Saturday, August 29, 2015

SHAKE IT OFF

Shake It Off

Today's reading from YouVersion

One of my favorite stories is about a farmer's donkey that fell into a dry well. The animal cried pitifully for hours as the farmer tried to figure out what to do for his poor donkey. Finally, he concluded that the well was too deep, and it really needed to be covered up anyway. Besides, the donkey was old, and it would be a lot of trouble to get him out of the pit. The farmer decided that it was not worth trying to retrieve the animal, so he asked his neighbors to help him fill in the well and bury the donkey.

They all grabbed shovels and began to toss dirt into the well. The donkey immediately realized what was happening, and he began to bray horribly. Crying would be our normal response if somebody was mistreating us this badly, so this donkey was responding the same way we would at first, but then he got real quiet. A few shovel loads of dirt later, the farmer looked down the well and was astonished at what he saw. With every shovel of dirt that hit the donkey's back, the donkey would shake it off and step on top of it.

As the neighbors and the farmer continued to shovel dirt on top of the animal, he continued to shake it off and take a step up. Pretty soon the donkey shook off the last shovel full of dirt, took a step up, and walked right out of the well. We can learn so much from this story. When trouble comes, if we will get still and listen, God will tell us what to do.

By the grace and mercy of God, I was able to shake off a lot of things in my life, a lot of hurt feelings, a lot of mistreatment, a lot of abuse, a lot of unfair, unjust, unkind things. Just like the donkey, in order to keep pressing on and have victory in our lives, we are going to have to learn to shake off the troubles that come our way.

Wednesday, August 26, 2015

Verse of the day


But the Lord is faithful, who shall stablish you, and keep you from evil. 
2 Thessalonians 3:3 KJV 

We will always run into unfaithfulness in our lives, people with little to no faith, but the ONE and ONLY, our Lord, remains faithful ALWAYS. I know I can continue to look to Him for strength and protection as the bible tells us, He will protect us and strengthen uf from the evil one.

 

So many times, I let fear take over my faith...  that's when I open my bible, my YouVersion Bible App and any other bilbe study guidw I have at hand, to put me back on track. God has saved me from many wolve's in sheeps clothing, He IS Faithful to keep us from ALL evil. 

I praise You and Thank You Lord

Tuesday, August 25, 2015

Masks

I have learned and continue to learn, just how many "FALSE" people are walking around me daily. It saddens me to see this, and I am at the point that I would rather live my life alone, without these people in my life. I prefer to surround myself with genuine people, not afraid to show their true self, with flaws and all....  because God loves us, for who we are, not for who we think we should be. I use to be such a person... wearing a mask just to please others, to hide the flaws, the saddness, the demons within.

I came upon an enlightenment back in 2011 and this is what I learned about "me"....

I am single, newly single...but I am who I am...just me. I'm not a wife, I'm not just a mother, I'm not just a daughter or a sister or a friend. There's more to me than meets the eye. There is a heart, with wishes and dreams of what life should be. I'm loving and caring and don't wish to be taken for granted because of it. I'm not a pushover, I'm not naive, I have a mind of my own and will express myself when driven to it. I love people in general and have come to learn that I can not trus everyone like I use to. I don't like being manipulated, used or told how to think, or dress, or act. I may be childish at times, but that's the kid in me, I'll never grow up! That's a good thing. I know when it's the right time to act proper, silly, serious...I am me... 

Those words came from a small voice within... and to this day, I live by them. I may fail, I may stumble. In fact... I DO FAIL and STUMBLE... but God picks me up, and strengthens me through each fall. I AM ME...  So, today's reading fits perfect ...

False Self  
Do the people you rub shoulders with every day know you? I mean the real you? Or are you hiding behind a mask? 

As I stated before, there have been many times when I hid behind a mask...  no longer will I hide, i  I hid behind a mask between 1998 to 2005. NO MORE...  The day I found myself driving on 225 headed who knows where, I asked Jesus in to my life and asked him to take control of my life. I am out to correct my mistakes, make ammends where needed. I will start with God first and then my family.

Masks are fun at parties, but in everyday life, they're unhealthy. We don't roam our neighborhood in clever disguises, of course. But many people hide behind a different kind of facade, one counselors call "the false self." The false self is a way of portraying ourselves to others in a way we think they'll like more than the person we truly are. 
I no longer wish to live my life to win over anyone that can not accept me for "me". I am no longer out to live my life to please those that realy have no validity in my life. ONLY GOD....

