Ripples Of Grace

                           The Pharisee In Me I wanna talk about a story that happens in John 8 and it's the story of the women caught in adultery. It says that the Pharisees' caught this woman in the very act of adultery. So the way that I picture it in my head is they've caught her in this very private moment and they snatch her up and she's naked and their dragging her through the town and she's screaming and she's crying and she's afraid and they throw her at the feet of Jesus In front of the crowd that He's teaching and she is ashamed and I think it's so hard for some of us to think that we could do this to somebody that we have it in us to be like that but look at it this way; what about when we hear about what's going on behind closed doors when we hear about a husband that's cheating on his wife or the couple that's getting a divorce or the girl who just relapsed. A lot of times the first thing that ...

                     H eart Check Lets talk about the story of the alabaster box. Now in this story a Pharisee invites Jesus to have dinner with him. (The Pharisee's were kinda something else- they believe that by following all 600 plus laws that they were made right out and anyone that could not follow these laws were unrighteous. They believed that they were following God but the truth is that they didn't even recognize Him when they saw Him. They followed Jesus around His entire earthly ministry trying to trick Him and trap Him and undermined Him).  Now in this story Jesus is at dinner at one of the Pharisee's house and it says that during the dinner a simple women came in the room and she knelt at the feet of Jesus and she began to weep and she starts anointing his feet with oil and washing them with her tears and drying them with her hair. It is one of the most beautiful acts of worship recorded in the entire Bible to...

                 Walk In Your Freedom           So did you know that during their Exodus from Egypt the Israelites at one point actually wanted to return to Egypt; back to their slavery and their bondage. They got to a point in their walk with God where it became very difficult for them and it was hard and they started to look back at their slavery and remember that even though it was horrible, it was comfortable for them. So even though the Lord had set them free they were not necessarily free. There was a gap between them being free spiritually, emotionally and mentally. So they had become so comfortable in their chains that their comfort became a chain that was trying to draw them back into bondage.  We are so much like the Israelites in this way. The Lord will deliver us and He will set us free from a toxic relationship but along our walk with God we start to believe that to believe that He is not e...

                      There Is A Way Out This is the story of when Sodom and Gamorrah are destroyed but I want to talk about this part where there are two angels and they are staying in Lots house and while they are there all the men of the town come and they're beating on the door - banging on the door, trying to tear down the doors to get to these angels so that they can take advantage of them. They are so consumed with their sin that they do not stop trying to pursue it until they are struck blind as a consequence of their sin and if you can really picture this in your head it is such a vivid picture of what sin does to us. I think before we really know Jesus we think that the Word of God and the Ten Commandments are these strict rules that we have to follow but their not. Their protective boundaries because God knows that sin destroys us. And I'm speaking from a  place of righteousness, I'm speaking from a place o...

             *Behind Enemy Lines*                You can find Moses all over the book of Exodus.  So Moses was born during a time of conflict between the Egyptians and the Israelites. The Egyptians had become afraid of the Israelites because there were so many of them. And so what they did was they enslaved them and they put them into bondage. and during this time the King of Egypt ordered that all of the Hebrew boys born during this time be killed. So when Moses' Mom becomes pregnant she has Moses and 3 months later she realizes that He is no longer safe with her because He is a Hebrew boy. So she places him in a basket and she sends him down the river and Moses Is found by Pharaoh's daughter, (an Egyptian) and He is raised up as an Egyptian.  So what I'm saying is that Moses was raised behind enemy lines. So I'm talking to somebody who has been through something, that has been trauma, a...

1.) My actions are meaningful.      2.) I am in the right place.     3.) I am ENOUGH! 4.) I am WORTHY !   5.) I am valued.       6.) I belong here.     7.) I deserve self-respect 8.) I am WORTHY of love.     9.) I choose peace.     10.) I love myself    11.)I can choose to see the good.     12.) I am strong.     13.) I am LOVED!      14.) I have a million things to be grateful for.     15.) I am constantly growing. 16.) I am healing everyday.     17.) I am proud of myself.     18.)I believe in myself. 19.) My mistakes help me grow.     20.)  I am His Daughter.     21.) I am Redeemed. 22.) I am CHOSEN.     23.) I am made in his image.     24.) I am SAVED.  25.) I am Faithful.     26.) I am patient.     27.) I am KNOWN!     28.) I am HEARD! 29.) I am BL...

