When You Want to Be Accepted

I don’t think I’m the only one who has been guilty of people-pleasing.

If we’ll admit it, we all want to be accepted by others.

We want to be well-liked and approved.

Time and time again, we hear stories about the person who pursues a certain career only for their parents, or the one who can never say “no” out of fear that they will be rejected. It is so easy to fall into the trap of committing to things we wish we had not, doing things out of obligation rather than a heart that is secure in God’s love

God has been teaching me the importance of placing more weight on His Word than any other word that may be spoken to me. He is showing me how to focus on Him rather than caring about what other people may think.

I am accepted in the Beloved. (Ephesians 1:6)

I am highly favored by God. (Luke 1:28)

I am holy, chosen, and blameless in God’s sight. (Ephesians 1:4)

I am chosen, marked by God’s love, the delight of His life. (Matthew 3:17)

We really need to let these truths marinate inside of our hearts. It is so vital that we speak them over ourselves daily and truly believe the magnitude of their meaning. It builds a firm foundation of God’s love in our souls.

It’s not because of anything you have done to earn God’s acceptance, but a sheer gift of His tender love and grace towards you through Christ. Christ’s blood makes all the difference. When God sees you, He sees His Son’s precious blood covering you, not your works.

As Christians it’s easy to get into the mindset that we are doing things for God when in actuality our motives may not always be pure. We want others to like us, to accept us. We think that God will approve of us more.

Whatever the situation may be, we have to ask ourselves if we are saying “yes” to earn someone else’s approval? Are we saying “yes” because we believe that God will love or accept us more? Or are we saying “yes” for the right reasons - out of a pure heart that is established in God’s love for us and because we want to give back to Him, no strings attached?

There is no condemnation in Christ, ladies. Of course God honors when we serve Him with all diligence and out of a deep love for Him, but we must examine our motives.

All our decisions should be bathed in prayer and divinely inspired, not made on a whim or simply to please someone else. Doing things for people out of obligation will only leave you bitter and joyless in the end. You will just be going through the motions rather than out of a heart that is aflame with love.

I highly encourage you to listen to Israel Houghton’s song, “I Receive” and let the words minister to you. Get the words deep down inside your heart.

Let God replace your need to please others with His unconditional love and acceptance for you.

You don’t have to worry about pleasing people.

God already accepts you precious Daughter of the King.

I Receive – Israel Houghton

Accepted, highly favored of the Lord

Forgiven by Your love I am transformed

It's not what I'll do but what You've done for me

And by Your grace oh God I stand with my head held high

I receive Your love, I receive Your love for me

I receive Your love, I know I am accepted, oh

Established, ever blameless in Your Son

Forever I am chosen to be loved

It's not by my works, by Your work in me,

And by Your grace oh God I stand with my head held high

I receive Your love, I receive Your love for me

I receive Your love, I know I am accepted

I receive Your love, I receive Your love for me

I receive Your love, I know I am accepted

Behold all things have been made new

My past has gone, my shame renewed

You gave Your Son Your love for me

Now at the cross I am made free

I receive Your love, I receive Your love for me

I receive Your love, I know I am accepted

I receive Your love, I receive Your love for me

I receive Your love, I know I am accepted

I receive Your love

Where would I be?

Where would I be if not for Your grace?

About the Author :

Endya Joy is a young woman on the journey to becoming a future physician. With a passion for ministering to girls and young women, she desires to be a vessel in which God uses to heal the whole person. She is a girly girl, has a slight obsession with books, and dreams of traveling the world one day. God and family are everything.

Connect with her on :

The Ultimate Planner

I’m a planner.

A perpetual list maker.

Calendars are my best friends.

So imagine my struggle with allowing God to take care of the details of my life when I have the tendency to want to plan everything. Praise God for the Holy Spirit, Who with such grace and ease has been teaching me how to cast my cares on Him.

Can you relate? I think as women, we innately have this desire to know with certainty what our lives will look like in the future. We want concrete answers and concrete plans.

This is especially true when we face situations that seem impossible. When things don’t make sense, we automatically enter survival mode. When the chaos doesn’t match the dreams that God has placed in our hearts, we try to figure Him out.

Even worse, when we don’t understand what God is doing, we often try to get out of situations in our own strength. This puts us in danger of making a counterfeit promise come to pass just as Abraham initiated the birth of Ishmael in Genesis.

