Simple orange beauty

When work days are long and people fickle; walk outside and look up. 
Gods nature never lets you down, never gossips, never frustrates, never disappoints – it just looks down on you with simple orange beauty and makes everything peaceful again! 🌤

hi, i’m a people pleaser

I was reading through Galations last night and this scripture I found quite confronting.   It smacks you right in the face asking a very clear question;

Are you trying to win the approval of those around you or of God?  Are you constantly focusing on pleasing people – because if you are trying to please people, you cannot be a servant of Christ”

So often we are swayed by what those around us are doing.    I used to struggle a lot in highschool to have my own voice. To not be swept up with the wrong people.  To say no and not be easily influenced.  And in highschool, I got swept up.  I became involved with some people who accepted me when I was like them.  And by being like them, I change myself so I fit in and didn’t stand out so I wouldn’t be picked on.

Highschool is not an easy place, for A LOT of people, but it still happens in later life – we change, even slightly, to those we come into contact with.

I personally find it hard to stop doing this in my life.  I especially don’t like it when I catch myself in a moment where I’m compromising my beliefs to make people around me feel comfortable.

Here though, in Galations, Paul wasn’t afraid of being judged by those around him and he didn’t change himself to be like those around him so that they would listen to him – he was obedient and received Christ’s words to tell people about the Gospel, not words of men!

He didn’t fluff it up with fancy words and dress up a certain way to please those around him so they would pay attention to him, he brought the word of God, not the words and ways of men!

It’s something that I, everyday, have to come back to.  Not to worry what people might think of me because of what I believe or what I say, but to rest upon the word of God and please Him, be a servant of Christ!  To be led by faith – not by others!  Trust in the word of God, not the words of those around me! 

It’s something I know I need to work on this year and as much as I have changed and moved on SO much from the people pleasing ways of highschool and my early 20’s,  I have to remind myself of this, no matter how confronting.

REST into 2015

Well, here we are! Hello 2015.  You are a bright, happy, brand spankin new year and you have me quite excited to be here!

As so many of you have said, “I can’t believe 2014 is over, it went so fast” and I feel exactly the same.  It seems the days, weeks and months just keep going faster each year!  But here we are – 2015!

This time last year I’d chosen the word “Simplicity” for 2014.  I feel there were many parts of my life that I did indeed Simplify things.  Make everything less complicated, stop over thinking, stop the distractions and be filled with His simplicity.  Concentrate on the goodness, the kindness and the simple love that Jesus has freely given us.

While I feel I did do that in many areas of 2014, it still was a full on year and it seems that sometimes, as much as your intentions are good to try and slow down, life just gets in the way and you are back on the complicated wheel again.  But always in the back of my head was that word – haunting me all year – which in turn helped me to slow down…at times!

So this year, after a big 2014, I’m choosing to rest.   Rest in the very essence of the word yes, but to also rest in His word, more than I did in 2014, more than I ever have.

I want 2015 to be about constantly relying and resting on the goodness of God’s word in everything I do.  I need to listen to that voice that nudges be forward, even if its the littlest of things.  To trust and have overwhelming faith beyond what I can see and to settle into His promises.

By doing all this, there is no doubt in my mind that this will lead me to that simplified year that I was hoping for last year.  All the while leaning in closer to God’s word and resting by His side.   Only good things can stem from that!!!

There is a quote I like which says “New Years mark a new beginning. New people to meet, new adventures to enjoy and new memories to create.”   With that in mind, I hope that everyone has these in 2015, with good health, happiness and a restful spiritual walk also, for God gives us rest no matter the season or what type of year we’ve had, as long as we rest towards Him!