. ✗ ღ ✗ ♚ Precious in His* Eyes... ♚ ✗ ღ ✗ .: February 2014

Friday, February 28, 2014

:: No harm trying ::

the moment we fail, is the moment we stop trying. rejection actually drives us closer to our dreams than we realise. and sometimes, it even crystallises to ones greater. xxx

:: Better days ahead ::

"Your best days are not behind you, but ahead of you. Jesus is taking you to places so good, so beyond what you can even ask, think, or imagine!"

Joseph Prince

:: Just keeping it real ::

"Vulnerability keeps you teachable - Authenticity keeps you believable - Transparency keeps you open - Grace keeps you compassionate!"

Brian Houston

:: "There goes the neighbourhood" by Carl Lentz ::

:: "Fatherhood" by Skit Guys ::

now this is fatherhood beyond any other. sure am blessed with one likewise. happy tears. time to remind him again. xxx

:: Divinity over Reasoning ::

"Never allow human reasoning to override divine direction."

John Bevere

:: Embracing the simple ::

"It's the simple things in life that we forget."

Usher

how a small change dropped a bridge's suicide rate by 77%. (upworthy) what an inspiration for us all to make a change in wherever we are, because you will never know the astronomical impact that can be birth through the simple action of one. xxx

:: In the waiting room (Pt. 2) ::

"Meanwhile, the moment we get tired in the waiting, God’s Spirit is right alongside helping us along. If we don’t know how or what to pray, it doesn’t matter. He does our praying in and for us, making prayer out of our wordless sighs, our aching groans. He knows us far better than we know ourselves, knows our pregnant condition, and keeps us present before God. That’s why we can be so sure that every detail in our lives of love for God is worked into something good."

Romans 8:26-28 (The Message)

:: "He's everything we need to be" by Joyce Meyer ::

I’ve been married to Dave Meyer for more than 45 years and there are a lot of things I know about his character. For example, Dave is a very patient man with an easygoing personality and he is very easy to get along with.

A happy result of being in relationship with Dave is that it has helped me become more patient and easygoing too. So just imagine what spending time with God can do for you!

Many men and women throughout the Bible made it their mission to know God. Paul actually called it “his determined purpose” (see Philippians 3:10). King David said what he wanted most in life was to seek God and behold the wonders of His beauty (see Psalm 27).

The word seek means “to crave, pursue and go after.” By seeking God for themselves, Paul and David came to know the essence of His character. They fell deeply in love with God and wanted to be like Him.

We can also fall deeply in love with Him if we choose to seek Him in our lives.

Today I want to share with you one aspect of God’s character that I’ve come to know and love. It has helped me tremendously in my relationship with Him, with myself and with other people. It is simply this: God is the God of justice.

God Makes Wrong Things Right

If you have heard me share my testimony before, then you probably know that in the early years of my life, I had a lot of things happen to me that were totally unjust and unfair. I was sexually abused by my father, abandoned by my mother, and repeatedly rejected by my first husband who ended up leaving me for another woman.

My life was a complete mess then, and it stayed a mess until I turned my life over to God. Then, little by little, He began to bring justice into my life.

God wants justice for all of us. He wants to be that hero in our lives who makes wrong things right. And He does even better than that. His Word actually says that He gives us double for our trouble.

Isaiah 61:7-8 says, Instead of your [former] shame you shall have a twofold recompense; instead of dishonor and reproach [your people] shall rejoice in their portion. Therefore in their land they shall possess double [what they had forfeited]; everlasting joy shall be theirs. For I the Lord love justice…and I will faithfully give them their recompense in truth, and I will make an everlasting covenant or league with them.

When we are wronged, God asks us to forgive quickly and completely. We need to allow Him to be our vindicator. When we do, we can be assured that God will bring justice in our life.

I encourage you to seek God’s Word for wisdom and comfort. Bring your wounds before God in prayer and ask Him to fill you up with an overflowing of His love so you can forgive those who have mistreated you. Through that experience, you will come to know God more than ever before. And He will make you more loving and forgiving, like Him.

The Flip Side of God’s Justice

There’s another side to the justice of God that we need to know about: We can’t mistreat anybody else and get by with it.

Of all the people Jesus talked to in a firm way, it was the religious people―the people who said one thing and did something else. The churchgoers who led sloppy lives behind closed doors. He called them “whitewashed tombs” because they looked good on the outside but on the inside, were filled with dead men’s bones (see Matthew 23:27).

