I remember the day He reached me on His mission to save me. I was 16 years old. First, I received a King James Bible, with my name inscribed on it, for my birthday. Mind you, I was not raised in a Christian home.
Next, I read the forward entitled, “Jesus: Man for All Time”. It blew my mind that nobody was talking about Jesus, at least around me. I became extremely sensitive to the words I consumed that day. I sensed a reverence towards this man, Jesus, of whom I knew very little about that day.
About a year after that, I was at a Hallmark store and saw a plaque with the poem, “A letter from a Friend”. I’ll include a copy of it at the end.
Jesus reached me through word, the Bible through revelation by educating me on Who He is. It was like I had this divine appointment on my calendar that I didn’t put there but somehow knew I needed to be there. Finally, through a poem on a plaque, in a Hallmark store.
How else would he reach a writers’ heart but through these means of communication. He was in relentless pursuit of me, while I was as far away as I could get from Him.
And that was just the betrothal stages 🥰
He sealed the deal with a Sermon Series on a Father to the Fatherless in 1989. This was so significant because my father was murdered when I was 9 years old. I learned that I was no longer fatherless, no longer orphaned but adopted into God’s family and I was never as alone as I often thought.
So, don’t, nobody, try to tell me Jesus isn’t who He says He is. He pursued me, when I needed Him the most. What a gift it is to know Jesus, deeply, intimately and intentionally.
I remember the day I lost you, the moment I forgot what your voice sounded like. Both heartbreaking 😢💔Happy Father’s Day in heaven Daddy 💕 top left pic is my last Christmas with my dad and top right was the last trip we took to Kentucky together to see Papaw. He was showing me how to use the recorder so we could send messages back and forth to each other while we were apart. The bottom two pics just remind me I always have a little bit of him with me.
“Your wings were ready but my heart was not” author unknown 🙏🏻
Hiding away in Your love It covers all my pain Hold me now in Your heart Hear me now in Your mind See me move this mountain With You at my side Weak and trembling I fall Bold and courageous I rise My hand in Yours Your love covers me It beats away my pain
K. Howard June 15, 2017 #k4gsuspoetry Psalm 34:18 I would say God definitely is my promise keeper, my papa-daddy, the lover of my soul and the healer of my broken-heart. He’s a good good Father for sure. #moments #thinkabouteternalthings #thatJesuslife #nothingwasted #goodgoodfather #coldcase #fathermefather #fatherless #grief
We as a community, especially those engrossed in social media platforms, have gotten too comfortable fact checking, comparing, and just overall sticking our nose in, other people’s business.
The Bible speaks of a woman caught in the act of adultery. She was used by the Pharisees to put Jesus on the spot to act on the law at that time. But Jesus had a different plan to rehabilitate this offender. The law said she was to be stoned to death but mercy said, “He who has never sinned, cast the first stone,” John 8:6-8
We need to be careful to hold ourselves as accountable as we would others.
They asked this to trap him, in order that they might have evidence to accuse him.
6 Jesus stooped down and started writing on the ground with his finger. 7 When they persisted in questioning him, he stood up and said to them, “The one without sin among you should be the first to throw a stone at her.” 8 Then he stooped down again and continued writing on the ground. John 8:6-8 (CSB Version)
Lord, we need to hold ourselves accountable more than we do others. Amen,
And take the salvation for your head-dress and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God…
The head-dress or helmet of salvation is the next piece of armor, coupled with the sword/word that we put on for the day.
Where is your head today? Did you make a covenant with the truth that comes from salvation through Jesus Christ? Is your mind renewed by the reading of the the Word? Have you made a deal with your eyes, ears and mouth to line them up with godly principles? The helmet of salvation covers the mind, eyes, ears, nose and mouth of the believer.
The sword of the Spirit, that is the word of God, defends the Truth in and for you. You have to read it to believe it. You have to know it to walk in it. You have to be it to give it to someone else.
Lord, I place the helmet of salvation over my mind, my eyes, my ears and my mouth to make Your Truth, my truth. I pray that when I smell danger or temptation that I run from it, lord. I take the sword of the Spirit that is the living and active Word of God to defend the Truth in ever situation. Lord, reveal Your Truth in me through mercy and grace of Your love through Salvation for my. In Jesus name, amen.
Besides all (these, having taken the shield of faith) with which ye will be able to quench all the inflamed arrows of the wicked one.
How much faith does it take to quench all the inflamed darts of the wicked one? The disciples asked a similar question in Matthew 17:19, “Why weren’t we able to cast it out?” Their “it” was disease and a mental disorder. What is your “it’? Jesus answered in verse 20 (my paraphrase); because of your unbelief or in other versions because of your little faith. According to verses 20 & 21 of the same chapter, we need 3 elements to move a mountain of trouble:
Faith of a mustard seed. FYI, you could fit a mustard seed on the end of a sharpened pencil.
Prayer is simply communication with God
Fasting is a sacrifice to the flesh but obedience to the spirit.
It seems to me that it takes a step towards to God to have God take a step towards the “its” in our life. When God moves towards “it”, it is moved. Here’s the thing though, don’t we sometimes want to control “it”. We want to decide where “it” goes, how it “goes”. I think that unbelief can also represent distrust. Trust that the mountain or flaming darts of the evil one get moved or quenched, we are to trust that God has our best interest at heart.
Prayer
Lord, I pray that each one of us hide behind Your faithfulness in every situation. I want to trust you. I want to trust You more with the plan and purpose for my life; therefore I take up my shield of faith, which is ultimately You, Lord. I allow You, Lord access to ever fiery dart from the enemy that will quench it. I will stand in prayer as I watch You fight for me and be my protection from the evil one. I will make the necessary sacrifices in fasting and in laying down what You ask of me.
Be ready with the good news of peace as shoes for your feet.
When you enter or exit a situation, do you bring peace or leave peace” Are you walking in peace? Are you like a runner who laces their shoes and ties them in double knots, tucking in any loose ends?
Are you prepared, my friend, to bring peace to any given situation, even if it means losing? If you choose peace and do not get your way, in your mind you may think that the battle was lost. However, the word of God says, in Matthew 5:9, blessed are the peacemakers for they are called the children of God. Now that is good news AND a win!
Prayer
Dear Lord, I want to prepare my feet to bring peace when I enter a situation and that I might leave a situation in peace and with peace, whenever possible. I do understand that I have no control over another person’s desire for peace but I DO have control over my peace and extending that peace to others. Let me kneel before My Maker, My Peace-maker, and lace my feet with the gospel of peace. Double knot the chords of Your love for me, Lord, that I walk in Your perfect peace. Tuck away any loose ends of my misunderstandings of Your peace. I want to move in Your peace as well as live out the peace that You bring me. I know that I am Your child and I am blessed to be a peacemaker for You, Lord. In Jesus’s name, we have GOOD NEWS. I can and will choose Your shoes of peace today, amen!
Stand therefore, having the utility belt of truth buckled around your waist, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness. Ephesians 6:14 (WERV)
Having the utility belt of truth? Don’t you just love this version of the Armor of God? A utility belt equips one to get the job done. What this verse means to me is: Wrap the whole truth of God around you, clothe yourself in it, be the truth. This parallels to the Roman soldiers’ attire for battle. The belt of a Roman soldier’s armor would have leather straps that hung vertically from the belt itself. These straps would protect everything below the waist as well as being an intricate part of holding all of the armor together. Without the Truth of who Christ is and who we are in Christ, how could we ever stand against our enemies, to get the job done?
The next portion of Scripture begins with, “having put on…”. This is implying that righteousness has already been put on, as if it is part of our identity. The Roman Soldier’s breastplate was like a sandwich board, made with leather and sometimes hammered sheets of metal. One piece of the breastplate covered the front from the neckline to the groin area and one piece that covered the back from the base of the neck to the bottom of the buttocks. We are covered in righteousness over the most vital organs that produce and sustain life. We can be confident that the breastplate of righteousness will cover us as we go in to situations and as we go out of situations.
Prayer
Dear Lord, equip us with Your truth and Your righteousness so that we may be able to stand firm in You in difficult times. Let us wrap ourselves in Your truth and righteousness daily so that when trial and troubles come, we are prepared to stand with You and for You. We trust You Lord, for our protection, to equip us for what we face today. Today we choose truth, righteousness and victory because You have already won the war on our behalf. Amen!
Hiding away in Your love It covers all my pain Hold me now in Your heart Hear me now in Your mind See me move this mountain With You at my side Weak and trembling I fall Bold and courageous I rise My hand in Yours Your love covers me It beats away my pain
“You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart.” Jeremiah 29:13 ESV
It is Palm Sunday. The first day of Holy Week. As we prepare to celebrate the empty tomb, the risen King and the focal point of our faith in Jesus, open your Bible and go to Church.
If you’re looking for God, He is closer than you think. He never disappoints the seeker. The presence of God in your life is meant to be accepted not necessarily found. Let me explain. God is not hiding. He is out in the open, arms open wide, waiting patiently to lavish on you the love He has always had for you, long before you acknowledged or were curious about His existence. God’s existence is not dependent on your belief of Him, however your eternal destination is absolutely dependent on accepting His existence.
Prayer~Lord, I long to know You and experience Your presence until I know the love you carry for me. Amen.
“I love those who love me, and those who seek me diligently find me.” Proverbs 8:17 ESV
Ephesians 6:12-13 (Bible in Basic English Version)
For our fight is not against flesh and blood, but against authorities and powers, against the world-rulers of this dark night, against the spirits of evil in the heavens. For this reason, take up all the arms of God, so that you may be able to be strong in the evil day, and, having done all, to keep your place.
Have I done all to keep my place? Have I really done all? First I need to have a deepened awareness of who my enemy is. My enemy is nothing human, my enemy is everything in the spiritual realm of evil. Satan and his advocates are the spirits of evil coming against the spirits of the heavenlies. This gives a whole new meaning to holy war doesn’t it? Yes, this is the reason I “take up all arms of God”, to be strong in my place in God because the days are becoming more and more evil but these verses in Ephesians help me keep my place with God and accept His protection and His provision. Ultimately, this spiritual battle affects me, yes, but this battle in the heavenlies and on earth belongs to GOD not me. We are the reason God battles Satan. This is the greatest love story ever told! That He (Christ) laid down His life in battle to save YOU and ME. Even death could NOT conquer Him (Christ).