Ladies, I have learned that God doesn’t work this way.

He’s more in the business of total reliance on Him.

“Casting the whole of your care [all your anxieties, all your worries, all your concerns, once and for all] on Him, for He cares for you affectionately and cares about you watchfully.” (1 Peter 5:7 AMP)

God is showing me that when I try and figure Him out, this only leaves me anxious and fearful - everything opposite of what Christ has promised.

When we cast our cares on Him, we are left with a peace that permeates every fiber of our being. It’s easier said than done, but definitely possible with God’s help. Resting in the truth that we can give every concern and unfulfilled plan to Him because He loves us and actually cares is golden.

Your affectionate Father has such a passion to see everything about you reflect His beauty and goodness, that there is no way He would ever leave your life in chaos. He loves you way too fiercely.

God is a planner too.

The Ultimate Planner.

He is not confused about you.

God knows exactly where you are in life. You are right on schedule if your heart is surrendered to Him. He is orchestrating and bringing everything together for you in such a precise way that only He could do it. He is perfecting everything that concerns you - every worry and care.

Allow God to speak peace into the chaos of your life as only He can. It may look crazy right now, and you might not understand what’s happening, but know without a shadow of a doubt that your steps are being ordered by the Maker of your path.

Choose peace, and stop trying to figure God out. His ways and thoughts are higher. I can guarantee you that His plans for you are better than anything you could concoct on your own. He has already figured everything out for you. He knows the end from the beginning.

Our plans and aspirations are wonderful, but God determines the outcome.

Surrender your plans to Him, and I promise He will surprise you…in a good way!

“So, surrender! Stand silent and stop your striving, and you will see that I am God!”

(Psalm 46:10 TPT)

“No eye has seen, no ear has heard,

and no mind has imagined

what God has prepared

for those who love him.”

(1 Corinthians 2:9 NLT)

About the Author :

Endya Joy is a young woman on the journey to becoming a future physician. With a passion for ministering to girls and young women, she desires to be a vessel in which God uses to heal the whole person. She is a girly girl, has a slight obsession with books, and dreams of traveling the world one day. God and family are everything.

Connect with her on :

Own Your Beauty

I’m not a size zero nor have I ever been.

My hair is natural with big fluffy curls.

Two typical standards of beauty that I have not met.

This past week I was walking through the mall with my mother when a very eager salesman was convinced that he could revolutionize my life by selling me the holy grail – a flatiron.

Why don’t you straighten your hair?

You actually like it like that?

But why?

I have to admit, it was a semi humid day (yes, very surprising since I live in New York and it’s February) so my hair was a super big fro. So it didn’t help my case when I proudly responded that I like my hair just the way it is. He was confused and disgusted. His face said it all.

How sad we live in a world where beauty has been defined for us.

The sensitive girl that I am, that incident could have left me marred and embarrassed.

But God has been teaching me to own my beauty, and that day I did just that.

I’m not some fascist who hates flatirons and people who don’t wear their hair naturally. I do own a flatiron and may use it from time to time when I desire to go for a different look. For years I would get a relaxer, so my sisters in Christ who do perm your hair or wear it straight, I love you and you should keep perming it if that’s your conviction.

My point is that it can be tempting to measure our appearance against the world’s standards. I mean a one-digit dress size and straight, long and silky hair is the epitome of beauty, right?

Absolutely not.

Straight hair, curly hair, plus size, size zero, dark skin, light skin – we are all beautiful because we bear the image of our Creator. If we are not careful to ferociously guard our hearts, we can be yoked to a bondage of slavery. Slaves that believe the lie that we are anything less than fearfully and wonderfully made.

God needs you to be free from the lies you believe about yourself that you are not beautiful. He needs you to believe that He created you to look exactly the way He designed you for His glory. He needs you to be free from people.

He wants you to own your beauty.

Yes, God looks at our hearts and not the outward appearance, and of course internal beauty trumps physical beauty every time. However, I believe God made physical beauty for a reason. Queen Esther was beautiful. God used her beauty to save a nation.

“Now the king was attracted to Esther more than to any of the other women, and she won his favor and approval more than any of the other virgins. So he set a royal crown on her head and made her queen…” (Esther 2:17 NIV)

It is not a sin to know and walk with confidence in the beauty God has given you. It’s a sin to make it an idol.

