Jesus….You are Worthy of my Song

Hey! Hey! Hey!

How are my favorite Trophy of Grace friends? It’s been a minute since I’ve posted. This has been such a difficult season I’ve been in. I’m sure you’ve been there at some point. Coming in, middle, or going out of it.

Regardless, Jesus You are worthy of my song. You are worthy of my praise.

I will forever remember 2020, it is scorched in my heart and mind. October 31st 2019 was my first appointment with my nutritionist. She specialized in eating disorders. I told her upfront I didn’t want this to be about losing weight, I wanted us to get to the root of why I was doing what I was doing and why I felt the way I did. So often we focus on the actions we are taking or not taking and we want to change but using another set of rules to gain freedom and love for ourselves and others. But my friend, there is something driving it, there’s a root cause to what’s going on in our lives.

For me, I discovered that past traumas and pain drove my eating disorder and body image issues. Which reflects in all areas of your life.

When the pandemic started I was 4-5 months into this healing journey I’m on. I can’t explain it but I started to flourish when others like me where falling deeper into there disorder because of Covid, loss, and isolation. I was gaining more and more freedom. But there always comes a point on the road to freedom, it gets REALLY HARD. It’s in the REALLY HARD place, we have a decision to make. We can suffer the pain of change or the pain of staying the same. Suffering is inevitable, but you get to choose whether you get to the other side of it or you can stay in the darkness, the sadness, and the brokenness. Friend it’s so important to choose well here. I’m even gonna give you the answer……KEEP PRESSING IN! Keep pressing on, never give up!! Feel the pain, let God do a perfect work in you.

There is blessing in the breaking.

Blessing and pain you’re gonna feel it, it might as well be going through….you are worthy sweet friend. You are worthy because Jesus says you are.

I had so many life challenges and changes in 2020, it would prove to be a difficult season but so enlightening to me and life changing.

I’ve always had passion to help others, loved all things health related. I started Holistic Health and Wellness coaching school and honestly with my dad moving here, and other issues with my Mom, and my life drastically changing because of Covid it was so overwhelming. Drs telling me to stay home and stay safe🙄 I went from seeing friends and church, leading small groups in my home, and being on the go to just nothing and it was sooooo hard and lonely. It was too overwhelming to finish school, which then heaped on lots of shame and guilt. As if I didn’t have enough of that. I still kept working with my nutritionist and learning and growing. Not realizing God still had a plan for me. It was a season of pain but GROWTH AND WISDOM. I was learning to listen to my body intuitively. One day I was listening to an ED podcast they started talking about Intuitive Eating, what is this they are talking about??? Sounds interesting. Sounds familiar. Examples they were giving were things I was doing and working on. Next session I talked to Amie and I asked about Intuitive Eating and she says that’s what you’ve been doing, LOL. My goodness, what I was working on had a name. Which of course I must know more so I dive deeper in my journey.

I started back to school this year, despite hearing the voices of ‘your not good enough’ or ‘You have nothing to offer’ or God can’t use you, you’re too broken. My biggest takeaway from 2020 till now is God has a plan whether we see it or not. He created you for great things. His plans for you are to prosper and not harm you. It may be a fight but sweet friend it’s worth it. Despite how I felt about giving up school in 2020 God knew what I didn’t know. He still had more to teach me. If I had finished it in 2020 oh my goodness my coaching would look soooo different than it will once I’m done this time. I would’ve coached focusing on food rules, good and bad foods, foods to avoid, reaching the perfect weight, orthorexia basically, etc.

Today I’ve learned there are no good or bad foods, my body isn’t a project to be improved and constantly be rejecting and trying to make it fit into what the world deems good! My body IS GOOD regardless of what the world says. Today I want to help women with intuitive eating and body image issues and find freedom.

YOUR BODY IS GOOD.

YOUR BODY IS GOOD, TODAY! Not when you’ve reached a certain weight or size. JUST AS YOU ARE SWEET FRIEND!!

My mom was always on diet, so of course I fell into that. But we come in all shapes, color and sizes. Your size, shape, weight, hair color, skin color, eye color, boobie size🙈🤣🤷🏼‍♀️ is NOT and I repeat it does not dictate your worth and value. In a culture that objectifies women and if you don’t fall into a certain category you are deemed not worthy.

YOU are worthy!

If I don’t weigh a certain number then I’m not good enough. We let Hollywood and the world’s culture tell us to be a certain weight and we will accept you. I bought into that crap for waaaayyyy too long.

