From Buds To Blossoms

Visions In Your Heart

Nicole Hutchins — Mon, 22 Aug 2011 20:10:37 +0000

Has God put a specific dream in your heart?
I believe that God gives each of us very specific dreams, visions, and goals for our lives. He not only gives us the desires to make those dreams come true, but He also provides the resources. When we pray for God’s will to be done in our lives, instead of our own, He gladly makes the required resources and people fall into our paths. He shows us the way to reach the sky. When God is the author of your dreams, there are no limits. He will allow you to sore as far as your imagination can take you. The only thing we have to do is give Him control. When we constantly seek first His Kingdom, He adds in abundance the things we need and desire. When you feel that God isn’t answering your prayers for a particular dream, don’t give up praying. Instead, stop and consider whether or not it is His will for you that the dream come to pass. It may not be in His will, or it may not be the right time. Keep that vision in your mind and stay in prayer and ask God to help you find His will for you. Ask Him not to give you anything too soon or at all when it isn’t in His plans for you. He will make it clear in His perfect timing whether or not He will grant the desire of your heart, or if He has something else in mind. Don’t quit on one dream for another. God requires patience and when we allow Him to work in His timing, He perfects everything. All good things come from God our Father. God’s plans are always better than our own. He has more in store for us than we could ever imagine. God wants the best for us!

Reflect:
1. List some of your dreams and goals.
2. Which have come true? Which are you still waiting on?
3. Pray and ask God to show you what to do regarding the ones that haven’t yet come to pass.
4. Be specific in your prayers. Ask for specific direction. When you see His answer, be sure to thank Him, and record it.

Pray with me
Father God, thank you for the dreams you have placed in my heart. I pray that the ones that are from you would come true in your timing. Please give me the patience to wait on you and the wisdom to recognize when you speak to me regarding them. Please show me anything I need to do to make them come true. I thank you for perfecting everything you give to me Lord. I pray that you’d put new dreams in my heart and give me the passion and boldness to step out in faith to make them come to reality.
Amen

The Wait Is OVER!

Nicole Hutchins — Wed, 06 Jul 2011 19:11:41 +0000

Hello my loved reader,
The subject of this post says it all. The wait is over. My book is finally available for purchase. I hope you will get a copy for yourself and everyone you know. You will finally get to see the long journey the Lord and I have been on. You will be encouraged, inspired, and driven closer to the heart of our dear Savior. Prayerfully read the book and allow God to pull you into His arms for some much needed quality time with Himself!
The book can be purchased here:

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/buds-to-blossoms-nicole-hutchins/1104129856?ean=9780984636853&itm=1&usri=nicole%2bhutchins

If you do purchase a copy, be sure to leave feedback. I’d love to know what you think of the work the Lord has done in and through me. He is so faithful!

It’s Almost Time!

Nicole Hutchins — Fri, 24 Jun 2011 00:21:33 +0000

Yes, that’s right. It is almost time for my book to be released! The publishing process is done, the books have been sent to print, and very, very, soon, the books will be available to you my reader. I am so excited to be able to finally bring you this news. It has been such a long time for me, and I’m thankful the wait is finally over. I encourage you to purchase a copy of my book and share it with everyone you know. I will provide links here as soon as the book is released for you to purchase. In the mean time, please continue to pray for me and this project. I ask that you’d pray for God to use this book for His glory. The sole purpose of me writing this book was to encourage people and help them to deepen their bond with Jesus. If it helps even one person achieve this, then I have succeeded in my goal. I pray that you will prayerfully read the book, and examine your own relationship with Christ as you do. Be sure to leave feedback not only about the book, but about how it has helped or encouraged you in your walk with the Lord. I pray that as you read and continue to follow me here that the Lord would make you aware of His divine presence. I pray that you would find yourself walking in sync with Him as you are led through each entry. Allow yourself to experience every emotion you may find yourself feeling as you read each poem. It’s God’s way of connecting with you…embrace it. Listen to His whispers through the words of From Buds to Blossoms. And as always, thank you for your prayers.

Lord, What Now?

