#WriterRevelations: The Forgiveness Project (A Valentine's Day Tale)

25 and still not able to write that I've got myself a boyfriend.

With Valentine's Day coming up, that's never fun.

If you clicked this post hoping for some advice on how to be single on Valentine's day, you'll have to check my blog archive.

I'm sure I've already wrote THAT blog.

This is a story about how I've realized how self-absorbed I've been.

I started hating my friends.

Yeah, you read that right.

My friends are great but they sure had no problem ignoring me.

I know I am a marketing graduate and I tend to have a new cause every week but

it seems like every other person in the world can gain support, get donations, or is smothered in encouraging comments on their statuses...

Then people got straight up NASTY on social media almost hourly with all the political trash
and it still hasn't gone away.

Recently, when I log in to social media, I feel as though I'm standing up and people walk by and they pile really large rocks on me until I can't make a sound. I'm still breathing, my heart is still beating but no one can tell. I'm still alive. Honestly, I now get anxiety just logging in lately.

I'm totally used to social rejection and being told I can't say certain things because it offends people.
I've been undermined, marginalized, and silenced, humiliated, embarrassed, labeled unfairly and misunderstood, and I'm a twenty-five STRAIGHT WHITE POLISH-DUTCH-IRISH-SCOTTISH New Jersodian woman. (Florida born and raised but I got Jersey in my veins).

Yet, this isn't a post about how unfairly I've been treated.

That's what I wrote a memoir for.

Once again, God got real with me.


This world needs Love more than ever.

Love in action is a perfect mix of kindness, patience, and forgiveness.

So God asked me to start not only praying for all the leaders of the U.S. government, but I also needed to start praying for any and all people I interact with on social media.

Especially those who sow discord to me or others.

Download a prayer for our government here and above.

So I said yes sir, and I started to. I wrote out every name of every person on my Facebook friends list (that's where most of the drama happens) and have added my Twitter blocked list to that. Pretty soon, I will be adding every follower on Twitter, Instagram, and Google to it.

I prayed this prayer over them.

Father God, in the Name of Lord Jesus Christ of Nazareth, I forgive _________. Now, they are forgiven, and I hold nothing against them Lord. They are forgiven, just like you forgave me. Thank you, God. I praise you for the gift of forgiveness. 

Father, I ask that every name mentioned is abundantly blessed, that they have your peace that passes all understanding, that they operate daily with your divine wisdom and have the mind of Christ. I pray for those mentioned that if they do not know you as their Lord and Savior, laborers will walk across their path so they may know the truth of your love and forgiveness. I pray that they are prosperous in  their careers, finances, and relationships. I pray for wholeness and health in their spirit, soul and bodies. Lord, I thank you for all you've done, in Jesus' Name I pray, Amen.

Now, if a name comes up on my list and I see that they posted about some issue they are facing, I pray for that as well because John 15: 13 states Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one's life for one's friends. Maybe I can't physically help them but their is definite power in prayer and the greatest part is it causes me to forget my self for as long as it takes for me to pray for all these people. 

I get myself off my mind.

Now I know not everyone who reads my blog is a Christian, and that's okay. I hope that my words and actions make you want to know Jesus more but regardless of your faith, I hope the message can be adapted and applied to your life in some way. After all, love and forgiveness are universal languages.

Yet, if you do call yourself a Christian, no matter your denomination, you should be actively practicing love and forgiveness as an act of your faith.

Believe me when I say it's not always easy but with God, all things are possible. :)

With that in mind, you should realize that Jesus forgave you of your sins so if he can forgive you of whatever you may have done in your past, you can forgive others no matter how NASTY they may be.

Look, I'm not telling you how to live your life. 

I just wanted to share what God has shared with me.

If you want to start doing a forgiveness project of your own, be prepared to feel happier, at peace, and like you are changing the world because with each prayer for another, each kind word on someone's post, each action taken in support of someone, you are. 

Until next time, I hope you have a Blessed Valentine's Day and see God's goodness every single day.

Also, if you need prayer, please let me know. 

In Christ-Like Love and Confidence,

Chelsea

~Just Keep Swimming~

#WriterRevelations: The Landmine of Laziness

Let me just start by telling you guys something no one knows or has caught on to. I posted that last blog about confidence then I went into this whole spiral of emotions and excuses. I started skipping days for writing, even my daily Bible study was half-hearted at best.

