Old Meets New 4 – Revive Me Again

Always my prayer is that God will lead me away from the things of this world, and draw me closer to the beauty of His Word and His Ways.  When I am broken, filled with sorrow, and in the pit of despair, it is then that God revives me, filling me with His presence and becoming my Light and my  beacon.

May you also turn to God when you feel there is no other way, when you feel that the world has won, when you are stuck in the darkness of despair, and struggling to find your way.

God bless and keep you, and may you taste the beauty of the Lord <3

Turn my eyes away from worthless things; preserve my life according to Your word. –Psalm 119:37

Revive Me Again

I am laid low in the dust
My soul is weary with sorrow
Strengthen me according to Your word
Direct me in the path of Your commands
Turn my heart toward Your statutes
Not toward my selfish gain
May Your unfailing love be my comfort
Let Your hand become my help

My eyes fail, looking for Your promise
I have suffered much
Do not let my hopes be dashed
Uphold me and I will be delivered
Plead my cause and redeem me

My flesh trembles in fear of You
Rivers of water run down from my eyes
Trouble and distress have overtaken me
I cry out with my whole heart
Hear my voice according to Your loving-kindness
Consider my affliction and deliver me
Renew me according to Your word
Revive me according to Your generosity

Let my cry come before You, O LORD
Give me understanding according to Your word
Let my supplication come before You
Direct my steps by Your word
And let no iniquity have dominion over me

Old Meets New 3 – Fight for Me

For those times when you just can’t stand any longer.  The times when life has broken you down, and the flesh seeks to overpower.  For the moments we fail, struggle to do what is right, and are unable to fight the good fight.  Know that the Lord will fight for you.  He will stand before you, guarding you, holding you, protecting you, giving you his strength, carrying you through your weakness, making you stronger than you ever were before.

Do not give up….but hold on!

God bless and keep you always!

The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still. –Exodus 14:14

Fight for Me

Lord, I need you
Desires run strong
Sin consumes the thoughts
A battle yet to be won
War torn
Ravaged
Heart against mind
Spirit against flesh
Will against desire
I cannot stand alone
Surely I will fall
Succumb to the wickedness inside
Internal evil fights for control
I am not my own
Nor do I belong to the darkness
I am yours
Victorious through Your Son’s death
Pure in spite of myself
I am weak
I am torn Lord
Fight for me, please

Old Meets New 2 – The Tears God Cried

In this life we have all had times of sorrow.  Not just a sadness that brings a night of tears and then joy in the morning, but rather a deep, soul-felt sorrow, that ensnare our hearts and brings emotional, gut wrenching pain. I have walked that line in my life, been in the alley of darkness, and down the streets of confusion, but God has brought me great peace through His love and His hand in my life.  He has unveiled my clouded eyes so that I can see the goodness of life.  He has surrounded me by Godly, loving women and men that have encouraged me, and shown me what love looks like.  He has blessed me with a wonderful son who shows me everyday that life is a blessing indeed.  Even if you hover in the shadows of fear, pain, trauma, abuse, depression, or despair, know that there is a light-a wonderful light beyond you that can fill all the voids and bring healing to the broken.   Reach out to those who love you, go to your local church and seek counsel, fellowship with people you trust…and let the power of God touch you as never before!

Isaiah 61:1-3 The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me, because the Lord has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor.  He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn, and provide for those who grieve in Zion—to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair.  They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the Lord for the display of his splendor.

God will bring you joy, cover you with his light, heal your broken heart, and bring freedom for your wounded soul.  TRUST in Him….and you will be renewed.  In His love!

And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus…I can do everything through Him who gives me strength.
Philippians 4:7, 13

The Tears God Cried

Who are you?
Scared little girl
Hiding behind the fake laugh
Dreadfully fearing the dark secrets
Horrified someone will find out

Who can you turn to?
Those who should be trustworthy
Were your very betrayers
Those you trusted
You feared would reject you

You were a child
An innocent blessing given from God
Placed in the arms of adults
Adults who were supposed to protect you
Instead they stole your innocence

God cried for you
He was angry for your very pain
Saw the hurts that no one else saw
Peering into your heart and soul
He wept for the darkness residing there

Were you guilty?
Never for a moment
The guilt and shame you carried
It was meant for your aggressors
Those who belittled and mistreated you

Gods plan for you continued
When evil reigned so harshly in your young life
And torment altered you path
He stayed with you
Blessing you with strength

