Beauty from Ashes

"I will give them a crown of beauty instead of ashes. I will give them the oil of joy instead of sorrow, and a spirit of praise instead of a spirit of no hope." ~ Isaiah 61:3 (NLV)

Mistakes.  They are a normal part of life, no matter how hard we try to avoid them.  In fact, the harder we try to avoid mistakes, the more they seem to make a grand appearance.  That's what makes us human - despite what our young adult selves wanna think.

However, let's take it a step further ... let's talk about repetitive mistakes. 

When we make mistakes over and over and over again.  Even though we know those mistakes are wrong, but we don't do anything to change.  Or even if we want to change, but we are worried that we've drifted too far from the Lord ... could He take us back?

The past year and half, I have been living life by my own doing ... the way I've wanted to live it.  I never lost sight of my Savior, but I didn't make room for Him in my life, or my heart.  I let corruption, sin, and every bad thing of the world in.  I was in an ungodly relationship.  I noticed that I wasn't myself anymore, and I couldn't get to the old me ... no matter how hard I tried.  I was anxious all the time.  I was worried/scared that I had fallen so far from God, that He wouldn't take me back.

It wasn't until about three weeks ago that I prayed that God would help me get back to Him.  It was during that prayer, that I knew the first step was to end the relationship.  It was during this prayer, that I had my first conversation with God.

"God, I can't do that.  I love him ... and he loves me!"

"Alisha, do you love Me?"

"Of course I love You!"

"If you love Me, then why were you so quick to end your relationship with Me?  I can offer so much more than Casey ever could.  I want to be your First Love.  I have so much in store for you, but I can't give it to you, until you come back to Me!"

"Okay Lord.  Help me end my relationship with him, I can't do this alone.  I want to be Yours and only Yours.  I love You!"

"I love you too!"

And as a God of His Word, He helped me.  My relationship has ended, and to be honest ... I couldn't be happier.

My view of singleness is so dramatically different.  I don't feel burdened to be single once again ... in fact, it's the opposite - I feel honored!  I love not having to put effort into anyone but me!  I'm all God's, only God's, and that's how it will stay!

I feel as if a huge burden has been lifted, and I am so glad that I listened to God!  When He said that He has so much in store, I wasn't expecting this.

I can't wait to spend this time to get to know Alisha and find out what she's made of!!  2018 is gonna be the year I blossom into God's best, and I'm so excited!!

God truly has made beauty from ashes!!

Not All Who Wander Are Lost

Hello everyone, it's me again ... Alisha?  The girl behind this blog ... yeeeah her 😝

I felt it was due time for another post, because ... well ... I hadn't posted in a while, and who loves a silent blog, right???

I sincerely apologize for the silence on this blog - 2017 has proven to be the year of travels for me (totally not complaining here lol), and other things have happened here at home ... so that explains the "neglect" y'all have seen here on the blog.

As y'all know, Rhey and I spent a little over two weeks in Kentucky visiting our totally awesome friends (you can see past trips here ... here ... and here 😉).  While we were there, we were able to celebrate Chloe's birthday, Sammy-boy's birthday, Chloe's graduation, and our one year friendaversary (technically we've been friends for much longer, but we first visited them last year!).

Here are some pictures for you all to enjoy 😁

God made us best friends and not sisters because ....

our mothers couldn't handle us as sisters lol 😂

listening to music with Sammy-boy

ME: "how about a normal picture????"
HIM: "Oh fiiiine"

.... there ya go lol 

Noah

Chloe and Me at the park

I don't think these two ever get normal pictures together ....

... ohhhhh wait ... look ... there's a normal picture 😂

This is what I find in my gallery when I leave my phone unsupervised haha

shopping with Chloe (fyi ... she hates shopping) 

Me and Noah

We went to Illinois on Sammy-boy's birthday.  He wanted to go fishing and hiking ... so that's what we did 😊

Their caption for this picture was "Pals forever!"

Hiking with this girl was a blast 😁

Sammy-boy taught Rhey how to fish 😊🎣

Finding the perfect worm

... she was a real trooper.  It was cold, windy, and she didn't get anything ... but she didn't quit.

... the birthday boy

Noah and his nephew

... Little Man loved to fish too 😍

Chloe and I couldn't fish, but we still had a great time 😀

Oh yeah ... it flooded while we were there 😨

Reya and I went shopping with Grace and Mama Hale for Chloe's graduation.

... I had to get a selfie with the graduate 😁

.... yeah, we're both crazy!