You can only own your beauty when you know that you are beautiful – and I’m definitely not talking about how the world defines beauty.

Owning your beauty means learning to be comfortable in your own skin.

You are beauty and beauty is you.

Your hair texture, shape, skin tone, eye color - absolutely everything about you, was all on purpose.

Down to the very last detail. No mistakes.

You look the way you do for a reason, for a specific purpose.

Perhaps to save a nation.

Ladies, do not despise the way God created you to look. If He wanted you to have a certain physical trait, He would have designed you differently. He is the Potter and we are the clay. With great care He fashioned you.

Own the beauty God has given you.

It will put a smile on your face and bring joy to your heart.

"What sorrow awaits those who argue with their Creator. Does a clay pot argue with its Maker? Does the clay dispute with the One who shapes it, saying, 'Stop, you're doing it wrong!' Does the pot exclaim, 'How clumsy can You be?'

(Isaiah 49:5 NLT)

“For You created my inmost being; You knit me together in my mother's womb”

(Psalm 139:13 NIV)

About the Author :

Endya Joy is a young woman on the journey to becoming a future physician. With a passion for ministering to girls and young women, she desires to be a vessel in which God uses to heal the whole person. She is a girly girl, has a slight obsession with books, and dreams of traveling the world one day. God and family are everything.

Connect with her on :

The Adventure of Waiting

I have chosen to be content in this season of singleness.

And this is coming from a Pinterest loving, future wedding planning girl.

I really do believe that God can and will orchestrate how I meet my future husband. It would be such a distraction for me to be worrying about the when and how! My focus is seeking the kingdom.

In high school, God told me to wait for my future husband to enter into a relationship. That was almost ten years ago. Talk about waiting.

Easy? No. Fulfilling? Absolutely.

God has been using this season to bring healing and deliverance to every area of my life. He has been gently forming my heart into the image of His Son. This has truly been a time of learning and growing, as God has been calling me deeper into the Beloved. During this season, I have learned that the tender voice of the Holy Spirit is the sweetest of them all. The depth and magnitude of the love my heart longs for can only be filled with Him, and more of Him.

"Therefore I am now going to allure her; I will lead her into the wilderness and speak tenderly to her.” (Hosea 2:14, NIV)

Many times I have felt bad about myself because other girls my age are in relationships and I have never even been in one. But what is the point of going on tons of dates when God has already crafted my future husband for me before the foundations of time? And in this, I wait.

God wants to take you on a spectacular adventure. If all you can think about is “When God, when?” how will you ever be able to focus on the journey of now?

Your Heavenly Daddy has called you to some amazingly brilliant stuff! Yes, it may include a husband if that is your heart’s desire, but your purpose in life includes more than a man.

In the meantime, explore this great big world we live in! Go on a missions trip. Experience a new culture. Perfect the gifts God has given you. Pour your heart out in service towards others. Don’t sulk, but soak! Soak in God’s presence and the absolutely splendid dreams He has for you.

In your dreaming God will show you your future husband’s heart.

You will see him even before knowing who he is.

His words will always be filled with grace and encouragement because he will continuously wash you with the water of the Word. The favor of God will be evident on his life because his pursuit will be to go deeper into the heart of God. He will be a mighty warrior of God balanced with compassion, grace, and love. God’s glory will be displayed in his life. The Holy Spirit will fill him and rest upon him.

You will know him because he will walk in victory and integrity- a defender of Truth. He will have a servant’s heart who can humbly admit when he is wrong. There is not a prideful or arrogant bone in his body. He will put other’s needs before his own. He will have a pure heart and desire to walk in constant consecration before the Lord. He will guard and protect your purity and heart. His purpose and vision will beautifully connect with yours. He will be an amazing leader and provider. He will be responsible and mature. He will be a gentleman. Oh, and he will be handsome too.

No, he will not be perfect but he will be in the process of being perfected by Christ.

When you meet him, you will know. You will know because he reminds you of Him.

No inconsistencies. Only peace. Perfect peace.

As God is working on your future husband, allow God to work on you. He doesn't want you all broken and jacked up when you meet your one day spouse. He wants you whole.

