Loving the Unlovable

My frustrations of wanting to just get away from everyone and everything because of feeling unappreciated or unheard have often led to me feeling unloved. Have you ever felt like this? You know the old friend grudge that keeps all the history of everyone I had ever felt wronged you? This of course is one common example of some of the stinkin thinking.  So how could God ever love someone like me when the people in my life I feel can’t love me the way I need?

I have struggled many days in loving myself, family, and friends the way I should. How can I pour from this empty cup? Am I the only person who has felt like this? As crazy as it sounds, I have learned to confess and recognize my problematic ways of thinking specifically with doubt and disbelief. I have learned that when I am open with God and real with myself, this is when I am most authentic and humble enough to hear from Him. At times, it is with the smallest amount of FAITH that I experience God’s love and know he sees me, and feel just how much He cares about the things that concern me.  

I remember as a teen, I went with my mother to visit the sick and shut in. A gentleman stated that I was the apple of God’s eye. At the time, I didn’t realize it was scripture and I didn’t know why he was saying that to me but I never forgot what he said. That wasn’t the first time God expressed his love for me.  Over the years, he has provided not only tangible resources to myself and my family, He has also provided peace and perspective during difficult seasons in my life. Let me tell you something,  the word of God is a great place to begin to investigate how God loves and how both you and I should express love to Him. The word of God instructs us that the Holy Spirit is the antidote to how we can go from being unlovable to lovable. The Word explains, “But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!” (Galatians 5:22-23). With the assistance of the Holy Spirit, we are able to renew our minds daily and transform our thought process ultimately leading to a change in how we love. How we love ourselves, how we love one another, how we love God. Although I am a work in progress, being mindful of how the Holy Spirit is operating within me has assisted this formerly unlovable woman into a person who allows God to love on her so that she can pour that love onto herself and others.

Question of The Day?

Will you trust God enough to let Him love on you?

Confession Is Good For The Soul

From time to time my mornings can be filled with confessions and emotions that I have allowed to escape me and lie dormant for fear that it will be uncomfortable and seem weak and depressing for me to share that the author of encouragement for everyday living gets discouraged but the simple fact is I need encouragement.

Encouragement

giving support, confidence, or hope to someone (oxford dictionary)

Yes i said it for all to see and read and know

My life is full of wonderful things family, friendship, faith however there are days that when I really sit with my restless self and quiet myself it is encouragement that I seek.

I seek to give hope so that I may in return feel hope, cheer confidently in order to build my confidence ( you know fake it to you make it), and give support hoping that it would be reciprocated.

My thoughts I share today isn’t merely a confession but a freeing and encouraging thought for me and others like me who read may read a blog, a book, or article on how to know that the Lord sees our intention to heal what is broken and our motivations for connecting with others and He wants us to know that  He can provide the right amount of encouragement, at the right time, for the right reason.

Romans 15:13- “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the Power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in Hope.” ESV

Rebuilding a Legacy

My husband Felipe Rojas and I had a great talk with our sons last week  about the importance of them understanding the value of being men, Afro- Latino, and Christian. The responsibility to be and manage a heart of gratitude. This came as a result of watching a segment of the television show “The View” on Martin Luther King Jr, birthday.

In the segment Sonny Hostin shared that her father shared that her generation , she’s 49, was the first generation with full rights in America. This got me asking the question what is missing in the African American community that familial legacies are being slaughtered off. Then the my answer came with one simple thought. Our ancestors fought with the Hope of freedom and now we have to continue building on that legacy that was started with HOPE and GRATITUDE.

HOPE and GRATITUDE to strong powerful words that help shape character and dreams. HOPE  meaning the feeling or expectation and desire for a certain thing to happen. GRATITUDE meaning the quality of being thankful; readiness to show appreciation for to return kindness.  Both words inspired me  along with my husband to have the conversation with our boys. We needed to share the value of our past family patriarchs and the responsibility of all of us currently living to carry the torch.

We discussed the struggle of leaders from both the Mexican and African American heritage struggle for equality and the importance to understand the strengths and struggles of the men of Rojas, Orta, Whigham, Parker families.

We explained that the older generation fought for their rights in Mexico and America everyday by working hard. We shared that both sides of the families had farming in their legacy and some where even entreprenuer. 

We explained that now that the foundation was laid by their great great grandparents using HOPE that they will need to use GRATITUDE and HOPE to continue to move forward as representatives of the 4 families and Christ.

Excited and Nervous always praying seeds are planted .  We can rebuild our legacy and we will do just that with HOPE and GRATITUDE.
#Kingdombuilding #menofhonor #coparentingworks