Author: Julie Black

This past week we spent in Santa Cruz celebrating my first born, Luke. It’s surreal that this beautiful little boy is already six! As I think about his life and the soul that resides in this sweet boy I can’t help but to feel just utterly grateful! This sweetheart is always giving, putting others first, and is truly so kind. When asked what kind of cake he wanted for his birthday he said, “vanilla.” I asked if he was sure knowing chocolate is his favorite and he responds, “mom, you’re being silly you can’t have chocolate remember!” I told him, “I’ll eat whatever flavor you want. I just want you to have what you want sweetie.” Luke said, “mom I want vanilla, I don’t want your throat to hurt.” This is the kind of child he is. Even on his birthday he thinks of others and it’s humbling!

This boy is a rare treasure in such a broken world. Lately, he tells me he’s going to be an army man before becoming a police officer and a part of me is already worrying about the pain this beautiful, loving, innocent soul will have to endure. Yet, I remind myself of who’s he truly belongs to. He isn’t mine, he’s God’s. I often have to remind myself of that truth. Yes, God has selected Kyle and I to be their earthly parents. As parents however our kids are not our property; We can’t keep them to ourselves forever! We have to prepare our children to grow up and leave to do what they are called to do.

“Start Children off on the way they should go, and even when they are old they will not turn from it.” Probverbs 22:6

My goal in being a mama is to foster my boys dreams with encouragement and support. To raise them with discernment and honesty. But most importantly to always redirect them to God and His never ending love for them! I will let them down at times although this is never my goal and writing it makes me feel sick… it’s true! I am imperfect and as they grow I see my imperfections more and more. Yet, I am to love unconditionally and that is why it’s crucial to foster who they desire to be. For if they are doing what God has designed for them their is no greater reward.

I grew up in a family where success was always more valuable than what your passion was. Certain subjects never came easy me however, I love and excel in the the arts that’s my heart song. We are all so unique in our abilities and interests! Birthdays are a great opportunity to dive a little deeper into our kids interests.

This year the boys both wanted destination birthdays and Luke wanted to originally go deep sea fishing to catch a shark. That’s Luke’s interest… fishing, sharks, and the ocean! Well after doing some research we learned you have to be much older to charter a deep sea fishing boat so he settled for pier fishing instead. Than we ran into a friend who told us about this little aquarium in Santa Cruz where you can pet a shark! Luke could hardly contain himself, so that was that. We booked an Airbnb and headed to Santa Cruz!

The first day started off a little rough shortly after we got to the Capitola Pier and got all the fishing poles set up Luke ran right into one of the hooks and got caught right above his chest! Luickly, once it was out the blood was barely anything and he recovered quickly and got back to fishing.

After we fished for awhile the boys wanted to go to on the beach so my mother in law and I ventured down to the ocean so the boys could run and play!

After hours of beach fun it was time to head to the Airbnb to get cleaned up for dinner. After we got to the house Kyle, his mom, and Luke went to get the cake at The Buttery Bakery. The cake was fantastic, tasted AMAZING, was conviently located and was reasonabily priced. Luke ordered a vanilla bean cake with chocolate ganache filling and a whipped cream frosting.

The next day was Luke’s actual birthday which we celebrated by heading to the Seymour Marine Aquarium to touch a shark! We got there at a little before they opened so we could wander around a bit. The property is gorgeous with ocean views all around and amazing whale skeltons on display!

After exploring for a bit we headed inside to explore more marine life including the sharks. This aquarium is perfect for littles and adults alike. It’s very educational with tours occurring of up to ten people per group to give in depth knowledge of various marine animals; including an up close view of their dolphins they have on site.

After the aquarium we headed to the Boardwalk, which was closed due to the filming of the movie Deep cuts. We than headed to Ideal Bar & Grill for an amazing lunch before heading home.

This trip was filled with so much joy and amazing memories that will be looked back on for years to come! We as a family got to experience so many interests this sweet boy has and relish in who he is becoming. With each passing year I’m in awe of God’s love for us and how he uses our kids to shape who we are as parents. Every year I see growth in my children but I also see growth in myself. I am so grateful God has called me to motherhood it’s been the most amazing, rewarding, humbling experience I could have ever asked for and I wouldn’t trade it for the world. Luke, Judah and Kyle you are truly my earthly treasure and I am so blessed we had the privilege to experience another birthday with this amazing boy! Happy Birthdaybmy sweet angel.

