Final Natvie post!?

NATVICE HAS MOVED!! UPDATED, REVAMPED AND IM SO EXCITED TO SHARE THIS NEW JOURNEY WITH YOU, CHECK OUT THE NEW SPACE AND KEEP FOLLOWING ME ON MY JOURNEY HERE:
http://www.natvice.wordpress.com

ALSO, EVERYTHING IS EXPLAINED FURTHER HERE: https://natvice.wordpress.com/2015/04/15/natvice-3-0-lets-have-a-chat-new-beginnings-catching-up-and-pitiful-analogies/

When love doesn't love you back: Loving yourself even when they can't love you

                                  

“Everyone says love hurts, but that is not true. Loneliness hurts. Rejection hurts. Losing someone hurts. Envy hurts. Everyone gets these things confused with love, but in reality love is the only thing in this world that covers up all pain and makes someone feel wonderful again. Love is the only thing in this world that does not hurt.”

—	Meša Selimović

     Grab your Ben and Jerry's and Nicholas Sparks movies, It's about to get pretty "hopeless romantic-y". Initially, when thinking of love, the majority of us see it as something along the lines of two individuals who act as both each other's strengths and weaknesses in the most flattering way possible; what one is lacking, the other one makes up for. It's not the fact that she seems to have it all put together or that he was dead set on what he wanted to be when he grew up at the age of 10 that intrigues you, but all the kinks, quirks, loose screws and the fact that she despises that one hair that always falls out of place or that he stumbles over his words when he's nervous are the senseless things that somehow causes you to look at them as if they are the finest of wines. Love always seems to be a 'two-man-band', a dynamic duo, a personification of the "two peas in a pod" sentenia. But what happens when love is one sided? Much less glamorous huh?

Personally, I've been there several times... twice to be exact. It's as if my heart caters to the land of hopeless romantics and unrequite is our national anthem. One of my biggest mistakes however, was allowing others' inability to love me, alter my love for myself. I then also convinced myself that both love and men suck and protested the fact that I was going to live on my own on an island with 2 horses, 5 dogs, adopt an Etheopian child and have our food air-dropped to us. (This is no exageration, I often teater off the edge of melodramatic)
Truth is,  just because someone is unable to love you does not mean you are the problem, nor are you unlovable, and should not allow heartach to chagne your preception of yourself or love in itself. The heavinness you are feeling is not directly tied to love but to the failure of it to be returned. Love is not your enemy nor is it the cause of your pain; love is not a negative.

Un-doing the funk:
First things first, I realized I had to not only tell myself that my worth is not placed in the hands of others, but actually believe it.

Unfortunately, simply telling yourself is much easier than convincing yourself but with consistancy, it is no less than possible. Making a contious effort to remind yourself of what makes you lovely is key; remind yourself of all the reasons you should be loved and why you absoulutely deserve love. Remember the fact that there are people who love you; I've said in a post once before, the man who hung the stars for crying out loud loves and has never stopped persuing you, you are of the highest royalty, you belong to the King of kings and Lord of lords and THAT is the only place in which you should be finding your worth. Not in the stained hands of blind and misguided mortality. Also keep in mind, Royalty sees royalty. Someone who truly desreves you will be able to see your value undoubtedly, the first time around.

Another thing which needs to be understood is the fact that you have absolutely no control over whether or not someone falls for you and and quite frankly, neither do they. If that something simply is not there for them, they cannot force themselves to love you and to ask that of them or for them to attempt to would be unfair on the behalf of both parties. No matter which way you twist and turn it, forced 'love' is not love at all.

And with that being said, I'll leave you with this:
"You are what you love, not who loves (or fails to love ) you."

~ Nathia

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Hilsong - Gracious Tempest

MOTIVATIONAL MONDAY #7: Eleven Minutes and $100 dollars

Ah,

    Another good ol' Motivational Monday post, resurrected from the ghost of Natvice past. I stumbled across these two videos and they really touched me, warmed my heart,tickled my pickle (I'm also just a giant sucker for anything having to do with giving back/inspiring people). 

Over the past few month's I've been pretty ecstatic about the growth of Natvice and I hope to do some things like this pretty soon *hint hint*. So, get your tissues ready, it's about to get pretty teary-eyed and salty over here.

xx,

~ Nathia

Machine 11: Gain more time:

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Giving $100 to homeless people:

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A Psalms a Day

(Photo Via Philip Davis)

    Lets all go on a little journey together. Recently, in hopes to read my bible more on a daily basis, I've decided to go ahead and read at least one psalms a day. I figured it'd be nice to go on this journey together, it's much easier  and interesting doing these type of things as a team. Like our own mini book club with tea (or any other snack of your choice) and highlighters and rousing spiritual discussions and the best part is we don't even have to leave the house. We can all sit on our beds, wrapped up like burritos with our bibles and indulge in the word as a united front from the comfort of our own snug and toasty homes. I'll do occasional check-ins and let you guys know of my progress and you can always contact me (or each other in the comments) whenever you want to discuss or share anything. 