Ladies, let God take you on the most glorious adventure.

He is preparing you for something amazing.

“Oh, let me warn you, sisters in Jerusalem,

by the gazelles, yes, by all the wild deer:

Don’t excite love, don’t stir it up,

until the time is ripe—and you’re ready.”

(Songs of Songs 2:7, Msg)

About the Author :

Endya Joy is a young woman on the journey to becoming a future physician. With a passion for ministering to girls and young women, she desires to be a vessel in which God uses to heal the whole person. She is a girly girl, has a slight obsession with books, and dreams of traveling the world one day. God and family are everything.

Connect with her on :

A Royal Design

I’m a girly girl.

All that sparkles and glitters is right up my alley.

This has always been my personality, but the revelation that I am God’s princess sealed the deal.

The significance of being a daughter of the King has resonated so deeply with me. It has shaped my identity to the core of my being. The enemy has tried his hardest to assault my life with His lies, and knowing and believing the truth that I am God’s princess punches him in his face and puts him back in his place – defeated.

You are God’s princess too.

That may make some of you cringe, but understanding and walking in the reality of your son ship in Christ is SO important to fulfilling your destiny. You have to know who God says you are or else the enemy of your soul will assault your heart with the opposite.

“God’s Spirit touches our spirits and confirms who we really are. We know who He is, and we know who we are: Father and children.” (Romans 8:15 MSG)

This of course, has been a huge process for me. There have been days when tears overwhelm me and I have to press into God's presence and remind myself of what God says about me. Every day I have to choose to believe and live out this royal design.

One of the things God has been confirming in me is the importance of knowing my value as His princess. In the past, certain situations have left me not feeling valued but rather, taken for granted. We have all fallen into the trap of not knowing our worth, especially in the area of relationships.

We forget who we are, and let others strip us of our royalty.

This is why it is very important to choose your friendships wisely. Using discernment will show you if a relationship you are in has the potential to go left. If they can make time for everyone else but you, gracefully move on. Relationships only work when both sides value each other with the same intensity.

You were not created to chase someone who wants nothing to do with you or just tolerates your presence. If you let others determine your worth besides Christ, you will constantly go in circles looking for validation.

You were designed for dignity and respect. God wants you to value yourself in relationships. He created them to bring joy, not to crush your identity and make you question your worth.

The affirmation you need will come from spending time at the feet of your King. Christ, the One of most infinite value, offered His life on the Cross for you. This makes you more valuable than you could ever imagine. If someone did not hang on a tree and die for you, then they have absolutely no right to determine your worth.

Christ’s sacred blood screams your value; it tells you your identity.

In Him you are completely, totally, and utterly righteous. You are clothed in robes of God’s dazzling glory.

“All glorious is the princess within her chamber; her gown is interwoven with gold. In embroidered garments she is led to the King.” (Psalm 45:13-14a NIV)

As His princess you were designed to be valued. Imagine God placing a stunning tiara on your head with gemstones of the most brilliant colors. See Him dressing you in a glittering gown that shimmers in the light of His presence.

As you silence the negative voices fighting for territory in your heart, you will hear God whispering songs of royalty over you, affirming your identity and worth in Him. Allow God to fill that empty chasm of your soul with His relentless love and beauty. Let Him tell you who you are.

Righteous, Cherished, Loved, Redeemed, Valued.

Walk it, talk it, breathe it, believe it.

You are God’s princess, designed for royalty.

About the Author :

Endya Joy is a young woman on the journey to becoming a future physician. With a passion for ministering to girls and young women, she desires to be a vessel in which God uses to heal the whole person. She is a girly girl, has a slight obsession with books, and dreams of traveling the world one day. God and family are everything.

Connect with her on :

Weapons in His Hands

She is gorgeous.

She is perfect.

She has it all.

She couldn't possibly be going through any type of hardship, because after all; she has it all together.

I have to burst your bubble. No one is perfect and everyone has insecurities and struggles.

No matter how immaculate someone’s life may seem, she is still human.

Social media has the tendency to show us the facade and not the reality of a person’s circumstances. Through this medium, people put on their best face. You only see what your Facebook friends or the people you follow on Instagram want you to see. We then proceed to compare our lives to this perceived image of perfection and we’re tempted to become unsatisfied and unfulfilled with the glorious lives God has planned for us individually.

