Welcome to today’s video just in time for spring break season called, “Clean Fun – Part 2”! ✨
On my blog’s official Instagram account, I posted a video of me re-emphasizing a message to you all that I covered in my older blog post, called, “Clean Fun”, that I wrote a few years ago for spring break. 🌸
I hope that you found this post to be valuable, and if it resonated with you, feel free to share your thoughts in the comment section down below, for I would love to hear from you. You can also share this post with a friend or a family member who may need to hear it as well. 🤗🤍
Also, make sure to like and subscribe to my blog, P.I.M & PINK, so you do not miss out on new blog posts, videos, and content in the future! ✨
You can also follow my blog, P.I.M & PINK, on the following social media accounts:
Welcome to today’s video called, “A Word For Those Of You Who Are Feeling Overwhelmed”! 🌊
On my blog’s official Instagram account, I posted a video of me sharing with all of you an interesting dream that I had a few days ago, as well as a specific Scripture verse in the Bible that God led me to after having the dream, in which it is one that I believe will encourage those of you as well who may be feeling a bit overwhelmed in life right now. 💭
In addition, I share with you a list of beautiful songs in the video’s caption that I recommend you listen to, as their words are powerful, and they will only serve to encourage you even further and help deliver you from any pit that you could be in. 🎶
You can watch the video down below! I hope that it encourages you and uplifts you.👇
I hope that you found this post to be valuable and encouraging, and if it resonated with you, feel free to share your thoughts in the comment section down below, for I would love to hear from you. You can also share this post with a friend or family member who may need to hear it as well. Thank you so much for reading and watching! 🤗🤍
Also, make sure to like and subscribe to my blog, P.I.M & PINK, so you do not miss out on new blog posts, videos, and content in the future! ✨
For more content, you can also follow my blog, P.I.M & PINK, on the following social media accounts listed down below: 👇
In early December 2023, I performed in my first-ever Nutcracker ballet production, which consisted of four shows in total! 🎄🩰✨
It was a great experience, and I loved it! However, rather than talk about my experience performing in the Nutcracker, instead, I am going to talk about another personal experience that occurred during the time leading up to my first Nutcracker ballet performances. So without further ado, let’s begin! 😁
For the Nutcracker production, I was selected for the role of the maid. The maid was a featured role, and given that this was my first Nutcracker production, I was rather pleased to be selected for it. It also meant that I could be a part of the party scene in the Nutcracker, which is one of the scenes that I always loved watching growing up. However, before I could get too comfortable in my role, a problem arose specifically related to what I would have to do in a few of my scenes. In the party scene of the Nutcracker, I was told that I would have to pretend to serve alcoholic beverages to the adult guests, and later pretend that I was drinking a bottle of alcohol myself.
Such actions were typical for the role of the maid and served to add a little comedy to the show and stir up amusement within the audience. Despite such positives, I very much did not want to pretend to serve alcohol or, even worse, pretend to drink alcohol myself. This is because I do not drink alcohol myself, and because I believe that alcohol is something that should be avoided. This belief is based on Biblical scriptures that warn against the dangers (the main danger being the sin of drunkenness and its effects) of alcohol, which are described to be a mocker, a brawler, and are as dangerous as a serpent’s bite or an adder’s sting (Ephesians 5:18; Proverbs 20:1; Proverbs 23:29-35).
Because I hold this belief, I felt like I would be compromising my beliefs and values if I were to perform those actions for my role, even if I was just pretending. My conscience simply was not comfortable with it. Some people who know my beliefs regarding alcohol were also attending the show, and I was concerned that they would see me pretending to serve and drink alcohol and consider my actions as a compromise too.
Additionally, I heard that there was already controversy regarding the alcohol-related scenes in my dance school’s Nutcracker. In previous years, before my appearance, my dance school had received a lot of criticism from parents who were concerned that the alcohol scenes in the show were promoting alcoholism in front of their children. Specifically, parents would complain about someone who is under the legal age of drinking alcohol playing the maid in the Nutcracker, and pretending to serve and drink alcohol. With me, a young adult at the appropriate age to drink alcohol, now playing the role of the maid, controversy regarding that issue seemed to be alleviated. However, I still felt concerned that I would still be promoting alcoholism, despite being of the age to drink alcohol, due to my beliefs regarding alcohol. 😐
Given all of my concerns regarding my role as the maid, I started to contemplate whether I should express my concerns to my ballet instructor. However, I unexpectedly found that the decision was much harder to make than I thought. This is because I had a fear that if I expressed my discomfort and concerns about promoting alcoholism in the Nutcracker, as well as my unwillingness to do such actions as the maid due to my beliefs that are based on Biblical scriptures regarding alcohol, I would lose the role of the maid and be taken out of the party scene in the Nutcracker, which I loved, and perhaps be taken out of the Nutcracker production entirely.
