to my grandparent’s apartment complex which is kind of like an assisted living place.  As a family we walked around and did some Christmas caroling and it was so awesome to see the smiles on the faces of the residence and especially my grandparent’s.  After that we all went to have some lunch together and went to the Christmas program at church.  So overall it was a weekend full of family fun and just enjoying the small things in life. 

  Sometimes I let myself get stressed about how much money I am making or paying my bills or heart breaks.  But then I have to just remind myself that nothing good ever comes from stress and that I am beyond blessed.  I have a wonderful family that are all still with me and friends that have become my family! I serve a powerful God who can calm any storm and heal any hurt a God who loves me all the time even when I don’t deserve it.

  Every day is a blessing so let’s start really appreciating the little things and spending more time with the people we love and letting them know how much we love them! 

Just went to see Playing for Keeps with my sisters and it was such a cute movie! I love spending time with my sisters, they are all crazy but they are my crazy and I love them! :)

Shake it Out

"Shake it Out"

by Florence + The Machine

Regrets collect like old friends
Here to relive your darkest moments
I can see no way, I can see no way
And all of the ghouls come out to play

And every demon wants his pound of flesh
But I like to keep some things to myself
I like to keep my issues drawn
It's always darkest before the dawn

And I've been a fool and I've been blind
I can never leave the past behind
I can see no way, I can see no way
I'm always dragging that horse around

Our love is questioned, such a mournful sound
Tonight I'm gonna bury that horse in the ground
So I like to keep my issues drawn
But it's always darkest before the dawn

Shake it out, shake it out, shake it out, shake it out, ooh whoa
Shake it out, shake it out, shake it out, shake it out, ooh whoa
And it's hard to dance with a devil on your back
So shake him off, oh whoa

And I am done with my graceless heart
So tonight I'm gonna cut it out and then restart
'Cause I like to keep my issues drawn
It's always darkest before the dawn

Shake it out, shake it out, shake it out, shake it out, ooh whoa
Shake it out, shake it out, shake it out, shake it out, ooh whoa
And it's hard to dance with a devil on your back
So shake him off, oh whoa

And it's hard to dance with a devil on your back
And given half the chance would I take any of it back
It's a fine romance but it's left me so undone
It's always darkest before the dawn

Oh whoa, oh whoa...

And I'm damned if I do and I'm damned if I don't
So here's to drinks in the dark at the end of my road
And I'm ready to suffer and I'm ready to hope
It's a shot in the dark aimed right at my throat
'Cause looking for heaven, found the devil in me
Looking for heaven, found the devil in me
Well what the hell I'm gonna let it happen to me, yeah

Shake it out, shake it out, shake it out, shake it out, ooh whoa
Shake it out, shake it out, shake it out, shake it out, ooh whoa
And it's hard to dance with a devil on your back
So shake him off, oh whoa

Shake it out, shake it out, shake it out, shake it out, ooh whoa
Shake it out, shake it out, shake it out, shake it out, ooh whoa
And it's hard to dance with a devil on your back
So shake him off, oh whoa





   Music has always been so important in my life because in every season of life I can find a song that reminds me of the pain, joy, or even how I came out of the pain to find joy and this is one of those songs for me.

   About 2 months ago I was stuck in this place to where I was in such a tough spot because I wasn’t sure how to move past the relationship I had been in for the past 4 years. I feel like this song just explains where I was at then and I love how it says that it’s always darkest before the dawn because that is so true.


   I couldn’t see a way out of the pain that I felt or a way past the bitterness and the hate I was feeling because of what he had done. But by the Grace of God and the help of friends and family I got past it and don’t feel that bitterness or hate anymore and it is the most freeing thing when you let go of something but especially when it was something that was such a negative part of your life.


   I felt so alone at first and like the song said I kept dragging that horse around but then I buried it and it was the best choice that I have made in a long time, other than to fully commit every part of my life to my Savior!

   When I decided to let go of the past and start living my life for the right things and just living in the present and for the future instead of the living in the past it was awesome. So I encourage everyone to remember that if you’re going through something tough remember things are always darkest before the dawn and God has a plan and a reason for everything!

LUKE 6:27-36

²⁷ “But to you who are listening I say: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, ²⁸ bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. ²⁹ If someone slaps you on one cheek, turn to them the other also. If someone takes your coat, do not withhold your shirt from them. ³⁰ Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back. ³¹ Do to others as you would have them do to you.

³² “If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners love those who love them. ³³ And if you do good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners do that. ³⁴ And if you lend to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, expecting to be repaid in full. ³⁵ But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. ³⁶ Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.

Luke 6:27-36

 

  I go to Watermark Community Church in Dallas Texas and the pastor Todd Wagner used this verse in his sermon on Sunday and it made me think a lot about the way that I love others.  It is so easy to love the people who treat you right and who love you because like it says in this passage even sinners love people who love them. 

  But as a follower of Christ I am called to love people even when they make it really hard to do so.  God has loved me through so much that I did not deserve to be loved or forgiven for any of it.  So if I am called to love people the way that God loves us that means I am supposed to forgive those who have hurt me even if what they did is “unforgivable” and love them even if they have made themselves “unlovable” to me.  

  If I am honest I have such a hard time with this because of the pain some people cause but I know that everyone makes mistakes and make bad choices.  So I am learning to forgive and to love people in spite of what they have done or said to me.  They are no less deserving of love because of mistakes that they make just like I hope I am no less deserving of love because of the mistakes I have made.

  I mean think about how much God loves us and how amazing that is to think that not just someone but the God of the universe loves us no matter what we have done to him.  No matter how many mistakes we make he loves us and forgives us.  I wanted to share this because I know that it’s a struggle a lot of people deal with because we are human but I just thought maybe if we could see how much God has forgiven us and loved us that maybe it would help us forgive those who have hurt us and love them.

  Just remember the greatest message is not going to be one that is preached from a stage it is the way that we love people each and every day!!

A LITTLE BIT ABOUT ME

So this is my first blog and I am so excited about it! My name is Olivia and I am 23 years old living in the great state of Texas! I love good music, traveling, coffee, movies and going on adventures!!
But most of all I love JESUS!!!!

 
 The past 6 months of my life have been crazy, sad, hard, wonderful, confusing, fantastic, filled with so many great times and new experiences and a time of more self growth than the past 5 years of my life.  
  I have learned so much and every day I wake up excited about what that day might bring and who I might meet or what I might see.  I have so much passion for life and feel so blessed to live the life that I live.  I have such a wonderful family in every single way.  I have two parents who are still together and are very much in love and who have always been such a Godly example for me and my siblings.I have two sets of grandparents who are also both still married and very much in love and that right there is amazing.
I have 3 sisters, 1 brother, 2 brother in laws, 1 sister in law, 2 nephews, 1 niece, and one more nephew that will be here in February!!  Now that is a lot to be thankful for right there if you ask me! 

I also have some pretty amazing friends that have been such a big part of the self growth that I have experienced over the past 6 months.  But the thing that I am most thankful for is my Savior and King! God has saved me, changed me and made me new and I couldn't be happier.  He has showed me so much and brought me through so many crazy things that I never could have gotten though without him.  It isn't by anything that I have done but by his grace alone that I am saved and I want the whole world to know about Jesus.  

Well that is just a little introduction to me and what I am about and I will be back soon to write so much more but for now I am out of time! :)