Thursday, December 5, 2013

Sometimes you just have to smile and wave

You  ever have one of those days? You know... the kind that make you want to curl back up in bed and pretend like the day never happened. But in the midst of that, you have great friends who know how to cheer you up... and then... that ONE thing... that, had that been the only thing... would have been manageable, but because of your day it just sent you over the top. But you can't show that it sent you over the top, I mean lets be honest, it was probably your boss that sent you over the top, and well, blowing up in front of him would get you fired. So, rather than loose it you bottle it all deep inside you and you politely respond to your boss and he's none the wiser. Does him being ignorant to the rage within you make it any less wrong to be that angry? Don't get me wrong, I am not about to justify anger - unless it's the righteous kind (but there's a different blog post for that discussion). However, how you handle yourself IS a sign of how well you are doing. See, I'm the type of person that, at one point, would have blown up and called it a day, started packing my stuff, and head home... but when you are that type of person, and learn to handle the anger, and deal with it like a human being... it is a sign of growth, and a sign of hope, that some day just as you progressed from exploding to containing you may reach a place where you are no longer angered at all.
These experiences that "make us angry" they were not put in our lives just to make us angry... but it's up to us to CHOOSE how we respond. Where is your heart?

Tuesday, September 3, 2013

When the world seems to be crashing around you

When the world seems to be crashing around you..... it's good to be in the company of friends. Not just the friends you hang with to have a good time, not just the "fair weather friends" but the true friends, the ones that can see the walls falling down, and choose to be the pillars that continue to hold them up. Sometimes, holding up a pillar doesn't look quite like we think it should... then again, sometimes we don't realize everything is crashing down.
I guess I'm just finding that the best friendships aren't always the ones that sit and listen and just tell you everything is going to be ok, or allow you to keep doing what you were doing. Sometimes the best friendships are the ones that force you to talk, the ones that tell you to "stop it" when you're being selfish. They tell you when you are running from your past, or carrying guilt from it. And while all of those things seem harsh or unkind... it deepens trust. And trust... well... being able to trust someone is a very important thing. Biblical even.
Proverbs 18:24 states: "One who has unreliable friends soon comes to ruin, but there is a friend that sticks closer than a brother."
Family loves at all times, family will be there for you, but sometimes friends stick around longer, support longer, speak harsher loving truth into your life, and while I'm sure this sounds cliche... Family loves because they're family... friends love out of a choice...
I'm so thankful for the loving, faithful Christian friends the Lord has placed in my life.

For my friends who've seen the walls crashing and held them up for me, I may not have known it at the time, I may have even seemed mad at you, but seeing it now, I understand... and I could never fully express my gratitude to you. Thank you.

Wednesday, July 31, 2013

Love

Love.... when you read that word you may think of several different things... a significant other; a song "L is for the way you look at me.."; perhaps a family member - a mother, father, sister, or brother; or... perhaps you thought of the negative side of love... the heart break when someone you love lets you down, runs out on you, decides not to return the love. Whatever it may be, we all know the pain of love. Is this why we can't fathom the unconditional, unfailing love of the Father? To us, love is a human emotion, an interaction and feeling between two people. But to the Lord, it's so much more. If our understanding of love shifted from human love to the perfect love of God, would we still see a side of love that includes pain?
As a human, we feel an attachment, it grows, and we put ourselves out there, sacrificing, giving, and in return we see nothing... and we think that the person all of our efforts have been pointed toward must not love us... because we expect something in return. Let me say that again.... human love expects something in return for sacrifice.
Now let's take a look at the love of the Father... Romans 5:7-8 states "very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. 8 But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us." Did you catch the implication? With NO EXPECTATION of us loving Him in return; Christ suffered a brutal death for us.
1 Corinthians 13:4-7 in the amplified bible reads "4 Love endures long and is patient and kind; love never is envious nor boils over with jealousy, is not boastful or vainglorious, does not display itself haughtily. 5 It is not conceited (arrogant and inflated with pride); it is not rude (unmannerly) and does not act unbecomingly. Love (God’s love in us) does not insist on its own rights or its own way, for it is not self-seeking; it is not touchy or fretful or resentful; it takes no account of the evil done to it [it pays no attention to a suffered wrong]. 6 It does not rejoice at injustice and unrighteousness, but rejoices when right and truth prevail. 7 Love bears up under anything and everything that comes, is ever ready to believe the best of every person, its hopes are fadeless under all circumstances, and it endures everything [without weakening]."
When we choose to view love in a biblical way, and allow it to be God's love in us, and that is the motivation for sacrifice, there is no expectation of receiving love in return. The satisfaction of knowing that the Lord unconditionally loves you is enough when the "pain" of love starts to creep in, you can recognize it for what it is... a LIE; a lie that the devil wants you to believe, because if he can get you to believe the lie that you are unloved and all alone, it becomes harder to see how loved you truly are.