The thing is, we don’t know another person’s silent tears, only their happy moments put on display. And I’m totally not bashing social media – God definitely uses it as a tool for positive influence in this generation. I have connected with some pretty amazing people through it.

However, if using social media causes us to be bitter, envious, and ungrateful, then we are not glorifying God. 

Often we become jealous of someone’s platform or influence when in reality we have absolutely NO idea how God is working in their life. We have no clue the trials that He is allowing them to walk through. We view them as flawless without taking into account the hidden days of pruning and testing through the fiery furnace of affliction that have brought them to this point of being used by God.

I honestly think one of the reasons comparison and jealousy subtly creep in as women is because we fear that someone might be prettier, have more influence, or become better liked than us.

We fear being replaced.

The wonderful truth is that you can never be replaced. There has never been someone like you on the face of this earth and there never will be. Your gifts are so tailored to the personality God has given you, that to try and imitate someone else would be to disown your very essence.

Your voice, your perspective on life, and your very presence have a divine mark on this world with only your name written on it.

You are God’s unique expression, and absolutely no one can touch His heart like you can. Your personal worship ravishes a part of God’s being that no other in all creation could ever fill.

Things would never be the same without you. God wants you madly.

When we really get a revelation of how irreplaceable we actually are in God’s heart and in His kingdom, we can celebrate our sisters in Christ and the unique expression of the Father that they bring to the world.

God showed me that there are so many people in this culture against the message of Christ, that He desires for His precious daughters to stick together. He wants unified warrior princesses that wield a sword of truth against the kingdom of darkness in this generation. Jealousy, comparison, bitterness, and resentment only tear us down.

God adores unity. It delights His heart:

“How truly wonderful, delightful, and beautiful to see brothers and sisters living together in sweet unity...For from this realm of sweet harmony, God will release His eternal blessing, the promise of life forever!” (Psalm 133:1,3b TPT)

The enemy on the other hand, absolutely hates when we are in one accord. He would love more than anything else to see the Body of Christ divided because it makes us powerless. We are completely immobilized and ineffective against the devil and his schemes when offenses cloud our hearts. We are unable to collectively come against his destructive works when we are busy fussing about what “so and so” has and the territory God has given them.

The world is filled with darkness and hopelessness.

If a sister in Christ is doing something amazing to further the kingdom of God, by all means celebrate her and what God is doing through her life. If she is shining her light in a place of darkness, in the sphere of influence God has given her- rejoice! For God’s light and the message of hope we have in Christ are being spread. This doesn’t detract from the rare treasure that you are or the beautiful calling God has bestowed upon your life.

We are harmoniously stronger together than we are apart, so let’s do damage to the kingdom of darkness.

We are weapons in Abba’s hands when we are in unity.

"So I’m asking you, my friends, that you be joined together in total unity – with one heart, one passion, and united in one love. Walk together with one harmonious purpose and you will fill my heart with unbounded joy. Be free from controversial or pride-filled opinions, for they will only harm your cherished unity. Don’t allow self-promotion to hide in your hearts, but in authentic humility put others first and view others as more important than yourselves."

Live a cheerful life, without complaining or division among yourselves. For then you will be seen as mature, faultless, and pure children of God, even though you live in the midst of a brutal and perverse culture. For you will appear among them as shining lights in the universe, offering them words of Eternal Life.”

(Philippians 2:2-3, 14-15 TPT)

About the Author :

Endya Joy is a young woman on the journey to becoming a future physician. With a passion for ministering to girls and young women, she desires to be a vessel in which God uses to heal the whole person. She is a girly girl, has a slight obsession with books, and dreams of traveling the world one day. God and family are everything.

Connect with her on :

Prayers in Bloom

Flowers are my favorite.

They are whimsical, delightful, heavenly creations that woo my heart and make it skip a beat.

God’s exquisite eye for detail is put on display with the inherent beauty of a flower.

In fact, I believe to behold a flower is to see a mirror of God’s glory - His loveliness, grandeur, and splendor all rolled into one.

My late grandmother was an avid gardener, and as a child I would play in the yard as she planted. Her garden was her sanctuary, a place where she communed with God. It brought her great solace and joy.

