1 Peter 4:8
(New International Version)
Jesus turned around and said to her, "Daughter, be encouraged! Your faith has made you well." And the woman was healed at that moment. Mathew 9:22 NLT
1 Peter 4:8
(New International Version)
Our world is in a state of constant change. God is not. At times, the world seems to be trembling beneath our feet. But we can be comforted in the knowledge that our Heavenly Father is the rock that cannot be shaken. His Word promises, "I am the Lord, I do not change" (Malachi 3:6 NKJV)
Every day that we live, we mortals encounter a multitude of changes - some good, some not so good. And on occasion, all of us must endure life-changing personal losses that leave us breathless. When we do, our loving Heavenly Father stands ready to protect us, to comfort us, to guide us, and, in time, to heal us.
Are you facing difficult circumstances or unwelcome changes? If so, please remember that God is far bigger than any problem you may face. So, instead of worrying about life's inevitable challenges, put your faith in the Father and His only begotten Son: Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever (Hebrews 13:8). And rest assured: It is precisely because your Savior does not change that you can face your challenges with courage for this day and hope for the future.
Living Above the Daily Whine
Do everything readily and cheerfully - no bickering, no second-guessing allowed! Go out into the world uncorrupted, a breat of fresh air in this squalid and polluted society. Provide people with a glimps of good living and of the living God. Carry the light-giving Message into the night.
Phillipians 2:14-15 MSG
Because we are imperfect human beings, we often lose sight of our blessings. Ironically, most of us have more blessings than we can count, but we may still find reasons to complain about the minor frustrations of every day life. To do so, of course, is not only wrong; it is also the pinnacle of shortsightedness and a serious roadblock on the path to spiritual abundance.
Are you tempted to complain about the inevitable minor frustations of everyday living? Don't do it! Today and every day, make it a practice to count your blessings, not your hardships. It's the truly decent way to live.
A Thought to Jump Start Your Day
The purity of motive determines the quality of action.
*To follow that daily thought, I couldn't help but follow with
this next one, as I mentioned, they go hand in hand.
More Opportunities Than We Can Count
Everything is possible for him who believes.
Mark 9:23 NIV
Whether you realize it or not, opportunites are whirling around you like stars crossing the night sky: beautiful to observe but too numerous to count. Yet you may be too wrapped up in the daily grind to notice.
Take time to step back from the challenges of everyday living so that you can focus your thoughts on two things: the talents God has given you and the opportunities that He has placed before you. God is leading you in the direction of those opportunities. Your task is to watch carefully, to pray fervently, and to act accordingly.
A Thought to Jump Start Your Day
Unbelief keeps us livng beneath the possiblities that God dreamed for our lives.
Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves.Romans 12:10 NIV
What is a friend? the dictionary defines the word as "a person who is attached to another by feelings of affection or personal regard." This definition is accurate, as far as it goes, but when we examine the deeper meaning of friendship, so many more descriptors come to mind: trustworthiness, loyalty, helpfulness, kindness,
understanding, forgiveness, encouragement, humor, and cheerfulness to mention
but a few.
How wonderful are the joys of friendship! Today, as you consider the many blessings that God has given you, remember to thank Him for the friends He has chosen to place along your path. May you be a blessing to them, and may they richly bless you today, tomorrow, and every day that you live.
A Thought to Jump Start Your Day
A person who really cares about his or her neighbor, a
person who genuinely loves others, is a person who bears witness to the truth.
Anne Graham Lotz
In order to be more spiritually aware, set aside time to strip away the unnecessary traidition or dogma and in an ultimate distillation the truth will be found.
Spiritual awareness or spiritual awakening is the process by which we begin to explore our own being in order to become whole and reunite our spirits with our physical bodies in a commonality of purpose.
No matter whether you are just starting on your serach or have been an invertebrate traveler on the spiritual awareness path, the answers you seek have always been with you. Perhaps in your seeking spiritual awareness you have been seduced by a process and simply not allowed yourself time to become aware. Put aside all restrictions and limitations and allow yourself to see your spirit. It is you, there, awaiting your rediscovery.
Stop! Be Still! Listen to your heart and the love you have for self and others and know your truth.
Is it just me, or are there a lot of people walking around who have forgotten what it's like to enjoy life?
