The Mirage

When we let go of God and choose to do what we know best, we fail.. What seemed to be the worst only seems far easier than what we find ourselves in now. Perhaps we walk into our own will and not God’s.. Perhaps we run into our own trap... a mirage that we once perceived as the dreams we bargained for. So God cries out not to be deceived.. but its hard to trust the unseen. Hard to comprehend that the best is yet to come. We don’t realize that this isn’t what we are ourselves want.. that it is an illusion.. a lie.. but we refuse to listen. We blind our eyes to what is seen and ignore the quiet voice in our hearts that’s telling us that this is an obstacle from gaining what we really want and that which God wants to give. We push ourselves away from what we ourselves asked and we make God our enemy when all he is doing is protecting us and trying to make our dreams a reality.. our dreams..not His..

We see a little goodness in life and we grab onto it refusing to let God take us to the best. So we fall, we fail and find ourselves in a worse place than our once thought of misery. The past becomes nothing compared to the pain of now. Yet, God walks into the mess we’ve made of our lives and makes something good come out of the pain we have brought upon ourselves. We choose death but he brings us out alive. We choose pain yet he brings us out stronger. Who does that? Who kindly draws victory out of our self inflicted defeat? Who does that so lovingly? We asked for hope and joy.. He wants to give .. Yet we end up in traps of distrust and think God wants to rob our lives away.. when he wants to give us what’s real..the best.. but it takes faith to wait on Him and trust the unfamiliar, the future…and time.. But he doesn’t anger for trying to take us where we want to be.. and for leaving Him half way for a deal we bargained for in the first place.... he doesn’t.. he tries to make the best out of everything.. even if we are broken and bruised.. entangled and full of regret.. He walks with us, carries us and takes us as close as he can to the dreams and hope we always wanted..we always dreamed of.. those ones that we never told anyone about..the fairytales that God can bring alive.

He decides to take us to that good place that we ourselves aspired until we let go of Him.he takes us as close as he can..fighting against our own deceptions .. and blindness..trying so hard to make our dreams come true, trying to take us to our future in the reality of all that we asked for and more.

Everything

Your love for me overwhelms me. The hope You've given to me strengthens me. The strength that You give to me brings me joy. The calm in my heart is from Your peace. Though there may be tears and pain I know that You are faithful and You will remain faithful till the end. Even when the storms in my life rage against me and the waves threaten to drown me; in my times of despair I know that You're holding me and that You'll never let me go. Your grace gives me wings to soar from one day to the next. Your Spirit takes me from glory to glory and I shall no lack for You are my God. Your arms hold me tight and You place my feet firmly on the ground. Even when I can't see You, I know You're there and that if I reached out in faith I could touch You. I long for You, my spirit calls out for You in the dead of the night. I search for Your glorious Presence, to bask in Your breath-taking love. I seek, I chase after Your heart. I live to know You more. I cannot imagine a day - no, a second without You! You are my Lord, the lifter of my head, the Lover of my soul. You are the song that I sing, the breath I take, the words I speak, the thoughts in my head, the love that I feel, the love that I can show.
You are my everything.

LOVE AND COMPASSION

Love and compassion comes from god above,

In return don't we have to send some above?,

The love and compassion he shows us everyday,

In return we forget him like he was another person from yesterday,

he loves us so much that he didnt forget us in life's worst situations,

And shows mercy and saves us from great afllictions,

So what do you think about my god?,

C'mon he's too big to be expressed, cuz he's god!,

He is the one who has decided your future,

He decides about your rapture,

So if you love him praise him,

Whether its bright or its Dim.

Let Go..Let God

Where do I find my solace from the gripping fear of tomorrows, from all uncertainty of today?NOW has come simply through grace and yesterday was a never ending climb to this very moment. They say all will be well, reassuring the present, seeking relief from mere thoughts of simplicity in life. But I fail to comprehend such perception.. I waver even as I hold my head up high. For the eyes of my heart see that tomorrow will continually have new battles even if today's has by far been won.. they never cease..they rise on the brink of the horizon.. 

Perhaps I should be stronger, braver and more alive than ever before but beneath the surface lies a foreboding of not knowing how I will live up to what I've already bound myself to.. how will I finish this race? 