The most beautiful flowers came from her garden - big fluffy violet and white hydrangeas, marigolds the color of fire, and tulips every shade of the rainbow. The sights and smells of this oasis were out of this world. I knew spring was on the horizon as soon as a tiny bud peaked from the soil and the aroma of new blossoms lingered in the air.

I will forever cherish those moments of being with my grandma in her garden. Now that I’m older, I understand why her quiet time with God was in this abode. There was such stillness in the atmosphere that you knew God’s presence was in your midst and that He was listening to your prayers.

I know it may be a little odd to be talking about flowers in the middle of January - especially in New York where our winters are normally filled with barren trees, freezing weather, and of course lots and lots of snow.

Everything appears to be dead and lifeless.

No flowers, no color, nothing.

Doesn’t it feel like winter when we are waiting for God to answer our prayers? The promises that have been spoken over our lives seem like a distant, fleeting memory. We question if all the prayers and tears that we have laid before Him are in vain. The winter of our souls can give us the illusion that He is not listening, and that our prayers aren’t reaching His ears, but that is just what it is – an illusion.

Our prayers are not in vain, but they go right to the throne room of God, straight to His ears:

“In my distress I called to the Lord; I cried to my God for help. From His temple He heard my voice; my cry came before Him, into His ears.” (Psalm 18:6 NIV)

Our prayers are like seeds, watered by our tears. They go deep down into the soil until it’s the appointed time for the flowers to be revealed - to be in full bloom. God loves to confirm His word with signs and wonders, and His fingerprints are all over our longings, unanswered prayers, and seeds sown. God’s Word will never, ever return back to us void:

“For as [surely as] the earth brings forth its shoots, and as a garden causes what is sown in it to spring forth, so [surely] the Lord God will cause rightness and justice and praise to spring forth before all the nations…” (Isaiah 61:11 AMP)

Get alone with God.

Tell Him what’s on your heart.

Release your burdens to Him.

Water some prayers with your tears.

Soak in His Presence.

Bask in His lavish love.

It may be winter in your life (both spiritually and even literally). However, I encourage you to open your eyes of faith and to see in your spirit the flowers that are about to bloom. Continue to be persistent in your prayers and know that your Heavenly Daddy is Faithful to perform the work in your life that you are believing Him to do.

You are about to reap big beautiful blooms.

“Arise, My dearest! Hurry, My darling, come along with Me!

I have come as you have asked, to draw you to my heart and lead you out!

For now is the time My beautiful one.

The season has now changed,

The bondage of your barren winter has ended and the season of hiding is over and gone.

The rains have soaked the earth, and left it bright with blossoming flowers…”

(Song of Songs 2:11-12a, The Passion Translation)

About the Author :

Endya Joy is a young woman on the journey to becoming a future physician. With a passion for ministering to girls and young women, she desires to be a vessel in which God uses to heal the whole person. She is a girly girl, has a slight obsession with books, and dreams of traveling the world one day. God and family are everything.

Connect with her on :

Unqualified, Inadequate, and Irrevocably Anointed

I find myself at that place once again of feeling like I’m unqualified and inadequate.

I’ll be the first one to admit that the dreams God have given me are way over my head, so much so to the point that sometimes I pause and ask, “Me God?...Are you sure?”

God is calling me to be a doctor. I’m very passionate about the field of medicine and seeing people made whole physically and emotionally. But even with all this passion and vision, fear and anxiety creep in when I’m studying for the MCAT, which is the admissions test to get into medical school. This will be my second time taking the exam after an unsuccessful first attempt, and of course discouragement has set in. However, through this gruesome process God is teaching me to rely on His Holy Spirit every second, while He continues to whisper words of peace and comfort in my ear that I’m right where He wants me.

God has anointed each of us for a special work that is beyond our capability of completing in our own strength. The anointing very simply put is the power and manifested presence of the Holy Spirit in our lives.

When God anoints us, His supernatural reality collides with our human experience to create the miraculous. [click to tweet]

Often a clue that God is calling you to a certain area is when the dream that He has given you is SO much bigger than yourself, and requires a big, great, God to do it through you. Your dreams should leave you giddy, excited, and overwhelmed by the greatness of it all. Ephesians 3:20, Amplified Bible, tells us that God’s power works within us to do “super-abundantly, far over and above all that we dare ask or think [infinitely beyond our highest prayers, desires, thoughts, hopes, or dreams].” God’s anointing works within us, changes us, and qualifies us.

