Happy birthday, Daddy! ❤️
 
This man has taught me more about life, love and myself then I ever could explain. He also made sure I was very well-versed in the art of sarcasm and at least once a week, he sends me a sarcastic meme from Pinterest to make sure I’m still alive 😜

At the age of 3, I asked him if he was going to be my forever daddy and never once has he made me doubt his answer. 

I have messed up a lot, I have hurt him more times then I could list. I frustrate him regularly because I’m a lot more “free-spirited” (also known as “flighty”, absent-minded, and forgetful) then is often helpful, but still he shows up. 

He shows up at 3 am in the airport when I'm crying because my car was stolen. He shows up when my tire is off the rim and I have no idea how to change it. He shows up when I lock my keys in my car with it running! He’s there when I’m stuck in a ditch - again! He’s there when I’ve gotten my heart broken with a hug and an offer to “take care” of the problem. 

He is the closest representation to loving like Jesus loves that I have ever met in my life. He speaks truth in love (not always what I want to hear). He is patient and honest. He SERVES. He serves everyone. He loves fiercely. He protects. He is passionately dedicated to not just reading the Word of God, but taking that Word and applying into his life every day. This man is a Tzadik! 

He has shown me that real love doesn’t look bright and shiny all the times. In fact, most of time it’s not. He’s shown that love - real love - looks like washing the dishes, holding the pan, cleaning up the kitchen while Mom is still cooking. 

Love isn’t sunshine and rainbows; love is serving and putting someone else before yourself. 

My dad does this every day.

Thank you, Dad, for showing me what love looks like!❤️

You're my hero
Chasing the monsters from my room
Going on trips around the moon
The one who's always been there faithfully
You're my hero
And 'cause you're my Dad... 
I'm twice as blessed and lucky to be me.

You're my hero
You didn't have to say a word
Your love was the message that I heard
Inspiring me to be all I can be
You're my hero
And 'cause you're my Dad... 
I'm twice as blessed and lucky to be me.
"You're My Hero" - sung by Teresa James

Psalm 112:7 ESV He is not afraid of bad news; his heart is firm, trusting in the Lord.
 
I don't like bad news. I don't think I'm alone in this feeling! We dread the thoughts of calamity, disaster, accidents or any event that might cause harm to us or to those close to our hearts. Most of us even feel sad when we hear of something dreadful happening to a total stranger.
 
So how does this verse apply to us? This verse doesn't say that bad news will not come. It says a righteous person isn't afraid of it. We do not have to live in dread or terror. Our hope, our confidence, our trust is in the Lord, the Ruler of the universe. With the Lord in control, we will survive any bad news or calamity.
 
What a victorious way to live, if we will only choose to do so! We must choose to set aside the fears and doubts that accompany bad news and choose to trust the Lord. We may need to choose over and over again as the doubts and fears resurface. Yet, choosing to trust is the path to victory and peace!
 
Not a shadow can rise, not a cloud in the skies,
But His smile quickly drives it away;
Not a doubt or a fear, not a sigh or a tear,
Can abide while we trust and obey.
 "Trust and Obey" - by John H. Sammis

“And he did not do many mighty works there, because of their unbelief.” – Matthew 13:58 ESV
 
Mom heard banging outside. She went to the kitchen window to see the cause and saw her young son slamming the nozzle end of the water hose against the garage. She opened the window and called out, “Stop! Why are you doing that?”
 
The young boy responded irritably, “This nozzle doesn’t work. I’ve tried and tried and nothing is happening.”
 
Earlier, Mom had given the lad permission to fill his water guns with the hose. He had been squeezing the nozzle’s trigger over and over and was now banging it in frustration because he couldn’t fill his water guns.
 
Mom walked outside and asked her son to follow her. She made him trace the water hose back to the faucet on the side of the house. Then, she patiently pointed out that the faucet wasn’t turned on. After showing the young boy how to turn the faucet on and making him practice a few times, she smiled at the absolute delight on his face as he joyfully filled his water pistols.
 
We are just like that little boy. We want to experience God’s grace and peace in our lives. We read articles about the topic, listen to sermons and even know a few songs that repeat the message. However, in order to live in grace, we must first be thankful because gratitude is the faucet that releases the flow of God’s grace.
 
I find the words of our opening text to be so sad, “And he did not do many mighty works there, because of their unbelief.” Jesus was in His hometown of Nazareth with folks who had watched Him grow up. They knew Him better than anyone. Many of the young men had played with Him as a child. As young teens, no doubt they hung out as time allowed. They went fishing, swimming, or enjoyed whatever recreational activities were the norm for Nazareth youth. They knew the names of His parents and brothers and sisters. They KNEW Him.
 
