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Can we talk about how For years, I’ve heard it said That, “Home is where the heart is.” Because recently it dawned on me That home is where my bed is And my bed is where I sleep So really.. Home is where my rest is I remember the feeling of being restless So stressed Head under water, Not knowing where my next breath is So I can say with confidence that Real rest comes from redemption And redemption was on the cross So my rest’s wherever Christ is My home’s wherever life is My home is where no strife is Where there’s love, peace, joy A book – the word of God – Read to you every night is Can we talk about how For years, I’ve heard it said That, “Home is where the heart is.. But the bible never really says Anything good about the heart It says that it’s sick And who can understand it Who wants to live where there’s filth In a place with no safety, no true comfort, or trust? Who wants to live in a place where people consistently warn you of? I don’t want to live where my heart is I want to live where life is Where the streets are paved with gold Where each one of us has our own specially designed abode Where there’s purity, where there’s hope, Where the glory of God is eternally Can we talk about how For years, I’ve heard it said That, “Home is where the heart is. Because recently it dawned on me That home’s wherever God is. #jesus #poems #poetry #peace #god #joy #scripture #lessons #christ #provenmethod #ministry

I’ve​ ​got​ ​all​ ​this​ ​land​ ​for​ ​planting, All​ ​this​ ​land​ ​for​ ​growth. There​ ​are​ ​seeds​ ​and​ ​seeds,​ ​so​ ​many, But​ ​which​ ​ones​ ​will​ ​profit​ ​me​ ​the​ ​most? Which​ ​ones​ ​shall​ ​I​ ​let​ ​grow? One​ ​will​ ​rise​ ​and​ ​give​ ​fruits​ ​of​ ​peace, And​ ​another​ ​fruits​ ​of​ ​joy​ ​you​ ​see. But​ ​then,​ ​oh​ ​then,​ ​we​ ​have​ ​the​ ​weeds And​ ​certainly,​ ​they​ ​must​ ​go. Right? I​ ​think​ ​to​ ​myself,​ ​it​ ​can’t​ ​cause​ ​harm To​ ​let​ ​one​ ​lone​ ​weed Grow​ ​tall​ ​and​ ​strong. So,​ ​foolishly​ ​I​ ​let​ ​it​ ​stay, Only​ ​to​ ​find​ ​that​ ​I​ ​was​ ​wrong One​ ​weed,​ ​was​ ​then​ ​two And​ ​then​ ​turned​ ​into​ ​several, Their​ ​roots​ ​dug​ ​down​ ​deep Entangling​ ​each​ ​other Much​ ​more​ ​than​ ​I​ ​could​ ​manage It​ ​took​ ​me​ ​months​ ​to​ ​fully​ ​combat​ ​the​ ​damage. I​ ​tell​ ​you​ ​this​ ​so​ ​you’ll​ ​be​ ​prudent Guard​ ​your​ ​land Watch​ ​what​ ​you​ ​plant​ ​and Decide​ ​what​ ​you​ ​let​ ​grow Be​ ​weary​ ​of​ ​those​ ​small​ ​things And​ ​be​ ​quick​ ​to​ ​uproot​ ​them You’re​ ​sure​ ​to​ ​find​ ​little​ ​weeds That​ ​try​ ​to​ ​hide Show​ ​them​ ​no​ ​mercy, Don’t​ ​let​ ​them​ ​rise You’ve​ ​got​ ​all​ ​this​ ​land​ ​for​ ​planting All​ ​this​ ​land​ ​for​ ​growth You’ve​ ​got​ ​seeds​ ​and​ ​seeds​ ​so​ ​many But​ ​which​ ​ones​ ​will​ ​profit​ ​you​ ​the​ ​most? Which​ ​ones​ ​will​ ​you​ ​let​ ​grow? #poems #jesus #christian #lessons #servinggod #christ

"Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin." - Romans 6:6 Serve: perform duties or services for; work for; obey Do we know that the work of the cross is completed? To be free from sin is something we can already walk in victoriously! The bible says that our old man (the one who served sin and walked in disobedience) IS crucified with Christ. The bible doesn't say that our old man should be crucified or that it will be crucified, it says that our old man IS crucified! This means that we are presently set free from service to sin! What an encouraging scripture to know that this promise is already available to us. When temptations arise, we can boldly come against them in prayer and with the Word of God. The Word of God is the sword of the Spirit. It is our weapon and just like we have to actually do something in order for a physical sword to be useful to us (we have to actually pick it up and fight!), the same is true for the sword of the Spirit! We can use the word by speaking it aloud when temptation to sin arises. Reminding ourselves and the enemy what the Word states, as Jesus did in the wilderness when He was tempted. We can also pray the Word over ourselves and others. Sometimes, the temptation to sin is stronger than others, but this is what submission and surrender to the Holy Spirit is for! If we spend time in the Word and in prayer consistently, that makes it so much easier to resist temptation (example: again, Jesus in the wilderness). Also, when temptation arises internally or externally, we have to remember that our conscience and the Holy Spirit do convict us to make the right decision, but it's our choice to listen. If we choose to listen to the Holy Spirit, we'll be strengthened to avoid sin and we'll recognize our way of escape. "No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it." - 1 Corinthians 10:13 I want to also stress the importance of continuing in reading the bible. Since everyday is a battle for our souls, then everyday we must prepare ourselves by reading the Word of God. Everyday we need to seek God. I know things pop up: maybe you overslept, you got called into a meeting, you have to wake up at 5 AM to help get your kids ready for school , or any number of other situations arise. God isn't a tyrant saying, "Everyday, if you don't wake up first thing in the morning to read your bible, you're going to hell." No! But what He is saying, and lovingly at that, is, "Spend time with me today. Listen to the bible or to sound biblical teachings (David Wilkerson, Paul Washer, Billy Graham, and Charles Stanley are a few sound teachers that I listen to) on your way way to said meeting or after you drop off your kids. He is saying find time to seek Him daily, because it's the most important thing in the scheme of your life that will help you stay free from sin. The great thing about the gift of repentance is that we can start today! Even if we fell down yesterday or 5 minutes ago and gave in to serving sin... it's not too late! We can repent and begin to walk in newness of life right now. Confess your sins and God will be faithful and just to forgive you and to cleanse you from all (every ounce!) unrighteousness. "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." - 1 John 1:9 #god #servegod #jesus #scripture #blogger #lessons #christ #christian

This article was originally written in April of 2015 for Project Inspired, a website that encourages Christian teenage girls all over the world. Thank you for reading! When I first found my home church, I wanted to be involved in everything 100 percent. I went to service on Sundays, had my small group meetings in the middle of the week, helped edit videos for the service, joined the dance team, volunteered my acting skills in the performing arts ministry and was about to join the choir. Is that calendar making your head spin or what? Our overworked and overly busy society that takes pride in a full and color-coded calendar app has infiltrated the way we have church. It almost becomes more about the building than the body of Christ. Let’s make sure that our efforts of serving our Heavenly Father are balanced and coming from the right place. God may be asking you to shift your priorities if: Family is on the back burner. There was a time when I could count on one hand how many occasions I had quality time with my family in the span of an entire month. I was “doing so much for God” at church and I figured they should understand that. Our family is our first ministry. We are there to pray for them, spend time with them, help them through difficult circumstances, etc. If we are nowhere to be found, we are missing out on a major opportunity to minister to them. You’re too busy for God. The Lord wants to speak to you through prayer and through His word. He misses the quiet time you have together when your schedule is too full of other activities. Running on empty without filling our God tank can lead to making poor choices and quenching our spiritual discernment. If we rely only on our own strength and wisdom, He doesn’t get to play a heavy role in our decision making. Trust in the LORD with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. (Proverbs 3:5) Other areas in your life are suffering for the sake of volunteer activities. I remember having a conversation after a leadership training class about where we were going to meet afterward. One of the young men piped up, “God wants me to go study, so I can’t go.” Someone else replied, “Oh man, you pulled the God card. Nobody’s going to argue with that.” We all laughed, but it’s true. When God tells you to do something, there is no room to say no. If you have to miss a church event for the sake of keeping your grades up, being there for a friend going through a tough breakup or just being rested for work the next morning, it’s okay. You are busy to gain favor from above. Faith without works is dead, but works alone will not get us into heaven. There is such a thing as doing too much for the sake of pleasing God, especially when your works are hindering your most important relationships. The space between the four walls and high ceiling you visit once or twice a week is not where He resides. If you’re trying to score more brownie points, your motives are coming from a selfish place instead of a servant’s heart. For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast.(Ephesians 2:8-9) You’ve forgotten that we are the church. Church happens when driving in bumper-to-bumper traffic. It also happens at the entrance to the grocery store when you pass a homeless person asking for food. Let’s not forget that in between living life, there are moments that God sets up for us where we can buy a homeless person a sandwich or remember to pray for someone while we’re stuck on the freeway. Let Him use you in and out of the church building because church is in session everywhere you go. Gathering together to worship is of the utmost importance in the life of a Christian, but church shouldn’t be the only place we visit The Lord. I urge you, if you ever feel that nudge from the Holy Spirit telling you that God misses His alone time with you, you need to listen. I promise you won’t regret it. We can get severely sidetracked while trying to find the path to our purpose, and we don’t want to become weary in well doing when we’re not actually doing what He needs us to do. Have you ever struggled with balancing your church involvement and your personal relationship with God? In Love, Kytia L’amour is a writer, performer, and photographer spreading God’s love in all art forms. Reaching out to young women and sharing her story is what keeps her heart beating for Christ. Kytia lives in sunny Los Angeles with her husband and daughter. Visit her website and social media on Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube! #kytia #lamourinchrist #christ #blogger #christian #servegod #servinggod #god #provenmethod

