We go through many "seasons", or phases, in our lives. It would be nice if we didn't have to go through the tough ones, but the tough seasons in our lives are what allow us to grow... As a person, and in our relationship with God. Those tough times are when we learn very valuable lessons. We learn to pray, and we learn that God answers our prayers. We learn to put all of our trust in God, put all our problems and worries in His hands, and learn to have faith that He will get us through them, that He can, and will, work miracles. "But the Lord is faithful, and He will strengthen and protect you from the evil one." 2 Thessalonians 3:3
We learn that when all seems hopeless, and it seems everyone, and everything is working against us, that God will rescue us. We can't learn these things unless we face hard times, learn to lean on God, and watch Him work in our lives.
What is important to know, is that there ARE things that WE need to do also. We need to remain faithful to God, have a close relationship with Him, pray, read our Bible, and stay true to things it says. We have to remain obedient to God. Basically, we do our part, our very best, and He will pick up there, and do the rest.
Seem like lots of work, changes in your life, and a step of faith? Well, it is! But the rewards you will reap are amazing! "The Lord is good, a refuge in times of trouble. He cares for those who trust in Him." Nahum 1:7 "He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. You may grow tired and weary, and stumble and fall. But for those who trust in the Lord, He will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles, they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint." Isaiah 40:29-31
We all go through hard times in our lives, difficult seasons that seem like they are never, ever going to change. But if we are living our life obedient and faithful to God, and doing our part, by staying strong and positive through it all, we can have complete faith, that God WILL turn it around. We also have to have patience. God doesn't change a situation, or move us into our new season in OUR timing - He does it in his perfect timing. We may grow weary, and think it is never going to happen, that things are never going to turn around and get better. But you have no idea of God's plans. Stay strong, faithful, and patient, and you never know... Your breakthrough could be right around the corner! Don't give up! If you do you will miss out on all the blessings and wonderful plans that God has in store for you. "Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time, we will reap a great harvest if we do not give up." Galatians 6:9
The most difficult seasons of my life, have become the most important and most pivotal times in my life. These times taught me so many valuable lessons. They taught me to give every problem or fear over to God, and that He CAN and WILL handle it all, and will keep me safe, and care for all my needs. Now, when troubling times come, I can look back at all He has brought me through, and know, without a doubt, that if He brought me through it THEN... He will bring me through it this time too, and every time after that. "It is the Lord who goes before you. He will be with you, He will never leave you or forsake you. Do not fear, or be dismayed." Deuteronomy 31:8
Don't give up during your difficult seasons, or you will miss out on the beautiful season to come.
"Happiness keeps you SWEET. Trials keep you STRONG. Failures keep you HUMBLE. Success keeps you GROWING. But only God keeps you GOING."
Keep your eyes on God, trust in Him, and wait, with patience, and see all that He has in store for your life! XOXO!
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
Monday, May 17, 2010
Thoughts On Turning 30....
Turning 30...
Wow... How in the world am I 30 already! Time sure does fly! I would be okay with the big 30, except for the fact that I am not at all in the place in my life that I thought I would be in at 30... If someone would have told me when I was 25, a housewife, with a nearly perfect marriage, and four beautiful little boys, that I would go into my 30's a single momma, with my marriage of 10 years having failed, and I would be working towards starting a career, and would be supporting my family, on my own.... I would have laughed, and said they were CRAZY! But this is how I find myself at 30... Which is what made turning 30 pretty hard.
Of course, that's on the outside... On the inside, I have learned a lot in my 30 years, and through the mistakes of the past, a failed marriage, etc. I have grown into a strong, confident, wise, stronger woman of God. I have successfully managed to provide for myself and the boys on my own. I have a great job, and will soon have my Certified Nursing Assistant license. I have learned that I don't need a man in my life to be happy. That was a BIG lesson that I had to learn! I learned that you have to create your own happiness, within yourself, not rely on someone else to make you happy. That leads to getting let down - big time. Never count on someone else to provide your happiness, let your happiness come from within you, and the happiness and peace that God gives.
I have learned so much through the mistakes I have made. I have definitely used them as learning experiences, and used them to make lots of changes in my life, and within myself. I have become very confident in my strengths and abilities, and confident within myself. I have learned to fully trust God, in EVERYTHING. He has never let me down! My mistakes, and learning through each and every one of them, have made me a better christian, a better mother, and a better person.
I am definitely not where I thought I would be at 30... But I also know that God has great plans in store for this new phase in my life, and I am working very hard to accomplish all the goals that I have set for myself. And with God's help, I WILL accomplish them ALL!