How many of us go about our daily lives without a single smile or chuckle, and we act like the weight of the world is upon our backs.Our minds think about the heating and electric bill, and we wonder if we are ever going to be able to afford that vacation to Europe. As we drive back from work, we contemplate the irritating employee who seemed to sour our day, and we hold in our tensions over meddling in-laws, and neighbors that always seem to want to chat at the wrong time.
The cares and worries of the world will be with us always, but if you want joy, look upward!
A time comes in your life when you finally get it...when, in the midst of all your fears and insanity, you stop dead in your tracks and somewhere the voice inside your head cries out...ENOUGH! Enough fighting and crying and blaming and struggling to hold on.
~~
It is something very real and well worth the fight, the struggle, the tears and even pain! Because at the end, you'll find yourself in a peaceful place...Much to my surprise, I find myself struggling a bit right now. I'm learning that who I thought I was since High School and for the years to follow up until 2000, is someone that I can't find anymore. Maybe it's not a bad thing, if I really think about it, but my passion for art, drawing, gardening, taking care of my family is hard to attain again. These passions that made me so unique and different from anyone else, I can't get a grasp of. I don't know who to blame, really though, I can only blame myself for allowing such beautiful traits to be stripped from me. I allowed these traits to be stripped. I was naive... maybe there is another word for it, either way... I'm still struggling. I know that these traits are there. I know they are. I can't be so anxious, I know that I have to be patient and let God do his work, he has a plan and I just need to sit back and enjoy everything that he has brought my way and continues to bring my way. I love you PC... I love my new job... I love my kids....
Do you take time each day for an extended period of silence?
The world can be a noisy place, a place filled to the brim with distractions, interruptions, and frustations. And if you're not careful, the struggles and stresses of everyday living can rob you of the peace that should rightfully be yours. So take time each day to quietly commune. When you do, those moments of silence will enable you to participate more fully in the only source of peace that endures: God's peace.
“Weeping may last for the night, but a shout of joy comes in the morning.”
(Psalm 30:5)
There probably is nothing good in this life that comes free of charge. Things of value often require sacrifice to obtain—but they are worth the cost! The Christian life is no exception. The trials you encounter from day to day may seem frustrating, but the reward is great in the end. The only problem with the whole equation is that you can’t see the end, so you’re not always sure where God is taking you or what He is trying to accomplish in your life. That’s where His grace and love come into play as He assures you of His guidance and asks you to trust Him. Who would you rather trust than God? He knows where your journey will take you and where you should go, so listen to Him and trust His plans and reasons.A Prayer for Today
God, I know You have a plan for me that is wonderful. Give me the grace to seek that plan and trust You no matter what I see ahead. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.
Beyond AngerMockers can get a whole town agitated, but those who are wise will calm anger.Proverbs 29:8 NLT
Your temper is either your master or your servant. Either you control it, or it controls you. And the extent to which you allow anger to rule your life will determine, to a surprising extent, the quality of your relationships with others and your relationship with God. Anger and peace cannot coexist in the same mind. If you allow yourself to be chronically angry, you must forfeit, albeit temporarily, the peace that might otherwise be yours through Christ. So obey God’s Word by turning away from anger today and every day. You’ll be glad you did, and so will your family and friends.A Thought to Jump Start Your DayAnger is the noise of the soul; the unseen irritant of the
heart; the relentless invader of silence.Max Lucado
When browsing the internet for "Unconditional Love" I found the website above (click on the jpg) and the story line has me intrigued, I'll be looking for the book.
You Can Love the Unlovely“Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.”
(Romans 12:21)God says you need to love even those people who are difficult or seemingly impossible to love. The mark of true believers is the love they have for each other and for those who are not part of God’s family. Did you know there usually is a reason that some people are very difficult to love? More than likely, part of the problem is that they don’t have enough love, which means they need your love the most of all! You have your own personality, and it probably meshes better with certain other personalities. But even with the differences between people, you can still love others with the love God has shown to you. You will be amazed how much things will change if you just take that first step of faith and love the unlovely people around you. They are desperate for love and friendship, and you might make all the difference.
A Prayer for Today
God, give me Your unconditional love for the hard-to-love people in my life. I want to show others what Your love is all about so they will be drawn to Christ. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.
One of the most wonderful things that can come from learning to wait purposefully is your ability to share the art with others.
