Noticing the Unnoticeable

How many times have we walked by someone in need and not notice them? They may not be famous artists that we admire and are on our radar, but they are special in Jesus's eyes. When we help the poor and broken we will find ourselves serving Jesus himself. There is a reward for noticing the unnoticeable.

I was waiting outside a restaurant for my family to arrive. Because I had nothing to do I noticed a lady with a small table that was set up right by the restaurant. She had a bunch of handmade lanyards and keychains that she was selling.

You could tell that she didn't have much but did her best with all she had.

As I was waiting I saw many people pass by this lady without stopping to take notice of her table. Their eyes were fixed on their destination and it was evident that the lady was unnoticeable to them.

I couldn't help but wonder if this poor lady was instead a famous artist, would people have noticed her then? Probably.

But I honestly would have done the same thing. If I didn't have to wait for my family, I would have been like the others, disregarding this lady who clearly was in need.

However, God has been teaching me to notice the unnoticeable and to be a helping hand whenever I can. Whether it's giving a prophetic word to someone to encourage them, giving money to those in need, or simply smiling at someone and asking how their day was, I want to give what I have and bless others.

I ended up talking with the lady and purchased her lanyards to support her. She shared her story and it was encouraging to see that she was willing to be faithful with the little that God had given her. I encouraged her that she is special in God's eye and that He notices her.

I could tell she felt loved at that moment, and not by me but by Jesus.

When we love and notice others, we open their eyes to see that God noticed them first.

God chooses to display his love to others through us. 

We are called to be like Jesus who went to the dark places to help the poor, sick, and lost. He calls us out of darkness to be the light of the world. Matthew 5:16 says, "In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven."

Our purpose is to bring hope to the hopeless. What better way to show Jesus's love to someone than sacrificing what Jesus has given us to help others. When we give what we have to others, people will see God's love through us.

It can seem unimportant to help those in need, but we must realize that when we help the poor we are helping the king of kings himself who is Jesus.

Jesus says in Matthew 25:35-36,40, "For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me...Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me."

We are serving Jesus when we help those in need. 

It is an honor and a blessing to help those who are less fortunate than us. It may take time for us to notice such people, but we can start by praying and asking the Lord to help us take notice of such people.

Not only will we be blessing those in need, but we ourselves will be blessed here on earth and rewarded in heaven. Jesus said to those who served the needy, "Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you.."(Matthew 25:34).

As we sow in generosity and kindness, we will also reap what we have sown. When we help those who are in need, Jesus will also help us when we are in need. Luke 6:38 says "Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you."

As we give unto others, we are leaving room for Jesus to give back to us evermore abundantly.

Let us be like the good Samaritan in Luke 10 who went out of his way to help the man who got robbed and beaten. Luke 10:34-35 says, "He went to him and bandaged his wounds..Then he put the man on his own donkey, brought him to an inn and took care of him. The next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper. ‘Look after him,’ he said, ‘and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.'"

This Samaritan went out of his way to help the man in need, unlike the priest and Levite who saw the dying man yet kept walking.

How many times have we walked past someone in need and kept walking?

Jesus calls us to be like the good Samaritan. We can carry the light of Christ in us, but if we aren't willing to give it away, we can't be a light to the world.

When was the last time you stopped and helped those in need? Will you allow yourself to be used by God and help those in need? 

God wants to use you to show others of his love and mercy. It is a blessing to be able to live as Jesus lived and be a vessel that carries the light of Jesus. So remember, notice the unnoticeable.

Prayer: Lord, help me to notice those around me who are in need. 

On The Other Side Of Pain Is Healing

We all have experienced pain. Some wounds are deeper than others and can seem impossible to ever heal. While there may seem to be different remedies to heal our wounds, there is only one true remedy and that is Jesus. On the other side of pain is healing.

I have been through painful situations in my life that damaged me. I was abandoned by my mother and father at age 3, went through sexual abuse, and much more.

I tried to patch up the pain by doing dark things that were of this world, but it only deepened the pain. The things of this world filled me temporarily, but I would then be left back alone with extreme brokenness.

I wanted to end my life, but I decided to give Jesus a chance. I told God, “If you’re real show yourself. If there is a purpose for my life please show me because I can’t do this anymore.”

That night I surrender my life to Jesus and that was the start of my journey towards healing and restoration.