Hello friends,

I haven’t written a blog this week and every time I begin I end up erasing it and putting my device down. I always want to be authentic sharing insights or truths. This past week has been a lot to take in. Luke and I got back from Colorado on Sunday; which, further made me realize  that the time period we had set aside for God to reveal the whole job front decision is coming to a close. We have roughly three weeks left and than it’s decision time! Oh how I wish God would unfold the golden rug and show us the path before us. It’s in the thick of it that I wonder if God is really at work. Than I am brought back to Matthew 6:25-34 “ Do not worry…” the passage tells of all the things we as humans worry about and how pointless worry is. I have faith —but, it’s in these troubled times I find myself reaching for answers to be comforted. Knowing God has it and we’ve done our part can still be unsetteling. So to faithfully leave it at the foot of the cross, knowing He loves us and wants good things for us is all we can do!

Waiting is never easy… it brings me back to the Dr. Seuss book, “Oh, the Places You Will Go.” When Dr. Seuss talks about the waiting room. It’s within these pages that the author talks about how we all are just waiting for something. It’s within waiting, that God challenges our faith and our trust in Him. For without the wait, life would be easy and the refinery to our souls would never be able to occur. Having to wait in the uncomfortableness is never going to be something I’m good at but I’m slowly (key word here) learning that with these times of uncertainty,  when my circumstances seem less than joyful, but somehow I am at peace —that is when I know God is working! That is when I can see the issues and trouble lurking in the shadows and still come out faithfully singing Gods praises that I know, my soul is getting closer to resembling my fathers than the world that I inhabit.

See life isn’t meant to be easy, just look at the passage in James 1:2-3

“consider it pure joy, my brother and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know the testing of your faith produces perseverance.”

I have to ask …why do we as Christians act so dismayed when trials come upon us? When our fellow sisters and brothers walk through hardships and we question the hardships as if we can somehow grasp God’s understanding of allowing the storm to weather! It’s not our place people. God allows it for GREATNESS to occur! Stop sitting around gosssiping about someone’s battle instead rise up and be a pillar of faith so that when that person is feeling vulnerable and weak you can be a light for them leading them back to the foot of the cross!

I am going to move on from my tangeant in a moment but honestly I want you to question yourself the next time the battlefield arises and the storm starts to blow, ask yourself, “Am I going to take this as pure joy or am I going to let it break me?” We all have a choice each and every day to rise up or fall. When the tough roads of life reveal themselves we can either drive towards them or try to avoid them. This season I too have seen some ugly roads. Health issues, marriage troubles, even financial stress. I could easily have thrown in my towel said it was to hard and walked away. As a Christian though I have a fuel source others don’t. Where my soul can be fed and my heart can have hope and it’s through the love of Jesus Christ I can carry the crosses before me and rise to the challenges facing them head on! Stop being weak people and start using the strength of the Holy Spirit to rise up to the occasion. Make the tough choices, accept life isn’t easy and trust—simply trust that the Lord of all creation is higher than your thought process. That what your facing isn’t to harm you but to make you into something greater than you could ever imagine!

I’m going to leave you with this final thought when life becomes unpredictable and circumstances arise am I going to allow the Goliath syndrome to overtake me or am I going to be David— unequppied by stature but with faith as my stone I can rise up to the battle. May you all be Davids in the throws of life!

hugs,

Julie Black

I’m sure you have all heard the phrase “It’s just for a season.” I find myself dwelling on this, yet    sometimes the season can go on for a lot longer than we reckoned it would. My husbands job seems to be the boulder we keep trying to move but it won’t budge. On some days I find myself having fierce trust that it’s in God’s hands and other times I am stressing over all the ways we are going to fail if things don’t change! I’m like the boat at sea-all can be calm but than the waves begin to grow, slaming harder and harder against the boat. The storm starts to brew in the distance and before you know it disaster strikes!

It takes me back to Matthew 8:23-27

²³ Then he got into the boat and his disciples followed him. ²⁴ Suddenly a furious storm came up on the lake, so that the waves swept over the boat. But Jesus was sleeping. ²⁵ The disciples went and woke him, saying, “Lord, save us! We’re going to drown!”

