Word Of The Year- Courageous

Good morning y’all! Hope you are doing well today. Do you do a Word Of The Year? I’ve been doing it for many years now and I love looking back to my words and the years and seeing how they fit, it always blows my mind.

This year after much prayer I’ve decided that COURAGEOUS is my word. Why did I choose it? Well, I’ll be honest there were many reasons why I choose it but manly because of one 4 letter word…..FEAR.

Fear has gripped me since I was a little child. I didn’t have what I would call a stable home life. It was one of chaos. Don’t get me wrong, I know my mom did the best she could with what she knew. But in her own ways she taught me to be fearful of so many things. Still to this day she tries to put her fears on me, only today I know better and don’t receive it. Over the years I have walked through many things and learned to “Do it afraid” but 2020 showed me there was still some fear in me that needed to be dealt with.

I refuse to live my life in fear.

God kept speaking to my heart Joshua 1:9 “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous! Do not be terrified or dismayed (intimidated), for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”

DO NOT BE AFRAID. BE STRONG AND COURAGEOUS.

Fear is from the devil and the devil is a LIAR! It starts off as a little thought and before you know our emotions are all wrapped up i it and it becomes soooo strong and can actually overwhelm us. For some it cause panic attacks and others it can cause to shrink back. That’s why we have to be so careful with our emotions, they are fickle and ALWAYS CHANGING. We can’t be ruled by our emotions.

Proverbs 23:7 tells us that “as [a man] thinks in his heart, so is he“. I like what Joyce Meyer says: “Where the mind goes, the man follows.” That is so true. God wants us to walk by faith and the devil wants us to walk in paralyzing fear.

We have to meditate on the Word of God and renew our minds to be free from fear and be COURAGEOUS.

Ephesians 2:10 talks about how when we were born again we actually become recreated in Christ Jesus, [born anew] that we may do good works which God predestined…for us…[living the good life which He prearranged and made ready for us to live] So let’s think about that for just a minute, if we are “recreated in Christ” whatever Jesus is…..we are too my friend. He is strong and IN HIM we are strong.

1 John 4:17 says As He is so are we in this world.

You are all the things Jesus is.

So the why do we shrink back in fear? False. Evidence. Appearing. Real.

I think it’s because we look at ourselves and what we are not. We look at how far we have to go. We look at our circumstances and think NOTHING WILL EVER CHANGE. And finally, I think listen to what others think or have said to us or about us. They try and put out our fire on the inside to make themselves feel better but COURAGE is acting against fear. Acting against the naysayers. Acting on what God says about YOU. Not letting fear control you.

Do It Afraid my friend.

Be Strong and Courageous.

How Can I Be Courageous?

1. Put a name to your fear. I learned in Alanon how to name my fear and do a Fear inventory. It’s actually an AA step but my Alanon sponsor used the AA Big Book with me as well. I may not have been an alcoholic or drink but I was raised in it and lived with it so of course you pick up the “ISMS”

2. Surrender. This may take doing over and over again. Nothing is wrong with that, often times we give it up and take it back. Give back to God again.

3. Speak God’s Promises over your life. His promises are YES! And AMEN!! And they are for YOU my friend.

4. Renew Your Mind. Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ; 2 Corinthians 10:5

So this year when those fearful thoughts come to my mind I will put a name to my fear. I will surrender. I will speak Gods promises over my life and keep renewing my mind.

I WILL BE STRONG AND COURAGEOUS AND KICK FEAR TO THE CURB! And I hope you will do.

What is your Word Of The Year and why? I’d love to hear from you.

Big hugs,

Nicole💗

God’s Plan For Your Life Is BIGGER

Hey y’all!! Hope you beautiful people are doing well and hanging in there with the extended quarantine 😞 I will be so grateful when all this is over and we can just come and go as well please. I won’t lie I miss shopping 🛍 lol and being with friends, family, and church.

I want to encourage you today, I know it’s hard but don’t be discouraged by what’s going on around you. While our circumstances they might be extremely bad they are only temporary, they will not last forever. This to shall pass….we have to remind ourselves of this. God’s plan for your life is BIGGER and has eternal value sweet friend! He was NOT caught off guard by any of this or anything else that’s happened in your life.

Encourage yourself today, encourage your family and others around you and stir yourself up my friend.

Encourage means to take action, giving someone support , confidence, and hope. We are all capable of doing this. Sometimes though we have to do it to ourselves first before we can someone else. It’s kinda like that oxygen mask on a plane…..put it on you first and then others around you.