  James 1:19-20 Understand this, my dear brothers and sisters: You must all be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry. Human anger does not pleasure the righteousness God desires. >>>>>>>>>>>> The verse teaches us why we should refrain from anger. It says we should be "quick to hear"l how James says this can mean quick to hear God's Word, or, possibly, a willingness to listen to what others have to say. It also says, "slow to speak." People who talk too much will surely say much that is useless, wrong, or harmful, and they will not be able to hear what they should hear. And lastly, James mentions, "slow to anger." Man's  anger, even so-called righteous anger, does not establish or promote God's righteousness. Gentleness and meekness are much more useful than any kind of anger we can display. Human anger does not lead to behaving in a way that is pleasing or righteous in the eyes of God. It remi...

It's not that Abraham had so much faith. It's not that Moses was such a great leader. It's not that Joseph was so special a brother. It's not that Hannah was so good at prayer. It's not that Elijah was so great a prophet. It's not that Esther was so brave a queen. It's not that David was so mighty a King. It's that God was at work in all of them.

  You don't always notice it, but you're stronger than you think.  It's in the way you wake up despite the exhaustion,  It's in the way you smile even when your heart aches, It's in the way you keep showing up, Even when the world gives you every reason to hide. Strength isn't always loud, It's not always about standing tall, Or moving mountains, or winning battles. Sometimes strength is soft, Sometimes, it's just the decision to try again, To believe that better days are coming, Even when you can't see them yet. So don't doubt yourself  You have survived every hard day, every heartbreak, every moment that felt impossible. And you are still here. Still standing, Still fighting. That is strength and it's already within you.

Lord, fix me, because sometimes I am the problem. There are days when my pride builds walls, my words wound, or my impatience clouds my love. Give me the strength to let go of my stubbornness, my fears, and my self-centered ways. Fix me, Lord, because I cant fix myself. Shape me into the person You've called me to be - more loving, more forgiving, more like You. Teach me to take accountability, not to dwell on my failures but to grow through them. Keep Working in me, Lord.

  Leave It In God's Hands Whenever it gets too toxic and stressful. Whenever you feel like everything and everyone is just way too much. Whenever you've reached your point of breaking down, Know that you can call upon the name of Jesus. Jesus. Jesus. Jesus. "This is beyond what i can handle, God. Help me to  surrender this struggle to you. I believe that You are for me. I will not worry."

  Even when no one saw the battles I fought In silence. Even when my efforts went unnoticed, my intentions were misunderstood. Even when I gave my best, but it still wasn't enough for the people around me. At least God knew. He saw the nights I cried, the days I pushed forward  when I wanted to give up,  t he prayers I whispered when my heart was too heavy to speak . He knew how hard I tried to stay strong, to love, to forgive, to hold on.  Maybe the world won't ever understand. Maybe people will only remember my mistakes, But God sees the whole story - the struggle, the sacrifice, the sincerity. And maybe that's enough.

  We can still have faith and be sad. We can still hold space for hope and be sad. We can both trust God and tell Him that it hurts and we're scared of what we don't know. We don't have to rush ourselves through because sadness is uncomfortable for us or other people. There's nothing wrong with tears and grief and wanting things to be different than they are, even when we love God and trust His sovereignty. I'm learning all the time that faithfulness isn't pretending it's surrendering.

 Nothing is louder than the silence God uses to heal you.  When everything feels quiet. When the people you need to run to aren't there. When the distractions stop working. It's not punishment. It's intentional. God won't let you keep chasing what was never meant to save you. He's asking you to look at the patterens. To pull up the roots. To replace the lies with the truth. He's not being distant. He's drawing you closer. Be still long enough to remember. He is what you've always needed.

  Maybe It Had To Happen because God knew I wouldn't move unless I was forced to. He saw the parts on me that were too comfortable, too afraid, too unwilling to let go. Maybe He knew that without the breaking, I'd never see the beauty of surrender.  The pain felt cruel, the loss felt unfair, but maybe - just maybe - it was mercy in disguise. Maybe it had to happen, not because God wanted me to suffer, but because He wanted me to grow into who He always knew I could be... -Stolen

I think about how many time God waited on us. He waited when we were off course. He waited when we had a bad attitude. He waited when we failed, when we were addicted, and compromising. He could have said “That’s it; I’m done with you.” But He waited. He showed us mercy. He picked us up when we fell. Her kept the addiction from taking our life; He protected us when we chose the wrong friends; He stopped the accident that could have taken our us out. He waited when we didn’t believe in Him. He waited when we were bitter because He didn’t answer our prayer, He waited when we ignored him.  Sometimes you need to look back and say “ Lord I want to thank you for waiting on me, thank you for giving me another chance. Thank you for cleaning up the mess I made. Thank you for covering me when I didn’t deserve it.” 

