2-0-1-6 in Review

I love sitting down at the end of the year and looking back to see all that God has blessed me with this year and all that He has done. I know a lot of people focus on the bad and can't wait to end this year and get to the next, but if you stop to reflect, you may see the other side of things. People He has brought in my life, opportunities He has opened, experiences and memories that will last a lifetime. I am grateful. Here is my 2016 in review...

JANUARY
Not much happened in January, but we did get snow! I love experiencing all the different seasons in Virginia and finding beauty in all types of weather and nature is truly where I find my peace with God.

FEBRUARY
Birthday celebrations. My two high school best friends, Noelle and Jen, have been in my life for nearly 15 years. That's half my life! We've seen each other through so much! Even though we don't get to see each other as much as we used to, we still try to get together for dinner for each other's birthdays. The history and years together with these ladies I do not take for granted!

MARCH
In March, we celebrated my mom's retirement from many years as Executive Director of THRIVE Peninsula (formerly known as Denbigh United Christian Outreach). She gave so much of her time, energy, heart and passion towards that ministry, and it's one of the main reasons I wanted to get into nonprofit ministry work myself as an adult.

APRIL
Hiking is one of my favorite activities. I feel closest to God when I am in worship or in nature. This month I got to hike with two of my close brothers in Christ to Hawksbill Summit. It is the highest summit on Skyline Drive! Although it was super cloudy and foggy that day and we couldn't actually see anything from the summit, God was still present.

In April, we also celebrated my niece Haven's 1st birthday! My niece and nephew are seriously two of my greatest joys in life! I adore them! To them, I am Aunt Lolo. ;)

April was a full month! One of my favorite pasttimes is going to Christian worship concerts or praise events. The Outcry Tour featuring Hillsong United, Elevation Worship, Kari Jobe, Jesus Culture and more came to VA Beach and a group of 20 church friends all got to experience it together!

MAY
I turned 29 (thank God for another year when nothing is guaranteed), and I got to spend it with two of my favorite buddies!

JUNE
God puts specific people in your life for a reason. I met this beautiful soul Crystal last year through my good friend Alex and my church, and this year our friendship grew a lot when we got to go through Beth Moore's Bible Study on James together. Here we are celebrating her graduation from college. She has a huge heart for our God, for serving, and for people.

JULY
Went on the the #CoryCampingCraziness adventure for the first official camping trip done by my brother's family with my niece and nephew in Asheville, NC. Lots of waterfall hikes, a waterfall slide, campfires, smores, mountainbiking, and more.

AUGUST
Annual Cory Beach Vacation at Outerbanks, NC was so much fun with family. My niece and nephew loved the beach!

Also, got to see Casting Crowns in concert at VA Beach! Did I mention I love worship concerts and events? LOL

SEPTEMBER
Road tripped to Charlotte, NC to go to Elevation Church's Code Orange Revival for 3 days. Great messages, phenomenal worship, and a great weekend!

Also, my best friend got engaged! God is all over that beautiful love story and I just feel blessed that I get to witness it and be a part of it! Alicia and Daniel get married in Jan 2017! Woo Hoo!

OCTOBER
When God put people in your life to do LIFE with, you enjoy every moment. October was filled with fun Halloween adventures and quality time with special friends.

NOVEMBER
The beginning of the month started out with an incredible hiking trip on Skyline Drive in Shenandoah National Park with one of my closest friends Kim. We hiked Dark Hollow Falls trail and stayed at Big Meadows Lodge and got to see God in all His glory in nature. I met Kim last year, but God didn't reveal how impactful that friendship would be on my life until this year. Having a sister in Christ who knows everything about me, loves me with no judgment, and encourages me spiritually is a true blessing.

Thanksgiving this year was spent with my parents, my Grammy and Aunt Mimi in Stroudsburg, PA. My grandma is 98 years old and the sweetest woman on the planet. I've learned a lot from observing her peaceful, calm, and loving spirit over the last couple decades.

DECEMBER
My brother's family came to Newport News for Christmas this year. I loved seeing the excitement on my nephew's face on Christmas morning and how much he got into the idea of Santa. They are growing up so fast, so I am soaking up every moment with them.