See, what'd I tell ya???  Rarely do we get a normal picture haha 😂

... then again - I don't think we get a normal one either lol

... never mind, I take that back 😜😏

So there ya have it ... we had such a marvelous time with our second family!!!

U P D A T E   O N   M Y   L I F E  :

School:

I am no longer in school, I felt God wanted me to quit and I'm glad I did.  I do have a diploma from the School of Biblical Evangelism, and am proud I went through that!

Relationship:

I was recently asked by a blog reader if the reason I wasn't blogging was because I was distracted by a special someone.  So to possibly ease everyone else's mind ... here is my answer.

I am .... not in a relationship, nor do I see that in the near future.

I'm very happy in my singlehood, and love just being at home with my family.

However, if there's a change in my "relationship status" ... I will let y'all know 😏

Travel:

The day after tomorrow (Saturday, May 20th), I am leaving for yet another trip - this time I'm gonna be gone for three weeks!

I'm headed to the place my heart truly belongs ... Texas!😍😎😉

When I get back, be prepared for lots of pictures!

... 

   ...

...

  ...

...

That's all I have for now, I'll catch y'all June 15th 😊

(if you follow me on Instagram and Facebook, you can keep up with my trip.  Look for the hashtag alishas 2017 travel adventures 😉)

I'm Not Here to Please You

To my friends and family,

For the eighteen years, I have been living my life trying to please you all. Having certain friends, wanting to wear certain clothes, talking a certain way - even believing certain things. Whatever else you can think of, I would try to do it – for you.

It wasn’t until last month (January 2017) that God pricked my heart and showed me that it was wrong. I was not created to please man, I was created to please God. That’s the first thing I learned in homeschool: the chief end of man is to glorify God.

You all ask me:

“Why don’t you try dressing this way, it would show your personality?!”

“Could you just do (this certain thing), it would make life easier?!”

“Why don’t you get a job? You need to learn how to fend for yourself!”

“What if you never get married? How will you take care of yourself then?”

“Why don’t you attend this college? You would be amazing at this degree!”

…… the list could go on, but you get the general idea.

I’ve never responded to your questions, afraid that you all wouldn’t be pleased with the response I’ve been wanting to give you. However, it’s time that I respond and answer your questions, not to please you – but to stand up for what I believe and to be authentic.

To those who ask me to dress a certain way:

I have chosen to dress the way I do, because it’s not a common trend. Could I express my personality better in a new fashion sense? I suppose I could, but then it wouldn’t be Alisha, it would be the current fashion sense of 2017.

The way I dress already expresses my personality. I’m unique, original, spontaneous, spunky, fun … and my mom says I march to the beat of my own drum. The way I dress is unique, original, spontaneous, spunky, fun, and shows my own drum beat.

Do I always match? Hmm … well, according to Pinterest I do ;P According to my mom and sister – it looks like I fell in multiple paint pans – or ran into the rainbow.

I don’t want to follow a certain fashion personality trend. I want to dress that expresses who God has made me – in a modest way.

Do I always dress modestly?

No, I fail at that sometimes. Sure I don’t wear things that are too short, low cut, etc., but I do wear things that are a tad snug/tight. Does that make me immodest? No, it makes me a perfectly flawed human. Modesty is a heart issue, and my heart isn’t in wearing the too snug/tight clothes to draw attention.

I don’t intend to dress with a particular trend, style, in certain colors, etc.

I intend to dress that expresses my individuality.

Why?

I’m not here to please you

To those who want me to something in order make life easier:

I appreciate you wanting to help me in my life’s journey – I really do. However, I am quite happy in what I’m doing with my life right NOW.

My philosophy is this:

The Christian’s life is not supposed to be easy.

It is supposed to be a strenuous hike. It’s stalk full of areas to stop and pray for courage to make it through, faith to take on the rest, and bravery for the uneven trails/tough trials ahead.

If it ever gets easier than what it’s supposed to be, then we’re doing it all wrong. We shouldn’t want to go on a leisure walk. We should desire to gain resistance to the ways of the world.

I don’t desire anything to make my life easier.

I want to struggle in my life’s journey, so others can see God’s fingerprints all over it. So others can marvel at how God helped me. So others can see Christ in me!

Why?

I’m not here to please you

To those who want me to get a job and learn how to fend for myself:

I agree with you to some degree.

Anyone should learn how fend for themselves. They should learn how to cook, clean, care for a home, do the laundry, budget, etc.

However, I personally don’t tend toward the world’s way of thinking in one (out of many) area of life.

