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Daddy’s Girl (Revisited)

heart-700141_1280In honor of Father’s Day, I would like to share a post about my Heavenly Father that is still one of my favorites. I hope it blesses you whether it’s your first time reading it or you’ve read it before. 

Daddy’s Girl

Posted on January, 2013

 

Daddy's Girl

I don’t normally take photos of random people on the streets of New York City, but when I saw this duo walking in Manhattan last summer I couldn’t help but snap some pictures of them. At first glance, this is a sweet shot of a dad and daughter walking hand-in-hand along the streets of the concrete jungle in midtown. It also captures a guy secure enough in his manhood to sport a Hello Kitty bag! But that moment meant so much more to me.

Whenever I look at this picture and I see how the burly dad is gently guiding along his daughter and how he’s even carrying her backpack for her, I’m reminded of my walk with my Heavenly Father. In many ways I am like that little girl who is walking alongside her dad. I don’t have to worry about where I’m going or how to get there because my “Abba” Father is leading the way. He’s not standing far off. He’s right beside me. I don’t even have to carry all the weight of the world on my shoulders because my Heavenly Father is there to carry it for me!

Yes, the Bible says that as Christians who have the Holy Spirit living inside of us we can call God Our Father. “For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship. And by Him we cry, ‘Abba, Father.’ The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children.” (Romans 8:15-16).

I don’t know about you, but I love that I can go to the God of the universe and can call Him Dad! And I love that my Father hears me and acts on my behalf. He wants His children to trust and lean on Him. The Bible says,”Cast all your anxiety on Him (God) because He cares for you.” (1 Peter 5:7)

Jesus tells us, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. (Matthew 11:28)

If you’re feeling tired, alone or weary today, I pray that God would remind you or reveal Himself to you as your loving Father. Your biological father may have disappointed you, but your Heavenly Father will not fail you!

Did this encourage you? Please hit “like” and don’t forget to sign up below to have my weekly encouraging blog posts e-mailed straight to you for free. When you subscribe below, you’ll also receive the free “12 Journal Writing Prompts” PDF I created to help inspire you as you write/journal.

button (24)For more encouragement, read my new book Waiting on God Well: How to Prevent Breaking Down on Your Way to Your Breakthrough! To learn how I can come alongside of you as your Life Coach or to invite me to speak at your event, visit my website www.aboundingfaith.com. You can also find me on YouTube and Pinterest.

 

THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

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What’s Been Happening at Abounding Faith?

The first half of this year has been quite a whirlwind. All Glory to God! I’ve got lots of news to share. In case you were wondering what I’ve been up to lately, here goes:

  • It’s been so exciting to celebrate the launch of my first book Waiting on God Well: How to Prevent Breaking Down on Your Way to Your Breakthrough! It’s been so well-received. My Pastor even told the congregation that everyone should keep a copy of my book close to where they have their Bible so they can refer to it. Wow, what an honor! I love hearing how the book is touching people. If you’ve read it and it’s been a blessing to you, please write a review on Amazon or feel free to leave a comment below.
  • I recently got to speak and run the whole service at my friend’s church in Upstate, NY, which was such a blessing! If you’d like to invite me to come speak at your church or event, click here.
  • I recently posted my 30th short, encouraging video on my YouTube Channel. To view videos shot during my recent Epic European Adventure and videos filmed in the Caribbean, Honduras, and Peru, click here.
  • Did you know that I have a “12 Journal Writing Prompts” PDF that I created especially for those who sign up to have my weekly encouraging posts from this blog e-mailed to them? Each writing prompt is meant to inspire you as you reflect on what God is doing in your life! You can sign up here.
  • Do you need help navigating through a transition time? One-on-One Life Coaching and Group Life Coaching sessions are available! I’d be delighted to be your Life Coach. To learn more, click here.

I know that’s a lot to cover. God is moving and I’m excited! I’m so thankful that you’re taking this journey with me! Let’s see what the Lord does next. Thank you for your prayers and encouragement!

Let’s keep believing God for the best. May the second half of the year be even better than the first! Blessings!

“Taste and see that the LORD is good; blessed is the one who takes refuge in him.” (Psalm 34:8)

Did this encourage you? Please hit “like” and don’t forget to sign up below to have my weekly encouraging blog posts e-mailed straight to you for free. When you subscribe below, you’ll also receive the free “12 Journal Writing Prompts” PDF I created to help inspire you as you write/journal.

button (24)For more encouragement, read my new book Waiting on God Well: How to Prevent Breaking Down on Your Way to Your Breakthrough! To learn how I can come alongside of you as your Life Coach or to invite me to speak at your event, visit my website www.aboundingfaith.com. You can also find me on YouTube and Pinterest.