²⁶ He replied, “You of little faith, why are you so afraid?” Then he got up and rebuked the winds and the waves, and it was completely calm.

²⁷ The men were amazed and asked, “What kind of man is this? Even the winds and the waves obey him!”

I, in so many ways am like the disciples! I see God, I trust Him, but when things get scary and the tides get high I begin to doubt in His power. I feel abondened and alone and misery and sadness start to overtake me. I want to run over and wake Jesus so He can see what I am dealing with; Yet His answers remains the  same for us now as it did back than… “ you of little faith, why are you so afraid?” This is when reality hits hard and my heart is torn between my flesh and my faith. God knew that we would face many battles. That earth would not be easy, yet He promises to take care of us!

²⁶ Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? (Matthew 6:26)

Yesterday my darling baby turned four! I still can’t believe that my baby is now a real kid… like I can’t call him a toddler anymore he’s a KID?!? It’s an odd sensation, For the past 5 years I have had babies or toddlers and now I’m entering a whole new phase of parenthood and it’s weird!

As I reminisce and look at past birthday photos I can see all the changes that have taken place over the past few years and I have joked (half-way) to my husband that I need another baby ASAP. When change is before me, I find that it’s comforting to grasp onto what I know trying to create a safety net around the uncertainity. Yet change is inevitable and I can either resist change or trust in God’s plan. The more I submit to God’s will and embrace the path He has set before me I see His blessings overflow. Judah’s birthday was a perfect example of  God’s blessings from start to finish, it truly was a “perect day!”

As I have been preparing for Judah’s birthday I have noted all his likes trying to categorize  them into a special day. Being that hippos are his favorite animal and we don’t have any near us we made it a destination birthday to the San Francisco Zoo where we where able to visit his hippo!

After several hours at the zoo we took a car ride over to the pier where the boys could see the ocean and it just so happened to be that Firestation 7 resides right where we happened to be exploring!  Judah for two years in a row has been adamit he is a firefighter. He dresses up like one daily, watches shows, reads book, owns a ride in firetruck and has more firetruck toys than I can count! Anyways the guys at the station where so incredible, allowing him to get in the truck and play for a few minutes before we headed to Ozumo for dinner.

Ozumo is an amazing Japanese restaurant and being that Judah’s favorite food is sushi this was the place to go! The views of the bay bridge are breathtaking, the sushi is incredible and the service is impeccable.

After diner it was time for cake! I preordered a custom cake from The Cake Gallery, which is an adorable bakery located in the city. Their cakes are not only delishious but they also deliver free of charge to anywhere in the city.  Judah wanted a red velvet hippo cake and that was exactly what he received!

After a perfect birthday dinner we where about to wrap up our fun filled day in the city and head home, but God had another surprise for us! Right outside the restaurant their happened to be more firetrucks, police cars and an ambulance. Luckily the situation that called them out ended up being a less serious ordeal, but when the firemen saw the boys and discovered it was Judah’s birthday they went all out! Patrick put the boys in the firetruck, wished him a happy birthday, let him put on his gear and push the horn! It was truly a perfect ending to a perfect day!

It’s amazing to see how such a little boy has such a strong presence. How his heart is both caring and assertive. He is a go getter even at four years of age! This birthday was a blessing; in years past we have a huge party at our home, I custom make the boys cakes, and I am usually so busy I can’t capture the day! Yet this year was different, we had only our small family and my husbands parents with us which allowed me time to actually focus on the birthday boy and document the day. As the boys change and grow, I am embracing the truths about parenthood. Each stage I have experienced with my boys has been pretty fantastic and although I miss the days of babies and toddlers I don’t need to try to hold onto the past. Just because they are growing out of what I am familiar with just means a new adventure is beginning. I am trying to look at parenthood with this new perspective, and embrace the changes that surround me because c’mon it’s pretty darn great!