Nicole Hutchins — Tue, 17 May 2011 15:50:57 +0000

As of late our economy seems like it has been falling apart. It’s not just our economy though, our families, schools, relationships, and even our religion seems to be facing attack. So where is God while all this is going on you ask? He’s still on the throne. That’s right. God almighty is still sitting on His throne waiting for His people to recognize that they can’t do anything apart from Him. That includes our government, Mr. President, and your family. Nothing we do is possible without the help of our loving, patient, and forgiving heavenly Father. What will it take for us to finally realize and respond to this? Apparently, it takes our world to fall apart.
It is a sad thing when God’s people have chosen to suffer instead of repenting and submitting to the authority of God. I imagine He sits in heaven with a broken heart just begging for us to wake up and come back to Him. I can see God pleading with His people to turn from their wicked ways and fall back into the shelter of His protection. But why aren’t we listening?
I believe it is because we’re in a generation of rebellion. Now I’m no expert by any means, but what I have observed over past years is that people are choosing to live and work while giving God as little involvement as possible. We’re kicking Him out of schools so our children are almost set up for failure…especially when parents are failing to lay a Biblical foundation at home. How can our children grow up with Biblical values if we’re not aloud to share the Word of God with them in school? We lose our job and immediately we panic instead of turning to God who has our lives planned out. Remember, our God is able. He provides for His people, they shall never lack any good thing. When we make that choice to turn to the throne in prayer instead of the phone in panic, God will hear our cries and grant our heart’s desires. He knows what we need even before we ask. He faithfully takes care of the birds and flowers, so how much more will He take care of us? We are much more valuable than the birds and flowers, but can we remember this when we’re facing those storms? Many times, we seem to forget that promise from God’s Word.
I believe it’s time to give control back to the creator of the universe. It’s time to allow Him to have full access to every area of our lives, including social, work, and family. Once we submit to God’s will and Word, I know that we will begin to see positive changes. Our prayers will be heard and responded to. Our children will grow up knowing and respecting the Word of God. THey will regain the morals that once existed and they will learn values that will lead them to the truth. There is no better time than right now to come to the Lord in prayer asking for His mighty hand to move upon us. There is no better time than now for our nation to repent and ask God to move in our land. I know this may sound like a political rant, but it isn’t. It’s simply a plea that God has put on my heart. I believe it’s His will I share this with you in hopes that we can unite as one and reclaim our victory. When God is back in control and Satan is put back in his place where he belongs, then we will begin to see the blessings of the Lord falling on us.

Reflect:
1. What can you do to impact your community for Christ?
2. Will you begin to pray for our nation daily?
3. Pray specifically for the changes you’d like to see.
4. If you have school aged children, make sure they are learning Biblical truths daily. These truths will be so valuable to them as they grow up in today’s culture.

Pray with me:
Lord God, I know our nation has turned into a mess, but I know that you’re still on your throne. No matter how dark and fuzzy things get down here, you’re still the Father of light. You rule and your truth will be revealed regardless of how this country chooses to live. I pray for your hand to move down here. Let your people repent and let your blessings rain down on us. Give your faithful followers the strength we need to stand up for you and your Kingdom. Grant us the desire to make the difference you have called us to make. We can change this world for the good with your help. Thank you Jesus, that you are still and will always be in true control. Nothing can happen without your permission. Thank you for your power, might, patience, mercy, and most of all your forgiveness.
Amen

Pray Every Day

Nicole Hutchins — Thu, 05 May 2011 19:53:24 +0000

As you know (Or may not know), today is May fifth and is recognized as the national day of prayer. We as Americans are called to pray for our nation. We should be praying for our leaders, our military, our government and so on.
I fully support this day as do many Christians. But I have been thinking about this day on a deeper level. What do you think would happen if we chose to nationally pray every single day for the same things that we intently pray for on the given “National day of prayer”? Do you think it would have a major impact on our nation? I do. In fact, I’m convinced that if we prayed intentionally for our nation every day, God would bless and honor our requests. He would bring about a peace and unity to our country that maybe we have never known before. I am urging you today as a fellow Christian to take up the call that has been placed on us by Christ. Instead of devoting one national day of prayer, why not devote every day of your life to praying for our nation and leaders. Let’s start something and watch the Lord’s blessing fall upon our land. The Lord said in 2 Chronicles 7:14 that if His people would turn from their wicked ways and to Him in prayer that He would hear from them and heal their land. That sounds exactly like what we need, doesn’t it?

Reflect:
1. Do you pray every day for our nation and leaders?
2. If not, why?
3. Do you believe that your prayers could have a positive effect on our nation?
4. Begin today to pray specific prayers for our country. Pray for things that you’d like to see changed and improved.

