You Have Not Because You've Asked Not

If your children ask for a fish, which of you would give them a snake instead? 

Or, if your children ask for an egg, would you give them a scorpion? 

Even though you are bad, you know how to give good things to your children. 

How much more your heavenly Father will give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him! 

Luke 11:11-13

A father takes care of his children. A father loves his children. Let me be the first to say God is a good Father; if fact, he's an amazing Father! He sees us, hear us, and knows us. He longed to be so close to us he even sent Christ to die on a cross that sin would no longer separate us from him. In Luke 11, we are the children that ask our heavenly Father for things. God is not one to give us a snake or scorpion. He wants to give us blessings and prosperity. He wants to answer our call and be our biggest support.

Sometimes in life, things happen that make us doubt God. We feel that God has let us down or given a burden to bare. That's quite opposite. God works in the most mysterious of ways. The enemy works in the most ruthless of ways. When you let him slip past one wall, he can spread like a disease; filling us with doubt, disbelief, or even anger towards God. But God, so patient and loving, can take what the enemy intends for harm and make it good. You lost your job... you slipped up this week... you're not beautiful at all. Quit fixing your eyes on the circumstances around you and put them on the One who can change them and see our situations with a heavenly perspective. Just Ask. Ask him, pursue him, pray to him, simply just talk to him! You can't complain if you haven't asked. Don't work against him. God wants to bring joy into your life. Continually seek until you find what you're looking for. And even when find what you're looking for, don't stop just because you've obtained what you need. He's worthy to be praised always whether the circumstances around you are valley lows or mountain highs.

Don't be afraid to ask God for whatever it is that you need. Whether it's a need you want, help you seek, or even coming to him on behalf of another, ask him. We have not because we've asked not! What kind of Father would God be if he would not respond to his children? He loves us deeply enough that he is moved by our prayers, pleads, and cries for help. He is touched when we seek him genuinely for his help.

In that day you will not ask me for anything.
I tell you the truth, my Father will give you anything you ask for in my name.
Until now you have not asked for anything in my name.
Ask and you will receive, so that your joy will be the fullest possible joy. 

John 16:23-24

And this is the boldness we have in God's presence: 

that if we ask God for anything that agrees with what he wants, he hears us. 

If we know he hears us every time we ask him, 

we know we have what we ask from him. 

1st John 5:14-15

Recently our church had our women's conference, DESIGNED FOR LIFE! It was an amazing weekend and so many lives were transformed! The theme was She Is the Revolution. We were all charged to be the revolution and change the world around us. Worship was incredible, the speakers were anointed, and the presence of Holy Spirit was so thick in that place it was undeniable. I was so thankful to be a part of it in any way I could. What a privilege to serve at James River Assembly and to take part in this historic weekend. I only pray that what God did in the lives of the women there continues to grow as they went back to their homes.

I hope your Monday has been a great start to an amazing week,
❤ Ariel Christine

Being the Prostitute

I used to be the prositute. Before God, my attention was fixated on other lovers. I would pursue them instead of the things of God. Instead of his heart, I longed for things, people, items, and idols that gave me no eternal satisfaction.
I was Gomer.

"Plead with your mother. Accuse her, because she is no longer my wife,

and I am no longer her husband. 

Tell her to stop acting like a prostitute,

to stop behaving like an unfaithful wife."

Hosea 2:2

When I was in high school, my passion was competitive dancing. I loved dance. I also loved cheerleading. I loved my friends. I loved being social. And not that those things were necessarily wrong. However, they just became a higher priority than God. He wasn't my first thought waking up or the last thing on my mind before going to bed. It was Who is tomorrow's game against? Everything was ranked higher than God. I became a prostitute to other lovers. I gave my life for other interests, hobbies, and passions. My heart wasn't aligned with the One who cared for it most. It was aligned with loves that did nothing to care for the wellbeing of my soul except bring moments here and there of happiness. Let me say that moments of small joy here and there and spurts of satisfaction don't mean a thing when your eternity is destined to be hell; literally hell.

"Their mother has acted like a prostitute;

the one who became pregnant with them has acted disgracefully.

She said, 'I will chase after my lovers,

who give me my food and water, wool and flax, wine and olive oil.'"

