Finding Refuge In God During Times of Hardship

 “In order to find security in God, we have to stop finding security in everything else. …Nothing in this world will offer you the security you have in God.”

Last week on #EmilysPinkPosts I shared with you the first of three verses that have helped me through this last month.  The first was Psalm 56:3, “When I am afraid I will trust in You.”  This verse reminds us that anytime we are having a situation we can’t control and fear tries to grip us that if we put our total trust in God He will see us through no matter what we are facing.  Once we trust put our trust in God what do we do next?  

In those troubling times God gives us life giving words that can be found in Psalm 46:1, “God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.”  Trouble shows itself in many forms - illness, financial hardship, relationships, loss of a loved one and much more.  When troubles come our way they in a sense threaten us, they leave us feeling vulnerable to the unknown and they leave us feeling empty and helpless.  But I have good news!  God is our refuge and we can run to Him and He will shelter us from the storm.  He is our protector and He is always there to help us.  He gives us strength when we are weak and at our lowest point.  This verse reminds us that when we run to God for that refuge we don’t need to fear.  

The Hebrew word for refuge is chacah and means “to flee for protection, to confide in, to put one’s trust in.” The dictionary defines a refuge as a shelter or protection from danger, trouble, or to take refuge from a storm. It’s a place of safety, or anything to which one has recourse for aid, relief, or escape.  

There are three distinct practical ways that God is our refuge.

1.  We find refuge when we go to the Father in n prayer.  God is a Person in which to confide our troubles.  He wants us to cry out to Him and share with Him our fears, what’s causing our anxiety, stress or worry.  He wants us to be totally honest and share exactly what we are thinking and what we are going through.   Psalm 142:2 says, “I pour out my complaint before Him; I declare my trouble before Him.”  and Psalm 34:17 says, “The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears and recuses them from all their troubles.”  

2.  We find refuge when we commit ourselves to obeying the Word of God no matter what the cost.  God’s Word is a Place of protection and safety when we find ourselves in trouble and it’s true the place we must run to in times of trouble. God truly becomes our refuge we we trust His Word more than we trust what the world says or what even our own feelings are saying.  God’s Word is the only place we will find security and protection because it truly is the only source of truth.  Proverbs 30:5 says, “Every word of God is pure; He is a shield to those who take refuge in Him.”  

3.  We find refuge when we depend one the Spirit of God to lead us, empower us and sustain us through every trial or hardship we go through.  God’s Spirit provides the Power to sustain us through our troubles and He has provided a way for Him to be with us and that’s through His Spirit.  Jesus knew we need the power of the Holy Spirit to help us.  He promised His disciples that after He returned to the Father, that He would send us the One who is that very present helper.  We find refuge when we depend on the Spirit of God to lead us, empower us, and sustain us through whatever we are going through.

When you walk with God on a daily basis and commune with Him daily we truly can feel more confident when we face problems or hardship or trials.  He will give us what we need to endure any hardship we face here on earth.  We hen we believe in God and truly believe He is our refuge and strength we can face even the most dangerous or difficult situations with total confidence because God is with us.

When Fear and Anxiety Tried To Grip Me

  For those of you who are new here in the last month, every Sunday I “normally” write a Sunday faith post over on Instagram that I call #EmilysPinkPosts.  Why do I call them that?  The reason being is that I filter the picture for the post with a shade of pink so that when people see my IG grid they can quickly see the faith posts.   It’s been a month or so since I have written an Emilys Pink Post  We took a three week break and went back home to Indiana where we spent that time at my sister and brother in law’s lake house and then the day we arrived home Jordan was 6 days being sick.  The following month was filled with one week caring for him, then having in the hospital for 7 days after that and then now these last two weeks helping him recover here at home.  So, here I am today writing one now that things have calmed down a bit.

Starting today and for the following two Sunday’s I am going to a 3 part series where I share three verses from the Bible that helped me over this last month.  I am writing this not only to share with you but also as a reminder for me to look back at so when I go through something like this again I can go back and read them over and over again as a reminder to myself.

When we got the news that Jordan was sick I felt my heart sink to the floor.  The last thing you want is for one of your family members to be sick especially with the evil virus.  I could feel my emotions start to go all over the place - worry, fear, stress, anxiety started to fill my mind but then I immediately start praying Psalm 56:3 which says, “When I am afraid I put my trust in You.”  