Then, God started being hella direct about what he wanted me to realize.

I've been practicing laziness.

So anything that God shared with me is what I am going to present to you.

The book of Proverbs gives us a description of the lazy person.

See,  I've been making and practicing excuses for poor work ethic and not showing up.

Did you know that excuses can take another form?

Blaming others for your life not being all that it could be is totally an excuse that most people don't even realize they live daily.

The reality is we are called to walk in discipline and service to God. We are to work with diligence in all we do.

Stop blaming your home environment (my favorite excuse for not doing what I should be doing. Truth: I spend too much time on my phone).

Stop blaming your self-esteem (don't like the way you look? Eat healthier. Stop binge eating late at night)

Stop blaming the way someone is treating you ( Check your negative attitude at the door, bro).

Treating our work like an extension of our service to the Lord changes our attitude. Pleasing Him motivates us to do our best and inevitably results is the believer's contentment. A job may be challenging, frustrating, or boring but we can be at peace instead of wallowing in negative emotions.

Don't worry if your job isn't like walking the red carpet every day. No one's is. Faith is forever. Feelings are fickle. Faith has nothing to do with feelings. Go take a break. Close your eyes and pray your way through the rest of your shift and head back out there and do your best work as if every customer, client, or reader is Jesus in disguise because well, they truly are.

Feeling Down? Say This: I'm going to focus on the goodness of God in my life today. Whatever I may have lost is nothing compared to all I have gained in Christ.

So join me in catching yourself and all your lazy habits and telling them to hit the road.

Let's make the most of each and every day in order to give glory to God therfore HAVE FAITH and DO GOOD from the minute you wake up to the minute you fall asleep.

It's 2017 and there is already enough self-absorbed hurting people in this world. Let's be world changers, peace makers, and examples of God's GREAT love to all that we interact with.

This includes on social media. (Blog coming next week on that).

Until next time, remember:

In Christ-Like Love and Confidence,

Chelsea

~Just Keep Swimming~

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Writer Wednesday Book Review: Jesus>Religion by Jefferson Bethke

I just stopped crying. It's a long story but it all started with one simple question from my sister in a not-so-nice tone of voice, What work do you have to do?

I've struggled for years with a fear of not being good enough. Recently, it's been magnified by the relationship with my family. Like I said in my last blog, they treat me as if my work doesn't matter, doesn't count for anything at all because most of the stuff I do, I do for free.

This isn't going to be a blog about all that I do because this blog isn't about me. Like I said, this blog is a review of the book, Jesus > Religion by Jefferson Bethke.

I've always struggled with the fear of not being good enough. Not good enough to my family because I don't have a paying job, not good enough for a guy because I have high standards that include not giving everything away on the first date, not good enough for a job because I've already spent eleven months without a part-time job and still haven't been offered or hired by one since my skill set for a normal job is a bit lacking in the conventional sense of the word. Not good enough for people who decided to walk out of my life or stop making an effort in our friendship. Not good enough for social media because my selfies never get retweeted.

Jefferson Bethke is one creative follower of Jesus I greatly admire and knew that his book would not disappoint. This book made me cry multiple times because with each page, I came closer and closer to leaving a religious mindset behind and came face to face with the real Jesus.

The Jesus who doesn't want what we do but just wants you. According to Bethke, in order to meet Jesus, we have to stop trying to be good enough and just go to him as we are: "I had a feeling of utter quiet and peace. I din't hear those words in my ears, but felt them whispered into the depths of my bones. Immediately, relief and the epiphany that I hadn't surprised God rushed over me. I hadn't caught him off guard. When Jesus went to the cross, he saw all I'll ever be, all I'll ever do, and all I'll ever want outside of him; but he joyfully came and got me. He looked down and said, "I want that one."

Bethke even talks about how there should be no major separation between sacred and secular anymore because everything that God created in this earth is good. (Genesis 1). Therefore, there should be no reason that a Christian always must listen to Christian music or only a select group of secular songs. Everything in art, politics, food, animals, plants, and trees are all good in and of themselves.

Everything we do can be done for the glory of God. It can be anything from writing blogs, making videos, doing PR work, cooking, cleaning, working on cars, being a CNA, being a singer, and even writing stories. All these jobs matter to God. The only thing we must take into consideration is that we shine with a borrowed light that is meant to be a beacon pointing the way back to Jesus and God. For example, Bethke points out that even the moon shines with borrowed brightness.