Speak Gods word over yourself and your family and friends. We see in Psalms 42 where David encouraged himself, “Why are you so downcast O my soul….”

“My soul thirsts, pants, and longs for the living God. I want to come and see the face of God. Day and night my tears keep falling and my heart keeps crying for your help while my enemies mock me over and over, saying, “Where is this God of yours? Why doesn’t he help you?” So I speak over my heartbroken soul, “Take courage. Remember when you used to be right out front leading the procession of praise when the great crowd of worshipers gathered to go into the presence of the Lord? You shouted with joy as the sound of passionate celebration filled the air and the joyous multitude of lovers honored the festival of the Lord!” So then, my soul, why would you be depressed? Why would you sink into despair? Just keep hoping and waiting on God, your Savior. For no matter what, I will still sing with praise, for living before his face is my saving grace! Here I am depressed and downcast. Yet I will still remember you as I ponder the place where your glory streams down from the mighty mountaintops, lofty and majestic— the mountains of your awesome presence. My deep need calls out to the deep kindness of your love. Your waterfall of weeping sent waves of sorrow over my soul, carrying me away, cascading over me like a thundering cataract. Yet all day long God’s promises of love pour over me. Through the night I sing his songs, for my prayer to God has become my life. I will say to God, “You are my mountain of strength; how could you forget me? Why must I suffer this vile oppression of my enemies— these heartless tormentors who are out to kill me?” Their wounding words pierce my heart over and over while they say, “Where is this God of yours?” So I say to my soul, “Don’t be discouraged. Don’t be disturbed. For I know my God will break through for me.” Then I’ll have plenty of reasons to praise him all over again. Yes, living before his face is my saving grace!”
‭‭Psalms‬ ‭42:2-11‬ ‭TPT‬‬

YES!!! I love this! He is my saving grace and He is yours too my friend!

Be an blessing and encouragement to someone today. I know it’s hard from home. We just have to be more creative.

– Donate money to a local charity.

– If you are able to safely go out using wisdom and social distancing and deliver food to elderly and people in need.

– Send a text to a friend or call someone.

– Send a surprise gift online to someone.

– Start a bible study or work out group using Zoom with other friends so you can stay connected.

– If you like to cook do a Facebook Live and teach people how to make it. You can encourage and interact that way.

– If your going to the store ask a neighbor or someone you know that can’t get out if they need something.

There’s many more, I’d love to hear what you’ve done to encourage others and also have you keep yourself encouraged.

Lastly, sweet friend He calls YOU beautiful child of the King, destined for greatness!! You are called and anointed for such a time as this. Don’t let the enemy whisper lies to you. You remind him of who you are and of Who’s you are and then remind him that he is under your feet and he is a defeated foe……You are a Victorious Overcomer, full of COURAGE and HOPE, and Destined For Greatness 💗🗡🔥🙏🏻

Big hugs,

Nicole💗

My God Is So Big

Addiction Is A Family Disease

You might be wondering, is that really true? I assure you it is.

See an addict can’t be an addict without help. There’s people in their lives that keep that merry go round going.

There’s the enabler, who wants to “Help” and “Fix” and they think if I was a good enough spouse, friend, sister, brother, etc. then they wouldn’t be like this. I NEED to help them get on track.

One of the first things I learned in Alanon (a meeting for people who have a loved one or friend with a drinking problem) is The 3 C’s.

I didn’t cause it

I can’t cure it,

I can’t control it.

Sweet one, maybe you need to hear that today!

An addiction doesn’t have to be just alcohol or drugs, there are many forms of addiction….food, sex, shopping, pornography, cutting, working, exercise, video games, TV, etc.

I love the example Henry Cloud uses in Changes That Heal, about a dad and his 2 sons. (I have paraphrased this story.) So the Dad is meeting with Henry and says “I need you to fix my son.” So Henry looks to the son sitting there and says “What’s going on, how can I help you?” The son says “No, it’s not me, it’s my brother.” He says “Well where is your brother?” “He’s not here” says the brother. Henry says “Well where is he? And what’s his problem?” The dad answers “He’s flunked out of 3 colleges and he smokes pot.” Henry is puzzled by this and asked “How do you even do that? I understand how you flunk out of one, but how do you get in the 2nd and 3rd one?”

The dad answers “Well, I’m on the board of multiple colleges. The first time he flunked out there was to much partying in the dorm so I bought him a condo, gave him enough money so he could just focus on studying and not work and he still flunked out.” Henry says “Darn those kids!” Love his humor🤣

I’m already chuckling at this point because I see where this is leading too…..