I don’t believe that a young lady should go and live on her own. There isn’t one example in Scripture where a young lady leaves her father’s house to be on her own.

I Personally, have left the covering of both my Heavenly Father and earthly father last summer; I regret every decision I made.

As a young lady, I need to learn how to submit to the covering God has placed over me. That’s not to say that I long to be treated (or am treated) like a doormat. Absolutely not! However, as a young woman I am called to honor, respect, submit to the man God has placed in my life – be it my dad/pastor, my husband (someday, Lord-willing), etc.

How can I learn to be submissive if I’m living on my own?

How can I learn from my parents what a Godly relationship/marriage looks like if I don’t have the example because I’m on my own?

How can I learn to be the godly wife/mother I desire to be, if I don’t have my mother’s example because Alisha decided to follow the pattern of this world?

Scripture says:

“Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is – His good, pleasing and perfect will.”

~ Romans 12:2

I have decided to forsake copying the behavior and customs of this world, and am letting God transform me in a new person. He has changed (and is continuously changing) my way of thinking – and I’m proud of that.

I don’t desire to go out and learn to fend for myself.

Nor do I desire to go out into the work force and get a job.

Why?

I’m not here to please you

To those who wonder/focus about/on the what-ifs of my life:

If God never has me getting married, then great! I won’t be concerned for things of the world (see 1 Corinthians 7:32-33).

I’m not focusing on the what-ifs … those are needless and none of my concern.

This year God is teaching me to live in the now, and not in the could’ve, should’ve, would’ve, might’ve.

I appreciate you having my best interest in mind, but let me say this (respectively):

If I’m not concerned about the what-ifs, then you really shouldn’t be either.

I’m not letting the what-ifs of my life consume me.

I’m not concerning myself with things of the future.

Why?

I’m not here to please you

To those who want me to go to a certain college, for a certain degree:

I have never been an academic person, nor will I ever be (Lord only knows how I will ever home-school children someday lol).

Going to a typical college has never been, nor never will be a desire of mine. It will only do negative in my life:

~ put me in debt (my mom is STILL paying off her student loans – 16 years later)

~ bring me down and cause me to view myself as a failure, due to my lack of academicness (if that wasn’t a word … it is now)

~ throw me into the lion’s den of constant temptation

Now, while I won’t attend a college, I have felt God lead me to pursue further knowledge in my faith.

What do I mean by that?

I am enrolled into a Bible college, in which I won’t be in debt with, be brought down as a failure, and won’t be thrown into the mouth of temptation.

Lord-willing I will be graduating in two years, and will be receiving my certificate in Personal Discipleship/Biblical Studies with an emphasis in Biblical Evangelism.

I am excited to see what God does in my life, and how He will use me.

I know attending a college was your desire, but it wasn’t mine – therefore I will not pursue that.

Why?

I’m not here to please you

I understand that some of you may be disappointed in my responses.

I understand that the ways in which I live my life aren't popular in your eyes.

I understand that the way I'm living is foreign because you weren't raised that way.

I understand - or try to at least.

But please know this:

the way I am living my life, is not meant to please you, but to please God.

Living this life I feel directed to live, makes me happy.

Anything you say in reference in how I should live, won't make a difference.

Why?

I'm not here to please you

The Transformed Girl

Have you considered that you have to feel pain, in order for the pain to heal?

I know, I know … weird right?  However, I've recently learned that, what I just stated is so true!

I'm currently going through the healing process and am learning this the hard way.
I recently prayed for God to help me heal from the pain I've been dealing with in whatever ways He saw fit, while doubting all the while it would happen (after all, I had messed up terribly).

But then it happened.

God started doing exactly the impossible

He started repairing my heart.

And it is in this article, that I hope to encourage those of you who are going through the same thing.

I was (am) amazed at how He decided to go about the repairing of this heart of mine.  Again, I learned that when you're praying for something “important” … be specific lol!

How does He repair a broken heart?

The repairing is taking place through … pain!

Not something I was expecting, but I guess this girl needed to go through this pain in order to heal.

Is it God's fault that I'm facing this pain?

Yes it is true that everything filters through the hands of God, and yes He could have stopped what happened from happening.  But God isn't an iron fist God.  God gives us the “choice” to either follow His ways or “rebel” and go our own way.

It's Alisha's fault that she's facing the pain.  She knew better than to set herself up for rejection, failure, hurt, a shattered heart, and scars.  It was her choice to follow the world's plan instead of her Father's plan.

“The world's plan always leads us to places of pain, loneliness, and a deep ache for belonging that seems just out of reach.”