You are right on track when you understand that you must rely completely on the power and presence of the Holy Spirit to fulfill your purpose [click to tweet]. We have to remember what the Word says: “It is not by force nor by strength, but by my Spirit’, says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies” (Zechariah 4:6, NLT). How amazing is it that the armies of heaven are backing us up? You have a divine destiny to walk into and it’s only by the grace and favor of God on your life that you will be able to stand. He will open doors for you that seem impossible to open in the natural because you are His Beloved daughter and you are called. From the world’s perspective, I’m not considered a competitive applicant for medical school, but God’s calling on my life says otherwise.

In a sense, feeling unqualified and inadequate is the perfect posture to maintain when you desire for God to use you. With all of “you” out of the way, God is able to do His best work and get all the glory. “We ourselves are like fragile clay jars containing this great treasure. This makes it clear that our great power is from God, not from ourselves” (2 Corinthians 4:7, NLT). This treasure within us is the very presence of God and the gifts and dreams He has deposited within each of us.

God’s dreams for you are big, breathtaking and miraculous. Only a big, breathtaking, and miraculous God can bring them to pass. When you are anointed, it does not matter what others say or what the obstacles are. You can rest, knowing that as a Daughter of the King, you are called and anointed to be you and to dream magnificently.

About the Author :

Endya Joy is a young woman on the journey to becoming a future physician. With a passion for ministering to girls and young women, she desires to be a vessel in which God uses to heal the whole person. She is a girly girl, has a slight obsession with books, and dreams of traveling the world one day. God and family are everything.

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Colors of Glory

Have you ever wondered what God was doing "up there" when it comes to your life and purpose? Have loneliness and the feeling of being forgotten crept inside your heart in the midst of your pain and the trials you may be facing?

Well, you are not alone.

Recently, while I was praying the Holy Spirit lovingly revealed to me that I had become disappointed with God because things were taking longer than I had hoped in my life. I did not even realize that it was possible to be disappointed with God. I mean, hello: He is the Creator of the universe – all wise, all just, all knowing God. I had some nerve. However, in my frailty God understood my weakness.

Have you ever felt this way before? Trials have a way of making us bitter or better. Sometimes when the waiting period of obtaining the manifestation of the promise takes longer than we thought, we start to lose hope. The enemy starts whispering in our ears that what God has promised will not come to pass and that the pain will never go away.

Something I have learned in my life is that pain is beneficial. Huh? Yes. God allows our pain for His glory. He allows the hurt so that we will be able to more effectively minister to others with a heart of compassion. He uses it so that we will grow.

God brought me to a verse that I have seen many times, but never quite looked at it this way:

​Psalm 139:5 (Amplified Bible)

"My frame was not hidden from

You when I was being formed in

the secret [and] intricately and

curiously wrought [as if

embroidered with various colors]

in the depths of the earth [a

region of darkness and

mystery]."

Usually Psalm 139:5 is read from the perspective of God forming you in your mother's womb and knowing you from the foundations of the earth. However, the analogy could also be made that the womb is the place where our destinies are incubated and the pain and trials are like the birth pangs we feel in order to birth our destinies.

In the womb of incubated destiny and the birth pangs of trial, God is intricately molding and recreating you into a beautiful masterpiece in the secret place until it's time for your life to be put on display. God has not forgotten you. You are encircled in His presence.

In the regions of darkness and mystery God is intricately molding and restoring you. Behind the scenes, in the depths of the earth, God is embroidering your life with the colors of heaven-breathtaking, beautiful colors. God is using the dark places of your pain, confusion, and turmoil to color your destiny with the colors of the Kingdom-righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit.

God has promised to restore everything that the enemy has stolen in your life. Seven times the peace, joy, health, or whatever you are believing God for. This New Year, let's press in even more to the promises of God knowing that He is faithfully embroidering our destinies with colors of glory.

About the Author :

Endya Joy is a young woman on the journey to becoming a future physician. With a passion for ministering to girls and young women, she desires to be a vessel in which God uses to heal the whole person. She is a girly girl, has a slight obsession with books, and dreams of traveling the world one day. God and family are everything.

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