When raising kids it’s not just about the present it’s about the big picture of who they are becoming. Kyle and I have specific traits we desire to mold into our boys. Getting this year to homeschool and watch them grow academically as well as in their individual personalities is why I love being a mom! It’s discovering who God has made them to be and fostering their dreams into reality! Judah’s birthday was exactly that in a nutshell. Taking who he is today and who he wants to be in the future and molding them together into one great destiny! Motherhood is my greatest accomplishment and I am so grateful that God has allowed me to experience such a precious gift!

Hugs,

Julie Black

This last week has been a whirlwind. Kids getting back into school. Judah’s asthma being triggered from his virus and all the smoke in the air. Our dog has had ongoing diarrhea. And I am learning how to be a teacher to my boys, manage my blog, and keep up with all the other daily things I do. Life sure can be overwhelming and it’s those little things that can just throw me over the edge. Like the stress of an asthma attack and our dog’s health. It seems like those little life things that “just happen,” can seem like the world is coming to an end!

I am a planner. I like to know what’s on my docket before the day begins. In fact, I like knowing what’s happening so much I have three planners I update weekly, sometimes daily. It’s in the anticipation of knowing what’s before me, that I can prep for every possible outcome and prepare myself accordingly! It’s within the anticipation I can create more anxiety or peace depending on how I foresee the situation going.  Yet lately, my docket is a scattered mess. I don’t know if I am coming or going. Things seem chaotic and everywhere I turn, there seems to be more unknowns.

It’s challenging at times to put faith ahead of emotions. To trust in God’s plan over my life then what I see right before me. For when I am not trusting I’m fearing. As a mom there is a lot of fear that just surrounds our kids in general. Vaccines, schools, bullies, friends, and so on. Being a mom can be a fear driven place if I don’t keep it in perspective. In this life their is truthfully so little I can control.When anxiety begins to grip me I have to redirect my focus clinging to truth and resolving fear. Last year I learned about breathe prayer and it’s something I have incorporated into my life especially when anxiety is present. It’s in the simplicity of taking a deep breath saying “Jesus,” and breathing out that truly center the body and mind.

Fear and anxiety are mentioned in the Bible 365 times. God knew that this would be a real problem for His people. Fear can entrap us and grip our souls if we aren’t aware/vigilant of where these attacks stem from. So much of what we fear is an illusion of what could be versus the realities of what’s right before us. Fear overtakes us and trust resides within us. I am learning to still trust in God. I am in a season right now where that is all I can do. I do not know what career path God will lead my husband to and where that job will ultimately take our family. Yet I have to trust that God will guide us accordingly in our quest and wherever we go will be good. I do not know how proficient of a teacher I’ll be with the boys; or if I am even capable of furthering their love for learning thus advancing their skills in the process. Yet I have to trust that God has led us as a family to do this. Even just the shift in my husband, who has ALWAYS been anti-homeschool is now embracing the idea and encouraging me in the process. God’s got a plan. I may not understand fully what His plan entails but I know He is good and these unknowns are further growing my trust in Him. I am learning I can either be on lockdown in fear or embrace the unknown and trust!

No matter what my day consists of, I know He has planned for it. He has taken everything into account, weighed out the outcomes and will see us through whatever path He deems  as “right.” His discernment is far keener than that of my own. I may not initially like the path He has set before me, yet when I trust I can see His love delicately entangled through the hard times. Life brings many challenges but their is beauty in the ashes.

“Surely God is my salvation;
I will trust and not be afraid.
The Lord, the Lord himself, is my strengthand my defense^[a];
he has become my salvation.” Isaiah 12:2

Hugs,

julie Black

I am officially two weeks into blogging and social media and already I am learning a thing or two in how I want to approach it.  This past week I have been focusing a lot of my time on instagram because of the ability to reach so many people. Gaining followers takes a lot of time and research and I’ve been taking the steps to guarantee success. Everything has been lining up ….everything that is, except for the one thing I value most—being a wife and mother. As I strive my efforts towards this new business venture my focus on my family is lacking.  This entire week I have been lost on my phone. I haven’t been able to sit down to just play a game with the kids or relax because of the overwhelming pressure to keep up. That is when I just had to put the phone down and stop.

As I began my time out,  I had to go back to the basic reason I started this blog. The reason I started writing, was because I felt like God wanted me to share my story and to connect. So many individuals have been abused sexually, physically or verbally…perhaps all the above. Some are going through health problems or an unplanned pregnancy. Others are just seeking to find some truth in motherhood/marriage and could use a honest faith based perspective. Being that I have either lived through these situations or I am enduring them now, I can shed some light on my experiences giving hope in places where hope may seem scarce. That is why I am doing this!