Pray with me:
Lord God, thank you for this great country that I live in. I pray today for our nation. God we need you to restore us. Let your hand move on this land. Please bring unity and peace to America and every other country in the world. Let us begin to live devoted to you as one Holy race. Give us the desire to pray every day to you for the needs of this world. Thank you Jesus, that we can come boldly and confidently to your throne in prayer. Thank you that you hear us every time we pray. We love you, Lord.
Amen

Keep Praising Him

Nicole Hutchins — Sat, 30 Apr 2011 19:35:33 +0000

I will bless the Lord at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth. Psalm 34:1

This chapter of Psalms has been one of my very favorites. I have read and reread it time and time again. It seems that each time I read it, the Lord reveals something new to me. It’s a Psalm that speaks directly to my heart in so many ways.
Though I had read it many times, verse one always seemed to be overlooked. I knew what it said, I had seen it plenty of times. But had I ever really stopped to “Read” it? The answer was no.
You see, though I had read it, I had never pondered it. I believe that the Lord desires us to ponder, meditate on, and reflect on every verse we read. They are all in the Bible for a reason, obviously very important to God. So when I read this verse just the other day, God spoke a new word to my heart.
This verse says that I will bless the Lord at all times. Did you catch that? It doesn’t say when I feel good, or when I’m joyful, or when I have a reason to be thankful. It does mean that I should bless Him when I’m happy, when I’m feeling joyful, but also when I’m sick, feeling lost, sad, or uncomfortable. You see, blessing the Lord is a choice. It’s a choice that we have to make. Either we can choose to bless Him when we feel like it, or we can choose to bless Him at all times, for who He is.
God is amazing whether you have come to realize that yet or not. He loves us unconditionally and all of His affections are for us. Daily He chooses to pour out on us abundant grace and compassion. Why? Not because we deserve it, and not because He has to. He does it because He wants to, because He loves us, and because we are His.
The least we can do is praise and bless the Lord at all times.
I’m sure there were times in Jesus’ life when He didn’t feel like praising His Father, but He did it anyway. For example, He asked God in the garden before His arrest and death to remove the cup of suffering that He’d soon be facing if it was possible, but only if it was God’s will. Clearly, it was not the will of God, because He did not remove Jesus from the cross where He was crucified. Jesus came for that very reason, so it would be silly for God to take Him out of that situation.
It would also be silly for us as children of God not to praise Him. We don’t need a reason, for the reason was His death. Jesus came to die so that we may live. Isn’t that reason enough to choose to bless the Lord at all times?

Reflect:
1. Will you make a choice to bless the Lord at all times and continually keep His praise in your mouth?
2. Notice the uplifting of your spirit each time you do this. Remember, God will bless you for honoring Him.
3. Journal a song or poem of praise to God today.
4. Read Psalm 34. How does it speak to you personally?

Pray with me
Dear God, thank you for your Son. I pray that each day I will choose to praise and bless you. May your Word be on my heart. I pray that you’d help me to remember that praising you even when I don’t feel like it honors you. I want to honor you Jesus. Thank you for who you are. You are all I need.
Amen

Capture That Thought

Nicole Hutchins — Tue, 22 Mar 2011 15:06:55 +0000

In 2 Corinthians 10:5 Paul tells us that we are to take every thought captive. Have you ever stopped to wonder what exactly he meant by that? I have, on many occasions. Not only have I wondered what he meant, but I have wondered how he would have me do it. It’s verses like that when I wish Paul were in my home to explain to me exactly how to apply the verse to my daily life. Our minds are where it all begins. It’s there that the enemy first attacks us and if we’re not ready, he can take over. But it doesn’t have to be that way.
Since we have the mind of Christ (1 Corinthians 2:16) we have the ability to think on thoughts which are healthy and pleasing to God. We do not ever have to submit to the thoughts that the Devil throws into our minds. If you’re like me, there are thoughts that have been rolling around in your mind and you have never given them a second thought. You allowed them to come in and you never addressed them to decide whether or not they should be allowed to stay or if they should be evicted.
Today I want to show you how you can take inventory of your thoughts. I want you to know that you may not be able to choose which thoughts first come into your mind, but you certainly can choose which are allowed to stay.
Over time I have realized that I have certain thoughts which have just been existing in my mind. I never pay much attention to them, but I’m well aware that they are there. After much prayer regarding thoughts and strongholds, God finally revealed to me that it was time to take a “Thoughtful” inventory of what was going on in my head. He prompted me to take each thought that may have been causing anxiety or discomfort captive. Once I asked Him to help me determine which thoughts were which, He then helped me begin casting out wrong thinking. I still have quite a ways to go, but thanks be to God and His revelations to me, I am on the right track to getting my full mind back. I’m reclaiming the territory which was meant to be mine from the very beginning. I’m kicking Satan and his demons out and making them take their negativity with them. I’m casting them out into outer darkness where they belong. I’m inviting Jesus, His Word, the truth, and light to flood my mind. I’m checking each thought as it enters the door to my mind and if it’s decided that it’s a thought that contradicts my Lord’s Word, you can believe that it will be on it’s way right back out. I have Jesus standing guard at my mind’s entrance and He’s wheedling the sword of the spirit. Are you tired of thoughts that are just taking up space in your mind? Are you ready to take back peace and positivity? If you are, Jesus is ready to help you take the enemy and his negativity out. He’s ready to help you take control of your thoughts so that you can live in the peace which surpasses all understanding. That is the peace our Father meant for us to have when He died for us. Praise God that we have the mind of Christ and that we can claim victory over every thought today!