Ultimately, I found myself in a dilemma. Considering that I always dreamed of being in the Nutcracker, I became concerned about losing this opportunity if I expressed my concerns centered around my beliefs and values. However, if I did not express my concerns and chose to still pretend to serve and drink alcohol in the Nutcracker, I would only then be going against my beliefs regarding alcohol. And because I am thoroughly convinced within my own conscience to avoid alcohol, and I believe that it would be wrong for me to drink and/or promote alcohol because of how the Bible describes it, I would only then be going against my conscience and therefore condemn myself, which is a sin according to the end of Romans 14(NIV) in the Bible, where Paul talks about not going against our conscience if we are thoroughly convinced that something is sinful or not.
And so, reader, this dilemma that I found myself in is what I wanted to share with you because it represents a truth about life. In this life, many opportunities will present themselves before us that can relate to our deepest dreams, desires, and goals. While these opportunities may be greatly appealing, many of them could seemingly be grasped at the cost of your core beliefs, values, and principles. Specifically, for Christians, there are many opportunities that the world may offer us that may be greatly appealing and rewarding but would require us to do things that are unbiblical and would cause us to compromise our relationship with God. In these types of situations, it can be very tempting to compromise our principles and values, so that we can take advantage of such opportunities, especially if such opportunities are “once in a lifetime” and could be lost if we choose to stick to our beliefs.
So, when faced with these kinds of dilemmas, where we struggle to choose between our beliefs or a “wonderful” opportunity, what do we do? Well, for us as Christians, the first thing we ought to do is seek God’s guidance regarding the situation. However, reader, based on my experience, do not be surprised if God is seemingly silent when you are in these types of situations. When faced with such difficult decisions, we often ask God to reveal to us the outcome of our decisions, or even pray for Him to guarantee us a particular outcome.
For example, in my case, I would have liked for God to guarantee that I could still perform as the maid in the Nutcracker, even if I expressed my unwillingness to pretend to serve and drink alcohol. However, God did not guarantee anything, but He was by no means silent. Through my family, God instead encouraged me to stick to my beliefs, express my concerns to my ballet instructor, and trust in Him to help me stand my ground no matter what the outcome would be. And just to be clear, I am saying that God encouraged me to trust in Him despite the outcome, NOT trust in Him to give me the outcome that I want. Even if I should lose the role of the maid and be removed from the party scene in the Nutcracker or the Nutcracker production entirely, I should still trust in God and not let this lost opportunity cause me to turn away from God. Additionally, considering that God is the one who gave me the desire to dance ballet in the first place, I should trust that He has a plan that is even better than my plans. After all, as Psalm 25:10 (NIV) in the Bible states, “All the ways of the Lord are loving and faithful toward those who keep the demands of His covenant”.
After being encouraged by God through my family, I decided to express my concerns to my ballet instructor and was prepared to lose out on being a part of the Nutcracker for the sake of not compromising my more important beliefs. And so, with an anxious heart, I communicated that I was not comfortable with pretending to serve and drink alcohol based on my beliefs.
And to my relief and delight, reader, I was not removed from the Nutcracker! Instead, to my surprise, my ballet instructor and the other organizers altered my role so that I did not have to pretend to drink alcohol, and instead of serving alcohol, I would instead be serving a well-prepared tray full of fruits, cheeses, and bread. And so, come showtime, I was able to comfortably perform my role as the maid as I was no longer concerned with compromising my values and promoting alcoholism. The fact that I was still able to perform in the Nutcracker is something that I consider to be a blessing from God and I am ultimately thankful to Him for allowing me to still perform. Ultimately, however, the greater feeling of satisfaction resulted from standing my ground and choosing not to compromise my principles, beliefs, and values, even if it meant losing it all. ✨
Therefore, reader, as you can see, thanks to God’s encouragement, I was able to stand by my beliefs despite my fears. And though I was prepared to lose a wonderful opportunity and trust that God’s ways are better than my own or the world’s, by His grace and mercy, I was still able to perform. Let this be an encouragement to you, reader, to always commit your ways to the Lord and to trust in Him always. God always knows what’s best for us, so when we choose to do things our way instead, we could fail to reap the benefits of following the will of God.