Because we are always surrounded by waiting, there are always opportunities to be one of those souls who reaches out to another, to offer understanding, light, and love.
So…
“Do not withhold good from those who deserve it, when it is in your power to act”
(Proverbs 3:27 NIV).
Compassion. No one knows how to share the pain of another better than someone who’s been there. Your understanding of a friend’s anguish is real – that makes your compassion honest, sincere, and very much appreciated.
Camaraderie. It can be hard for someone to travel through her wait when she’s hurting and trying to find the purpose. You can walk with her, listen without judgment, and make her journey easier.
Conviction. When you’ve learned to wait purposefully, you’ll inspire those around you with your renewed spirit and strength. With every breath, you’ll be an example of one who has grown nearer to the Lord. And nothing will be able to shake your vision and your faith.
Sometimes our days feel like one long checkout line: constantly waiting, barely inching forward, unable to see the obstacles, doubtful of a satisfactory outcome in this lifetime. And then what we're waiting for comes or it doesn't, we adjust, recover, and move on. But are we any better for the wait? Did we find the purpose the Lord had tucked so carefully inside? Did we listen to God and learn, or did we just complain about the circumstance?
Either way, when that wait is over, we shift our focus to a new wait, and the feelings are all very familiar. Again, we grow impatient. The cycle never ends. Through all the delays that we misunderstand, we never seem to get very far from where we started. We stand still on the path that matters most. The waiting is nothing more than a time of frustration.
We fail to see that every day is a chance, full of purpose - even if we're waiting.
Everyone struggles in one way or another. It's simply a part of life and something we'll always face, regardless of how old we are. Yet as we face trials in life, what happens? Fear begins to take over. It seems as if struggle and fear go hand in hand. In fact, fear is one of Satan's favorite tools to use agains us.
When struggles hit and fear consumes, do your best to stay focused and disciplined. And never stop trusting God.
Through it all, God is always faithful.
Life. It’s filled with wonder and discovery, and it’s defined by change – as you probably know all too well. Yet for most women, change is both a comfort and a curse.
As we begin our journey into womanhood, we’re often unsure of who we’ll become, how we’ll look, what paths we’ll follow. Yet somewhere between youth and maturity, we begin to realize that life is full of uncertainty. Who will I become today, tomorrow, next week—next year?
A FAITH THAT BREATHES
…knows that if our security is in the world, we’re in trouble. The wolrd will always change, and the things we hold so tightly today may fall out of our grasp tomorrow.
…is confident that the Lord remains the same—yesterday, today, tomorrow, forever! He promises to be our guide, our stability, our hope.
…welcomes the changes that God sends our way. Strive to welcome change with open arms. Embrace it as the priceless gift that it is. Learn to stand hand in hand with Jesus and declare, “BRING IT ON!”
"Mom, you have so much love in your life, that I wanted you to have "Peace".
I know that it's easier to portray a world that's filled with cynicism and anger, where problems are solved with violence. that's titillating. It's an easy out. What's a whole lot tougher is to offer alternatives, to present other ways conflicts can be resolved, and to show that you can have a positive impact on your world. To do that, you have to put yourself out on a limb, take chances, and run the risk of being called a do-gooder.
~ Jim Henson
You are one of God's leading ladies, and as such, you have a very busy life. What is the key to success? Balance. yes, blanacing the many components of your life and keeping each element rightly aligned is essential in order to be everything God created you to be. In orcer to take your place on the stage of life and keep your place in the spotlight for the long term, you will need to be strong, healthy, and whole.
Thank you dear friend, you have definitely been a blessing in my life.
Despite this discussion of things spiritual - I still think of myself as a very "human" being. I have the full complement of weaknesses, fears, problems, ego, and sensuality. But I think this is why we're here - to work our way through all this, and, hopefully, come out a bit wiser and better for having gone through it all.
~ Jim
"Be careful what you think, because your thoughts run your life. Don't use your mouth to tell lies; don't ever say things that are not true. Keep your eyes focused on what is right, and look straight ahead to what is good. Be careful what you do, and always do what is right. Don't turn off the road of goodness; keep away from evil paths." Proverbs 4:23-27 (NCV)
~~~
The mind is a garden that could be cultivated to produce the harvest that we desire.
The mind is a workshop where the important decisions of life and eternity are made.
The mind is an armory where we forge the weapons for our victory orour destruction.