I did not create this blog so I could be vain. By posting perfect photos of myself all day long and telling you how great I am. That is not me. Yet, I will be honest with you…As a human I do get caught up in this ride for a moment or two before the Holy Spirit convicts me and I have to STOP! Why do we play this game over and over again? We know fame, money, populariy will never bring real happiness. Yet we all are guilty of chasing after some aspect of it at one point or another.

This weekend I really have been processing about why I want to do this and how I want to “advertise,” for my blog. And let me tell you my secret formula.. Instead of setting myself up for success I will be doing the opposite by limiting my time on social media. I had the privledge of watching an amazing devotional (it’s actually on my Facebook page) the speaker was talking about how we define success by broken worldly standards. She than compared our view of success to God’s view. I can honestly say I felt like God was directing the entire message towards me. It’s through this message I was reminded, that as long as I am seeking after Gods will for my life and am faithful in the pursuit, than I am successful. God doesn’t care about popularity —He cares about faithfulness.

Ironic that my blog is called the Faith Based Heart, and God is still showing me what it means to be faithful. I am a success in my Father’s eyes just by posting on my blog regardless if anyone reads it or not. I am bringing my God delight and joy just by trusting and doing. It is through trust great things can happen for He is a great God. He will use me accordingly for His purpose. I do not need to try to define greatness by my standards but through God. Allowing Him to use my story how He sees fit. By surrendering to His ideal of greatness I have tremendous freedom. My worth is not dictated by a following but who I follow. I can prioritize sharing God’s word not only through my blog but in the other ways He has called me to spend my time and life as well. Do you see how overwhelming simple it is to live in unison with Christ? It’s a magical journey to fully surreder all insecurity, doubt, and fear. To simply trust in His plan, is joyous!

I will be writting a new blog post three times a week. Aside from that I will have freedom to spend the time I desire with my family by playing with my kids, cooking meals, cleaning our home, leading bible study, homeschooling, etc! I am on no one else’s itenary of have tos or should dos. I am freed by my creator and He will make my paths straight. I hope you find peace and solitude knowing you don’t have to prove yourself as long as you are doing your limited part. God will step in and make it beyond what you could have ever imagined.

hugs,

Julie Black

This week I reflect on truth.  Truth can bring forth many challenges and realizations as you analyze it and try to define it for yourself. I am a truth speaker. I am the friend many come to when they want an honest opinion about a matter. Although I love to be a help to my friends; when I define truth in my own life it can bring me down some hard roads and choices that I ultimately have to make.

Having a past like mine has definitely brought me to some dark places and unfortunately my biological family has been at the root of many of my heartaches. As I have matured through being a wife and mother, my center focus remains on relationships and health. I am learning, however in spite of my best efforts they do not always coincide with one another. In fact, many relationships can be based in manipulation, stress, anxiety, guilt, and concern. With so much negativity it can seem impossible to truly be healthy and remain in a place of positivity. This is why seeking and speaking truth can be a challenge. For if I know a relationship is toxic for me, is it worth holding onto regardless of the tie I may have to that individual?

“Toxic relationships not only make us unhappy; they corrupt our attitudes and dispositions in ways that undermine healthier relationships and prevent us from realizing how much better things can be.” -Michael Joseph

I serve a good God, one abounding in love and grace. It is through His love I have been able to forgive past hurts by releasing the bitterness that could so easily entangle me. Yet with forgiveness, healing is impossible if change has not occurred on both sides. I am learning that to ultimately have God’s healing, sometimes you need time to let the restoration take place. If the time keeps getting interrupted by new pain, well than the transformation will only continue to be delayed. Think of it like building a house and every time the sheetrock goes up, someone takes a hammer to it, ultimately knocking the sheetrock down.  Energy and time are limited sources as I must choose daily how and who I want to use these precious gifts upon.