For instance, take for example the real-life story of Jesus Christ praying in the garden of Gethsemane in Matthew 26:36-46 (NIV) in the Bible. In the story, Jesus Christ was praying in the garden of Gethsemane, talking with God to see if there was some way He did not have to suffer and be crucified on the cross. The Word of God says that Jesus’s soul was overwhelmed with sorrow and that He was stressing to the point of death over what He knew was coming. Ultimately, after each prayer to God, Jesus still expressed that He would not commit to His will, but to God’s will. This is easily understood when we remember that Jesus being fully God, was also fully human. As a human, Jesus, throughout His life, was faced with many of the temptations we experience in our lives. One of these temptations includes selfishly preserving our own well-being over the well-being of others. In the garden, Jesus Christ denied this temptation, just as He did all other temptations, and instead chose to go through with allowing Himself to be arrested, tortured, and crucified. And it is thanks to His decision that we, as sinners, have been forgiven of our sins due to Jesus Christ’s sacrifice and can receive God’s gift of salvation and have a personal relationship with Him.
Think about this for a moment, reader: What if Jesus, in the garden of Gethsemane, decided not to do God’s will? What if He decided to not allow Himself to suffer and die for our sake? Sure, if He chose not to do God’s will, He could have spared Himself from the suffering He experienced, preserving His well-being, but as a result we would not have been saved and freed from the bondage of sin and death, and all of us would be eternally separated from God once we die. But because Jesus instead trusted and obeyed God’s will, we now have salvation from sin and can spend eternal life in heaven with God if we put our trust in God the Son, Jesus Christ, and accept Him into our hearts and our lives as our personal Lord and Savior. ❤️
From Jesus’s experience, we learn what to do when it comes to deciding between God’s will or another option. We may be at times reluctant to do God’s will, especially if doing so may bring about suffering or great costs, such as in the case of Jesus. However, also in the case of Jesus, we see that following God’s will, no matter what suffering or costs that may bring, is ultimately better than following any other path. By choosing to do God’s will, Jesus did suffer greatly and died on behalf of all sinners, despite being completely sinless Himself and innocent of any crimes. However, in the end, Jesus resurrected with a new body and freed us from the bondage of sin. Now, Jesus is in heaven, alive and well, and will soon return to earth to bring to heaven all those who have put their faith in Him!🙌💕✨
In conclusion, reader, when you find yourself in situations where you have to choose between a “good” opportunity or doing God’s will, you should always choose to do God’s will. Even if you find that the opportunity is “once in a lifetime”, something that you longed for, and something that you could lose if you choose to stick to God and your values, you should still choose God and your values. Even in cases where God does not guarantee your desired outcome and the only thing that is seemingly guaranteed is suffering or loss, you should still trust in God and believe that He knows what’s best for you. This is easier said than done because there are many wonderful opportunities out there that even the enemy, Satan, will try to offer you and convince you to not follow God’s ways. Do not fall for this, for as Mark 8:36 (NIV) says “What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit (or lose) their soul?”.
Do not be afraid to stand up for God and what you believe in. Ask God for the courage to choose Him when faced with another option that may be extremely tempting. As Jesus told His disciples in the garden of Gethsemane when He found them sleeping instead of praying like He requested, “Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak” (Matthew 26:41 (NIV)). Even when following God’s will seems to come at a great loss, have faith and know that when you follow God, your Father in Heaven will seize your stance and bless you with far greater than what you lost! ✨
Thank you so much, reader, for taking the time to read this post! I hope that it has served to encourage you when you are faced with shiny opportunities, events, or situations that could cause you to compromise your principles and values. My experience has served to strengthen my resolve to always be a light for Christ, even in the ballet world, and never be afraid to speak up, not compromise my principles and stance, and most importantly, trust in God, no matter what happens.