Reflect:
1. Begin by praying and asking the Lord to help you determine if you have any thoughts in your mind that shouldn’t be there.
2. If He reveals some to you, begin praying for His help to cast them out.
3. Speak out loud your intent to take back what is yours. Let Satan know that you’re through with letting him fill your mind with his junk.
4. Daily take an inventory of the thoughts you think. When you catch a bacd thought, quickly cast it out and refocus your mind on God’s Word.

Pray with me
Holy Father, thank you for giving me the mind of Christ. Thank you for allowing me to reclaim my mind today. I thank you Jesus for your Word. It speaks the truth and I know that any time I feel negativity begin to fill my mind I can always go back to your Word to help me regain focus. I pray Jesus that you would daily protect my mind. Place a hedge of fire around my mind. I pray that you would fill my mind with peace, truth, light, and yourself. Give me power and strength to cast out any thought that is displeasing to you.
Amen

An Important Book Update

Nicole Hutchins — Sat, 12 Mar 2011 19:26:38 +0000

Hello my dear reader,
If you have been tracking the progress of From Buds to Blossoms over the past two and a half years, you know it has been slow. I began the process of getting the book published back in 2007 and since then it has gone pretty much nowhere. Until now…
God has been working in the background to get this project moving even when I thought He had taken a permanent vacation. When I seemed to have lost hope in the publishing world, He reminded me time and time again that the words of the book were inspired by Him and that I had something to share. He nudged me forward and encouraged me through His Word and my friends/family not to give up. So I didn’t. Finally, I guess He figured He had taught me to be patient and it was time for my reward. (I know I sure thought it was time.) Over the past months I was prompted to get back into the search for a publisher. I began searching and finally came across one I thought looked promising. I looked deeper into the company and did my homework. I made contact and received the contract. That started the ball rolling, and it shows no signs of slowing down now. As of yesterday, I officially signed a contract to have From Buds to Blossoms published. Yes, finally! What does this mean you ask? It means that the project is coming together. The book will be put together, printed, and finally made available to you, my loved and faithful reader. I know some of you have been waiting as long as I have to see this come to pass, but God willing, it’s our time now. The Lord has been preparing me and my writing to be shared with the world, and that time is just about here.
So, after all that, I want to ask for your prayers as I move forward with this process. Pray for God to give me the wisdom to make right choices and for the humility that comes with such a project. Pray for any plans that the enemy may have to interrupt the process to be intercepted by the angels. I want to sincerely thank everyone who has been praying for me and this book over the past years. I truly appreciate you and your prayers. I am so excited to finally have this book in print!! Be sure to stay tuned for more updates such as when the book will be available and how you can get your copy. Again, thank you so much for your prayers. They are so valuable to me.

