Stop apologizing for being your big, beautiful & bubbly self! Stop it dear! Seek to only please the one who paid it all for you, Jesus.

Here’s the thing, no one can ever judge your joy or your praise. Most don’t know what it cost you to smile the way you do. Most don’t know what you had to walk through for your breakthrough. Most don’t know what storms you had to dance in. Most don’t know why you praise God the way you do. Most don’t know all that He’s brought you through and most don’t understand how the joy of the Lord has been your strength. Most don’t know your full story the way they think they do, and simply put, most don’t even really know you.

Your joy is beautiful; a beautiful fruit of the spirit that comes with a cost! Never tone it down for anyone! God never called us to dim His light, but He does call us to be sensitive to His Holy Spirit. Be sensitive and obedient. I think about Jesus on the way to the cross; I’m sure He was not smiling or jumping with excitement to go, yet His word says “For the joy set before Him, He endured the cross”. It is the Joy before us that gives us the strength to endure the challenges of this life. I have witness in one of my toughest season of low how God’s joy radiated even in my sorrow, grief, brokenness, and unbearable tears. I don’t know how God did it, but He is a faithful God and even uses our low, to lift His name high. It’s powerful! What didn’t feel like a season of joy, was indeed one, it just “looks” different.

Joy is not always an outward expression, most times it’s an inward grace! God is faithful and His joy is truly our strength! His joy is a grace to be embraced!

You are not “over the top”. Whoever spoke that over you had no idea that they were projecting and speaking a lie over you. You don’t have to receive that or come into agreement with that. You are exactly where God wants you.

Dear bubbly beloved,

RAISE A HALLELUJAH! Know that God knows and understand you! He made you just the way you are because you display a part of Him that some withhold. Don’t hold back. Give His joy away! It’s a gift! A beautiful one at that! Shine His light bright. Don’t dim it or downplay it. You are beautiful dear. God loves you and His Joy in you loves shinning through! Be free!

“Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it”. -Proverbs 4:23💛

-your fellow bubbly beloved, Amy

Group hug!

This is easily one of the most beautiful areas that catch my eye in the morning. Right in front of our bed is this beautiful art piece. More beautiful than the piece it’s self are the words of this song, not only imprinted on this piece, but also the very pieces of my heart. Somehow, even with all of my missed high notes that I can never seem to reach, I’m convinced that these sweet praises reach the heavens where our Lord is seated on His throne on high! Sing it this morning as you awake with a new and fresh revelation of the Love and faithfulness of our Heavenly Father! Oh, How great He is!

How Great Thou Art (by Stuart Hines)

Oh Lord, my God
When I, in awesome wonder
Consider all the worlds Thy hands have made
I see the stars, I hear the rolling thunder
Thy power throughout the universe displayed

Then sings my soul, my Savior God to Thee
How great Thou art, how great Thou art
Then sings my soul, my Savior God to Thee
How great Thou art, how great Thou art

And when I think that God, His Son not sparing
Sent Him to die, I scarce can take it in
That on the cross, my burden gladly bearing
He bled and died to take away my sin

Then sings my soul, my Savior God to Thee
How great Thou art, how great Thou art
Then sings my soul, my Savior God to Thee
How great Thou art, how great Thou art

When Christ shall come, with shout of acclamation
And take me home, what joy shall fill my heart
Then I shall bow, in humble adoration
And then proclaim, my God, how great Thou art

Then sings my soul, my Savior God to Thee
How great Thou art, how great Thou art
Then sings my soul, my Savior God to Thee
How great Thou art, how great Thou art
How great Thou art, how great Thou art

Read the word! Pray the word! Believe the word!

This is truth! You are because Christ is!

Be loved abundantly,

-Amy

What if we saw our “problems” as “plot twists”?

A few months ago I got an opportunity to do an article interview for “Bold Journey Magazine” about taking risk and navigating my weaknesses.
It is finally published online!

I am so humbled and honored to see how God continues to use my story and journey as an encouragement and hope for others. This is the 4th article in the past 2 years, years that have been marked by resilience and redemption. Wow Lord!

ABBA, be glorified!

