God Believes In YOU

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_gU8zOKJ5d4

WE are all inspired by different things. Some of us may be inspired by the people. Others it would be by music. Some it may be dance. It could be books. A few years back at a point when I needed it, a friend emailed  me a few songs that were on my heart to share with me.  This was  time when I was at one of my lowest points. I was struggling to overcome. The spasms and the pain was so intense. One of the songs on the playlist was a song called “God Believes In You by Jill Phillips.  It was amazing! I started to listen to this and I broke down crying. When you rise up just to fall again, God believes in you. There were times that I didn’t know if God really believed in me and if He was really there. This song was exactly what I needed to hear at that moment.

Sometimes, we try to overcome and it is too hard to go through. Back to inspiration… what inspires you? Well, I recently came across this video from the song that a youth group performed. What is so inspiring to me is the girl that walks to each person that is struggling with a sign that says “God Believes In You.” She shows others that God believes in YOU no matter what happens to you. Are there people in your life with a sign that is cheering you on that says “God believes in you”? Are you at a point that you can cheer people on with saying “God believes in you”? I want to encourage you to think about if you believe that God believes in you no matter what. I want to encourage you to be like this girl in the video, cheering on others that God does believe in you and He is truly there. Are you helping others to encourage them that God Believes In them no matter where they came from or what they do?

God Believes In YOU

When you start to doubt if you exist
God believes in you
Confounded by the evidence
God believes in you
When your light burns so dim
When your chances seem so slim
And you swear you don’t believe in Him
God believes in you

When you rise up just to fall again
God believes in you
Deserted by your closest friends
God believes in you
When you’re betrayed with a kiss
And you turn your cheek to another fist
It doesn’t have to end like this
God believes in you

Everything matters if anything matters at all
Everything matters no matter how big
No matter how small
God believes in you
Oh God believes in you

When you’re so ashamed that you could die
God believes in you
And you can’t do right even though you try
God believes in you
Blessed are the ones who grieve
The ones who mourn and the ones who bleed
In sorrow you sow but in your you’ll reap
God believes in you
Oh blessed are the ones who grieve
The ones who mourn and the ones who bleed
In sorrow you sow but in you’ll reap
God believes in you
Oh God believes in you

Posted by nikkiabramson in Songs that Inspire Tags: believes, cheering on other, encouragement, God, inspires, overcome, sign

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Giving Back…Zambia

Isaiah 43:19 See I am doing a new thing.

There are many reasons why I love my church CPC. One of them though is because they give 100% of their Easter offering to another cause. Each cause is different and unique to giving back to the community and world around us.  This year CPC is giving to Zambia.

Here is what they have to say about their partnership with Zambia…

“Three years ago, CPC began developing relationships with organizations in the nation of Zambia. In the George community near the capital Lusaka, we have partnered with Jubilee Centre, an organization that exists to equip local churches in their care for adults and children living with HIV/AIDS through microfinance and feeding programs. We have also partnered with World Vision to provide the rural community of Moyo with adequate healthcare, clean water, and the builiding of the area’s first high school. We have followed God to a new thing, but there is still more work to be done!”

If you want to give to CPC’s mission with Zambia, check out their website to donate online at: http://cpconline.org/index.php?content=give_online.

As we are in this time of holy week,  I encourage you to pray for the many people’s lives we can truly impact through giving back to our community and the world around us. Just watching this video puts a smile on my face. Sometimes we have so much and yet so little. The kids here have such a joy about them.

Check out the website at http://www.cpconline.org

Be blessed!

Posted by nikkiabramson in Stories Tags: Christ Presbyterian Church, community, giving back, offering, Zambia

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Cardboard Testimonials

As I sit here and write on Palm Sunday, I get teary eyed to think about what an awesome God we serve! For it is all about HIM and NOT about me. If you were to write something on a cardboard of something that you were before Christ and what you are now living with Christ? Watch this video as it depicts more of what I mean. As I watched the video, it was so inspiring and how these people went from broken hearts, broken bodies, living a life not of Christ to having hope, living a Christ life, learning about God, and inviting others to come to church. This is a cool picture of lives that have been changed through Christ. 

As we enter Holy Week, I challenge you to be still. Be still and know that He is God.  Listen for His voice and sit with Him. 