The strength was not physical
Nor was it even mental
Instead God blessed your soul
Deep within He gave you strength
Strength of spirit to grow and love

Can you love?
You can love where you are
How far you have come
You can love because God loved you
Even when you did not

Old Meets New 1 – Amidst the Storms of Life

I have decided to condense my blogs into this one blog, therefore, I will be transferring past posts to this site. The other site was titled Struggles Against Principalities, and was a place for me to examine the trials and tribulations I was facing in my life, and allow me a chance to help others see that they are not alone in this world of struggles…God is always there, orchestrating all things to bring us all to a place of blessing filled with peace, joy, and contentment. Just as on the other blog, I pray these will touch your life and bring you a sense of how much you are loved by your Creator.

God bless!

AMIDST THE STORMS OF LIFE

Have you ever felt like the storms in your life will never end? Wondered why life is so difficult and when the instability will cease? Life here on earth is not meant to be perfect as that was destroyed with the fall of man–thank you very much Adam and Eve. However, we have hope. We have the chance to believe that things can get better; that the storms will calm and life will cease to unravel. Yes, there is hope and we can overcome the storms. How? Through earnestly seeking God and His plan for you life.

I too have been traveling the weary journey of problems and circumstances that have caused me to fear and at times lose hope. Having been unemployed for almost 5 years this school year, the road of life has had it share of instability and uncertainty. But, with God at my side (even when I couldn’t feel Him) I was able to cling to an inner peace. The Lord God Almighty was my shelter during this time of trouble. He was my strong tower when I couldn’t travel the path any longer. Even when my flesh warred with God, ultimately my Spirit won out, and I ran to Him, to the shelter of his wings (Psalm 61:4). In the Lord’s hiding place, I found rest from life’s pressures, stability amidst the caverns of chaos, and refuge from the desert mountains of depression. Yes, God was my all in all during the storms.

He was El Shaddai, the All Sufficient One, the God who nourishes, supplies and satisfies. Through this long journey of unemployment God blessed me with friends who helped, a church that met my needs, and government help that kept food on the table. He supplied all I needed and satisfied my heart with His love and nourished me physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. Does that mean I was always happy, always certain from one week to the next of what we would eat, what we would do financially? Of course not, but in my weakness, He was strong and He carried me. Praise God!

The Lord was El Roi, the God who sees and watches over me. Sometimes in our flesh we feel that God isn’t there; He doesn’t see what is going on in our life, otherwise He would change it or make it better. Well, that is a lie from Satan! God sees all that we go through and seeks to bring good, hope, and a future of peace to our lives (Jeremiah 29:11, Philippians 4:7). He doesn’t want us to worry or be anxious, as we are so important to Him and in His love, He will come to our aid (Philippians 4:6, Psalm 31:2). He sees all that happens in our life and will use it to bring good. Remember one thing, God does not bring hurt, chaos, or darkness into your life–Satan does! God is the one who uses Satan’s evil to bring about growth, strength, resolve, beauty, and hope to us! Embrace the journey and let the God, who sees it all, bless you because of it.

Through this entire journey of unemployment, God has most assuredly been Jehovah Jirah for me–the God who provides. He met every need in the most amazing ways! I received monetary gifts in the mail when I least expected them (thanks to those anonymous people who listened to the voice of God and came to my rescue!). There were times that bill companies graciously gave me extensions for payments and times when food was given to me out of the blue. God gave all that I needed and so much more. He allowed me to find true humility amidst the struggle and gave me the chance to learn and embrace grace and love in so many ways! It is His unlimited bounty that helped me face each day secure in His provision for me and my family. Again, I had my moments of anxiety, my nights of tears, and days of disappointment, but God used His spirit within to keep me grounded and bring me back to the shelter of His love for me.

Two major things I took away from this journey (though there are so many more) are that of trust and prayer. I learned that trust is not just a word or an agreement, but it is an ACTION. When we trust in the Lord we are to show that trust. How can you show trust? There are several ways: do not worry about what each day will bring (Matthew 6:26-27), seek God in prayer (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18), and believe that He has good plans for you (Jeremiah 29:11). Each of those requires action, either physical, mental, emotional, or a combination. Though it seems that your problems will never subside, believe that God is bigger than all the problems you could ever face and that He is your refuge amidst the storms.

With all my love and thanks to my friends and family for getting me through one of the most difficult journeys in my life. You are truly Angels of God’s Light!

