discouraged?

I heard my pastor on Sunday talk about discouragement.... okay, honestly?  I don't remember what else he said.  I think this part of the sermon was directed towards me not just because I am speaking on motivation this week in our team call but because I needed that reassurance that what I'm doing is because He is asking me to.  I had been discouraged this past week because of certain circumstances that arose.  Then I heard pastor's sermon on how we may feel discouraged but God knows what's going on.  We also may feel uncertain.  Meaning, we may not see the whole staircase in front of us but we need to take the step of faith that we'll reach the bottom becuase He's there to guide us along the way!  That just resonated with me!  It was very powerful!  I may have my spouts of discouragement or uncertainty but WHY? God has everything in His hands.  I may not like the fact that I cannot see everything laid out in front of me but would I want to know what's coming next?  I'm sure we'd all like to say yes because we think of the good things that will happen in our future but what about the others?  Would we want to see the things we have to go through to get to the happy stuff?  I don't want to endure that.  Part of the reason why God doesn't allow us to see everything in our future now is because He knows that we cannot handle it all!  He takes care of it.  We just need to walk in the path that He's laid out for us and He'll walk us through the good and bad times!  So if you're discouraged right now (as was I), remember that God already knows what's to come and He already knows how we're going to handle it.  But, He's still there regardless of what we do or do not do!  Discouraged?  I choose to be blessed that I have today to live for Him!

positivity

As most people know, I'm a very positive person!  I love to smile, laugh, meet new people... you name it!  Now what happens when are you faced with adversity? Does a positive person always stay positive?  No.  Ha.  Well, I am human.  However, how do you get through the hard times?  I can tell you that your attitude can say a whole lot!  Regardless of what you believe in, who you believe in (I believe in the Lord God, in case you were confused ;)), your attitude portrays the type of person you are.  Have you seen a homeless person that is actually happy?  I have.  Have you seen a rich person happy?  Yes.  Have you seen someone who has had their whole life stripped away from them; belongings, family, job, etc., happy?  Yes.   Why?  What in the WORLD do they have to be happy about?  Well, when you constantly believe that there is something better out there for you and you know that this is not it for you?  Your attitude can change drastically.  Your attitude depends on how far you can go in your life.  If you feel defeated and depressed and unhappy ALL the time, then you're probably not going to go anywhere anytime soon.  THAT DOES NOT MEAN THAT YOU CANNOT HAVE THESE TIMES! I have them sometimes.  We are human, for goodness sakes.  But when you DWELL in them is when you are going to start having issues. "It's only over when you quit" is what Dave Ramsey says.  So regardless of what situation you're in, you can be happy and positive AND succeed!  It's amazing when you start looking at the positive side of things, how you're life can start to look different.  My challenge is this week, when something seems to be going wrong and it probably will feel that way or even BE that way, I challenge you to look at what good can come out of it?  What can you find that can make that situation turn out better just because you found the positive side of the situation?  I would LOVE to hear your story!   Please let me know what you discover!

an inspiring story

Lately, I've been listening to A LOT and I mean A LOT of Nick Vujicic.  His story is compelling!  It is inspiring and definitely made me want to push myself in my business but more importantly in my life!  I've never heard anything like it and the best part is he's human.  I know sounds silly.  But, most people wonder why he smiles so much.  Well, first it's not always been like that.  People can see the change in him and they want that as well!  AND he finally embraced his disability because he knows that God made him a certain way in order to bring Glory to His name.  One goal in life?  Meet Nick!  Okay, enough intro.. just watch and seriously be inspired!

peace

These last few months have been a whirlwind to say the least!  I miss writing and I need to put it into my schedule since things have been so crazy.  However, the times when you can settle down and just be able to type (write) everything out can be so peaceful.  Just recently, I had so many spiritual battles going on that I didn't know where to start, what emotion to have, what to think.  It was absolutely insane!  However, I started listening and BELIEVING the "voice" that was telling me that first off, everything is alright and second, that I'm worth everything that God has put into making me!  WHO KNEW?! Ha.  Seriously though.  I've heard that all my life (not be conceited, but I have from family).  I have heard that I am worth everything in the world.  I've been told that I'm beautiful.  I've been told that I am stunning.  I've been told that I have talent.  But you know what?  I HAVE TO BELIEVE THAT!  I've also been told that I'm fat, ugly, useless, worthless, dumb, slow, even things like not a great friend (which is to me far worse than all the others, i need a secret desire for people to like me).  You know, it takes 10 nice things for one bad thing to be erased in our thoughts?!  Seriously, it does.  Now, imagine Satan telling you all of the horrible things about yourself constantly!  And you believing.  Nothing on the Earth can take that pain away.  However, GOD can!  God took that pain away and seriously ever since then, I've been on cloud nine!  My life is soaring with business, my spirit is healthier, i actually get things done because I'm not listening to all that, i'm sorry, bull crap!

I feel completely and irrevocably at peace with where I am supposed to be right now!  God has blessed me in more ways than I can count.  I SO want to give that back to people!  I want them to know that feeling because there's nothing like it!  What are you going through?  Are you going through something that you just cannot tell anyone?  Or you've told someone but they just don't seem to care?  Seriously!  What are you going through?  If you need someone to talk to, just to listen and if you want me to give advice or I can even just reassure you that I'm here to listen.  Then please let me know!  You can email me at lmallen86@yahoo.com or find me on facebook at www.facebook.com/lindsay.allen5.  Please let me pray for you!