The mind is a battlefield where all the decisive battles of life are wonor lost.
Author unknown
Faith
1781
MarbleSanta Maria Maddalena dei Pazzi, Florence
I love God, my children, my family, I love life and I love the friends that I have made here on-line and in life itself and I believe in unconditional love. I have lived an extremely full life in my 45 years on this earth. I don't live with regrets, many walk in shame and embarrassment from their past wrong doings and I have had my days of walking in shame and embarrassment, but I have repented and have asked for forgiveness for my actions and bad choices that I have made in my life. All my experiences, bad choices and actions have made me who I am today, and I thank God for the revelation of who I am on this day and who I am to be, at the end of this journey.
I have three beautiful children and have been married twice, in which those times, I have always believed that my calling from God, was to be a loving wife and mother. All of that was shattered when both marriages ended due to society's pressures, temptations and addictions. I am not a perfect woman, I have had some blame for each marriage coming to an end. I prayed each time for both marriages to be saved, nothing was changing. Little did I know that the ending to the first marriage was going to lead me down a long road full of uncertainty. All the time I prayed for God to change me, I thought it was me all along, but I found that I was the only one attempting to change. Each marriage ended, the second one left me a shell of a woman.
I fell in to a marriage that was a controlled one, it was a marriage that was based on "My way or the highway". I accepted that condition, due to my previous marriage, where there was no control on my ex-husbands part. The control that I allowed myself to live through was subtle at first, I was showered with attention, loving attention and as time went by, the control became more obvious, NEVER to abuse, but if my hair didn't look right, I needed to brush it different, I was told certain clothes didn't look right, I was told how to talk, how to communicate. I was told that my hobbies and interests would not have a place in my life because my life would be consumed by him. I was told to lose weight constantly, even at 115 lbs., it killed my self esteem, I thought I was unattractive, even at 110, even then, it was "5 more lbs". I was told that I wasn't a good mother to my children because I loved them too much. My children were my life, I was asked if I would give them up to their father (who could barely take care of himself). I couldn't do it, I had no choice but to lie at times to protect my children and my marriage. It wasn't always like this,each marriage had many great times. There were other things involved that led to the ruin of the marriage but, the control, was his addiction. I couldn't change any more...and I knew he wouldn't or couldn't, so when I prayed for my marriage to be saved, I was saved from the marriage. Twice God told me that the marriage was not a good one... I left that marriage with very low self esteem. I'm rebuilding my self-esteem as I write these words. I'm exposing myself here, only in hopes that maybe, just maybe, I can be some comfort for another woman out there. That she has worth to her, just as I do.
I continue on my journey, and I wake up every day and welcome the unknown that lays before me with open arms. I praise God for every single day that I am given.
I have been blessed with a wonderful man that has been a rock for me and of great support with my awakening... Thank you PC, I love you dearly for the endless love and support. I experienced an Awakening of sorts (with no knowledge to myself) in August of 2005, I didn't realize it until I read the poem "The Awakening" months later. The poem describes exactly what I found myself living at that particular time in my life, word for word.
An AWAKENING is not a short synopsis of sorts. It is something very real and well worth the fight, the struggle, the tears and even pain! Because at the end, you'll find yourself in a peaceful place...
I have been through the fight, the tears, the pain and still continue with the struggle on this journey of mine, but... I am in that peaceful place! Thank you Lord for the journey, the trials and the tribulations that made me the woman that I am today and for the woman that I am meant to be.
I am very open minded to all things in life, I don't judge others and don't like judgmental people. I believe in angels, I also believe that bad energy does exist and that we play a big part in creating it... My beliefs are my beliefs, I have an interest in many things that may come across as conflicting to others, but this is a free country... and in saying that my respect and full support goes to all military men/women that are out there fighting for my freedom of speech and my right to express it.
Please know there is no situation in your life that is too big for God to deliver you from. I personally know this.
I'm hoping that I can pass along some "hope" for those that face daily challenges.
This is my way of trying to make a difference in the world.
**Update: Fast forward to April 2020 - I am God's Daughter, I belong to no one but Him. I no longer look for approval, acceptance and love from a man or from this earthly world. My bondage from Codependency have been broken through God and ONLY God! Glory to God forever!**
Woman
Gen. 2:23
The man said,
"This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh;
she shall be called woman, for she was taken out of man."