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Remove the Limits From God

The above video is very special to me because it’s the final video I shot on the last day of my Epic European Adventure! That day I woke up in Amsterdam, had lunch in Bruge, Belgium, and then crossed the English Channel on a ferry from France to London. It was an extraordinary and fitting way to end the trip.

There are so many reasons why I call this trip Epic. For starters, it was a tour of many of the major European cities including Paris, Venice, Florence, Amsterdam, parts of Switzerland, and Munich. It even included lunch in Austria one day. And on my way to and from the meeting city of London I even had layovers in Ireland. So that alone is Amazing! God blessed me and protected me in all those countries.

I saw mountains including the Swiss Alps! I took river cruises along the Seine River in Paris and the Rhine River in Germany and took a gondola ride in Venice! I saw castles in Germany and windmills in Amsterdam. I saw the Mona Lisa up close and personal and went inside the famed Notre Dame Cathedral. If that wasn’t enough, the Lord even allowed me to start my trip by visiting the London Olympic stadium!

I’ve come back with stories, videos, and memories galore! The butterfly in me is still glowing and rejoicing. The reporter in me had her iPhone in one pocket and her camera in the other pocket. I was ready to record and document all the sights and sounds at a moment’s notice so that I could report back to my friends and family about how wonderful the trip was.

God’s favor was upon me so much so that members from the tour group noticed and remarked that I was “lucky”. I had to say, “I’m blessed!”

I could go on and on about how Amazing the trip was, but I’d like to share part of the reason why I went in the first place.

Back when I was 15, my parents gave my sister and me the incredible gift of a trip to Italy and Greece with my high school. It was a beautiful trip (and that’s when I got to go to the Olympic stadium in Athens) but it left me longing to go back to Italy. As I grew up, I dreamed of going back and just wandering around the quaint and narrow streets of Italy much like Belle does in France in “Beauty and the Beast”.

But the timing was never right. I went on to travel all around the world through work, vacation, and missions but Italy was still on my mind.

A few years ago, I was at a sleepover with a few church friends and they asked the question, “What would you do if you weren’t afraid?” The only thing I could think to say was, “I’d go to Italy by myself.”

To think that I mustered up the courage to GO to Italy and all throughout Europe just a few weeks ago, is simply awe-inspiring for me. I faced down one of my fears and went. And God honored me, protected me, and allowed me to see more of His beauty and splendor than I could have ever imagined.

Which brings me back to the video above. You’re looking at one very satisfied woman of God in that video! (I’m also freezing because it was windy out on the deck, and I also had to shoot it with my regular camera so I didn’t have the benefit of using my front-facing camera to see where I was aiming, but I digress).

There is something so special and empowering about facing down your fears and letting God walk you through them. I pray that you will all experience that in your lives.

Please remove the limits off of God! Let Him be God in your life! Just watch what He will do. Let Him Amaze you!

And yes, it took me lots of years to finally get back to Italy, but it was worth the wait!

Many blessings to you and many happy adventures even in your own neck of the woods!

“Take delight in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart” (Psalm 37:4).

Did this encourage you? Please hit “like” and don’t forget to sign up below to have my weekly encouraging blog posts e-mailed straight to you for free. When you subscribe below, you’ll also receive the free “12 Journal Writing Prompts” PDF I created to help inspire you as you write/journal.

button (24)For more encouragement, read my new book Waiting on God Well: How to Prevent Breaking Down on Your Way to Your Breakthrough! To learn how I can come alongside of you as your Life Coach or to invite me to speak at your event, visit my website www.aboundingfaith.com. You can also find me on YouTube and Pinterest.

 

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Greetings from my Epic European Vacation

I’ve just come back from traveling through some of the major cities of Europe such as Venice, Paris, Florence, London, Munich, and Amsterdam. God allowed so many of my dreams to come true during this trip. I am amazed by His love for me and by how beautiful His world is! It really is Miraculous and Lovely!

I took some time to record some short, encouraging videos from many of these cities. I pray that they will bless you!  The video above was shot in Munich, Germany where I was reminded to let God lead you and surprise you!

Here are links to a few more videos:

Don’t give up in the middle of your story! It gets better!

We must go through the valley to stand upon the mountaintop of God!

I stand in awe of all of the beauty God has created!

“Taste and see that the LORD is good; blessed is the one who takes refuge in him” (Psalm 34:8).

Did this encourage you? Please hit “like” and don’t forget to sign up below to have my weekly encouraging blog posts e-mailed straight to you for free. When you subscribe below, you’ll also receive the free “12 Journal Writing Prompts” PDF I created to help inspire you as you write/journal.

button (24)For more encouragement, read my new book Waiting on God Well: How to Prevent Breaking Down on Your Way to Your Breakthrough! To learn how I can come alongside of you as your Life Coach or to invite me to speak at your event, visit my website www.aboundingfaith.com. You can also find me on YouTube and Pinterest.