The dad is the great enabler!

Henry asked “Where is your son today?” Dad says, “He’s not here.” Henry says, “I know he’s not here but where might gps find him?”

The dad says “He’s in Vale…skiing.”

Now I ask you, does this sound like the kid who has any problems to you? Not to me.

At this point Henry says, “Sir I’m a psychologist and I help people. I don’t think I can help your son. He doesn’t have any problems. He’s got all the money he needs, a free place to live AND he’s on vacation. He doesn’t have any problems.” Now the dads is confused and getting miffed, saying “Oh yes he does!”

Henry says, “You on the other hand I can help.” The dad is like “I don’t have any problems.” Henry says “Yes you do, you have owned all your sons problems. But I can help you, help your son have some problems.”

I just love that! The dad was busy helping and enabling all his sons issues. The son has had no consequences and has absolutely no reason to change.

Do you have someone like this in your life?

How are you coping?

Are you owning all their mess?

Still trying to fix them?

Learning boundaries is the most amazing and absolutely FREEING thing I’ve ever done.

We all need them, addictions or not. You could have a family member with untreated mental illness. I can relate to this one on such a personal level. A certain family member of mine, has untreated mental illness and ever since I can remember I was always helping, fixing, and rescuing them. Until the last couple of years, I was so burn out. Exhausted! Stressed to the max!

Every time my phone rang I and I saw it was them calling….anxiety would set in quickly! I never had anxiety before. You never knew what was on the other end of the line. Crying hysterically, mad, complaining about their life or someone in it, or the high manic side where everything is beautiful, wonderful, and full of rainbows 🌈 and unicorns 🦄

This was simply ingenious, I gave them a certain ringtone so I would know it was them calling me and at that moment I could decide am I in a place where I can talk to this person? Or do I need to let it go to voicemail and talk later? That simple thing, was life changing for me.

See sweet friend, it’s not your job to fix someone else. You and I are not Holy Ghost Jr. they have a Savior just like you do and that’s his job to work in their lives and change what needs to be changed.

However, we do have a part to do too and that’s to stop 🛑 helping and rescuing them. Let that loved one feel the consequences of their own actions.

If you have a person in your life and they are not taking responsibility for themselves, they don’t have a job or keep losing jobs and now they want to move in with you again….you keep forking out money to “help” and “rescue” them. That’s not helping them be responsible.

They don’t have a car and they want to keep using yours.

You could be taking up the slack for someone with things they need to do but choose not too….but you say to yourself “Well someone has to do it” and so you do it. But now your full of bitterness and resentment when what you needed to do is let them figure it out and you do what your supposed to do.

Or maybe they don’t have groceries or gas because they spent their money on frivolous things and they can’t buy groceries or get gas for the car they’re borrowing from you….but they’ll play on your emotions and say “if you love me then you’d give me the money that I need.”

This sounds ridiculous but it happens every day my friend….you are not helping them.

Sure there is a time when everyone needs help but when you see it becomes a pattern and it keeps repeating itself over and over and over again, YOU are now contributing to the problem and staying on that merry go round. They have no desire to do any different because you continue to fix there issues.

If they are addicted to alcohol, don’t buy it for them. Simply say, “I love you but I’m no longer going to contribute to this, from now on you can buy your own alcohol.” This one, I had to do with someone.

When that person calls you with drama and chaos, things they want YOU to fix….simply 🛑 and say I’m sorry, I can’t do that for you. Tell them you love them and I’m praying for you but you need to figure out this for yourself.

Look, I’m not gonna sit here and tell you this is easy to do because the truth is I have felt like my guts were being ripped out, nauseous to the point of throwing up. It’s hard as Hades and that’s NO JOKE! But it’s necessary for your own health and well-being.

God gave me this verse a few years ago and maybe it will help you too.

EXODUS‬ ‭18:17-18‬ ‭AMP‬‬

“Moses’ father-in-law said to him, “The thing that you are doing is not good. You will certainly wear out both yourself and these people who are with you, because the task is too heavy for you [to bear]; you cannot do it alone.”

We were never meant to carry these burdens alone sweet friend.

‭‭Thoughts to ponder:

Who might you be enabling?

What are you carrying that doesn’t belong to you?

Have you been rescuing people?

What can you do let people in your life feel the consequences of their own actions?

How does that make you feel to even think about doing that?

Ohhhh, I’ll answer that for you, it will FEEL WRONG AND AWFUL! But just because it FEELS WRONG, doesn’t mean it’s wrong.

