Tag: Writing

Walking Amongst the Thorns

Walking Amongst the Thorns

by nikicks ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

Last night, I was just finishing-up my animal chores and came back inside, then remembered one last chore I had to do.

Heading back outside, I realized I had forgotten my shoes and stopped at the edge of the lawn—gazing at the thorny expanse between me and my destination.

A slight whisper said, “Walk through it, you will not get any thorns–for I will protect you.”

At this moment, I knew God was going to give me an analogy…but should I trust Him? Could He just tell me the punch line–without my actually crossing the foot-aching path? Because, last week, I legit tried walking across it barefoot and got 4-5 thorns in my feet (these are the thorns that seem to attack in groups–after a well thought out plan). đŸ˜ŹđŸ„Ž #shescoming #attack

I sighed, and with a combination of laziness of not getting my shoes and a dash of faith, I set my eyes on my destination and walked regularly across the thorny weeds, did my chore, and walked back across…and you know what? I didn’t get a single thorn in my foot. 👀

God then said, “When you are in thorny–troublesome surroundings…I will be with you. I will not forsake you. Even when you don’t feel prepared–I will make a way for you.”

You see, if I was properly prepared, I would’ve brought my sandals. I don’t know about you, but I ALWAYS desire to be prepared. Especially with these last few years of absolute craziness, the stress of preparing for what may come–has, at times, been a burden…and there are moments when I am tired or may forget to “wear sandals” during a thorny path ahead.

End thought: It’s fine to prepare…but God’s got our back even if we aren’t. ♄

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Breaking before the Storm

Breaking before the Storm

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One of the biggest strategies of Satan is not that he brings a storm into our lives
but that he wears us down right before the torrent comes. 🌊

He does this by disrupting our focus on God and putting it on ourselves and everything around us. Little things in everyday life that seem to force our attention elsewhere.

Soon, we may be at a point where we forgot to read the Bible in the morning or talk to God or even pray about our day or situation. 🙏

We then act and react on our own judgement, understanding and anxiety/stress as we miss God’s bigger picture.

Stress makes us react faster and demands an answer or solution ASAP. Then our own judgement fails because we are relying upon what we see and our other earthly senses.

Does God not give us peace in the storm? Does He not give us foresight about the “behind the scenes” and everyone’s hearts?

We must remind ourselves that the devil comes to steal, kill and destroy
and he tends to start with the smallest seemingly insignificant things that have a rippling effect that influences how we deal with bigger trials and tribulations.

I continually ask myself that if I’m having a tough day–did I start it with God? Did I pray that morning? Did I talk to Him?

By focusing on God in a day-to-day basis, we will be like the man who built his house upon the rock. The storm came but his was set upon a firm foundation–just like we are with God. (See Matthew 7:24-27) #OnChristthisSolidRockIStand #AllOtherGroundIsSinkingSand

Walk with Me Again

Walk with Me Again

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Walk with Me 2

Walk with Me Again
By: Nicole Renee Kent

God asked me to take a walk with Him
And as I took a step forward–He led my gaze within

He removed the blinders and opened my eyes to see
Of who I am–compared to who I was meant to be

Stripping the walls I’ve built around my heart
From past wounds–where I pushed others from me–far apart

God revealed errors of my past without condemnation
To help me better understand the meaning of salvation

As I looked at my heart, bare before my God, my friend
I asked Him what areas He desired to be–to touch and mend

He responded, “I want it all and every bit
And for you to use My Word–My heavenly first aid kit

For all has been given to you to walk in this world of woes
To see beyond the false pretention and to truly know

Grasp my hand, dear one, and continue to walk with Me
For I will always be with you and help you to see”

An Ageless Lifetime in a Day

An Ageless Lifetime in a Day

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An Ageless Lifetime in a Day
By: Nicole Renee Kent

If we lived an ageless lifetime in a day
Would we care about what people say

Would we follow God without doubt or dismay
If we lived an ageless lifetime in a day

Would we know that everything would be okay
Would we stay the course and not be tempted to stray

Would we not put stock in the petty things people display
Would we place the worries aside—far away

Would we see life as vibrant colors and not a subtle grey
Would we know it’s never too late to be something new—molded like clay

Would we notice that life is something more than a mere cliché
Would we understand that there is hope amongst the disarray

Would we catch a glimpse of a magnificent ending that is underway
Would we open our hearts now, instead of waiting someday

Would we change our ways to prepare ourselves for heaven’s rĂ©sumĂ©
If we lived an ageless lifetime in a day

An Ageless Lifetime in a Day

 

© Nicole Renee Kent and On the Cliff of Life [2013-current year] Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this site’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Nicole Renee Kent and On the Cliff of Life with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.