Yet, ungrateful people are unbelieving people. With all of their shared history between themselves and the One, they weren’t thankful for any of it. So they didn’t believe Him. The result was that their unbelief turned off the faucet of grace in their lives. He didn’t do many works there.
 
Just think how different the story could have been! Of all the towns in the area, Nazareth should have been the most blessed, joyous place of all. Jesus went back there during His public ministry to give the folks of Nazareth a chance for incredible miracles and blessings. But they weren’t grateful. So, in the resulting unbelief, they missed out!
 
It’s easy to forget to be grateful for the people we take for granted – those closest to us! Have you been grumpy with your children lately? Have you been less patient with your spouse? Have you shown annoyance with your neighbor?
 
What moments of grace are we missing in our lives because we’ve lost our gratitude?
 
Anchored down in stagnant waters.
Discontent with where I stand.
There's gotta be something more out there beyond the shore.
So caught up in moving forward. I forget
I already have much more than I deserve.
In every season let me say
It's Your will and it's Your way.
I wanna be grateful.
Don't let me miss a single gift that You have given me
I wanna be grateful.
Wherever I am, I'm in Your hands;
Where I'm supposed to be.
Cause You are and You always will be faithful.
I'm covered by mercy's riches.
You alone are everything.
Through the ups and downs of life I will be satisfied.
In every season let me say
It's Your will and it's Your way.
You fill every need.
In You I have everything.
You fill every need.
 
“Grateful” sung by Morgan Harper Nichols
 

Hey friends,
As a single, Christian woman, I’d like to talk out a couple things that I’ve been struggling with, if you don’t mind😜. The next couple posts are going to be about some things I’m working through.

Here is a statement I’ve heard recently that I’ve had to shift my perspective on.  You’re in the season of “waiting”, or just continue to “live in the waiting” - God has someone for you. 

I don’t know how many of you have seen videos of little kids with candies in front of them and an adult tells them, “Don’t touch them until I come back.” As a 21 year old adult, I guarantee you I would FAIL this challenge - probably EVERY TIME.

Who am I kidding? I just failed this challenge 😂? For me as an adult, it looks a little different. It looks like God saying, "Hey I don’t think this relationship is right for you. Just hang on. I’ve got something better for you."
 
And I say, "BUT, God! This is RIGHT in front of me! I’m just going to pick this relationship up and I can ABSOLUTELY make it work." Then when I end up heartbroken and anxious and frustrated, I look to God and say, "Why?"

His answer is the same, "This is not the time."
 
I think that what I have  struggled with is the phrase “the season of waiting”. 

I am WAY too impatient for a season of waiting😂, so my impatience is half of my struggle, absolutely, but the other part I struggle with is the idea that I’m just waiting for someone to come along and complete this ideal version of me. 

After my most recent breakup, I struggled with feelings of inadequacy. I felt like I wasn’t _________ enough (whatever - fill in the blank). I know I’m not alone in this feeling. I can almost guarantee that you’ve had those moments that you haven’t felt like "fill-in-the-blank" enough. I felt that. It was a struggle. It’s still a struggle. That feeling comes in waves. 

The comfort that I was able to find in those moments was this... God doesn’t do a job halfway. God didn’t look at me say, “Oh, she’s good, but she won’t be My complete masterpiece until she finds this other person to complete her.”

God DOESN’T do His work HALFWAY. The person I am right now in this moment is the person He created in His image, the me I am today is chosen, wanted, created with a purpose. He will continue to mold us and shape us into His image if we allow Him to, but He looked at us RIGHT where we are and said, "I CHOOSE THEM and they are ENOUGH." 

So, all of this to say, I’m shifting my perspective. I’m not living in a season of waiting. I’m living. I’m showing up wholeheartedly for my people, I’m passionately pursuing my dreams, I’m chasing big things. I’m giving my everything to my relationship with Christ. I’m done waiting. It’s time to start living.

Love, 
Navi 🤟🏼

I've had some bad days and I've had hills to climb
I've had some sad days and then a weary mind 
But when I look around and think things over
All of the good days outweigh the bad days
And I won't complain. 

God is so good to me,
He is so good to me
More than all this world could be,
He is so good to me
His Spirit came to me and gave me victory
God is so good to me,
I can't complain. 

- God Is So Good to Me by Paul Jones