I wanted to do this post right around the beginning of the new year because I thought that it would be good for those of you who are starting to make New Year’s resolutions. I encourage those of you who are making resolutions to align them with God’s will and to not compromise your principles, values, and/or convictions when trying to accomplish your goals for this year (and all other years). Additionally, though this post is not about alcohol, I hope expressing my own convictions regarding alcohol will encourage you to maybe think twice before you pop a bottle of alcohol in celebration of the New Year. 😂
Furthermore, I want to thank those who supported my first ballet performances in the Nutcracker, and I thank God most of all for giving me the opportunity to perform and the strength and courage to perform at my best in front of people once again.
As I finally close, reader, I want to thank you again for reading and I wanted to leave you with this Scripture verse to encourage you in times when you may have to choose between God or anything else:
“Joyful are people of integrity, who follow the instructions of the Lord. Joyful are those who obey His laws and search for Him with all their hearts. They do not compromise with evil, and they walk only in His paths” (Psalm 119:1-3 (NLT)).
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I hope that you found this post to be valuable and encouraging, reader, and if it resonated with you, feel free to share your thoughts in the comment section down below, for I would love to hear from you. You can also share this post with a friend or family member who may need to read it as well. 🤗🤍
Also, make sure to like and subscribe to my blog, P.I.M & PINK, so you do not miss out on new blog posts, videos, and content, in the future! ✨
For more content, you can also follow my blog, P.I.M & PINK, on the following social media accounts listed down below by clicking their links:
Thank you, P.I.M PALS, for all of your love and support on my blog, P.I.M & PINK, in 2023 and all of the years prior. 🫶🏼💕
May God bless you and protect you, and I pray that all of us have a safe and healthy New Year (and all of the years to come) filled with joy and peace, and we will in Jesus name! 🙏🤍
Lay any burdens you have at God’s feet, and look forward to the beautiful plans that God has in store for you and everyone in 2024 and so forth! ✨
I hope that you all had a wonderful Christmas Day filled with joy, peace, and love. 🤍
For Christmas, my parents surprised me with my first pair of pointe shoes for ballet so that I can reach my goal as a ballerina! As soon as I unwrapped it, I instantly started crying tears of joy! 😭🩰🤍
In addition to my pointe shoes, they got me some very helpful ballet books to help me learn how to dance on pointe as well as improve my turnout. 🩰📚
If you are reading this, mother and father, thank you so much again for the beautiful pointe shoes! 🫶🏼🩰
I am so happy and excited to start ballet dancing on pointe for the Lord, for it is a desire of my heart from God and a childhood dream come true. ✨
With this gift of pointe shoes, I am also reminded of the Scripture verse, Psalm 37:4 (NIV) which says, “Take delight in the LORD, and He will give you the desires of your heart. 💕
Furthermore, I have found that as I have taken delight in the Lord in my daily life, He has truly given me the desire to be a ballerina who dances to glorify Him and praise His Son, Jesus, boldly. 🩰 🙌 🎶
And with that being said, it is true that if and when your desire aligns with God’s Will for you and your life, the Christ in Christmas will give you the desires of your heart in His right timing, whether that be on Christmas Day or any other day. 💕✨
Lastly, as I embark on this journey and continue studying the art of classical ballet, I want to remind myself and you, reader, of the Scripture verse, Philippians 4:13 (NKJV), which says, “I can do all things through Christ Who strengthens me”. 💪✨
This Scripture verse keeps me encouraged and reminds me that I can do all things, including ballet dancing on pointe, through Christ Jesus Who strengthens me. 🩰✨
For you, reader, it may be something completely different that you are passionate about and are interested in doing, but the Scripture verse still applies to you and your God-given desire. ✨
With all of that being said, I hope that you found this post to be valuable and encouraging, reader, and if it resonated with you, feel free to share your thoughts in the comment section down below, for I would love to hear from you. 🤗🤍
Also, make sure to like and subscribe to my blog, P.I.M & PINK, so you do not miss out on new blog posts, videos, and content, in the future! ✨
For more content, you can also follow my blog, P.I.M & PINK, on the following social media accounts:
Thanksgiving is a wonderful time when we celebrate the people and things we are thankful for and embrace those of whom we are most grateful. While Thanksgiving typically brings about great joy, it can also be a time of great sorrow and grief for those who have lost loved ones. For those who have lost people close to them, Thanksgiving can be a painful reminder of what they once had instead of a celebration of what they are grateful for. If you are one of these people currently grieving the loss of a loved one or loved ones this Thanksgiving, then here is what I want to tell you:
Run to Jesus. His arms are wide open and are filled with a deep love that only He can give you. If you feel lonely this Thanksgiving Day (or any day for that matter), remember that Jesus sincerely loves you and that He wants you to live in His love. Know that Jesus’s love will bring you the ultimate comfort in the midst of your pain and sorrow.