Prayer – Part 2

The Lord’s Prayer is a most wonderful example of how we are to pray to God, our Father in Heaven. Let me begin by saying Christ did not provide the Lord’s Prayer as an example for us to simply express in a rote manner, over and over, with no meaning or thought to what each word signifies (Matthew 6:7). The Lord’s Prayer is an example that will help us to truly enter deep, thoughtful, and meaningful prayer time with God. Though we are to pray continually as discussed in Prayer –Part One, it is important to remember that we must spend quality time with God as well. Just as we spend time with our friends to develop deeper connections, so too we must spend quality time with God to grow in our relationship with him and to receive from him all the blessings he has in store.
With that said, let’s take a look at the Lord’s Prayer and dig deeper into the picture Christ is providing us of how to pray to such an awesome God.

Our Father in heaven,
Hallowed be Your name.
Your kingdom come.
Your will be done
On earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our debts,
As we forgive our debtors.
And do not lead us into temptation,
But deliver us from the evil one.
For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.

The prayer begins with “Our Father in Heaven”. This is to remind us that God is our Father, our provider, our preserver of life (Matthew 6:28-33, 23:9, 1 Peter 1:17). He is the Parent of all of Creation, including us! We have been adopted into God’s family, heirs to kingdom of heaven, when we accept Christ as our Lord and Savior (Romans 8:14-17).

The second line is “hallowed be Your name”. Hallowed means holy. We are to greet our Father in heaven with reverent fear, knowing that he is holy. He is to be celebrated, venerated, and receive honor that is due him. To be holy means to be pure, sacred, and to be entitled to the act of worship. Our God is holy and worthy or our worship and devotion. (Leviticus 11:44, Isaiah 5:16, 43:3).

“Your kingdom come” has two differing understandings in the Christian realm, but both are interconnected. The first is in reference to the spiritual condition of an individual, an inner kingdom within the heart, mind, and soul of the believer. When we ask for God’s kingdom to come upon us as believers, we are in essence asking him to reign in our lives, making us more like Christ and less dependent on ourselves and our own devices. The second understanding of this portion of passage is in reference to the actual Day of the Lord’s return. As Christians, we are petitioning God to bring Christ’s second coming swiftly so that his reign is complete and we are all reunited with Him in glory and splendor.(Matthew 3:2, 4:17)

“Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven” refers again to two things as well. First, we are asking that his will be done in our lives. That he fill us with his purpose and set our feet on his path for us. We are also seeking for God to reveal his law, his will to us that we may respond in obedient love. Second, we are asking for God to make things here on earth the way they will be in heaven, brining his plan of salvation into the lives of all mankind, thereby ushering in his kingdom and fulfilling his promise to those who love him and give themselves to him. (Luke 22:42, Acts 21:14)

Jesus continues saying, “Give us this day our daily bread.” This verse in the prayer denotes our reliance on God to supply all our needs. There are two types of needs we have: those that are physical and of this world and those that are spiritual, beyond what we can see, taste, feel, smell, and hear. God provided the physical needs for food and water for the people of Egypt daily, so too will he meet all our needs, therefore sustaining our life. When Christ was tempted by Satan in the desert, Satan told him to turn the stones into bread to sustain him. Christ replied with this simple, yet powerful statement, “Man cannot live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the word of God (Matthew 4:4, Deuteronomy 8:3). This brings us to the spiritual needs. We must read, listen to, and meditate on the words of God if we are to be fed and sustained spiritually. And to take this verse one step further, and dig a little deeper, you will notice that Christ prays that the LORD give US our daily bread, not singular at all. The word us is often used, especially in the new testament, to denote family or the family of Christ. Part of the digestion and sustenance through the word of God is prayer. Jesus was praying for his family, for us, that we be provided for in all ways concerning our life—both spiritual and physical. We need to also pray for our families that they are provided for and their needs met. (Ruth 1:6, Proverbs 30:8, Isaiah 33:16, Luke 11:3)

“Forgive us or trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us”. There is so much here to dissect, though it appears so simple. Trespass is a newer translation of the original word “debt” that was used in earlier versions of scripture. Debt was not used in the literal sense of pecuniary or monetary value, but rather in the spiritual and heartfelt sense. As scripture states we all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23) and therefore we need his forgiveness in order to washed pure and be made holy and acceptable in his sight (Psalm 51:2-7, 2 Corinthians 5:21). He will indeed punish the sinner without the blood of Christ to wash them clean (Matthew 26:28, Ephesians 1:7, 1 John 1:7). Now that we have established that we do indeed need God’s forgiveness to obtain a place of righteousness in his kingdom, we now can examine the second half of this verse—“as we forgive those who trespass against us.”