So... here's to turning 30, and becoming a new and improved ME! :) XOXO!
Wow... How in the world am I 30 already! Time sure does fly! I would be okay with the big 30, except for the fact that I am not at all in the place in my life that I thought I would be in at 30... If someone would have told me when I was 25, a housewife, with a nearly perfect marriage, and four beautiful little boys, that I would go into my 30's a single momma, with my marriage of 10 years having failed, and I would be working towards starting a career, and would be supporting my family, on my own.... I would have laughed, and said they were CRAZY! But this is how I find myself at 30... Which is what made turning 30 pretty hard.
Of course, that's on the outside... On the inside, I have learned a lot in my 30 years, and through the mistakes of the past, a failed marriage, etc. I have grown into a strong, confident, wise, stronger woman of God. I have successfully managed to provide for myself and the boys on my own. I have a great job, and will soon have my Certified Nursing Assistant license. I have learned that I don't need a man in my life to be happy. That was a BIG lesson that I had to learn! I learned that you have to create your own happiness, within yourself, not rely on someone else to make you happy. That leads to getting let down - big time. Never count on someone else to provide your happiness, let your happiness come from within you, and the happiness and peace that God gives.
I have learned so much through the mistakes I have made. I have definitely used them as learning experiences, and used them to make lots of changes in my life, and within myself. I have become very confident in my strengths and abilities, and confident within myself. I have learned to fully trust God, in EVERYTHING. He has never let me down! My mistakes, and learning through each and every one of them, have made me a better christian, a better mother, and a better person.
I am definitely not where I thought I would be at 30... But I also know that God has great plans in store for this new phase in my life, and I am working very hard to accomplish all the goals that I have set for myself. And with God's help, I WILL accomplish them ALL!
So... here's to turning 30, and becoming a new and improved ME! :) XOXO!
Saturday, May 15, 2010
Mother's Day....
OK, so I'm a little late on the Mother's Day post! That goes to show ya how much free time a momma has!
Mother's Day.... Well, being a single momma, gone are the days of sleeping in, and daddy taking over all of the responsibility for the day! I got woken up at 6am to, "Happy Mother's Day, Mommy! Oh... mommy, I peed in my bed...." Nice....!
I made the boys pancakes, and refereed some fights. Than I took a shower in record time, because of banging and crying at my door! I got us all packed up, to go to Tampa, to spend the rest of the day with MY MOMMA, and made the drive, which was mostly peaceful! My time with my mom was SO GREAT. We had an amazing day, precious time together as a family, and the kids behaved very well. They all made me and their Mimi, (my mom), sweet cards and letters. One of the boys, my 8 year old, wrote a letter that said, "I love you so much, with my Godly heart", it was so precious!
In all of the responsibility, crying, fighting, etc., we sometimes forget how blessed we are to be a mother. We have had these precious lives placed in our hands, to teach, mold, guide, care for, and give unconditional love to. Each and every moment with our children, is a precious gift. Sometimes, especially as single mothers (or single fathers), we get so caught up in the everyday "grind", that we don't take the time to stop, and just ENJOY our children... Enjoy being a parent. "Hurry up and eat your dinner..." "Come on, get in the bath... No I said get in the bath now!" "Let's go... bedtime..." "You didn't do your HOMEWORK! Get over here, and get it done, it's BEDTIME!" (At my house, we have from 5:30, which is when we get home from work/daycare, til 7:00, which is bedtime. Not a lot of time there!) We need to make sure that with all the responsibility, and for single parents, lack of time at night, etc., that we take the time to have some fun, and enjoy the precious moments with our children, even if just for 15 minutes a night. Have a little fun, or quality time. Plan something special each weekend. Enjoy this precious time, which passes way to fast. We won't have these young years with them forever... Cherish each and every second. ENJOY being a mom... Enjoy your children, even in the stressful or trying times.
I love my boys so much. I am so blessed to be their mother. I feel so honored that God trusted ME, with these precious lives. I work hard, everyday, to do my very best as a mother to them, and as a person, to be a good example for them to follow. My boys are my most precious gift...
On another subject, it had been way too long since I had seen my mother, before Mother's Day. Life moves fast, there is so much going on to keep up with... the kids, work, and running a household on my own. But always make sure you take time out of your schedule, no matter what, to spend time with your loved ones.