I was beginning to make His words about others Not recognizing that abiding Under the cover of His wings Was entirely, but not alone, For me. I could pray and hope that The mountains be removed, but This was something, something, only for you No sin of yours was too small For His sacrifice to bear, When it came to turning the Word on myself My prayers began to fail. With little hope, little trust, Not believing That my deliverance too was a must (or truly possible) And of course the lack thereof Leads to everything falling short of love No encouragement enough Pity parties were now an Every other day must My life began to be Tougher than it had to… But Christ is good And He is faithful My safety Providing shelter The thoughts come and I weather, through Him, Against the storm. I’m beginning to make His words about me Recognizing it is I Who will be dwelling In the secret place of the Most High, Truly real, I shall abide Under the shadow of my Almighty God. He is my fortress and In Him will I trust I’m finally understanding His unfailing love Not just for others But for me I hope you know His words stand true For you, entirely, But not alone, too. If you'd like to read more poems written by me, head over to https://lamourinchrist.com​ #poems #prayer #god #peace #trust #christ

[Before reading the rest of this blog post, please read the following scriptures: Matthew 6:33 and Psalm 37:4 & 5.] In the recent past, I had taken on the attitude of, "If You bless me, then I'll serve You" towards God. Who am I to give God an ultimatum? Why would I even? But, I have. "It's not wrong to ask God for things, but too often we're so intent on what the Lord can do for us, that we forget about what we can do for Him. We must remember to ask God, "What can I do for You?" - Lynette Hagin It's easy for humans to lead a life that is led by our own heart and desires. It takes humility and strength to seek out the Lord's desire for my day, week, and life. It also takes strength to seek God in the seasons where He's not blessing me. God made me to serve Him, not myself (Colossians 1:16). That means I shouldn't go a day without finding out what it is exactly He needs from me. Just as all servants have tasks they are called to do, as a servant of Christ I am no different. Something that I've started doing again is on a daily basis asking God to guide me to what I need to be doing. Anytime I've made this shift, I've quickly noticed a positive difference within my walk. One thing I remind myself of is that I am a servant of God, it is not the other way around. Being servant minded means a few things: 1. I must remember that at all times I am called to love people. Yes, even when I am wronged. (That's not to say people can't be in the wrong, it's just to say that I have to make sure that I stay in the right heart space, regardless of what someone else is doing or has done.) (This is also not to say that you can't feel the hurt that comes from being wronged, because God truly does care about how you feel. Just understand that you can't stay in those emotions and let them taint your heart. Take your hurt to God and give it over to him in prayer.) * "...and be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you." - Ephesians 4:32 2. I must remember that I am called to pray for people, especially my enemies. (I find this to be one of the toughest, but most satisfying and freeing, commands.) * "Bless them that curse you, and pray for them that despitefully use you." - Luke 6:28 3. I must remember that God may ask me to do something that is outside of my comfort zone, and when He does I need to obey. * "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts." - Isaiah 55: 8 & 9 4. I must remember to give God my first fruits, and put Him first. (To me this means giving Him the first fruit of my day, or giving Him the first fruit of any money that I've made. This also means making sure that seeking God is a top priority in my life. I do this so that I can honor Him.) * "In everything you do, put God first, and he will direct you and crown your efforts with success." - Proverbs 3:6 5. I must remember that there are activities and lifestyles that I can't be apart of if I want to keep my walk with the Lord intact. (This means listening to music that goes directly against what God tells me to, watching shows that plant harmful seeds in my heart, etc.) * "Don't you know that friendship with the world means enmity against God?" - James 4:4 Of course there are plenty of other things the Lord calls me to do that are equally as important, but I believe that the above reminders cover the bulk of what I'm called to do on a daily, consistent basis. By reminding myself that the above tasks are my rightful service to the Lord, it causes me to do them all with a willing heart. Are there any differences in your walk that you've seen after doing the reminders above? If so, comment them below! #servinggod #ministry #jesus #scripture #servegod