Scripture is very clear that we are to forgive others in order for us to receive God’s forgiveness. That is right, I went there! The family member who abused you, the coworker who steps on you to get ahead, the neighbor who won’t help to cover the cost of the privacy fence you share, the friend who lied to you and betrayed you. That is right; you are called to forgive them! Just as we are required to love, we are required to forgive…both are hard to do in the flesh, but with God all things are possible (Mark 10:27, 14:36, Matthew 19:26). Take a moment to read Matthew 18:21-35—the parable of the unmerciful servant. In this story Christ very clearly displays the need for forgiveness (Matthew 6:14-15, Mark 11:26, Luke 6:37). When we forgive we are releasing our right to revenge the wrong done to us. With that we release our anger, frustration, hurt, pain, bitterness, and resentment, all things that keep us from growing and developing a deeper relationship with God. If we cannot forgive from the heart, then we have assurance that God will not forgive us. So, when you pray for our Father in heaven to forgive your trespasses as you forgive those who trespass against you, make sure it is from the heart and that you perhaps also ask God for the strength to forgive others and surrender the wrongs done to you.

“And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from all evil.” Before diving into this section of the Lord’s Prayer there is one critical thing we must remember—God tempts no man (James 1:13). David in Psalm 141:4 states “Incline not my heart to any evil thing, to practice wicked works with the workers of iniquity, and do not let me eat of their delicacies.” In both David’s and Christ’s prayer, they are asking the LORD God to deter them from, to keep them away from tempting things. To take this verse to another level, it is important to realize that the word temptation does not refer to sinful things per se.

In the Greek the word temptation refers to trail, affliction, calamity, testing, probation, anything that tests our virtue. Satan will tempt us to fall in more ways than one, and it can be through the trials and tribulations that we encounter. Our prayer here is for the Lord to bring us through the trials and calamities without allowing them to overtake us. It is also a request for God to deliver us from the traps and snares Satan puts before us, to protect us from Satan’s evil schemes.

Is it wrong for us to ask God to save us from suffering…of course not! Even Christ asked that God “take this cup from me, if it be Your will” (Luke 22:42). The key phrase, “if it be Your will.” Though we may not like the “cup” God allows in our lives, we ultimately have to surrender to his will, trusting that he will bring us out of the afflictions and testing stronger, more faithful, and more like Christ. (Luke 22;40, John 17:15, 1 Corinthians 10:13, 2 Thessalonians 3:3, 2 Timothy 4:18, 2 Peter 2:9, Matthew 4:1, 13:19, 1 John 2:13-14, 3;12)

“For thine is the kingdom, the power, and the glory”. This part of the prayer illustriously display who God is in our lives. When we acknowledge his kingdom, we are accepting the reign and dominion of Gods control. When we pray for the power of God we are admitting we are weak and cannot navigate this world in our own power. We are also confessing that all things are possible with God. The glory of god is the honor and praise we give God. As one author wrote, “Approaching him with these feelings, our prayers will be answered; our devotions will ascend like incense, and the lifting up our hands will be like the evening sacrifice.” God gives us his best and he deserves all of our honor, respect, praise, and all else we have to give. (1 Chronicles 29:11, Psalm 22:28)

The Lord’s Prayer is indeed a powerful prayer, if you truly understand what it means. With an open heart and a yearning soul, you do not need to pray the Lord’s Prayer with vain repetition without feeling, reverence, or meaning as the hypocrites did in Matthew 6:5-14. Instead you can take this example of prayer from Christ and make it your own, surrendering to him your heart, mind and soul, letting him bless you with peace, love, and understanding, drawing closer to him through grace and mercy that is released through sincere prayer.

Pray with your heart and let God move in your life in ways you have never known before.

With love and hope for a renewed prayer life.

Related Articles:

Heirs of the Kingdom – Part 2

Prayer – Part One

1 Thessalonians 5:17-18 pray without ceasing

Luke 18:1 ought to pray and not lose heart

James 5:13 -6 13 Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing psalms. 14 Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. 15 And the prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. 16 Confess your trespasses[e] to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.