Can I just remind you of how great your Fathers love is for you and how He created you for purpose. He don’t make NO JUNK! (In my best southern accent😜)

There I said it…..YOU are not junk to be thrown aside because you don’t fit in a certain category. We are all different….since when is being different bad?? God made us all different because we all have gifts and talents we each need.

You weren’t meant to fit in a box! You were meant to flourish in your skin, not be a clone of someone “society” thinks is perfect.

NO!!! YOU were perfectly created by a perfect Creator.

I’m so thankful for 2020 and the lessons it’s taught me about God and myself. I’m thankful that He is teaching about having a healthy relationship with food and trusting Holy Spirit to led me. I’m thankful I can listen and hear from my body, more importantly I can trust it. I’m thankful I don’t have to weigh myself every day, I still may not like the number on the scale but I’m learning to love myself more. The real me. Enjoying a cookie or a Bundt cake without feeling shame and guilt is just bonus. Food was meant to nourish us but also for our enjoyment and pleasure.

I’ve rejected God’s creation…..myself….for far to long. I have made my mind up to trust the One who created me and loves me…..and you…unconditional with an everlasting love.

The pain and suffering has a place and a purpose, it was not meant to take you out. Yes it can if we let it, but you keep giving Him your worship. You keep pressing into the One who changes all things and works them out for your good. When that voice is soooo loud in your ear saying quite, give up, it’s too much, it may even tell you the world is better off without you so I might as well end it. Friend I’ve been there, but hear me tell you that YOU are loved, the pain does get better, trust in the One who heals. Do the hard things and press….press….and keep on pressing through the pain. Preach to yourself. Get up on the inside.

Praise proceeds the victory!! Hallelujah!🙏🙌

There’s blessing in the breaking and YOU ARE GONNA MAKE IT. You are anointed for hard things.

God bless you and I hope you have a blessed and wonderful week! You are a trophy of grace!

Big hugs,

Nicole💗

Worthy of My Song- Phil Wickam and Chandler Moore

https://youtu.be/NeL9mKnd38g

God Is The Difference Maker

Hey y’all!🤗 How’s it going in your neck of the woods? I had my infusion Tuesday so I’ve been resting the last couple of days. It went better than last month praise the Lord!

We are all called to be difference makers but today I want to remind you that God is the DIFFERENCE MAKER in your life!!

God is the GAME CHANGER in your circumstances.

Difference Maker means One who has an impact or effect; One who brings about change. Yep that’d be my God!! He’s The ONE, who makes an impact and bring about change in our lives.

God’s promise is true for you, “I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone” Ezekiel 36:26

I ALONE AM THE DIFFERENCE MAKER!

Whatever you need in your life Gods got it! You feel lost or broken, cry out to Him….He is near. You’re having trouble in your marriage or with your kids….call on the Difference Maker he’s got it! He knows just how to fix it!

Game Changer means a newly introduced element or factor that changes an existing situation or activity in a significant way

Do you need a Game Changer factor in your life changed in a significant way?

Do you have a work situation?

A family situation?

Alcohol or drug problem?

Health issues?

Financial needs?

We all need something.

Gods the Game Changer.

He’s waiting for you to ask Him to come into that situation, that problem and allow Him to do his work. He’s got just the right element to change that situation and completely blow your mind. He wants to do exceedingly, abundantly, above all we could hope, ask or think….

You need to stop looking at what you can’t do or what you don’t have and look at what GOD CAN DO!! God’s presence and power, His Anointing is what pushes you into your destiny! It’s what changes EVERYTHING!

When you hear nothing is ever gonna change, don’t you believe the lies of the enemy! Talk back to the devil! God can use ANY situation for YOUR GOOD!! See your worth and value is based on WHO YOU ARE IN Him and NOTHING ELSE!!! Remember that when that lying spirit is whispering in your ear.

You are NOT to far gone my friend. God WILL use what the enemy meant for harm and turn it to your good if you will let him and He WILL complete what He has started in YOU.

He’s the God of completion.

He’s concerned about what concerns you. My friend, He WILL establish and ground YOU and strengthen YOU!!

He is FOR YOU NOT AGAINST YOU!

He’s the Difference Maker and the Game Changer.

Big hugs,

Nicole💗

The Lord Is Near….Be Anxious For Nothing

Coronavirus…it’s on everyone’s mind. Whether you say it is or not, all the lines, shopping, hoarding, and empty shelves at the stores shows it. I still don’t get the toilet paper selling out🤷🏼‍♀️🤣

Here’s what I’ve noticed, some have gone from one extreme to the other. It’s crazy. Some are like “Its just a cold. Why are you acting so ridiculous?” Then others are screaming “It’s the end of the world!”