There was a time in my life when I was a hypocrite. I’d shout in church praising God, acting like I had it all together, but at home, behind closed doors, I was terrible to live with.

We need God to change us. We need to want Him to change us instead of making excuses for bad behavior.

Thankfully, when we do wrong things, God doesn’t just let us get by with it. It’s not because He wants to punish us. It’s because He loves us too much to let us live that way.

The Bible says God chastens us and tells us our faults because He loves us (Hebrews 12:6). And we need to change and do whatever it takes to straighten things out in our relationship with God because one day, we will all stand before Him and give an account of our life (see Romans 14:12).

God knows your heart. He’s merciful. He’s full of grace and love. He’s long-suffering. God knows we will never stop making mistakes, and still blesses us and is good to us and forgives us time after time. We also need to be good and gracious and loving to other people.

I like the fact that God is fair. Not only will He give me double for my trouble, He won’t let me live a junky life and get by with it. That lets me know He loves me.

I encourage you to let God shape you into someone who loves and actually longs for His correction. Because by bending to His will, we can become healed and whole, satisfied and happy.

God Brings Us from Glory to Glory

“ Being in relationship with God has helped me learn and grow as a person, because I'm just not satisfied to stay the way I am. ”

Just as I’ve been positively affected by my relationship with my husband, Dave, being in relationship with God has helped me learn and grow as a person, because I’m just not satisfied to stay the way I am. The fact is, I’m in love with God and I want to be like Him.

I still have a long way to go, but I’ve come a long way. And I’ve learned not to be discouraged about how far I have to go. Instead, I’m excited about how far I’ve come.

Aren’t you glad God calls people who aren’t perfect and then changes us while we’re making the journey?

God is full of mercy, especially when we’re ignorant of our mistakes. But we can open up a whole world of blessings in Christ if we just decide to live a little bit higher.

If you’re going to walk with God for the rest of your journey, get all you can out of your relationship with Him. Be a seeker and you will fall so in love with Jesus that you will put yourself in a position where God can bless you radically and outrageously.

It is only in close relationship with Him that you can live a life that brings glory to His name.

:: End It Movement ::

to end human trafficking, slavery and poverty, and have freedom for all. it's time for our lights to shine brighter. we're in it, to end it. xxx

:: Made to love, not used ::

"People were created to be loved. Things were created to be used. The reason why the world is in chaos, is because things are being loved, and people are being used."

:: A Full Life in the Emptiest of Places ::

“If you get rid of unfair practices,
quit blaming victims,
quit gossiping about other people’s sins,
If you are generous with the hungry,
and start giving yourselves to the down-and-out,
Your lives will begin to glow in the darkness,
your shadowed lives will be bathed in sunlight.
I will always show you where to go.
I’ll give you a full life in the emptiest of places—
firm muscles, strong bones.
You’ll be like a well-watered garden,
a gurgling spring that never runs dry.
You’ll use the old rubble of past lives to build anew,
rebuild the foundations from out of your past.
You’ll be known as those who can fix anything,
restore old ruins, rebuild and renovate,
make the community livable again."

Isaiah 58:0-12 (The Message)

:: Love is bright ::

love is bright, manifesting in the glow of two wholes. xxx

:: "The Narrative" by Nathan Presley ::

:: "10 foods to help prevent clogged arteries" by The nature's farmacy ::

Garlic

Since ancient times garlic has been used to treat heart disease and hypertension. According to a study published in preventive medicine, garlic inhibits coronary artery calcification which serves as a marker for plaque formation.

Grapes

Grapes are rich in flavonoids, quercetin, and resveratrol. These flavonoids have been found to prevent the oxidation of bad cholesterol that leads to the formation of plaque in artery walls. They also lower the risk of developing blood clots that can lead to heart attacks.

Spinach

Spinach is rich in potassium and folic acids, both of which act as a defense against high blood pressure. Spinach is also rich in lutein, a plant carotenoid which not only protects against age related macular degeneration but also prevents heart attacks by keeping arteries free from cholesterol build up.
Fish

A study conducted by researchers at Southampton University found that Omega 3 oils, present in fishes like tuna and salmon, stop the build up of fatty deposits in the arteries. These fatty acids prevent clots from forming and cholesterol from becoming oxidised.

Olive oil

Only oxidized cholesterol is able to stick to your artery walls and form plaques. Monounsaturated fats present in olive oil when mixed with molecules of bad cholesterol become less likely to be oxidised.

