When Jesus Gets in the Game
Meet the beautiful Maria Ibanhes.
She is 24 from Campo Grande, Brazil. She is a powerhouse, lover of Jesus and others, and has a simple, but powerful message for you below.
Enjoy the beauty of this collaboration.
The habit of talking to God changes the way we talk to people.
For the longest time I was a rude person, but now, I am known for my kindness…how is that possible? How can RUDENESS be changed into KINDNESS? How can DARKNESS suddenly be switched to LIGHT? How do we make it happen? How much strength must we apply to change what we don’t like about ourselves?
For me, personally, it’s impossible to talk about CHANGING INTO A BETTER PERSON without taking into consideration a man named Jesus.
I used to have an invisible hole in my heart. It was invisible but it was real and it hurt! Nothing could fill that hole until the moment this man “got in the game”.
Let me tell you something: God seriously knew what He was doing when He created you. No mess of yours is a surprise to Him. No imperfection of yours will EVER scare Him. He has always known your faults, your flaws, your limitations, your personality, and your fears. They never made Him love you any less.
The day I understood this was the day I felt an immediate relief in my heart.
In Him I found the freedom to simply be: ME.
We should understand that the environment we were raised in with the family who raised us does not define who we are or control the behaviors we possess. For example: If your grandma had a negative behavior and that behavior was passed on to your mom, it does not mean you have to carry it too. Don’t be afraid of the rudeness, betrayal, coldness, and explosive behaviors that run in your family. The Author of your life gave His life on the cross and paid a huge price so that we could live different stories. The behavior does not define us, He does.
2017 years ago Jesus positioned Himself on the frontline of a battle He won so that today you and I can overcome anything and everything that presents itself as a limitation! Brilliant changes will happen from the inside out the moment you comprehend that someone loves you first.
I mean this!
There is a Brazilian worship song called Só Quero Ver Você by Laura Souguellis that says, “When I contemplate You I see something different in me!” Oh! How I love this! It’s impossible to approach Him and not be impacted by who He is. It’s like being exposed to the sun without sunscreen, it’s going to leave a mark and sooner or later you will feel the effects of it!
Even when stones are thrown at me, I will continue to plant flowers out there.
Jesus took with Him to Calvary everything that was meant to stop us today! We just need to bring that understanding to the forefront of our minds and renew it daily.
This is a process, but the potential is being developed. The Author of potential never gives up on what He created and we shouldn’t either!
I’ll prove this to you.
Philippians 1:6:
“Being confident of this, that He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.”
I would like to ask you to let Him change you. I don’t know if you have ever realized it, but nothing will happen through your own strength! The more you try to use your own strength the more you will feel like you are running after the wind, which will leave you feeling empty and with a deep sense of non-satisfaction.
Paul was once known for killing Christians, I was once known for being rude, as thousands of people are and were known for their bad habits…until that very moment, Jesus got in the game! He turned the tables and He surely will continue to turn things from down to UP.
Inconstancy is evidence of lack of identity. Let Him give you your identity! God creates things out of nothing. Why wouldn’t He know what to do with you?
Accept the fact that the Author of love…loves you first!
For more from Maria follow her on Instagram: @nandaibanhes
