“Sarah: You are fearless and wonderfully made”~God.

These are the words God shared with me during my personal walk in the Lord MANY times throughout my life. These truths have grown me stronger and more confident in my walk with the Lord as I be still and listen to His voice guide my life.”So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.”~Romans 10:17~

At my full time job at Chick-fil-A, I have dealt with many customers of varying personalities. Some have treated me rudely while others have complimented me with kind words. One day, a customer told me: “I like the color of your nails.” Another customer asked me, “I like your hair! Is red your natural color?” These compliments built me up with this wonderful reminder: I am beautiful outside. “I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well.”~Psalm 139:14~

As I was taking a customer’s order one day, one of the employees of Chick-fil-A allowed me to realize this about me: I not only have outer beauty, I have inner beauty too. He told me, “You are glowing! You have Christ radiating in you.”Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as elaborate hairstyles and the wearing of gold jewelry or fine clothes. Rather, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight.”~1 Peter 3:3-4~

One day, one of my managers from Chick-fil-A, who worked closely with me during my first two weeks of training, shared a Bible verse with me that has remained tucked in my heart every time I deal with an angry customer: Joshua 1:9: “Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage: be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.”

 My manager reminded me that I must have confidence from the Lord that cannot come from myself because godly confidence comes from God: NOT what human flesh can do alone. “For to be carnally minded minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.”~Romans 8:6-8~

One of the reasons why I LOVE Joshua 1:9 is because it reminds me that I am not just another beautiful face: I am a fearless fighter of Jesus Christ, MY God who I serve unashamedly as I boldly live up to my identity in Christ everywhere I do, including Chick-fil-A, and in all that I do to serve God. “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth”~Romans 1:16~

Yesterday, a customer looked at me straight into my eyes with her small-sized glasses with grace that could only come from God. She kindly told me after I made her a lemonade, “Thank you, Sarah,” before walking away with her meal in hand. “In everything give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you “~1 Thessalonians 5:18~

“Wow, she acknowledged me by thanking me,” I thought to myself before I took the order from the next customer. This customer allowed me to face my fear of rejection by reinforcing the Biblical truth that God sees me as significant because I am important to Him. It all depends upon how I put the fruits of the Holy Spirit on display not only at Chick-fil-A, but EVERYWHERE I go without giving into fear. “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~

All of my experiences at Chick-fil-A and Biblical truths reinforce not only all parts of me, but who I am, as God’s fearlessly beautiful creation. Now as I type this last sentence of this blog post, I declare what was forever ordained by God since my first heart beat: “I am fearless and wonderfully made.”

2017 is here and I have a lot to be thankful for in this new year.

God has me blessed beyond reason and I give all of the glory, honor, and praise to Him. “In God we boast all the day long, and praise thy name for ever. Selah.”~Psalm 44:8~

I have a full time job at Chick-fil-A, am on a plan to lose weight, graduate with a Master of Arts degree from Liberty University Online this Summer, go to Japan for my Summer internship, and the potential to travel abroad with OM International after I graduate. In a nutshell, God has many great things coming my way in 2017. “For since the beginning of the world men have not heard, nor perceived by the ear, neither hath ye seen, O God, beside thee, what he hath prepared for him that waiteth for him.”~Isaiah 64:4~

Before 2016 ended, God showed me that I must breakaway with my past by making peace with ALL of my family and allow Him to thrust me forward into the future He has planned for me. First, I am doing so by slowly restoring ties with my Mom. God bless my Mom, who have birth to me. “Thy mother is like a vine in thy blood, planted by the waters: she was fruitful and full of branches by reason of many waters.”~Ezekiel 19:10~

Then, God revealed me that I must not only restore ties with my Mom, but with my Dad and siblings in order to live peaceably with myself and have peace of God in my heart. I do not know what this is going to look like in the future, but I am letting God direct my steps in how He wants me to restore ties with them in order for healing to begin. “The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord: and he delighteth in his way.”~Psalm 37:23~

Satan has torn my family apart due to various issues, leading to bitterness, hatred, and a great divide among all of us. At the same time, God is allowing me to see them in the way Jesus sees them: loved and to love them well. “We love him, because he first loved us.”~1 John 4:19~

 This is because God is a God of peace and not confusion. I must take every thought captive to God in order to love my family well and make peace with them in how God directs me to do so with them. “Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ.”~2 Corinthians 10:5~

My prayer is that the Holy Spirit teaches me in the same hour what I ought to say to ALL of my family when God ordains me to speak to my dad and siblings in His timing. “For the Holy Spirit shall teach you in the same hour what ye ought to say”~Luke 12:12~

Laying aside my family issues, I am looking forward to what God has in store for me in 2017. I won’t look back: never. I go forward, in Jesus’ name, free and full of all of the fruit of the Spirit, in Jesus’ name. “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.”~Galatians 5:22-23~

Pray for 2017 friends. Pray for my family. Pray for peace to all. Love you all and God bless! 🙂

~”And all things whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.”~Matthew 21:22~