If we listen to what the doctors say and follow what YOUR SPECIFIC NEEDS are, meaning whether you’re a healthy individual or if your elderly or immunocompromised that kinda tells you which direction you should go. It’s not a guarantee you won’t get it, it’s a guideline for you.

Personally, I fall in that immunocompromised category and I have several friends that do as well. I have CVID, so I do have to use wisdom and caution with what I do. You may decide to go to movies, church, small groups, etc. and that may be right for you but for others like myself that is not a good idea. What bothers me is when I hear people say “Well your living in fear when you stop going to places.” No, on the contrary I’m not living in fear at all, I’m living in wisdom and doing what’s best for me.

We shouldn’t judge other people’s decisions when we don’t know what they deal with. So many people have health issues or they have loved ones with health issues and all that needs to be taken into consideration when making a decision on what you will do or where you will go. It’s based on you and your family….not based on what someone else thinks. But that’s just my opinion 🤷🏼‍♀️

I just want to remind you that during all this chaos, the Lord is near.

When fear of the unknown threatens to bog you down, and steal your peace and joy and you find yourself scared and anxious, your not crazy, it’s normal in times like this.

We are human.

Fear of the unknown does that.

The difference is you don’t want to LIVE in fear. We have to choose faith over fear but also use wisdom for your own circumstances.

The Lord is near.

We all face fear and anxiety from time to time but just let me encourage you today sweet friend that God never gave us a spirit of fear, but one of power, love and of sound mind. He didn’t cause this but I can assure you, He will work things out for your good.

The Lord is near.

For some, jobs are uncertain.

I know with the economy fluctuating like it is, it’s scary and unsettling.

But the Lord is near.

Some moms and dads just found out schools out K-12 for almost 3 weeks and your thinking “Y’all gonna make me lose my mind, up in here, up in here.” 🤣🤣

But the Lord is near.

Like Joseph, God can cause you to prosper during a famine. Put your trust in God and get in the Word. God will bless you to be a blessing.

Pray! Pray! And pray some more my friends.

Check on your neighbors or elderly family or friends.

Pray for our healthcare workers.

Pray for our government officials, all branches whether you like them or not. Pray they have wisdom.

Put on the whole armor of God.

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities,against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.

Sword of the Spirit:

When I am afraid, I put my trust in you” Psalm 56:3

God will “instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my eye upon you” Psalm 32:8

And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus” Philippians 4:19

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. Philippians 4:6

For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control. 2 Timothy 1:7

Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. Isaiah 41:10

Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. Psalm 23:4

For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you. You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart. Jeremiah 29:11-13

And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:7

I pray you start to see the goodness of God and His supernatural provision in your life and family.

Prayer:

God answers prayers sweet friends and it says in James, The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective. So Lord we come before You with praise and thanksgiving. We worship You for who you are and thank you for loving us and saving us. Father there are so many people sick and in need of healing, help them regain their strength. Refresh and restore them. Bring healing from the top of their heads to the soles of their feet. Bring supernatural healing to every cell, every organ, repair dna, and we declare it must come in alignment with Your perfect Word.

We come against that spirit of fear that is so evident in our world today. We declare you have NO place here. God has not given us a spirit of fear but of power, love, and sound mind. When fear, worry and doubt come against me, I’m reminded how big my God is. How he holds my future in his hands. He has a great and mighty plan for my future.

Lord bring provision where provision has been lost. You are Jehovah jireh, my Provider. Give divine wisdom, ideas and creativity to your sons and daughters. Bless us in the famine and open up the windows of heaven Lord.

Help us to point others to You. To show love to others and be a light in the darkness. Thank you Lord for what your doing and that through all this You will get the glory. We give You all the glory and honor, in Jesus name, Amen!🙏🏻

Here As In Heaven

A miracle can happen now
For the Spirit of the Lord is here
The evidence is all around
That the Spirit of the Lord is here
A miracle can happen now
For the Spirit of the Lord is here
The evidence is all around
That the Spirit of the Lord is here

“Though an army encamp against me, my heart shall not fear; though war arise against me, yet I will be confident…For He will hide me in His shelter in the day of trouble; He will conceal me under the cover of His tent; He will lift me high upon a rock.”

He’s got you precious one!

Big hugs,

Nicole💗

Put on a garment of praise for a spirit of heaviness….

Healing….My Word Of The Year

Hey y’all! How is your year going so far? We are in the middle of 21 days of prayer. It’s Ahhhmazzing! Believing God for many things this year.

What are you believing God for this year?

Healing is my word for this year. Do you have one? If so what is it? I’d love to hear from you.