Prayer
Lord, help us to remember who our real enemy is and who our ONLY advocate is. Teach us to “take up ALL arms of God”; this is where the victory is won, in YOU Lord! As times here on earth seem so dark, help us to remember You are the Light that the darkness can NOT overwhelm. I pray that we remember, You have already laid Your life down for us so that we may live for eternity!!! Thank You Lord! In Jesus name, Amen.
Ephesians 6:10-11 (Bible in Basic English Version)
Lastly, be strong in the Lord, and in the strength of His power. Take up God’s instruments of war, so that you may be able to keep your position against all the deceits of the Evil One.
The verses in Ephesians 6:10-11 come after strong instruction to walk away from our sinful desires of the flesh. That is why these verses begin with “lastly…” How many times do we struggle with a sin in our life that we just can’t seem to overcome? We pray, we ask for strength, we ask for wisdom, yes, we ask for a lot of things. One thing has to happen before the heart of repentance can grieve the sin in our lives for good.
WE have to make a conscious decision to turn away from the sin and towards God’s will for our lives. The Word says if we turn…then “lastly, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His power. WE can then draw strength from Him to HEAR Wisdom speak to us and we can BE FREE!!! Amen. YES! Amen! Next the Word directs our steps to:
1. Take up the instruments of war, (action for us)
2. That we may be able to keep our position against all the deceits of the evil one (in God’s strength and in God’s Power, action for God)
Over the next week we will learn what those instruments of war are, how to get them and how to use them to be strong in restraining from sinful behavior.
Prayer
Lord, we need you. In a world bombarded with the acceptance and even encouragement of the things that go against Your call to righteousness, especially the people that call You Lord. Please help us maintain our position against the coercion of the enemy to stumble into sin. Help us oh God to be a people of righteousness about whom You can say, “Well done my good and faithful servants.” If we are in sin right now Lord, show us that open doorway to turn away and chase after your goodness and your mercy and clothe us in Your robe of righteousness. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
(BBE) For I am conscious of my thoughts about you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you hope at the end.
Do you have that one verse that hangs on your wall(s), is engraved in your heart and that defines a transformation stage of your walk with the Lord. Well, Jeremiah 29:11 is that verse for me. This verse was written to the Israelite’s while they were returning from captivity in Babylon. Are you leaving a Babylon in your life right now? A place where you have laid your head, offered yourself up to it but this place was not the ultimate best plan God had for your life? This place took God’s place before you even realized what was happening; or are you still there? Do you still not know how you got there? Do you wonder if you went too far away from the hand of God and His grace? God is not a man that He would or could lie! He is faithful to His Word. He is Faithful, even when we are faithless. My friend, this verse (Jer. 29:11) is a promise that you can count on. The key is to walk away and leave Babylon behind. Maybe your Babylon is an unhealthy relationship, or eating too much, spending more than you make, lust, lying, gossip…whatever it is – physical, habitual or spiritual – The Lord says that He consciously thinks about you. Thoughts of peace, NOT thoughts of evil! Even now, no matter what you have done or where you have been, He wants to give you hope at the end.
Prayer
Lord, help us to see the need to leave our Babylon’s behind us. Help us to see the tenderness of Your Mercy and Grace in this verse. Help us to seek hard after You more than any Babylon in our life. I pray that this verse resonates in my heart and in my mind and in my soul. I want Your Word to change my thinking about You and about how You feel and think about me. I want to turn from Babylon and turn to You. You are my Hope at the end Lord. Forgive me, In Jesus name, Amen.
I Peter 5:8 (YLT) Be sober, vigilant, because your opponent the devil, as a roaring lion, he does walk about, seeking whom he may swallow up.
This verse (I Peter 5:8) comes right after the verse that says; (cast all your cares on Him because He cares for YOU!) I love sports so this version of I Peter 5:8 stirred something in me. I immediately paralleled it to basketball. In the game of basketball, when you are out of bounds, your opponent is in your face and you are trying to throw the ball to your teammate, this was the first picture in my head. In that situation, your opponent can NOT touch YOU without getting a foul. The opponent can touch the ball BUT NOT YOU!!!! The following verses in I Peter 5, say that like Christ suffered you may suffer for a little while, but His grace will complete, establish and strengthen your ground (foundation). Once your ball (your purpose) reaches your teammate, GAME ON! The opponents don’t leave the court though, do they? GAME ON! This is Spiritual Warfare my friends…there are rules and the devil doesn’t play fair. We have sick family members; some are dying with diseases that were never intended for God’s creation. Some of our loved ones deny the eternal home that Christ already paid for with His very own blood…the devil doesn’t play fair. He (the devil) is the liar, not God, he is the thief, NOT GOD, he is the killer, NOT GOD, and he (the devil) is the one who seeks to destroy your life and anyone who is designed in the image of God. This is you my friend, this is me. BUT GOOD NEWS! We are teammates, God is in charge; He has a plan. Christ is the defensive Coach and the Holy Spirit is Master of the game plan and wants to coach us through this thing. If we read and meditate on the game book (the Bible) we will know how to defeat the opposing team (the devil and his demons). We can’t lose if we are sober-minded (focused) and vigilant (self-controlled) to get in the game. GAME ON!
Prayer
Lord, help me remember I’m already on the winning team. Help me to be focused and self-controlled not on the scoreboard but on the Spiritual reality that the devil is a liar, a thief and a killer who does not play fair. BUT GOD said fear not I have overcome the WORLD. Not even death could contain our God! It not just a game Lord, it’s a war zone these days. I commit to remember whose team I’m on and who You are Lord and to read and meditate on Your Word daily, in Jesus name, Amen.
Philippians 4:13 (NIV) I can do all things through Christ, who strengthens me.
You know when you hit that place in pursuit of something and it just isn’t working? Recently, I was in pursuit of something that I had not filtered through Christ. I talked about Christ as if He were there but clearly I DID NOT give Him any input at all. I mean what if He said…well…no. I even quoted THIS very Scripture (Phil 4:13) as I was in pursuit of my goal. Then a still small voice said, “Who strengthens you in this?” My answer was devastating to me, “Me.” The word strengthens here means to keep strong until completion. If Christ is in ALL THINGS He will be your EVERYTHING in it. He will be your guide, your refuge, your wisdom and yes, your strength when you want to give up.
Prayer
Jesus, help me filter all things through You and Your Word. If my desire does not line up with Your desire for me, help me trust You with even more. Help me take my risks with You rather than the risks of this world. Strengthen my trust in You. Help me hear that still small voice when I’m going my own way, thinking I know what’s best for me. I commit to be in pursuit of all things THROUGH Christ, who strengthens me to complete His plan and purpose for my life. Thank You for Your hand on my life Lord, in Jesus’ name, Amen.
Psalm 46:10 (NAS) Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the nations; I will be exalted in the earth.
What does it mean to KNOW that He is God? I guess when we can confidently answer that question we will also be STILL long enough to find out. I want to know Him like that, don’t you? I want to know Him in a way that my confidence in Him causes a nation to exalt the God of wonders, Creator of the Universe and Lover of my soul. I want to know Him in a way that when I am still before His Word, His presence overwhelms me. Abandoning all of my inhibitions, I bow down in reverence and I Worship Him in Spirit and in Truth.
Prayer
Dear Lord, I pray that I exalt You in private so that when I am in public, I am authentic in my daily life of Worship to You. Help me to make it real when it’s just You and I so that the nations want what we have. Help me to not give up getting to know You deeper and deeper. Let my stillness before You be a time when You speak to me the mysteries of Your Word. Thank You Lord for our time together and helping me remain still in a world that is so busy. In Jesus’ name, Amen
Psalm 145:18-20 (BBE) The Lord is near all those who give honor to his name; even to all who give honor to him with true hearts. To his worshippers, he will give their desire; their cry comes to his ears, and he gives them salvation. The Lord will keep all his worshippers from danger; but he will send destruction on all sinners.
To be His Worshipper is more than just singing a song off the screen at church on Sunday morning or Wednesday evening. To be His Worshipper means to honor His name in all that we do. Worship is living out what we read in God’s word to the best of our knowledge, ability and experiences to that point in our Christian walk. When we choose to make Worship a lifestyle rather than just a song we sing on Sunday morning; we choose His blessings also. I say let the true worshippers arise, from Sunday to Saturday, arise!
Prayer Lord, as I meditate on Your Word, help me to be real with You so that I bring honor to Your name. One of the ways that I can honor Your name is by having a pure motivation of the heart. Help me to daily keep my motives pure and aligned with Your Word and will for my life.
“so that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life. For God loved the world in this way: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.” John 3:15-16 CSB
Here we are at the end of our journey. We have conquered much, these past few months together. We have fought for our minds to embrace a truth about who God is to us, who we are to Him and why that matters. Taking our eyes off of what we see in this world while we long for the unseen treasures of eternity.
As you have probably discovered, there is no generic formula to get from the beginning of your time here until you pass on through to eternity. You are a unique, designed being, on a set course, for an eternal destination.
Where we spend eternity will be determined by who we put our trust in. We can put our trust in The One who designed and created our inmost being, before we were given, on loan, to our mother’s womb, or we can live our lives with no creator in mind at all. Whichever we choose, time ticks and eternity awaits our last tic on the clock because nobody makes it out of here, alive. We are not promised tomorrow. We cannot change the past. Today is meant to be seized with eternity in mind.
I leave you with some real questions. Where will you spend eternity? How will you spend your daily 1440 minutes as you walk out the timeline given to you that disrupted eternity? Do you know who God is to you? Do you know who you are to God? Do you know that where you spend eternity is anchored in those last 2 questions?
Only you can answer these questions honestly. If you do not know where to start, start with the Salvation prayer then by reading the book of John, Acts and Romans, in the Bible. I recommend the, The @YouVersion Bible App has a permanent spot on my home screen. http://bible.com/app , so you can pick a version of the Bible that is easy for you to understand and memorize.