The only hope I know of are ones that I see through the eyes of a dreamer.. of dreams that may never even come to be, gradually channeling thoughts to the glory of eternity..  I draw honor in the fact that I love for a living even though it calls to live in endurance and see courage as I recall having chosen to live in the unfamiliar for the glory of the King. Fighting for breath, I realize I cannot renounce but try to embrace blessings in the land of my suffering.

So I continue to walk this narrow path in loyalty & obedience, pushing the "whys" aside, laying down my rights, finding solace in the truth that I am chosen to fight a great battle for humanity..to endure not as a consequence of sin but as a symbol of favor & ability..

And now I am able to embrace reality like other living martyrs, with faith barely seen, trying to let go..striving to let GOD..

TRUE

Being true to oneself lies in standing by that which does not cost the truth and by that which is not at the expense of pleasing God.  For, value does not lie in taking sides or gratifying man, but in choosing to stand by what is true,  always upholding righteousness, forever embracing justice. 

YOUR WORD

Lost in the sweet serenity of Your voice alive in Your Word, I can’t get by one day not knowing what You have to say. And yearning to hear what you believe I seek deep revelation. A beautiful serenade or just mere conversation would do for that is what sustains a longing soul like mine. And often I wonder why I depend on unsound opinion when it is Your utterance that breathes life. Why do I look to dissuasion when You so Powerfully leave me in reverie with Your compassion & light. A warm embrace of divine inspiration conquers mortal affection and every deep concern of my heart I find endorsed in memoirs aroused by You..Even when futility sounds in human connection, Your word lifts my life force. Undyingly, I know Your word is radiance in this dark tunnel; an indispensable light unto my path.

JOURNEY TOWARDS THE PURPOSE

THERE IS ALWAYS MORE TO LIFE THAN THAT WHICH OUR EYES CAN SEE

THE JOURNEY IS NOT OF THE MOMENT
RATHER IT SPANS OVER MILLIONS OF MOMENTS
WE TEND TO LIMIT OUR 'PURPOSE' TO OUR UNDERSTANDING OF LIFE
WE FORGET THAT GOD, THE CREATOR OF LIFE, SEES OUR LIVES
IN THE MEASURE OF THE YEARS TO COME - NOT IN DAYS OR MONTHS!
IT IS EASY TO FORGET - INCREDIBLY EASY!
WHEN THE WAVES OF LIFE CRASH OVER US WITH SUCH TREMENDOUS FEROCITY
IT IS EASY TO LET GO OF THE 'BIGGER PICTURE'
BUT ALWAYS ASK GOD TO REMIND YOU (NOT THAT HE DOESN'T ANYWAY)
THAT THERE IS SOMETHING BIGGER THAN YOU AND ME
THAT WE ARE SO LIMITED IN OUR KNOWLEDGE OF LIFE
THAT WHAT WE SEE AND KNOW IS SIMPLY A FRACTION
OF SOMETHING THAT REALLY IS BIGGER, SO MUCH BIGGER
THAN WE CAN EVER COMPREHEND
IT IS HARD TO TRUST GOD WHEN THINGS AREN'T ROSY AND BRIGHT
IT IS HARD TO BELIEVE THAT HE'S THERE GUARDING US, WATCHING OVER US
IT IS SO EASY TO GET SIDE-TRACKED BY WHAT WE THINK
IS OVERWHELMINGLY HUGE!
IT IS HARD TO HOLD ON TO HOPE WHEN YOU'RE SURROUNDED BY DARKNESS
BUT THE BEST PART IS THAT HE UNDERSTANDS HOW HARD IT IS
SO HE NEVER LETS GO OF YOU
THE JOURNEY THAT WE'RE ON - LET US TRY NOT TO CONFINE IT
TO THE SIMPLICITY OF OUR MINDS
LET US NOT LIMIT ITS SIGNIFICANCE ACCORDING TO
THE FOOLISHNESS OF OUR HUMAN WISDOM
LET US, RATHER, BELIEVE IN THE JOURNEY TOWARDS SOMETHING
GREATER THAN WHAT WE CAN IMAGINE
A JOURNEY TOWARDS HOPE, PEACE, JOY, STRENGTH, HEALING, LOVE
AND ABOVE ALL - GOD!
LET US ACCEPT AND HOLD ON TO THE FACT THAT OUR LIVES ARE PRICELESS
THIS LIFE OF OURS HAS A MEANING TO IT THAT IS SO DEEP
THAT THE SMALLEST REVELATION OF IT WOULD ENGULF US
IN ABSOLUTE AWE OF THE SUPERNATURAL
LET US UNDERSTAND OUR PURPOSE - WHICH, IN ONE WORD, IS GOD - AND BEGIN
THE JOURNEY TOWARDS THE PURPOSE

The realization that nothing is in my hands is overwhelming
The realization that everything is in God's hands is comforting.