These tasks take many forms. Some people act happy and positive in social gatherings but privately they struggle with depression, substance abuse, or marital problems. Others may wear odd clothes or makeup. Some may even use anger or humor to keep their relationships on a superficial level.
I have been exposed to the worse kind of "False Self" anyone can live through and have fallen to live as such as well.... and from these exposures, and becasue of my past, I ask God for guidance, strength and humility... I want to live my life without the masks.

Ultimately the masks we wear are for self-protection. They hide our emotional wounds from further injury. But they also prevent us from experiencing intimacy in our closest relationships. When w ehide who we really are, we distance ourselves from our family and friends and, yes, even from God. Intimacy requires transparency and vulnerability, and you can't eperience that pretending to be something you're not. So take a risk with a safe person you trust, whether that's a fmaily member, a friend, or a professional counselor. Strip away the masks of your false self and let the real you come shining through. 
Check out: Jim Daly's blog, Daly Focus, JimDalyBlog
(Thank you Mr. Daly for my daily reading)
Today's Bible Verse:
but if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.
1 John 1  



Saturday, August 22, 2015

Wait For The Lord

Verse for the day

I wait for the Lord, my soul doth wait, and in His word do I hope. 
Psalm 130 


 Even though, we all have free will, the verse laid out above is how I live my life to this day. Since 2005, I have committed my life to the Lord, doing everything that I am led to do, as I pray over my life, my choices and my decisions. I have made the wrong choices in life, I will not deny that and I will own those choices and decisions. I can proudly say, that every new day, I thank Him for giving me another day, another chance to live my life as he calls me. So....  every day....  "I wait for the Lord..." 

More reading: 
the the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him: the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of this calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints. 
 Ephesians 1
I found the following verses highlighted in my bible and a date notated in pencil (2/9/13) Bear with me as this fits so perfectly, even today in my life...

I do not mean that I am already as God wants me to be. I have not yet reached that goal, but I continue trying to reach it and to make it mine. Christ wants me to do that, which is the reason he made me his. Brothers and sisters, I know that I have not yet reached that goal, but there is one thing I alwys do. Forgetting the past and straining toward what is ahead. I keep trying to reach the goal and get the prize for which God called me through Christ to the life above. 
Philippians 3:12-14


Thursday, August 20, 2015

Treasurers in Hardships

Today's Devotional Reading from YouVersion...

Grief Bites: Finding Treasure In Hardships 

"This Bible plan shows how we can find great treasure through the hardships we face in life." 

I read this today in my YouVersion Plans... and it hits home on many levels... and made me think of the many trials, storms and losses I have endured. 

We all experience some form of tragedy, heart ache, loss, devastation and disaster, and I always try to remember that someone else out there, one of God's children, may be experiencing something much harsher than I....  and I stop to Praise Him through my storm, my loss, my struggle and heartaches... BUT I have never found myself questioning Him as to "Why?". I have experienced much strife and heartaches, stress and worry through my years... I have found myself so caught up through the shifting ground and winds of these storms, and I know that much of them came from the free will we have, but there's those events in our lives, such as the one expressed in this plan that we have no power or knowledge of what's coming ahead.

"We liv e in a world of utter loss. There are no easy answers. But we do serve a God who does not willingly bring grief to anyone. It is not God who is the source of devastation, it is always the enemy who casues horrendous heartache, devastation, and disasters."

"Cry out to God today and ask Him to help you repair the broken pieces of your heart and life."

The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. John 10:10 New International Version (NIV)

Readings:
Psalms 130:1-2, Psalm 34:18, Psalm 130:5, Lamentations 3:33, John 10:10, Psalms 121:1-2


Tuesday, August 18, 2015

Peace in Safety

Peace in Safety

I have found that talking to God is a day to day necessity for me, He loves to hear from His children. He is what keeps me feeling safe in this chaotic world. 
God gives us an even better kind of peace that helps us feel safe all the time. Jesus said in John 14:27, "Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid." 
I cherish the peace that God gives me...  every day, I ask for his peace to come within, at night, as I lay me down for a good nights sleep. When things of this world consume my mind...

I will both lay me down in peace, and sleep: 
for thou, Lord, only makest me dwell in safety. 

Psalm 4:8