 

 

 

The Sea of Life

The Sea of Life

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Waves by Jessica
Watercolor waves by Jessica Yee @Calligraph.yee

The Sea of Life
By: Nicole Renee Kent (Onthecliffoflife)

There was a girl sailing a boat on the sea called “Life”
When suddenly, the waves became turbulent, pushing her into an unrelenting strife

After the water finally calmed and settled down
She realized a plan should be in place or next time surely she would drown

The girl prepared and overthought every potential possibility
Believing she had to do this alone—her own responsibility

Suddenly, a voice came softly over the wind
Bringing peace to the water as her broken boat began to mend

“You do not need to worry about the storms on Life’s sea
For I bring peace and healing—plans that will give you prosperity”

“No, no” she said, “I have to be prepared”
She spoke out of fear and utter despair

“I cannot trust in what I do not know
Planning for every outcome—especially when the Life’s waves seem to grow”

So, the girl continued on this self-destructing path
Carrying her own burdens and alone, dealing with the sea’s torturous wrath

By going along in this burdensome way—she built-up anxiety
With the potential outcomes filling her head—threatening the girl to her knees

It finally became too much for her to bare
Finally breaking under the weight of Life, no longer could she plan or prepare

Lying crumpled on the deck of the boat
She became too weak—unable to try and stay afloat

Suddenly, a the voice reappeared
Stronger than before and oh, so near and dear

A man dressed as a captain crouched down next to her
He touched her face and spoke more than the previous whisper

“Dear one, you were never meant to carry this burden on your own
Let me help you and let My love be ever known

You need not plan for every possibility
For I will steer you in the correct direction—just trust in Me”

The girl fell into his arms, feeling the weight of Life go
Putting her faith in the Captain and letting His trustworthiness show

Soon the next storm came upon them
But it was no match for her ever-present, knowledgeable captain

He guided the boat over one of the giant swells
Commanding her to focus on Him—from then on she knew all would be well

Trust Fall Poem

Trust Fall Poem

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Hands2Trust Fall Exercise

By: Nicole Kent

There once was a man who trusted only in himself
To find happiness, strength and all his wealth

Then one day there were trust exercises at his company
People were falling with arms crossed into the other employees

The coach called the man up for his turn to trust and fall
But the man exclaimed he only needed himself and no one else at all

The coach smiled and said “cross your arms and let go
Let’s see how trusting in yourself will begin to show”

The stubborn man grumbled and started to say
“I will surely fall and injure myself in many gruesome ways”

The coach said, “So you can’t trust yourself when you begin to fall
Let someone care for you, will you let down your guard; your walls?”

The man acquiesced, moved forward and crossed his arms
Falling backwards, the employees caught him before he could come to any harm

Realization came with a warm feeling inside
The man began to trust others and behind his protective wall he could no longer hide

Will You Still Love Me?

Will You Still Love Me?

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IMG_20171226_135829_191

Will You Still Love Me?
By: Nicole Kent

Will you still love me with my frizzy hair
With curls galore; going everywhere

Will you still love me with a zit on my face
Big as a fist on my forehead; hard to misplace

Will you still love me with puffy eyes
Not from crying but from a restless sleep below the night skies

Will you still love me when my weight fluctuates
As the scale jumps around beneath my undecided weight

Will you still love me when wrinkles and crinkles appear
As a testament of my gaining on in more years

Will you still love me in sickness and wealth
Both can change life in an instant no matter how stealth

Will you still love me when you find out I do not look like the women on TV
Imperfections becoming unfolded…but will you flee?

Will you still love me as I was, am, and will become
The journey will be great if your love is deeper than some

Will you still love me as I love you
Looking past the world’s desires and views

Will you still love me…?

Bitter or Better?

Bitter or Better?

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There once were two girls who walked down a tree-laden path. One day, a couple bullies were hiding in some fruit trees, waiting for the girls to come near.

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The mean kids threw the freshly-picked oranges at the girls’ heads. Sadly, their aim was true, causing the girls to fall backwards at the fruit-flavored impact. Bruised and battered with a few scrapes here and there, Girl #1 bent down to help up Girl #2. They then grabbed the fruity weapons, but alas the bullies had already come and gone.

 Talk about a “hit and run.”

Girl #1 brushed off the fruit and began peeling it. “At least we got something positive out of the dastardly thing that happened to us.”

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Girl #2 did not respond but the scowl on her face was evidence of her anger. She too brushed off her orange, but instead of eating the fruit, she partook of the peel. Bitterness filled her mouth…her whole being. All she could see was the peel, causing the sweet/positive fruit to become discarded.

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Girl #1 was ready to move on due to not holding onto the bitterness; however, Girl #2 began to see the world in the most pessimistic way…just waiting for someone to throw something at her again. Because of her suspiciousness, she drove the possibility of more friendships away. She even turned against Girl #1, taking out her past frustrations on her…

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Girl #2 couldn’t fathom how her friend could be so happy after being so hurt. One day she asked her, “Why do you continuously seem to be happy after each bully threatens to steal your joy away?”

Girl #1 smiled, and responded with, “Remember when you and I were hit with oranges?” seeing her friend nod she continued, “Well, if you recall, I ate of the fruit. It was sweet and reminded me that there will always be a positive found within a negative circumstance. Sometimes you have to look deep for it (like past the peel of the orange) and it will be there.”

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Girl #2 wanted the happiness so much, that she gave up her eating of the bitter peel and dove deeper into what could fill her true hunger in life. She began to partake of the sweetness in life. It took some time, but the bitterness went away as she became full on the fruit’s happiness.