Psalm 56 was written by David while he was running for his life from evil King Saul and his army. He lived each day wondering if that might be the day that someone would kill him.  Yet, more than once in this psalm he says, “I shall not be afraid”  You have to ask yourself how could he even say that when he was running for his life?  The reason why David could face horrific terrifying trials and tribulations was that he knew where and who to turn to in those times.  So, he cries out, “When I am afraid I will put my trust in You!”  Let’s break down the verse.  When he says, “I am afraid” he is acknowledging that the fear is real.  He isn’t denying he is afraid or fearful but he doesn’t stay there for long for he goes on to say that even though he is afraid he is putting his trust in God to see him through. He’s tell us that he knows where to turn to when he is afraid  . . .right to the Lord. This is where he goes from “I am afraid” to “I will not be afraid.”  How did he go from one to the other? Psalm 56:4 tell us  - “In God, whose word I praise, in God I trust; I shall not be afraid.”  David gets from one to the other by putting his trust in God and instead of praying “‘prayers of hope” he took the fear, stress and worry and prayed specific promises of God written in the word which is what he hung on to and confessed.

So, that day when worry, stress, fear and anxiety tried to grip me I shifted my thoughts and started to pray Psalm 56:3-4.  Confessing and praying the promises of God brought peace, comfort and strength to see the battle through. So the next time fear tries to grip you or come your way, and they will,  you will know where to turn to.  Turn to the One who can fill you with a peace that surpasses all understanding and who said, “In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”  (John 16:33).   We, like David, can say, “I shall not be afraid.  

Have a blessed day!

Emily

I'm In Love and I Don't And I Don't Care Who Knows!

It isn’t too often when I fall in love with a piece of clothing but recently my heart was taken with this gorgeous top from The Muses Closet and designer Elizabeth Tabat Klein .

First , the lace is extremely soft which is unlike many other lace fabrics.  It feels so good on your skin and drapes beautifully.  

Secondly, it has a built in lining that is yummy soft too. The bottom six inch panel can be moved up or down to customize it for a perfect fit.

Thirdly, the scallops on the sleeves are beautiful and the lace placement on the sleeves cover exactly what you want covered on your arms.

It’s truly a beautiful fantastic top and it comes in this pretty blush as well as three other colors. I can promise you .....you will love this top as much as I do.

 

Step Into Spring With Spring Style Essentials from Christopher and Banks

If you are ready for winter to be over and you are yearning for spring styles this post is for you.  A few weeks ago Christopher and Banks reached out to me and asked if I would like to share some of their new arrivals with you.  To be totally honest I had not heard of Christopher and Banks so I went to their website and did some research on the brand.  I found that Gil Braun had opened his first Braun Fashions store back in 1956 in Minneapolis, Minnesota with "her" in mind.  The her were local women who were full of life and wisdom, confident in their beliefs and in search of styles that made them feel fabulous at a price they would love.  

Those same values continued on when Braun's Fashions opened its first stores under the Christopher and Banks banner in 2000.  The same year the company introduced CJ Banks opening 20 stores that were designed to meet the needs of the 14-24 women.

Fast forward to 2020 and Christopher and Banks have over 500 stores throughout the US and they are still putting "her" first.  They cater to women of all beautiful sizes from Missy to Women to Petite.

Today I am going to be sharing with you many new arrival tops and layering pieces and also wardrobe essential tops and accessories from Christopher and Banks   Currently all their new arrivals are 25% off in store and on their website.  As I picked out items for this post I noticed that the smallest size they have in Missy tops is size Small and in bottoms size 4.    I am wearing a size small in every top and jacket.  I normally wear a size XS but as you will see many of the items worked for me in size Small.  

Let's Get Started!

First off is this Striped Half Zip Pullover.  This ribbed pullover has colorful stripes and a half zip with  a mock neck and O-ring pull.  This top pairs perfectly with all denim washes and white denim too.  I love how the color can stand up or you can have it lay down too.

In this look the I'm wearing two pieces from Christopher and Banks  The first item is this pretty Solid Textured Popover Blouse.  This beautiful flowy blouse with a cotton rayon blend feels amazing on.  The woven textured blouse is perfect for spring and summer too.  It has a buttoned placket which is fully functional.   It add the perfect detail for a classic fit.

I layered over the woven blouse their Twill Jacket in Soft Plum.  This 100% cotton twill jacket has functional chest pockets and oversized buttons.  The jacket has epaulette's on each shoulder for a fun detail.  It's the perfect jacket for those chilly spring days or even cool summer nights.  This jacket also comes in a pretty Indigo color too.

Next up in this look I'm wearing two more pieces that you will be able to mix and match with so many other looks.

Let's start with the 3/4 Sleeve Satin Trim Essential Top .  This top is perfect as a layering piece or to wear on it's own.  It's 100% cotton and comes in 7 other colors.  The stain neckline adds the perfect detail to this sold tee that brings it up a notch.  At the time I am writing this blog this color is sold out but there is a very similar one that is the 3/4 Sleeve Heather Stain Trim Essential Top Both tops are Buy One Get One for $5.  