Salvation prayer: Lord, I admit that I am a sinner. When I have sinned and when I sin, I sin against You only. I believe that You were born to a virgin, lived a sinless life, was crucified for no crime but for my sin to be erased, that You died and rose from the grave, conquered sin & death on my behalf, that You are in heaven preparing a place for me; and I believe that You are coming back for me, to be with You, for all of eternity. I confess to You Lord my sin ( confess whatever comes to mind) and I believe that my confessed sin is erased at the cross where You willingly laid down Your life for me. Lord, I believe Your word is an echo of Your heart and I will study, meditate and keep it in my heart and mind, daily. Amen.
“Little children, let us not love in word or speech, but in action and in truth.” 1 John 3:18 CSB
“Do everything without grumbling and arguing, so that you may be blameless and pure, children of God who are faultless in a crooked and perverted generation, among whom you shine like stars in the world, by holding firm to the word of life. Then I can boast in the day of Christ that I didn’t run or labor for nothing.” Philippians 2:14-16 CSB
“Now we have this treasure in clay jars, so that this extraordinary power may be from God and not from us. We are afflicted in every way but not crushed; we are perplexed but not in despair; we are persecuted but not abandoned; we are struck down but not destroyed.” 2 Corinthians 4:7-9 CSB
We are treasures of clay. We are the broken pots, made from clay, repaired with Our Maker’s grace, mercy, forgiveness and love. We are a beautiful display of His strength empowering our weak spots. We have so much to look forward to when these earthly “jars of clay” are replaced with robes of righteousness on our perfect bodies and repaired souls that will never break again.
It’s hard to imagine when we are still in this foreign land with familiar sin. But we do not belong here but for the time we are on loan here. That might just be why our struggles seem many and our victories seem few. Our victories in heaven will exceed the victories on earth beyond our imagination. The point is this, if you’re struggling in your present moment there is a future awaiting you that will blow your mind. What’s the catch then? To believe that Jesus is who He says He is, Did what thousands of witnesses claimed He did & believe that He did it all for YOU!
Making peace with our past, embracing our present makes looking forward to the future reachable, almost tangible while we wait, if we would just believe.
Lord, help us envision the tangible You that we read about in the Bible. Help us with our unbelief and help us apply what we do believe. We look forward to Your return Lord. Let us be caught living on purpose when You get here again. Amen.
“Therefore we do not give up. Even though our outer person is being destroyed, our inner person is being renewed day by day. For our momentary light affliction is producing for us an absolutely incomparable eternal weight of glory. So we do not focus on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.” 2 Corinthians 4:16-18 CSB
“Because of the Lord’s faithful love we do not perish, for his mercies never end. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness! I say, “The Lord is my portion, therefore I will put my hope in him.”” Lamentations 3:22-24 CSB
Each day we have a choice to make. Many times those choices are made under stressful circumstances and many are made out of joy. Whether you are experiencing a mountain top season or a deep valley of disparity or somewhere in between, the daily present choice is the same. To either do the best we can with what we have or to be immobilized by difficulties, apathetic by indifferences or even procrastinating from thinking you have plenty of time. All 3 of these mindsets are not holy, eternal minded mindsets. They are mental distractions that keep us from our present goal, to win the day. The day will come and it will go regardless of our response to it. My question is this. How many days will pass before we wake up to the reality of time, and how precious it is to not waste a minute if it?
We have each been given a specific time in history to impact eternity. Not just our personal eternity but others as well. Today, use the day to live in the present, to embrace it, to fight through it to do your best to shine. You could be the only glimmer in someone else’s “today”.
You might be thinking, yea that sounds nice but you do not know what I am going through. You are right. I do not. However, I know you have survived 100% of what is behind you because you woke up today. That’s a win. That’s a reason to celebrate.
Living in the present has more to do with gratitude than has to do with circumstances. I would go as far as to say that 80% of how we respond to our circumstances is based on how much we are grateful for.
This man, Vic Vujicic, completely changed my perspective on gratitude. Here is a video that’s about 8 min long “Never Give Up” https://youtu.be/wBCfxhyEDB0 His testimony is incredible. Here is a YouTube link to watch the story that 60 min did on him a couple of years ago. https://youtu.be/aRXdT06bbW8
Lord, I pray that we gain a perspective on living in the present that makes us high-impact, low-maintenance, testifying, warriors for You. That our light would shine so bright the devil would flee and the angelic choir would sing as Your presence gives us the strength and joy, to endure this temporary timeline as we await eternity. Lord, help us seize the day in awareness of Your presence, Your truth, Your power, Your love, Your grace and through Your eyes. Amen.
“Therefore, with your minds ready for action, be sober-minded and set your hope completely on the grace to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. As obedient children, do not be conformed to the desires of your former ignorance. But as the one who called you is holy, you also are to be holy in all your conduct; for it is written, Be holy, because I am holy.” 1 Peter 1:13-16 CSB
“For whatever was written in the past was written for our instruction, so that we may have hope through endurance and through the encouragement from the Scriptures. Now may the God who gives endurance and encouragement grant you to live in harmony with one another, according to Christ Jesus, so that you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ with one mind and one voice.” Romans 15:4-6 CSB
Referencing the past can be therapeutic or it can be the reason we need therapy. The contrasting difference is how we process a traumatic past, or a comforting past that we cannot retrieve, in times of present trouble. We are not designed to live looking backward. We are designed to move forward until the day we die. We move forward in age, knowledge, hopefully wisdom and definitely each day brings us closer to where we will settle for eternity.
Our past is meant to help us not repeat things that did not point us to our God-given purpose, to form spirit-filled habits that keep eternity on our mind.
The past is over. The present is where living happens. The past can weigh us down or it can lift us up or teach us in our present situation. The choice is ours. We absolutely have a choice to live in today in spite of a rocky, train wreck of a past. A positive memory can be the grounded, reminder that life will get better if we just hold on a little longer.
The “ugly journal” I spoke of in earlier weeks is a great place to leave a traumatic past and learn from it. A memory book of all of life’s best moments and milestones is a great way to frame those sweet memories and legacy you will soon leave behind. There are many ways to process our past but dwelling on it and rehearsing the past uses up your present time, that you cannot get back. Once that time is used up, it is gone. Start today. If the suggestions here seem unreachable then it is time to talk to a professional counselor or therapist.
Do not waste one more minute on a past that you cannot change. You have a beautiful eternity to prepare for. I promise you that this eternity I speak of does not live in the past.
Lord, we need Your Holy Spirit to help us deal with our past so that it does not steal time from our present. Help us seize the day with eternity in mind. Amen.
“Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. We all, with unveiled faces, are looking as in a mirror at the glory of the Lord and are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory; this is from the Lord who is the Spirit.” 2 Corinthians 3:17-18 CSB
“For I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my flesh. For the desire to do what is good is with me, but there is no ability to do it. For I do not do the good that I want to do, but I practice the evil that I do not want to do. Now if I do what I do not want, I am no longer the one that does it, but it is the sin that lives in me. So I discover this law: When I want to do what is good, evil is present with me. For in my inner self I delight in God’s law, but I see a different law in the parts of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and taking me prisoner to the law of sin in the parts of my body. What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, with my mind I myself am serving the law of God, but with my flesh, the law of sin.” Romans 7:18-25 CSB
The struggle is real. Am I right about it, or what? We are messy people. No one is free from the temptation of sin until Jesus returns. Once we understand that the struggle is real for ourselves we can have empathy, without judgement, for others that struggle more publicly. Private or public sin is equal. Stop judging others for their struggle, even if it is repetitive. The Bible says judge not or you will be judged for you will be judged to the extent of the thing you are judging others for. (Matthew 7:2-6)
We basically have enough of our own sin to deal with. Much like seizing the day, we must focus on our own sin. How I hear it in my head, when I’m comparing my sinful nature, to someone else’s sinful nature, “Mind ya business, you got enough of your own sin to battle.”
Does that mean we do not pray for that person or direct them where we have experienced victory? Absolutely not. What it means is do not ever raise yourself above someone else thinking you have conquered sin and they have not. That is where pride comes before the fall, your fall. (Proverbs 16:18)
In order to apply what we are learning through studying God’s word and utilizing tools like this devotional, “Nobody Makes it Out Alive”, we must focus in on our own individual lives first. We have no business telling others how to live their lives. Once we gain victory over a sin in our own lives that will be the testimony that speaks to someone else struggling with the same sin. My gramps used to tell me that having 2 ears and 1 month is God’s proof to listen more and talk less. Wisdom without application is reduced to knowledge without power. Excessive knowledge without application becomes pride. A head full of knowledge, telling everyone else how to live, is not a testimony, it is annoying.
Start with you. End with God. Nothing can separate you from God but you. Run to the Father every, single, time you sin. He is not surprised and He is waiting for you. If we truly want to apply these principles, we must admit we are sinners. Each day is a new beginning. Compare yourself to God not others. That will keep you humble while you are living your best life for God.
Lord, help me wrap my head around what I need to be doing so that my life will live out loud the testimony of a life in Your hands. Have Your way with me, Lord so I can be shaped and molded and prepared for eternity. Help me be a testimony to others that are struggling. Let my victories be a testament of You and not me. I cannot conquer sin without Your strength. Amen
“Trust in the Lord and do what is good; dwell in the land and live securely. Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you your heart’s desires. Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him, and he will act, making your righteousness shine like the dawn, your justice like the noonday.” Psalms 37:3-6 CSB
“Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my concerns. See if there is any offensive way in me; lead me in the everlasting way.” Psalms 139:23-24 CSB
In order to maintain this mindset of seizing the day we must review what we have learned, contrast against what the Bible says about it and then apply it until it is as natural as breathing.
We need to review what goes against our natural instinct to do, especially, when it is centered around our sinful nature and bad habits. It took time to learn those habits and behavior it might take a bit to unlearn it and replace it with what is good. You are not alone. God is with you, cheering you on. You will have some wins and losses but in the end, you will shine like pure gold, if you keep your focus on eternal things.
A review of the last 5 weeks: Week 1 Distractions: we discussed 7 temporary things of this world that get in the way of an eternal mindset.