Tomatoes

According to a study conducted by Korean researchers, lycopene, a compound present in tomatoes that gives them their color, helps in prevent hardening of the arteries. Researchers found that women with the highest lycopene levels in their blood had the least stiffness in their arteries.

Pomegranates

Pomegranate juice not only appears to prevent hardening of the arteries by reducing blood vessel damage, but may also reverse the progression of this disease. Pomegranate fruit and its juice are high in antioxidant content, which may help fight hardening of the arteries.

Kiwi and Cantaloupe

These antioxidant-rich foods work by reducing toxic LDL cholesterol, which is formed by a rusting process in your arteries. They can help stop the rust in its tracks and even prevent it from spreading. Eat one cup of cantaloupe or one kiwi per day to unclog your arteries.

Cranberry Juice

This juice strains the fat out of arteries. Instead of having fat build up in your blood vessels, this juice boosts your cell’s ability to absorb the fat and use it for production of energy. Drink three glasses of this juice every week to unclog your arteries.

Oats

Thanks to the soluble fiber in oats, cholesterol doesn’t stand a chance. This fiber attaches itself to cholesterol and carries it right out of your system. Some studies have shown that eating just 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 cups of cooked oat- bran cereal daily can lower cholesterol levels by almost 20%.

:: "What we can really expect from others" by Steven Furtick ::

"...it's when the people you try to influence, believe that you believe in them." xxx

Thursday, February 27, 2014

:: "17 Majestic Beyoncé Quotes That Will Remind You To Be Fierce" by Maddi Lewis

“Your self-worth is determined by you. You don’t have to depend on someone telling you who you are.”

“When I’m not feeling my best I ask myself, ‘What are you gonna do about it?’ I use the negativity to fuel the transformation into a better me.”

“Take all the rules away. How can we live if we don’t change?”

“I’m a workaholic and I don’t believe in ‘No’. If I’m not sleeping, nobody’s sleeping.”

“Do what you were born to do. You just have to trust yourself.”

“I felt like it was time to set up my future, so I set a goal. My goal was independence.”

“Why do you have to choose what type of woman you are? Why do you have to label yourself anything?”

“The reality is: sometimes you lose. And you’re never too good to lose. You’re never too big to lose. You’re never too smart to lose. It happens.”

“I don’t have to prove anything to anyone, I only have to follow my heart and concentrate on what I want to say to the world. I run my world.”

“It is so liberating to really know what I want, what truly makes me happy, what I will not tolerate. I have learned that it is no one else’s job to take care of me but me.”

“[A true diva is] graceful, and talented, and strong, and fearless and brave and someone with humility.”

"My biggest thing is to teach not to focus on the aesthetic. It’s really about who you are, and the human being, that makes you beautiful.”

“We all have our imperfections. But I’m human and you know, it’s important to concentrate on other qualities besides outer beauty.”

"The more you mature, you realize that this imperfections make your more beautiful.”

“I don’t like to gamble, but if there’s one thing I’m willing to bet on, it’s myself.”

“I don’t feel like I have to please anyone. I feel free. I feel like I’m an adult. I’m grown. I can do what I want. I can say what I want. I can retire if I want. That’s why I’ve worked hard.”

“If you’ve been doing all you can and it’s not happening for you, go out and have you a good old time. Put on your sexy dress and move on.”

and that is why she is the queen. xxx

:: We stand for freedom ::

"If you stand for nothing, you’ll fall for anything."

Alexander Hamilton

:: But God ::

:: Able & Immeasurably More ::

:: We ::

:: Playing no mind & happy ::

"When you don’t let things bother you and don’t get drawn into battles that don’t matter—that’s when you’ll be happy."

Joel Osteen

Wednesday, February 26, 2014

:: "Almost Lover" by A Fine Frenzy ::

:: "Begin Again" by Taylor Swift ::

:: "I'm On Fire" by Gabrielle Aplin ::

:: "The Most Important Steps You Need To Take In Order To Work Abroad" by Alena Kroupink ::

Do you have a recurring vision of living in a country far far away where you will be able to work at your dream job somewhere by the beach, sipping mojitos on weekends or where the view from your apartment at dawn is a colorful sunrise seeming to pop up from beneath the snow-covered mountains?

Well, this does not have to be a dream. For many people this is their everyday reality! You can embark on a journey that most people can only dream of by working abroad.

