Regret - Today's Reading

Regret is such a small word that packs such huge consequences.

If we're all honest with ourselves, there are some decisions we made at some point...knowingly or unknowingly at the time...that we can look back on and wish we had chosen differently.

If someone is going through a preventable illness, it's likely they wish they would've taken better care of their health.

If they've experienced a bad divorce or a broken relationship with their children, it's likely there are many "if I had only..." regrets.

There are many situations in life we can wish we had taken a different...a better...path.

No matter what regrets you are facing today, please do not allow your regrets to define you. You are not a failure, a reject, or a loser. No, you are simply a human being who made a poor decision...or maybe you are having to live with the consequences of another person's regretful actions or decisions.

We each are made in the image of God.

Think about that incredible truth!

Since we are each made in God's image, we are all incredibly special, loved, and valuable...God still has a purpose and plan for each person's life that only they can do.

God has the power to make EVERYTHING work together for our good if we love Him.

Something a friend shared with me awhile back really put this in perspective. I hope it encourages you:

"God can turn your mess into a message, your test into a testimony, He can turn you from being a victim into a victor, and He can give you great triumph from your trials. He can turn your scars into stars and your pain into a pulpit"

It's true! No matter what has happened so far in your life, God is not finished with you yet! Nothing you have done...or anything someone has done to you...has made him love you any less. He genuinely loves you so very much!

Take time today to have an intimate conversation with God about your deepest guilts and regrets. Pour your heart out to Him and ask Him to help you to truly put your life back together.

Good things are to come. You can't do anything about the past but God can do everything with your future.

YOUVERSION

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.

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

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  

Phot Credit: The Hem of His Garment

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

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

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 

Relationships

Here I am...  54 years old and still learning about relationships. Sad... but true...  at my age though and since my last, unexpected and unwanted divorce. I have put up walls. I use to love so freely, unconditionally and passionately. I find that hard to do now.

One thing I have learned though, is my relationship with our Loving God, will never change. In fact... it will only grow more deeply with each passing moment and day.

I was reading a devotional today and found myself agreeing with the fact that "Relationships can cause us heartache and pain. They can be difficult and messy." When friendships cause us heartache, we often choose to retreat. When family lets us down, we eventually learn to keep those closest to us at arm's length. We will retreat to our safe corners, we set ourselves in a defensive stance, we harden our hearts because of the pain..."

The truth is, IT HURTS...!

I'm learning though... It's all a process and I pray that God will strengthen me to learn to love again.

More later...  

Many blessings to all...  

Render your time to Him

We must open our bible, and as we do, we will find Him waiting for us there in the pages.

He will speak to us through those pages, so we must quiet ourselves and carefully listen to Him.

We must not just read it, but study it faithfully.

"Give unto the LORD the glory due to His name; worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness."
Psalm 29:2

Thank you Lord for my family

"Reflection As I gaze in the mirror of my own reality I find myself confused and uncertain Confused because I don't recognize the person I see and uncertain of my destination. As I gaze into my own eyes I search for unseen answers of questions asked yesterday, and I find my reflection and "I" yet at another stand still with no peace, and no contentment with careful eyes I search for unwanted characteristic hoping to change the reflection in the mirror. Hoping to see the person I knew before the reflection changed. Where had she gone? When will she return? More unanswered questions for my reflection... Are you happy with your reflection?

Words from the Heart of the UN innocent
by Horace D. McLain

I love this book, review it on Amazon
"This book contains 50 poems which are based on 10 second thoughts. Since it is dedicated to change and hope, the author is donating some of the proceeds from book sales to the American Cancer Society in hopes to aid in the fight against such a deadly disease."

My sister and niece were diagnosed with cancer, Von Hippel-Lindau syndrome, it is a genetic disease, and no one ever imagines that their family would be affected. My niece was diagnosed first, we were so lost, trying to figure out what side of the family she inherited the "one" gene from. Her father had passed away, as well as her grandparents from her father's side, my sister at the time had not been diagnosed with the cancer. It wasn't until three years later that she was diagnosed with the "one" gene that passed on to my niece. We were crushed even more. Words were not available for us, a beautiful mother and daughter team that have been so strong, standing by one another and supporting each other day in and day out. My nieces cancer was caught before becoming cancerous, but my sister's was caught to late. She lost her right kidney and since has had 1/4  of it removed. My sister was placed on experimental chemo drugs to help stabilize the cancer. There is no cure for Von Hippel-Lindau syndrome. My niece, although they did diagnose her early in her younger years, she has had many fights with the cancer, all affected organs were attacked. She's had several surgeries to remove the cysts, from her spine, one eye (which has left her partially blind) and her spine.

We are blessed, MD Anderson has been such a blessing to our family, God has carried us through this journey. We don't question why. We just praise Him for his Grace.

What is Von Hippel-Lindau?
"Von Hippel-Lindau syndrome is an inherited disorder characterized by the formation of tumors and fluid-filled sacs (cysts) in many different parts of the body. Tumors may be either noncancerous or cancerous and most frequently appear during young adulthood; however, the signs and symptoms of Von Hippel-Lindau syndrome can occur throughout life."

More information can be found here:
Von Hippel-Lindau syndrome
MD Anderson Cancer Center