Week 2 The Battle Belongs To The Lord: We battled through 7 common disappointments and misunderstandings that lead to confusion about who is, ultimately, in charge and responsible for our lives
Week 3 Grief: We learned about processing loss, hurt and unplanned disappointment so that we can pick up the pieces and move forward. A tough but necessary week.
Week 4 Nothing Wasted: We identified areas of our life that were more challenging than others and allowed God to show us He can turn any mess into our victory if we let Him.
Week 5: Focus: We turned our focus from who the world says we are, what the world says we should focus on; and made some decisions to focus on who God is to us, who we are to God and why that matters.
We can read, study and memorize quotes and verses, however, if we know what to do but never make the effort to do it, we will find ourselves wasting time we cannot get back. That’s the bad news.
The good news is, starting today you can stop going through the motions and apply what you have learned. Nothing changes, if nothing changes. Seizing the day is not about perfection it is about progress. If you try and improve by 1% each day, doesn’t seem like much, right? But if you do nothing your progress remains at 0% improvements. But after 100 days increased by 1% a day you reach 100% improvement vs doing nothing remains 0%. The point is this, 100 days will pass regardless. It’s you vs you.
Lord, I need Your strength, empowerment and wisdom to review and apply what I have learned so far. More knowledge is good but to do it is better. Let me not waste one more minute gaining knowledge without application. Amen.
“Going through the motions doesn’t please you, a flawless performance is nothing to you. I learned God-worship when my pride was shattered. Heart-shattered lives ready for love don’t for a moment escape God’s notice.” Psalm 51:16-17 MSG
“The Lord is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in faithful love. He will not always accuse us or be angry forever. He has not dealt with us as our sins deserve or repaid us according to our iniquities. For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his faithful love toward those who fear him. As far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us.” Psalms 103:8-12 CSB
The maintenance plan to embracing or seizing the day rests on whose hands you place your day, your life and your reactions in. Have you or do you remember the acronym K.I.S.S. (Keep It Simple, Silly)? We overthink and complicate things by rehearsing and agonizing over a past we cannot change as well as worry about a future that has not arrived yet.
I read somewhere that around 97% of the things that the average person worries themselves sick about never even happen. I found the information when I was struggling with severe panic and anxiety attacks. One of the application exercises I did, per my counselor’s suggestion, was write down the last 10 things I remembered that triggered a panic attack. Then write down what the actual outcome was. In my own writing, one hundred percent of what I was running through my head, DID NOT happen. I just sat there staring at it in disbelief. Almost trying to convince myself that I was wrong, it must have been much worse but it was not worse. In fact, everything worked out in one way or another with minimal issues. All of those scenarios had workable solutions that I learned to adjust to and live with. I still struggle from time to time with anxiety but the majority of the time I can practice that simple exercise in my head and it helps me put things in perspective. In fact, one of my coping phrases that came out of that season in my journey is this: “Everything is going to be okay. It may not be the okay I planned for but, ultimately, it will be okay.”
Lord, I know You are with me, that You want what’s best for me. I believe if You allow something or someone to come into my life or leave, it is for a purpose. My days are numbered. I do not want to waste my day on anguishing on a past I cannot change or a future I have not seen yet. I choose to seize the day rather than to have the day seize me. Amen
“For he knows what we are made of, remembering that we are dust. As for man, his days are like grass — he blooms like a flower of the field; when the wind passes over it, it vanishes, and its place is no longer known. But from eternity to eternity the Lord’s faithful love is toward those who fear him, and his righteousness toward the grandchildren of those who keep his covenant, who remember to observe his precepts. The Lord has established his throne in heaven, and his kingdom rules over all.” Psalms 103:14-19 CSB
“Think over the things I am saying [grasp their application], for the Lord will grant you insight and understanding in everything. Remember Jesus Christ [the ever-living Lord who has] risen from the dead, [as the prophesied King] descended from David [king of Israel], according to my gospel [the good news that I preach], for that [gospel] I am suffering even to [the point of] wearing chains like a criminal; but the word of God is not chained or imprisoned! For this reason I [am ready to] patiently endure all things for the sake of those who are the elect (God’s chosen ones), so that they too may obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus and with it the reward of eternal glory.” 2 Timothy 2:7-10 AMP
What we focus on matters. Faithful people of God who experience life in its fullness know that focusing on what is in front of you is way more productive than rehearsing a past you cannot change or worrying about a future that hasn’t happened yet. Rather people of faith wake up to an overwhelming desire to speak to God about the day they have been gifted. They actually look at waking up as a gift from God, willing to live that day out with a sense of purpose and a Holy Guide to lead the way. People of faith understand that just as much as they are on loan to this space and time; the day that they awake to is also on loan to them. These, people of faith are defined by their Creator, not the ebb and flow of this world, but by the hope of heaven shaping and molding them into a perfect piece of the puzzle in the family of God. People of faith find their peace in knowing that though this world is filled with it’s troubles, this is not their final destination but a mere journey to prepare us for our heavenly home. They do not hang on to the temporary things of this world but cling to the hope in a heaven that has no more death, sin, tears, disease or even weeds in our garden. People of faith seize this gifted day as one day closer to heaven.
People of faith focus on what Jesus did FOR them and realize that there is nothing they can DO to make Jesus love them any more OR any less. They realize that Jesus went to the cross while they were still in their sinful nature, which is now, we are all sinners and fall short of the glory of God. (Romans 3:23-24) People of faith are reminded that the sin they struggle with today, is a reminder of their need for their only hope of our Savior and Forgiver of our sins, Jesus.
Lord, help me grab hold of this “people of faith” mentality so that I do not waste one moment in my head or of my time and resources on things of this temporary world but also understand that this is a necessary part of the journey to You. Help me walk by faith of an unseen heaven in the middle of a tangible mess of this world. I choose to seize this day with a heaven bound focus. Amen.
“So then, being always filled with good courage and confident hope, and knowing that while we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord— for we walk by faith, not by sight [living our lives in a manner consistent with our confident belief in God’s promises]— we are [as I was saying] of good courage and confident hope, and prefer rather to be absent from the body and to be at home with the Lord. Therefore, whether we are at home [on earth] or away from home [and with Him], it is our [constant] ambition to be pleasing to Him.” 2 Corinthians 5:6-9 AMP
Nobody Makes It Out Alive Week 5 Focus Day 6: Labels that last
“And we know [with great confidence] that God [who is deeply concerned about us] causes all things to work together [as a plan] for good for those who love God, to those who are called according to His plan and purpose. For those whom He foreknew [and loved and chose beforehand], He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son [and ultimately share in His complete sanctification], so that He would be the firstborn [the most beloved and honored] among many believers.” Romans 8:28-29 AMP
What we believe about ourselves matters. People will try label you, parents will try, our significant others, family, friends, politics, media markets, so many forces outside of you try to define who you are by labels.
We can be defined by our role in others lives like mom, dad, sister, brother, auntie, uncle, daughter, son, there are tons of role labels. The majority of these types of labels are mostly positive and true.
But labels like ugly, useless, dumb, lazy, stupid, weak are used to keep us from knowing our value as God intended. If these kinds of labels have been spoken over you, they can blur the image and sometimes blind you from who and what God has labeled you. These labels can “stick” to the point that we come into agreement with them. This is exactly what the devil wants. Because if He can convince you that you are invaluable then you will willingly give up your place within God’s Kingdom. You will miss out on the abundant life God intended for you right now. Do you really want to trade that for lies?
How do we undo the verbal accusations that have been engraved in our mind? We have to start with what God says about us. Your homework today is to take the two verses in today’s reading, everywhere you see the words“those” and “us”, replace it with your name. We, you and I, are “those” and “us”. Do this by reading it every time one of those devil labels try to stick.
I take notecards, rewrite the verses with my name in them so that I can easily tape them to my bathroom mirror, put them in my car or tape them to my desk at work. Some of us need to be reminded more than others depending on how long we believed these lies about us. It’s okay. What matters is what you believe about what God says about you. You can remove the labels, from the devil, and replace them with labels from God’s word. Then the next time the devil uses someone to blur your vision about being the image bearer of God, you can choose not to accept the label in the first place by becoming a nonstick surface for anything but God’s truth about you.
Lord, give me the diligence to do this homework and learn who I am to You so that I know and believe the truth and will have an antidote ready to combat every lie about me. Help this become a holy habit in my life when I am believing the lies that blur or blind me from Your truth. Amen.
“And those whom He predestined, He also called; and those whom He called, He also justified [declared free of the guilt of sin]; and those whom He justified, He also glorified [raising them to a heavenly dignity]. What then shall we say to all these things? If God is for us, who can be [successful] against us?” Romans 8:30-31 AMP
“And those whom He predestined, He also called; and those whom He called, He also justified [declared free of the guilt of sin]; and those whom He justified, He also glorified [raising them to a heavenly dignity]. What then shall we say to all these things? If God is for us, who can be [successful] against us?” Romans 8:30-31 AMP
God has an incredible track record of keeping His promises. Since, He is eternal, has no beginning (like birth or being created) or no end (like death), God is still holding at 100% of the promises He made, He has kept and fulfilled 100% of those promises. I realize that we are waiting on a few more, but given His track record of thousands of years since creation, I am trusting, believing and with great excitement, as well as reverence, preparing and waiting with confidence, that the rest of His promises will come through, too.
But the promise that changed my eternity is what Jesus did for me on the cross. He paid my debt for my sin, while I was a sinner, He conquered sin and death, just like He said He would, and while He is in heaven preparing a place for me, He’s telling our Father all about me but covering my sin with His righteousness so that our Father only sees, the me, that He created, not the me, that I made a mess of. They are discussing how madly in love they are with me and how they can not wait to share the home they made, just for me. My God is the perfect picture of promises made and promises kept.
My friend, the same is true for you, if you would just believe that God is who He says He is, that you are who He says you are and that it matters enough to you, to get in His word and define that, for you. Get in His presence and talk to Him. What a privilege it is to have access to God anywhere and anytime. You have VIP passes, with no restrictions to God’s ear, His heart, His chest to lean against, His lap to crawl up on and His embrace.
The only thing standing between you and God is your hard head and hardened heart. The world did that to you, not God. God is waiting on You, you are not waiting on God. God never left you. That’s a fact and a promise.
