Have you ever met someone who appears to have the “cookie cutter” lifestyle? Or, if they don’t appear that way; they strive extremely hard to paint the perfect little picture of life. No worries, no struggles, problem- free, and enjoying every minute of life. Reality is, I don’t know if such a person exists. And chances are, you either have been that person or might very well be letting this unreachable goal suck the life out of you right now. We have all at some point in our life bought into this lie from the enemy that trials, struggles, temptation, and problems of any sort are abnormal and definitely should NOT be mentioned or confessed. Therefore, since we have allowed these lies to penetrate into our minds, we have given Satan the authority to mobilize our day to day life by what people think and know about us. James 5:16 tells us to confess our sins to one another, so that we may be healed. This scripture doesn’t say that we “might” be healed, but Jesus promises us that through confessing our sins to Him and to others we will be healed from the burdens and baggage that have been weighing us down for so long. However, very few us rarely experience such healing, because we spend more of our time avoiding the possibility of being rejected than we do building relationships that are firm, loving, and unconditional. Truth is, we all have things in our life that need to be dealt with; but we’re too afraid of what someone might think about us if we actually confessed that we need prayer.
What we have to remember is that not one of us has it all together. There is something going on inside everyone single of us, and God surrounds us with the very people He has put in our lives to encourage and pray for us. Romans tells us that we ALL have fallen short of the glory of God. And praise God that as scripture repeatedly tells us, He is much more interested in our relationship with Him rather than our performance for Him. Therefore, if we will begin to ask God to grant us the amount of faith to overcome this fear that is stopping the progress of developing fruitful relationships with people and direct intimacy with God; we will not only begin to walk in healing, but we really will obtain the pure joy that James 1 mentions as we persevere through the trials and tribulations that we as Christians WILL face (because we share in His suffering). We were not created to live life alone. Jesus came so that we would have abundant life (John 10:10). But to receive the fullness of this abundance, we must give abundant life ourselves.
So, instead of continuing to let fear build these towers-some walls in your relationships by refusing to let people fellowship with you in the good times and bad times, begin to build authentic, confident relationships that scripture calls us to walk in by encouraging, confessing, building up, loving, and praying.
BIT
OF 
because He has created you just the way you are to carry out his special, indivdiual plan for your life. He put that color hair on your head, gave you that shaped nose, build your body just that size, and place your personaility inside of you so that the purpose He has for your life could be complete by walking in the confidence that you are who God says you are.......BEAUTIFUL and PERFECT. He gave YOU a specific plan and a future to be carried out by YOU, not the person on TV or the person next to you. We try so hard to do what God's called us to do, while striving to look or be like someone else. He made you YOU. Embrace everything about yourself, walk in confidence, and know that God created you just the way you are for something perfect and significant. USE IT. 
“We know what real love is because Jesus gave up His life for us” 1 John 3:16. Real love is an action, not just a feeling. Jesus could have saved himself a lot of pain and suffering by just telling us that He loved us instead of going through the gruesome death on the cross. But He loves us SO much that He demonstrated his love for us by suffering the most painful death any human has ever experienced and will ever experience. Jesus, perfect, holy, and powerful could have called himself off the cross or could have intervened during the lashes cutting into His flesh. Instead, he bore it all. Yes for our sins, but He went to through the most radical death to express His radical love for us. It didn’t stop on the cross. Jesus, today, still wants to demonstrate this radical love to us if we will open our hearts to receive it.
He wants to provide for every one of our needs. Matthew 6 encourages us not to be anxious about tomorrow. If God will take care of the flowers and the birds; He will definitely take care of His children. I feel as if people all around me are consumed with the way the economy is operating right now which is producing large amount of stress about finances. God is fully aware of what is going on, and even in the toughest times; He will provide for every house payment, utility bill, car insurance, life insurance, etc. However, Jesus tells us to seek HIM first, so all things will be given to us (Matthew 6:33). He didn’t tell us to first seek after those things. He said to seek after Him so that HE can give us more than we need. He knows that if we try to provide for ourselves, we’ll gain barely enough if any to get by.
Earthly fathers that adore and love their children want the best for them and desire that they have everything they need and more. Jesus doesn’t just provide the bare essentials for our needs, but He wants to give us more gifts and blessings than we could ask for.
Have you ever met someone who appears to have the “cookie cutter” lifestyle? Or, if they don’t appear that way; they strive extremely hard to paint the perfect little picture of life. No worries, no struggles, problem- free, and enjoying every minute of life. Reality is, I don’t know if such a person exists. And chances are, you either have been that person or might very well be letting this unreachable goal suck the life out of you right now. We have all at some point in our life bought into this lie from the enemy that trials, struggles, temptation, and problems of any sort are abnormal and definitely should NOT be mentioned or confessed. Therefore, since we have allowed these lies to penetrate into our minds, we have given Satan the authority to mobilize our day to day life by what people think and know about us. James 5:16 tells us to confess our sins to one another, so that we may be healed. This scripture doesn’t say that we “might” be healed, but Jesus promises us that through confessing our sins to Him and to others we will be healed from the burdens and baggage that have been weighing us down for so long. However, very few us rarely experience such healing, because we spend more of our time avoiding the possibility of being rejected than we do building relationships that are firm, loving, and unconditional. Truth is, we all have things in our life that need to be dealt with; but we’re too afraid of what someone might think about us if we actually confessed that we need prayer.
Another wedding is in the works and on the way! Kristy Cloud and Jon Sloan will be getting married in August of this year. Kristy is a pure testimony of James 1. This scripture tells us that the testing of your faith will produce endurance, and once that endurance is gain we will be perfect and complete lacking in NOTHING. 
A few of our girls have recently finished these books and have highly recommended them to anyone looking to be fed. God has enlightened are hearts and minds through the wisdom and knowledge that each one of these authors have to share. So....if you're desiring a "good read," know that you will not be disappointment from either one of the four. Rather, stronger; wiser; encouraged; and inspired. If you feel led to pick one up to dive into, we pray your heart is encouraged and that God speaks to you just as He spoke to us. Take advantage of the resources that our available to us. God has given so many authors not only the gift to write, but to take their experiences, circumstances, and life challenges; and articulate them into teachable lessons for us to learn and grow from.
and 
Two people falling in love is probably the most beautiful thing one can ever witness. Marriage is one of the many great gifts that Jesus will allow some of us to experience during our time here on Earth. All throughout scripture we read about His deep love for the church. Just as we have those people in our lives that we love with everything in us Christ has someone to. Its you and its me.