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In conclusion, we all have the choice to be Girl #1 or Girl #2…which part of the fruit will you eat?

Needy Vs. in Need

Needy Vs. in Need

by nikicks ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

We can do Godly things for people, but we should not become “God” to them.  There is one God and He is the only One who can truly supply every one of our needs.

 

Yes, there are needy people, but there are true people in need.

 

People in Need:

  • Rarely ask for help.
  • Are gracious for your help.
  • Don’t expect items, money, gifts, time, etc. from you.
  • Are usually wanting to reciprocate the kindness in some way.
  • I have noticed that these are the people that you feel drawn to. Like God has put something on your heart to help them.
  • Do not always appear like they are in need
but like I stated on the previous bullet, you feel drawn towards them. God usually tells you what they need.

Needy People:

  • Demand things from you.
  • Expect you to give money, clothes, anything that they see around your house.
  • Expect you to come to them at the “drop of a hat.”
  • Want you to take care of them when they are unwilling to take care of themselves.
  • Usually use “guilt” to get want they want.
  • I have noticed that this type of person will use you and abuse you.

 

By becoming God to the needy people, we are trying to supply their every need. Whether it is physically being there (helping with deeds around the house, etc.), supporting them financially, or even supporting them emotionally. We can be there for them, to some extent, but we cannot always be there. That is God’s place.

Example:

  • If we did try to take God’s place and supply their every need
what purpose would they need the one true God for? By being overly giving to the needy person, we could become a stumbling block to their walk with God.

o   I don’t know about you, but I have found God in the darkest times of my life; when He was the only One that could supply my needs. If someone stepped in and took that place, would I have found God on such a substantial level?

Discerning when it is time to lend a hand or point them to the direction of God.

  1. Sit down and pray about the situation (It’s time to use that “walking and talking relationship with God”).
  2. Remember, God doesn’t condone guilt. It doesn’t come from Him(Paul).
  3. Don’t let people guilt you into giving.
  4. When you have that urge from God to give to a certain person at a certain time, do it. You will never know what giving to someone feels like until you do it with God’s guidance.

 

Have a good day, brothers and sisters, and may we never stop learning and listening in our walking/talking relationship with God.

-Nikicks

Works Cited

Paul. Romans 8:1. n.d. <https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans+8%3A1&version=NASB&gt;.

Mirror Mirror

Mirror Mirror

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Trudging through thorny weeds (to avoid paths), dehydrated, and skin cooked well over-done by the sun’s rays, the woman looked as if she was on her last breath. When bystanders beheld this sad sight, they tried to help her, but the woman always kept her head down and denied any helping hand…until today. A boy came up to her and asked, “Why do you walk off the path?”
The woman stopped and turned to the boy (perfect that she didn’t have to lift her head to talk to an adult…this was the first child that had ever confronted her).
Woman: “Because if I set a foot on the path, it will appear.”
The boy looked at her with big eyes.
Boy: “What will appear?”
Woman: “The mirror.”
Boy: “What is so scary about a mirror?”
Woman: “This mirror reveals more than just a mere image…it shows you all the wrongs you’ve done in the past; unveiling your true self. I have been running from it for quite some time now. I don’t want to be reminded of who I am.”
Boy: “I know what to do! Stay right here.”
The woman usually grew antsy by staying too long in one place, but from pure exhaustion or from meeting a kind child, she decided to stay.
The child came running back with glass cleaner and a rag.
Boy: “I know what to do, I will stand here and wipe away all the wrongs.”
Woman: “Why would you do that for me?”
Boy: “Because no matter what you’ve done, I like you and you are my new friend.”
Woman with tear-filled eyes: “No one has every said that to me before…”
No one ever had, for when people saw the damaged shell she is, they wanted to help her out of pity…and when they learned of her past, they spat at her. No one had ever truly wanted to help her due to liking her.

 

The boy took the woman’s hand and she allowed him to lead her back on the path. She caught a glimmer behind her, knowing the mirror was there. Looking at the boy, he responded with squeezing her hand and nodding in encouragement.
The woman straightened herself up (with help from the boy) and turned to face the mirror. Sobs from deep within her soul began to shake her body; causing her to use the mirror as balance (thinking the boy had left). She sunk down, letting her hand slide along the full length mirror, when suddenly, a hand touched her shoulder. Looking up and instead of seeing the boy, she saw a man and then she noticed the mirror. The man was taking his pure white sleeve…and wiping her mirror clean! Her past reflections disappeared!
After the man was done, he bent down and got to her level. All the kindness (that was not of this world) was set upon his brow and all the love was in his eyes and all the warmth was in his smile. He helped her stand up and turn facing the mirror.
The man then wrote “I loved you at your darkest, I love you now, and I love the future you. You are loved for you.”
The woman laughed and cried at the same time. She was so joyful! She was free! She was loved. Every time she looked back at the mirror, she saw love.


When she twirled, something caught her eye. The boy was walking toward her.
Boy: “No more fear of the mirror?”
Woman: “Nope. I am free. The man wiped my mirror clean.”
Boy: “Isn’t he nice?! He’s my best friend.”