I love you, my precious baby boys. Thank you for always trying your best, loving God, and being the best sons a mother could ever ask for. To my momma... I love you, my wonderful mom. Thank you for always loving me, unconditionally, being an awesome mother, and an example to me of how a mother should love and cherish her children.
Happy (late) Mother's Day! XOXO
Mother's Day.... Well, being a single momma, gone are the days of sleeping in, and daddy taking over all of the responsibility for the day! I got woken up at 6am to, "Happy Mother's Day, Mommy! Oh... mommy, I peed in my bed...." Nice....!
I made the boys pancakes, and refereed some fights. Than I took a shower in record time, because of banging and crying at my door! I got us all packed up, to go to Tampa, to spend the rest of the day with MY MOMMA, and made the drive, which was mostly peaceful! My time with my mom was SO GREAT. We had an amazing day, precious time together as a family, and the kids behaved very well. They all made me and their Mimi, (my mom), sweet cards and letters. One of the boys, my 8 year old, wrote a letter that said, "I love you so much, with my Godly heart", it was so precious!
In all of the responsibility, crying, fighting, etc., we sometimes forget how blessed we are to be a mother. We have had these precious lives placed in our hands, to teach, mold, guide, care for, and give unconditional love to. Each and every moment with our children, is a precious gift. Sometimes, especially as single mothers (or single fathers), we get so caught up in the everyday "grind", that we don't take the time to stop, and just ENJOY our children... Enjoy being a parent. "Hurry up and eat your dinner..." "Come on, get in the bath... No I said get in the bath now!" "Let's go... bedtime..." "You didn't do your HOMEWORK! Get over here, and get it done, it's BEDTIME!" (At my house, we have from 5:30, which is when we get home from work/daycare, til 7:00, which is bedtime. Not a lot of time there!) We need to make sure that with all the responsibility, and for single parents, lack of time at night, etc., that we take the time to have some fun, and enjoy the precious moments with our children, even if just for 15 minutes a night. Have a little fun, or quality time. Plan something special each weekend. Enjoy this precious time, which passes way to fast. We won't have these young years with them forever... Cherish each and every second. ENJOY being a mom... Enjoy your children, even in the stressful or trying times.
I love my boys so much. I am so blessed to be their mother. I feel so honored that God trusted ME, with these precious lives. I work hard, everyday, to do my very best as a mother to them, and as a person, to be a good example for them to follow. My boys are my most precious gift...
On another subject, it had been way too long since I had seen my mother, before Mother's Day. Life moves fast, there is so much going on to keep up with... the kids, work, and running a household on my own. But always make sure you take time out of your schedule, no matter what, to spend time with your loved ones.
I love you, my precious baby boys. Thank you for always trying your best, loving God, and being the best sons a mother could ever ask for. To my momma... I love you, my wonderful mom. Thank you for always loving me, unconditionally, being an awesome mother, and an example to me of how a mother should love and cherish her children.
Happy (late) Mother's Day! XOXO
Thursday, May 6, 2010
What You Put In, Is What You'll Get Out....
This subject is on a personal decision that everyone has to make for themselves....
Is is wrong to watch that movie with questionable scenes in it? Is is wrong to listen to the music you listen to? Is it wrong to watch those reality shows on MTV, that you love? (OK... I was talking about myself there!! I love those shows!) Is it wrong to hang out with the friends that you do? How about drinking? Is it wrong to drink, and how much drinking is acceptable? Sex... We all know that sex before marriage is wrong, but what about other sexual things? Where do you draw the line on right and wrong?
These are questions that only you can answer for yourself, based on your convictions, and what these things produce in your life.
What I have come to learn, and this is only MY opinion, is that some of these things aren't wrong, in themselves... I don't believe that I'm going to hell, because I spend a lazy day on Saturday, watching reruns of the reality shows on MTV. But the question is, what do these things produce in your life? Do they bring you closer to God? Do they keep you encouraged, when you're having a hard day? Do they help you in making the right decisions? Some of these things, again, in my opinion, aren't necessarily sins, but they don't help you towards your goal, of staying on the path God has for you. What I mean by this is spending your free time in the Bible, in church, listening to church service CD's or christian music in the car, is putting good things in, that keep your focus on God. Than when you face a hard time, a decision you have to make, a temptation, you are already built up, and filled with the things of God, and can draw from the good, positive things you have put in. Having spent your drive to work listening to Lil Wayne (my temptation!), is not going to help you, when you all of the sudden are having a bad day at work! On the other hand, if you had spent that drive to work listening to your favorite pastor speak, you'll have the strength and peace of the word of God to draw from, when facing that hard day. Does that make sense?