There are several Bible verses that speak of Jesus’s care towards those in sorrow, a few of which I have listed to remind you of the love and comfort He gives to those who are brokenhearted or crushed in spirit.
🍁 Matthew 5:4 (ESV) 🍁
“Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.”
🍁 Psalm 147:3 (ESV) 🍁
“He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.”
🍁 1 Peter 5:7(NIV) 🍁
“Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you.”
🍁 Psalm 34:18 (NIV) 🍁
“The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.”
🍁 Matthew 11:28-30 (NIV) 🍁
Jesus says, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”
🍁 Romans 8:38-39 (NIV) 🍁
“For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers,neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
Therefore, reader, by running towards God, your Father in Heaven, and crying out to Him about the loss of your loved one or loved ones, you will receive His comfort and peace that surpasses your own human understanding, and God will turn your wailing into dancing, as it says in the Bible verse, Psalm 30:11-12 (NIV) which says, “You turned my wailing into dancing; you removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy, that my heart may sing your praises and not be silent. Lord my God, I will praise you forever.” 🎼✨
With that being said, Happy Thanksgiving, P.I.M PALS. ♡
I hope that all of you have a wonderful Thanksgiving day today filled with joy and peace! For there is so much to be thankful for even in this life that is filled with many hardships. ✨🍁 🦃
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I hope that you found this post to be valuable, and if it resonated with you, feel free to share your thoughts in the comment section down below, for I would love to hear from you. Thank you so much for reading! 🤗
Also, make sure to like and subscribe to my blog, P.I.M & PINK, so you do not miss out on new blog posts, videos, and content in the future. ✨
For more content and updates, you can also follow my blog, P.I.M & PINK, on the following social media accounts listed down below:
Welcome to today’s video about the power of prayer. ✨
On my blog’s official Instagram account, I posted a reel of me (the blogger behind) discussing the power of prayer. In this reel, I share with you an experience I had involving a loved one who was healed by God through prayer. 🙏
You can watch the reel down below! I hope that it encourages you to always keep praying and trusting in God’s power and love. 🙏💕✨
If you got some people you want me to pray for, just give me their name, and I will pray for them. 🙏
In this post, I also wanted to share with you some additional healing Scripture verses for you to read and meditate on to further encourage you and remind you of the power of prayer and that God is a healing God. 🙏✨
Here is a list of the Scripture verses down below:
✨ James 5:15 (NIV) ✨
“And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise them up. If they have sinned, they will be forgiven.”
✨ Jeremiah 17:14 (NIV) ✨
“Heal me, Lord, and I will be healed; save me and I will be saved, for you are the one I praise.”
✨ Psalm 103:2-5 (NIV) ✨
“Praise the Lord, my soul, and forget not all His benefits-who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion, who satisfies your desires with good things so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.”
✨ Jeremiah 33:6 (NIV) ✨
“‘Nevertheless, I will bring health and healing to it; I will heal my people and will let them enjoy abundant peace and security.”
✨ Isaiah 40:29 (NIV) ✨
“He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak.”
✨ Psalm 147:3 (NIV) ✨
“He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.”
✨ Psalm 146:8 (NIV) ✨
“The Lord gives sight to the blind, the Lord lifts up those who are bowed down, the Lord loves the righteous.”
✨ Psalm 41:3 (NIV) ✨
“The Lord sustains them on their sickbed and restores them from their bed of illness.”