A PROMISE FOR ISRAEL.

Sometimes I don't know what it's like to go through what you do..but atleast I do know this..it's never easy being caught up in life's biggest mistakes..So to every flood & storm that we get ourselves into besides all else, to God be the glory for he is our hope, restoration & salvation.

Father..please come through for every soul that has truely turned back to You..You are what man can never be..the solution..the purpose..the way..

More than ever..I pray Your Word (Deut. 30)comes alive at a time such as this..thank u for second chances & for unconditional love..deep calls to Deep

Prosperity After Turning to the LORD

.. when you.. return to the LORD your God and obey him with all your heart and with all your soul..then the LORD your God will restore and have compassion on you and gather you again from..[where] he scattered you. Even if you have been banished to the most distant land [sin] under the heavens, from there the LORD your God will gather you and bring you back.. The LORD your God will circumcise your hearts.. so that you may love him with all your heart and with all your soul, and live.  The LORD your God will put all these curses on your enemies who hate and persecute you. You will again obey the LORD and follow all his commands. Then the LORD your God will make you most prosperous in all the work of your hands .. The LORD will again delight in you and make you prosperous.. if you obey the LORD your God and keep his commands and decrees that are written in this Book of the Law and turn to the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul.

* dedicated to every Israel

"Dear friends, let us love one another for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love."

1 John 4:7-8, NIV

Word of encouragement - Joshua 1

All your life, no one will be able to hold out against you. In the same way I was with Moses, I'll be with you. I won't give up on you; I won't leave you. Strength! Courage! You are going to lead this people... Give it everything you have, heart and soul. Make sure you carry out The Revelation that Moses commanded you, every bit of it. Don't get off track, either left or right, so as to make sure you get to where you're going. And don't for a minute let this Book of The Revelation be out of mind. Ponder and meditate on it day and night, making sure you practice everything written in it. Then you'll get where you're going; then you'll succeed. Haven't I commanded you? Strength! Courage! Don't be timid; don't get discouraged. God, your God, is with you every step you take." - The Message

Thank You

Thank You for Your unconditional love & for each new mercy..Thank you for never giving up on me or on the world..Actually thank you for never giving up at all.. For there is none like You..A God who still delights in those who once turned away. None in the universe who bestows a 1000 second chances...Your compassion is as if you were never  wronged at all even though it is You who we blame first when all has gone wrong. 

You have only loved me and been my life.. You have only restored me & been by my side..You've always encouraged & inspired, carried me through it all.. You carry us all..telling each one of us you love us..loving us..longing to take us from strength to strength.. 

And it breaks my heart to live in the mystery of who truely loves you as you love us..We are unworthy of your love..yet we are loved beyond reason..but You who is all deserving, to YOU no justice is done.. but today as You have unfailingly said to me always ..I say to you with all my heart.. Lord.. I love you.. I believe in you..Thank you for being so strong..for doing it all.. 

Sometimes I wonder if you're alright even though You are God.. I wonder if You ever want to pull the plug on the world or if You ever feel the blues. I wonder how lonely it gets for a God who has to stand by His Word for better or for worse...I wonder how You feel when no one sees the unseen things You do..the unseen beautiful things you do..to make us smile..to fight our battles..to see us reign.. 

Often misunderstood by your own children..you long to fulfill our dreams and desires..you try so hard to take us to where our hearts want to go, but along the way we fall for traps in dreams' clothing..wondering why everything is falling apart..screaming out S.O.S to save us from our own delusions..

So thank you for being such a Champion.. a Winner..a Warrior..a Friend..a Father.. for being so brave..for being our God..for You are life itself and we are nothing without You

.....