I thought ending my life was the only solution, but I found hope in Jesus.

My scars today now show others that God is my healer.

God was faithful and answered my prayer and I know He will answer yours too. I don’t know the pain you are carrying, but know that you have a loving father in heaven who wants to heal you.

God has the ability to erase your old and helpless life and make it new. 2 Corinthians 5:17 says, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!”

Praise God for giving us Jesus who brings restoration and forgiveness to our lives. My scars are very real, but I also see Jesus all over it. He brought me forgiveness, redemption, and healing to my heart and life. Jesus showed me that on the other side of pain is healing and hope.

We no longer have to live in shame or condemnation because Jesus bore all of that on the cross for us. Romans 8:1 says, “Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.”

Jesus makes us white as snow (Isaiah 1:18) and will put together our brokenness into something beautiful to give hope to other broken people.

I now get to travel as a speaker and share my testimony and teach the Word of God to others. I understand the power of scars and have started a ministry called Authentic You to share testimonies of other women who have been through hardships but got through because of what God has done.

God is so merciful to take away our sinful life and give us abundant and eternal life with Him. Ephesians 2:8 says, “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—."

Will you accept the gift of grace and salvation that Jesus freely gives? Will you surrender your life to Jesus and allow him to heal your pains so that you can be used?

There is a life so full waiting for you on the other side of pain. No matter what you’ve been through, Jesus has still chosen you to carry His light to this world. Jesus still has purpose for you even with your scars. His job is to bring you from darkness into His light. 1 Peter 2:9 says, “But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God's special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.”

My prayer is that you chose to live in freedom and not be bound to pain, hurts, and doubts. Lay your life down to Jesus and you will find healing and hope. So remember, on the other side of pain is healing.

Written by Krystell Caycedo.
Founder of Authentic You Testimonies Worldwide

Website: Krystellcaycedo.com
Instagram: @Krystellacaycedo
Facebook: Authentic You Testimonies Worldwide
Twitter: krystellacera

Setting Our Minds On Things Above

Have you ever stopped to think back to what thoughts you were thinking throughout the day? Research says on average we can have between 50,000-70,000 thoughts per day. I wonder how many of our thoughts are of heavenly minded things versus from our flesh. Are you setting your mind on things above? 

I found myself feeling angry and bitter about someone even though my actions didn't show it. If you've been a Christian long enough, you can get good at "acting" nice, but what about your heart? 

I was responding with kindness to this person even though they were throwing harsh accusations at me, but at the end of the day, I found myself angry, exhausted, and annoyed. I didn't know how to get rid of the bitterness or if it could ever be taken away. 

I then ran into Colossians 3:2 which says, "set your minds on things above, not on earthly things."

It was at that moment when I realized all the bitterness and anger was because I chose to dwell and entertain the negative thoughts and hurt I experienced. If I wanted to forgive this person and truly heal, I had to make the decision to let go of the negative thoughts and set my mind on Jesus. 

The more I fixed my gaze on Jesus and His love for me, the less I felt hurt. It was as if Jesus was the medicine to numb all the pain I had experienced. 

Instead of entertaining the negative thoughts I had, I replaced them with thoughts of the goodness and favor of God over my life. I reminded myself of the grace that Jesus freely gave me even though I didn't deserve it. I was unworthy, yet Jesus willingly gave up his life so that I could have eternal life with him.  

At the end of all of this, I was overwhelmed with His love and I had no more room for the pain and anger to linger in my heart. 

When we are overwhelmed by the love of Jesus, it overflows to other areas in our lives despite the conditions we may be in. 

Ephesians 3:17-19 says, "And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God."

Maybe you're not battling with anger, but what about lust? Greed? Jealousy? Selfish ambition? 

God's love has the power to break every bondage in our lives. His love is beyond what we can comprehend and has the power to transform us into the fullness of God. 

We must be constantly rooted and established in the love of Jesus. How do we become rooted in the love of Jesus? 

It starts with our thoughts. 

We must choose to meditate on scripture and keep our minds occupied with heavenly thoughts. Philippians 4:8 says, "Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable--if anything is excellent or praiseworthy--think about such things."

Scripture makes it clear what is of God and what is of our flesh. Galatians 5:19-22 says, "The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like...But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control."

