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:

CLICK HERE TO VIEW MOBILE VERSION OF VIDEO

Giving $100 to homeless people:

CLICK HERE TO VIEW MOBILE VERSION OF VIDEO

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.

CLICK HERE TO WATCH MOBILE VERSION OF VIDEO

~ 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

(CLICK HERE FOR MOBILE VERSION OF VIDEO)

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

CLICK HERE TO VIEW MOBILE VERSION OF VIDEO

"INSTAPRAY": Jesus takes over social networking.

Photo via INSTAPRAY on Instagram

     Ladies and Gentlemen, I have hit the mother-load. This post just may turn out to be another short and sweet one but I  promise it will be 100% impactful...a life transforming tool if you chose it to be. I can confidently say I have found us all a digital Utopian society.. Okay, well maybe that's not the best analogy but I can definitely say I have found a community I am jumping out of my "burrito-style" wrapped blankets in order to get more and more involved in and am so eager to share it with you all. A few days back I decided to download the "Instapray" app, after following their instagram for a while and seeing it mentioned on their profile. Today, I opened the app, made an account and my heart was instantly warmed and bursting with excitement at first glance, and If you know me you know I am not that easily intrigued. To break it down, Instapray is essentially, a Christian community in which you can go to seek answers, encouragement, prayer, positivity, love and give those same things away to others. As I began to scroll I saw prayer requests, inspirational photos, quotes and lots and lots of nothing but love and support. I then took it upon myself to publish a personal prayer request and almost instantaneously, I received responses; people praying with me, sharing my request and encouraging me and to put it plainly, it honestly made me feel so...happy. It's a simple word and a just as simply feeling but possesses so much beauty. It was so beautiful to see God's people supporting one another and spreading the love in which he instructed us to. Not only that, but It allows you to see that you are not alone in your circumstances and that you have a community of people praying for you and rooting you on, assuring you that whatever you have been led to, God will lead you through. There's just something so touching, seeing "*insert username here* has prayed with you" pop up on your home-screen notifications; much more fulfilling and beneficial than *so and so has favorited your tweet* if I do say so myself. I was in awe of the fact that people who probably can't even pronounce my name (most people can't on first attempt) actually cared for me and my circumstances enough to take time out of their day in order to let me know I am love and they are thinking of me, praying for me. Everyone is open and accepting, non judgmental and willing to listen. It is a place in which we all acknowledge we are nowhere near perfection however, we serve a God who is and has not placed us on this earth to co-exist but to help one another and provide each other with what each of us are lacking. Unity. This community-wide acknowledgment of imperfection allows me to feel so much more comfortable reaching out for prayer and sharing my circumstances with others because I know 1. I have a cyber support system and 2. My story just may help someone else realize the fact that they are not alone and encourage them to stand firm in their faith, that they will soon be brought out of their season. Ultimately, Instpray is a glorious, well-ballanced compilation of Twitter, Instgram and the love of God infused in an app and I am so blessed to now be a part of this uplifting community. Thank you so much to the founder, Fryd for creating such a place of fellowship, love and community.
~ Nathia

Self Reflection: Are you pleasing God or your ego?

                                                 (Photo via tumblr, edited by me)

    
     Today, as I sat and listened to a playlist of worship songs, I was presented with the opportunity to really relax and sit in the Lords presence for a while, something I've been meaning to do more often but always find myself caught up in the hustle and bustle of every-day nonsense that I've been cutting short my time with God, which can probably explain why I've been feeling so distant lately (besides during the week of my missionary trip, where my days entirely revolved around him, as they should every day). In that time I've realized all the things I've been worried about are inconsequential, irrelevant. I've been allowing myself to get discourages by things and ways of this world, as if I've forgotten the fact that I AM NOT OF THIS WORLD. I am not of darkness, greed, sadness, evil and disconnect from God, I am Light, I am hope, I am love and selflessness that can never be spread too thin, for it says so in 1 Thessalonians 5:5-6 
"You are all children of the light and Children of the day. We do not belong to the night or to the darkness. So then, let us not be like others, who are asleep, but let us be awake and sober."
I've allowed petty things like my weight, schoolwork and looking too far into the future, allow me to build up anxiety and develop this dark covering to form over me for the past few months, placing me in a state of spiritual, physical and emotional paralysis and it's only now that I've truly come to grips with the fact that these things are of absolutely no substance or importance and my worrying is in vain. Whether or not I can grate cheese with my abs, go to Hardvard, make millions of dollars in my lifetime or find my "one true love" riding in through the fog with wind blowing through his hair, means little to nothing to God, for those things will not be taken with me into heaven, those things are temporary and I need to start thinking not about the future, but about eternity; have I done what God has asked of me? What God values is how faithfully I've loved and served Him and his people and that is what I must value as well; the everlasting, not the temporary, tangible, egotistical and materialistic aspects. 

THESSALONIANS 5:11-15
"Therefore, encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing. Now we ask you, brothers and sisters, to acknowledge those who work hard among you, who care for you in the Lord and who admonish you. Hold them in the highest regard in love because of their work. Live in peace with each other. And we urge you, brothers and sisters, warn those who are idle and disruptive, encourage the disheartened, help the weak, be patient with everyone. Make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong, but always strive to do what is good for each other and for everyone else."

These are the things I must strive to do daily, I must make not only strangers but the people around me know they are loved and their work is appreciated, as I often times come across as apathetic on the exterior, my true appreciation for people many times goes unseen. One thing I need to work on is not being afraid to feel and show others what it is I'm feeling, especially when it comes to emotions of joy, excitement and happiness, I have trained myself to contain it, never let it show on the exterior, which is a major faux pas (false step). I must go out of my way to do these things for people, no matter their reactions, I know I am doing the works of the Lord and for that, they will not go in vain. I'm definitely going to make Thessalonians 5 something I read daily as a reminder of the work in which I am asked to carry out daily, maybe even make it a checklist.

Today, I encourage you to think about the things you place worth and or value in, things you worry about and or are striving for and then think about whether or not those thing are valuable and pleasing to God and whether or not those thing are going to follow you into heaven. That will then present you with it's true value. I also encourage you to join me in on going out of your way to try to make at least one someone feel loved every day, let them know their work and existence itself is appreciated. 
On that note, I want to let you guys know how much I truly love, appreciate and care for all of you and as I've emphasized many times before I AM ALWAYS HERE FOR YOU, please, never hesitate to ask questions, come for advice or just ask me to be a listening ear, that is what I am here for. You can always reach me at my email: asknathia@gmail.com or any of my other social networking links like twitter or ask.fm, my username is simply Natvice. We are a community here at Natvice, let's build one another up together!

"You’re weighing your value based on your life lived and what you remember and what you know about you. He’s weighing your value based on your created purpose, your destiny, and your potential when Christ is inside of you. He didn’t pay a price just to love what you’ve been and where you’ve been. He paid a price to love what He made you to be."

- Dan Mohler 

~ Nathia

P.S. Here are some pretty refreshing worship songs I've listened to today, Enjoy!

CLICK HERE FOR MOBILE VERSION OF VIDEO

 CLICK HERE FOR MOBILE VERSION OF VIDEO