✨ Matthew 19:26 (NIV) ✨
Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”
And lastly, ✨ Revelation 21:4 (NIV) ✨ in the Bible, which says, ‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.” This specific verse, reader, refers to what is ultimately waiting for you when you spend eternal life in heaven with God, freedom from all suffering. 🙌 💕
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I hope that you found this post to be valuable, and if it resonated with you, feel free to share your thoughts in the comment section down below. I would love to hear from you. You can also share this post with a friend who may need to hear it as well. Thank you so much for reading and watching! 🤗💕
Also, make sure to like and subscribe to my blog, P.I.M & PINK, so you do not miss out on new blog posts, videos, and content in the future. ✨
For more content, you can follow my blog, P.I.M & PINK, on the social media accounts listed down below: 👇
Welcome to today’s blog post about ending your evening with God. ☁️🌙☁️
Picture by Selene Washington on pimandpink.com
Previously, I launched a blog post called, “Start Your Morning With God“, where I shared some scripture verses as well as some aspects of my morning routine that I spend with God. Similar to my morning routine, in my night routine, I thank God for another day, I talk and pray to Him, I read God’s Word, as well as Christian books and devotionals, and I sing and play praise and worship music. I also sometimes write for my blog, if I am not too tired after everything else. 😴
Spending my evenings with God is a very important part of my life, not just because it is something everyone should do, but also because it personally helps me. Ever since I was young, I always struggled with fear, which made it hard for me to fall asleep. I remember feeling so scared and worried about something bad or life-threatening happening to me, my family, the neighborhood I live in, and even the world in general while I sleep!
To ease my fears before bed, I would oftentimes, play classical music and lullabies from my radio as well as sometimes have a night light on. Though this helped bring some comfort, ultimately it was not the sole solution to my issue. This is because things such as classical music, lullabies, and night lights only helped alleviate my own personal fear but did little to remove the fear brought upon by the devil.
It is true, reader, that the devil will even try to torment us through the night when we sleep with a spirit of fear. This is just one of the ways he tries to steal our peace and make us doubt God’s protection by attacking us during our time of rest, making us feel tired and miserable the next day.
Once I recognized this strategy of the devil, I made the decision to turn to Jesus, who is also known as the Prince of Peace. By spending time with God in my evenings and entrusting Him with my rest, I have felt His presence in my room and a divine peace that I could not understand. ✨
Since giving my nights to God, I can say for sure that my fears have dissipated. Even in times where I lay alone in the dark and my fears attempt to control me, God reminds me that He is the light shining through the darkness, and that He is with me, holding me in His arms, like cuddling a teddy bear. 🧸🌙☁️
I encourage you, reader, to give your nights to God and fill your mind with things of God before you sleep rather than fill your mind with things that will only make you more restless. Let God banish all anxiety from your heart and let the peace of God that surpasses all understanding overtake you. ✨
To end this post, I will share with you, reader, some Scripture verses that helped me overcome my fear at night. I encourage you to read and meditate on these verses, not just at night, but also throughout the day, so that you can always be reminded of God’s everlasting love, peace, and protection! 🤍
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“In peace I will lie down and sleep, for you alone, Lord, make me dwell in safety.”
☁️ { Psalm 4:8 NIV } ☁️
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“Let the beloved of the Lord rest secure in Him, for He shields him all day long, and the one the Lord loves rests between His shoulders.”
☁️ { Deuteronomy 33:12 NIV } ☁️
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“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.”
☁️ { John 14:27 NIV } ☁️
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“And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
☁️ { Philippians 4:7 NIV } ☁️
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“The Lord is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and rich in love. The Lord is good to all; He has compassion on all He has made.”
☁️ { Psalm 145:8-9 NIV } ☁️
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“Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful.”
☁️ { Colossians 3:15 NIV } ☁️
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“If I say, “Surely the darkness will hide me and the light become night around me,” even the darkness will not be dark to you; the night will shine like the day, for darkness is as light to you.”
☁️ { Psalm 139:11-12 NIV } ☁️
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“For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.”