Nicole

Renewed

Nicole Hutchins — Thu, 10 Mar 2011 17:54:32 +0000

We are well into the not-so-new year now and it has been quite a while since I have written. My year has been extremely busy but with God’s blessing I have been able to remain peaceful and productive. This is entirely due to the fact that I have been spending a tremendous amount of time with my Lord and our bond has grown to be unbelievably strong. It is my prayer that your relationship with Christ has been strengthened as well. I know not all of us have begun this year on a positive note, but I want to offer you encouragement today.
If your year has started out fast paced and your relationship with Jesus has taken a back seat, it’s time for that to change. It’s time to be renewed. No matter how your daily schedule is, if you can begin the habit of waking up and spending the first minutes of your day with Jesus, I promise you that your day will become much less stressful and much more productive. Your schedule may remain busy, but your heart will be still and at peace. Who doesn’t want a peaceful quiet soul?
I have learned over a period of time of spending early mornings with God that my whole day is made better. My mood is much more graceful, my words are more meaningful, and my heart is more content. Though it certainly wasn’t on the top of my list to wake up earlier to spend time with Jesus, it has proven to be worth it. God is jealous for us. He wants our time and energy. So when we wake and make Him our first priority, He delights over us. He is eager to teach us and speak to us if we can manage to be still and sit at His feet. Even if it is just for a few minutes. God doesn’t ask for us to give up our whole day to sit and listen, He only calls us to give Him time enough to speak to our hearts. Would you give Him that honor today? Would you make it a new habit to wake up each morning and spend time with your Savior? Make that promise to God today and let tomorrow be the beginning of renewal in your life. It is still early in the year, so now is the perfect time for you to begin spending more time with Jesus.

Reflect:
1. Make a commitment to God to spend the first part of your day with Him.
2. Get a good devotional or just your Bible and read a passage each morning.
3. Journal what you hear God say to you. Remember these are thoughts just between you and Jesus.
4. End your time with prayer, then just sit and listen until you feel released by Him to continue your day.

Pray with me
Heavenly Father, thank you for your presence. Thank you for allowing me to come boldly and confidently to you each morning. I pray that you would help me to include spending quiet time with you each morning into my daily routine. Speak to me in unique ways every day through your Word. Guide my time with you Father. Show me where and what to read and then help me to be silent and listen for you to speak to me. I pray for the motivation to commit to this and a renewed strength from remaining faithful to doing it.
In your name I pray and praise you,
Amen

The Things God Has Done

Nicole Hutchins — Tue, 28 Dec 2010 22:13:28 +0000

It has been quite a while since I have been able to write and share with you what God has put on my heart. Now that the year is coming to a close, I would like you to reflect over your own life. What has God done this past year in your life? Where has He taken you? How have you grown? All these questions are important to consider as we enter into a new year. If you look back at this past year and see where the Father has worked in your life, you will be preparing yourself to grow even more in the upcoming year. Use the blocks God has placed in your life to build new levels and relationships. View each trial as an opportunity to improve, use each joyful moment to bring praise to the King, use each doubt as a chance to thank God for His control in your life. I pray that God has revealed himself to you this past year in endless new ways. Not only do I hope He revealed himself to you, but I hope that you paid enough attention to His still small voice to recognize the areas you may need improvement in your life.
For me, God has taken me on one incredible journey. He has brought me through tough times, given me much to rejoice over, and much to be thankful for. God has walked beside me every day in the dark and in the light. He has shown me new ways to see old situations and He has definitely made it clear that He is in control and I am not. Praise God for that! I’ve learned just how much work it takes for me to even try to be in control. Once I grew tired of trying to remain in control of my own life, I finally stopped, listened to the gentle voice of my Savior, and submitted to His will. I admit it wasn’t easy some days, but the rewards paid off in ways I never imagined. I learned to rest in His hands while storms raged around me, I learned to listen when He speaks, I learned to see victories as victories even when they may seem small and insignificant, and most of all I learned that if I place my trust in the rock of ages I truly have nothing to fear. God will and does lead me through everything I experience. He knows best, and I have grown desperate to follow His lead. I pray that no matter what you have been through in 2010 that your 2011 would be a new beginning. I pray that God has spoken to you and that you’d continue to listen to His calling. Give Him all control and watch Him take you to new places in your life. He waits to bring you joy and peace in this hopeless and sometimes frightening life we live. If you have had a tough year, let me encourage you to place all your cares on Him. Put your fears, doubts, worries, and problems into the hands of your creator. Give Him the chance to change you for the better. The new year is fast approaching and I pray that your relationship with your Savior would grow to new heights.

Pray with me
Dear Savior, thank you for 2010. Thank you for every trial I went through, every pain I felt, and every tear I cried. Thank you for every joyful day, every bit of laughter, every new experience, and every opportunity you presented me with to grow. I thank you for the bond you and I have formed. I am so grateful that you are with me every day. Help me to stay close to you as the new year begins. Give me courage, boldness, and the ability to stand up for you and your truth no matter what I encounter this year. Give me grace, patience, and love. Help my life to reflect that of your Son. Thank you Father for the love you continue to show me and for the forgiveness you share with me. I love you Lord and I look forward to beginning this new year with you as my guide, leader, and protector.
Amen