I need to fully have healing over the battle scars I have endured in my young life. There are many wounds that gape open and the bleed in areas I wish they did not. There is very real pain and torment I am still over coming to this day. Yet each day I am getting new perspective. These past few months when my physical health came into trouble, God really had to show me that I can not handle everything just by saying “I’m Okay!”  I have to start taking care of myself… That does not make me selfish it makes me healthy!To get healthy, I believe God had to show me physically how many things where off balance. The funny thing is, when you start to balance one thing your mind starts to show you other areas that need tending to. So for me: I changed my diet, got into an exercise routine, my husband and I got into marital counseling(which also doubled as a consistent date night and a much needed break from my kids) and now its clarifying boundaries so we can truly thrive in all aspects of life.

The process hasn’t been easy, but I feel a real sense of freedom and joy through it! I am finally empowered and through that empowerment I am finding true health and healing: mentally, physically, and spiritually! I may not be able to control the world but I can control who I let overtake me, and truthfully when you master that you’ve mastered the world! I am only here on this earth for a limited time. So it’s vital that I give energy to those who I hold the most dear and stop taking on those who continue to bring my spirit down. I will value health over guilt and let God’s love outshine the lies! I love how Psalm 52:8 captures this concept. ” But I am like an olive tree flourishing in the house of God; I trust in God’s unfailing love for ever and ever.” I will choose to be the olive tree!

Hugs,

Julie Black

I know many of you following my blog want an update…I have left many things unanswered from my health issues to where we currently stand on my husbands career /location. I’d love to have a rap sheet of answers, but honestly I don’t! It’s in the waiting one can eagerly become frustrated or breathe in the simplicity that God is in control and the outcome will be good! Sure it may not be the answer we initially wanted, yet if I am to truly believe in God’s goodness than whatever answer WE receive will be right!

I have gotten to this place in my faith where answers are no longer pulling on my heart causing me stress and worry. I have truly surrendered, trusting in God’s sovereignty. He is good and He will never forsake me. Proverbs 3:1-6 is my life verse as of late.

“My son, do not forget my teaching, but keep my commands on your heart, for they will prolong your life many years and bring you peace and prosperity. Let love and faithfulness never leave you; bind them around your neck, write them on a tablet of your heart. Then you will win favor and a good name in the sight of God and man. Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.”

As a human, I of course prefer when things are predictable and the outcome is known. However, I can rest assured that whatever the end result may be, it will have His favor. Getting anxious or worried is really a moot point. If He wants me to be healed, He will heal me and if He doesn’t than there is an intended purpose for my suffering. If He wants us to move He will open the doors and if He doesn’t the doors will be shut.This can be applied with any aspect of life! That is why we are to not lean on our own understanding but submit to Him. This can take practice, but lucky for me He has given me several opportunities to put this ideology into motion and ultimately lean onto Him.

The first time I learned this was when I was little girl and my dad molested me. I was too young to fully know what was occurring, yet I knew it was wrong! God had to shelter me until I was old enough to call out the evil that perpetuated my family and challenge my authority. I learned this again through abusive relationships and the disfunction that was embedded and created; which, furthered my depression and darkness. Yet again God pulled me out, guiding me to sobriety and clarity. Showing me the person God always intended me to be. I didn’t understand why I had to go through so much to be molded into who He desired. But He lovingly unvailed to me that my sarrows and heartaches where not in vain! He was transforming not only my life but those around me who battled similar situations.

That is what God calls us to do to let Him bring light to darkness so we can be renewed and share that hope with someone else. For it’s the entire purpose of this blog! If God gave me an easy ride I wouldn’t be able to have the faith I do today. I also wouldn’t be able to connect to such a broad range demographic! He is purposeful and intentional nothing is unwarranted. So regardless of what is to come rest assured it will be GOOD! I hope that when you feel at your weakest, like the world is crumbling around you, that you will look up and call on Jesus. For He is the only one who can bring transformation, healing and restitution. Have a blessed day!

hugs,

Julie Black

In my life lately things can feel very unsettling; relationships have been wavering with tension, health issues may seem overwhelming, parenting can be challenging… yet in the chaos, as I began to feel the road is too untrusting to even put one foot in front of the other succumbing to the chaos only brings forth more fear, worry, and anxiety! This is when I have to turn my eyes upward and focus on God’s truth… that He is big enough to weather any storm and through Him I can have true peace.