Hosea 2:5

In times of hurt and heartache, what would cheerleading do for me? What would spilling out my heart to a friend bring? Nothing but comfort for a moment. These other lovers would not bring me complete satisfaction. They wouldn't bring me whole salvation and eternal life with a Savior. I needed Jesus. I needed Him more than ever and I didn't even know it. I wasn't the student out partying and drinking my life away. I wasn't the girl who felt the need to dress scandalous for the attention of boys. I simply thought I was just being a good teenager who's time was well spent doing activities and participating in school.

It wasn't until the beginning of junior year I started to attend a new church, and there the experience happened; the experience that would rewrite the course of my life. There was the moment where I felt God's presence so clear and real, and it changed me for eternity. It changed me in a way that my heart was turned on towards the path God had desired for it to follow all along. I could suddenly hear his voice whispering into my ear; I would hear his Word and the letters would seep into my heart. It was Hosea 2 coming alive.

"So I am going to attract her; 

I will lead her into the desert and speak tenderly to her.

There I will give her back her vineyards,

and I will make the Valley of Trouble 

a door of hope."

Hosea 2:14-15a

What before made sense no longer did. As a passion and love for Jesus began to foster, others died. Within a year's time my love for dance became so small; barely significant. Don't get me wrong, I still enjoyed dancing. However, I recognized a greater purpose and meaning to my life and I didn't want to spend four nights a week in the studio anymore. I wanted to run towards God. What held me back before and consumed my time and thoughts, no longer seemed to matter. I didn't care to spend my time there. And so I gave it up. It wasn't easy; my heart ached and I cried quite a bit. But what hurt for a moment gained me a lifetime of happiness and even into eternity. I wanted to pursue God. I wanted to chase after the things of God. My mindset had changed. I was becoming an entirely different being from the inside out. I was finally awakened to all that God had for me. I saw my priorities different, I saw high school and my friends different. No longer were there people I was trying to impress, but souls I wanted to experience salvation like I had. I stayed involved in a few things, but I now had a top priority and that was Jesus. My relationship with Him triumphed over everything else. And sure, I gave up things here and there and cut other lovers out of my life, but I didn't care. It was worth it. And thinking about it today, it was still worth it.

I have been in church my whole life. I have been "around" God and have always heard that he loved me. But it wasn't until I really began to lean in, that I tasted and seen what the goodness and love of this Father really was. In the book of Hosea, God told Hosea to go and marry the prostitute, Gomer. He did. And she would constantly run off to other lovers. But Hosea loved Gomer. He was always in pursuit of her even when she didn't know it. Hosea was to Gomer and God is to me and you. And when we turn our eyes away from God and fix ourselves on other "lovers," we are acting as the prostitute. It's a difficult spot to be in because, like me, I wasn't aware the things that consumed my time were top priorities and passions over God. To me, I thought I was just being a good teenager who just loved to be involved. Dance is great to do! Cheerleading and being social in high school is absolutely fine to do! It's just when it takes priority and love over God, it becomes a lover. 

Jesus. He came to the world for God's children; God's sons and daughters. Through His death and resurrection, we have the choice to choose life with Jesus. And when we do that, we gain eternity with Him. I choose Jesus. I believe in His life. I accept His love for me, and I pray only that mine would grow daily for Him. I want to love Him back with every fiber of my being! I want to serve Him! I want every person in my life to just know from talking with me that my heart belongs to Christ. I'm ready to change the world around me for Him; to start a revolution in my life that'll have a ripple effect on anyone who crosses paths with me. He's worthy of everything I can give Him and even more. I'm so grateful that even in my times of acting as the prostitute, He still loved me. That He still wanted me even when I was hurting His heart and chasing after other lovers. How amazing is that?

And I will make you my promised bride forever. 

I will be good and fair;

 I will show you my love and mercy.

I will be true to you as my promised bride,

and you will know the Lord. 

Hosea 2:19-20

Life has been REALLY great, but just as busy as great! And that's okay. I love keeping busy. I want to celebrate my best friend, Ashley! She was recently married and I had the opportunity to be her maid-of-honor on the big day. Seriously, what a year it has been though! So many things have transpired, but God grace has just been so sufficient his blessings all around. 