I'm so grateful that I have Jesus because he sees all that I do and doesn't ever remind me of something else I need to do for him in order to be happy with me, he just loves me. He just pursues me. He just comes and sits with me just the way I am: a creative chick with a destiny for greatness. The only reason I am able to do these things is because all talents come from God. And I'm so grateful for mine, and even more grateful for the fact that no talent is greater than any other. Every talent is a beacon of light pointing back to the Maker of Talents, the Great and Powerful One.

So please check out Jesus>Religion by Jefferson Bethke. It's not at all a waste of your time or like any other Jesus book I've read. If I had to liken it to anything, it's like a letter from an old friend that arrives just in time. One that reads:

I see you.
You matter to me.
I believe in you.
Don't give up.
I love you.

Until next time, remember:" I may not be as tall, as tan, or as talented as someone else, but that's okay. Nobody will ever be a better me. I'm anointed to be me. I'm equipped to be me. Not only that, it's also easy to be me."-Joel Osteen. Be You, Ladies and Gents. Jesus wants you to know that by being YOU, he calls you fearfully and wonderfully made.

Love Times Infinity,

Chelsea

xoxo

God Bless!

~Just Keep Swimming~

He is Risen: A Dog's Easter Weekend Tail

Florida born and raised but I've got Jersey in my veins...Before I tell you the story of Geni's Blessed bday weekend, let us all PRAISE JESUS for what he did today. He rose again, conquered death, and took all sins, sickness, poverty, relationship problem, debt, financial curse, etc back to hell and left them there so there is NO REASON if you have Jesus as your savior that you are continually bogged down by these trials. Jesus said in John 16:33(My favorite verse): "I have told you these things so that in me you may have perfect peace and confidence. In the world you have tribulation, trials, distress, and frustration; but BE OF GOOD CHEER! For I have Overcome the world[I have deprived it of power to harm you and have CONQUERED IT FOR YOU]." Next time you are facing a trial or tribulation, remember that Jesus conquered it for you already then tell that trial or tribulation to go back to hell with Satan. Say, "In the name of Jesus, He conquered this for me. I call it conquered; I call it done. I have strength in Christ who strengthens me. In the name of Jesus, Satan you are defeated." I really mean it. If you want your mountain of a problem to go away; you must speak to it. Mark 11: 23-24♥

Final thought on Easter that I found this morning while reading my Bible, "If you walk around with your nose in the air, you're going to end up flat on your face, but if you're content to be simply yourself, you will become more than yourself." Luke 18:14♥

Anywho, Geniveve's bday was Friday. She turned 11 and this year I went all out on her gift: Nothing LESS than a dog celebrity gift basket for my starlet pooch. :)

This year for Geni's bday we took her to Honeymoon Island's dog beach. She fell in love. I mean, I guess it was bound to happen considering she lives in Florida and she has the soul of a skate/surf dog.

Here's the beach bum herself: Everyone was amazed that she was so chill and just stayed on her towel most of the time. Geni just knows how to act her age.
Geni took her first swim in the Gulf:
Beside the fact that it was Good Friday and my mom had a semi-stigmata experience after she went to chase our umbrella after it just up and blew away, she landed on a patch of sandspurs and had them all digging into the bottom of her feet and she still might have splinters in the bottom of her feet. Then, she felt like Jesus did when he carried the cross when she carried all our stuff to the car. She felt humbled to somewhat feel what Jesus did.

Other than that, we had a beautiful day and enjoyed spending time with our pride and joy Geniveve.
Here's a shot of the beach:
Here's the beach babes:
Without further ado, here's a video of our fun adventure:
Unitl next time, here's something that spoke to my soul yesterday when I was listening to Lauryn Hill's When It Hurts So Bad, "What you want might make you cry and what you need might pass you by if you don't catch it. What you need, ironically, will turn out what you want to be; if you just let it.- Lauryn Hill" ♥

I can vouch that the last two weeks taught me that this is true. :)

Two days left to the semester. Next week I will be posting the ten things I learned my sophomore year at Saint Leo. Look for it!

Love Times Infinity,
Chelsea
xoxo
God Bless!

~Just Keep Swimming~