Philippians 4:4 says, “Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice.”

God knew from the beginning life would overwhelm us, yet we are to rejoice in Him! For when we do our perspective changes and are outlook is revived! No matter what, we can trust in His sovereignty. For He is already working even when we feel like He is nowhere to be found!

I found this to be true in a relationship that is very near and dear to my heart. Now this relationship I have had since the beginning of my life and this specific individual has impacted me in numerous ways. Yet as I allowed my hurts with this individual to take hold of not only my heart but my mind, I began to be clouded by judgement and the transgressions overrode any logic or grace. As a result I started to distance myself from this person. Now I want to take a moment to say that hurts happen and they happen on both fronts, yet when we get lost in our hurts our ability to see past it becomes impossible. This is when Satan loves to spin his lies and blocks us from moving forward through grace and love.

Now as a believer I know the damage that can take place when we hold onto grudges, taking that bitterness and using it as a weapon to validate our wrong doings. Yet God calls us out to be forgiven and with that forgiveness we are to forgive others.  Proverbs 3:5-6 says, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.” Forgiveness isn’t something that we as people do naturally, it takes humility and trust in order to lay down our own shortcomings. As I lean into this truth and I trust in the Lord with all of my heart, that He will make my path straight, I see that His goodness ALWAYS prevails!

Allowing faith to be my guide I have been rejoicing in the Lord through these unsettling times. Knowing that He would make things right and praising Him before the answer is before me. Through this faithfulness, He has proven yet again to be a faithful and trustworthy God. He has brought healing and restoration to this relationship that without His grace could have ended on a bitter note. It is through His love we can be set free! I hope that when situations arise you will lean on not your own understanding but look to God for renewed perspective and truth. It is through these initial faithful steps our victories are highlighted and our families are strengthened! have a blessed day.

Hugs,

Julie Black

I am only days into the launching of my website and Instagram accounts and the pressure is already starting to stack. We all know with any endevour you have to put in the time and effort to get a return. Yet as I begin this journey there is this ongoing tug of war between wanting to be successful and wanting to be fully attentive and engaged within my family. Than I pause taking a moment to step back and think who am I doing this for? As I pounder this question my heart knows the primary goal in doing this is to glorify God by telling others my story and connecting with others on this journey. Yet it can easily get muddled when your striving to keep up with stats and relevancy and the primary goal can begin to slip before you even have a chance to realize it.

I am sure you have heard Bret Michaels song Every Rose has it’s thorn and although he was singing about a love interest it’s interesting that when you think about it, most things one cares about has it’s thorns in some way or another. There is beauty in the challenges of life! As I was thinking about the struggle to balance what God originally called me to do with this website in the first place and my internal battle of not wanting to sacrifice family time with work I came across psalm 18:30-31, “As for God His way is perect; the Lord’s word is flawless; He shields all who take refuge in Him. For who is God besides the Lord? This passage brings so much peace and wise council. If I am truly doing this for God than I can rest in the fact knowing that He has and will continue to go before me directing my path! I can lay down my fears of failure or not being enough and rest in His truth! The amazing thing is when we fully trust and surrender to His will then He takes control and His outcome far advances our own!

I don’t need to be on my phone 10 hours a day editing, writing and communicating. I need to have balance in my work as much as I do in my other aspects of life and if this work is for the Lord than I need to trust He will have it reach who it’s intended for. In all things I need to surrender to His will because when I am running off of my own will those thorns really poke hard!

Jesus Calling, a daily devotional says it perfectly, “Do not wear yourself out wondering if you can cope with the pressures. Keep looking to me and communicating with me as we walk in this day together. Take time to rest, by the wayside, for I am not in a hurry. A leisurely pace accomplished more than a hurried striving. When you rush you forget who you are and whose you are. Remember you are royalty in my kingdom.” This perspective is mind blowing to a control freak like myself. Yet it’s truth and simplicity is cleanses my soul like a breath of fresh air. I must just take a step back and realize this day is more productive when I adjust to a calmer pace by taking each thing as it comes, than my balance in managing life will be renewed. I don’t need to fret about this or that I just need to keep my eyes focused on the Lord and the rest will work itself out allowing the beauty to shine!

hugs,

Julie Black