In the middle of their visit, I got to produce 4 Waters Edge Church Christmas Eve services at the Yorktown campus too! That was a true privilege and joy! 270 people raised their hand to accept Jesus into their hearts across all 4 campuses. That is what the Christmas season is all about!

Thy Will Be Done

Sometimes our bliss turns into abyss... What once was, and was meant to be, shatters. We set expectations for ourselves and for others, That are unachievable, and always leave us disappointed. We place our hope and trust in things of this world, Things that are without a doubt going to fall through the cracks. We picture love, we dream, we fantasize, Thinking we deserve it all, But what do we really deserve? What does this world owe us? Things that are here today, steadfast, with vision cast far into the future, Look back at us from tomorrow, laugh, and are gone. An emptiness, a void, that you think nothing... absolutely nothing can fill...

- until -

You discover, or rediscover that LOVE, that unconditional, passionate love, undeserving, merciful, forgiving, LOVE. The Love of a Heavenly Father, a God, that looks down on you and just smiles. He sees your weaknesses, your flaws, your imperfections. He sees your fears, your insecurities, your sins, Yet, He loves you nevertheless. Oh, what a love! What an incredible, incredible Love. That Love, that Truth, His Promises, start to fill in that empty hole and void, fill in every open wound and gap in our lives. It restores, it heals, it refreshes, It fills a once hopeless, broken soul back to life again. The pain doesn't go away, it still stings with from time to time, but beneath it all, there is a Hope, a Peace, a Joy, from none other than our Savior Jesus Christ our Lord. Jesus, enter our dark abyss; be our Light! Even when it doesn't make sense, we lay our hearts at your feet, and say, "We Trust You, Lord" - "Thy Will Be Done."

Where Are You Now?

Where are you now? In your life....are you where you want to be? Personally...spiritually....emotionally.....relationally....in your career?

Sometimes, often, I doubt and feel insecure about where I am in my life. It's the comparison trap. Most all of my close friends are married, with children, something that I long and desire for. We all have dreams and expectations for our lives, on this sort of timeline. We, and the world for that matter, expects us to be in college by a certain age, married by a certain age, children, at a certain place in your career, etc. It may be unspoken, but it is always implied. Those expectations are put on us not just be the world we live in or our society, but we even put that pressure on ourselves. Why? Why do we do that to ourselves?

Life doesn't always turn out how we expect it to. Actually, more times than not, it doesn't. But I don't mean that in a depressing, hopeless way. It's all a matter of perspective. I'm 28 years old, living on my own as a single woman. I have a wonderful job, but I'm single. No husband. No children. Yes, that's something I think about all the time, or I wouldn't be writing about it in my blog. But how do I flip the switch on my perspective on that?

When I find myself getting caught up in the expectations of my timeline, I stop. Pause, pray, breathe. I know deep down that my timeline is not God's timeline. I know that His ways are greater than mine (Isaiah 55:8-9). I trust that He knows what He is doing. I trust that God has my best in mind. He will provide and take care of me. He is working things behind the scenes that I cannot see.

Yes, I believe God can work all things for good (Romans 8:28). So, being single without a family to care for has given me the time and capacity to be there for my friends and family in more ways than I would otherwise be able to. Being present for people when they lose loved ones, providing support when friends have babies, helping people move, mentoring and discipling people, etc. This year alone, God has opened two new doors for me that I have the time to be able to commit to. First, I started a Christian budgeting group that allows me to share my budgeting tips and counsel to fellow Christians seeking to honor God with their money. I've met with a ton of individuals one-on-one to go over budgeting principles and share with them a passion and skill that I believe God has given me. Secondly, I started one-on-one Bible studies with friends from church, and it has just recently grown to a small group women's Bible study that I will be hosting and leading starting next week. These are opportunities that I will not take for granted, and I will give thanks to God that I am single and have this extra time to devote to these things. In addition to extra investment I have been able to give to friends and family, it has also opened new doors and opportunities for leadership within my own church. This one is still in the works, but I see God's presence and potential in it all, and I can't wait to see where He will lead me next.

So, it's our choice. We are where we are, in our lives. But we have the power to choose how we see it. The power of perspective is all ours. Will you see the closed doors, the obstacles, the setbacks...or will you choose to see the opportunities, the dreams, the potential? Where you are now may be purposeful - maybe there is something God is calling you to where you are right now, maybe He can use your current situation in a way that you haven't tapped into yet. Ask Him. Pray to God and ask Him how He wants to use you and where you are right now. Be willing to open your mind and open your heart to a new perspective.