Lord, help us get a true vision of the promise keeper that You truly are and help us see ourselves as You see us. In this world, there is much confusion and false narratives about You but the Bible stands as a written witness to what a loving God You are. That You never change. You are ever constant in this world that is like shifting sand beneath our feet. I pray that we place our trust in the promise of who You are. That we stop looking to the world for heavenly answers. Amen.
“Who is the one who condemns us? Christ Jesus is the One who died [to pay our penalty], and more than that, who was raised [from the dead], and who is at the right hand of God interceding [with the Father] for us. Who shall ever separate us from the love of Christ? Will tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? Just as it is written and forever remains written, “FOR YOUR SAKE WE ARE PUT TO DEATH ALL DAY LONG; WE ARE REGARDED AS SHEEP FOR THE SLAUGHTER.” Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors and gain an overwhelming victory through Him who loved us [so much that He died for us].” Romans 8:34-37 AMP
“Who are you?” they asked. Jesus replied, “ I’m exactly who I have claimed to be from the beginning. I have many things to say in judgment concerning you. The one who sent me is true, and what I have heard from him I tell the world. ” They didn’t know he was speaking about his Father. So Jesus said to them, “ When the Human One is lifted up, then you will know that I Am. Then you will know that I do nothing on my own, but I say just what the Father has taught me. He who sent me is with me. He doesn’t leave me by myself, because I always do what makes him happy. ”” John 8:25-29 CEB
We live in a time where information is at our fingertips at a click of a mouse or mouse pad. But that does not mean that the information that we have access to is true. So how do we know what or who to believe with so much information to sort through? Simply put, our Bible and the Holy Spirit that lives inside of every believer will guide us, if we read the Bible and give into the Holy Spirit.
Let me explain. There are many more owned Bibles than read Bibles. There are many more lip service believers than sold out believers, that depend on the Holy Spirit to decipher a truth from a lie. I know this to be true by mere observation of the world I live in today. The Bible is clear on what God created, who God created and why. Yet the world is confused about their identity. The world does not look to God for truth, it looks to what is trending on social media and popular for the moment.
We can’t really have an intelligent conversation about it if you have not read the Bible and what it says about it. When an unbeliever says the Bible is not true. I ask what part, point out to me what you’ve read that isn’t true. I do not recall, one answer, in my 33 years of being a Christian that the person in dialogue was able to point out a thing. So these conversations ended typically with, how about I give you a place to start reading in the Bible then we’ll talk. I also do not recall anyone that took me up on my offer that did not eventually become a believer. The others left indignantly as if I offended them somehow. Though, unfortunate, I always prayed that someone could reach them better than me. I am not everyone’s cup of tea but I am okay with that because I know who God is to me, Who I am to Him and why that matters. I’ll be me and let Jesus worry about saving the people.
Lord, I pray for any of us that me be in the middle of sorting out truth from lies. Whether it be biblical truths or just sorting out the crossroads we face in every day life as humans. That we would pray for the Holy Spirit to open our eyes to Your truth, wisdom and power as we dig into the Bible for answers. Help us find a mentor to guide us when we do not know where to start. Thank You Lord for who You Are and helping me become all that You created me to be. Amen.
“So Jesus was saying to the Jews who had believed Him, “If you abide in My word [continually obeying My teachings and living in accordance with them, then] you are truly My disciples. And you will know the truth [regarding salvation], and the truth will set you free [from the penalty of sin].”” John 8:31-32 AMP
“Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves… The Lord God made clothing from skins for the man and his wife, and he clothed them.” Genesis 3:7, 21 CSB
When we mess up, the first response is usually to hide just like Adam and Eve did in the garden. There’s something to be said about going to things first ever mentioned in the Bible. Every time I start at the first mention, of any topic I am studying, I learn not only how relevant the Bible is today but how cyclical humanity is.
In the beginning, when Adam and Eve sinned, disobeyed God and bought the lie, hook, line and sinker from the devil, the Bible says, “they hid… they sewed together fig leaves… and covered themselves.” We do the same thing or at the very least, want to do that when we mess up but maybe as a seasoned believer you’ve already learned it’s best to go straight to Father with your sin. After all, He is the only remedy to our sin. When we try to cover our sin, it looks just as awkward as sewn together fig leaves over our bodies and I bet if we were to be honest, our man-made coverings like guilt, condemnation, shame, denial, anger, fear, frustration, depression and more tangible coverings like addiction, promiscuity, over eating, workaholic…. (you get the idea) aren’t exactly a good fit, they completely makes us uncomfortable in our own skin. We find ourselves avoiding God all together and completely avoiding looking ourselves in the eye in the proverbial mirror. Can I just let you know that you or I are not hiding it from God any better than Adam and Eve did in their day?
Fast forward to after God has a conversation with Adam and Eve, explaining their consequences and banishment to the lovely place we call “the world as we know it” today. But before God banishes them, He covers them with His covering, made by Him, just for them. It does not specify in the text but there is a covering that I envision and that is the Armor of God. I highly recommend reading the whole armor of God in the Amplified Version of the Bible. Here is a snippet: “Therefore, put on the complete armor of God, so that you will be able to [successfully] resist and stand your ground in the evil day [of danger], and having done everything [that the crisis demands], to stand firm [in your place, fully prepared, immovable, victorious].” Ephesians 6:13 AMP
Imagine if Adam and Eve had stood their ground and obeyed like this verse declares.
Read Ephesians 6:10-20 Amplified version.
God knew that Adam and Eve needed His supernatural covering and that nothing man-made was going to survive the battle for redemption ahead of them and us. God had a plan right from the beginning of the first mention of disobedience. He took the mess they tried covering themselves up with and covered them with a custom covering, for now. Until these earthly bodies fade away and we receive our perfect body that will last for all of eternity in heaven.
I believe God sent them out of the garden with His spiritual covering equivalent to the armor of God spoken of here in Ephesians 6, until He returned as Son of man and Son of God at the garden of Gethsemane. That blood of Salvation from Calvary covers our sin today until Jesus returns to take us home. We are covered by Him today as we battle through this fallen world together. You are covered by what you pray in agreement to like the blood of Jesus and the armor of God. You are covered by the Holy Spirit who is the guide God has given us until He returns.
My family’s Paraphrased Version of the Armor. We pray this every morning. Lord, I pray that the helmet of salvation would cover my mind and filter out anything that is not of you from my eyes, my ears and my mouth, thank you for the breastplate of righteousness that covers my heart and everything that keeps me alive and productive, I choose to buckle the belt of truth around my waist that holds me and my armor together, I step into your shoes of peace, I choose to walk in peace with You, God, others and myself, I lock my shield of faith in place with yours and other believers, Lord, to extinguish every fiery dart from the enemy, not by faith in myself or others but my faith in you, Lord, I hold up my sword of the spirit which is the word of God, dividing good from evil, truth from lies and bone from marrow to defeat the enemy and fight for truth. I am covered by you, Lord. Amen.
“You forgave your people’s guilt; you covered all their sin. Selah” Psalms 85:2 CSB
“Then I acknowledged my sin to you and did not conceal my iniquity. I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord,” and you forgave the guilt of my sin. Selah Therefore let everyone who is faithful pray to you immediately. When great floodwaters come, they will not reach him.” Psalms 32:5-6 CSB
“Oh yes, you shaped me first inside, then out; you formed me in my mother’s womb. I thank you, High God—you’re breathtaking! Body and soul, I am marvelously made! I worship in adoration—what a creation! You know me inside and out, you know every bone in my body; You know exactly how I was made, bit by bit, how I was sculpted from nothing into something. Like an open book, you watched me grow from conception to birth; all the stages of my life were spread out before you, The days of my life all prepared before I’d even lived one day.” Psalm 139:13-16 MSG
God, You, created us with such great joy and delight. You loaned us to our family for a season until we would be with You in paradise. What a concept. To fully identify with this verse and believe it is a huge milestone in our faith-walk level of maturity. Not to just see these verses as poetic masterpieces but to see ourselves as the Uncreated One’s living, breathing, reflection of His favorite design.
Maybe your parents encouraged you in believing that you are loved, purposed and valued. Maybe your parents made you feel like a mistake, a burden or unwanted. Either way, you and I were on loan to them.
You are not a mistake. You were made for a specific purpose by God before he began to shape your baby toe. The rest of the world may not understand your place in this world but it’s not their job to figure that out, it’s yours. Once you do, your whole view will go from darkness to light.
Lord, help us look to eternal You for our identity rather than this temporary world. This is not our final destination, You are. Help us identify, with Your guidance, who we are to you and why that matters. May we never accept the lie of being a mistake or unwanted, by people that were supposed to love us. May we be grateful for those that pointed us to You. Amen.
“See what great love the Father has given us that we should be called God’s children — and we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it didn’t know him.” 1 John 3:1 CSB
“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness covered the surface of the watery depths, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the surface of the waters. Then God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. God saw that the light was good, and God separated the light from the darkness.” Genesis 1:1-4 CSB
Who is God to me? Have you ever really pondered the relationship you have with God or the depth of it? If someone were to ask you who God is and why do you believe in Him, do you have an answer? I pray you do, and if you don’t, I pray that you study His character, His integrity and His heart, until you sense His heart beat as you lean against His chest. I pray you feel the very breath in your lungs from Him as you sense His cheek against your cheek. I pray that He becomes the safe place that you run to instead of thinking He’s an angry God that you have to run from, every time you mess up.
My God, our God is the uncreated one who created every living thing with a few simple sentences. But for us, His beloved, He formed us with His very hands and breathed life into our lungs. We are His image bearers with His very fingerprints engraved in our skin as He shaped us ever so delicately before placing us in our mother’s womb. How precious the thought and care He took to design each of us. No one, no not one, will love me, like my God, my Creator and my Savior. My God created the light to consume the darkness before He would allow me to be here. My God has been providing an environment for me to thrive in long before I got here.
Lord, I pray that we do not miss the details in which you brought us to life to have a relationship with You. That every detail of the preparations You made to provide us everything we need for an abundant life here, while on this temporary journey. How much more do we have to look forward to, when we get to heaven? Heaven, where sin and death are defeated for all of eternity. Help us, Lord, keep our eyes on You and what you have created so that we have that hope, that light inside of us to share with others. Amen.
