Marissa's Choice: 2015

Forever Grateful

As I was in my prayer corner today, sitting and talking with God . Having a nice conversation about how far He's brought me and how I can see how different of a person I am, thanks to His love.
In the same frame of thought, I've come to realize I owed our Father an apology.

See, the other day while studying psalm 144:3 that led me to
Job 7:17 "What is mankind that you make so much of them, that you give them so much attention,"

I came across a scripture in the bible the old me highlighted,
Job 6:11 "what strength do I have, that I should hope? And what is my end, that I should prolong my life? "NKJV

And I began to remember her. How she would plan to take her life and fail time after time after time. And because clearly God wasn't letting her stop her pain, she would cut herself to make what she was feeling in comparison feel like well...nothing .

How deep shame felt after being caught meant that the cuts had to be deeper and better hidden. How being made fun of because of them by classmates and rejected by family aided in further false attempts I.E bulimia, starvation, over use of my inhaler (I heard somewhere it could make my lungs explode)...yes, the worse. I know.

God was working to save my life while the enemy was grinding hard to convince me to pick an opportune time to end it.

One night I had a dream, so vivid. Christ and I was racing on horses amongst the clouds having an amazing time. Then it came to take a break. He's like "we need to talk" I'm like uh oh. Trying to think of which sin in me is He about to address. (Because if you've ever had Christ look at you, you know it feels like you're glass, see-through, naked. Like, your heart is exposed and He can see the darkness in you as well as the good )

All He said was, "Marissa, I love you. "
And hugged me. I cried.
Pretty sure I woke up crying to and ran to tell my dad.

Now back to the apology. My thoughts were rude after reading Job 6:11.
I thought to myself "why did He save me, anyway? To get me to this time in my life, for what? What's different? "

I know I know. Rude.

As I prayed and spoke to God and was reminded of His goodness. Reminded of who I once was and the state of mind I was in. I NEEDED to apologize.
Anyone who knew me then as that Marissa and know me now, God has done wonders on me, my mind and outlook on life.
I am so far from her of 2006-07 .

So to have the audacity to think such a thought, "Lord, forgive the words of my lips that blaspheme You name. "

So often we forget just how GOOD God has been to us. We stop thanking Him for the wonders He's done in our lives.

All I've ever wanted & needed, was true unconditional love. Then, everyone wanted things from me that literally took from who I was.

For Christ to show up and show out just to spend a little time with me whilst running all creation, just to make sure I knew without a doubt that He loves me.
Changed my life.

He still does things like that.
I'll mention them in other posts.

Forever Grateful.
Job 7:17
Psalms 144 1-4

7:05 PM
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Did you ask Me?

Ask and you shall receive

I wrote this in my journal earlier today, because God read my life for the second time on the same matter.

Like, woah wow...ok.

The read was necessary, because sometimes God has to be like " Marissa, my child, you're all the way in the middle of the sea when I want you on land." Lol

Anyway, I was frustrated because I really wanted to read my Bible. I was initially reading Romans because some friends of mine and I are trying to keep up bible study sessions with our busy work schedules. I was also in Joshua. Reading 3 other books by other authors that had me bouncing all over the Word.

God was like, "Marissa, ask me. If you just ask me, I'll tell you what I want you to read."
I was like, hmm. Jesus, that's the second time you had to tell me that this week!

I have been frustrated with work for a while now and the other day I received a phone call from a job I turned down in September. (because better pay doesn't mean it's better for me. God is trying to teach me where I am and I didn't have peace about it. So with His guidance, I turned it down.)
With my current frustrations at work and the opportunity presenting itself again, made me reconsider.
I was at work yesterday, like God what do I do? What do I do? Should I leave now since this current place is becoming a headache?
While the Holy Spirit reminded me not to make a decision out of emotions, God said to me "did you even ask?" "How do you know if you haven't spoken with your store manager about it? How do you know she's not willing to increase your pay, give you more hours or even want to promote you? "

Which brings me back to today, " ask Me"
"Ask Me, which book in my Word I want you to read. What I want you to study. What I want you to wear*. Ask me for the plans I have for you."
Instead of assuming, open your mouth and ask.

"You have not because you ask not" James 4:2
"Ask and it shall be given to you" Matthew 7:7-8

"Ask Me of the things to come " Isaiah 40:10 ( honestly, this ENTIRE is just AMAZING )

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."
Jeremiah 29:11

* learning to dress modestly has been one of the most frustrating, fun & eye opening lessons in my life.
I ask the Holy Spirit what He thinks I should wear today. It's so an interesting & funny. Like last Sunday, I was going to dress so casual. Like, I'm not going to impress anyone. God was like "umm Me."
😂
The Holy Spirit was like " wear that striped shirt, find that black blazer, yes to those pants, yes you can wear those shoes and wear your hair back."

Just ask...
I read a quote somewhere that said " if you don't ask, the answer is a definite "no". But if you ask your answer is 50/50 chance of being "yes".

9:30 PM
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My turn up VS. Your turn up

Christian

11:39 PM
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Cracked Crown

bible

That's what makes lust/sin so frightening .

Because although God's love is so strong that nothing can tear us away from Him and it's so strong that it has the tightest most beautiful grip on us, ours isnt.

The moment we step outside of our Father, we're nothing without Him. We become entrapped by sin, fooled into thinking "well, this time it's officially it. It's not even Satan's fault it's mine. I made the choice. Didn't mean to. Didn't want to at first, but I did. I'm stuck, I can't get out. It's too embarrassing to go to God now. I no longer want this, but how do I face Christ now and ask Him to help me? ."

The old vision I had the morning after that night with M, of my crown being taken away and crushed in the mouth of a lion came to mind again whenever I was with A. The frightening thing, was knowing that the lion was Christ warning me of what I could lose.

My crown, my Relationship, my lifeline , my reason for living (after countless God-prevented self harm & suicide attempts from thinking I didn't have one.)

Christ is literally EVERYTHING to me and I was giving that up for a moment of lust? Of nothing comparable to the worth of my crown .

That love from the One person that's THE most important to me, Christ.

Attempting to wrap my mind around the thought of Him taking away what signifies that I belonged to Him to broke my heart.

Even now, but then? Crushed.

Men may shut up their compassion, yet, with God we shall find mercy.

Proverbs 28:13 Whoever conceals their sins does not prosper, but the one who confesses and renounces them finds mercy.

This is an old post I wrote MONTHS ago. However, because of recent battles and my having to go around this mountain one last time. To make sure I Choose Christ over my flesh.

When I tell yall sexual lust has been my biggest downfall of my walk in Christ.

Because of how I defined what sex meant to me in my life and now what it means to be celibate in my walk.

Thats a different blog though.

Point? Choose Christ. EVERY TIME.

Even His "no" for you is the best for you.