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3 Lessons from Writing a Book

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It’s one thing to write a book. It’s a whole other thing to share it with family, friends, and even strangers. It’s been such a lovely experience so far. I’m so touched by the feedback I’m getting about my book Waiting on God Well: How to Prevent Breaking Down on Your Way to Your Breakthrough.

I’d like to share just some thoughts about what I’ve learned about this process thus far:

God’s plans are way bigger than ours! I grew up writing in diaries, making my own mini-magazines, and studied journalism. But when it came time to lay down journalism, writing a book was so far from my mind. This book started out as simply an e-book, but I’m glad that I kept moving forward and now have a printed version. The response has been such a blessing. Anything that happens from here on out is sprinkles and cherries on top! “Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen” (Ephesians 3: 20-21).

We need to share our stories. People are saying they can relate to my writing, and that they are also finding it hard to wait on God. Private me could have remained silent, but I kept feeling the Lord tell me to write. And now others are being blessed. Glory! God wastes nothing. We all have a story to tell and people need to hear it. What lessons has God been showing you? What miraculous things has He done in your life? You don’t have to shout it from the roof tops, per se. Just pray and tell the next person that God places on your heart. You never know how blessed they may be. “But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called ‘Today,’ so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness” (Hebrews 3:13).

People can surprise you in good and bad ways. I’ve been so delighted to see some of my closest friends rejoice with me over this milestone in my life. You can tell when people are genuinely happy for you and it makes such a difference. Even friends I haven’t seen for a few years are showing up to celebrate with me. How wonderful! Then there are others that seem bent on staying away from the party. That’s ok. It’s best to leave those folks to the Lord. At times like these, it’s important to ask the Lord to help you discern who is for you and who is not. It’s also a good time to practice forgiving and showing mercy and grace. “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another” (John 13:34-35).

I’m sure I’ll have more lessons to share down the line. In the meantime, I hope you have a miraculous and lovely Holy Week! He is Risen!

Did this encourage you? Please hit “like” and don’t forget to sign up below to have my weekly encouraging blog posts e-mailed straight to you for free. When you subscribe below, you’ll also receive the free “12 Journal Writing Prompts” PDF I created to help inspire you as you write/journal.

button (24)For more encouragement, read my new book Waiting on God Well: How to Prevent Breaking Down on Your Way to Your Breakthrough! To learn how I can come alongside of you as your Life Coach or to invite me to speak at your event, visit my website www.aboundingfaith.com. You can also find me on YouTube and Pinterest.

THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

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More than a Book Launch Party

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After all the writing and editing, and after all the prayer and planning, the day finally came for my launch event for my new book Waiting On God Well.

It’s going to take me a bit to process everything and to describe how special Saturday night was for me. But I wanted to take a moment to publically thank every single person who attended my book launch and for those who were praying for the success of the event and the book.

One of the best ways I could describe it was surreal. I had family members there mixed with a friend I’ve known since kindergarten, dear friends from high school and college, a close co-worker, and my lovely church family and co-laborers in Christ. I was so excited every time one of my friends walked through the door.

While I was blessed to get to share a bit about my writing background and my faith journey with my guests, I was also delighted to see my friends mingling together. I was so touched to hear the kind words they shared about our friendship.

My friends are a mini United Nations and come from such diverse backgrounds, but I love that we can find common ground and have stayed in contact after all these years.

Writing can be such a solitary process, but oh the joy there is in getting to share the finished product with your friends and family. These memories will last a lifetime. I’m so thankful to God for allowing this part of my waiting process to be fulfilled!

A giant Thank You to all my volunteers!  The night would not have been the same without you!

Have you read Waiting on God Well? I look forward to hearing your thoughts. If it blessed you, please leave a kind review and rating on Amazon. Thank you in advance!

Did this encourage you? Please hit “like” and don’t forget to sign up below to have my weekly encouraging blog posts e-mailed straight to you for free. When you subscribe below, you’ll also receive the free “12 Journal Writing Prompts” PDF I created to help inspire you as you write/journal.

button (24)For more encouragement, read my new book Waiting on God Well: How to Prevent Breaking Down on Your Way to Your Breakthrough! To learn how I can come alongside of you as your Life Coach or to invite me to speak at your event, visit my website www.aboundingfaith.com. You can also find me on YouTube and Pinterest.

THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

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Waiting on God Well Book Now in Print

I am humbled and honored to announce that Waiting on God Well: How to Prevent Breaking Down on Your Way to Your Breakthrough is now in print and available on Amazon! I pray you are blessed by the book and that you enjoy the short book trailer above.