Don’t compare your art to other artist’s art. You have to create a large body of consistent work to track your progress as an artist. There will be times when you want to make something, but it’s just an urge without motivation or ideas to back it up. Still try to make something, but don’t be too upset if you end up not making anything you actually like. Don’t buy sketchbooks for no reason. It’s a waste of money; finish the current sketchbook(s) you have before you decide to buy a brand new sketchbook… I know it’s tempting to buy 2 new sketchbooks because the design on one of them is, “So inspiring”, but you have 5 semi-new sketchbooks at home. Don’t do it. Trust me… I know. Try making a few pieces with different types of mediums. Try using acrylic paint, then inking it, then adding a cutout of a flower or a heart. Mixed media art is a great way to get outside of your comfort zone (unless you’re a mixed media artist that is) and make something you’ve yet to make. Surf the web for inspiration. Some sites I use are: Pinterest, Instagram, YouTube, and Google Images. But, don't go down the rabbit hole. Find your inspiration and then put those ideas into action via sketching or painting. Don’t spend over 30 minutes looking for inspiration. After the 30 minute mark, you’ve now gone down the rabbit hole. Come back! Get out of the house and try urban sketching. Go to a park, a coffee shop, or a mall and sketch/paint your surroundings. Have a pencil pouch to put your on-the-go art supplies in. Try sketching/painting with no music. It’s relaxing, and because there is no music, it’s easier to stay focused on the art in front of you. If you paint people, plants, or landscapes, follow a few photography accounts on Instagram whose photographs will inspire you. Saves you time for when you need inspiration. Don’t be afraid to share your work. Chances are someone will like it, even if you’re in the beginning stages of your art journey. If you find that you’re critical of your art, ask 3-4 people what they think of your work. Get some feedback from others and see what they have to say about it. Chances are, you’re too close to your work and just need a second, or third, or fourth opinion on it. If you know you have a big art project that you have to get done in one day, then as soon you wake up the day of your project, meal prep for the day. Don’t go all day without eating because you have a project due. Yes, that project is important but your body still needs attention too. Get off the couch. Get out of the house. Go look at something beautiful. Give your mind a mental break by looking at all the beautiful things around you. Take a walk, catch the bus somewhere, ride your bike, or go on a drive around your neighborhood. #artist #lessons #provenmethod #tips #sketching #painting #art

My process for creating a Peace Peep begins with prayer. I thank the Lord for the gifts that He’s given to me, I ask Him to help me create, and then I ask that He would place His anointing upon the finished piece of art. The reason I start my process with prayer is because I want my gift to be used by Him and to glorify Him. The next step is to turn on music that glorifies God, and at the very least doesn't go against His word: soft classical music. If I don’t find something I want to hear, then I’ll listen to sermons on YouTube; some teachers I enjoy listening to are Heather and Cornelius Lindsey, Charles Stanley, David Middleton, and David Wilkerson. I really enjoy having something soothing or edifying playing in the background while I create. I also like listening to talks about creativity or business. Right before I’m ready to paint, I pause for a moment. Sometimes, I sketch my idea out first. At other times, I just go for it, knowing that I’m going to make a Peace Peep and that I must make a Peace Peep. Many times before I start painting there’s an underlying fear that I’ll ruin the “canvas” in front of me. After I get past the fact that I’m not going to ruin the blank “canvas”, then I begin painting my idea. Each time creating is a new experience for me. My creative process is something that I’m still figuring out. I’m still changing the way I look at creating, the way I go about creating, and of course what I create. Sometimes I’ll sit down to create and have so many ideas flowing up. Other times I’ll sit down to create and despise every moment of the process. But, in those moments where I despise everything about my gift and using it, I aim to create a Peace Peep anyways. In an article I read about the creative process, a musician named Jack White described it best when he said, “Sometimes you’re not inspired… Sometimes it’s just work and you just do it cause you’re supposed to. Maybe by the end and you finish and you look and say, “Huh, that looks good. That’s pretty good.” I remind myself of this when I want to put down my paintbrush, pick up the remote and do nothing. So, there’s my creative process. That’s really it, honestly. Here are some photos of my design process and the finished product. Enjoy, and thanks for reading! #creative #art #artist #process #jesus #prayer #ministry #sketching #painting