You have to keep doing the next right thing and that “feeling” will catch up with you, eventually.

CHANGE IS HARD but it is a necessary part of life.

“You can suffer the pain of change or suffer remaining the way you are.” Joyce Meyer

That’ll preach! That’s a word for someone.

So my friend just start setting small boundaries, those lead to big victories.

Pray about it, it may take you a while to do it and that’s perfectly fine. I’ve been there too. But you’ve got this, you can do it!

I pray God will give you the wisdom and courage to do what’s best for you and your family, setting those boundaries that brings peace to your heart and mind and FREEDOM to your life!

Have a blessed and wonderful day!

Big hugs,

Nicole💗

You Matter In This World

Hey you, Yes YOU!! Just in case you need this sweet reminder. I’m here to tell you “You matter in this world!”

God don’t make no junk. YOU ARE HIS BEAUTIFUL MASTERPIECE! Created in his image.

• You have a unique roll to play, that only you can do.
• You are chosen.
• You born for such a time as this.
• You are creative.
• God won’t waste your pain.
• You are full of the fruit of the Spirit.
• You are an Influencer.
• You are beautiful.
• You are treasured.
• You are strong.
• You are an overcomer.
• You are valuable.
• You are the apple of His eye.
• You are irreplaceable.
• You are loved by God.
• You are blessed.
• You have purpose.
• You are full of passion.
• You are a difference maker.
• You are never alone.
• You are highly favored.
• You are healed.
• You are FREE.
• You are restored.
• You are redeemed.
• You are courageous.

Simply put, you matter because God says YOU MATTER!

You may not be where you wanna be but you’re not where you use to be. You’re on your way, Amen!

Go out today and smile, encourage someone, and make a difference in your world.

God bless you sweet friend!

Big hugs,

Nicole💗

You are anointed for hard….

The word fortitude means courage in pain or adversity.

I believe this describes each one of you. “She endured her illness with great fortitude.” You may not see it or even feel like it but you are full of GREATNESS on the inside. There is more to you than just fibromyalgia or any other autoimmune disease. You are beautiful, strong, full of life, courageous, and capable of enduring much.

You are anointed for hard and have much to offer.

I think sometimes we get caught up in our feelings and the things that are going on around us when we need to look past those things, dig deep and press in. Feelings are fickle, always changing, and often not dependable.

You have something in you that needs to work its way out and it’s something that only you possess but someone else is in great need of. Don’t believe that lie that this is the best I’m ever going to be, I’m giving up on my dreams. I’m settling here. NO!! This is temporary and this too shall pass.

If you let it, it will make you stronger and better but if your not careful it will make you bitter.

I say you’re a Warrior destined for greatness, you have been CHOSEN to do great things! But what do you say or believe, that’s what matters. How do you see yourself?

Everyone needs a hero and sometimes that hero is YOU ❤️

Have a great day! Big hugs!

Nicole💗

He’s in the Waiting

So thankful for this gentle reminder today.

“Take courage my heart, stay steadfast my soul. He’s in the waiting.”

I have been enduring lots of waiting the last few months. Have you found yourself waiting too?

I’ve struggled with sphenoid sinus infections and occipital migraines for a few years and I had sinus surgery in March. Well it’s literally been one trial after another since then. Shortly after I found out I had staph and something else they cultured.

It has wrecked havoc on my body and I have gotten into lots of anxiety and fear.

Do you have any anxiety or fear over something going on in your life?

Are you waiting for a breakthrough or healing?

Just as I was encouraged today, I want to encourage you, He’s there with you in the waiting. Stay strong and steadfast precious one.

Tell God what’s bothering you and then turn every fear and all your anxiety over to him and make it your prayer list. Keep praying till your breakthrough comes.

Phil 4:6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God;

There’s 2 ways we can wait; we can wait passively or expectantly. If we wait passively, we just sit around waiting to see what will happen. Not really sure God will come through for us and not expecting anything good so we just give up.

But an expectant person is full of hope. They believe God is at work on their behalf. They believe and have there full trust in Him and that He will work all things out for their good. They believe in SUDDENLIES of God.

Wherever you find yourself today, don’t give up my friend. Don’t stop believing. Keep your eyes on Jesus. Stay full of hope and expectation. God’s got you! He has you right in the palm of His hand and nothing is to big for him and He wasn’t surprised by your situation.

Stand firm and steadfast! Keep pressing in and never give up!

Take courage my friend and you will rise in His victory.

Enjoy this song by Bethel.

https://youtu.be/r49V9QcYheQ

Love and hugs,

Nicole💗