My Website

I hope everyone is doing ok. 🙂 I know I haven’t been on much. I have been taking on other endeavors. I created my own website which features original poetry, a short story, and some sermons that I did. I hope this will inspire and if you are interested, I invite you to check it out here: https://www.carlyswritingsandteachings.com/. Also, I’m accepting donations to help support my friend Stephanie, who is undergoing breast cancer treatments. If you like to find out more, click here: https://www.carlyswritingsandteachings.com/donate. All the donations will go towards her treatments. You can donate through PayPal.

Sincerely,

Carly

Light is Around Me

Autumn lights

Light is around me
Darkness, don’t drown me
Don’t keep your lamp hidden
Even if your soul is bed ridden

There’s a chance for new discovery
Give your inner man a new way to see
Wash away the bad nightmares of yore
And shine that light again forevermore

Broken Universe

36F3BC84-CE19-4976-A3D8-6AF6CA641A44

Father, I need your glory

I am in a broken universe

Amidst an evil force

It wants us to feel unloved

May we walk with people

In their despair

Instead of giving them crutches

For their headache

And saying I love you bunches

We are scared of others brokenness

Because it reminds us of ours

Do you have compassion for the one under bars?

Truth sets us free like owning our ache

You’re the final piece to someone’s heart break

Heaven is Still Unwritten

9B3EE62A-2573-4DD2-8822-B6A6BAB276D7

Heaven… still unwritten

Beauty beyond description

Angels… singing praises

Catching the Father’s gaze

Forever, forever, forever

I truly cannot wait

Now I surrender, surrender

Dreams… coming alive

No reason to strive

Crystal sea.. take a drink

It’s closer than you think

Forever, forever, forever

I truly cannot wait

Now I surrender, surrender

Sin… no more

A hope you are looking for

Seeing Jesus… face to face

Removing all earthly disgrace

Forever, forever, forever

I truly cannot wait

Now I surrender, surrender

Endless life…with no end

Eons of a timeless Friend

Friendships… Never ceases

As eternal love increases

Mother Nature Musing

Snow Vt yay edits

As I stroll over to the orchard bench, I notice sunlight setting on a hill nearby. It creates a shadow with a red rue. It’s a subtle beauty. It briefly reminds me to forget all my recent unfortunate occurrences. The cascading shadow is a promise taking shape — lights, and shadows are blending in harmony. As humans, we get stuck on the little things that no longer serve us. The times we get stuck in traffic, deadlines we have to make, being sick and receiving an unfortunate prognosis, we forgot to look inward instead of outward. The external beauty of nature reminds me to look internally. Nature is like medicine to let go of past regret and shame to see life as it truly is.

We may be late to work because of traffic but if we always try our best to be on time, does it really matter in the scheme of things? If our boss doesn’t understand that it was because of traffic, then don’t take it personally, but look at that hill in the orchard with that cascading shadow and life will make more sense. We are the neurotic ones living with Mother Nature, who sustains more balance and flexibility than we give it credit.

I can struggle with inflexibility to changes to my routine. I like change if it’s an exciting change that I have been through before. But unexpected and dubious change is the worst. One time, I flew and there was a two-hour layover to my connecting flight. After two hours we were told we had to change planes so there was another hour delay. Flying, waiting, and getting home late isn’t something I enjoy. Like anyone, I just want to get there. I am just more anxious about the delays than someone who is more chill with the unknown.

However, nature changes seasons without a second thought. From fall to winter to spring to summer. It doesn’t willfully decide to say fall is almost over; we aren’t going to change to winter and cover the ground with snow. No, the temperatures drop, and the rain turns to snow. It is a beautiful event to witness — nature at its best.

The ground encloses with sheets of snow, purifying and, however, dissonant to those who stand in its way. Mother Nature only plays one game, and that is the game of “keep up with me.” But if you play her game, you’ll be surely blessed. We have seen what happens when we don’t play along. I believe God and Mother Nature go hand in hand.

But Mother Nature and humanity will be restored to its original intention and beauty (even though it is still beautiful) when God creates a new Earth. For the Bible says in Romans 8:18-21, “I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us. For the creation waits in eager expectation for the children of God to be revealed. For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the freedom and glory of the children of God” (NIV).

The Children Look Into Infinity

kids on a roof

The hands clasped

What haven’t you grasped?

Today, if you hear His voice

Do not hardened your hearts

With your cap in hand

Where does your mind stand?

Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence

So the Holy Spirit can take up residence

I jump rope with a small rope as adult

And I do the hurdle jump with sandals

It’s like riding a bike without handles

It’s time to put my fears behind me

But I am scared of the unknown that goes into infinity

I got still have my braces

And I won’t have room for dentures

Because the inner child left behind her adventures

As a child the more you try to be an adult

You’ll be one to a fault

Preschoolers play on those swings

And 2nd graders play the tether ball

Take your close curiosities to the distant mall

P.S. This poem features two lines from Hebrews 4. Lines 3, 4, and 7.

Praise God in the Good, Bad, and Ugly

BB39CB6C-1E37-408D-AF9F-1440BB883C95

Praise and worship God in all things. The good, the bad, and the ugly. Praise can change a situation and this posture moves the heart of God. Not every situation has a perfect solution. That’s ok. God is teaching you to rely on Him more. Give your burdens to Him today.

Why does God allow praise to change a situation quicker? You may ask. I hear you say: I pleaded with God in the middle of the night, read the Bible and even prayed in tongues and I heard nothing and my situation stayed the same. While I believe God responds to those selfless acts to Him, there is more the answer. He changes a situation quicker when we are more alignment with His wishes for your life. And praise is the quickest way from my experience in telling God, “I don’t know how this situation is going to turn out but I trust You in the midst of it.” Prayer can be that expression unto God but true praise is often voiced without worry, fear or doubt but complete submission to the loving Father’s will. And this enables to Holy Spirit to do His best work as our requests come before the throne room for Him to answer. When the Holy Spirit and God answers He wants you to know that the solution is for your best. And sometimes you have to “wrestle” with God for the best outcome. Jacob wrestled with God for answers but God overcame. (Genesis 32:22-30). God even changed Jacob’s name after this encounter to Israel which means, “May God prevail.”

So how do you get into that head and heart space of praise? Worship and prayer can be vessels into allowing the Holy Spirit to move your heart into praise. But my first advice is to praise God in the good, bad and ugly. Some situations look hopeless and ugly. You may have a health or financial crisis. Or a broken relationship with a friend or family member. Those are the places where you continue to come to God. I know it’s hard though.

You don’t have to have, “joyous mountaintop-praise” singing “Worthy is the Lamb” at the top of your lungs. Those are wonderful experiences to be felt before God. But if it’s an ugly situation: an unfair lawsuit, verbal or sexual assault or the death of a loved one, maybe singing at the top of your lungs it’s on your mind. Feel no shame for your grief and/or lack of high energy. We all have days like this. The enemy of your soul wants you to feel false guilt so your praise will be reduced. Don’t let him win!

My second advice is, “let it rip.” Don’t think too much. One time I struggled through a broken relationship early on in my walk with Christ. I was on the floor, crying, listening to “Beautiful Lord” by Leeland. The lyrics go, “I’m captured by this love I see/Beautiful Lord/Tender and holy/Your mercy brings me to my knees/It’s Your mercy that has made me free/Beautiful Lord.” I stayed in the moment and thought about how others have let me down but God never will. “His mercy has made me free.” I went to that dark place and gave it to God. That is praise, my friend. The good, bad, and ugly.

Let’s allow our pain to create joy and praise unto God. Here is some encouragement:
y and the sin that so easily holds us back.

“Let us look only to Jesus, the One who began our faith and who makes it perfect. He suffered death on the cross. But he accepted the shame as if it were nothing because of the joy that God put before him. And now he is sitting at the right side of God’s throne.” (Hebrews 12:2. NCV).

He finish the good work in us! Amen and “praise” God! 😀

How do you praise God? Any take away from this piece?

God is a Ghost

god is a ghost

The cobwebs, the crooked doors, and the darkened hallways
I forget to acknowledge myself in all my ways
I forget there is one constant in all of the universe
It still has to run its course
When I feel all alone
I forget there is a soul of mine I can call my own
Aliens, ghosts, and skeletons
But don’t you forget God is a ghost
He has come to give you what you need most
You should fear this ghost
He can mysteriously pop up in front of you during the day
Sometimes it appears he is unseen
But he knows what you need
He has come to reap and comfort
For he alone can heal our hurt
Don’t forget God’s a ghost
And he loves you very much
Don’t forget his mysterious power

The Ugly Side of Prophecy

prophecy

One time I received a prophecy that didn’t resonate with me. The Bible says in 1 Thessalonians 5:20-21, “Do not despise prophecies, but test everything; hold fast what is good.” While I believe in God’s word and true prophets speaking to God’s people at the same time, I also believe that prophecies should be tested and you should test whether there is truth in it. If it has qualities that “are true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable, then think on these things” (My paraphrase, Philippians 4:8. NLT).

