Can you Find God in Your Day?~ Freelance by Ariel Gaskill

The school year has finally ended and now we have nothing but time on our hands. Most of us plan to have a fun-filled summer making memories with friends and family, going to the beach, catching up on some much-needed sleep, reading for fun and enjoying countless other activities that will pack the glorious months that await us.  In the midst of the anticipation of finally relaxing after a long academic year, it is important to remember that we still need to make good use of our time.  Maybe it was difficult to read a few verses of scripture during a hectic school week or to take a few minutes on the weekends to talk to God with no distractions, waiting in silence to hear His voice and for Him to minister to our spirits. Well it is not too late!

Exodus 20:5 reads, “For I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God.”  Now that we have more time on our hands, let us challenge ourselves to give some of it back to Him.  More than anything else, the Lord desires to have a relationship with us.  He created us for that purpose; but in order to have a strong relationship we have to communicate.  Our God is so awesome, because He is always speaking; the question is, are we listening?  

We learn a vital lesson through the life of Elijah the prophet in I Kings 19:11-12.  The scripture reads, “And behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind tore into the mountains and broke the rocks in pieces before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind; and after the wind an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake; and after the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire; and after the fire, a still small voice.” We serve a God who holds the entire world in the palm of His hand, a God that never sleeps, a God who is the same yesterday, today and forever; yet, as big as He is, He can speak to us and give us His full and undivided attention.  His voice does not have to be booming for us to hear it; we just have to listen closely.  I can feel the Lord’s presence throughout my day.  On days when the warm rays of the sun beam on my skin, I think of it as God smiling down on me.  I imagine the soft breezes that brush against my cheeks and make the trees dance as whispers from Him that say, “I love you;” and, whenever I see a butterfly fluttering past me, it reminds me of how important I am to Him, because He took the time to remember that butterflies make me smile. 

God is everywhere at once, just waiting for us to seek after Him.  Like Psalm 37:4 says, “Delight yourself in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart.”  This summer, let us challenge ourselves to find God somewhere in our day, and apply this scripture to our lives, because I suspect that we will discover that God is and always will be our greatest delight.

Copyright ©2012 by Ariel E. Gaskill

The Big Girl's Survival Guide~ Freelance by Ariel Gaskill

For the young woman who likes to have a plan of action, this article was written with you in mind. 

Every little girl at one point or another has concocted a list of her dreams and aspirations in her head or in her journal.

I think that it is coded into our DNA to think about the future.

When we were younger we played “Mommy” with our baby dolls and coddled them with care as if they were real; and let our imaginations run wild as we painted a picture of what we wanted our wedding day to look like.

Even though some of us are still little girls at heart, now we are called to be “big girls,” little women if you will, and grace the working world with eloquent speech, class, and our undeniable charm. But first we need to be equipped to fill our own stilettos in a world still dominated by wingtips. How do we accomplish this? Inquiring minds want to know.

Jordan Christy, author of How to Be a Hepburn in a Hilton World suggests that every woman should have a “smart girl list.”  This is a list of attainable goals that we set for ourselves. The key is that we have to make a sincere effort to complete everything on our list.

“W

e need to be equipped to fill our own stilettos in a world still dominated by wingtips.”

Here is a practical, sure proof way to survive in the working world:

Ari’s Big Girl Survival Guide

1. A.S.A.P- Always Say A Prayer. A prayer that is engraved on my heart is Psalms 143: 8-12 which reads as follows, “Cause me to hear your loving-kindness in the morning; for in Thee do I trust: cause me to know the way wherein I should walk; for I lift up my soul unto thee. Deliver me, Oh Lord, from mine enemies: I flee unto Thee to hide me.  Teach me to do my will; for thou art my God: Thy spirit is good; lead me into the land of uprightness. Quicken me Oh Lord, for thy name’s sake: for thy righteousness’ sake bring my soul out of trouble. And of thy mercy cut off mine enemies, and destroy all them that afflict my soul: for I am Thy servant.”
2. Confidence- It’s the best foundation
3. Humility- the perfect accessory to your character
4. A smile- a small accent that goes a long way (and with every outfit)
5. A little blush- to add a little something extra
6. Lip gloss- an essential
7. tool to complete the package
8. A comfortable second pair of shoes- stilettos are great for a while, but you always want to have  a back up
9. A concise and well-written résumé- your charm can get you in the door, but a good resume can land you the job!

No list will be the same; one may be an entire page, others may be a few bullet points.  No matter what our lists look like, all of our aspirations can be reached with good old-fashioned hard work and dedication. These two ingredients can make for a sweet-tasting life.

Copyright © 2012 by Ariel E. Gaskill