2-Year Anniversary
Dearest friend, thank you for being a treasured friend and part of the Look Up Sometimes community. My prayer is you continually find a grace-filled breathing space here. This week marks the two year anniversary of Look Up Sometimes! Yay!
The Mission Behind Look Up Sometimes
I started this blog with the mission to nurture those who didn’t feel permission to accept grace. My hope is that you’ll leave inspired to enjoy it. After being the “good Christian girl” for most of my growing up years and then failing so miserably it was only too clear I was nothing close, I believed God had revoked my salvation.
The resultant terror was the worst experience of darkness and oppression I’ve ever lived through. I know now that it was a lie from the devil himself. Jesus came for the very reason we need him – to pay for our sins and make us right with Him for infinity. My desire is for NO ONE to live in the lie that we can’t accept His grace.
If you don’t mind reading the gut-honest reflections of someone who is most definitely NOT a “good Christian girl” but who is a dearly loved daughter of God, you’re in the right place. If you feel like you constantly need permission to accept what you desperately need but you restrain yourself, join the Look Up Sometimes club.
Grace is a gift, and we get to enjoy it.
To do anything else is to insult the Giver.
What are we doing?
It seems fitting to celebrate two years of doing life together so I asked a couple friends for ideas. A dear writing friend, Rachael M. Colby of TattooItonYourHeart.com, suggested I compile favorite quotes for you. Another dear writing friend, Rebekah Love Dorris of MoreThanTheAncients.com, suggested a fun idea to compile my favorite comments you’ve shared!
I started going through everything and didn’t even make it all the way through 2016… So we’re going to celebrate for a few weeks!!! 🙂
Join the Celebration!
Which quotes are your favorites? One not listed? Go ahead and add it! Comment below and vote for your favorite, and at the end I’ll choose one to turn into a resource for the Free Tools page!
- The promise of God’s constant love is the anchor for my soul, even when – especially when – I have caved to lies, doubt, or weakness.
– - God never calls me to be amazing; that’s His job.
– - I don’t have to muster up courage to slay my giants; I can run in the wake of Jesus’ victory over them.
– - Real changes happen when I’m gut-honest with God.
– - Lift me up so I can fall to my knees and lift You up.
– - Beauty hunts me with far more intensity than which I search for it.
– - If God wanted this sanctifying process finished already, it would be.
– - Let the pressures of life refine, not define you.
– - May our depravity be the gravity that keeps us rooted to the foot of the cross.
– - No one has the right or the power to take God’s grace away from you, not even you.
– - God’s grace is the safety net that allows me to take risks for God without fear of making mistakes!
– - Because our lives are designed to fit the Master’s mosaic, we are freed to do two things simultaneously: confidently enjoy our own contribution and sincerely encourage others in theirs.
– - Beautifying the landscapes of our lives starts with yielding control to the Master Gardener.
– - God’s plan for you is to follow a Person who loves you so dearly he bears scars with your name on them.
– - If we have to go through hard times anyway, I want the road that offers light at the end of the tunnel.
– - Shifting my hopes to Jesus hands control to the Master Gardener who gives peace, removes weeds, and preserves beauty.
– - Remembering the past faithfulness of a present God infuses hope into my struggles.
– - I can exchange lies about my identity for truths about personal growth opportunities.
– - In Christ, I already have approval, acceptance, and perfection.
– - Perhaps the most faith-filled action we can take is to rest in Christ.
– - This is the command after all — not to bear fruit, but to remain. Remember. Breathe. Rest. Be.
– - Soaking in grace equips us to rightly respond to truth.
“Perhaps the most faith-filled action we can take is to rest in Christ.”
So many good quotes but this one is the one that resonates in my heart. Raised in a society that says do something, I find it very difficult to rest in my faith and wait on Christ; and yet, every time that I do I am amazed at the way that he shows up. His plans are far greater than mine and more than I could ever imagine.
Lerita, feel free to remind me of this truth often!! I write it, forget it, and keep relearning. You are so right — God shows up in amazing ways when we trust and obey. So good to see you the other night!
Thank you, sweet friend! Your friendship makes my life richer!
Excellent post Pearl. This was the counsel I needed to hear today to restore peace in my heart.
It is exciting to be used by God to impact others.
Sometimes God uses me, and other times God uses someone like yourself to bless my life.
God bless!
Michael
Michael, your kind words soak deep. I love how God sets up win-win situations when we’re working together in His body. So grateful God used this to restore peace to you. May He continue to keep you in perfect peace. Keep looking up!
This is wonderful, Pearl! I love it! Saving it in all the social media places (and email) so I always have it for an encouraging reference.
Happy two year anniversary!
Melissa, I think the highest compliment is to share. Thank you so much! I finally found your tweet on Twitter. LOL Still trying to figure my way around and barely have a clue!
Pearl, CONGRATULATIONS on two years! WooHoo!
Here’s the quote that impacted me today:
“If God wanted this sanctifying process finished already, it would be.”
Apparently, God’s not done with me yet!
Here’s to another great year for you!
Thank you, Michelle! It takes the pressure off learning and having to achieve maturity instantly, doesn’t it? I’m so thankful we have permission to grow! Here’s to being loved works in progress!
2,3,10, and 11. These are amazing!!!
Thank you, Shannon! That means a lot coming from you. 🙂 I think 2 is my favorite, too.
Pearl, I needed every one of these tonight. My daughter and her family are on the road, trying to get home from a one-week spring break trip to Florida. My husband is somewhere in mid air between here and Atlanta, Georgia, returning home from a mission trip to the Dominican Republic. We (central Indiana) have been hit with a freakish late-March snowstorm. It’s after 1:00 a.m. I’m staying up and intermittently nodding off and praying for their safety. Thank you for sending wonderful encouragement when I need it most.
Oh Debbie! Thank you for your sweet words. My heart goes out to you. Worrying about our loved ones’ safety is a constant prompt for prayer, isn’t it? Did they make it back safely? Thank You, God, for encouraging Debbie when she needed it most! Hugs!
Yahoo, skiddoo! Happy two years, Pearl. Love knowing you’re out there fighting the good fight.
Jodie, thank you! We’re braver together. Soldier on brave and beautiful!