Sweet Emotions

Emotions Lie.  If I know anything it is this.  They are our biggest robber of joy.  Satan's best weapon.  If you would ask me what I'm driven by.  Point blank I would say emotion.  To say I'm sensitive is an understatement.  In fact, you look at me wrong I could probably convince myself over and over the things you were thinking about me in your head.  To the point I am beyond miserable with myself and those around me.

Satan has known this about me all along.  When I was at my weakest most vulnerable emotional state, he seemed to take the fork and just shove it right in.  With that it led me to say and do things I never intended to do or beyond that mean.  It was a defense mechanism to protect my heart myself, put that wall up to hide the unconfident heart I held.

I have to still watch it to this day.  Others peoples emotions also highly effect me.  To the point I have to watch who and what I let enter my front doors.  Negativity and stress can take me for a tailspin....much like kids feed off their environment not sure I ever really grew out of that.
I want to believe God in that moment, but they are so powerful that I end up succuming to the thing I hate the most.

Not all emotion is bad.  In fact we are born with emotion to share joy and empathy.  Love and sorrow.  Yet channeled without prayer and judgement it is one of the worlds greatest evil.  Last week was a highly vulnerable week for me.  Stress with my son and weeks of constant turmoil, I was candy in the devils eyes.  He struck, I succumbed and I chose the typical lash and defend stance to guard my heart and my family.

I've learned a lot from that experience. Mostly beyond anything to pray first and foremost about everything.  Not for a minute, or a few hours, but for a period of time until I no doubt had heard the truth from above.  I've learned when we react to our emotions they lead us, blocking the way from God's path.  We must stand still, find peace then find our footing to continue.

The next time you find yourself driven in anger, hurt or confusion I want you to stop and say this silent prayer.  Over and over until the Lord speaks. Guard your environment, your family, your heart from any negativity or gossip that enters your walls.

Father, You are my Creator. You have made these emotions. These emotions have been wounded; they have been torn apart. Sinful, negative emotions have been cultivated into my life. I plead for You to release Your power into my life. Remove the sinful, negative emotions that resulted from emotional wounds. Heal my heart so that I can experience emotional health and wholeness (Genesis 1:27).

The Serenity Prayer

My good friend sent me this very familiar prayer yesterday.  I of course knew it was the Serenity Prayer by the first sentence, but soon realized that is all I knew.  She said it changed her life, and I know why.  I have a feeling it could change some of yours as well.  So I urge you. Print this off put it up where each morning you can read this to start your day.  What a beautiful reminder to start your morning.  Blessings this weekend my friends!




God, give me grace to accept with serenity
the things that cannot be changed,
Courage to change the things
which should be changed,
and the Wisdom to distinguish
the one from the other.

Living one day at a time,
Enjoying one moment at a time,
Accepting hardship as a pathway to peace,
Taking, as Jesus did,
This sinful world as it is,
Not as I would have it,
Trusting that You will make all things right,
If I surrender to Your will,
So that I may be reasonably happy in this life,
And supremely happy with You forever in the next.

I laughed today....

I laughed today. Bent over, belly jiggle, cheek hurting laughed today. I couldn't stop. There was a joy so deep in me it would have been near impossible to throw me off. I found laughter in circumstance, in a simple genuine text, the kids next doors simple innocence. There was joy surrounding me.

I decided today our new family mantra is find happiness in circumstance. If I have found anything, it is that you can't hope the next day will be easy, you just have to be content no matter where it ends up.

Laughing is not such a big deal to some people, they either have learned the above lesson already or they are just born with it: I envy those people!!! It hasn't come easy for me this year.in fact when you've went months without laughter and joy....ridden with fear and anxiety....these days stop you in your tracks. It's beyond an answer to prayer...it's a miracle.

My text to my friend tonight read: I'm healing. Thank you for traveling through the Valley with me. If you've ever been through a valley, you can appreciate that shepherd God places you with to lead you through. They love you at your worst, rejoice in your best.

We never know when we will see the seas parting, but if we keep paddling one day you just end up closer to the other side. God is good at many things....best at quiet details with big outcomes. So tonight as I lay down I first thank God for a blessed day. Then I pray tomorrow I find contentment no matter where the day takes us...then I'll add but today felt really good:)

Have a blessed present my friends:)

You are Enough

My heart was hurt very badly many years ago. Then we thought they had scarred me forever, boy did the Lord have different plans. Far from scarring, what we didn't know at the time is they have helped to shape the person I am now becoming.  Seeking God, healing hurts, becoming the best woman I can be.  The amazing Woman God created me to be.  A wife, A Mom and a witness of Christ.  So thank you, for shaping me. So for all you ladies out there who have ever felt hopeless when someone seems to take your heart for granted, rejoice.  It's part of your story and no one can devalue the greatness that could only be created by our beautiful savior. 

