Toad Prince. No substitutes.

As we look around and see large amounts of flowers, candy, pink & red, couples being rather affectionate, us who are not involved in this "love season" (aka Valentines day) begin to have a desperate/lonely feelings, a low point. We have the realization of I am alone, everyone else has some one, etc.... what ever you tell yourself as you pop bon bons in your mouth while watching Sleepless in Seattle. Its a little pathetic we must admit.

So I am doing a bible study with JoAn Ryan and 10th graders at Riverstone, and we talking about waiting for our what man God has for us, not settling for a Toad Prince, but the real deal. No substitutes, no allowances, no exceptions. But learning to wait on a man who does not only honor and love the Lord with all his heart, but loves and respects you. If we could learn to respect ourselves, to see ourselves as beloved and cherished. And learn to step into God's plan for our life, and not just run for instant gratification in the world, our hearts would have a lot less stitches and band aides on them. Luckily God is a pretty handy doctor for hearts. ;-)

So sit tight, enjoy being in love with the Lord. Having Him be your Prince. Do not settle. Make a list of what you want in a future husband or wife, do no make any exceptions. No toad princes. God's timing is always the best.

"For I know the plans I have for you" declares the Lord.
"Plans of good and not for evil, plans to give you a future and a hope."

Loving through His love,
Naomi-June

Sticks and stones

So today I have been really praying about the power of my words. How much of an impact they can have on others. How much other's words have an impact on me. It is amazing how one little comment can turn around a friendship, how one compliment can make you crave more, how one little sarcastic remark can make you shrivel and hurt. The impact they carry.
There is a quote that says "The words spoken back to us are echo's of what we speak". That really hit me hard, the way people speak to me is generally a reflection of the way I speak to them.

Then, of course my mind ran away and left my feet dragging, what if I spoke with the authority of Christ? What if I spoke with a voice that could move mountains, instead of constantly speaking on my own petty things. If I spoke the very words Jesus would speak. If I was not only His hands and feet, but his very words.

Think before you speak. Speak words of Godly encouragement and love. Speak the very words Jesus would say. Be His translator.

Love through His love.
Naomi-June

The man in the mirror

Genesis 1:27
"He created them, man and female. He created them in His likeness."

Can we as humans even comprehend what that means? We are created in the image of a flawless God. Each person you see, every time you lock eyes with someone, driving, shopping, at church, at school. You are walking around witnessing the hand crafted art work of God.
Yet as humans we have the wonderful habit of looking at that reflection, those brothers and sisters, perfecting them, replacing features with what we believe would make them more appealing to our human eye.
I cannot imagine the heart break of God. The time, love and care He put into perfectly forming us. But how easy is it for us too look at our images and choose every "flaw" we have. Who makes these things flaws, who decided tall dark and handsome was the perfect guy, or blond tan and curvy was the ideal woman. How often we forget the beautiful uniqueness we carry. The image and hand crafted work of God.

So next time you look in the mirror remember. That is TRUE beauty, the reflection of God.
Loving through His love.
Naomi-June

Direct flight or lay over?

It is funny how we have these ideas of our perfect day, perfect future, perfect plan. We often run to God asking for him to fulfill His plans, to grant us our wishes. But we have given him so many guidelines do's and don'ts to every little thing. We've taken the map of our life from God, yet we are asking him for directions. We talk to Him as if he has failed us, when really we never wanted His help from the beginging. we have gone in with our own agenda. Really just wanted our idea of "perfection"

So here's my question, do we REALLY want Gods plan? Our our plan with His name on it?

"So here I am one more day. Not loving Him the way He asked. In fact my heart is singing praises to the things that make me feel alright. So I am sinking fast like a stone heart should, and on the way down I've done what I could to try and try and try to turn this stone heart flesh. I'm haunted by my God who has the right to ask me but why my nature of my rebellion I cannot breathe. So I beg for you to move, I beg for you to break through. So here I am got my deeds for the day. All my cute little words about how I am saved. Am I saved? Could I love you with my mouth like a church kid should. At the end of the day my words get burned as wood. Oh but I was good. I beg for you to move. "

- Beg (by Shane and Shane)

Loving through His love,

Naomi-June Fowler

The simplisity of love.