Watching a movie with a question scene in it... How will putting that into your mind effect how you will handle the temptations of staying pure, sexually? Having friends that aren't christians, is not a sin... But the amount of time you spend around those that don't believe as you do, you're eventually going to fall into the place where you start to become numb to the characteristics of these friends, and start to maybe compromise your values, little by little. What you surround yourself with, is what you will eventually become.
"Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things." Philippians 4:8
It's not "wrong" to listen to a song on the radio, or a show on TV, etc. But just watch out for what you put into your mind, on a constant, daily basis. Try to surround yourself with things that are good, and pure, and help you to stay positive, at peace, and strengthened, because life is hard. There is a constant fight going on, to bring you down, and keep you down. Filling yourself with the things of God will give you weapons to pull from, when fighting this fight. Just something to think about! XOXO!
Is is wrong to watch that movie with questionable scenes in it? Is is wrong to listen to the music you listen to? Is it wrong to watch those reality shows on MTV, that you love? (OK... I was talking about myself there!! I love those shows!) Is it wrong to hang out with the friends that you do? How about drinking? Is it wrong to drink, and how much drinking is acceptable? Sex... We all know that sex before marriage is wrong, but what about other sexual things? Where do you draw the line on right and wrong?
These are questions that only you can answer for yourself, based on your convictions, and what these things produce in your life.
What I have come to learn, and this is only MY opinion, is that some of these things aren't wrong, in themselves... I don't believe that I'm going to hell, because I spend a lazy day on Saturday, watching reruns of the reality shows on MTV. But the question is, what do these things produce in your life? Do they bring you closer to God? Do they keep you encouraged, when you're having a hard day? Do they help you in making the right decisions? Some of these things, again, in my opinion, aren't necessarily sins, but they don't help you towards your goal, of staying on the path God has for you. What I mean by this is spending your free time in the Bible, in church, listening to church service CD's or christian music in the car, is putting good things in, that keep your focus on God. Than when you face a hard time, a decision you have to make, a temptation, you are already built up, and filled with the things of God, and can draw from the good, positive things you have put in. Having spent your drive to work listening to Lil Wayne (my temptation!), is not going to help you, when you all of the sudden are having a bad day at work! On the other hand, if you had spent that drive to work listening to your favorite pastor speak, you'll have the strength and peace of the word of God to draw from, when facing that hard day. Does that make sense?
Watching a movie with a question scene in it... How will putting that into your mind effect how you will handle the temptations of staying pure, sexually? Having friends that aren't christians, is not a sin... But the amount of time you spend around those that don't believe as you do, you're eventually going to fall into the place where you start to become numb to the characteristics of these friends, and start to maybe compromise your values, little by little. What you surround yourself with, is what you will eventually become.
"Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things." Philippians 4:8
It's not "wrong" to listen to a song on the radio, or a show on TV, etc. But just watch out for what you put into your mind, on a constant, daily basis. Try to surround yourself with things that are good, and pure, and help you to stay positive, at peace, and strengthened, because life is hard. There is a constant fight going on, to bring you down, and keep you down. Filling yourself with the things of God will give you weapons to pull from, when fighting this fight. Just something to think about! XOXO!
Tuesday, May 4, 2010
So You've Made A Mistake.... What Next?
I have addressed the subject of mistakes earlier in my blog, but I wanted to come at it from a different angle this time...
Mistakes... We all make them. I have made many of them! When we make mistakes, we sometimes, or often, get into a "stuck" place. What I mean by this, is that we don't know what to do next, we feel guilty, we are upset we have made yet, another mistake. What usually happens, is that we seem to separate ourselves from God. We feel guilty, and know we have done something to disappoint Him, and so we kind of disconnect from God. Not turn away from him necessarily, just disconnect. Sometimes we just don't know what to do next... How to redeem ourselves. So we close ourselves off from God, maybe a little, maybe a lot.
From experience... It is really a lot simpler than we make it out to be. We never have to turn away from God. He loves us. Tune into Him, instead of tuning Him out. Realize your mistake, and ask forgiveness from God. Take responsibility for your mistake, and if there is a deeper root, to why this mistake was made, figure that out, and work to change it. Spend time with God, reading His word, praying for strength, peace, and help, to not repeat your mistakes. The more you tune in to God, and focus on Him, and the things that glorify Him, the more you will yearn to be like Him, and do things that will please Him.