“All things were created through him, and apart from him not one thing was created that has been created. In him was life, and that life was the light of men. That light shines in the darkness, and yet the darkness did not overcome it.” John 1:3-5 CSB
“For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared ahead of time for us to do.” Ephesians 2:10 CSB
It all looks good in verses, sermons and devotionals, but how do we clock into purpose? We can not apply what we do not know and or if we do not understand the why behind the do, or the how behind the apply.
Be careful, as we grow in Christ, to not be condescending towards someone who is not where you are yet. Be in tuned and always remember the wretch you were before you point out others wretched behavior.
I’m going to break it down; the how to clock into purpose steps. This is simple but it is a process. Everyone’s process is different. The first goal is to commit to never stop taking these steps through the process. The second goal is to allow yourself to be shaped and molded by the process rather than try to reshape the process to make it more comfortable. It’s okay if it’s uncomfortable. This is where the learning takes place.
Clocking into purpose will be familiar because it aligns with how God designed you. Your sinful nature, also known as the flesh, will fight you every step of the way to fulfilling your purpose, so be ready for the fight. Just remind yourself to be on the right side of the fight for your purpose.
Here are the steps:
Know who God is to you.
Know who you are to God.
Know why that matters.
These 3 simple steps will take the entire span of your life, while you’re on loan here, to master, but it will give you the confidence for and about eternity.
Next week we will discuss 7 areas to focus on to help us define who God is to us, find our identity in who He says we are to Him and learn why that matters in the process.
Lord, we are a mess without You. Thank You for the process. Thank You for taking my messy self and making something beautiful out of my mess. Help me focus on getting to know You and me better so that I understand the quality of life that my relationship with You brings to me and those around me. Amen.
“All things were created through him, and apart from him not one thing was created that has been created. In him was life, and that life was the light of men. That light shines in the darkness, and yet the darkness did not overcome it.” John 1:3-5 CSB
“But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait eagerly for it with patience and composure.” Romans 8:25 AMP
Nothing crushes our dreams like traumatic experiences and basic adult responsibilities. As a child we dream big about what we will do when we grow up. Some kids have the joy and privilege of a home that encourages their dreams, some have parents who to try to control their dreams, some have parents that want you to pursue THEIR dreams instead of your own and some parents crush their kid’s dreams with abuse, negligence and abandonment. Regardless of what kind of childhood you had, you can still dare to dream.
We’ve covered so much in the past 4 weeks about distractions, giving our battle to God, grieving and facing what we have lost and now placing what belongs in the past, in the past, while learning from it, embracing our present, by living with the reality of our now, to looking forward to a hopeful future. None of this is possible without leaning consistently on God’s strength. If we lean on our own strength we will burn out.
I challenge you to dare to dream like you did as a child. Dare to live a life of passion and purpose. I dare you to ask God to break your heart for what breaks His. I dare you to start something you put off that you can’t stop thinking about. I dare you to dream.
Lord, the hints of what makes us who we are, because of who You are, started in our childhood. I understand that not everyone grew up in an environment that nurtured and developed their uniqueness. I pray that we remember our dreams of our youth, that the opportunity to develop that purpose and passion would be ignited inside of us once again so we could be walking out the journey made just for us. Help us, Lord, dare to dream, with that child like faith. Amen.
“It’s not that I have already reached this goal or have already been perfected, but I pursue it, so that I may grab hold of it because Christ grabbed hold of me for just this purpose. Brothers and sisters, I myself don’t think I’ve reached it, but I do this one thing: I forget about the things behind me and reach out for the things ahead of me. The goal I pursue is the prize of God’s upward call in Christ Jesus. So all of us who are spiritually mature should think this way, and if anyone thinks differently, God will reveal it to him or her. Only let’s live in a way that is consistent with whatever level we have reached.” Philippians 3:12-16 CEB
“If you decide that it’s a bad thing to worship GOD, then choose a god you’d rather serve—and do it today. Choose one of the gods your ancestors worshiped from the country beyond The River, or one of the gods of the Amorites, on whose land you’re now living. As for me and my family, we’ll worship GOD.” Joshua 24:15 MSG
Every day we wake up here on this earth we we wake up with a choice. Will we embrace the day with God as the leader or the co-pilot?
We cannot embrace this day, fully seize the day if we do not understand the mission. Like I have stated before, we are on loan to the world until our creator calls us home to heaven. Each day we are given here on earth has purpose. A very specific, intentionally-designed purpose, a journey designed just for you. You will impact other people and their journey. Embracing your daily moment means putting God in the driver’s seat of the day while learning and living out your purpose. If you have not learned what your purpose is then that is step one. Find out what makes you feel alive and accomplished. Find out what keeps you going when everything in you wants to quit.
The best way to find out what your purpose is, is to get out of the driver’s seat first thing, the minute you open your eyes, before you pull the covers back or your feet hit the ground, simply offer God the driver’s seat and get out of His way. Humbly seek His will for the day. You will be surprised at how quickly God leads you in the best of the best scenic routes in life. Will there be bumpy roads along the way? Yes. Will there be some fatalities? Yes. But wrapping your arms around God while He is driving is much safer than taking your hands off the wheel to reach for God in the middle of life’s crisis’s.
You are more equipped to face this day than you give yourself credit for. God is right there, ready to take the keys so you can enjoy the view, learn the best route and reach your final destination. God is such a gentleman and believes in the freedom to choose Him out of sheer trust and love, that He’s not going to snatch those keys out of your hand.
Lord, we can be such control freaks that rather than embrace our days we put a white-knuckle-grip on them. Help us choose You and rest in handing over our keys and let You take us where we need to go. Whether it be mentally, emotionally or physically, we choose You to lead the way. This world is full of distractions, detours and even disasters but when I choose to embrace You, I choose to embrace my days with eternity in mind. Amen.
“My counsel is this: Live freely, animated and motivated by God’s Spirit. Then you won’t feed the compulsions of selfishness. For there is a root of sinful self-interest in us that is at odds with a free spirit, just as the free spirit is incompatible with selfishness. These two ways of life are antithetical, so that you cannot live at times one way and at times another way according to how you feel on any given day. Why don’t you choose to be led by the Spirit and so escape the erratic compulsions of a law-dominated existence?” Galatians 5:16-18 MSG
“If we claim, “We don’t have any sin,” we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. But if we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from everything we’ve done wrong. If we claim, “We have never sinned,” we make him a liar and his word is not in us.” 1 John 1:8-10 CEB
If we are to accept our past, we must admit to what has happened and face it. I have also learned that holding onto any unforgiveness towards myself, God, or other people will cause my mind to give that person or situation free rent space in my head.
If we are focused on the things from the past, that we cannot change, it robs us of giving attention to our present moments that actually have the most potential for better choices. In this present moment, we have the opportunity to apply what we have learned from the past rather than repeat the mistakes we have made. However, if we beat ourselves up over what we have done in the past, it will take up mental space to accomplish what we can do with our present moment.
We cannot talk about accepting the past without discussing the injustice, abuse and unfair treatment from others. Especially, those that were supposed to love us or vowed to be there for us forever. Betrayal like that hurts, causes wounds in the heart that are hard to process. Those wounds become battle scars for the next battle. I hope this gives you a little groundwork for healing when I share this about forgiveness.
Let me tell you what forgiveness does not mean:
It does not mean that what happened is okay with you or that you condone the behavior.
It does not mean that you have to keep a relationship with this person.
It does not mean that they are set free. What it does mean:
You do trust God to bring justice to the situation and allow the battle to belong to the Lord.
You get to set the boundaries. You are in total control of how, if at all, this person is back in your life.
You get that free rent space back in your head so you can live your best life, right now. You are free.
Lord, there are no secrets between us, yet we keep things from you as if there were. Help us include you in our offenses from the sin in our own lives as well as the unfairness, injustice and hurts brought in our lives from others. Help us forgive quickly, accept our past for what it is and live in the present with wiser perspective. Amen.
“Let all bitterness, anger and wrath, shouting and slander be removed from you, along with all malice. And be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving one another, just as God also forgave you in Christ.” Ephesians 4:31-32 CSB
“Let God grant what is in your heart and fulfill all your plans. Then we will rejoice that you’ve been helped. We will fly our flags in the name of our God. Let the LORD fulfill all your requests!” Psalms 20:4-5 CEB
I love planning. My favorite thing is to sit down and make lists to check off for the day and conquer the list. I also like having a full calendar to conquer. It makes me feel accomplished and maximizes my waking hours. Unless, of course, life throws a curve ball to the face and nothing or only part of the task lists get done. Then I beat myself up mentally and verbally until guilt takes over and I feel worthless. What I have to do is find balance in the planning, allow flexibility but, most importantly, I need God and His heart at the forefront of my planning. It took me years to apply this. I mean after all, I’m a fairly good planner, I want to succeed, I want everyone around me to succeed but the reality is that if God is not in on it, it can be a really good plan but that does not make it a God plan.
Does this mean we stop planning and just throw caution to the wind? Lord knows I would discombobulate at the thought of that (insert nervous giggle here). What it does mean is that when God is on our mind and pleasing Him matters more than our plans, our plans will align more and more with His plans. Over time we learn to adjust to the surprises along life’s journey so that we can prioritize properly according to God’s plans and recognize divine appointments over man made appointments.
The most important part of our plans is including God in them. The next most important part is making room for adjustments. Lastly, make time for rest. Us planners can pack a schedule full of good things but that doesn’t necessarily make them God things.
Lord, You are the uncreated one that created everyone. We are your greatest plan. It only makes sense that finding out what plan and purpose you have chosen for us will succeed. Help us align with that unique purpose You designed for us. Amen.
“Mortals make elaborate plans, but GOD has the last word. Humans are satisfied with whatever looks good; GOD probes for what is good. Put GOD in charge of your work, then what you’ve planned will take place.
When GOD approves of your life, even your enemies will end up shaking your hand.
