Category: godliness

The Heart of Giving According to 2 Corinthians 8
Advent · Christmas · church · discipline · faith · Generosity · gift · giving · God · godliness · hope · Hurricane Maria · kindness · Love · offering · Puerto Rico

The Heart of Giving According to 2 Corinthians 8

Ally VelsorLeave a comment

Our desire is to provide a bit of joy to the children in Puerto Rico through the giving of Christmas shoe boxes full of toys, school supplies and hygiene items.

Our goal is to provide enough boxes to distribute to a local orphanage as well as to some local low income communities with which Calvary Chapel Puerto Rico has a working relationship. However, the staff at Calvary Chapel Puerto Rico have said that every day they are meeting more and more families who have lost everything: home, furniture, clothes, etc.

when her name is Courage (an ode to a friend for mother’s day)
adoption · church · courage · faith · family · God · godliness · hope · humility · inspiration · leadership · legacy · Love · motherhood · Ode · redemption · Resilience · service · Sisterhood · Testimony · Waiting · wisdom · Worship

when her name is Courage (an ode to a friend for mother’s day)

Ally VelsorLeave a comment

I do know a friend whose name is actually Courage.

I thought she was kidding at first,

anyone would merely dream of displaying such formidable surname.

It was 2013 when I met her and became friends

as we served together in a restaurant at a church.

Simply Jesus: Bringing Simplicity & Godly Sincerity to a Complex World
church · faith · food · Friends Tv Show · God · godliness · hope · humility · Kelly Minter · politics · pride · Repentance · restaurant · Simply Jesus · women's rights

Simply Jesus: Bringing Simplicity & Godly Sincerity to a Complex World

Ally VelsorLeave a comment

For our boasting is this: the testimony of our conscience that we conducted ourselves in the world in simplicity and godly sincerity, not with fleshly wisdom but by the grace of God, and more abundantly toward you.

-2 Corinthians 1:12

Last time I read this verse, it made me sorrowful.

When We Don’t Feel Like Giving Thanks
contentment · faith · family · Friends Tv Show · God · godliness · inspiration · Looking For America · mom · Nostalgia · Resilience · Switchfoot · Thanksgiving · this is us · Where The Light Shines Through · wisdom

When We Don’t Feel Like Giving Thanks

Ally Velsor1 Comment

I feel like this year’s Thanksgiving Scrooge.

My husband lately has been bugging me to write. But I haven’t felt like it. I feel internally yucky. I feel like I shouldn’t share my internal yuckiness because I don’t want to be contagious or give anyone a reason to complain about their miserable lives. So I opted to abstain from writing… and letting you in on my misery.

Then the Lord reminds me of this verse in 1 Timothy because I’m pretty sure when Paul penned this to Timothy, his circumstances alone didn’t give him a reason to rejoice. But he did anyways. Despite the persecutions, the incarcerations, and the beatings, Paul somehow trusted God and all His promises.

As we prepare a marvelous Thanksgiving feast, my prayer for everyone is that we don’t miss these ingredients that will make our times memorable for a lifetime.

Looking For America: Our Purple Nation
God · godliness · hillary clinton · humility · leadership · legacy · Looking For America · Love · Patience · Politics · Presidential Elections · Switchfoot · Where The Light Shines Through · wisdom

Looking For America: Our Purple Nation

Ally Velsor1 Comment

You want love, love first. You want to be heard, listen up! You want to be respected, show respect. You want to win the war, learn to lose battles. You want freedom, fight fair. You want the right example for the next generation, it starts with you at home and in serving selflessly in our communities. You want empathy and compassion, be empathetic and compassionate towards your enemies. You want grace for yourself, be ready to give it.

You want forgiveness, forgive those who trespass you even when they are not apologetic for what they have done.

LEAD BY EXAMPLE in everything you do. Work harder than anyone without always expecting anything in return.

Our reward isn’t here, but in His Kingdom.

How to Travel Light in a Heavy World: Wisdom is Free
cancer · Cruise · faith · family · food · Forgiveness · God · godliness · Grief · mom · Ovarian Cancer · Switchfoot · Travel · vacation · Where The Light Shines Through · wisdom

How to Travel Light in a Heavy World: Wisdom is Free

Ally Velsor3 Comments

As a self-proclaimed foodie, one of my preferred ways to travel is on a large and luxurious cruise ship because we consume all of this “free food.” I mean, who doesn’t love a free frozen treat after a long day spent exploring the hot and humid Caribbean islands? Then there’s the hard-working crew who are often the friendliest and sweetest people you will ever meet. They will make you feel like royalty for every dinner, particularly on those nights we get to wear our formal attire.

be genuine.
911 memorial · faith · family · food · genuine · God · godliness · Luca Manfe · Masterchef · New York · service

be genuine.

Ally VelsorLeave a comment

I’m a big fan of Masterchef, a competition between America’s best home cooks! Last Wednesday, America learned who the new Masterchef is: an Italian and NYC restaurant manager named Luca Manfe, whose American dream came true. For the second consecutive year, the home cook I’ve been rooting for wins the whole enchilada: a quarter of a million dollars, a cookbook, and as Gordon Ramsay loves to say in his British accent “the most prestigious trophy in the culinary world and the title of Masterchef.”

the getaway
discipline · faith · family · food · Getaway · God · godliness · naples · restaurant

the getaway

Ally VelsorLeave a comment

With everything that’s been going on lately, we’ve been feeling like it was time for a small getaway. Since we couldn’t celebrate our wedding anniversary and Kenny’s birthday is coming up, I took my mother’s advice and “surprised” Kenny with going to Naples for two days. (Note: Next time, I must not use Kenny’s Priceline account or else he will find out through an email confirmation and the surprise will no longer be a surprise!)