Author: Mihaela Echols

As we are on this crazy journey of life together we see how God has been faithful to us. I write on our family journey through parenthood and adoption.

Your Cup Of Tea

Mihaela Echols5 Comments

I want to be able to pull this cut off.

    I love tea and do not settle.

    Ladies get your cup of tea and reminisce with me.

    Remember being thirteen making that special list of characteristics you wanted from your future prince charming? Maybe you hid the list or only shared it with your best friends because it was TOP SECRET. This list was pieces of your heart that may still remain true to you today. Every girl has a list whether it be on paper or hidden in her heart.

    There is something sweet and real about a young girl making that special list, if the world hasn’t intoxicated her life yet. There is still an innocence to her and an honesty that most of us lose because we have let the world win with its lies.  Go back up to my question. Do you remember your list?  Sip your tea. Reminisce with me. Now here are the tough questions. Have you lived by that list where your heart may of been the most innocent, and real, or have you settled?

    Sip your tea.

    Is it your favorite kind? Would you wish for another flavor?

    Do you see where I’m am going with this?

    You know what you like. You know you wouldn’t ask for a different kind, you won’t settle.

    Sip.

    Sit.

    Think.

    I am twenty-four years old now and search in my heart for my list. I will not settle. I once told my dad “I would rather die alone then settle.” Imagine with me a girl trying a new flavor of tea knowing she will not like it, but justifies her own choice. She tries it and makes the ick face, pulling it away fast she spills. Maybe the tea is too hot and burns her or it is in fact the flavor? She might try it again being in denial but then soon dumps it out.

Settling for the wrong man is like this cup of tea.

    You and I both know too many women who have tried different tea flavors because the other was “out of stock” or “not in season”. Next thing we know we are grabbing tissues for our friends or for ourselves because the tea has been spilled. What a mess! Settling for the wrong man is like this cup of tea.

     Look at your tea or empty cup. Did you settle? No.

   Look at your past relationships if any. Reminisce with me. The thirteen year old girl is still inside us yearning for that list.

https://hylachamberlain.wordpress.com/2014/12/12/the-gentlemen/

https://hylachamberlain.wordpress.com/2015/08/27/true-love-waits-and-waits-and-waits/

What Drives You?

Mihaela Echols31 Comments

    What drives you?

    Why do you wake up every morning?

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   Session #1

    Ok readers here we go! As I’m reading the book Purpose Driven Life by: Rick Warren I came across the questions: What drives you? Would your family or friends say drives you? What would you like their answers to be? (paraphrased at the end of chapter 3)

    I’ve decided to amplify this workshop and invite you to join me on this journey of digging in deeper. Some of you were txted and some messaged on facebook asking you what you would say drives me. I’d like to thank all who responded and for your participation, without it this exercise wouldn’t work. 

    As I already said, I txted about half of my contacts, some family members, some friends who see me through out the week, and friends who are still out of state, giving me a variety. 

    Is Christ evident in my life? The question and fear of different responses haunted me. If Christ isn’t evident in my life then I am not living out my purpose. What is purpose? The God in our life. The thing that we allow to drive, control, and live our lives for. As I was txting my first contact I wanted to hit “delete” but instead hit “sent”. 

Fear has the power to paralyze

-Rachel Lewis

I was terrified! 

Here were some of my responses: 

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  This terrifying heart check became a huge encouragement to me. I am excited to press forward in my purpose, Christ, and making him more evident in my life. I am only on the third chapter of this book and would love for you to join me on this journey. 

How to join:

  • Watch for post on My Readers page
  • Respond if you’d like to my open questions
  • Do the exercises on your own time
  • Journal it!

Blood Doesn’t Mean Everything

Mihaela Echols5 Comments

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Having a conversation with a fellow adoptee they told me they do not feel close to their parents. To help you understand they are referring to their adoptive parents. So I asked this; how is it you still call them as often as you do and our friends who lived with their birth parents have terrible relationships?

    Blood bonds are deep and I do desire it some day with my child, but I don’t believe it is what makes the relationship. There’s so much more! I am adopted and I still call my parents once a week just to hear them. They seek all of their children, because they are their own. Blood isn’t our bond. I am bonded to them because they chose to normalize our relationship. We are there’s and they committed their lives to us as parents do. 

Just One Drink

Mihaela Echols2 Comments

    I was twenty-one when I started and twenty-one when I quit. I started out of curiosity and ended once I let the guilt sink in deeper than the drink itself. Unfortunately it took me a few shots and drinks in my life to quit.  Every time I would test taste the thought of my siblings lives who have suffered from it would dance in my head. There is a reason why so many children are in foster care, why people have broken pasts, and why Fetal Alcohol Syndrome exists. Four out of eleven of my siblings suffer from Fetal Alcohol because their birth mom’s said “just one drink” once upon a time.