☁️ { 2 Timothy 1:7 KJV } ☁️
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I hope you found this post to be valuable and the Scripture verses to be helpful, reader, and that it inspires you to spend time with God in the evenings. If it resonated with you, feel free to share your thoughts in the comment section down below. I would love to hear from you. Thank you so much for reading! 💫
Also, make sure to like and subscribe to my blog, P.I.M & PINK, so you do not miss out on new blog posts, videos, and content in the future. ✨
For more content, you can also follow my blog, P.I.M & PINK, on the social media accounts listed down below:
The God of peace be with you (Romans 15:33 (NIV)), reader, for God is the starlight who will protect you through the night until the morning light. May God bless you, and I pray that you are safe and healthy always. 🌙🙏☀️
I hope that wherever you are in the world, you are safe and healthy and enjoying the start of the new year. ✨
Video by Selene Washington on pimandpink.com
The beginning of the new year is a grand event celebrated by almost everyone. But for some, this event can breed uncertainty amongst those who are anxious about what might take place during the new year. During multiple New Year’s celebrations, I can recall being concerned about the trials and troubles I or my family might experience during the year. Additionally, as many of you could relate, my concern for the upcoming year was further heightened this past New Year’s by the suffering I endured during 2022. Specifically, all of the fear, anxiety, physical discomfort, etc., that I experienced in 2022 put me in a constant struggle to find even the smallest amount of peace within myself.
Despite these concerns, however, on the morning of New Year’s Eve, I felt a strong sense of peace, while in my room. I found myself saying in my head, “Wow, I feel so peaceful, where is this feeling of peace coming from?” I wasn’t looking at anything that could bring me this level of peace, and I didn’t hear any good news or do any fun or peaceful activities such as reading or drinking tea. After all, I had just woken up from sleeping! However, it did not take me long to know that this “wave” of indescribable peace didn’t come out of nowhere, but instead came from God.
God entered my room right after I woke up and flooded me with His peaceful presence. This was even before I read my daily devotions, play worship music, or even pray to Him. The first thing He wanted me to do to start my day was to feel the peace He was giving me. And as the scriptures say, that peace truly surpassed all of my understanding (Philippians 4:7 (NIV)).
When I experienced the peace of God in my room, I just decided to sit and immerse myself in it. I did not look at anything, read anything, or even play praise and worship music in the background. It was just me and God, and I instantly went into prayer, thanking Him for this incredible feeling of peace that assured me that He is with me throughout my suffering and doubt. God also told me that my family and I will have a peaceful year and that He will always be with us and protect us from harm and danger.
While praying to Him and thanking Him, I felt like He began to give me instructions and His Will for me for the new year. He gave me instructions about every one of my desires and plans for the new year which gave me a greater sense of peace.
God gave me instruction, not necessarily by speaking directly to me, but through my thoughts. At first, this caused me to question the thoughts I was having on whether they were instructions from God or just my thoughts. However, thanks to wisdom from God, given to me through my father, I was reassured that the thoughts I had while feeling God’s peaceful presence were His instructions, as those thoughts aligned with the Word of God, which holds God’s Will and His instruction. Upon learning this, I was able to confidently heed the Lord’s instructions and become encouraged in Him, just as David did during a time of great distress according to 1 Samuel 30:6 (KJV).
Once I shared this experience with my family, they also became encouraged. Additionally, we all became further resolved in trusting in God’s promises for the new year, because at the end of the day, He is all-knowing and He sees all, including that which we don’t know or see ourselves.
These are also the reasons why my family and I are starting 2023 with Proverbs 16:3 (NIV), which says, “Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and He will establish your plans”. Since God knows everything, including our plans for 2023 and beyond, that means He also knows the outcome of each of our plans. This also means that He knows which plans will prove to be fruitful and which won’t. And so, by committing our plans to Him, He will evaluate each plan and determine what plans we should pursue, or in other words, align with His Will.
How this may apply to you, the reader is through a common tradition that many people participate in at the start of each new year: New Year’s resolutions. Many people at the beginning of a new year make “resolutions” or firm decisions to do something that are usually impactful to their own lives or others. Because the new year is in many ways symbolic of a new start, it can serve as a motivator for some people to accomplish certain goals within the upcoming year. This motivation can be pretty strong, and I have seen many accomplish their goals fueled by the start of the new year. However, as almost everybody knows, more often than not people fail to accomplish or maintain their New Year’s resolutions. There are many reasons why people fail to maintain their resolutions, but all of them can be simplified with the following: The adrenaline of the New Year is not a strong enough foundation to build your goals.
