Taking The Jump : Bravery

This morning as I was cleaning up and listening to some worship music the Lord started speaking to me about a few things. Most specifically BRAVERY. He gave me this mental picture of the time I went sky diving and how our faith in Him is supposed to look the same way over and over again.

Let me explain. In almost every state by law fresh sky divers are required to jump with a trained professional on their back. So, your harness has hooks that attach to your pro diver. However, as your going up in the air inside of a small plane and land starts to get smaller as you ascend into the clouds, each person has that moment of  'wait, what am I doing here? I'm about to jump off a plane!' Sitting by yourself with people around you, but no one can jump for you. As it's your turn to go and you feel a push to move forward resistance starts to sink in but it's too late to turn back now. You're going to jump.

From the very second you jump out a plane you experience something called 
'free falling'. No parachute open. And it's exactly what it sounds like. Terrifying. Exhilarating. Peace. In that moment you have to trust that your parachute will open. You have to trust that your guide (Holy Spirit) will prompt you to pull on that cord and extend the very thing that will save you. You free fall for what seems like eternity as your in the air, but the parachute shows up to save the day at the perfect time. If a parachute opens too early the impact could be severe. If it opens too late...well, you know. But it opens. Right on time.

God is stretching me. I've made a whole lot of jumps thus far but last seasons bravery isn't sufficient for this season's jumps. I have to remember that when God calls me to jump, I just have to. And I'll still have those moments where it feels like I'm free falling, but He's been there attached to me, giving me comfort that His parachute is always timely. 

First act of bravery released. I pray this word blesses you. More than anything, I pray it challenges you to 'jump' in faith in which ever way He's called you to. Ask Him which areas He wants you to jump in. The parachute doesn't open before it's supposed to but be assured it's (better yet He) is right there. Exactly on time.

 

1 Chronicles 28:20Then David said to Solomon his son, “Be strong and courageous and do it. Do not be afraid and do not be dismayed, for the Lord God, even my God, is with you. He will not leave you or forsake you, until all the work for the service of the house of the Lord is finished.

Joshua 1:9
Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”

Mama Turns 50!

Milestone moments: Graduations, Weddings, Birth of a child/ren, and my Mother's 50th Birthday!

I know I'm biased but I am so taken by God's grace in this moment that I had to share. 

My mother is an example in this world of God's love for me. I mess up, she still loves me although she aches. I fall down, she encourages me. My heart gets broken, she wants to beat the guy up. lol

When we're young our parents represent our hero's. I mean they do no wrong. In those years of adolescence and as we begin to grow in maturity and wisdom, it's a pretty low blow when our parents imperfections become apparent. However, that becomes your opportunity to love like Christ loves you. Through it all. Through every spec of imperfection. Then, you begin to see their beauty on new levels.

This isn't just any birthday. This means my mother had 50 years of overcoming and loving unselfishly. I often look at my mom's example of how she gives to others before they even ask. How she dances like a pro but has a little bit of 'tone-deaf-ism'. And she doesn't care. How she's always put these funky bonnets in her hair way before it was fashionable. How she laughs so loud at life and herself that you can't help but to catch some of her joy and laugh hysterically too. 

I am blessed to call her mother. And when I think about the best thing that God used her to give me in my life....

It was wings. She gave me freedom. Freedom to fall, grow, learn, get back up and learn from my mistakes. She also gave me love. She gave me the best that she could with all that she had. 

For the next 50 years. I want to give her all that back.

Happy Birthday Mama!

  

Layers Exposed - Trading Ashes for Beauty

I knew that I would have to share this one day. Not that I didn't want to but I didn't think I was healed enough, strong enough, and whatever else enough. The lies the enemy tells you when God is revealed in your life…

One February morning I woke up with excruciating pain in my right eye. Light literally felt like its worst enemy. I screamed in agony as I tried to find my sight. It was nowhere to be found. After being rushed to the hospital the corneal specialist determined that I had a corneal ulcer and infection that was bound to take my entire eye due to it severity and rapid growth.

I didn't want to hear it. I knew my God would come through. I knew His glory would be exposed. But I just had to figure out how to get there.

Every area of my life has been tested in these last few months; Physical, mental, spiritual. I would lay in my closet in fetal position and scream out to God. 'Why was I going though this Lord? What did I do? Please take this pain away! Help me to endure it if You won’t!'

There were times I was so bruised, I felt like I couldn't pray. I thank God for using my fiance’ to encourage me in those moments. To remind me I was beautiful, that everything would be alright, and that we didn't believe what the Dr. said as the final word.

But I have to be honest. This situation, where something changed in the physical, made me realize how much as a woman a part of me still classified my beauty according to the outer. Also, how much even family members did. I was always made to believe that my eyes were one of my most beautiful attributes. So what happened when they were hurt, changed, or different? God again reminded me where TRUE beauty comes. At such a deep level it’s almost difficult to articulate.