    Lives are taken because of just one drink. Hearts are scarred because someone wanted to have just one. This is why I flee. Just one turns into “what happened last night?” Readers hear the heart of the broken people around you if your wanting to shut me out. I was twenty-one when I started and twenty-one when I quit for the broken children.

https://hylachamberlain.wordpress.com/2012/10/13/drink-my-dear/

I Will Always Love My Ex

Mihaela Echols27 Comments

*****For those who have gone through heart break*****

    This isn’t the I’ll never let go of my ex love. No, this is sacrificial love. Giving up my desires good or bad for his well being.

    “I will always love my ex” some of you are probably are thinking
Mihaela has officially gone off the deep end.

    Yes, we broke up, yes, it was an unhealthy relationship (The Scariest Road, TheTestimony Guitar) and yes, I had to refind my identity in Christ again.
Through being restored in Christ I have learned how to love him in the best way. Letting him go was the best thing I could do for both of us. I was pulling him away from Christ due to the poison aloud in the relationship.

    As God was forming my heart and still is, many of my writings were formed over the Summer. I was also staying in contact with a friend who had recently gone through a similar situation, through it we would keep each other posted on the new things God was teaching us and how he was working on restoring our hearts.

Friend :Are you doing ok, still working on healing?

Me: oh yeah! man I’ve gotten really funny since ****** like I’ve been quick and witty and I keep singing all the time. My healing process has been slow as it should be but i have become more confident in where my identity is now that I am putting in Christ

(Her Identity)

I would be remembering a lived nightmare every time I woke up in the
morning for months on end. I had to grieve.

Friend: Do you…have a hard time letting parts of your relationship go?
Do you still struggle with hurt, anger, guilt?
Does it occupy your mind way more than you thought it would?

Me: I know that ******will always be apart of me but he doesn’t consume my mind anymore.
He did a lot for a while. after the past few months id do good then be haunted again. but hitting
my 6months and looking back God has gotten me soooooo incredibly far. That still doesn’t mean
the hauntings will just disappear no! But now I can say shoot I’m not that girl anymore.
She is dead and alive in Christ. You see 6 months and 2 days ago i decided to come back to the heart of worship.
breaking my own heart because I realized I was breaking Gods.

My heart started to feel victory in Christ remembering that I do not have to
let memories anchor my daily life and my future. Memories are a thing
in the past.

Me: I feel strong when I’m around him. Like he cant hurt me because i wont let him. God has definitely dried this girls tears from him, and I’m sure there are more to come. But I know God will dry those up too. I’m not dating for a while. I don’t want to just take a guy cuz hes there so I’m giving myself time. Plus God and I are on a role! I’ve been praying a lot more, diving into ministry, and staying in the word.

    Readers I share this because I know what its like to live in sin (scariest road) and not want to face the ugly girl in the mirror. I know what it’s like to know Gods grace is not deserved.

    “Maybe you cant forgive yourself but he cross is enough.” – friend

    God had forgiven me. I had to learn to forgive my ex.

Romans 6:11 “In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus.”

    God loves me. I had to love my ex.

John 13:34 “A new command I give you: Love one another.
As I have loved you, so you must love one another.”

    Through prayer, staying in the word God will wipe away
our grieving tears into tears of joy.

    Nothing is too big for God. He is holding you.

https://hylachamberlain.wordpress.com/2014/03/21/the-scariest-road/

https://hylachamberlain.wordpress.com/2015/01/11/the-testimony-guitar/

https://hylachamberlain.wordpress.com/2014/04/25/goodwill-boys/

The Testimony Guitar

Mihaela Echols2 Comments
imagejpeg_2 (3)
imagejpeg_2 (1) new guitar

      

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    The idea of learning how to play guitar was always on the back of my mind, but I never started until I was 23. Until I had time and money. Did I say money? Who has money at 23? This is why I teach myself. What inspired me to actually buckle down and learn guitar was the ending of an unhealthy relationship. I was learning how to cope from the unhealthiness and the break up itself. Since in the relationship the lucky guy and I were talking about getting married the guitar is covered in flowers, wedding things, lace, and Bible verses that have helped me through hard times through out my life. The yellow rose on the neck of the guitar is my favorite flower. My hope is that people do ask about the verses and pictures so I can share pieces of my testimony and let God do the rest.

     Here are a few of the verses:

    John 14:18 is my life verse referring to the writing,
The Hardest Story to tell.

    1 Kings 18 is my favorite Bible story which is also referred in a
previous writing, Fire.

    Philippians 3:12-14 this verse reminds
us to not let the past dim the light of our testimony. The Scariest
Road, and the Christian Crutches
writings opens the minds of readers into the meaning of my guitar.

    2 Corinthians 4:16-18 is a verse close to Philippians 3 reminding
us what truly is important and who should be our main focus: Christ.

    1 Peter 1:8 is where I have learned to put not only my joy but also my identity in this truth this verse holds.

https://hylachamberlain.wordpress.com/2014/03/21/the-scariest-road/

Project Hope: What Is It?

Mihaela Echols3 Comments

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     Project Hope is a ministry reaching out to both men and women in jail, the juvenile center, and hopefully someday prison in Kitsap County, Washington. Project Hopes mission is to show God’s love to everyone there.

No one is too far for God.