A Christian is one who leads by honest example - not false humility or people pleasing actions. A true Christian is one who embraces themselves the way God created them to be. They are a class of people who believe in a purpose and who stand for what God says is right. They are not the ones to be swayed by the world's standards of 'cool' or the church's standards of 'holiness' but rather looks to Christ as their example. They are strong confident individuals who are unafraid to love, unafraid of condemnation because they know that they belong to the Creator of the entire Universe. They are people who stand up for those who God would, they're bold to fight against that what is not right in GOD'S eyes in the way He has asked us to. They are those who are strong, courageous, bold, unafraid and at the same time loving, compassionate, forgiving, embracing, understanding. They are the people who understand that in their weakness God alone gives them strength. They are the people who strive to follow God's heart. They are the people who dream and hold on to their God-given passions to help change the world. They are beautiful people who reach out to people with God's love. They are people who love to love. They are people who are focused on the glorification of God and His undying and ever faithful love. They are the everyday believers we see around us. They are those people who love God and rely on Him entirely and strive to be called His own. And the most beautiful part is that we can be these people and our Spirit calls us to be the light in this world. It calls us to be a source of hope and love to a world that is starving and is hungry for acceptance and affection. Let us step forward in Christ. Let us share the love that we have so undeservingly inherited; love that has made us worthy to be called His children. Remember that God IS love. I ask you all to simply reflect God. Reflect His perfect and pure justice and above all His heart. If you wanna save people and bring them to Christ, i don't think there's a better strategy than love. When Christ showed it didn't it grab your heart and your attention?

?

Do You hear me when, in my brokenness, i cry?
Do You hear me when I scream?
Do You see my heart bleed with each blood thirsty word?
Do You feel my body grow cold with each memory?
Do You see the endless tears each night?
Do You see the distorted and wretched person that I see
when I look into the mirror?
Do You see the agonizing pain underneath my facade?
Do You feel the torment i go through with each shuddering breath?
If You do, will You hold me close?
Will You wipe away my tears?
Will You quieten my fears?
Will You fill my drained heart with renewed love?
Will You heal my shattered hopes and dreams?
Will You help me live?

In You

It is in Your presence
that I find indescribable peace
It is in Your Name
that I find the strength to go on
It is in Your strength
that I find everlasting joy
It is in Your face
that I find the grace to accept
It is in Your promises
that I find the hope for a better tomorrow
It is in Your arms
that I find perfect love

- verse -

If we die with Him
We will also live with Him
If we endure
We will also reign with Him
If we disown Him
He will also disown us
If we are faithless
He will remain faithful
For He cannot disown Himself

- 2 Timothy 2 : 11 - 13

LIGHT OF HIS LOVE

People hurt us and then we suddenly loose our passion for God. We loose sight of Him because we taught we once saw Him in those very people. But it is at these times that we can prove our faithfulness to God. Through these moments of testing do we see our true selves and realize whether we ever put our trust in God or in man. And if only we could press forward to show him how much we care, we’d prove that our love for him was always true.. True because we are still in the race, running for Him, in the light of His love..

SKETCH

sketched by Zulaikha....
a budding travel agent...
young.......and beautiful.....

MEET WITH ME

Come lovely Lord, come meet with me
I am desperate to dwell in your presence
I am so desperate to feel your touch
My heart is longing for you.
Hey you... Lover of my soul, come meet with me.
I want to know what your breathe feels like
I want to know what your touch feels like
I want to know what your presence feels like
So please come. Come here and meet with me
I’m waiting. I’m waiting patiently. Arms wide open. Hungry. Desperate.
Please don’t let me down. Please don’t leave me hanging.
Come you gracious one. Come quickly.
My heart is anxious. My heart is seeking.
I'm overwhelmed by your goodness.
I'm swept off my feet by your love.
I'm so hungry. I'm so hungry to know you more.
I've heard of your magnificent beauty. I've heard of your saving grace.
I just want to know it now. I want to experience it for myself.
So come. For all I truly want is more and more of you.

-Anika

.............

Lord, You see my heart
in all it's brokenness
You alone can see
the depth of my pain
You alone see
how hurt I truly am
You alone can feel my sorrow
Before You I am transparent
Before You all my pretenses fall
Before You I come exactly as I am
Before You I fail to be what I am not
And I am overwhelmed by
Your accepting love
I am grateful for Your enduring mercy
I am in awe of Your grace
that covers me despite my flaws
I am thankful for open arms
I can run into
I cannot understand why You love me
but You do and I love You because You do
I don't see in me the worth for which
You paid such a great price
Because of Your unfailing love
I cannot leave You
For without You I am nothing
But with You - I am everything!
Everything I yearn to be - I can be
For even in my weakness
You stay by my side
And You never let go
In You everything fades away
for only in You do I find perfect love