Finding A Job

If working abroad is something that is of interest to you, there are a variety of steps that you can take which vary greatly depending on the country that you are interested in working in.

If you are working for a large corporation, the easiest way of going abroad is by requesting a company transfer. I suggest you check job openings in your company’s international offices and speak to your human resources manager. Do not forget that following up in this situation (and in many others) is key.

If you are not employed for an international company that type of move becomes more difficult but not impossible. If you are a student at a university, apply for an internship program abroad, work really hard for that company and they just might sponsor you if you show interest, dedication and of course ask for it.

If neither of the above cases apply to your situation you will now need to do some research on the different types of visas and any other prerequisites that your country of interest requires for you to work there.

Start contacting employers directly by using LinkedIn and company websites. One of my friends, Len Choo-Foo, a fellow Montrealer, found his job in London, England after having connected directly with the CEO of the company through LinkedIn. He was later recruited by a company in Thailand, which is where he currently resides.

Another thing you can do is look up various working abroad programs that can help you find employment.

In my case, I decided to go work in South Beach while remaining a Canadian citizen. I was still living in Canada while I applied for work and was unsuccessful in getting any interviews.

The next thing I did was actually go and live in Miami while I was working from home for another company. At this point I had a Miami address and phone number and soon enough I was getting phone calls for interviews.

Please understand that when you are called in for an interview, it can be scheduled for next week, next day or even the same day and being on the other side of the planet attending those interviews would be close to impossible.

Some larger companies will do Skype interviews, but again this all depends on the demand that your profession has. If your position is in high demand, you will not need to make much effort in order to get sponsored but if it is a common position that can easily be replaced, I suggest that you go to your city of interest, start applying from there and be as proactive as possible.

Settling In A New Country

Once you have found your job and you are ready to move, you start getting excited but also nervous of the unknown. This is normal. New country, new people, maybe new language(s) are all very scary for most of us but there are a few things you can you do to make this transition an easy one?

Finding a place to live

Make sure to do your research on where you will be living not only by educating yourself on the cost of living or proximity to work but also on the type of neighborhood you are settling in, access to public transportation, laundry, gym, pharmacy, grocery store, other shops, restaurants and entertainment.

Pick a location where you can socialize with others and make new friends, which for most of us will be the biggest challenge of moving abroad.

Making Friends

Making new friends can be very difficult especially in countries where there are many expatriates on assignments. They are there temporarily and as soon as you make good friends with somebody you have to be ready for them to leave.

Keeping yourself social is key when adapting yourself to a new country and it is important that you don’t hide out at home being antisocial waiting for people to rage over your friendship because that is not likely to happen.

Start talking to people at your job because most likely they have been in your situation in the past and will gladly offer to show you around and give you some tips of advice.But they won’t know how to help you if you are unapproachable and hiding away at your desk all day. Join your coworkers during lunch and social events that you are invited to.

Taking a class

A good way to integrate into a new culture and meet new friends is by taking a class. Learning the language of the country where you are residing would be a good start but classes do not need to be limited to language.

They can be valuable for anything from dance class, to cooking, to painting, or even a sport like surfing. If you do not let yourself be seen then nobody will see you so get out there and do something!

Invite friends and family to visit

During the first few months, the integration is quite difficult and most of us will start to feel home sick after a few weeks. I found that a great way to get back on track is by having friends and family visit you to reassure you and give you motivation. Also, it is much easier to meet people when you are with other people.

Working in an unknown country can be the most exciting and life changing experience that you can ever imagine but it can also be very lonely and difficult.

You are the only person who can decide what kind of experience you will have, and remember that a lot of the time it is this social aspect that will shape your experience. One of the most magnificent parts of the experience is meeting like-minded people who are adventurous and love to travel.

In addition to all the incredible places and things that you see in a foreign country, the people you meet will make your stay worth the stress. The benefits definitely outweigh the challenges that come with relocating and I would absolutely recommend for anyone who is adventurous and open-minded to work abroad.

:: Simple & Happy ::

"I'm the girl who prefers one rose instead of a dozen. I'm the girl who rather stay in on a friday night than go party with random strangers. I'm the girl who wouldn't make you wait on her hand and foot, but would do anything to make you happy. I'm the girl who rather enjoy having a movie night rather than going to some fancy restaurant. I'm the girl who rather stay up all night sharing secrets than going out and getting drunk. I'm the girl who won't make you hold her bags, but rather hold your hand instead. I'm the girl who would love you more than anyone can possibly dream of. I'm the girl who would give the world to see you smile."