The Art of Saying No

Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes.

In such a fast-paced world, there is always something going on. Work, family, friends, social activities, commitments, church, volunteering, etc. Life can get filled up with so much STUFF that we barely find time to take a breath, to pause, and to rest. Why do we do that? Why do we feel the need to have to be present at every activity, as if we're going to miss out on something if we're not there? Why do we over-commit ourselves to more than any sane human can balance in their life? We feel like if we don't do that social function, or don't commit to every volunteer opportunity, that we will lose our friends, our reputation will crumble, and life will pass us by.

But what if stretching ourselves too thin and saying "yes" to everything is really dishonoring to those commitments because when we are there, we aren't able to give all of ourselves. We are so run down, thinking about the next commitment or thing we have to be at, and not present at our current activity. When will we learn that it is ok to say "No" to some things? When will we learn the art of saying "No"? It's ok to not attend every social event. It's ok to not be able to be there for every single friend every single time they need something.

This idea of saying "no" can apply to so much more than just life commitments or social activities. What about saying "no" to buying that extra outfit or extra pair of shoes that you know you can't afford in your budget? What about saying "no" to eating out, and packing your lunch because you know you need to save money? Or what about saying "no" to that sin or temptation that creeps into your life every time you get weak?

Sometimes....the art of saying NO is the best YES!

What I mean by that is this: God wants what is best for us. Yes he wants us to be in relationship with others, to have community, accountability, etc. But He doesn't want all those things to take full precedence over time spent with Him. Sometimes, it is in God's Will for us to say "no" to things and to turn them down. Saying "no" to our sins, addictions and temptations may be extremely difficult, but we know it's what is best for us. Even the things that we think may be good for us, like volunteering at church, going out with friends, those things may seem beneficial and honoring to God, but if our schedules are too jam-packed to fulfill those obligations and activities with our complete focus and best performance, in a way, it could not be what God had in mind. Maybe the best answer, our best YES, is to actually say no to things.

This is something I have really had to work on over the last couple years, and I think I've gotten slightly better at it. Being involved in so many things definitely fills up my schedule, but does it fill up my life, does it fill up my heart and spirit? The only true time that my heart feels full is when I am sitting in God's presence, one on one, because I made time for Him, because I had to say "no" to something else. It's ok to say no. Don't feel guilty about it. It might be something you have to say in order to bring a sense of order to your life, or a sense of peace. God does not want us chaotic running around trying to be EVERYTHING to EVERY PERSON. That is God's job, that is His role. It says in 1 Corinthians 14:33 "For God is not a God of disorder, but of peace." Let your yes be yes, let your no be no (Matthew 5:37).

The Motivating Chasm

A friend recently sent me a blog post that spoke straight to my soul...

Here are some of the excerpts...
"Moving on isn’t always about speeding enthusiastically forward so much as it’s about having one foot on the gas and the other on the brakes – releasing and accelerating in turn. You’re not a failure for getting to someplace amazing and still feeling like a part of yourself is missing once you get there. You’re not pathetic for mourning while you grow. The bad things don’t disappear in the blink of an eye and the good things don’t spring up into existence without reigning at least a tiny bit of collateral damage. It takes time for everything to even out. And it should.

We have to be patient with ourselves as we move through the parts in between the where we’ve been and where we’re going. We have to let the chasm motivate rather than dishearten us. It’s okay to not be there yet. It’s okay to be unsure of every step that you take forward. We don’t talk about how moving on sometimes feels like we’re fighting every part of our most basic instincts, but we should. We should talk about how growth is often every bit as painful as it is beautiful.

Because growth and letting go are so complexly intertwined that we often only see one or the other. We forget that they can exist side by side – releasing the old while letting in the new. We forget that we have the ability to do the exact same thing. And that if we’d only stop beating ourselves up over it, we might realize just how far we’ve already come."