So, I invite you to join me on this spiritual journey and I pray by the end of this (day 150) none of us will be the same as we were when we started, but have grown immensely in our faith.
I'm currently on day 7 now, however, I'm going to share Palms 6 with you guys today because I feel it was really something I needed and some of you may as well. I tend to use these psalms as prayers and encourage you to, too.

Palms 6:1-10 

 Lord, do not rebuke me in your anger
    or discipline me in your wrath.

Have mercy on me, Lord, for I am faint;
    heal me, Lord, for my bones are in agony.
 My soul is in deep anguish.
    How long, Lord, how long?

Turn, Lord, and deliver me;
    save me because of your unfailing love.

Among the dead no one proclaims your name.
    Who praises you from the grave?

I am worn out from my groaning.

All night long I flood my bed with weeping
    and drench my couch with tears.

My eyes grow weak with sorrow;
    they fail because of all my foes.

Away from me, all you who do evil,
    for the Lord has heard my weeping.

The Lord has heard my cry for mercy;
    the Lord accepts my prayer.

All my enemies will be overwhelmed with shame and anguish;
    they will turn back and suddenly be put to shame.

xx

~ Nathia

YOU ARE GOOD ENOUGH!

(Photo Via Lauren A.)

Hello lovelies,
 I guess we can consider this a short and sweet "bonus post", seeing as I'm only really posting once a month but I'll throw in a few extras here and there. 
   
    So today, I stumbled across a video by Patricia Bright and it spoke absolute volumes to me.  My last post alluded to some of the points she touches on in the video and this is something I have had to deal with a lot lately. I am my harshest critic whether it comes to my art, intellect, appearance etc; I rip them to shreds (which can sometimes result as a good thing because it ensures my growth but, not if I allow it to alter my view of myself/worth as a person.) One thing I have learned over the past few years is that comparing yourself to others is absolutely deadly. There will always be someone smarter, better looking, more talented etc. however, you must learn to be okay with that and always strive to be better than the person you were yesterday (I really tried to avoid that cliche, I really did). Better said: the only person you must out-do is yourself. 
So, without further adieu, I hope you all can take as much from this video as I did.

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~ Nathia

Refute: An internal dialogue

 

(Photo via Instapray)

     I practically live in my head (It's gets pretty darn entertain up there). Recently I have been refuting many of my thoughts (doubts, worries, cares etc.) with the word of God:

"I don't feel like I deserve (insert a positive here)"
"Remember who you come from, you are royalty."

"I fail to do anything right, I am disappointing everyone. I don't measure up to good enough."
"Stop and REALLY think about it. The one who hung the stars for crying out loud looks at you with pride in his eyes and love in his heart yet you're worried about the expectations of man?"

"And college and school work and-"
"You will not be taking your SAT scores and college degree into heaven with you, these are temporary, essentially meaningless, earthly measurements of value. Success is fulfilling the divine porous in which The Lord has placed in your heart. "

"But what if I choose the wrong thing, how do I know his plans for me, I have no clue what I'm doing."
"God knows of his plan for you, God is already waiting for you at any place he may call you. Have faith, God is not a "hit or miss". You are human, you are bound to make mistakes; one wrong turn does not mean you are now forever lost. Ask the Lord for guidance; to reveal his plans for you and he will surely do so. God doesn't want to see you struggle and doesn't take amusement in playing guessing games with you. He wants you to succeed even more than yourself, he is eager for you to know what he has called you for."

     Now, I'm not saying that after I do this all is well and dandy and my troubles waltz off into the sky attached to dainty helium balloons, however, these are things I should remind myself of daily. Repetition results in engraving these truths into my heart. Even if they may seem like empty words of affirmation at the moment because I am far too caught up in my feelings to truly acknowledge them, the more I practice refuting,the more I start to truly believe in what I am saying. And vice versa: the more you feed yourself with lies, the more you will believe them as truths. Applying the word of God to your life is crucial, that's what it's there for, to guide you closer towards him. This makes the next set of  inevitable tribulations much easier to handle, for you have pumped iron in the gym of faith, and now are strong in it. (That was such a 'church kid' analogy. Excuse my cheesyness).

~ Nathia

(Ps. It's been a while and I am so sorry. Not a day has gone by in which I haven't wished I were posting or came up with an idea for a post. With school started up again, I will only be posting regularly once a month. I promise to make all the content super helpful, meaningful and creative. I have many plans up my sleeve, don't worry, I'll still deliver! xx)

Current worship song favorite:

Bethel Music - Tip of my Toes

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Where for art thou God?

 

Photo Via INSTAPRAY     

     Let's start this one off with a quote. I stumbled across this one recently and immediately connected with it, this post topic has been sitting in my drafts for about a month now and I feel as if God is now giving me the "go ahead" to address this topic, seeing as I am currently experiencing it myself: 

“There are days or weeks or even months when I read the Bible and there are no grand epiphanies.