Each of us has friends that we share our lives with, that we open up to, and turn to for support, encouragement, and love. We talk to them at least once a day, if not more sometimes when life is a little rough and the storms are blowing through. We call, we text, we Facebook them, we twitter and chat with them. We send emails and call them. To maintain a friendship, or any relationship for that matter, we have to communicate with them, reach out to them, and be willing to sacrifice other things to spend time with them. Why then do we expect to have a meaningful relationship with God if aren’t willing to communicate with him? How can we expect to hear God’s advice for our lives, or find comfort in his love, or find support from his words if we are not seeking it? Just as we seek to spend time with our friends and deepen our relationships with them, so too we must spend time with God seeking to deepen our relationship with him.

How do we communicate with God? How do we draw closer to him? The answer is easy…through prayer. The word pray is a simple four letter word with a life application challenge. God calls us as Christians to pray without ceasing (1 Thessalonians 5:17-18) and to pray and not lose heart (Luke 18:1). How often do you pray? How connected are you in your walk with God? Do you feel distant from God, wondering where he is in the daily struggle of life? Well, if you lack prayer, then you will most certainly lack the assurance that he is there with you! You will not know his plan for your life nor receive comfort and support if you don’t seek it out. You have to pray! It is imperative for the Christian life to succeed.

So, how do we pray? Scripture provides numerous examples of prayer from David, Moses, the disciples and Jesus. Most all of Psalms is David’s prayer to God. Prayers for forgiveness, prayers for guidance and protection, prayers for discernment, prayers for peace and understanding, wisdom and favor. David prayed for it all! Moses prayed for protection and guidance, for strength to lead the people out of Egypt. The disciples prayed for the church, for fellow believers, for endurance to run the race of this life and reach the eternal prize. Prayer is given all throughout scripture, but Jesus set the example for us as believers. He took time to be alone with God, not short little bursts of prayer when he woke up and before he went to bed, but hours and at times days to pray and talk with God.

When scripture tells us to pray without ceasing, it does not mean that we are to be on our knees 24/7 forgetting about all the other responsibilities and obligations we have to do each day. No! It means that we are simply including God in all that we do. Of course, we are to take time to pray and meditate on his word and its meaning in our lives, which will require devotion and sacrifice. However, to pray continually, means that we are bringing God with us into all areas of daily life, deliberately and conscientiously.

When we face a nagging coworker and need patience, we pray in our heart and mind that God will help us deal with that person at that moment. When we need strength to accomplish a task that is laid before us, we need to conscientiously ask God to help us get it done. When we struggle with a temptation that brings us to the edge of sinning, we need to stop and ask God to show us the way out. Praying continually means talking with God throughout your day about all the things that happen in your day. These include, but are not limited to your fears, your weaknesses, your joys, your accomplishments, your job, the annoying neighbor, the button pushing child.

Jesus gives us an example of how to pray in Matthew 6:5-15.
“And when you pray, you shall not be like the hypocrites. For they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the corners of the streets, that they may be seen by men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. But you, when you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly. And when you pray, do not use vain repetitions as the heathen do. For they think that they will be heard for their many words.

“Therefore do not be like them. For your Father knows the things you have need of before you ask Him. In this manner, therefore, pray:

Our Father in heaven,
Hallowed be Your name.
Your kingdom come.
Your will be done
On earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our debts,
As we forgive our debtors.
And do not lead us into temptation,
But deliver us from the evil one.
For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.

If we dig deeper into the Lord’s prayer, as it is affectionately referred to, we will find the ability to pray with substance and meaning (See note: Prayer – Part Two).

May you ask, seek, and knock at the door to God’s throne and may he meet all of your needs in his glory and for his honor (Matthew 7:7-8, Luke 11:9-10).

 

Life is….

Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you. ~1 Peter 5:7

Life Is….

Life is a gift
Bestowed by God above
Truly precious and valuable
Bringing opportunities
Renewing hope
Strengthening faith

Life is a blessing
A sequence of moments
Orchestrated by the Lord
Bringing peace
Filling hearts with joy
Providing comfort in times of struggle

Life is meant to be lived
Shared with others
Relationships and experiences predesigned
Bringing light to those around us
Encouraging with hope
Building bonds of fellowship

Life is a gift
Choose each task wisely
Relax and release it all to God
Enjoying each moment
Breathing in each blessing
Living richly and abundantly in HIS love

How quick we are to worry and despair about things well beyond our control?! While at work today, I was talking with fellow teachers about the fast approaching end of the school year. We were discussing all that must be done to finish out the year, establish next year’s class lists, and begin prepping for next school year (yes, we actually have to work during the summer—there is no free vacation, even for teachers!) I made the statement that life is too short to worry, and that set off a chain reaction of comments. How true though!

