You Are What You Eat

You are what you eat...

And you are what you read.

And what you watch.

And what you listen to.

Read His word.

Watch His ways.

Listen to His voice.

You put in garbage, and you will get garbage in return.

Put in life, and life will pour out in abundance.

"The good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good; and the evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth that which is evil: for out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh." Luke 6:45

A "worship" Service

Here I am. Standing at church. 
The music is about to begin. 
In my mind I am not prepared for worship. 
My day didn’t start as I had hoped. 
My mind goes back to this morning’s attitude, last night’s argument with my mom. 
I am not prepared for worship. 
I feel like crap. 
I can’t stand the person in front of me; I was laughed at by the person in back. 
My day started bad, and I know it will only get worse. 
The music starts. 
I form the words. Sound comes out of my mouth. 
The song thanks God for a wonderful, glorious brand new day. 
I raise my hands and even dance a little. 
But wait, 
I stop. I sit. I think. 
“I am such a hypocrite.” 
Do I really even mean the words I am singing? 
No, my day has been bad and I don’t feel like praising. 
I can fake it. 
No, I feel like a worse person making people think I am doing fine. 
Making people think I am “so mature” in Christ. 
So I stay. Seated. 

Then a voice whispers in my ear, 
“Am I not still worthy?” 

“Yes, but…” 

“I still deserve your worship, even on your ‘bad’ days” 
............ 
“Besides this time isn’t about you or what you feel Victoria, it is about me and my majesty” 

“But I don’t feel like I mean it right now, you want me to be authentic right?” 

“Your mind might say you are having a bad day and that you don’t mean it, but you worship with the spirit that I have given you! I am still worthy to be worshipped! And your spirit knows this, don’t let your silly mind get in the way.” 

“But people will look at me and think that I am more than I really am, I don’t feel worthy to worship you in public when I have sinned, and I don’t want people to get the wrong impression.” 

A shout, like the roar of a lion, in almost anger, 
“Of course you are more than you could ever be! You were bought with a price! And now my spirit dwells in you. The same spirit is in all those here in this church. The same spirit reigns in all Christians form the “spiritual babies” to the “spiritual giants.” 
……… 
“And besides, you are not worshipping to please or displease people, but to magnify me! I am the only one who you need to concern yourself with at this time.” 
……… 
“I am always worthy no matter what kind of person you seem to be at the moment, and if you don’t praise me, the rocks will cry out!” 

I stand. I sing. I worship. 
I magnify the Alpha and Omega. 
My glorious creator. 
I sing holy, holy 
I sing glory, glory 
Distractions come to my head, but I block them out with songs of praise to my king. 
And soon I forget I was even having a bad day. 

Why?

What is the reason for this petty life? 
For what do we accomplish these minuscule tasks? 
To what end do we toil day after day? 
In the Big picture of life, What am I? 
Of what importance am I compared to you? 
How is this simple life life Important? 
Why does it matter, these pointless tasks? 

I want to do something. 
Something Big. 
Something Monumental. 

But what can I do from this desk in the corner? 
From this city in nowhere? 
Where will I find a task worthwhile? 

In the little girl at the park. 
In the boy with the scars. 
In the women whose silence is screaming for love. 

These are my children. 
I have put you here for a reason. 
Though it may seem you are just working or just studying... 
I have a bigger plan. 
Trust me with your life, and you will find joy and purpose in the day to day tasks. 

So reach out and don't waste the time I have given you.

Silent Scream

She is silently screaming at the top of her lungs.
She can't stand it anymore.
The mask.
The lies.
But it is too late.
The mask has already embedded itself.
The lies are rooted so far down
That even she can't find where the falsehood ends
And truth begins.
You overlook her.
You are the only person who is able to see behind the mask and lies.
Yet you pass her by.
A deaf ear to the heartwrenching screams.
She is stuck.
Trapped within this person who she has fabricated,
this facade which grows everyday.

What will you do?

God can, and will, use even you!

I didn't write this but thought that it was something we could all be reminded of! 


The next time you feel like GOD can't use you, 
just remember... 
Noah was a drunk 
Abraham was too old 
Isaac was a daydreamer 
Jacob was a liar 
Leah was ugly 
Joseph was abused 
Moses had a stuttering problem 
Gideon was afraid 
Sampson had long hair and was a womanizer 
Rahab was a prostitute 
Jeremiah and Timothy were too young 
David had an affair and was a murderer 
Elijah was suicidal 
Isaiah preached naked 
Jonah ran from God 
Naomi was a widow 
Job went bankrupt 
John the Baptist ate bugs 
Peter denied Christ 
The Disciples fell asleep while praying 
Martha worried about everything 
The Samaritan woman was divorced, more than once 
Zaccheus was too small 
Paul was too religious 
Timothy had an ulcer...AND 
Lazarus was dead! 