Wow, I read that, and just sighed relief. It's always comforting when you read something that puts your own thoughts into words or your own emotions into concrete ideas. We all struggle with something. We all have our battles. Some are big, some are small. Some we defeat in a moment, and some we battle our entire lives, never to overcome. Maybe the goal is not always to focus on the finish line, maybe the Lord is testing our faith to see how we handle the race and journey in between. I can attest to this intertwining that the blog mentions. Some days I feel like I am on top of the world, I see my progress, I feel strong, bold, like I'm going to make it through this. Other days, I feel like I've taken 10 steps back, like I'm at ground zero, and get lost in the feeling of defeat.

But I love how that blog post called us to handle the complexly intertwining of our growth and letting go. Be patient. Show yourself some grace. Forgive yourself. Know that the Lord, Creator of the Universe, loves you unconditionally, and knows your struggle inside and out. He is with you through it all, and He is patient with you as you fight the battle. But the key is to remember you are not fighting it alone. God will help you fight it. You will see glimpses of His presence and help in little moments or big ways. He will send people into your life to speak encouragement to you at just the right time. He will show you favor at times when you feel like the whole world is against you. He will soften your aching heart with his comfort through a beautiful song, a warm summer day, or a friend's hug. That chasm between where you think you should be and where you are holds both beauty and disaster all in one, but it motivates us to keep pressing on into each day.

Behind the Veil

What lies behind the veil?

It's a hidden place. That which is hidden could be both good or bad. If good, perhaps it is something special or sacred, only for a select few to know and access. If bad, perhaps darkness, secrets, and sin.

We all have a veil. We all have a part of ourselves that the outside world sees, and a part of ourselves that lies beyond the veil, that only our inner world sees, or perhaps just God.

What is it for you? Is it your faith, kept secret and sacred to yourself, not sharing with the world out of fear of seeming judgmental or discriminatory? Is it your struggle with weight? Depression? Insecurity? Fear of commitment? Inability to love or be loved? Is it an addiction?

For many, our lives stay veiled forever, never to let anyone in to see the true us. We fear rejection. We fear judgement.

In the Old Testament, Jewish people worshiped in a tabernacle, which was separated into different sections. There was the outer court, the inner court (holy place), and the most holy place called the Holy of Holies. An average person could enter the outer court, priests could enter the inner court, but only the High Priest could go behind the veil to the Holy of Holies. The Jewish people believed that the presence of God lived in that most holy place. So, before the high priest entered, he had to go through a series of purification rituals. The Jewish people were kept at a distance from their God, and only through a series of rituals and sacrifices, could they meet their God or be in His presence.

However, this all changed when Jesus entered the scene. At his death and crucifixion, the Bible says: "At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth shook, the rocks split..." Matthew 27:51. Basically, the veil, the very symbol of what represented the split between God and man in the Jewish religion, was torn in two on that day. Jesus came to bridge that gap between God and man, so that we can come before our God clothed in Christ's righteousness. In Hebrews 6: 19-20, it says. "We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain, where our forerunner, Jesus, has entered on our behalf. He has become a high priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek." Christ has torn the veil that allows us to enter into God's presence. He sees all of us, all our good and bad kept behind our veil, and He dares to go beyond that veil. He goes beyond it and loves us all the same knowing every piece of our lives.

If we can come to claim that kind of love in our lives - the kind of love that goes behind our veil into the darkest places in our lives and accepts and loves us all the same - just imagine the kind of freedom that would come from that.

So, what lies behind your veil? What have you kept hidden in your Holy of Holies? Are you willing to have an all-loving Savior come tear it down, and set you free?

Be Still

A view from my cruise a few weeks ago, and a gentle reminder from my Savior.

27 Things I've Learned in 27 Years

Here are 27 things I've learned over the course of my 27 years of life...