God, I won’t pretend today.  You already know what’s on my heart. Some things feel heavy, some things feel unclear, and I’m trying my best to move forward anyway. But I still believe, you’re with me. I believe there’s purpose in today, even if I can’t see it yet. So walk with me. Whisper peace into my spirit. Let today bring reminders of your nearness in the small, quiet ways. And if all I do today is breathe and keep going- that’s enough.  In Jesus name, Amen.  -SamanthaTyler<3

 I’ve stumbled through a thousand tries, But still, each time, I choose to rise. Not stronger than the pain I’ve known. But wiser now and not alone. The past no longer holds my voice.  I’ve learned that falling is a choice.  Not staying down but standing slow. With every no I start to grow. So let the world do what it will I bloom in silence - growing still.

  God can't order the steps you don't take! You're praying for direction while standing still. You're asking for clarity while avoiding obedience. You want God to light a path, but you won't leave the driveway. That's not faith -- that's fear dressed in spiritual language. God is not in the business of steering parked cars. He's a God of movement, a God who meets you on the way, not just in the waiting. He orders steps, not stagnation. And if you never lift your foot, there's nothing for Him to guide. We say we trust Him, but trust looks like motion. Trust looks like starting the business, applying for the job, walking away from what's breaking you, saying yes to what scares you. Trust looks like taking the step even when the staircase isn't finished. Because obedience unlocks the next instruction. God didn't promise to order your imagination - He promised to order your steps. That means you've got to move. Even if it's trembling....

 I have always struggled with doubt. I often question God's love for me, and the very nature of his being. I fall asleep at night wondering if He is really there. The more I study the Word, and spend time talking to God, the more this happens. I've learned that Satan has a way of attacking those who are on a good path. We are a bigger threat when we might actually make a difference with our faith. Satan will do everything he can to keep us from fulfilling God's plan for our lives. He will try to fill our minds with lies and doubt, but that is not from God. In time, God will give you some answers in his own way. In the mean time the devil will try to warp your mind and do everything he can to lead you astray. Surround yourself with the truth, and your heart and your mind will follow. All you have to do is keep your eyes on God and know that His love is unchanging, never-failing, and unconditional. -SamanthaTyler<3

  For the one who is waiting, for perfection before you say "yes", know that God already loves you, and that He meets us in our mess. For the one who made a mistake, whose guilt won't let you rest,  Know that God is forgiving, and that He meets us in our mess. For the one who is faithful, but still wrestles with your flesh, know that God is with you, and the He meets us in our mess. For the one who is heavy burdened, who is breaking under stress, know that God gives refuge, and that He meets us in our mess. For the one who is struggling, who is being put to the test, know that God will guide you, and that He meets us in our mess. For the one who is forgiven, and embraces the Father's rest, know that God has called you, and He has called you blessed. SamanthaTyler<3

  Some seasons are hard to understand. No big signs, just the Father's hand. No clear voice or loud reply, just stillness and questions why. The answers, I want to know,  but the Father gently tells me to "Let it go." While wrestling with a lot of things unknown, The Father draws near and His patience is shown. I feel him cutting my branches away.  Wanting to run, John 15:4 says to stay. To stay near the Father through pruning seasons, without having to know all the reasons. He prunes to produce more fruit in me, and cuts down branches that need to flee. Slowing down and sitting still, reminds me to trust in the Father's will. These seasons are hard yet I know, that pruning is vital for me to grow. SamanthaTyler<3

 Let Today Be Today That's All Just Stay Present In His Presence Tomorrow Can Wait He's Never Late So, Take A Deep Breath And Keep Running Your Race One Day At A Time One Breath At A Time  Whatever Voice Is Pushing You  Have To Have It All Figured Out At Once Does Not Have A Final Say On How Things Go Today - SamanthaTyler<3