God is bigger than doubt

You know, these last few months have been a whirlwind.  Been unemployed, been employed, then let go, and jobless while trying to build a business living out of my parents' house that I've lived in since I was born.  Not really a college graduates dream life, right?  Well, I was very much under today.  Well first it was storming outside and quite honestly all I wanted to do was stay under the covers and just sleep through it.  Why?  Probably because Satan was attacking me and telling me that I am not good enough.  Honestly, you cannot tell me that you've never felt this way.  It just plain old sucks!  I was unmotivated, unhappy, depressed... how in the world can this all happen in one day to the next?  I was just fine yesterday!  However, the moment we let our guard down is the moment that we'll come under fire! 

I haven't been in the word the way that I should be or the way that I was back when I was actually extremely busy with work, school, business, trying to build a relationship, and actually studying God's word while living on my own and paying my own bills.  How was that less stressful than sleeping until I feel like getting up, doing basically what I want when I want with nothing really tying me down............ except.............. the fact that two reasons: one) i don't have a job, therefore no money, therefore I'm practically confined to the house, two) God is not present in my everyday life!  So, we're going to fix that!  I read more of Proverbs today.  I read three chapters on Sunday and then read my goal board (a visible place to put my goals so I cannot shy away from them) and it said to be more in the word everyday.  So, I decided to read 5 more chapters of Proverbs.  I truly believe I wasn't supposed to read the Bible yesterday.  I know weird, because God brought me out of my funk today.  He provided the book of the Bible that I needed to read with the chapters on the exact day that I needed them!  PRETTY GOSH DARN COOL, if you ask me! 

God is bigger than doubt.  Not just today but all the time!  Today I was reminded of that regardless of my situation, God is bigger than my issues and self-pity.  He can pull me out of anything I'm in at all times.  Sometimes He lets us "wallow" in it for a while so we can learn to reach out for Him.  When we do, our morale perks up as well as the fact that all of that doubt just disappears.  Are you doubting God today?  Why?  What is keeping you from having that relationship with Him?  It's a day-by-day basis but everyday it's worth letting go to let GOD! 

I seriously need to get back to doing this blog

Like for real... there were two things that hit me today like a ton of bricks... I wanted to share them with you. All they are are quotes but nothing really needs to be explained other than just reading them.  They made me cry!

"What if? What if those deep desires in our hearts are telling us the truth, revealing to us the life we were meant to live? God gave us eyes so that we might see; he gave us ears that we might hear; he gave us wills that we might choose, and he gave us hearts that we might live. The way we handle our heart is everything. A man must know he is powerful; he must know he has what it takes. A woman must know she is beautiful; she must know she is worth fighting for... Your heart may feel dead and gone, but its there. Something wild and strong and valiant, just waiting to be released. ... For if you are going to know who you truly are as a man, if you are going to find a life worth living, if you are going to love a woman deeply and not pass on your confusion to your children, you simply must get your heart back. You must head up into the high country of the soul, into the wild and uncharted regions and track down that elusive prey." -John Eldridge, Wild at Heart

"A Time for Remembering" by Ruth Bell Graham
."He must be so tall that when he is on his knees, as one has said, he reaches all the way to heaven. His shoulders 
must be broad enough to bear the burden of a family. His lips must be strong enough to smile, firm enough to say no, 
and tender enough to kiss. Love must be so deep that it takes its stand in Christ and so wide that it takes the 
whole-lost world in. He must be active enough to save souls. He must be big enough to be gentle and great enough 
to be thoughtful. His arms must be strong enough to carry a little child." 

patience

You know, patience is a horrible word!  Ha.  I mean this in a good way.  We ask for more patience or better ways of handling our "right now" society.  And then.... God grants that to us by allowing obstacles to get in our way on a busy day, when we're running late, in a traffic jam.  Yep... pretty much.  However, what about our lives?  Are we patient about where God is taking us or when we're going to get there?  A lot of people always say, "It's the journey, not the destination."  Do you really believe that?  I know that I have had struggles with this in the past and off and on now.  My college career ends in 6 days.  Count them: 6!  Where am I going after this?  I don't have a job, I don't have money, I have a place to stay, but nowhere to live on my own.  I am turning 25 this year and I'm pretty much starting at square one.

I am reading this book called "In Step With God".  Each night I read a little more and I'm noticing a pattern.  Uh, patience is written EVERYWHERE!  Well, maybe not in the exact word but in scenarios.  I mean, Noah and the Ark for one.  Yeah, I'm not sure if I could have enough patience to build a boat that size let alone for 120 years!  I would feel like, "Seriously!  Just give it up already!"  But, God does not call us to be of this world.  We are called to glorify Him and if He asks us to wait 120 years before a promise is fulfilled you better believe that I'm going to be on that train!  I'm constantly learning all the time but the best part is, I'm constantly learning what God has for me.  Not necessarily in a job, relationship, living arrangements, or such.. but what He desires me to do in order to serve Him.  I mean, it may be in those things above but if not then I'm okay with that.  It's a big bite to chew, but I'm going to be okay with that, when He asks me to do whatever He does.  I love Him with everything I have... including my nonexistent apartment items.. haha.  So, in order to know what God wants for me?  I must wait, and be patient until He tells me to jump with both feet and as high as I can!  Just look up John Waller's "While I'm Waiting" and that's pretty much what God asks us to do in the mean time.  I'll post those words up too in my next blog.  So wait for God, He has so much planned for you!