We plan the way we want to live, but only GOD makes us able to live it.” Proverbs 16:1-3, 7, 9 MSG
“Who among you by worrying can add a single moment to your life?” Matthew 6:27 CEB
Living in the present is much more achievable if we can leave the past behind us and plan for the future without worrying about the future.
Whether you have a train wreck behind you or sweet little bunny path full of sweetness for a past, your past is done. All you can do is embrace what is in front of you because as we learned from our grief week, it is all temporary. If we dwell on and beat ourselves up about the past or stress about the future, we rob ourselves of what is in front of us.
We can learn a lot from the past by simply pulling out that “ugly journal” we discussed in prior weeks and write down every time we freaked out about something that ended up turning out better than we ever imagined. When you start to stress, read and remind yourself that everything is going to be okay. I also like to add that it may not be the okay I planned for but it will be okay.
When you find yourself uttering the words, “could’ve”, “should’ve” or “would’ve”, stop, say out loud “Not productive, not going to help me.” Rather than verbally bash yourself and put yourself in a position to not be able to change what’s done, give yourself advice on how you will do it differently. That’s all you can do is learn from it and do it differently next time. Then trust God in the process.
By removing the weight of your yesterdays and the heaviness of the uncertainties of tomorrow, from your today, you can live in the present. If you’re a professional worrier, make it a point to become a warrior of prayer. Turn every worry into a conversation with God. Tell Him exactly what you are concerned about and then stick to what is directly in front of you, right now.
Toby Mac once said something so profound that really helped me get the concept of living in the present moment: “We worry about tomorrow like it’s promised”
Lord, we are a work in progress but we are also your vessel of spreading the good news. Help us be more aware of what we bring into our present moments that do not belong there. Help us focus on the gift of this day and show up for every divine appointment. Amen.
“Therefore, stop worrying about tomorrow, because tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” Matthew 6:34 CEB
“The Lord is the one who made a road through the sea for you to cross. You went on a dry path in the middle of the deep water. He led the enemy’s great army, with their chariots and their horses, to chase you. They all fell down and the water drowned them. Their lives finished, like the flame of a lamp that stops burning.” Isaiah 43:16-17 EASY
If there is but one thing that I can testify to is this: God does not waste one thing. God has the absolute most stunning track record. No matter what I have experienced, the comeback has always been better than the setback.
We can learn from the things in our past. Especially, if we consider our survival rate at this point is 100%. To clarify, if you are breathing, you have survived 100% of what is behind you. This week our goal is to go from surviving to thriving.
If I am to be honest, I forget that in the process of the issue, challenge, loss or whatever is causing me concern in the moment. I still worry myself over things that have not happened. I feel the weight of the decisions being made. In the face a moment, not knowing, what was about to crush me, in ways I had never imagined. Yet, every time I get out of the way and God has HIS way, He makes a way, out of no way.
What I considered a set back, at the time, I look back and see God setting me up for the next comeback. I can label certain seasons a victory now but when I was in the middle of it, it sure did not seem like a victory. What I have learned while being more mindful of God’s track record, than mine, is that He does not waste a hurt, a struggle or my emotional pain. Everything in my timeline is shaping me for my next.
We, as Christians, get blindsided when we think that once we believe in Jesus, that we somehow get a problem free life and a get out of hell card. We will face problems. (James 1:2-6) We might as well accept that. Let God in on it, if we want the best outcome from it.
We serve a God of passion and purpose. Once we align ourselves with that truth, we get an internal peace that surpasses all understanding. (Philippians 4:6) We experience the gift of peace, from God, in the storm, if our focus is on Him. But if we focused on avoiding or eliminating the storm our peace slips away. (Isaiah 26:3)
Lord, help us lean not on our own understanding when life throws us problems. Help us lean into Your presence and promises so that Your peace and strength can carry us through those storms in life. Help us turn it all over to you for our own good. Amen.
“The Lord did all that for you, but now he says, ‘Forget those things that happened a long time ago. Do not think about past events. Look! Now I will do something that is new! It is already beginning to happen. Surely, you can recognize it. Yes, I will make a road through the desert. I will make streams in the wilderness.” Isaiah 43:18-19 EASY
“King David longed to go to Absalom, for David had finished grieving over Amnon’s death.” 2 Samuel 13:39 CSB
When we lose someone we love or a season comes to an end that brought us much comfort and joy, we grieve. How we grieve matters. Avoiding grief will catch up with us eventually. If you are reading this and have not read Days 1-6 of week 3, I highly recommend doing so now. Do not avoid the process of grieving.
Before you go thinking that I do not understand loss, let me share a few of my most painful losses. At 4 years old, I watched our home burn to the ground with all of our belongings in it. Shortly after, my parents divorced. At 9 years old my father was murdered. At 10 years old my mother married my first of many abusers. I have lost people I loved to suicide, I thought that I could have saved. I have had 2 miscarriages. I lost my grandparents, my mom and my father figure within 5 years of of each other. I lost my best friend of 40 years unexpectedly to a heart condition (she was 50). I have lost relationships I thought would never end. Friendships with people and families had come to an abrupt end with no conversation as to why. I have known great success and great loss to the point that I feared being homeless.
In all of that pain that I experienced, of losing so much, I realized how temporary anything but God is. I have accepted that death is inevitable for anything or anyone that carries breath in their lungs. Death will take me by surprise but it does not have to take me down to the point of losing my life before my time is up. There is no way to escape death. We will experience it ourselves one day and will likely experience losing someone we know and or love to it. The most hopeful thing I’ve ever been offered is an eternity beyond this life; an eternity with the one who created me and loaned me to earth for a time; an eternity with no more tears, no more sadness, no more sickness, no more broken relationships and no more death. We are all on loan here from the moment of conception to death. Maybe that’s why the two greatest commandments are:
to love God with all of your heart, all of your mind and all of your soul. 2. To love your neighbor as yourself. With those two commandments the goal is to know our Maker’s voice when He calls us home. We want to treat everyone kindly while they’re on loan to us because we never know when their time is up.
In my opinion, birth is a sign of God’s gift of life while death is reminder of the timeline most of pay no attention to. As a believer in God, I can accept the timeline He gives me because I know it doesn’t end here. Therefore I must tell others that are still here about eternity and share this hope with them.
Lord, death is the most painful part of life, this side of eternity. Help us honor the living and the time our loved ones were on loan to us. Help us process grief in a way that brings honor to the ones we say goodbye to, for now. Amen.
“Then David got up and he washed himself. He put on clean clothes and special oil that had a good smell. He went into the Lord ‘s house to worship him. Then he returned to his own house and he asked for food. They gave it to him and he ate it.” 2 Samuel 12:20 EASY
“There is a right time for everything that we do under the sun. There is a time to be born. And there is a time to die. There is a time to plant seeds. Then the seeds will grow and they will become plants. And there is a time to pick the plants.” Ecclesiastes 3:1-2 EASY “There is a time to weep. And there is a time to laugh. There is a time to be sad. And there is a time to dance.” Ecclesiastes 3:4 EASY
When the fog begins to lift, reality sets in, and we’re squinting to find the light in the darkness, this is the beginning of acceptance. It is not stable at first but each day we take a step in the direction of our reality is a step closer to living with this loss. It does not mean that we won’t experience the other steps in the grieving process ever again. It just means they will reintroduce themselves with different levels of intensity at different lengths of time every time We are reminded that our loved one is not here.
What it does mean is that I loved this person while they were here and I will miss them deeply. My faith tells me, reminds me of the timeline they had, I have and others too. My faith also reminds me that I will see them again. I rest in this hope while I build up the strength to live life without them. I find ways to remember them well and share the impact that they had on my life. I choose to live and embrace the people I have around me and let them in on my pain. I choose to not isolate and choose to embrace the plan and purpose God has for me while I walk out my own timeline. None of us know when our time is up. Nobody makes it out alive, therefore, this loss should come as no surprise, it absolutely catches us off guard and it does come with pain and sorrow. While I work it all out through grieving what and who I have loved when it’s their time to go I will hope again and cherish the memories.
Lord, help me accept my loss in a way that shows my deep love for them while acknowledging the empty space they leave behind. Lord, fill that space with comfort, peace, love and joy. Help me carry on without them as I finish my own journey. Help me allow others permission to grieve how they need to. Help me walk in hope for the future here on earth and hope in eternity. Amen.
“Yes, you will have trouble like this for a short time. But after that, God will make everything right. He is completely kind and he will always help you. Because you belong to Christ, God has chosen you to live with him in heaven for ever. You will join him in that beautiful place. Then God will make you well again. He will make you strong in your spirits. You will be able to stand strongly. Yes, God rules with power for ever! Amen! This is true!” 1 Peter 5:10-11 EASY
“I hear your waterfalls make a noise like thunder. It seems like all that water is pouring over me and it knocks me down to the ground.” Psalms 42:7 EASY
Depression from loss is normal. It would be odd to not be sad when someone we love so much is no longer with us. It would be out of character to not be sad when a situation we found joy and contentment in has now ended abruptly or unexpectedly. To the same extent that we loved is the extent we will experience sorrow when that person or situation is gone. That sorrow is temporary but cyclical at times. We eventually learn to balance the sadness from our loss with the demands of living.
This becomes a problem when we stay in that sadness and not learn to find away to live without them or the situation. Though everyone grieves at different stages for different lengths of time, we must live, while we grieve. Ease ourselves back into the familiar routines that use up space and time that would be used to rehearse the pain. Part of our healing comes from living again as well as going from surviving our loss to coping with our loss. You might have doubts right now because it’s still fresh but it is possible. So, if you’re trapped in the process of depression, if you’re so immobilized by the pain of your loss that you can hardly get out of bed, make a sandwich or enjoy the many dishes of food brought to you by friends and family, it’s time to find a grief counselor. It’s time to think about asking for help. You are not as alone as you feel. God is with you, weeping with you and there are grief counseling groups, therapists and grief resources available to you. Friends mean well but they’re usually not equipped to help you out of depression. There are coping skills that a professional grief counselor can provide, if you’re willing.
The atmosphere of depression typically sets in the week after all of the arrangements have been made, the services are done, your autopilot has turned off, you do not have to be strong for anyone else, all of the company has gone home and you’re surrounded by food that will spoil before you can finish it, a card-box full of condolences and funeral arrangements. The tears flow and you fall asleep on a tear soaked pillow or worse you choke back the tears because you’re afraid once they start, you won’t be able to stop them.