We have only one life. One life with a limited amount of time and to me it seems a bother and a waste to spend that valuable time worrying about things that haven’t happened yet, things that still haven’t gotten completed, and all the little things in between….and I assure you they are ALL little things when you look at the grand scheme of life.

Now I am not saying that we are to be irresponsible, and do whatever we want, whenever we want, however we want, with disregard to societal rules and governing laws. However, I am saying that if you are late for an appointment occasionally because life happened…so be it. I promise you that the world won’t stop spinning! If you are delayed in getting paperwork sent home, don’t stress. Tomorrow is yet another day to finish what was not completed today! Or perhaps, you decide to grab fast food on the way home instead of cooking. Guess what….you won’t become obese with a fast food meal here and there a couple of times a month!

In the American culture, and many others as well, we tend to overbook, overstress, and overwhelm ourselves with to do lists for work, home, church, and recreation. Okay, why do we need a list for a vacation? Really? It is called a vacation so we can relax, not stress about getting from one location to another at a specific time on a specific day. We go from rushing out the door in the morning, to hustling through the day at work, bringing work home because we didn’t finish it there, and then stressing about how to get the laundry done, the house somewhat cleaned (or for those perfectionist, A-type personalities—like I used to be—to get it clean and presentable to the public at all times!), to get dinner cooked, dishes cleaned, children through the bath time and evening routine, not to mention homework completion, and prayer/Bible study time. Oh, and don’t forget grocery shopping, kid shuttles to and from activities, and paying bills! Then we wake up the next morning to do it all again. Whew! After a few days of that, it is no wonder we live for the weekend and work to get enough money to escape now and again. What a vicious cycle!

You know, a lot of our worry and stress is caused by fear over the inability to control our life. Fear of not having enough money to make ends meet…thus we work ourselves to death, often at the sacrifice of family time and personal time. Fear of what unexpected things may (or may not) happen in the future…i.e. car breaking down, kids need braces, house getting robbed or destroyed, college funding… you pick your future worries as we all have some! Fear of not doing enough, fear of doing too much, fear of being late, fear of being early…..hmmmm….fear of failure, fear of success and expectations. I think you get the picture…fear. Worry is caused by fear, insecurity, and the inability to control our lives.

Let me help you out here…YOU ARE NOT IN CONTROL…EVER. NEVER WERE, NEVER WILL BE! GOD IS IN CONTROL! He has orchestrated your life in a way that will produce the most benefit to yourself and those around you. He has planned the path of your life so as to ensure you have all that you need, when you need it (notice I did not say everything you WANT when you WANT it!). That’s right, God has you and your life in the palm of his hand, so guess what? You can relax a little and enjoy the amazing gift of life that he has given you.

Again, I am not saying that this is your ticket to being irresponsible or reckless. Rather, I am saying that you can relax instead of worrying about the future, instead of stressing about piles of paperwork, instead of stretching yourself so thin you have no time to breath and rejuvenate. Surrender to God and allow HIM to help you prioritize. Give him the chance to teach you the art of saying to no to things that are irrelevant, unimportant, or harmful to the lifestyle he has designed for you. Allow him to work in your life to weed out the insignificant things and selfish plans you hold so tight to that run you tirelessly into the ground!

Instead of worrying, take to the scriptures and trust that God has you and that all you need do is follow him with a willing heart, a thirsty soul, a focused mind, and a healthy body. Philippians 4:6-7…Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Come to God with prayer, with thanksgiving for what you do have, instead of focusing on what you don’t have. Bring your worry, your anxiety, your fears, your insecurities to HIM. Lay them at the cross and let God work in your life to bring you peace, joy, contentment, and hope.

Remember and hold tight to the truth that you are valuable and precious to the LORD…more than you can imagine, more than your earthly limited mind-set can understand. He created you to live life, not for you to let worry run your life. Taste the freedom that God can give and trust that HE WILL carry you through it all.

I leave you with Matthew 6:25-34…”Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life? “And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you–you of little faith? So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

Live, laugh, love OR Anxiety, anguish, agonize…..you pick!

God bless and may HE fill your life to overflowing, opening your eyes to the beauty of life and helping you slow down to enjoy it!