Success

Success.

Everyone wants to be successful...but what is success?

Success is accomplishing ones goals.

What are your goals? Moving up at work? Being rich? Getting married? Having kids? Buying a house? Starting a business?

Is it wrong to desire such things? I don't think so. But should we make them our source of happiness and completion in life? Definitely not.

So if you don't feel successful...then you're focusing on the wrong thing, and perhaps you need to reevaluate what your goals are. 

Perhaps your goals are completely selfless, and you're frustrated because you just want to help people...now!

Then do it!

It may not be exactly how you want it to be, or who, or where, or when...but you CAN make a difference today. Still hold fast to your dreams and ambitions, but don't lose sight of today for tomorrow...or you may miss your opportunity.

It's as simple as a smile.

An encouraging word to a sad stranger.

A "thank you" to your barista.

Listening to someone's concern, and praying for them.

Or simply making someone laugh on a bad day (aka - Monday lol).

So don't give up. Keep pressing forward. Continue to seek the Lord in prayer. Keep smiling. Keep laughing. Keep hoping.

And I know this phrase is overused...but sometimes the only Bible someone sees is your life. Be a good reflection of the Good News of Jesus Christ.

I pray the Lord will bless you, keep you, and make His face to shine upon you.

XOXOXO,

Random fact #17- The most money ever paid for a cow in an auction is 1.3 million dollars!

A Cinderella Story

Cinderella's dreams are coming true. And so can yours.

You want a Prince? He's there, right in front of you, begging for your attention. His name is Jesus. My dreams and desires, He gives me all of them, He doesn't hold back! Maybe you've already discovered Him, but you're not getting what you want. You say "why do you get what you want, and not me?" He gives us the answer in Psalm 37:4 "Delight yourself in the LORD and he will give you the desires of your heart." (NIV) Look closely, it says when you delight yourself in Him. If you focus on Him, than you will desire the same things that He desires. Your desires will harmonize with His will.

Sadly so many of us, like Cinderella, run away from His will and His love. We're afraid He won't love us for who we truly are: broken, sinful, and lowly.

Our Prince Charming runs after us, searching us out.

 Willing to do literally anything to get us back, including laying down His own life. And He did. 

Romans 5:8 " God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us."

Zephaniah 3:17 says this "The Lord your God is in your midst, the Mighty One will save; He will rejoice over you with gladness, He will quiet you with His love, He will rejoice over you with singing." He not only died for us, but He loves us and we make Him happy!!

In the end of Cinderella, the Prince finds her. He shows her she is unique and lovely despite her flaws. His love transforms her into a radiant princess!

 

That is what Christ did for us. Accept His gift of love like Cinderella did,  and bloom under the shelter of His Perfect Love. 

He made my dreams come true, will you let Him make yours come true?

XOXOXO,

Please leave a comment, or tweet me @elisewiddis 

Book Review: Fairest Beauty

Fairest Beauty

Story written by Melanie Dickerson

Published by Zondervan

Description:

A DARING RESCUE. A difficult choice. Sophie desperately wants to get away from her stepmother's jealousy, and believes escape is her only chance to be happy. Then a young man named Gabe arrives from Hagenheim Castle, claiming she is betrothed to his older brother, and everything twists upside down. This could be Sophie's one chance at freedom...but can she trust another person to keep her safe? Gabe defied his parents Rose and Wilhelm by going to find Sophie, and now he believes they had a right to worry: the girl's inner and outer beauty has enchanted him. Though romance is impossible,she is his brother's future wife, and Gabe himself is betrothed to someone else,he promises himself he will see the mission through, no matter what. When the pair flee to the Cottage of the Seven, they find help,but also find their feelings for each other have grown. Now both must not only protect each other from the dangers around them...they must also protect their hearts.

My Review:

I have always loved FAIRYTALES. Ever since I was a little girl I wanted to be a princess swept away by a dashing prince! The way Melanie writes, she makes me believe my dreams can become reality. 

This book was a thrill to read! I especially loved the tentative relationship between Sophie & Gabe, it was precious! All of the characters were amazing; the "good" characters are real and lovable, yet completely human (along with the flaws, but doesn't that make them all the better??). The "bad" characters are welll....EVIL. And terrifying! But they also show a redeeming quality. Unfortunately the evil queen did not turn from her wicked ways before reaching a dreadful end, though the choice of another lifestyle was always there waiting for her. Just like us, there's always an alternative, no matter how far we've gone we can still choose CHRIST. It says in Mark 2:17 "On hearing this, Jesus said to them, 'It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but the sinners.'" NIV Translation.

Was there anything I didn't like?? Not knowing what happens to Valten! Of course we'll find that out when we read the sequel: The Captive Maiden (CAN'T WAIT!!)

I rate this book a 9!

PLEASE feel free to leave a comment! I would love to hear what you have to say about this book, tweet me @elisewiddis.

XOXOXO,