So, I was talking with a friend last night about love. How you speak and show love, what love is, so on and so forth.
Here are a couple definitions I found-
affectionate concern for the well-being of others: the love of one's neighbor.
a profoundly tender, passionate affection for another person.
a feeling of warm personal attachment or deep affection, as for a parent, child, or friend.

Their biggest point was they really liked to verbalize how they loved people, why they loved them, encouragement so forth and so on. Well it really got me thinking, what are words with out actions to back them up? Loving someone should be way you treat them. Something that even the deaf or blind could feel or see. Its the way we treat people, what we say to them and about them.

Words are often forgotten, and void. You can over and under exxagerate your words. It is much much harder to do that with your actions. Actions truly do speak louder then words.

Loving through His love,
-Naomi-June

A true relationship

Okay so last night I was in a bible study and we started talking about the difficulties Christians have hearing God's voice. That as much as they struggle, and persevere to hear it but it’s like an empty void. As soon as we brought up the subject I had a thought. How can we expect God to talk to us, if we barely talk to him? As Christian's I feel like we constantly strive for perfection (sometimes that is good, sometimes not so much). When we think of spending time with God it has to be a set apart, before each meal, in church on Sunday type of thing. In our own comfort zones that is the only time we "schedule" to talk to God. (expect for the rare turn of the lights, shut the world out, no phone, candles, in awe of God sessions, with don't happen as much as we wish, reality gets the best of us.)
So from there I thought, man if had a "best friend" a true pure relationship I would not only want to talk to them max four times a day for about fifteen twenty seconds to tell them "hey thanks for food, sorry I screwed up today. Read the word it was good. Keep us safe. Bye!"I wouldn't, every time something exciting, sad, annoying, passionate, upsetting etc. happened I would run to my phone, computer, what ever it took to fill them in on my latest. Well why is that so hard with God? That is so rare and out of the ordinary, almost unheard of.We always say I have such a good "relationship" with God.
Well what is relationship people? It is learning about someone past all the fronts, and appearances, knowing them on a private intimate level. Them knowing you in the same exact way, that’s what I want with God. When I get a good grade on a paper, I want to say "Hey God GUESS WHAT?!?!?! I DID IT!!" Every same detail I want Him apart of. (I mean hey He already knows everything might as well talk to Him about it right?!).

I want to take him off the agenda, and pencil Him in for every minute of everyday! The relationship when I am alone in the car looking like a crazy person because it looks like I am talking to no one. But they have no clue I am talking to my best friend! :-D

Loving through his love,
-Naomi

Our true idenitity

So, as the New Year has rather rapidly graced us with his appearance, we go through the yearly "New years resolutions". Do not lie to me you all know you made one, even if you do not have one you thought about having one. Well, this year I am dedicating myself to truly start digging deep in God's word and love. My identity in Him.
With this I started thinking... the ONLY thing holding me back from being a mirrored reflection of Jesus, and doing the same works He did, is myself. I know you are all thinking of course your flesh, not that is not what I am talking. I am talking about insecurities here. In my heart I so often doubt my power to be Jesus's hands and feet. It sounds so clique but think about it. I CAN BE THE HANDS AND FEET OF JESUS! He healed hundreds, fed thousands, loved millions. That is the power that is inside that is screaming and yearning to shine through me. And the only think that has stopped me is my doubt of being capable to be like him.

Luckily, I am not the only one who struggles with this. The first sin in the garden of Eden. It was not that they ate the fruit, they ate the fruit BECAUSE they doubted their knowledge and capability to be just like God. Which is why they ate the fruit. Then when Peter walked out on the water and sank and Jesus replied "Ye of little faith" it was not that he did not have faith in Jesus. He doubted that he had the power to be like Jesus. This is an amazing calling to be like Him, the man that was perfect, who has love so passionate and so fulfilling. We can love with that love, and do all of His works! Before Jesus ascended into heaven he said you will do even greater works then I! I have to power through the Holy spirit to do greater works then Jesus. Wow, that is some power. I do not have an identify of Naomi Fowler, but an identity of Jesus, living through Naomi Fowler.

Jesus became like us. So we could be JUST like Him. Our true identity in Him. To do greater things on this earth then He did! To move mountains, to heal, to change lives. It is your calling and it is mine. Together we can be the body of Christ.

Loving through His love,
-Naomi