For those of you who have been reading this blog for awhile, you know that I write a lot about waiting on God’s timing and how there are different seasons in our faith journey. God doesn’t waste anything. This book is part of the fruit from my recent season of waiting on God.

I am amazed that my first book is now in print, and yet God delights in fulfilling His promises and keeping His Word. I pray my writing will encourage you to keep going!

I’ll have much to say in the upcoming weeks about the book and other news. For now, thank you again to all of you for reading my blog, your encouraging words, and thanks for your support of this book. If you like it, please leave a review and rating on Amazon.

Please know that your waiting on God is NOT in vain! You’re going to make it! Believe!

“I remain confident of this: I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord” (Psalm 27:13-14).

Did this encourage you? Please hit “like” and don’t forget to sign up below to have my weekly encouraging blog posts e-mailed straight to you for free. When you subscribe below, you’ll also receive the free “12 Journal Writing Prompts” PDF I created to help inspire you as you write/journal.

button (24)For more encouragement, read my new book Waiting on God Well: How to Prevent Breaking Down on Your Way to Your Breakthrough! To learn how I can come alongside of you as your Life Coach or to invite me to speak at your event, visit my website www.aboundingfaith.com. You can also find me on YouTube and Pinterest.

THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

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3 Ways to Have a Great Start to the New Year!

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New beginnings. That’s one of the great things about January and the start of a new year. But how much can you really change unless you leave old mindsets and attitudes behind?

So right here, right now at the start of 2015 I’d like to invite you to do the three items listed below. I’d be surprised if you don’t see a difference this year:

Leave the past behind you. Ask God to help you let go of past hurts and offenses. Forgive and ask for forgiveness. Embrace today and look forward to what’s ahead. “See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland” (Isaiah 43:19).

Stay in God’s Word. God’s Word brings life. Not sure where to start? Get a study Bible, sign up for reading plans online or on your mobile phone. Sign up for a Bible study class. You can’t go wrong with spending time with God. “Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth (2 Timothy 2:15).

Make time to fellowship with other believers. Have coffee or go for a run with that friend. Join a small group. Go visit that friend you’ve been meaning to catch up with. “As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another” (Proverbs 27:17).

Don’t let another year pass by where you drag baggage from the past into your present and future. Make a decision that with God’s help you will make different choices. You’ll chose to love and forgive, spend more time with God, and reach out to those that He’s placed in your life. I’d love to hear how your journey goes this year! Blessings!

“Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus (Philippians 3:13-14).

Did this encourage you? Please hit “like” and don’t forget to sign up below to have my weekly encouraging blog posts e-mailed straight to you for free. When you subscribe below, you’ll also receive the free “12 Journal Writing Prompts” PDF I created to help inspire you as you write/journal.

button (24)For more encouragement, read my new ebook Waiting on God Well: How to Prevent Breaking Down on Your Way to Your Breakthrough! To learn how I can come alongside of you as your Life Coach or to invite me to speak at your event, visit my website www.aboundingfaith.com. You can also find me on YouTube and Pinterest.

THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

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Blessings for 2015


Happy New Year! Let’s look forward and celebrate all that God has in store for 2015! May your love for and your faith in God grow and grow all throughout this year!

I hope this short video encourages you! Blessings!

Did this encourage you? Please hit “like” and don’t forget to sign up below to have my weekly encouraging blog posts e-mailed straight to you for free. When you subscribe below, you’ll also receive the free “12 Journal Writing Prompts” PDF I created to help inspire you as you write/journal.

button (24)For more encouragement, read my new ebook Waiting on God Well: How to Prevent Breaking Down on Your Way to Your Breakthrough! To learn how I can come alongside of you as your Life Coach or to invite me to speak at your event, visit my website www.aboundingfaith.com. You can also find me on YouTube and Pinterest.

THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

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4 of My Favorite Bible Verses

I’m continuing the look back at some of the short, encouraging videos I’ve shot in 2014 and 2013. This time I’m focusing on the videos where I share about some of my favorite Bible verses. I hope you enjoy these videos that are around 30 seconds each. To view the rest of my 20+ short videos, feel free to visit my YouTube Channel. Blessings!

Episode 1

Episode 2

Episode 3

Episode 4

Did this encourage you? Please hit “like” and don’t forget to sign up below to have my weekly encouraging blog posts e-mailed straight to you for free. When you subscribe below, you’ll also receive the free “12 Journal Writing Prompts” PDF I created to help inspire you as you write/journal.

button (24)For more encouragement and to learn how I can come alongside of you as your Life Coach or to invite me to speak at your event, visit my website www.aboundingfaith.com. You can also find me on YouTube and Pinterest.

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