Have an amazing day!

❤ Ariel Christine

Living Carefree Before A Careful Father

Where to begin...?

`

Life has just been happening. One busy day passes off it's load onto the next and then the next and the next. Rare is a moment of rest and when I find it, I can't help but to just sit there and eventually fall asleep. It's as if all of life around me is happening, but everything going on in my own world is all that my eyes are aware to. And it's not necessarily a bad thing; I love all that I do. What a season it has been! Really, what a summer it has been. I've started a new job, moved into a new apartment, threw a bridal shower, made a trip back to Ohio in a weekend, went on my 1st visit to Kansas City, and so much more while maintaining a social life (a somewhat small social life). I pretty much wake up, get ready, pray, go to work, come home, work out, then depending on the night maybe hang with friends, go to rehearsals, or just sit alone for a while just to process the day. Oh, but how I adore the busyness. I really do love it; it always keeps my mind off the things that can consume it and distract me.

Through this busy season, so many little distractions have thrown themselves into the midst of the train track that my life is on. And as the training moving forward, I can't help but to notice those things in my way. They can range from the most silliest of things to the most serious. I just consider myself such a thinker and I can tend to dwell on thoughts for hours. Where is my life going? Will I get the audition? Are my dreams going to come true? Why can I not connect with this person? Where is my so called Prince Charming? Where will I live next? Questions, worries, doubts, fears, and more! Can't they all just go away? And there's another question. God, can you help me get through this? Push these thoughts out of my mind! And I almost feel guilty because it's been such an amazing season of my life; I have so much to be grateful for. I feel that the good things that have happened, in a sense, should out weigh the thoughts of my wondering mind.

If you decide for God, living a life of God-worship, 

it follows that you don't fuss about what's on the table at meal times 

or whether the clothes in your closet are in fashion. 

There is far more to your life than the food you put in your stomach, 

more to your outer appearance than the clothes you hang on your body. 

Look at the birds, free and unfettered, not tied down to a job description, 

careless in the care of God. 

And you count far more to him than birds.

Matthew 6:25-26 MSG

Here's what I've come to learn: God is limitless. Limitless, I say! His perspective is so much different from our own. Not only does he see a wider perspective of reality right now, but he even knows what is to come. He knows the plan he has for us and how he wants to use us. I believe there are two things that are needed simply in order to live carefree before the Lord: "God, I give you my life. And I trust you."If we understand our lives are in God's hands and choose to live for him, where could we ever stray away? In living for him, we lean in to listen for his voice and feel his Spirit guiding us. In trusting him, our hope is in nobody else, but him to lead us through life. I trust you, God, means so much: I trust you with my life, my dreams, my heart, my salvation, my worries, my fears, my family, my friends, my finances, my everything! God knows our heart and he knows our dreams and he has amazing things planned for his children. Living carefree before God removes those little questions and distractions because we know our heavly Father has a handle on it. And by saying the word "carefree," I don't mean doing anything we want and getting away with every sin. No. It's living our lives for Jesus, but carefree to the everyday worries and fears that can try to cross our paths. God is for us and he will take care of us. He loves us so much and tends to His sheep because they are, in fact, HIS sheep! We have chosen Jesus, and for that He tends to our needs. It's like a daycare. When parents choose to put their children in the hands of the daycare workers, of course those daycare workers are going to take care of the children! It's their job and what they love to do. They are going to tend to the needs and watch over the children who were placed in their care because the parents choose to place their care and trust in them.  The Lord will take care of those who place their trust and hope in him. Live carefree before him because he is most careful with you!

If God gives such attention to the appearance of wildflowers 

― most of which are never even seen ― 

don't you think he'll attend to you, take pride in you, do his best for you? 

What I am trying to do here is to get you to relax, to not be so preoccupied with getting, 

so you can respond to God's giving. 

People who don't know God and the way he works fuss over these things, 

but you know both God and how he works. 

Steep your life in God-reality, God-initiative, God-provisions. 

Don't worry about missing out. 

You'll find your everyday human concerns will be met.