While there is nothing wrong with making New Year resolutions or being motivated by the new year to do something, the adrenaline of the new year can easily and quickly dissipate, especially when considering the small amount of patience and determination people can have when they don’t accomplish their goals right away. Additionally, when filled with the excitement of the new year, many people rashly create plans/resolutions for the year that ultimately prove to be reckless, not achievable, unrealistic, and a waste of time. My point is that although New Year’s resolutions can be great and even feasible, solely creating plans for the year with the sole motivation and foundation being the New Year is not the best strategy.
This is why I say that when creating your plans for the new year, you should do what Proverbs 16:3 (NIV) says to do and commit your plans to God. Compared to the beginning of the new year, God is a better foundation where you can lay your plans, because He knows all and, therefore, knows which plans you should pursue and how you should pursue them.
Additionally, Proverbs 16:9 (NIV) says, “In their hearts, humans plan their course, but the Lord establishes their steps.” While this verse does acknowledge the path that we want to take as humans, it also tells us that God is the one who ultimately determines and knows the best course of action we should take and how we should live. That is why you can trust that when you commit your plans to God, He will give you the necessary guidance and instruction and that if you heed His instruction and allow Him to guide you, you will be walking the right path. After all, as it says in Proverbs 16:20 (NIV), “Whoever gives heed to instruction prospers, and blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord.”
So, reader, I encourage you today to go to God and commit to Him your plans. Give Him all of your bright ideas, thoughts, plans, desires, and dreams, and He will guide you on the path you should take. Just take it as if you were going to someone for advice, except that this “someone” is the all-knowing, all-powerful, and benevolent God who knows what’s best for you.
And as I talked about earlier, if, like me, you are seeking peace for 2023 and the years to come, then go to God and ask Him to give you peace beyond all understanding. There are many people out in the world evoking God during the new year, and as a result, God is moving. So I can say with confidence that if you go to Him for peace, He will provide. In Matthew 11:28-30 (NIV), Jesus says, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”
Even during times of trouble and distress, be confident in knowing that when you pray to God, He will guard your heart and mind and fill you with peace. And along with God’s grace, by aligning your thoughts, words, and actions with God’s Word, you can further receive God’s gift of peace this year, and for all the years to follow.
And so, to close out, I say to all who read this post, Happy New Year and, as Romans 15:33 (NIV) says, “The God of peace be with you all. Amen.” ✨
So, reader, do you make New Year’s resolutions? If so, are you committing them to God?
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Thank you so much for reading! I hope you found this post to be valuable, and if it resonated with you, feel free to share your thoughts in the comment section. I would love to hear from you. 💕
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Oftentimes, when we think of positive emotions we often think of the following:
Happiness, which is great and positive, but short-lived, depending on what is happening. 😊
Joy, which is a deeper state of mind and happiness, no matter what is going on. 😄
Bliss,which occurs when something overly spectacular is happening at the moment that it is making you feel extremely elated. However, as powerful and quick as the word bliss sounds, it is not a constant state. 😃
But serenity is a calm, peaceful, resolute even, made-up mind, and tranquil feeling. It is the quality or state of being serene. For me, just saying the word serenity is like singing a song. 🎶
The key to reaching serenity and knowing how to get there is by being happy and joyful for the most part during the period of your life when you are young.
Sometimes, when we are young, we can get very anxious, worried, scared, or feel pain about difficult, troubling situations, and as a result, our joy and peace can be robbed as a child if we let those emotional states dominate our spirit.
Therefore, I wanted to share with you one of my favorite scripture verses that I believe would help a person to reach serenity starting from young.
“You who are young, be happy while you are young, and let your heart give you joy in the days of your youth. Follow the ways of your heart and whatever your eyes see, but know that for all these things God will bring you into judgment. So then, banish anxiety from your heart and cast off the troubles of your body, for youth and vigor are meaningless.”
✨ Ecclesiastes 11:9-10 (NIV) ✨
As a young person, I believe that you can carry this scripture verse with you as you age. The scripture verse sets the foundation for reaching serenity and helps you to keep things in perspective and maintain serenity.
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I hope you found this post to be valuable, and if it resonated with you, feel free to share your thoughts in the comments.
Also, make sure to like and subscribe to my blog so you don’t miss out on new blog posts and content in the future. ✨
P.I.M & PINK 