I knew these words to be true, but it was only head knowledge.  The knowledge of these words that I possessed hadn't made the vertical drop.  The drop that would make my head knowledge to become heart knowledge.

It was my choice to turn from Him and His protection.

“If there's an area of your life where you turn away from the direction of His truth – you deny yourself the protection of His truth.”

I made the choice to turn away from His truth.  In the words of one of  Mom's friends:

“She has rebelled against the will of God”

It is so weird at how different your life feels when you walk out of His will.  You literally feel like your world is spiraling out of control, you can't stop things from happening, and when you try … things get worse.  You feel yourself pull away from God, His voice becomes distant … and you don't feel the Holy Spirit heeding/convicting you.  You begin to compromise your convictions … and then …

BAM

You've hit rock bottom … and wonder how you are going to get back up again, and how you will cope with all the pain you've caused for yourself.

“We must feel the pain to heal the pain.”

It hurts, I know … but just know that the pain you feel isn't the enemy!

“Pain isn't the enemy.  Pain is the indicator that brokenness exists.  Pain is the reminder that the real enemy is trying to take us out and bring us down by keeping us stick in broken places.  Pain is the gift that motivates us to fight with brave tenacity and fierce determination knowing there's healing on the other side.”

Realizing that you're broken is a great place to be!

“Alisha, you're insane!  How can realizing that you're broken be a great place to be?  You must not know what I've gone through.  I've had a guy promise me that he'd never leave/forget me, telling me he loves me with his entire being one minute, and then escape the face of the planet, not contacting me the next.  Being broken and rejected is not a great place to be … it's exactly the opposite!”

Honey, I get you.  I went through the same exact circumstance … yes it hurts.  Yes it stinks to know that you made a mistake.  I'm not saying to “pretend” nothing happened.  Acknowledge the brokenness within you, and move on.  Realizing the brokenness within you makes you better off.  Thinking you're absolutely fine, “pretending” that you're okay when you aren't really … it's doing more harm than good.

“Numbing the pain never goes to the source of the real issue to make us healthier.  It only silences our screaming need for help.”

Don't let the devil blind you.  You've already been blinded because of your sin … sin itself blinds (Isaiah 6:10; 43:8,18; Zephaniah 1:17; Matthew 15:14; John 2:10; 2 Corinthians 4:4; Hebrews 3:12-13).  Don't let rejection have the final say in your circumstance – don't become subject to the devil's deceit.  You are worth more than all of this.  You are worth more than what any guy claims to feel about you.  You are worth more than the lie of rejection.

“The voices of condemnation, shame, and rejection can come at you, but they don't have to reside in you.”

“Rejection never has the final say.  Rejection may be a delay or distraction or even a devastation for a season.  But it's never a final destination.  You are destined for a love that can't ever be diminished, tarnished, shaken or taken.  With Jesus, you're forever safe.  You're forever held.  Completely loved and invited in.”

When you make the decision to overcome the lie of rejection, allow God to reside in you (and not rejection), you will feel yourself start to grow in your faith.  Allow this season of brokenness to grow you in the One who holds your heart, and sees you for the jewel you are.

“Heartbreaking seasons can certainly grow you, but are never meant to define you.”

“On the other side of every hardship is a resurrection.”

Let this season (autumn) be the resurrection in your season of brokenness.  Set your sight on things of that above.  Focus on The One who made you more than what the world claims you are.  Don't fear the thought of never being liked / loved.

“Fear can't catch what it can no longer reach.”

Become so far removed from fear of rejection, that it won't be able to reach you ever again.

Take every thought captive and decide today … right now that you will not conform to the world's outlook on life, relationships, etc.

Don't be a conformed girl …

… be the transformed girl!

* all quotes in italics are taken from Uninvited by Lysa TerKeurst *

Learning the Art of Joy

Sin separates us from God.

Sin requires us to take ownership.

                These two statements are simple to let our minds grasp.  Yes they are abrupt, yes they hurt … but sometimes the truth hurts.

When we live a life of sin, we cannot learn how to live a life of joy.  It's nearly impossible!

Like I said in my first statement:

sin separates from God!

How can we be separated from God, live a sinful life, but yet live a life of joy?  That's absolutely contradictory to the Word of God!

“The lost live a sinful but joyful life!  So it's not impossible.”

What you see in the life of the lost, isn't joy … it's temporary happiness (or pleasure).

Let's look at the difference between happiness and joy, that way we can clear up any confusion before we go any further.