Matthew 6:30-33 MSG

Many verses in Matthew 6 have been speaking to me through this season. I am choosing to trust God with my "everyday human concerns" because I know he can handle anything and everything. I have decided to live carefree before him because I know he is caring for me. He is watching over and listening to me. I am choosing to steep my life in "God-reality:" the reality of who is is which is God-almighty, creator of the universe, he who can do anything because he is all-powerful. That's my dad. I'm trying my best to not be "preoccupied with getting, so I can respond to God's giving." This I take as focusing on all that he has already given me! I have enough and Jesus is enough for me; I have all that I could ever need. Anything above and beyond that is my Father's blessings and goodness. My new job that I never thought would of been possible, I believe, came because of God's goodness. Where I am at in life and the opportunities I find are because of his favor and greatness. It's his giving-nature and I adore him even more because of it. I can live my life carefree. My Father is with me and has gone before me. And because of that, I can focus on his will and living my everyday for Jesus. I can give attention to all that He is doing and serve Him wholeheartedly. What a life; what a season. 

Give your entire attention to what God is doing right now, 

and don't get worked up about what may or may not happen tomorrow. 

God will help you deal with whatever hard things come up when the time comes.

Matthew 6:34 MSG

 

Happy end of Summer! I think... (I'm at least ready for Fall)

❤ Ariel Christine

Commands

This is how we know we love God's children: when we love God and obey his commands. 

Loving God means obeying his commands. And God's commands are not too hard for us,

1st John 5:2-3

And God gives us what we ask for because we obey God's commands and do what pleases him.

This is what God commands: that we believe in his Son, Jesus Christ, 

and that we love each other, just as he commanded. 

The people who obey God's commands live in God, and God lives in them. 

We know that God lives in us because of the Spirit God gave us.

1st John 3:22-24

"Obeying God's commands" honestly makes me think of Old Testament, trudging through the dessert, following God's commands and offering animal sacrifices. Just a little extreme... But the fact is, God's commands still stand today. We are to love God above all else; there is to be no other God than him. We are to love our neighbors as we love ourselves, respect our parents, not kill people and steal from them. God can even command something to just you alone; maybe he's spoken to you to go here... do this... speak to that person. And it's not that God is high in the sky ruling sternly over us with his mighty staff. His commands are there to help us, to guide us in a path of holiness pursuit. 

What I love about these 2 passages from 1st John is that there is reward and promises received in following God's commands. We are to first and for most love God for him alone and all that he is. We then follow his commands because we love him; regardless of reward or not. And in following those commands, we receive the things we ask for because of our obedience. That's how amazing of a God he is! 

As it says in his word, that his commands are not too hard for us. Chapter 5, verse 4 of 1st John goes on to say, "because everyone who is a child of God conquers the world. And this is the victory that conquers the world — our faith." Adversity may come and the enemy may try to set up road blocks in our ways of following God and keeping his commands, but we can do it. Have faith. His commands are not hard; it can be done. When the enemy tries to trip us up, it's him that makes it difficult. It's the enemy that makes following God seem harder. But we can rise to the challenge because it is our faith that will conquer. EVERYONE who is a child of God conquers the world. Are you a child of God? Then you CAN do it. You can keep his commands, you can conquer the world, you are more than a conquerer through Christ Jesus, and in keeping God's commands there will be blessing for obeying.

 

I had a really amazing past week! It was very eventful and filled with awesome people. I've been exploring new places, swimming in lakes, and soaking up all the sun my pale skin can handle. Summer in Missouri has been rewarding and God has already done more than I've imagined in the month that I've been back. The best is yet to come and I couldn't be more excited about it. I hope your 4th of July was celebratory and you have an awesome week ahead!

❤ Ariel Christine

Moving Mountains

There's those moments we feel like we're just trudging through mud and rocks to climb up a mountain side. It's a struggle; it's adversity. Some mountains we've come across before. Others present themselves as new monsters to face. There's monster of mountains in finances, insecurities, relationships, etc. 

I will go before you and make the mountains flat. 

Isaiah 45:2a

I will make my mountains into roads, and the roads will be raised up. 