No more excuses now!! 
God can use you to your full potential. 
Besides you aren't the message, you are just the messenger.

Divine Quirks

A reminder from God as I people watched recently...


"See that girl over there Victoria, I love it when she makes that face...she is my child!"

"See that guy over there with the funky grin? It was one of my most enjoyable smiles to create, he's MY child"

"See the girl with the pain in her eyes? I knew that her father would leave, but I know something she doesn't know (grinning), Through the pain.... she is going to find the love of her life and she won't even know that he is in love with her until 2 years after they meet...Oh how I love a great love story!"

"All of their quirks and achievements, their goals and aspirations I molded them before time! It makes me smile just thinking about!"

" It makes me hurt when they take consistent steps away from me. They don't realize that all they have to do is accept my grace. It hurts so much as I watch them hurt, but they don't let me comfort them. How would you feel if your child was in pain? Well it is so much worse of a pain for me...it devastates me... I LOVE MY CHILDREN!"

"Oh, and you Victoria, every desire of your heart I placed there, every time you get mad at yourself for being too loud or bold, i laugh because you don't see the AMAZING plan I have for your life, and how everything about you is Perfect! And you get mad at yourself because you doubt, don't worry...I gave you a questioning mind so that one day your faith will be so strong!"

What quirks about yourself do you not like? Because more than likely God has a great plan for them! Don't get mad about them, God took joy in creating EVERY aspect of you and getting upset about them is getting upset at Him!

Chipping Away

I heard someone tell a story about Michaelangelo as he was carving his famous sculpture 'David.' According to the story a friend was asking Michaelangelo how, from the block of stone, did he know what to chip away. He answered, "That is easy. I am simply chipping away everything that isn't David."

I believe this is so reminiscent of our God, the master sculptor of our lives. We ask Him why we hurt. Why are you testing me God?  What are you chipping off and why?


"I have to chip away everything that isn't Victoria"

Priorities

In 2008 the UNDP found that:

The annual cost for basic education for all children in peripheral countries would be around $6 billion, which is less than the annual sales of cosmetics in the US.

Providing water and sanitation for everyone in peripheral countries is estimated at $9 billion per year, which is less than the Europeans annual expenditure on ice cream.

Providing basic health and nutrition for everyone in the peripheral countries would cost an estimated 13 billion per year; which is less than the annual expenditure on pet food in Europe and the US.

Reducing military expenditures in core countries by less than 10% each year would pay for the costs of basic education, water and sanitation, basic health and nutrition, and reproductive health programs for everyone in peripheral countries

As followers of Christ shouldn't we have our priorites straight? Christ says," whatever you do unto the least of these, it is as if you do them unto Me."

Are we letting Christ starve? Are we ignoring His cries for help? Are we putting or pride and vanity above Him?

These are the children of God, and yet we turn a blind eye every day.

Personal Reminder

Life is short.

Don't waste it

live every moment like it is your last. 

Live, laugh, love!

Be passionate about Christ,

care about people,

be vulnerable

and transparent...

Love God with all of your heart, because in the end He is all that is left,

live a life that will be remembered;

not because of who you were or what you did, 

but for Who you lived for.

First Post ( I know you cannot handle the creativity)

VictoriousThroughGrace is not only a pun on my name (Victoria Grace), but it is also something I have to daily remind my self of.

As I struggle, it is only through His grace that I can be victorious.

No matter how hard I try, I can accomplish nothing worthwile without Him.

If I continue to ignore Him, I will become weaker and weaker.

Nothing of my own strength will be victorious.

My current favorite verse:

"Therefore, dear brothers and sisters,you have no obligation to do what your sinful nature urges you to do. For if you live by its dictates, you will die. But if through the power of the Spirit you put to death the deeds of your sinful nature,you will live!" Romans 8:12-13

As I struggle with the constant battle between selfishness and righteousness, the Lord reminds me that through Him, and only Him, can I truley conquer all that has held me back.

The phrase "no obligation" hits me so strong.

Every time I sense myself starting to fall, I have to say NO!

SIN YOU HAVE NO HOLD ON ME! I AM NOT OBLIGED TO LISTEN.

I listen when I am not supposed to.

"I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do." Romans 7:15

But the awesome thing is this.

We have a Saviour.

He died for my sinful nature.

And through His grace I can be victorious.

He holds me in His hands.

So this blog is simply my journey. As I learn to live a life of trust, and as I fall along the way.

I simply ask you to be patient with me, and pray for me, as God reminds me of His continual grace and my perfect inadequacy.