1. Never go grocery shopping hungry.
2. No one person can fill your every need. Only God can.
3. I am nobody's keeper. People must take responsibility for their own actions.
4. I am nobody's savior. There is one Savior, and His name is Jesus Christ.
5. Live within your means; budget your money. As a result, you can bless and give to others.
6. Not much comes close to the deliciousness of freshmade guacamole and Chipotle.
7. Love and serve others with all that you have. Put others before yourself.
8. Life is a journey. Always strive to better yourself, but don't expect yourself to be perfect.
9. Travel and see the world. Acknowledge and appreciate people of different cultures and ways.
10. Tell people you love them often; you never know when you won't have that chance.
11. Your body is your temple. Treat it well; it will pay off in the long run.
12. Acknowledge your weaknesses and flaws. Work on them. It will make you a better person.
13. Use your strengths, talents, and gifts to bring God glory in all that you do.
14. Our human understanding of right/wrong, just, and fairness might not be the same as God's view.
15. Surround yourself with people of like minds and interests who will encourage you to pursue your hopes, goals, and dreams, and encourage you in your faith.
16. What you believe affects what you think. What you think affects what you say and do. Know what you believe.
17. You can never DO anything to make God love you more. He loves you just as you are.
18. Change can be good. Learn to embrace it.
19. Hold onto the innocence of a child. I still have 10 stuffed animal penguins.
20. Never settle for less than God's best in relationships.
21. Plaza Azteca is the best. Enough said.
22. Be friends with people who will challenge you and keep you accountable.
23. You don't have to like or be friends with everyone. But honor and respect them, and see them as a child of God.
24. Don't be afraid to ask for help.
25. There is a purpose to all trials, obstacles, hurts, and sadness. God can bring goodness out of it all.
26. Acknowledge that we only see a portion of the timeline and picture. God sees and knows it all. His timing is often not our timing.
27. God will never leave you or forsake you. He will see you through it all.

God is Light

I Need Thee Every Hour

Just discovered this beautiful harmonious song on GodTube.com a week or so ago. It is absolutely breath-taking. When I can't describe life's circumstances through words, I just let worship music speak for me. I am not meant to do life on my own strength. I need the Lord every single hour and moment of everyday. I need His strength, I need His grace and mercy, I need His forgiveness, I need His unconditional love. Through the struggles, He will not leave me and not forsake me. I feel His peace deep down inside of me even when the storm rages around me. I need thee, Lord, I need thee....

In Him, All Things Hold Together

 

"For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together."
Colossians 1:16-17

I climbed Humpback Rock on the Blue Ridge Parkway this past Saturday with a bunch of friends. I love being outdoors in nature, whether it be hiking, camping, kayaking, at the beach, etc. Being in nature is just a way for me to bond with my Creator...the Creator of all. Once I got to the top of the mountain, I stared out at the expanse of the rolling hills and mountains and endless stretches of green trees. It was breath-taking and left me in awe of God. Every inch of this earth has God's fingerprints and authorship all over it. What a talented, masterful artist! Everything that I gazed upon was made by Him and for Him. I really don't know how people can look at awe-inspiring sights like the one I saw on Saturday and not believe in God or a divine Creator. That type of beauty doesn't just happen by chance, it is magnificently and perfectly designed and created by someone, and that someone, is the one and only Lord of all. I like how Colossians says it in Chapter 1, verse 17, that "in him all things hold together." God holds all things together. As I stood on the top of the mountain, I thought to myself, God is holding all this creation in the palm of His hand, watching over it, protecting it, loving it. Then I thought, God was even holding me, His creation, together. Oftentimes, I feel like a mess, like I am always unraveling in confusion, hurt, doubt, sin, and depression. Sometimes, the only thing holding me together is God. Without my Creator holding me together, I would be a lost cause. I am so grateful that I believe in a God who carefully designed all his creations, and so compassionately holds them all together in the palm of His hand.

Seeing with God's Eyes

The following poem came out of the last book I read called Made for Goodness and Why This Makes All the Difference by Desmond Tutu and his daugther Mpho Tutu.

You are my child.
My beloved.
With you I am well pleased.
Stand beside me and see yourself.
Borrow my eyes so you can see perfectly.
When you look with my eyes then you will see
That the wrong you have done and the good left undone,
The words you have said that should not have been spoken,
The words you should have spoken but left unsaid,
The hurts you have caused,
The help you've not given
Are not the whole of the story of you.
You are not defined by what you did not achieve.
Your worth is not determined by success.
You were priceless before you drew your first breath,
Beautiful before dress or artifice,
Good at the core.

Who Do You Say I Am?