Isaiah 49:11

I can think of multiple circumstances in my life where I was trying to attempt to climb a mountain and the struggle was so difficult. I wasn't sure if I'd ever conquer it. My prayers would be consistent… God get me through this. Help me to succeed, to move past this moment. And by the grace and power of God, he turned a mountain into a road. A road! A flat, easy-going, nothing but straight forward road. How, why God? I'll tell you… simply by his pure goodness. By his love for a daughter he was so loving looking out for. He saw the struggle, knew the need before I even spoke a word, and he provided. It was a mixture of my prayers to him and his sovereign hand providing; a relationship that got a treacherous mountain turned into a road. 

Jesus answered, "Because your faith is as big as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, 

Move from here to there,' and it will move. 

All things will be possible for you."

Matthew 17:20-21

Jesus answered, "I tell you the truth, if you have faith and do not doubt, you will be able to do what I did to this tree and even more. You will be able to say to this mountain, 'Go, fall into the sea.' 

And if you have faith, it will happen. 

If you believe, you will get anything you ask for in prayer."

Matthew 21:21-22

If you have faith, it will happen… If I have the faith, it will happen! Jesus is telling us that if we have the faith to believe for the impossible we can move mountains! We can tell them to fall into the sea.  It reminds me of a verse in Matthew 10:8 where Jesus is telling His disciples He has the power to cast out demons, heal the sick, and raise the dead to life. Then He says, "I freely give you these powers." In John 14:12, Jesus states that whoever believes in Him will do even greater things because He is going back to the Father. 

This is how I see it: In the Old Testament, God says he will be the one to make the mountains flat. As the New Testament unfolds, Jesus comes along. His power lives inside us and we become a vessel of His glory. Just as He freely gives us His powers, so we are freely given the power to move some serious mountains through our faith! We can be mountain movers. And it's nothing of our own aptitude, but God working through us and in our lives. His power is displayed in us and through relationship with him comes the strength and ability to move mountains. 

I say no more doubt over that mountain I've been climbing! I will prevail and I will succeed. God is on my side, and he can do the impossible. The power of Jesus is alive in you and it's alive in me to move mountains, and we have a God on our side who can flatten them completely! With God, anything can happen. So rise up mountain mover. Whether you've been climbing a mountain or standing at the feet of one, God can do some pretty amazing things through your faith and belief in him. You can do more than you think. You are a conquer and therefor you can conquer that mountain. 

(Pic via Pinterest)

Have an amazing Friday! I hope only that you would be inspired today to face your mountains with faith and perseverance. 
❤ Ariel Christine

You vs. The World

Comparison: The biggest killer of spirit.

It's a tactic the enemy is always on the prowl with. It can get in our heads; eat away at us. It can make us feel unnoticed, useless, inferior, even ungifted.

But that's a big lie.

Do not give the devil a way to defeat you.

Ephesians 4:27

One way I find very useful to deal with comparison, is to look at the bigger picture. What does comparing myself or my abilities to somebody else do for the Kingdom? It does absolutely nothing. It doesn't help anybody or anything except tear yourself apart inside and drive you mad. You are your own person. You're not ever going to be the person to the right or left of you because you were designed uniquely to be YOU! And if you're trying to make yourself more like another, who will play you? Or if you're trying so hard to be better than somebody else, you're striving and that tells the world you are not at rest in your heart. I once read in a book that a woman in Christ does not "strive." A woman in Christ is at rest her heart because she knows who she is in Jesus.

Don't get me wrong; it's not wrong to want to improve yourself and try harder. But if you do, do it for you. Don't do it in a competitive spirit to try and out-do somebody else. You are uniquely you and in the eyes of God, you are equal with that exact person you are comparing yourself against. He loves you both equally; you're both his child. The world needs you to be you. God needs you to be you. He needs you so he can lead you in his ways to fulfill the purpose he has for your life. Your very own distinct purpose that was designed for you before you were even born.

I definitely understand comparison can be one of the biggest mountains to climb. It reoccurs in my life from time to time. It takes prayer and consistency to keep it away, and when I do that, it really does. I won't let the enemy get in my head and make me look down upon myself. I won't allow him to make me feel inferior. There's a reason God did not make anybody the same. There's no other Ariel Christine like me and there is no other person like you. No matter how similar we may get at times, it's not worth the comparison and competition because for a fact, we are different. And we are all called to the same body for the same purpose. Remember, what eternal purpose does comparing yourself with another do for the Kingdom? Nothing good. There's a world out there in need of light. If we are to spend our time dwelling on our jealousies and resentment of one another, we are simply misusing our time. A kingdom divided against itself cannot go forward. We need to be united and have our eyes set rightly upon Jesus.