Prayer is our communication with God. I pray ALL DAY! Keeping the lines of communication open between you and God, will help you in your decision making, hopefully avoiding future mistakes, or bad decisions. If you've made as many mistakes as I have in my life, you'll eventually start to catch yourself, before making a bad decision. And if you're tuned in to God, and have a close relationship with Him, you will get that "uneasy feeling", telling you, "That is not such a good idea!" Always listen to this feeling! When you ignore it, and make a mistake, you will feel really stupid, for lack of better words, knowing that God warned you, and you didn't listen! So always keep your ears open to hear God... He does speak to you!
Mistakes are all a part of life. It's how we learn, and how we grow, as a person, and in our relationship with Him. Just make sure you don't turn away from God, turn TO Him, and learn from each and every one of your mistakes. XOXO!
Mistakes... We all make them. I have made many of them! When we make mistakes, we sometimes, or often, get into a "stuck" place. What I mean by this, is that we don't know what to do next, we feel guilty, we are upset we have made yet, another mistake. What usually happens, is that we seem to separate ourselves from God. We feel guilty, and know we have done something to disappoint Him, and so we kind of disconnect from God. Not turn away from him necessarily, just disconnect. Sometimes we just don't know what to do next... How to redeem ourselves. So we close ourselves off from God, maybe a little, maybe a lot.
From experience... It is really a lot simpler than we make it out to be. We never have to turn away from God. He loves us. Tune into Him, instead of tuning Him out. Realize your mistake, and ask forgiveness from God. Take responsibility for your mistake, and if there is a deeper root, to why this mistake was made, figure that out, and work to change it. Spend time with God, reading His word, praying for strength, peace, and help, to not repeat your mistakes. The more you tune in to God, and focus on Him, and the things that glorify Him, the more you will yearn to be like Him, and do things that will please Him.
Prayer is our communication with God. I pray ALL DAY! Keeping the lines of communication open between you and God, will help you in your decision making, hopefully avoiding future mistakes, or bad decisions. If you've made as many mistakes as I have in my life, you'll eventually start to catch yourself, before making a bad decision. And if you're tuned in to God, and have a close relationship with Him, you will get that "uneasy feeling", telling you, "That is not such a good idea!" Always listen to this feeling! When you ignore it, and make a mistake, you will feel really stupid, for lack of better words, knowing that God warned you, and you didn't listen! So always keep your ears open to hear God... He does speak to you!
Mistakes are all a part of life. It's how we learn, and how we grow, as a person, and in our relationship with Him. Just make sure you don't turn away from God, turn TO Him, and learn from each and every one of your mistakes. XOXO!
Saturday, May 1, 2010
It's All Going To Be Ok!
Lately, I have come in contact with SO MANY people, who are unhappy with their lives, and the situations they are in, or are going through hard times, and are really "down". This is a really hard place to be in. I know that "dark" place.
What I have learned to do, is to stay one step ahead of the enemy, who is going to try his best, to get you into that dark place... Whether it's reminding you of your past, and how you don't deserve to be happy, trying to make you hold on to guilt, from past decisions, and mistakes you've made, trying to convince you that your situation is hopeless, and you're never going to make it through, giving you a feeling like you are stuck, and never going to see the light at the end of the tunnel, or that you simply can't accomplish, whatever it is, that you are trying to accomplish... Just to name a few! I have learned to know that these thoughts are going to creep into my mind, and try to take me down, distracting me from focusing on what my goals are, and staying on the path God has for my life. If I can catch them when they first start to creep in, and have a plan of attack when they do, I can avoid getting stuck in the enemy's traps. I can overcome the lies of the enemy.
It is so hard to feel the things I listed above. If you dwell on these feelings, it can really be dangerous. Dangerous to your relationship with God, to you're ability to live life, work, take care of your children, etc. It can put you in a place where you become stuck in this deep hole, desperately wanting to get out of it, but not having any idea how. First, know that there IS hope! "But in my distress I cried out to the LORD; Yes, I prayed to my God for help. He heard me from His sanctuary; my cry reached His ears." Psalm 18:8 "Don't be afraid, for I am with you, Do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you. I will help you. I will uphold you with my victorious right hand...I am holding you by your right hand. I, the LORD your God. And I say to you, "Do not be afraid. I am here to help you. Despised though you are, don't be afraid, for I will help you. I am the LORD, your Redeemer. I am the Holy One." Isaiah 41:10-14
First thing, PRAY... Give all of your troubles, fears, guilt, and feelings of hopelessness over to God. Than LEAVE THEM THERE! That's the hard part, leaving it all there, in God's hands, and TRUSTING that He will do what He promises... take care of you... "But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all things will be added to you." Matthew 6:33
After praying, leaving your troubles with God, and trusting in Him to take care of you, the next step is to be prepared for these feelings to creep in again! They creep up in me all the time. My strategy... Go directly to the Bible, and read, read, read! I read, pray, and spend time with God, reminding myself, that He has my worries covered. Than put it out of your mind, and move on, pressing forward toward your goals. I used to think that "putting it out of my mind" was just going into denial about my problems. Denial used to be my strategy, in the past, when facing hard times. But then I realized that I was no longer going into denial mode, I was simply putting my faith and trust in God, and letting Him work in my life. Not worrying, shows your faith in God.