Enjoy learning a little more about my “bold journey” and the source of my strength. #JustJesus 🌻💛

Link below:

https://boldjourney.com/meet-amy-akabue-isom/

-Amy

Someone reading this needs to know that what you perceived as rejection was actually God’s protection and provision. His vision for you is much better than yours! Embrace it! God is for you so who cares who is against you. You had nothing to do with how you were created. You had nothing to do with the process of your personality. You were not there when God knit you inside of your mother’s womb. You had no say in how you’d turnout. You are God’s masterpiece. Who cares who doesn’t think your piece of art is beautiful, valuable or worth looking at. God was the creator of it so therefore it is a wonderful and priceless masterpiece! Can you say, “Woooooow”!!!! Rest in the truth that you are enough. God loves you. God accepts all of you.

You are a designer original straight from God’s hands! No one else is like you. Do you hear me??? No one on the face of the Earth is like you. Wooooow. So why are you trying to conform to people’s standards of who they think you should be? Did they create you? No! God loves you and beloved that is more than enough!

Say this out loud

“I will no longer apologize for who I am. I am who I am by the grace of God. I will apologize when I am not being loving or when I sin against someone, but I will never apologize for who I am. I didn’t make me”.

When people have a problem with you for no reason, that’s God’s business not yours. He is the creator. Stop apologizing for who you are in Him. Stop defending yourself; you are no longer you’re own. You were bought with a high price.. the blood of Jesus! Stop crying over their rejection of you. Wipe those tears off of your tender cheeks. Don’t you dare lose any more sleep over what they think about you. Rest in Him beloved. You look like Jesus. You are not of this world. Receive that and walk in His identity! It’s breathtakingly beautiful! Embrace Jesus! Learn His view of you and learn to love you as He so deeply loves you!

Again… Rejection is God’s protection! Lean in and embrace it!

Psalm 139:1-16
John 1:1-5
John 5:30-32
John 5:19-20
Ephesians 2:10
Ephesians 5:1-2

Be loved!

-Amy

May our life of faith in Christ be a lethal weapon against the enemy.

“Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.”
‭‭Ephesians‬ ‭6:10-18NIV‬‬🤍

Lord, help us to never cheapen Your beautiful gift.

-Amy

This statement is so simple yet profound for me as I began to allow God to strip off another layer that once held me back from fully and freely doing that which He called me to do for His glory.

Receive fully from your Heavenly Father! His faithfulness and favor is for you too. He isn’t partial and you my dear are part of His plan. He has no favorites and yet He favors those who love Him. Go forth fearlessly favored by Abba Father

“Then Peter replied, “I see very clearly that God shows no favoritism. In every nation he accepts those who fear him and do what is right. This is the message of Good News for the people of Israel—that there is peace with God through Jesus Christ, who is Lord of all.”
‭‭Acts ‭10:34-36‬ ‭

“For the LORD God is a sun and shield; the LORD bestows favor and honor; no good thing does he withhold from those whose walk is blameless”. -Psalm 84:11

“May the favor of the Lord our God rest on us; establish the work of our hands for us— yes, establish the work of our hands.” -Psalm 90:17

-Amy

There was a time when I just couldn’t accept or understand why “Good Friday” could be considered “good”. I’m mean, the only way to wrap our minds around what often makes no logical sense, is through the radical lens of Love (John 3:16).

What was so “good” about enduring such a brutal and demoralizing death for a people who cursed and killed you? What was so “good” about nail pieced hands and a crown of thorns pieced head? What was so “good” about mocking, spitting, flogging, and taking a beaten so badly that the body spilled out water and blood making Him unrecognizable. What was so “good” about trying to lift up His beaten body to breath, only to not be able to hold His soon to be dead weight, thus falling further into the pits of pain from the nails that were barely holding His failing flesh?

What was so “good”?

On that day, Christ finished and fulfilled the work God sent Him to do! Our sins were paid for in FULL and death could no longer have the final say. Our destiny was changed for all eternity for those who believe!!! The good news of Christ was awaiting its birthed as Jesus waited for the appointment time He would raise from the grave. And 3 days later, as it was already written, He did what He had always claimed He would do! He rose! He rose about the hatred. He rose above the accusations. He rose about the pain. And because He died, was buried and rose, it is finished! It is fulfilled!

So what makes “Good Friday” so good, oh my… EVERYTHING! His story changed our history forever!!!!! Ahhhhh, Thank You Lord! (Read John 19 -20)!

-Amy