Prophecy is to build up the church. While I believe prophets that give you words that aren’t from God they don’t always do it maliciously. As a person myself who tries to hear prophetically, everything I hear isn’t always from the Lord. It can be your own wisdom or sometimes, I believe, from the evil one himself. That is why you should test the spirits (1 John 4:1. ESV).

I have been hurt by the spirit of prophecy by the church as well as comforted. I have received concrete direction that was hard to hear but spoke to situations in my life. One time when I was told to spend more time with Papa God. I was shocked because I thought I was spending a lot of time with Him. But at the same, honored that He wanted to spend more time with me. I mattered that much to Him. And I must have been distracted at that time, looking back that I didn’t spend more time with God. This prophetic word allowed me to really shape a more real and deeper relationship with God.

But one time I received a prophetic word that struck my heart like an arrow. It felt like they twisted Scripture for their own advantage and it felt like it came from a judgmental place. It came from 1 Samuel 15:22 and it reads, “Obedience is better than sacrifice” (NLT). The pastors who gave me this word said it applies to obeying God prophetically. For instance, if God told me to go talk to this person and I didn’t, I wouldn’t be obeying God. Prophecy is a muscle that you develop. You live and learn if you are hearing from God or not. I don’t believe I am being disobedient if I think I am not hearing from God and decide not to talk to that person. Life is complex. I can’t be squeezed into a prophetic exercise.

Also prophecy is such a personal thing. It’s not an order or ritual. I should participate in it with a joyful heart unto God. I have always done that and now if I do what this prophecy words and “obey” all the time; it wouldn’t be smart and I would be like a Pharisee, under the law and not under grace.

I believe God works hand in hand with my growing ability to discern if I hear from Him or not. And He showed off His patience like He never had before. This experience with these misguided pastors taught me God has an elastic tolerance and unconditional love for me. And He is proud of me and appreciative of me faithfully serving Him for almost 25 years! 🙂

I hear the Lord whisper to me (and this can apply to you as well), “It’s not like 3 strikes and you are out. I am more patient than people give more credit for. I am love. While there are things I do not tolerant, I respect people’s free will. Sweet Carly, I am with you and I am not judging you for thinking for yourself.”

This confirmation brings a lot of warmth to me as I continue to write. Also I remind myself that “Obedience is better than sacrifice” is from the Old Testament. We still follow many things from the Old Testament like the Ten Commandments. But do we still do animal sacrifices (which was the Bible verse background my prophetic word) and have to be circumcised? We aren’t being disobedient if we don’t do animal sacrifices and have to be circumcised in order to follow God’s law now. This was pre-Jesus. We still shouldn’t have any gods before us and not covet another’s possessions but seriously, would we have put the blood of animals on our doors? They will not be consequences if we don’t do these things. So in a nutshell, when you hear things from the Old Testament, we should use discernment and the context clues to see how it applies to you today. Not everything will be applicable in the Old Testament for you today. So, “Obedience doesn’t replace sacrifice,” seems to be Old-Testament-not-under-grace-thinking, in my honest opinion. While there may be nuggets of wisdom one can receive from this Scripture the way it was presented to me by the pastors in reference to prophecy didn’t resonate with me. I my school of philosophy is if it doesn’t stick, let it go. 🙂

Sincerely,

~ Carly (My Ink Smears) ~

One Thousand Gifts

DE37DF67-3F9B-4C89-B1A9-0DC931BF0EBB

One Thousands Gifts by Ann Voskamp is a Christian biography about gratitude and overcoming pain. The author lost her sister when she was only a toddler. It tackles the age-old question, where is God when bad things happen? And her life experience throughout the book teach you some surprising revelations about God’s love.

Ann’s writing is really transparent and almost poetic at times. Sometimes she comes from a theological background and turns on “preacher-mode” but other than that, it’s still refreshing. At times she states opinions as facts. Her takes are insightful. I just wish she wrote it with a more honest and humble approach. But I feel her pain. I never went through her pain in life like she did at a very young age. I suffered a lot of anxiety in Elementary School for different reasons. Although the author’s path and mine are very different from one another, I feel like we connect together, Ann and I, through this book.

Here are some quotes from the book:

…”I enter the world like every person born enters the world: with clenched fists.” (Page 1).

“But from that Garden beginning, God has had a different purpose for us. His intent, since He bent low and breathed His life into the dust of our lungs, since He kissed us into being, has never been to slyly orchestrate our ruin.” (Page 17).

Here is a description in the back of the book:

gifts back book