What do your thoughts consist of? Are you dwelling on fleshly thoughts or on spirit-filled thoughts? Will you choose to drop every negative thought and replace it with God's truth?

It's easy to neglect our thought life. We tend to focus more on our actions and how we feel but rarely do we look back to see what our thoughts were. We must start examining our thoughts because it's the starting point to everything we do and feel. 

You may not be strong enough to fight against your flesh, but Jesus is. You may not be strong enough but the Jesus in you is strong enough. 1 John 4:4 reminds us, "The one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world."

Don't feel discouraged if you feel far from recovery. Jesus came for that very reason - to save you and to be your strength. His grace is available to those who ask. Ask Jesus to help you in your weaknesses and struggles and He will do just that. 

1 Corinthians 10:13 says, "No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it."

God will provide a way for you to come out of your weakness in victory. It all starts with your choice to surrender and to set your mind on Jesus. So remember, set your mind on things above. 

Walking Blindly With The Lord

If we had the choice to walk blindly or by sight, many of us would choose to see. It's scary to walk blindly because we can't see what's ahead. While it may seem safer to have our eyes to rely on, we are called to walk blindly with the Lord.

There have been many times when I thought I knew better than God. God would point me in a direction, but I'd tell him, "Are you sure? It doesn't look like that's going to bring me where I need to be."

But as I spent time with God, He reminded me that He can see farther than I can.

As I journey with God, I learn that He is more reliable than what I can see or comprehend. What may make sense in my mind and to the world is often the exact opposite of God's plans.

When God asked me to let go of pursuing my master's degree, I thought that was the craziest idea ever. When He asked me to let go of a relationship I was in, I thought He was setting me up for disaster. But in both occasions (and many more), I've learned that God is always working for my good.

Because I let go of my master's degree, God redirected me to Bible school which is exactly what I need for God's calling on my life. Because I let go of my past relationship, I am now in a new relationship that is actually taking me closer to God's destination for my life.

God knew all along what I needed and who I needed to be with to reach my destiny when I couldn't see it at the moment. 

My eyes only tempted me to think that I knew better than God. Thank God I chose to live by faith and not by sight because it was only then that I was able to see God's faithfulness come through.

Isaiah 55:9 reminds us, "As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts."

God's ways are always beyond what we can see. 

We will never be able to predict God's ways because He works through the impossible. God loves to show off in our lives and He does so by doing things beyond we can think or imagine. Ephesians 3:20 says, "Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us."

God will not limit himself to our small-minded thinking. He wants to do miracles in our lives, but we must be willing to follow him even when it doesn't make sense. We are to walk by faith and not by sight (2 Corinthians 5:7). If we have been accustomed to making decisions based on our common sense, we must ask ourselves are we really walking by faith? 

We read throughout scripture that the people God used all had to take steps of faith and get out of their comfort zone. God asked Abraham to leave his home and country to a land he couldn't see. (Genesis 12:1). David who wasn't trained up as a soldier was able to defeat Goliath, the greatest warrior of his time with just stones and a slingshot (1 Samuel 17:50). God asked Gideon to bring only 300 men to fight against thousands of Midianites. (Judges 7:7).

God asked them all to do what didn't make sense so that He would have the glory. Scripture makes it clear that God was with them and it was God who brought them success. 

This is the God we serve - the God of the impossible. 

Matthew 19:26 says, "With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible." God will never operate in our common sense ways because He doesn't have to. If he can move in ways that will blow our minds away, He will do it for His glory.

What step of faith is God calling you to do? Will you surrender and trust God despite what you see?

God wants us to learn to trust Him. It will require us to take a step into the unknown and believe God will come through.

Just as God was with Abraham, David, Gideon, and many others, He is also with us and for us. No matter what we go through, we can resting knowing God is always working for our good (Romans 8:28).   

We must remember that the Christian walk is to walk blindly with the Lord. It's normal to be moving forward without knowing everything. God wants us to learn to depend on Him and less on ourselves. We shouldn't wait until it all makes sense before we follow God.

It's only when we are willing to surrender our ways to God that we will be able to see him do wonders in our lives. May we take steps of faith so that we can say, "Not to us, Lord, but to your name be the glory.."(Psalm 115:1). So remember, walk blindly with the Lord.

Prayer: Lord, I will follow you even when things don't make sense because I trust that you see beyond what I can see.