Layered over the solid 3/4 length sleeve tee is this Solid Utility Vest.  This is the perfect layering piece to layer over all different kinds of tops.  It's also 100% cotton and comes in an Indigo color too. This vest also has a drawstring pull on the inside so you can cinch it in as much or as less as you like.  

This look brings you a classic white sweater and a quilted jacket. 

This cotton / rayon blend Directional Stitch Pullover Sweater is the perfect spring sweater.  It has a beautiful diamond knit pattern which adds such character to the sweater.  Besides this classic white it comes in three others colors.  

I have sad news on this particular Navy Quilted Jacket . . .it SOLD OUT but I have good news too.  They have a Solid Quilted Jacket in black that has a sherpa lined collar.  It's so cute and the collar makes the jacket even more cozy.  Now, here's the best news!  This jacket is on major sale.  It was $64.95 but it's currently marked down to $23.99.  If you are looking for a jacket that you will reach for over and over again . . .check out this jacket. 

Did you notice the scrunchie in my hair?  This is part of a 3 pack Tie Dye Scrunchie set that you can pick up too!  The set contains two tie dye and one polka dot scrunchie.  You get all three for under $10.

In this look I'm wearing their Satin Trim Essential Tank.  This is similar to the 3/4 length I showed you above but it's the tank version.  This tank is another closet staple that you will want in your closet arsenal.  This pretty poppy color is in stock as well as six other beautiful colors.  This tank you can wear on it's own or layer pieces over it.

Right now you can buy one tank at full price and get another for just $5.  This is definitely the time to stock up on a classic wardrobe essential.

In the final look I brought back the khacki vest but this time I layered over it the Solid Hem Detail Tunic.  This Cotton/Modal blend fabric feels so good on.  It's seriously so soft and comfy.  It's the perfect tunic length to wear with leggings, joggers  but works with jeans as you see here with my white denim.  

This top features a boatneck and a layered hem that brings such pretty details.  

Besides this pretty pale yellow color it comes in a gorgeous light lavender color too.

Don't forget to check out their gorgeous jewelry, scarves, wraps belts and accessories too! They have everything you need to complete a look.  Right now they have buy one accessory and get another for 50% off.
 I love these Semi Precious Drop earrings!  There is a also a very pretty matching necklace too.

Check out these pieces as well as all the other new arrivals at Christopher and Banks!  Click below to shop the pieces I highlighted in this blog post.   

Thank you to Christopher and Banks for sponsoring this post!

Riovea Beauty Skincare

Do you want to kiss dull skin, sunspots, age spots, find lines and wrinkles and visible pores goodbye? Well, if you are dealing with or concerned about any of the above then you will want to try  Riovea Beauty which is a skin brightening and illuminating skincare line that is based on real ingredients. I have used this entire line for the past month and I am loving the results my skin has received over these last four weeks. 
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Why Riovea? Instead of using harsh chemicals the Riovea Illuminating Line uses the innovative trio active formula which provides natural molecules that work to rejuvenate and brighten your skin.
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By using this line your skin will maintain skins elasticity , soften and smoothes the texture of your skin, revitalizes and restores your skins healthy tone, while reducing wrinkles, find lines and visible pores.
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Riovea is formulated without alcohol, parabens, petroleum, mineral oil, synthetic colors, sulphates, detergents, PEG’s, PPG’s, phthalates, urea, DEA and TEA.
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Right now you can receive 20% off your order at Riovea Beauty with promo code EMILY20 . 

I love the cleanser!  It's the first cleanser that actually doesn't leave my skin feeling tight.  It really leaves if feeling hydrated.

The toner is fantastic.  It doesn't dry your skin out at all and it leaves your skin feeling refreshed.

 The serum absorbs beautifully into the skin and preps the skin for the moisturizer.  

The Illuminating Cream is a rich, luxurious cream that goes on so smooth and velvety.  

I used the entire set for one month and I loved how it left my skin feeling and looking.

OCM Complete Campus Collection

If you have a son or daughter, grandson or granddaughter or if you are the student that will be heading to dorm life at college this fall you will want to check out OCM College Life. Get move-in ready with just one order and set your dorm room up for the semester with the Complete Campus Collection. 

This collection as seen here in this picture comes with twin XL sheets to pillows, bath towels to storage solutions and much more, this 24-piece Pak has it all.  

Choose from dozens of color and pattern combinations. You can put your personal stamp on dorm room essentials, and shop with confidence: Everything’s guaranteed to fit. Free Shipping and the items are Guaranteed ‘Til Graduation Find this product and others like it in your style at www.ocm.com

This post was sponsored by OCM College Life and Statusphere #OCMCollegeLife #OCMDormGoals #FindYourStyle #Gifted #JoinStagus