H A P P I N E S S  is a blurred emotion and is temporary.

J O Y  is an attitude of the heart.

So yes, the lost live a sinful yet “happy” life.  But their happiness is much like the common fashion trends … in one minute and “so last season” the next.  Their happiness revolves on pleasures and what they can get out of something for them.  Their happiness is ME focused.

So again I say:

we cannot learn how to live a life of joy.  It's nearly impossible!

So what's the secret?  How can we learn the art of joy?

I'm going to be totally honest with y'all …

I'm just now learning this as well, so I'm sharing what God has shown me

To learn the art of joy, we first need to take ownership of our sin.

“What does it mean to take ownership of our sin?”

It means to have a repentant heart, and turn away from our sin. (Psalm 51)

It means to take the words of a children's Bible song to heart

The world behind me, the cross before me

It means to flee youthful lusts. (2 Timothy 2:22)

If you are a child of God whose rebelled, let me have a little heart to heart with you.  From one rebellious child to another:

I have been where you are, and it's the worst place to be.

I've been at the point of thinking God has forgotten about you, and therefore taking things into my own hands.

I bare the scares on my heart because of the consequences I faced due to my rebellion to the will of God.

I know what you're feeling.  I know what you're facing.

But let me tell you this, taking ownership of the sin (rebellion to God and His will is sin too, sweet one), will be the best decision you've ever made this year!  Defeat the devil, crush him, remind him who won the battle 2,000 years ago.  Submit to God, and resist the devil (James 4:7).  Once you submit to God, take ownership of the sin, and turn away, you will feel the burden lift.

If you are lost, then let me have a heart to heart with you as well:

I was once where you are currently, and your current state doesn't get any better.

Heaven is real, and so is Hell.

Life is fleeting, and you aren't promised tomorrow.

If you were to die today and stand before Almighty God, and He were to ask you “why should I let you into Heaven?”, what would you tell Him?

Your eternity is not something to be put on the back burner, because like I said you aren't promised tomorrow.

God wants you to enter into His family (and so do I).  God loves you so much that He sent His Son to die for you on the cross at Calvary, and rise again three days later.

The Bible says “now is the day of salvation!” (2 Corinthians 6:2)

Will you be able to say the same thing?

Okay, so now that our heart to heart is over, and we know what it means to take ownership of sin, let's focus our attention on perfecting joy.

Jesus gives us the answer to learning/perfecting joy in John 15:9-12 :

“As the Father loved Me, I also have loved you; abide in My love.  If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father's commandments and abide in His love.  These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full.” (emphasis is mine)

What does it mean to abide in His love?  It means to never depart from Him.

Abide is derived from the English word “abode” which is another word for dwelling place.

When we accept Him into our hearts, He abides within us, never leaving or forsaking us.  Therefore, we are to do the same … we are to dwell in His presence, never leaving Him.

 

How do we keep His commandments?

We keep His commandments by walking out the two biggies (as our pastor likes to say):

love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength

love your neighbor as yourself

However, keeping His commandments doesn't stop there.

Love is a verb (as DC Talk states in their song), and not the ushy gushy feeling.  We need to put love into action. 

So how do we put love into action?

We put it into action by changing our old ways, and walking out the life God has called us to.

It's put into action by allowing the Holy Spirit to penetrate our hearts in areas of hidden and/or visible sin.

Putting love into action is different for every single person on this earth.  It could be as simple as:

*changing the way you dress

*changing the way you speak

*hanging out with a different group of people

                … this list could go on

Or it could be more challenging (yet beneficial) as:

*getting accountability because you struggle with lust/adultery

*deciding to quit drinking

*deciding to quit smoking

                … this list could go on as well

So, in simple (and fewer words): we keep His commandments by putting on the “new man” (2 Corinthians 5:17) and by putting love into action.

“So that's it?  That's the secret to joy?”

Yes, that's it … there you have it, the secret to joy.

I'm about to become a pessimist for a second (here goes … gulp)

It will not be easy!  We will never reach our full potential of a joy-filled life, until we reach our life in Glory.

(okay … I survived.  But if you don't mind, I'd like to switch over to my optimistic self again)

Yes it will be a constant battle between flesh and spirit, but it will be totally worth it.  This is another way we are called to run the Race.  Think of the rewards:

our joy will be made full.  Full of who?  Our Savior

we will be called His friend (John 15:15)

we will hear “well done good and faithful servant”

… and my absolute favorite …

we will discover contentment along the way.

Make joy the attitude of your heart and embark on learning the art of joy!