Posted by nikkiabramson in Stories Tags: be still, cardboard testimonials, God, inspiring

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Humbled, Honored, and Amazed

I sit here amazed at what I get to do for a living…. not what I have to do or what I do cause it makes money (as it doesn’t pay well), but what I get to do. I studied to be an elementary school teacher. My worst subject in school was always math. I never understood, never really enjoyed it, and it was always hard for me from elementary school and even through college. I am a living testimony to overcome a challenging topic. I failed a math course in high school. I struggled at the concepts. I barely passed some of my courses that were math related. However, I graduated from high school and college and moved on to be a teacher to inspire others. I work for Sylvan Learning Center which is a nation wide tutoring company. We jut had Pi day. To celebrate Pi day, students got to spend their tokens on Pie for their favorite outstanding math teacher. (ONLY MATH AND ONLY IF THEY CHOOSE TO) some students choose to participate and others did not. Now, every other teacher nominated for this was their classroom math teacher whether that was a current math teacher or a previous math teacher, none the less, it was their own math teacher. Well, I work with a young fourth grader every Wednesday for the past six months. She without telling me nominated me. She wrote in and the picture above shows what she wrote. I am still amazed by this. To think of where I came from with my own math journey through the many nights of tears of not getting it. To having my guidance counselor tell me that I was border line of graduating from high school to having a professor in math in college tell me I would not become a math teacher because I struggled with concepts and here I am. I have overcame that. I am inspiring others. IT is such a blessing to me. When I got this award and she handed it to me, tears welled in my eyes to think of where I had come from to here.  This student is similar to me in her math. I am able to be with her and help her understand the concepts by breaking them down for her. I am blessed to journey with this student. I am honored, humbled, and grateful for this. 

 

Posted by nikkiabramson in Stories Tags: blessing, elementary school, grateful, honored, humbled, math, outstanding math teacher award, Sylvan Learning Center

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Day By Day

Awesome video of the Broadway singers singing “Day By Day” from the hit musical Godspell. This is one of my favorite songs. I know I have posted already another Godspell song and will probably post more as my friend version of Godspell at his high school was what inspired me to go back into theatre from taking a four year break. 

What I love about this song is the lyrics and how the song builds. It starts off with one singer as a lullaby and then builds and builds its way up. When things can be discouraging or not going the way you would like just remember day by day. I remember my freshmen year in college, I felt overwhelmed with all that I was going through with life changes (as normal freshmen do) and my freshmen RA said to me, take it day by day. You will get through this. Day by Day. She even made me a sign for my room to hang up as a reminder. I take things day by day. Life can be challenging, but if we take it one step at a time, day by day, we will overcome it all. As the song says I want to see God more clearly, love thee more dearly, and follow thee more nearly. This is all I desire is to see, love, and follow Him more dearly. 

I encourage you to take your day… day by day. 

“Day by day
Day by day
Oh Dear Lord
Three things I pray
To see thee more clearly
Love thee more dearly
Follow thee more nearly
Day by day.”

Posted by nikkiabramson in Songs that Inspire Tags: day by day, God, Godspell, overcoming, song, theatre

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The Climb

As I walk through life, I realize that life is simply just a climb. There are people, events, situations, that may cause us to stumble. There are times where we may think, what am I doing here? How am I going to see past whatever it is that you are trying to do. Today for example as I headed into physical therapy, I prayed for God’s wisdom and discernment for my PT and our session. We worked on some crazy hard things for me today. She had me in positions that made my body spasm even more. Times in which I literally didn’t think I could do it. My brain would say one thing and it would do another thing. (dystonia). In one area, I put my left foot up on a stool and then she would have me turn my body to the left. My body naturally wants to go to the right. It was so interesting as I was thinking one thing and my body did another. I kept trying and trying eventually doing better and better. It reminded me though of the song “The Climb” by Miley Cyrus. That my faith is shaking, but I gotta keep trying, gotta keep my head held high. This song really resonated with me today as I fought my body to do what I was trying to get it to do.  As I continue to work on overcoming, I am overwhelmed  with God’s grace, His love, and how He helps me to continue to keep on keeping on.

 

“I can almost see it, that dream I am dreaming, but there’s a voice inside my head saying“You’ll never reach it. Every step I’m takingEvery move I make feels, Lost with no direction, My faith is shaking. But I gotta keep trying, Gotta keep my head held high. There’s always gonna be another mountain. I’m always gonna wanna make it move. Always gonna be a uphill battle, Sometimes I’m gonna have to lose. Ain’t about how fast I get there. Ain’t about what’s waiting on the other side.  It’s the climb. 

The struggles I’m facing. The chances I’m taking. Sometimes might knock me down, But no, I’m not breaking I may not know it. But these are the moments that I’m gonna remember most, yeah, Just gotta keep going And I, I got to be strongJust keep pushing on

Keep on moving, keep climbing, Keep the faith, It’s all about, it’s all about the climb, Keep the faith, keep your faith!” 

 

Posted by nikkiabramson in Songs that Inspire Tags: brain, faith, God, keep going, life, Miley Cyrus, physical therapy, The Climb

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Inspirational Story…

 

I enjoy motivational stories, stories of hope, stories of encouragement, stories of people overcoming. 🙂 My friend, Rachel, sent me this video today when asking her permission to post it, she said feel free. I hop that this video blesses someone.

