Poem I like

I haven't been inspired to write much lately.  However, I came across this poem today and just wanted to share it.  The devil has done a pretty good job of beating me up about that, as well as making me feel like no one wants to read what I write about anyway, and I have considered deleting my whole blog.  Then the voice of truth creeps in... it's louder and stronger and it won't leave me alone.  That's when I know it's the voice of God.  I think if I could take more time to just clear my head and truly listen to the things that the Lord wants to teach me then I would not find myself in such depression at times.  I am such a work in progress.  I am so thankful that God never lets go of my hand no matter how far away I may run from Him.

Testing Times "I asked the Lord for a bunch of fresh flowers but instead he gave me an ugly cactus with many thorns. I asked the Lord for some beautiful butterflies but instead he gave me many ugly and dreadful worms. I was threatened, I was disappointed, I mourned. But after many days, suddenly, I saw the cactus bloom with many beautiful flowers, and those worms became beautiful butterflies flying in the spring wind. God's way is the best way." Chun-Ming Kao, Written from prison Have you ever felt like this?  Sometimes I feel like I always get the short end of the stick.  Sometimes I feel like everyone around me is blessed with many things that I "want" and I struggle with feelings of jealousy and depression.  Lord, help me to remember that your way truly is the BEST way.

What's Beautiful?!?!

I've struggled with self-esteem and self-confidence for as long as I can remember.  I have patches in my life that are better than others, but it's definitely a struggle! 

This song is amazing and speaks to my SOUL!!!  Click the link to hear the song, I promise it's not a virus.  :)

http://youtu.be/6b71zuACxJg

Being Me

I used to watch the Dr. Phil show a lot when I was a stay at home mom.  Although this was some time ago, I still remember something he used to always say to the guests on his show.  He said, "You tell people how to treat you".  Those words have stayed with me and tend to surface in my mind whenever I feel I've been treated unfairly, rude, judgemental, or just downright mean.  Yet, after all this time of hearing those words over and over in my mind, I still can't figure out what exactly he means, or better yet, what exactly to do about it.  You see, the problem is that I believe in being myself, and being the person God commands me to be.  It is a struggle in a world filled with people wo do not care about what God commands us to be.  I struggle at times to maintain the values that I hold to be true and struggle with saying or doing things that are not of my character because I want to fit in with "the world".  I want to be accepted, to be loved; I want to be sweet and kind and FUN, and yet...I want to be ME. 

The Me I want to be is patient, is kind.
The Me I want to be does not envy, does not boast, is not proud.
The Me I want to be does not dishonor others, is not self-seeking, is not easily angered,
The Me I want to be keeps no record of wrongs.
The Me I want to be does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.
The Me I want to be always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

Lord, please help me to always be the ME I so desperately want to be!!

It Matters to God

"You keep track of all my sorrows. You have collected all my tears in your bottle. You have recorded each one in your book." ~Psalm 56:8 

Jesus taught us to pray as follows: "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 . . ." (Matthew 6:9–11).

In this template for all prayer, Jesus is effectively saying, "When you pray, always acknowledge the greatness of God. Pray for the will of God, and pray for the provision of God."

So when we pray, "Give us this day our daily bread," we are, in effect, acknowledging that everything we have comes from God!

This is what we need to remember: God can take care of our needs. Do you believe that God can take care of you, even when the odds are against it? Maybe you work very hard. Maybe you save your money and invest wisely and have done well for yourself. And you say, "Well, I know it has come from God, but I played a part in it." No, it all came from God. The ability to think clearly came from God. The beat of your heart came from God. The blood coursing through your veins came from God. Everything you have is from the Lord, including the clothes you are wearing, the car you drive, the home you live in, and the spiritual gifts and talents you have. They are all from the Lord.

So when we pray, "Give us this day our daily bread," we are acknowledging that everything we have has come from God. And we are also saying that everything we need in the future still will come from God.

If it matters to you, it matters to God. If it troubles you, it is a concern to God. So bring it to Him. He is interested in detail.

Learning to Trust

One of my favorite verses in the Bible comes from Hebrews. 

Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said,
         “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.”   (Hebrews 13:5)

Meditating on this verse brings me a sense of great hope.  I use this verse to encourage myself whenever I have concern about whether or not God will come through and meet my needs.  In this passage, the Lord is letting us know that we do not need to have our minds set on money.  We do not need to worry about how we are going to take care of ourselves, because He will take care of those things for us.  He has promised never to fail us or forsake us. 

This verse reminds me to do my part (tithing, sharing, praying and trusting), but not to do God's part.  The load is too heavy to bear!  If we are not careful, we will break under the weight of all the worry and stress.