My suggestion: Try praying to have genuine love in your heart for the people you compare yourself to. Pray not that you would be envious and jealous of them, but genuinely excited for the great abilities and opportunities God has blessed them with. See them through the eyes of God and think of them as Christ would about His fellow brothers and sisters. Sometimes it just takes a shift in mindset and seeing people through a different light. Besides, you might not see beyond the surface the struggles and valleys others have tread through to get to be where they are at. You just be you and set your eyes on Christ. He is the only One whose opinion of us truly matters.

If each part of the body were the same part, there would be no body. But truly God put all the parts, each one of them, in the body as he wanted them. So then there are many parts, but only one body.

1st Corinthians 12:18-20

The eye cannot say to the hand, "I don't need you!" And the head cannot say to the foot, "I don't need you!" No! Those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are really necessary. And the parts of the body we think are less deserving are the parts to which we give the most honor. We give special respect the parts we want to hide. The more respectable parts of our body need no special care. But God put the body together and gave more honor to the parts that needed it so our body would not be divided. God wanted the different parts to care the same for each other. If one part of the body suffers, all the other parts suffer with it. Or if one part of the body is honored, all the other parts share its honor. 

1st Corinthians 12:21-26

Together you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of that body.

1st Corinthians 12:27

I hope this post has encouraged you. As I wrote this, I feel like I am preaching to myself. Have an amazing week! Truly, the best is yet to come. 

❤ Ariel Christine

Taking the Road Longer Traveled...

When the king sent people out of Egypt, God did not lead them on the road through the Philistine country, though that was the shortest way. God said, "If they have to fight , they might change their minds and go back to Egypt." So God led them through the desert toward the Red Sea. The Israelites were dressed for fighting when they left the land of Egypt. 

Exodus 13:17-18

Recently hearing a podcast reviewing the story of Moses leading the Israelites out of Egypt, this particular verse jumped right off the page to me. One verse it may be, but it speaks heavily.

God did not lead the Israelites through the shortest, most convenient way. He knew if he took the people through the Philistine country, there was a chance they would turn around. If they turned around, they would of never gotten out of Egypt and traveled to the Promised Land! God had great things in store for the future, but he didn't go about the easy way of making it happen. 

So often we look at our futures and want things to happen now. I'll be the first to admit it; so many of my plans and dreams I just want to pop into existence now! But God sees the bigger picture. He can see how it'll effect me if his plans for my life would happen as soon as I asked and he made them appear. I could be underprepared, wouldn't learn a thing, won't grow, or maybe not even reach my fullest potential. Sometimes to take the route of the easy way, we skip out on so much more. Sure things happen quicker and faster, but it might just end up being unsatisfying and nowhere near what it was meant to be. Great things take time. It's like a garden: a garden only gets better with time. Every season, it becomes bigger and more fruitful. It doesn't start off that way. 

Don't be disheartened if you feel like God is leading you "out of your way" or taking longer than expected. He already knows the plans for your life and they're already set in action! Each moment he leads you to is preplanned to take you in the direction he has for your life. Yea, it might seem long... but the Israelites were in the desert for 40 years! God took them the really long way around, but it was for their own benefit and to take them where he wanted to bless them. He has a reason for every action he takes in your life; you never know what tribulation God is protecting you from by taking a longer path. He wouldn't want you to face adversity and run back to a place of no freedom or excitement.

◉ ◉ ◉

June is the anniversary month of Eternal Bride! It's been an amazing year to blog and speak the things God reveals to my heart. I hope every post has been nothing but encouraging, uplifting, and insightful. I am constantly growing and it amazes me to read over my blog post from this time last year. SO much has happened between then and now. God is faithful to his promises and sensitive to the desires of my heart. No place else I'd rather be than in his will and for Jesus in my heart.

Have an amazing Thursday everybody!
With much love and appreciation,
❤ Ariel Christine