God gave me the Joy for the tears He counted in a bottle. Even though I was a mess in moments, He never allowed me to be down longer than that. It was in those moments His faithfulness wrapped around and cradled me. After a few weeks I was able to be in light again. The pain gradually started going away. As my cornea began to be healed layer by layer God was healing me from the inside out in the same manner.

‘We saved the eye but I don’t like how slow it’s healing,’ my Dr. would say. Of course I didn't ‘like’ it either. But I knew that God was taking His time for a reason and I just had to be patient. And although I couldn't SEE through my right eye, my VISION became uncluttered. I began to see how selfish I was, how vain I could be, how I hadn't forgiven certain things from my past. I began to see how twisted my prior vision was. How there was a whole old mentality that has to disperse for my true rebirth to take place.

The pruning hurts. But sometimes we've got to get bruised to prevent the real severs down the line. Sometimes we get tested to be redirected, other times it’s to take us to a new level of commitment in our relationship with Christ.

My eye now? Five months later it’s still healing slowly. As am I. Grateful that God renewed my vision, my purpose in Him, and helped me to accept every level of where He has me, holding tight to the promises He made for the future. I’m enjoying the waves, the storms, the rain, the quiet moments, the moments of play and everything else in between. Even though there’s this shadow over my cornea, I know without a shadow of a doubt that God is faithful. 

and provide for those who grieve in Zion-- to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the LORD for the display of his splendor. Isaiah 61:3Record my misery; list my tears on your scroll -- are they not in your record? Psalm 56:8 Dear friends, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that has come on you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you.But rejoice inasmuch as you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed. 1 Peter 4:12-13

 

The Gorgeous Inside Challenge

This year my 25th Birthday was extremely special! There weren't any material objects that I craved for whatsoever. I am so content in my portion that everything added and taken away is a blessing at this point. The first half of the day my family and I went to bless others around the town.  25 Random Acts of Kindness for every year of life! Now giving is NEVER about who knows or ANY type of reward that a person can give you back. Giving is about genuineness with a cheerful heart, knowing that your reward is in heaven. I only share this with you all just in case you all ever want to have a unique birthday celebration! You are blessed to be a blessing! Never forget that!

Throughout this journey of Holy Spirit filled stops and detours there was one idea that punctured my heart in the best way to start something brand new! 

The Gorgeous Inside Challenge

How often do we see people emphasizing external beauty? I mean it's every where. From the media to our facebook pages. And do not get it twisted, there's nothing wrong in looking and feeling beautiful, however it becomes an issue when we focus more on things of the flesh as opposed to our inside: our spirit. 

With this challenge I am encouraging women to leave a note on a public restroom mirror or facility reminding others that the mirror will always be too fickle to reflect their true beauty! Or just simply leave a word of encouragement! You can get as creative as you'd like! It's your love note leaving a little sprinkle of love to whomever finds it. 

Please TAG #GorgeousInsideChallenge on Instagram, facebook and twitter with your love notes! You seriously never know who needs a word of encouragement and reminder of God's love! I mean how many times have you been having a bad day and felt blessed by a kind word or deed right on time?! 

I look forward to seeing them!

Here is an awesome example left on a gym mirror in Jupiter, Florida by one of our sisters in love!

(To friends and family who have stayed loyal to the blog even when I haven't posted much, THANK YOU! I will get better! There's so many things that will share with you all soon! 2014 is already awesome!)

Sign On The Dotted Line

A common trend I have seen on social media is people taking others quotes with no respect to it's author. Who doesn't LOVE 160 characters of realness to share anyway?! Everyone can use good words daily. But that does not mean that you can claim it as yours.

Some of you may be saying 'It's not that serious. Who cares?' Let me explain why it can be serious:

You don't know what people had to live through to attain that wisdom. You don't know how many tears they cried to learn that message. You don't know how many hours they spent studying and trying to put things in their own words, finding the treasure in the tests and sitting on God's Word. True, 'there is nothing new under the sun (Ecclesiastes 1:9)', however at least try to put it in your OWN swag to it.

No one would ever walk into an art gallery and sign their name on someones art. No one plays a record of another artist and says 'that's me'. No one walks into a hospital and throws on a Dr's gown without first having gone through the preparation; without first accepting that calling.

I know everyone is philosopher on social media but the next time you want to claim someone else's work/words/personal experience as your own, please consider signing their name on the dotted line. It's simply respect.

-Paloma Duran

In a way, fraud in business is no different from infidelity in marriage or plagiarism in scholarly work. Even people committed to high moral standards succumb.Miroslav Volf