The last thing... Do your very best, try your hardest, and continue to press forward and stay on the path God has for your life, and He WILL do all the rest! We work hard, have faith, and God picks up there... Working everything for good, to those who love and have faith in Him.
Times are hard, it seems for a lot of people right now, myself included, but if we learn how to handle these difficult times, have a plan of attack, for when those thoughts of hopelessness creep in, and work our hardest to overcome them, God will be there holding our hand, leading us to the place that He has for our lives... And we will have come out of these times, having learned so many valuable lessons, about life, ourselves, and God's faithfulness in times of trouble.
Bottom line... It's all going to be OK! XOXO!
What I have learned to do, is to stay one step ahead of the enemy, who is going to try his best, to get you into that dark place... Whether it's reminding you of your past, and how you don't deserve to be happy, trying to make you hold on to guilt, from past decisions, and mistakes you've made, trying to convince you that your situation is hopeless, and you're never going to make it through, giving you a feeling like you are stuck, and never going to see the light at the end of the tunnel, or that you simply can't accomplish, whatever it is, that you are trying to accomplish... Just to name a few! I have learned to know that these thoughts are going to creep into my mind, and try to take me down, distracting me from focusing on what my goals are, and staying on the path God has for my life. If I can catch them when they first start to creep in, and have a plan of attack when they do, I can avoid getting stuck in the enemy's traps. I can overcome the lies of the enemy.
It is so hard to feel the things I listed above. If you dwell on these feelings, it can really be dangerous. Dangerous to your relationship with God, to you're ability to live life, work, take care of your children, etc. It can put you in a place where you become stuck in this deep hole, desperately wanting to get out of it, but not having any idea how. First, know that there IS hope! "But in my distress I cried out to the LORD; Yes, I prayed to my God for help. He heard me from His sanctuary; my cry reached His ears." Psalm 18:8 "Don't be afraid, for I am with you, Do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you. I will help you. I will uphold you with my victorious right hand...I am holding you by your right hand. I, the LORD your God. And I say to you, "Do not be afraid. I am here to help you. Despised though you are, don't be afraid, for I will help you. I am the LORD, your Redeemer. I am the Holy One." Isaiah 41:10-14
First thing, PRAY... Give all of your troubles, fears, guilt, and feelings of hopelessness over to God. Than LEAVE THEM THERE! That's the hard part, leaving it all there, in God's hands, and TRUSTING that He will do what He promises... take care of you... "But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all things will be added to you." Matthew 6:33
After praying, leaving your troubles with God, and trusting in Him to take care of you, the next step is to be prepared for these feelings to creep in again! They creep up in me all the time. My strategy... Go directly to the Bible, and read, read, read! I read, pray, and spend time with God, reminding myself, that He has my worries covered. Than put it out of your mind, and move on, pressing forward toward your goals. I used to think that "putting it out of my mind" was just going into denial about my problems. Denial used to be my strategy, in the past, when facing hard times. But then I realized that I was no longer going into denial mode, I was simply putting my faith and trust in God, and letting Him work in my life. Not worrying, shows your faith in God.
The last thing... Do your very best, try your hardest, and continue to press forward and stay on the path God has for your life, and He WILL do all the rest! We work hard, have faith, and God picks up there... Working everything for good, to those who love and have faith in Him.
Times are hard, it seems for a lot of people right now, myself included, but if we learn how to handle these difficult times, have a plan of attack, for when those thoughts of hopelessness creep in, and work our hardest to overcome them, God will be there holding our hand, leading us to the place that He has for our lives... And we will have come out of these times, having learned so many valuable lessons, about life, ourselves, and God's faithfulness in times of trouble.
Bottom line... It's all going to be OK! XOXO!
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