Joy was my word last year. So funny how God knows exactly what we need when we need it. Last year was an extremely difficult year for me. God knew JOY was what I would. He knew the things I was going to go through were going to be difficult and I would need strength in order to persevere. I needed to find JOY amidst the trials.

The JOY of the Lord is our strength.

I needed JOY to keep going and get through every day.

As I said, healing is my word this year for several reasons. Some I’ll share and some are private.

One is, I need physical healing in my body from multiple things.

But I also need healing from this eating disorder I’ve struggled with for so many years. I’ve been set free from using the diuretics and laxatives everyday, praise God! That is a miracle in itself 🙏🏻🙌🏻 But I still have my daily struggles. He’s not done with me yet and he’s not done with you either sweet friend. He’s been delivering me from glory to glory but I’m ready to be COMPLETELY FREE! COMPLETELY HEALED! Maybe that’s you too!

There are relationships in my life that need healing…Ones that I can’t do anything about.

Loved ones who need Jesus.

Loved ones who are sick and need healing.

Loved ones who are making wrong choices.

Loved ones who are heartbroken.

Loved ones who just need a miracle.

Relationships that need restoration.

Ones that only God can fix it.

One thing I know though is that nothing is to big for my God and nothing is impossible for Him!

He’s the God of the IMPOSSIBLE.

He’s the WAYMAKER!

Verse of the Year:

Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits, who forgives all your iniquity, who heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit, who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy, who satisfies you with good so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s. Psalm 103:2-5

God bless you sweet friends and if you need prayer, I would be honored to pray for you. Have a blessed and wonderful day.

Big hugs,

Nicole💗

Song of the Year:

Waymaker- Leeland

Even when I don’t see it, You’re working
Even when I don’t feel it, You’re working
You never stop, You never stop working
You never stop, You never stop working

Way maker, miracle worker, promise keeper
Light in the darkness, my God
That is who You are
Way maker, miracle worker, promise keeper
Light in the darkness, my God
That is who You are

https://youtu.be/iJCV_2H9xD0

God of Miracles

I want to encourage you sweet friend to hold onto hope…the hope that only comes from Jesus.

Don’t stop believing. 🕺💃 🎶 Now you’ve got that song stuck in your head, lol. But seriously, don’t stop believing that God is on your side and He’s got you right in the palm of His hand.

Don’t stop praying for that loved one to come back to God.

Don’t stop praying for that relationship to be healed and restored.

Don’t stop praying for your health to be restored or for the problem there hasn’t been answer too. God knows what to do and where to send you to so you get your answers.

Don’t give up even when it seems there’s no one on your side and people are saying it’s not possible. Sweet one, with God ALL THINGS ARE POSSIBLE!

Surround yourself with friends that come along side you. The ones who will lift up your arms when you don’t have the strength to keep going. But also be that one for them when they can’t go on….you pray and lift them up when their to weak to go on.

As iron sharpens iron so one person sharpens another. Proverbs 27:17

YESSSS! BE THAT FRIEND!

When things don’t seem to change or things are getting worse….you keep praying and believing for God to move that mountain! Don’t you dare give up!

He’s all powerful…all mighty! A mountain moving, water parting, earth shaking, battle fighting, and unstoppable kinda GOD!

He’s The Waymaker!

So keep praying and believing that God is fighting for you. He is behind the scenes working ALL things out for your good!

Trust Him!

Trust that he’s heard your heartfelt prayers. Just because you don’t receive an answer this moment it doesn’t mean he hasn’t heard you or that he isn’t answering you, it simply means his timing is different than ours. He sees the beginning from the end and His ways are higher than ours.

But let me encourage you that He hasn’t forgotten you….no He always has a perfect plan for us. So keep hanging in there. Keep praying and don’t give up. Keep on leaning into Jesus.

He is the God of miracles!

The Waymaker!

“You are the God who performs miracles; you display your power among the peoples” (Psalm 77:14).

“If you’ve got pain, He’s a pain taker. If you feel lost, He’s a way maker. If you need freedom or saving, He’s a prison-shaking Savior. If you’ve got chains, He’s a chain breaker.”

God bless you and have a wonderful week!

Big hugs,

Nicole💗

Be Still. He’s Already At Work

Do You Feel Like You’re Being Sifted?

What the enemy means for harm, God will use for your good.

Do you feel like you’re being sifted?

Oh man, let me tell ya, I’ve been there and it’s not a fun place….but it’s a necessary place.

Sometimes we don’t understand why we go through what we go through but let me encourage you today that it is for a purpose! You may not see it….YET, but you will.

