I'm coming home, I promise.

Dear God, Have Your Way.

I wanted to give up on this journey of coming home, I thought I was unworthy, I thought that I was defined by my sinful mistakes. Although, I am not one to quit easily; pain, grief and sorrow can add heavy weight to one's spirit that can become intolerable. So, not only was I giving up on God, but I was giving up on myself.  Yet, and still God has been faithful to me, reminding me that He is my source of life. That I can lean on Him and trust in Him.  “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest, take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” Matthew 11:28 - 30

Dear God, may this glorfiy you.

Welcome, or welcome back to I’m coming home, I promise. This episode is a little different, it's the audio from my very first YouTube video! Feel free to check it out if you'd like to see what I look like or if you'd prefer a more face-to-face, visual conversation. I'm so proud of myself for not only saying I would do it but actually following through. Now, my next goal is to stay consistent—and I’m determined to make that happen! You'll find the link to my YouTube channel below. Please like and subscribe if you feel it in your heart to do so. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6tJbTZHahvE&t=17s [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6tJbTZHahvE&t=17s] Peace and love, Winta

A reason to exhale.

I find that negative emotions keep me captive in a never-ending cycle. Self-doubt, fear, shame, guilt, inadequacy, comparison, and perfectionism leave me feeling stagnant and complacent. Before the ticking time bomb of my own destruction goes off, I hear two words in my head that stop it in its tracks: “You’re okay.” We can be so hard on ourselves that we forget to give ourselves grace—a reason to exhale and let God do what He does. As much as we want to control aspects of our lives, we must come to terms with understanding, accepting, and submitting to God’s will. The illusion of control will only lead to destruction. Faith is the antidote to many of our worries, if not all. So I am here to remind you, and myself, that you’re okay. You’re doing the best you can with what you know. I pray that God gives you grace for the things you don’t understand yet. I pray that He embraces you with peace in the meantime. And, in due time, I pray that the need for control loosens and the good things that come from God flow to you organically. You’re okay, you’re going to be okay, and I love you. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Pick Up Your Mat and Walk!

The phrase ‘Pick up your mat and walk’ carries so much humility and power. Sometimes, I feel empowered by those words, yet other times, it feels like my only choice. On either side of the spectrum, I find that faith and resilience are incredibly important. Society can constantly trigger insecurities in our minds if we allow it to, causing worry, doubt, anxiety, and depression to infiltrate our state of being, ultimately leading us to a spiritual drought. As I write this, I’m having a realization: I’ve been consistently praying to God for obedience. God loves when we obey Him, when we listen to what He is telling us to do. And obedience starts with picking up your mat and walking. Obedience is an action—dwelling in negative thoughts will only harm us. We can’t rely solely on our emotions to get through life. So, whatever you are going through—and I say this with the utmost love and grace for you, but “Pick Up Your Mat and Walk!” Rise, beloved. Rise into the person God created you to be. I pray that you inhale the air of life filled with love, gratitude and patience. And exhale the torment of death filled with worry, doubt, anxiety, and depression. Don’t forget who you are, and walk as if water is beneath your feet, with our Heavenly Father standing proudly with His arms open, waiting for you to reach Him. And in Jesus name, Amen.

life from a bird's eye view.

I believe there are some things you can predict on a spiritual level of knowing. For instance, if I continuously eat sweets over a long period of time, I will be more prone to developing diabetes or other potential health complications. Another example is if I procrastinate on certain goals or tasks I've set for myself; my chances of becoming successful will be significantly lower. I feel like this is common sense. However, there are moments when we try to rationalize our behaviors in ways that somehow make sense to us, even if they're irrational, if that makes sense—haha. When we don’t have a purpose or a clear idea of who we want to be, making irrational yet seemingly rational decisions in our eyes doesn’t sound so bad. Who is it hurting, really? ... besides you, of course. Most of us look at life from a human’s eye view as we interact with the world around us. Perhaps a better way to view life is from a bird's eye view. Personally, I have mainly focused on the daily happenings in my life, such as the errands I need to run, what I’m going to eat, and tasks I need to complete. From my observations of my current surroundings, our lives are often engulfed in staying busy and constantly doing things. But, when we look at life from a bird's eye view, we can gain perspective on the bigger picture and what truly matters in our lives. In this podcast, I delve into what it means to live for your future, how I’ve embarked on changes in my personal life to embody this idea, and how the Word of God has influenced me to take accountability for my decisions up to this point. I hope you enjoy this one. Much love. Peace.