When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say the Son of Man is?” They replied, “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” “But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?” Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” Matthew 16:13-16

Jesus asked one of his closest friends and followers, "Who do you say I am?" Peter told Jesus all the different identities and names that others around town had called him. Some of his answers were John the Baptist, Elijah, Jeremiah, a prophet. But the Lord didn't care what others called him at that point. He turned to Peter and asked him what HE called him. Peter declared Jesus was the "Messiah, the Son of the living God."

Who do you say I am?

Even If

"Sometimes all we have to hold on to

Is what we know is true of who You are

So when the heartache hits like a hurricane

That could never change who You are

And we trust in who You are

Even if the healing doesn't come

And life falls apart

And dreams are still undone

You are God You are good

Forever faithful One

Even if the healing

Even if the healing doesn't come"

Three and a half years later, and the healing still hasn't come. I can't make sense of so much in my life right now. My heart tells me one thing, my mind tells me another. The day tells me one thing, the night tells me another. I can't forget, and I can't move on. I feel like I have had a splitting heart for the last three years. It's broken in so many pieces that I don't even know where to begin to put them all back together again. My mind tells me one thing, my feelings tell me another. The Lord tells me one thing, the devil tells me another. Guilt, shame, and unforgiveness are not of the Lord, yet I feel like I know them better than any other feelings at this moment. Living a life of freedom and redemption seems so far-fetched to me right now. I know it all to be true, but I don't feel worthy. If the Lord can forgive me, why can't I forgive myself? I have so many questions, so many doubts, so many fears...but this song reminds me, that even if the healing doesn't come, even if this pain doesn't stop, God is still God. I will never deny that, and I know that to be true. Even though I feel like I am in the darkest hole of depression, God is still good, and He is still Lord. He will still reign no matter what circumstance I am in, no matter what heartbreak or despair I am experiencing, no matter where I find myself in life. It's the one Truth that cannot be shaken and I will always know to be true - Jesus is my Lord, He is good, and He is Love. I may feel far from His love at times, but it's not because He has pulled away. It's because I have let all these sinful feelings of guilt, shame, and unforgiveness consume my heart and mind. I have hope that His Love will help me tear through all of those feelings and that I will feel whole and free once again. But even now, when healing has not come and my life feels like it's in pieces, I will not turn my back on the Gospel that has always been True, and God who has always been there.

"To Love at All is to be Vulnerable"

I spend a lot of time thinking about friendships and relationships....what they should be like, what I can do to be a better person and better friend, how to love people unconditionally, etc. It's just something I enjoy to think deeply about. It's hard to be in relationships or friendships after getting burned by people, or rejected, or abandoned. It's really hard to reopen your heart to others, to trust them again, or to even love them like you once loved before. But it's gotta be worth it, right? One of my favorite quotes about relationships and love is by Christian author, C.S. Lewis. He says:

"To love at all is to be vulnerable. Love anything, and your heart will certainly be wrung and possibly broken. If you want to make sure of keeping it intact, you must give your heart to no one, not even to an animal. Wrap it carefully round with hobbies and little luxuries; avoid all entanglements; lock it up safe in the casket or coffin of your selfishness. But in that casket- safe, dark, motionless, airless--it will change. It will not be broken; it will become unbreakable, impenetrable, irredeemable.”

Too Much God?

Is there such a thing as TOO MUCH GOD?

I hung out with a friend of mine recently who has known me for about twelve years. He told me that I talked about God too much and that it was overwhelming. He said that I needed to experience life outside the lens of God.
 

Who I Am

I am a woman, a child of God.

Before my parents even had me in the glimpse of their minds, my Heavenly Father had already formed me in His perfect image.

I am a Christian, a follower of Jesus Christ, who I declare is my Lord and Savior unashamedly.

How Can I Come to the End of Me and Still Have All I Need?

"No other god but me"

Exodus 20:2-5 says:

'I am the Lord your God, who rescued you from the land of Egypt, the place of your slavery. You must not have any other god but me. You must not make for yourself an idol of any kind or an image of anything in the heavens or on the earth or in the sea. You must not bow down to them or worship them, for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God who will not tolerate your affection for any other gods. I lay the sins of the parents upon their children; the entire family is affected—even children in the third and fourth generations of those who reject me.'"

Who or what reigns in your life? Who is your allegiance to and what is your top priority? What does all your heart, mind, and soul invest in on a daily basis? Where your time and money are, there is your heart also.

ROARING like a LION!