There are whole seasons of Sundays when I sing praise and feel nothing.

There are times of prayer where the silence kills me.

There are great Christian books and podcasts that I eat up which don’t budge my spiritual life.

There are too many times when I doubt the very existence of God and the sending of His Son. It can all feel like a crazy lie.

I’m probably being too honest — but I’ve found that I’m not the only one who feels this way.

It’s in those times that I ask myself, “Am I out of love with God somehow? Am I losing my faith here? How do I get back to where I used to be?”

But I keep reading my Bible. I keep singing on Sundays. I keep praying. I soak in books and sermons. I serve. I enjoy the company of mature Christians. I enjoy the fellowship of the broken.

And you know what? Sometimes the clouds part and God comes through and His love squeezes my heart and I fall to my knees remembering how good He is. Then I read Scripture and can’t stop weeping and I turn on Christian songs in my car full blast and sing loud enough to scare the traffic. I serve with shaking hands and get convicted by those sermons and soak in God’s goodness all over again.

So I’ve learned over time: I wasn’t really out of love with God. I’m just a fragile human being who changes as much as the weather. I was setting a ridiculous standard for myself that can’t be defined by self-pressuring parameters. I was tricked by the enemy into judging my flesh. My faith is based on His grace and not my feelings. And I think I need to relax.

” 

- J.S Park (Not too sure who J.S. is exactly but that was the only name the quote was addressed under. )

    This quote basically personifies some of how I have been feeling lately... Let's first clarify the fact that I am in no way shape or form wavering in my faith, I have simply been feeling Distant from God in a sense and I know that is probably due to a mass compilation of poor time management and impatience. I pray every day, attend church every Sunday, try my best to read my bible daily as well and apply it to my own life, calm my spirit with worship music and talk to God all throughout the day yet sometimes I can't shake the feeling of distance or as if I'm doing something wrong or not enough. In all honesty, sometimes I feel guilty because of the fact and feel as if I'm, not being a "good enough Christian" not realizing that those thoughts are a blatant lies from the enemy, trying to make me feel as if I am not good enough in God's eyes when in fact that couldn't be farther from the truth.

( Also, I want to make it clear that if any of you Asking/having questions does not mean you are doubting God or are wavering in your faith, It's natural to want to know more especially as a young adult growing in his or her faith, and all the answers can be found in God's word, or by simply asking Him. I also encourage you to find a mature figure in Christ for example a pastor or youth leader and to not be afraid to present them with your questions and I am sure they will be willing to guide you through scripture in order to find answers.You can proceed to ask God for clarity in his word and to provide you with wisdom and understanding of who He is, who you are and what role he wants you to play in his kingdom. If anything, I believe asking questions allows you to strengthen your faith, clarity is something we all naturally long for and God is more than willing to provide you with.) 
One thing I've been asking God for a lot lately is direction and to feel his presence more abundantly and one of the unfortunate things that get me worked up is the fact that I am a part of this "microwave generation", wanting instant gratification and answers to everything, growing anxious when I don't get them. The thing about that is, God doesn't work on our timing, he knows exactly what we need and when we need it; it is our job to have faith in him that he will deliver and have faith in his promise and wait patiently on The Lord, for he will undoubtedly come through for you. God surely has not left me, or you and if you feel distant from him, that may be him prompting you to seek him more and involve him in your daily life much more; God should not have to be fit into your schedule, your schedule should be made around God. Or, this can simply be a test of your faith and your patience. Often times we look for outrageous, over-the-top "Gatsby-like" signs from God as well, like a spontaneous explosion of fireworks spelling out your divine purpose to you in flickering red lights, when in fact, God shows you he is there and working in your life daily in simple ways if you simply look and ask him to reveal himself to you throughout the day. A few nights ago I was unable to sleep so I decided to put on some worship music and and just sit in the presence of God for a while and was finally able to feel his presence just long enough to let me know he is still there and working in my life, enough to keep me going. I put all my worries aside and designated that time to belong to none other than The Lord and I was rewarded with his reassuring presence.
Spend time in his word, continue to pray and have faith in him, I promise you he has not and will never leave you, take his word for it; your obedience will not go in vain. Here on Natvice I strive to be 100% open and honest with all of you in hopes that I'll be able to show to whether it be you reading this or other readers, that they are not the only ones experiencing these things, being a Christian does not equate to being perfect and that is the beautiful thing about it. Despite your flaws, despite every and anything you have done, God's love for you remains the same: at maximum capacity. He wants absolutely nothing but the best for you, please keep that in mind while you are waiting on him, the fact that his plans for you are far beyond anything you can ever imagine, they are worth the wait. Despite how you may feel, continue to serve God wholeheartedly and you will see him work through you in beautiful ways. 
GOD IS ALWAYS ON TIME.
~ Nathia

Jeremy Camp - I Still Believe

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