:: Resolve & Mature ::

"The ability to resolve conflicts reflects maturity."

Benjamin Lim

:: "Be Warmed" (ft. Verbal Jint) by Davichi ::

:: "Love Blossom" by K.Will ::

:: "I'm in love" by Narsha ::

:: "Some" (ft. Lil Boi) by Soyou x Junggigo ::

:: "Officially Missing You" (Tamia Cover) by Geeks ::

Tuesday, February 25, 2014

:: "When our fears feel bigger than our faith" by Steven Furtick ::

spirit lead me where my trust is without borders. xxx

:: Value > Behaviour ::

"True equality lies in each person choice to see past behaviors into the person who holds value that is immeasurable."

Danny Lee Silk

:: Unconditionally ::

"Anxiety will naturally arise when personal differences show up in a relationship, and fear will tempt us to run away from each other. But if we commit to unconditional love then we commit to keep moving toward each other even when scared."

Danny Silk

:: "Say Something" (A Great Big World & Christina Aguilera Cover) by Pentatonix ::

:: Like the wind ::

"Like the wind, I can't see Him, but He is with me."

Renee Swope

:: Look at how far you've come ::

"The reason why people give up so fast is because they tend to look at how far they still have to go, instead of how far they have come."

Nicky Gumbel

:: "On Changing Dreams" by Emma (A Beautiful Mess)

1. Move with the flow of life, not against it.

Life is absolutely full of opportunities. Don't let them pass you by simply because they aren't the opportunities you thought you wanted. We don't always know what direction our life will go. I think it can be wise to try anything that comes your way, especially when you are young and trying to "figure it all out" (Spoiler: You won't. Life is never that simple). Don't set your heart on achieving one thing, only one specific way, in order to feel happy and accomplished. An amazing opportunity disguised as a mundane option may come your way tomorrow; don't miss it.

2. Be honest about your strengths and expand on them.

I was good at working with my sister. We have always made a good team, because our strengths and weaknesses compliment each other. This was hard for me to see when I was younger, because I always felt like her achievements outweighed and looked better than mine. Instead of running away from a good situation, I should have fought to make it a great situation. Sometimes you have to be honest about what you're good at. (A great place to start if you're not sure is asking those closest to you.) If you enjoy something but it's not a strength of yours, it might make a better hobby than career choice. That ended up being the case for me anyway.

3. Dreams don't have to die, but they do sometimes have to change. Embrace it.

Even before I moved home from LA I felt afraid to do so, even though a part of me really wanted to. I felt that if I turned my back on my dream (to be an actress) then I was a failure. Being a "failure" is just a label that you give yourself. Don't box yourself in like I did! It's ok to change your dreams. It's ok to pursue something else for a while if your current efforts don't seem to be working. Embrace where your life seems to be headed, and forget the labels. Moving in with my parents after being a failed actress was the most cliche and embarrassing choice I've ever made. But it was also the BEST choice I've ever made.

4. Success is a process, not an event or state of being.
Being successful in whatever you are pursing in life is never going to magically happen one day and then it's done. It's an ongoing thing. You don't always feel it. It doesn't look the same in everyone's life. And another really weird thing about it is you don't always know it as it's happening. Like I said, choosing to be a failed actress is what led me to my current dream job. This was a successful move, but it sure didn't feel like it at the time. I felt anything but successful that year of my life. Don't be discouraged if you're not feeling successful this year. Keep going. Work hard. Play to your strengths. Take opportunities as they come. Be brave.

No matter where you are in life, I already know one thing about you: You are not a failure. Even if you're feeling like one lately, please know I've been right there with you. I believe in you. You should believe in yourself.

Monday, February 24, 2014

:: Something better ::

"Maybe disappointments are God's way of saying "I've got something better." Be patient, live life, have faith.

K - Love

:: "I heart NY" by Sex & The City ::

love, true love will always stay throughout all seasons of our lives. and now that i have them, and they definitely know who they are, there is nothing more than i would ever want. xxx

:: "The mask must go" by Carl Lentz ::

:: "What people do when they don't really love you" by Brianna West ::

I try to lace my work with optimism because a guiding principle in my own life has been that the most tragic things in our lives almost always precede the most incredible. I think that, at any given point, we are faced with the choice of whether to move on with what the universe gives and takes or to hold on and bury ourselves in our own misery. I do not perch on a high horse preaching this, because I have been in those depths, and I know what it’s like. I also know that there are few issues that will destroy you faster than matters of the heart. But what I must tell you is that while teaching myself to climb out of that sadness and attachment-laden-misery, I realized something that is a bit more realistic than optimistic, but so invariably true that it’s worth giving attention to.