Dear Lord:

I feel there are women out there today that need big prayers.  Their self worth is being compromised by hurt and others in their lives who don't know the value of their being.  I pray these women today turn to you.  That you give them confidence where it is lacking, strength to stand tall, and power to move on or walk away.  That Lord you are parting the red seas, you are creating a life before them they can only imagine.  Let them be still in the storm Lord, and forever they will rejoice in your greatness, their greatness.

Amen.

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Christ is Enough For Me.....

One of my favorite songs by Hillsong is Christ is Enough For Me.....

"I have decided to follow Jesus, no turning back, no turning back. 

The cross before me, the world behind me. no turning Back, no turning Back."

I had a talk with a newly baptized follower last week.  We spoke about following Christ and how as we celebrate our new members to our family....how we want to also say suit up for the battle before you.  Not so inviting in such a period of renewed joy.  Yet so very true.  Any follower will resonate with this statement.

Seems as though when I decided to follow, everything in my path has attacked my every weakness.  I can honestly say this has been the toughest year of my life to date.  Emotionally, confidence wise, and physically.  One thing after another.  When I pray for you and your burdens and I state his word, that very statement is under trial that day or week.  I'm surely held accountable.

The other day I prayed.  Lord whether it be the Devil or testing please let me not turn back.  Please don't let me look to the worldly ways as easier.  Don't let me give up the race to see your Glory.  It's in everything.  In my trials I find strength.  In your testing my faith soars.  The cross is before me there I find my purpose.

No matter how hard it gets, no matter how hard you pray.  He hears, he is there.  In my biggest moments of doubt I always get a vision.  He is there on the cross.  Bloody, tired, hanging by a thread. Every bit of suffering you can imagine.  He is there for me.  For you.  For my kids. My family and friends.  The dear Lord sacrificed his very son for me to live a life of purpose, of hope. To share that hope and faith with you. So there I keep my eyes upward and the next day a new day to pray harder. As a Mother I can't even imagine giving my only son, and there I find a love that I know is not forsaken or without promise. I hope you find that today.

Christ Is Enough - Hillsong Live

Fear in the Dark

When I was a little girl looking back now I went through a period of time I was so scared of the dark....I would wake up and scream for hours thinking the house was going to catch on fire or there was someone lurking in the dark outside my bedroom door.  My poor parents and siblings how exhausted they must have been.  Yet they nightly would reassure me it was OK, but I dreaded the next night.  Daylight brought peace, I could see everything around me.  The darkness clouded every certainty I had those scary and frightening nights.

Fast forward years later, I have went through another battle with fear.  Seems like daily I wake up not knowing what to expect that next day.  Will I be frightened, doubtful, lacking confidence. Will circumstances that are in my imagination come to haunt me.  There I find my thoughts creating a deep response in me.  Though some people experience anxiety in many physical and mental forms I have found such an awareness of the physical effects it produces.  Feeling trapped in your body, wanting to run away from it but internally held captive.

I've told many people instead of now sitting and thinking of solutions out of my doubt alone, I have learned to immediately go to the word.  There I find a pathway of conversation to Jesus that gives me that reassurance to get through another day.   Though I know this will not magically go away overnight or the fears and doubts will suddenly subside. These are the promises he gives you and I to keep pressing forward.

My prayer for you today is in your darkest most doubtful hour....when a burden so heavy on your heart is immobilizing you.  That you read these promises and know the one thing we can be assured and hold tight to is this.  You have no idea the miracle that lies ahead for you.  When it is dark it is hard to see the fullness of Gods doing behind the scenes.He works tirelessly on your behalf to deliver you from the dark. Just as he promises he guarantees healing and wholeness when you seek him in your fears with all your heart.

There is two things in my devotional today I want to leave you to pray over. 

For years I tried the first approach to deal with my darkness. Yet each attempt to help myself failed. It was only when I turned to God, crying out for His help, that things started to change.

Today, if you are in the darkness … if your circumstances are threatening to consume you … if you feel utterly defeated … seek the Lord. Ask Him to rescue you and remember this, He is there … parting your “Red Sea.”

Dear Lord,

Bless those who are reading this today.  Who find hope in your word that you can send through me.   Please each day Lord let us seek and find the truth and hope of all the work you are doing behind the scenes to deliver us.  That you have promised and will fulfill those promises to give us a miracle we could never even imagine.  That Lord through this journey of darkness, there is light.  It's a light that we will be blessed to find that brings us closer to you.  In your name we pray. Amen.