    1 John 4:15-21 “If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in them and they in God.  And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them. This is how love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment: In this world we are like Jesus.  There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love. We love because he first loved us.  Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen,cannot love God, whom they have not seen. And he has given us this command: Anyone who loves God must also love their brother and sister.”

    These people may seem unlovable but Christ died for us all.

No one is too far for God.

    Romans 5:6-8 “You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die.  But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”

    Christians, remember we were once sinners too and now alive in Christ. Why then should we rob others from this hopeful truth?

    2 Corinthians 5:17 “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!”

https://hylachamberlain.wordpress.com/2014/10/03/just-an-idea/

 

The Gentlemen

Mihaela Echols20 Comments

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He initiates, I run. 

He waits, I waver. 

He waits, I play.

He waits, I take a step back. 

He waits, I play.

He waits. 

Will this too much playing make him leave me for sure?

He steps back. Sparks fly.

He waits. Has he given up or is he a gentlemen who knows he’s in love?

    I’m starting a new ministry! I just cant seem to get enough of it. It’s called in a relationship with Peter Echols. So sorry, but it will be only the three of us. Did I say three? Yes, I was not mistaken. Three of us: God and then us. What I’m looking forward to most about this new ministry is learning how to treat him with respect and all the other ministry projects we will be helping with. If you have read The Scariest Road and Goodwill boys you will see why I emphasize treating him with respect. God has brought both of us so far already in singleness and we both have agreed to respect each other and encourage each other in our walks with Christ. 

    The writing above in red is about us these past months. I was unsure, and afraid, but now that we have entered this next step I am thrilled to see where we will be in these next few months. 

https://hylachamberlain.wordpress.com/2015/06/29/four-powerful-words/

https://hylachamberlain.wordpress.com/2015/05/10/going-to-the-chapel/

https://hylachamberlain.wordpress.com/2015/09/01/our-dream-wedding/

The Worshiping Mom

Mihaela Echols31 Comments

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                                      1 Corinthians 10:31

So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all  for the glory of God.

The house is a tornado. Her children run around wild and free. The sound of glass breaking rings in her ears. 

She is in tune with Christ.

She remains calm, or laughs to herself when she sees how they’ve tried to feed the dog again with its overflowing dog bowl. 

She is not lazy. No. 

She just knows who is in control.

Paint is spilled, by her little one.

She is reminded by the great creator.

As her child comes in screaming, because he has yet another wound to show her. 

She recalls how God hears our cries.

Others may frown at this women, but pause and see why she lets go and lets God.

See why her house is chaotic and her children run free. 

Pause.

See how she is in tune with God.

https://hylachamberlain.wordpress.com/2013/01/19/end-this-guilt/

All The Single Ladies Put Your Praise Hands Up!

Mihaela Echols63 Comments

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Tick Tock, time is ticking.

    I was  inspired to write this when I was told the clock is ticking for me to find a husband. Here’s my response;  you are most certainly right! The clock is ticking and that is why I am so big on evangelism. You see Christ is having me be single now and I am embracing this season. Why? Because here and now I can be most effective for Him. Here and now I am on my own adventure with Christ and am eager to see what He has in store for me. Too many people sit and wait for someone great to come around to start living. My question to them is: why would I wait for something great when that something great has already come? My prince charming is here and is blazing fire in my soul.

                                                      1 Corinthians 7:25-38

    Paul states it is better to be single, because there is more room for evangelism, but it is not wrong to marry because that too honors God. 

     Single ladies, there is nothing wrong with singing the song “Some Day My Prince Will Come”, believing that there is an amazing man of God out there for you, or having a desire to be rescued. But we are always let down when we live for a prince who may never come, putting ourselves in situations where we may need to be rescued, because we are placing our identity in the world.

    Single ladies, it’s time we put our praise hands up! Embrace all the seasons. Even if singleness feels like winter when we have no one to cuddle with. We can come to Him. He knows our desires and our hearts.

Prince charming fought the good fight for our very souls.

                                                              Psalm 37:4

    I do have a desire to marry and serve God in our marriage, but maybe God has something different for me. To some of you this sounds like a nightmare. The hard questions might be being asked like: God would allow that? and doesn’t the verse above just say God will give me the desires of my heart? Yes, yes,  He will. God desires us to desire Him.

                                               Philippians 3:10-Knowing God

                                                Mark 15:17-His crown for us. 

    Single ladies, are you hearing what I am saying? Prince charming fought the good fight for our very souls. He slayed the dragon and wants to take us to his castle , tell us we are His captivating princess’s warriors.  How is this not enough?

                                                  John 14:1-7-our castle

                                           Ephesians 5:12-Princess warriors

                                              1 Peter 1:8-9-He is our joy

***Notice I did not put down the whole verses. We’re single. We have time to look them up***

Oct.29.2014

https://hylachamberlain.wordpress.com/2013/11/09/i-wear-this-ring/

https://hylachamberlain.wordpress.com/2015/08/27/true-love-waits-and-waits-and-waits/

https://hylachamberlain.wordpress.com/2014/07/25/what-if-i-dont-marry/

 

https://www.bloglovin.com/people/hylaechols-17002353