The Silent Monster

Do you remember how as a child, you would always have “dad” check under your bed / in the closet for those nasty, scary, unwanted “creatures” out to ruin your night sleep (also known as monsters)?

Do you remember how your dad, knowing how important this monster hunt was to you, would exaggerate and pretend to pull and tug on those “darn monsters” and then with a big kick, he'd kick them out the door?

Yeah I remember that too!  To me, my dad was (and still is) my superhero.

Do you remember when you reached the age of “there are no monsters in my closet or under my bed.  Actually monsters don't exist!”

I was so happy when that age came.  I don't know about you, but I just knew that I would never have to deal with that problem ever again.

Haha, yeeeeah, well …. was I wrong!

So … umm … I have this big scary monster … and well, he likes to think he's my shadow.  He seems to follow me everywhere.

In fact I've decided to name him!  Yes, yes, I've named this monster.  I figure, if he's going to stick around, then he just needs to have a name.  I'd like to introduce the monster named …

R E J E C T I O N

You see, Rejection has always been in my life.  Of course, as a young girl, I didn't realize who exactly was following me around.  Actually, I didn't realize it until I was bawling my eyes out the other night.  As I thought about / analyzed everything I have experienced in my life, it made perfect sense … it was/is all due to Rejection (can you say light bulb moment?).

Allow me to give you the brief history between me and Rejection:

Rejection first made his appearance the day my father walked out on me and Mom.  I couldn't understand why my “daddy” left.

At ten years old, my childhood best friend left for CA without saying goodbye.

I was always the last one chosen for games.

No one really liked being my friend.

I was told (by a guy) that I was too fat for any guy to like me.

… fast forward to this year …

I was given attention and affection by someone who could see I was naive and insecure.  Who was a master of words, and knew what I needed / wanted to hear.  Who has been given the opportunity to really show me that they meant what they said.  Have they?  Nope, Rejection has won the battle once again.

This last experience has really torn me apart.  It changed me, for the good and the bad.  It opened my eyes.  It has made me grow up a bit more than before.  It has made me make a huge decision in my life.

I feel God has allowed me to experience what I experienced this year for this one reason.

I have been living my life accepting Rejection.  Making him my “best friend”.  Allowing Rejection to be the norm in my life.  Expecting to be rejected by everyone I become close to.

I didn't know it until just the other night, but me allowing Rejection to be the norm, has affected more than one aspect of my life.  It has affected:

>> my Spiritual life

>> my attitude

>> my outlook on life

>> my trust

>> my attitude towards family

>> my attitude towards friends

And while it has affected those aspects of my life, the irony behind all this is this:

I'm terrified of Rejection!

Haha yeah I know, can you say contradictory?  I hate the thought of being rejected.  To this day, I think about the possibilities of being rejected.

Daddy leaving us

Friends leaving for no reason

Never being loved by a man to call my own

                                    …. the list could go on!

What am I going to do about Rejection?

Well, I could go about it the childish way …

“Daaaaaddy!  Daaaaaaaddy, heeeelp!  There's a monster following me around!  He won't leave me alone.  Get him please Daddy, please!”

… and in a way, I did just that!  Confused now?  Let me clear up the confusion with the following verses:

“When the righteous cry for help, the Lord hears and delivers them out of all their troubles.  The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit.  Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivers him out of them all.  He keeps all his bones; not one of them is broken.” Psalm 34:17-20

I didn't call out to my earthly Daddy, I've called out to my Heavenly Daddy.  My Daddy has delivered me out of my troubles.  He has saved me!

So to answer the question “What am I going to do about Rejection?”, I'm conquering him with Scripture!  I'm tired of living my life accepting Rejection as the norm.

Now I know this new road isn't going to be easy.  I'll always have Rejection longing to come back into my life, but I can't live captive to him … I need to overcome.  As 2 Corinthians 12:9 says:

“But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.”  Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.”

I will gladly allow His power to be made perfect in my weakness.  He is the strength I need to overcome.  I can do all things (Philippians 4:13).

So I leave you with this:

This girl doesn't care if she's still the last one to be chosen in games – I've never been a fan of kickball anyways.  If I'm never loved by a man to call my own, that's okay.  I'm already loved by a man who thinks I'm to die for (literally!).  If my friends decide to leave that's fine, can I ask one thing: will you please let me know what I did wrong, so I don't repeat it with my other friends?  I'm ready to live my life as an over-comer of the not so scary monster …

… I'm ready to live it in the hands of the One who made me, loves me, and will never leave or forsake me!