Fashionably Faithful

 God has recently put love on my mind. It seems like everywhere I go examples of love, dating, Jesus, and purity keep popping up! I've started breaking it all down in a journal because it can be a lot to keep up with and I am really excited to share it all on Fashionably Faithful. I'm not to sure why God has been putting this specific topic on my mind so much, but I know it's for a reason and that I need to pay attention to what He is trying to tell me. Today a very important verse, that I think I had be neglecting, came to my attention. I am always so amazed at how God brings things to my attention. Today in school when I had free time in Psychology I went on Alyssa Bethke's blog (she's the wife of Jeff Bethke who is known for Jesus>Religion). Anyways I was just scrolling through and saw this verse.


                             "I can not forget you! I drew a picture of you on my hand. You are always before my eyes." Isaiah 49:15-16

 I spent the rest of my day focusing on this verse, what it meant, and why it was brought to my attention. I think in life we tend to try and find our purpose, love, fulfillment, in people or things. Like boy friends, friendships, money, success  The problem with this is that our fulfillment is supposed to be found in Christ. Just look at the verse. God has drawn (and in other translations it says "engraved") pictures of us, our names, on his hands! We are always before his eyes! He will never forget us, He says He can't! That is such a powerful love. No one can love us that way except God! Why do we spend so much time on finding fulfillment in things, when God offers so much to us? I like to use this verse like this. I imagine this: I come home from a long school day, I feel discouraged. I was ignored by my friends, everyone seems to be in some sort of relationship and have a significant other. I feel kind of alone, kicked to the side. That's when God steps in and says "Sofia! Look at me! I can't forget you! I drew a picture of you on my hand. You are always before my eyes! Stop trying to find acceptance and significance in others! I love you, I want you, come to me I will give you everything good, everything sweet, I will give you my love. You are mine and so so precious." This is what God says to all of us! I can just imagine Him watching us constantly trying to pursue all of these relationships hoping to get something out of them that can fill us up. And I imagine Him just thinking "you won't find it there, but you will find it with me in my arms in my unfailing love." This is so special to me. I am always before God's eyes always in his hands. I am complete in Him. That's where we find fullness. Finding this verse today was such a blessing! A lot of different questions about dating, and relationships that were running through my mind were answered through this verse. It's so important for me and all of us to realize how much comes out of being in an intimate relationship with Christ  One thing about being a Christian that gives me excitement is that everyday is a day for me to grow closer and closer to God. I want Him to be my everything because He gave everything for me. I want to be able to know that if my closest friends, and family walked out on me today, that I would be okay, because God is my portion, He is my love, He is my creator, and He gives so graciously and intimately. This is a critical part of my relationship with Christ, and I'm continuing to grow in it. My encouragement to you today is to not forget who you are to God, and that true fullness comes through Jesus. And how great and sweet that fullness is!

                  Love,
                         Sofia

Thank you Lord, for dying for me and permanently marking your hands with my name!! How beautiful it is to be in the hands of God! To always be before Him! Your love is enough for me. You are my God and I am your servant, I am your daughter.