When someone loves you, you will know it. If someone cares about you, they will find a way to be with you. If they do not, they’ll make excuses. Sometimes they won’t even be sure whether or not they love you, so you’ll see them going back and forth trying to figure it out. Love is not something that requires brain work. It is not a riddle to be solved or a mystery to be uncovered. It just simply is, and we just have to let it be, or not be, naturally.

I generally believe that people differ so much in their experiences and that no two situations are exactly the same, so it’s difficult to generalize something about love and romance, but I make an exception for this. I know many of you are probably reading this conjuring up all the reasons why so-and-so did in fact love you but they just couldn’t be with you for this reason or that reason and why that was so valid and why I have no idea what I’m talking about. That’s okay if you want to think that, I won’t stop you. But the truth is that what you’re holding onto is someone who doesn’t love you enough to put you first and make it work. And if I believe in anything, I believe that we all deserve to be with someone who wants to be with us as well.

So what we have to learn to do is to accept the love we aren’t given. To realize that although we put someone on a pedestal, that does not mean that their judgment determines us. It’s simply a mindset, one that we have to change if we want to get out. People can love you a little bit, and they can love you enough but not enough to make it work. It is not an all-or-nothing situation. We have to stop thinking that it is, and that when the cards don’t fall in our favor, that it defines some part of us as being unworthy and unlovable. Because to combat that idea, we hold on as fiercely as we can to the reasons we are loved, until letting go is our idea– not theirs.

But we all end up, one way or another, okay. We’re all on different rides, but they all end the same way. You do not need somebody else’s love to be whole. You do not need their permission to go on with your life. What you do need is your own love. You need to let yourself go on. Their love isn’t stopping you, because that love doesn’t exist. It is only you who is holding onto what you believe should be. And what you will realize, sooner or later, is that most of your life is defined and chosen by what you compel yourself to believe should or shouldn’t be. Release yourself from the cage you built. You hold the key to your own freedom.

:: Faith is taking the first step ::

and as i have taken that step, i now wait on His part to reveal itself. xxx

Sunday, February 23, 2014

:: "The Waiting Room of Life" by Victoria Osteen ::

One day as I was sitting in traffic, waiting, I started thinking about all the time we spend waiting in life. We wait in traffic, we wait in line at the grocery store, and we may wait for a promotion or a relationship to turn around. We also might wait for a prayer to be answered. It seems we spend a lot of time in the waiting room of life.

God sees us waiting, and I believe He is saying to us today, "I want you to wait the right way." What is the right way to wait? If you look up the word "wait" in the original Hebrew, it's translated to mean "hope and expectancy."

Isaiah 40:31 says, "Those who wait on the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint." (NKJV)

God has promised that if we wait the right way, then we'll have the strength to wait. We won't feel overwhelmed, frustrated and "zapped" of all of our energy. If you wait on Him, you'll run and not be weary, walk and be lifted up, and soar like the eagle.

This verse tells me there are seasons of waiting. Sometimes we have to walk through some things while we wait. Sometimes we run, and the season goes by quickly. And sometimes, we just rise above the circumstances and soar through the season of waiting. No matter what, God promises to strengthen and empower us when we wait on Him.

How do we wait on Him? First of all, we need to wait with praise and worship in our hearts and mouths. Praise always precedes the victory. God says He inhabits the praises of His people, and when God shows up, the enemy has to flee!

Another way to make sure you are waiting the right way is by watching your thoughts, words and attitudes. Your thoughts direct your words, and your words direct your actions. Make sure your words line up with God's Words. Come in agreement with Him because your strength comes from your unity with Him.

You've probably heard it said that your attitude determines your altitude. If you want to rise high above the storms of life, you have to set your mind on things above, not on the cares of this earth. You have to keep your focus on Jesus because He is the Author and Finisher of your faith.

Today, if you're waiting, make sure you're waiting the right way. Keep an attitude of faith and expectancy and a song of praise on your lips. Know that He is faithful, and He will renew your strength and lift you up when you choose to wait on Him!