Christina Speaks

Last night I had the blessing of sitting on my friend’s dock where we watched the sunset. I marveled at the miracle happening right before our eyes. Every couple of minutes God was painting new pink, gold, and orange strokes against the sky blue backdrop. Sunsets have got to be one of the Creator’s most glorious gifts. I believe it’s just one of the things in nature God created simply for our pleasure. He didn’t have to do that! He loves us so much that he gave us gifts we  receive daily. A lot of the time, we don’t even notice. Today, I want you to remember that no matter what is going on, no matter what you are facing, God is still there. He loves you more than you can fathom. Next time you wonder where God is, just take a moment to watch the sun rise or set, and remember He is rearranging the universe to work things out for your good and His glory. “Great is the Lord and most worthy of praise; his greatness no one can fathom. One generation commends your works to another; they tell

  Today I would like to share my prayer and ask that you pray with me. Please invite others to do the same. Lord, we need you.

Today I want to share something you may need to hear. Maybe you’ve never heard it. Maybe it’s been a while. YOU are AMAZING. I’m not just saying that. You really are. You are the most amazing “you” ever created. There is no need to compare yourself to anyone else out there, because there is no other you. There is no comparison. Yes, there are things you would like to work on and improve, but first, you need to thank God for making you the wonderful, unique, gifted you. No one can say it like you. No one can do it exactly the way you can. So be thankful to be you! You are needed in this world. No one can take your place. If you weren’t here, there would be a you-shaped hole in the universe. I am grateful for what you bring to this world.  Thank you for simply being you.

I know how anxious we all are to get 2020 behind us. But friends here’s the thing... 2021 may be more of the same. When I consider that we may have the same, or even more trials, I’ll be honest… I feel a twinge of despair.  Do you feel it too?  I think it’s okay to feel less than desirable emotions. It’s important to acknowledge them, but we cannot stay in that place. When I feel like that, I very quickly remind myself that God is still good, and He is still on His throne. That will never change. I have shared this message more than a few times, but today, I feel it’s important to say it again. God is good. He is the same today, as He was yesterday, and will be tomorrow. Remember that He sees the big picture, “ And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” Romans 8:28 Hold on to that. Whenever I feel even a moment of despair, I think back to how once, I trusted Him with my son’s life. Though I begged God to

Last week I talked about my past experience on the beach, and how because I chose to remain paralyzed in my discomfort, I got burned. Ironically, this past weekend, I found myself at the beach once again, celebrating a dear friend. As you may have learned, the beach is not my favorite place, but there is certainly beauty to be found there. This time, I spent more time observing the scenery. I took time to breathe in the ocean air and appreciate God’s beautiful artwork that surrounded me. I remembered that I had the choice as to how long I would expose myself to the sun, finding a healthy balance between sitting in the elements and staying back to simply observe them. I took time to feel the cool breeze, to listen to the waves hit the shore, and watch the little sandpipers race across the wet sand. I watched the sea oats swaying in the wind, standing directly in front of the backdrop of a beautiful golden sun. I allowed myself to feel the warmth of that sun. But this time, I didn’t ge

  “God has not promised skies always blue, flower-strewn pathways all our lives through. God has not promised sun without rain, joy without sorrow, peace without pain. But God has promised strength for the day, rest for the laborer light on the way. Grace for the trial, help from above, unfailing sympathy, undying love.” - Unknown There is nothing we will ever go through, that God doesn’t know about before we go through it. In fact, He goes before us, providing guidance and strength. I do believe we often deal with more than we can handle on our own, which is why we need Jesus, and the guidance of the Holy Spirit. We can do all things through Christ who gives us strength. Hand over all of your worries and fears to Him. “The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure.” ‭‭1 Corinthians‬ ‭10:13‬ ‭NLT‬‬ I pr

  I think one of the reasons people have such a hard time going to God when they are struggling, is they feel like they need to clean themselves up before they can approach Him. They feel like they’re not even worthy to be around his people. Have you ever felt like that? That’s not how God works. He meets us where we are even if it’s in the depths of sin and despair. Look at the example of Jesus. He spent time with the undesirables and loved them into His kingdom. He didn’t wait for them to clean up their act before they could be with Him. He met and loved them where they were, but He also loved them too much to leave them there. He does the same for us. Sometimes we treat people as if they are “less than” when it’s often how we feel about ourselves. When we take hold of the unconditional love that Christ offers us, then we are able to give it to others. “When we were utterly helpless, Christ came at just the right time and died for us sinners. Now, most people would not be willi

I’ve been feeling some sort of way lately. Yesterday I talked about enduring without action. Later in the day, my sister-friend shared a beautiful message and sermon about our place on this earth with me. I cried as I listened, because it finally explained what I’ve been feeling for a while.  This world is not my home. I am very aware of where my citizenship truly is. I want to go home. I want to be with Jesus. Those who know me well, know that I am not attached to this place, and if Jesus took me today I would be grateful. That’s not to say I don’t find joy in each day, because I do. It doesn’t mean I don’t love my family or my friends, and I am certainly not asking for death. I just know, there is no situation in life I can think of, that could be better than Heaven. The problem with that is sometimes I feel like I’ve got my bags packed and I’m waiting by the door. That’s not the right way to be. God has placed each one of us here for a purpose. Though I know where my final home will

The other day I was reminded of an experience I had at the beach a couple of years ago. You see, the beach is not my favorite. I prefer the mountains, but I was asked to be a chaperone for the teens of my church, so I agreed to go. I approached the trip as I do many things in life that I don’t enjoy, but still have to do. I endured. I sat in the middle of that beach, in one spot for around 4 hours. I did not move. I just sat there, enduring this place I was in, hoping the time would pass quickly. I did not protect myself in any kind of way from the elements. Since I have brown skin, the sun has never really been an issue for me. Though I should have, I never used sunscreen when spending time outside. Brown-skinned people tend to be a bit more protected than those who are fair-skinned. But we are not totally immune to damage. I did my time, then headed back to the car. Once in the cool, air-conditioned car, I felt some discomfort around my chest and shoulders. I also felt a little bit n

Last night every member of my family was home.  For those of you who have an empty nest, or kids away at college, you know how special that is. We spent time recording a Facebook Live video together, and had a blast! It was a beautiful distraction from the mess that is our country.  Today I want to remind you, that you have a choice. You have a choice to drown out the noise of negativity and division, and replace it with the beauty of gratitude and unity. Friends, we don’t have to get bogged down or caught up in the crazy. We don’t.  In this moment, find something positive going on in the world around you and be thankful for it. Stop and meditate on its goodness. Do you have a new baby in your family? A pet? A cool piece of art? A pretty flower outside of your house? A warm cup of coffee? What are you thankful for? Everyone has something.  I saw a beautiful example of this last night when reading a post from a friend I went to junior high and high school with. His father passed away,