Your sifting may look different than mine. But we’ve all been through struggles or sifting of some kind. It may look like chronic pain or sickness, divorce, addictions, eating disorder, loss of a loved one, relationship issues, honestly it could be a number of things. The struggle may be different but it’s sifting nonetheless.

Your sifting seasons might be excruciatingly painful, lonely, and frustrating. But with God on your side, the sifting can lead to purifying us, seeing what’s on the inside of us that needs to come out. It can show us who or what is causing you harm, things we need to walk away from. Things you need to say “No” too. It can strengthening you, help you rely more on Jesus instead of ourselves or others. It can also grow and mature us in our character and our faith.

We had something happen to us a few years ago and it rocked our world. But now looking back I can see God’s hand was in it all along, he never left, he was with us every step of the way. He knew what was best for us when we didn’t. We needed to go through that to get to the place we are at today. Only God can do that and He knows what’s best for you too.

When something in our lives is ripped away from us or our expectations are shattered into pieces, the effects we feel most are devastation, isolation, pain, and we can question why it happened.

God knows so much more than what we know and sees the whole picture, where we only see what’s happened or happening to us. He sees the beginning to the end.

When we surrender to Jesus and his will for our life, He will sustain us through the our trials and tribulations. Yes, we may suffer grief, pain, isolation, shame or guilt but let me reassure you Jesus doesn’t give up on us. No! He will never leave us or forsake us. No not ever!

Your faith might even wavier and that’s ok my friend because God doesn’t! He’s the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow. He is the God of restoration, the God of faith, and he is Mighty to save. He will restore what the enemy has stolen from you. He will strengthen you to press through your pain and circumstances and you will be better for it. You will grow in character, and grow more into His image. The Word says we go from glory to glory, Amen!

God will not leave you in the pit. His job is to sift through the good and the bad in our lives, and to bring about all the awesome things He has in store for you.

He’s the Waymaker!

Sweet friend, God knows what you need to be walking in His plans and purposes for your life.

I’ve learned in my own life, sometimes God has to tear things down to rebuild them the way He wants them and for what’s best for us.

It doesn’t make it easy or less painful but knowing God loves you with a everlasting love, and that if you let him He will give you the strength, grace, mercy and wisdom to get through all that you are going through! He will never leave you nor forsake you! This I know.

Nothing has come into your life that wasn’t first sifted through God’s hands. There’s a purpose sweet friend, and He loves you to much to leave you alone and let you stay the same….His plan is for you to be walking in your divine destiny that He has planned for you!!

You are destined for greatness!! You already are victorious even when it doesn’t look like it. You are an overcomer!!

It is written!!!

Have a blessed and wonderful day!

Big hugs,

Nicole 💗

Hope against Hope

HOPE!! What is hope? It’s a confident expectation; it’s an attitude that something good is going to happen.

Have you ever felt hopeless?

Like you’ve believed, prayed, been on your knees, cried out to God for something and it still hasn’t come to pass and you just wonder, “God do you hear me?” “Can you see me?”

I think if we’re honest we’ve all been there. I know I have, maybe I am still in some areas “Hoping against hope.”

I think it kinda hit me today in my prayer time I’ve heard the story a million times. Abraham and Sarah were believing God for the impossible. God promised to “bless them with descendants to numerous to count.”

Abraham was a 100….A HUNDRED YEARS OLD Y’ALL!! Sarah was 90….Can you image that??? Giving birth at 90 YEARS OF AGE! Nope, I can’t imagine it in my my 40’s or 50’s lol, not that there is anything wrong with it I was just a young chickadee when I started having babies. But God honored His promise to them, IN HIS TIME and gave them a child in their old age.

“Even when there was NO reason for hope, Abraham kept hoping.” Hoping against hope, he believed God. That’s for YOU today!

God is no respecter of persons, if He did it for Abraham and Sarah, He can surely do it for you and me.

So what are you believing for or hoping against hope for?

It doesn’t matter what it is or even what your situation looks like….hope, believe, and trust in God like Abraham and Sarah. He is Almighty God, nothing impossible to Him. He is more than able to do exceedingly, abundantly, above and way beyond what you can imagine. He is the Waymaker and the Promise Keeper, and He will keep His promise to you. He loves YOU precious one and He sees your pain and although at times it may not seem like it….but He has a great plans for your life! Plans to prosper you and not harm you, to give you hope and future.

Whatever it is your going through Gods got you in the palm of His hand and He will work all things out for your good. Keep hanging in there my friend and hoping against hope! You are His treasure and Trophy of Grace!

Love and hugs,

Nicole💗