I watched it and tears welled up in me of the story of this 15 year old kid, such a powerful story and told with such conviction. A story that this young boy tells about his life. How lucky he is to have his family. He thought that his gay mothers were going to get a divorce, when finding out that is not the case. This young man is taken on a “stay together ride.” It is beautiful. Clearly this young man has gone through a lot. You can hear it in his voice, yet his overcoming is pushing through in the way he speaks and tells his story.… a story that is inspiring and beautiful.  

Posted by nikkiabramson in Stories Tags: inspirational, motivational story, stay together ride, story

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Never Gone

Never Gone is an amazing song written and performed by the amazing Colton Dixon. I had blogged about Angie Miller on American Idol this year as well as Colton Dixon’s version of Fix You before. This past week Angie did Colton’s song Never Gone. It reminded me how much I love this song and love Colton’s music. (www.coltondixon.com) Check out his awesome CD!

There are so many reasons for why I really love Colton Dixon’s music.  The main one though is his heart and that his whole mission is to spread the word! After being sick for several days, I needed some encouragement. I needed to hear that He was never gone and He is right there. This song captures that. This song is totally about God never leaving nor forsaking you. That it is shame for you to walk away. I will say there were times when it was easy for me to want to walk away. We live where we want the lights on and want to be able to see. God is never gone though. He loves us so! 

“We break when we fall too hard, Lose faith when we’re torn apart, Don’t say you’re too far gone, It’s a shame, It’s a shame. There’s space between our lives, Hard to face, but I know we try, To revive, bring it back to life, Don’t walk away, Don’t walk away. I’m still standing here, No I didn’t disappear, Now the lights are on, See I was never gone. I let go of your hand. To help you understand, With you all along, Yeah, I was never gone. ” 

Posted by nikkiabramson in Songs that Inspire, Stories Tags: Colton Dixon, encouragement, God, heart, light, Never Gone

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I Will Follow Him

One of my all time favorite movies is Sister Act for many reasons:
1) I love Whoopie Goldberg. She is so talented! 

2) The message that it presents

3) The music 

4) Comedy 

5) Heartfelt message and leaves you with a sense of appreciation 

6) Idea of overcoming 

A woman hides out and becomes a “nun” so-to-speak as she has witnessed a crime. Although not intending to, she changes the lives of the church and the other nuns, to believe in themselves and overcome their obstacles in life by following their dreams. It is like “Everybody has a dream.”  At the end of the story, Sister Mary Clarence (the main character played by Whoopie) returns to the church to “perform” one last time with the nuns. She changed the way they think. It is a VERY moving story. What it reminds me of is the idea that when we are overcoming… we need to turn our eyes to God. At the beginning of the story, the Whoopie’s character is a lounge singer, has no faith, and is forced to live in a catholic place with nuns. At the end of the story, she perseveres and looks to God for her ultimate faith. 

They end the movie with this moving piece called “I Will Follow Him.”

I will follow Him
Follow Him wherever He may go,
And near Him, I always will be
For nothing can keep me away,
He is my destiny.

I will follow Him,
Ever since He touched my heart I knew,
There isn’t an ocean too deep,
A mountain so high it can keep,
Keep me away, away from His love.

I love Him, I love Him, I love Him,
And where He goes,
I’ll follow, I’ll follow, I’ll follow.
he’ll always be my true love, my true love, my true love
from now until forever, forever, forever

 

No matter how easy it may be to “give up”, this is a great reminder that for me “Ever since He touched my heart I knew, there isn’t an ocean too deep, a mountain so high it can keep, keep me away, away from His love.” God loves! God reigns. God is there. He is able! 

Posted by nikkiabramson in Songs that Inspire, Stories Tags: faith, God, love, message, Sister Act, song, Whoopie Goldberg

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Keep Holding On

One of my favorite Glee moments is the song “Keep Holding On.” It is such an empowering and inspiring song.  A few days ago, I had emailed my physical therapist saying it is so hard and I feel like I can’t do the walking and the work she had asked me to do as it was so hard for my body. It literally feels like it is twisting right off and my balance is so off that I feel like I will fall. She emailed me back saying “one step at a time…” I am just sitting tonight thinking “one step at a time…” What if I didn’t want to overcome and put one foot in front of the other (literally and figuratively)? What if I just went living life without really putting my full effort into it? However, what would my life look like when I do push through it? So I take her advice and keep holding on by putting one foot in front of the other, taking one step at a time. I am trusting and believing in the promises and goodness of it all. Life ain’t easy, but it is taking one step at a time, one foot in front of the other. There are times that sure it may be easy to want to give up and not push forward, but I simply put on my headphones listen to some inspiring music and take on step at a time. 

“You’re not alone together we stand I’ll be by your side you know I’ll take your hand. Keep holding on, cause you know we’ll make it through we’ll make it through, just stay strong. cause you know I’m here for you.”

Posted by nikkiabramson in Songs that Inspire Tags: glee, inspiring, Keep Holding On, one step at a time, song

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