Lord, teach me to love like you love. Keep my heart held safely in your hands. Help me to recognize when I am believing the lie that I am unloved or alone. Give me a new revelation of Your love. 
In Jesus Name,
Amen

Monday, July 22, 2013

The Beauty in the Storm

How many times do we as Christians think... I'm in a "stormy season," and we use this phrase to describe when things are hard... when life just can't seem to go right no matter how hard we try.
I was outside a few nights ago, watching one of Texas' famous "everything is bigger in Texas" size thunderstorms. Have you ever stopped to just watch and listen? As I was watching the Lord decided to reveal some things about Himself through His creation.
First, when I was younger I was VERY afraid of thunderstorms, now I enjoy watching them. So many people fear the Lord, in an unhealthy way, but when we finally stop to recognize Him and what is really happening, we find joy and pleasure in a Father who loves us unconditionally. We enjoy spending time with Him.
Take for example the thunder and lightning, while to some they are frighting, they reveal awe, power and wonder. Why does thunder exist... where does the noise come from? How beautiful are the strikes of lightning as they light up the sky, each with a unique pattern. This is not by accident, it is the Lord.
Another example... rain. WE so often think that it means we can't go outside, or "oh no my hair." Well, in Texas we recognize a couple of different things about rain. It brings LIFE and refreshing to the dry and thirsty ground, and it clears the humidity and cools the air, making what could be an unbearable day a lot more bearable.

Like the Lord lights the sky with lightning in a storm... listen to this song by The Afters, and allow Him to light up your life.

Wednesday, July 10, 2013

The Only Time Getting Lost is a good thing

Getting lost. Typically those words carry a negative connotation. You don't know where you are, or how to get where you're going. But in Dannah Gresh's book Get Lost, they are the words to describe the exact place you need to be. This book is an excellent guide to getting lost in God. Whether you are a young woman or an older woman looking for a resource to help mentor younger women... this is the book for you! The book is broken into sections, the first to help understand why we as women seek a relationship with a man the way we do, the second to take a break from men, and feast on God, and His love, and the third to evaluate, based on what you learned through the book, how to know if you are ready for a relationship. Dannah does a great job of encouraging throughout the book that you not go through the book just so you can say you are lost in God and assume that will bring about a man. If you are single and looking for any way to make getting a man faster.... this isn't going to be what you're looking for. But if you're looking to be content, get the most out of your time being single, and genuinely prepare yourself to be the best woman for the man God has designed for you, look no further than this book!
Here are some resources related to Dannah Gresh, her ministry, and the book itself. Enjoy!

Pure Freedom
Dannah Gresh Podcast
Chapter 1 sneak peek
want to buy the book?

Monday, June 17, 2013

New Song up

It's been a long time since I've mentioned anything about my bandcamp site. You know, that place where I put the music that I'm writing. Yeah, it's pretty cool I guess. You should check it out http://kaylarichardson.bandcamp.com/ and if you know anything about music and would like to give me feedback on how to improve know that your feedback is more than welcome!

All that to say, I just put a new song up, so you should go check it out!

Monday, May 27, 2013

Relentless Pursuit

As many people who follow my blog know, I've been touring this year with Acquire The Fire. The theme of this year was Relentless Pursuit. When spring tour started we read a book by John Bevere (check out his Bio here John Bevere Bio ) While that one was required, I pursued further reading... and interestingly enough, John Bevere wrote a book called Relentless. It seemed all too fitting to read since it had the same title as our tour.

Relentless was a challenging book to read. It took me several months to read because I had to keep reading everything over to know that I truly understood what was being said. Not that the words were too big, or unclear, but if nothing else, one thing is for sure, Relentless will challenge the way you think and believe, and more importantly why you believe that way. John Bevere does an excellent job of backing up his statements with several scriptures. What each person gets out of this book is related to where they are at in life, but the beautiful thing is, no matter what stage of life you're in, there's something in this book for you.
If you're looking for a book that will give you a jump start to a deeper relationship with the Lord, this is it!
Check out the first chapter here. I think you'll be hooked.

I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review.

Monday, January 21, 2013

Don't be a deadbeat Dad

Don't be a deadbeat Dad... why the title? Why does it sound so harsh? Let me explain.
For so long I heard people say... your view of the Lord is related to how you view your dad. For a long time I sort of thought 'whatever, maybe it's true for some people, but surly not everyone.' Recently though I have been seeing things in my dad, that for many reasons, before now I had missed. And as I notice those things in my own father, I can hear the Lord say... "Kayla, that's how I am too" My dad loves me, he takes care of me, and even goes above and beyond for my sake. How much more does my heavenly Father, who has all the resources He wants, go above and beyond for me? Daily He wants  to encounter us.
So children, mothers, wives, this isn't as much for you as it is for Dads. It's a pleading. Be the man that God wants you to be. Live a life that your children can look at you and see the positive qualities of the Lord. Live a life that draws your children to the Lord. Don't get me wrong, the Lord disciplines, so by no means am I saying to not discipline and to just spoil your children, but examine your life. Are you slow to anger? Do you love your children and show them that you love them even in the midst of discipline? Do they know that no matter what they do, you will always be waiting for them to come back to you? Do your daughters know that they can confide in you and that you are their protection until the right man comes into their lives?
Don't let the moments when they are young pass you by. It is much harder to repair a relationship than to start it off right. Am I saying it's impossible to repair? No, nothing is impossible with the Lord. What I am saying is starting off right is like starting at the top of the mountain, but repairing the relationship requires climbing the mountain first.


I leave you with this...
Ephesians 6:1-4 (amplified version)
1Children, obey your parents in the Lord [as His representatives], for this is just and right.
Honor (esteem and value as precious) your father and your mother—this is the first commandment with a promise—
That all may be well with you and that you may live long on the earth.
Fathers, do not irritate and provoke your children to anger [do not exasperate them to resentment], but rear them [tenderly] in the training and discipline and the counsel and admonition of the Lord.