This depression, this sadness will pass. And when it does, it does not mean that the person you love and lost is forgotten. It means, that you grieved and it’s time to learn how to honor their time here while you honor the time you have left with the ones still here.
Cry as much as your body tells you to. It will release toxins and help cleanse away the pain. Get into a grief group or at least meet with a grief counselor. But whatever you do do not try to battle this alone. Do not let the sadness convince you that you’re alone.
Lord, this stage of grief is so confusing and a blur when we look back on it. Help us reach out when the heaviness of our loss goes from normal, temporary depression to a clinical kind of depression. Trigger something in us to know when to ask for help. Lord, we thank you for never leaving us though we may feel like You’ve abandoned us. Feelings are not fact, they are like an indicator light on the dashboard of our car that help us navigate through our life journey. Help us respond accordingly in the best way, for the best outcome. Amen.
“God will take away all the tears from their eyes. Nobody will ever die again. Nobody will be sad again. Nobody will ever cry. Nobody will have pain again. Everything that made people sad has now gone. That old world has completely gone away.’” Revelation 21:4 EASY
“My heart beats fast inside me. Death seems very close, and I am very afraid. I am shaking with fear! My troubles are too much for me. So I say, ‘If I had wings to fly like a dove, I would fly away to a safe place. Yes! I would go far away, and I would live in the wilderness. Selah.” Psalms 55:4-7 EASY
Negotiations towards heaven is a heavy, unrealistic step in a desperate, last ditch effort, to avoid the pain that is coming. It is unavoidable and we know it subconsciously but not consciously, yet. There is so much that is unknown and known at the same time. Yet, in our human mind, we have to at least try to avoid what is coming. The deeper the relationship, the deeper the pain. Fear of what life will look like now causes even more retreat in every area of our life. We just need a moment for all of it to stop revealing life without them. So we begin to negotiate what we’re willing to do for God if He would just stop what is happening. We’re hurting so bad and everyone trying to fix us, at this stage, can’t and the only thing to remove the pain is to reverse the loss but deep inside we know that it’s final.
Death is nonnegotiable, unavoidable for us and every living thing, yet we fight it with every ounce of breath we have. In my opinion, we do this because we’re wired for eternity not for the temporary time and space of this world. We have a start date (birth) and an expiration date (death) yet if we are believers this temporary life is not the end. We have hope to see each other once again. Hope in an eternal relationship with God that takes us to our eternal home not our eternal grave.
If you’ve lost a loved one that you’re grieving for right now whether it’s been 2 days or 20 years, it’s okay to cry, it’s okay to miss them, it’s okay to want them to be a part of your right now moments. When it becomes an issue is in when it no longer honors their legacy or the living people around you.
Lord, this is a hard topic. We all will face this. Nobody makes it out of here alive. Help us grieve, Lord as we know You grieve with us. Help us honor the time we have and had with our loved ones. Help us share those memories with the people we still have. Every day is a special gift. Let us choose wisely how we honor the dead amongst the living. Help us truly seize the day as you intended us to. Amen.
“David and his men cried aloud. They continued to cry until they were too weak to cry any more.” 1 Samuel 30:4 EASY
“My God, my God, why have you abandoned me? Why are you so far away when I groan for help? Every day I call to you, my God, but you do not answer. Every night I lift my voice, but I find no relief.” Psalms 22:1-2 NLT
Anger is so appropriate after denial, isn’t it? Facing the injustice of death of a loved one or an end to a situation we thought we could count on forever. Rage begins to bubble for various reasons when we realize that the loss is irreversible. We start thinking of how unfair it all is, what we would’ve done differently had we had the chance. That sinking feeling that however our last moments were spent with that person we will not have another chance for a do-over.
The key for me in this stage of grief is to get it out by writing in my ugly journal. Yes that’s a real thing. I have a journal that my pen has gouged through, scratch marks that looks like a crime scene as well as my most unedited thoughts.. While other pages have words that would be rated with parental advisory in them. This journal is not for anyone but God and me. God, already knowing and understanding my pain, my frustration, my tear stained pages, He is the only one that gets the “why” behind my anger. He is the only One of whom I can trust in my own fragility to get me on through to other side.
Anger is normal. What is not normal or healthy is to let it live inside of you. If we allow anger to live inside of us, it will grow and it will slowly move every other necessary emotion out of us until we can’t process in love.
If you struggle with anger, get help to learn how to undo it’s damage to yourself and the ones living around you. Once someone is gone, through death or loss, or a season with them is over, our responsibility from here on out is to take care of our health and well-being as well as the people still with us. It doesn’t mean that we forget the person we lost. What it means is we find gratitude for the time we did have with them. Resting on anger for too long will not only destroy our current relationships but will destroy us too.
Lord, help us process our anger in a healthy way and show us how to get on the other side of it. We might wrestle with it more than once on this journey, but Lord, we don’t want it to consume us and the relationships we still have. Amen.
“Go ahead and be angry. You do well to be angry—but don’t use your anger as fuel for revenge. And don’t stay angry. Don’t go to bed angry. Don’t give the Devil that kind of foothold in your life.” Ephesians 4:26-27 MSG
“Be kind and patient in a way that everyone can see. Remember that the Lord is near. Do not worry about anything. Instead, pray to God about everything. Ask him to help you with the things that you need. And thank him for his help. If you do that, God will give you peace in your minds. That peace is so great that nobody can completely understand it. You will not worry or be afraid, because you belong to Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:5-7 EASY
Most, or close to all, experts agree that the necessity to process loss is vital to being able to function physically, emotionally and mentally without the person or thing that they lost. Watching a loved one go through the process of loss and grief can be challenging. Many times we don’t know how to respond to our own grief so we fail at supporting others through theirs. Whether your watching someone you love process their grief or working through your own grief, reach out, listen, hug, cry but whatever you do, do not do nothing.
I am high on the list of people that when I do not know what to do, I do nothing. I shut down and am comfortable pushing everyone away, when I’m hurting. I tend to go silent if someone else is hurting for fear of saying something the wrong way and worse, being responsible for making them feel worse. I’m learning ways to break that habit of going silent when people I love are hurting. Go ahead and steal these if you struggle with this too. The first thing I do is reach out and acknowledge their loss. A simple: “I’m so sorry for your loss.”The other thing I do is follow up and let them know I’m thinking of them. It goes something like this: “Hey, I was thinking of you today. I’m available if you need to talk.” What I don’t do anymore is ask how they’re doing. That question triggers me so I just stopped saying it. Grieving people need to grieve at their own pace. If you’re genuine, just be available. You don’t have to fix it, or preach at anyone or force them through the process. Everyone grieves differently. So by giving yourself and others permission to go through the process at your/their own pace is typically well-received. The fact is it hurts. Let the pain of the loss be felt without judgement or guilt. We/they eventually get through the pain to acceptance but there are some more steps in the process to get there. Be patient with yourself and with others that are experiencing loss.
The denial step gives us a minute to protect ourselves from the pain coming as a result of losing someone or something that we love. However, if we sit in denial for too long it becomes a delusion that no longer protects us but lies to us about reality. This distorts our ability to make the best decisions in the middle of our pain. Denial is part of the process but is meant to be temporary. It’s intended to give us a minute to catch our breath from the big blow to our gut and heart. Catch your breath my friend but don’t stay here too long. If you stay here too long, it will hurt you and the ones living around you, in the long-run.
Lord, help us through the steps of grief with your word and promise of peace. We believe that in due time we will be able to honor the time we had with our loved one that has passed or be grateful for the season we had with a specific thing but while the loss is still fresh, we are hurting. We can’t face this without Your comfort and peace. Help us take the time while in this step of denial to find the strength within us to face this loss. Amen.
“Summing it all up, friends, I’d say you’ll do best by filling your minds and meditating on things true, noble, reputable, authentic, compelling, gracious—the best, not the worst; the beautiful, not the ugly; things to praise, not things to curse. Put into practice what you learned from me, what you heard and saw and realized. Do that, and God, who makes everything work together, will work you into his most excellent harmonies.” Philippians 4:8-9 MSG
“When I have trouble, your promise gives me peace in my mind. It makes my life strong again.” Psalms 119:50 EASY
Grief, just the word brings a sense of heaviness to our hearts. Grief represents many painful parts of our life. It is a part of life and is usually associated with death. Death of a loved one, death of a season, death of a relationship. Many things that we once thought would last forever, brought to an end. This is the heaviness of grief.
One will not live too long before they experience it. Yet, we avoid it, deny its existence and pretend it will go away if we ignore it. However, we learn at some point it needs to be faced, if we want peace.
Rehearsing the events leading up to the loss doesn’t help because something always triggers the pain associated with it. Pretending like it doesn’t hurt doesn’t work because we hurt alone. The only way to process grief is to face it.
I’m not an expert but I have practiced healthy processing of grieving and unhealthy processing of it. I can assure you that processing your grief in a healthy way will not only help you but will allow you to help others in their grieving process. Since grief is inevitable, it would be best to learn how to face it.
“In her original book, Elisabeth Kübler-Ross referenced five stages of grief: denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance. … There is, however, healthy and unhealthy (unresolved) grief, and being able to recognize if help is necessary is important.” (Better Help, March 18,2021, Buckly, medically reviewed by Deborah Horton)
We are going to face the stages of grief together this week.
Lord, help us grieve in a healthy way so that we can be of support to one another in loss and pain. We look to You God for truth and real application to not try to live amongst the dead but embrace the living. Amen
“We thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, because he is so good to us. As our Father, he is very kind to us. He is our God who comforts us in every way. Whenever we have trouble, he comforts us. Because of that, we ourselves can comfort other people. When they have any kind of trouble, we can comfort them, in the same way that God has comforted us. Christ himself received much pain, and God comforted him. As Christ’s servants, we also receive the same kind of pain. But, God also comforts us very much, because we belong to Christ.” 2 Corinthians 1:3-5 EASY
“So, nobody can say that God should still punish us. Nobody can say that, because Christ Jesus himself died on our behalf. And God raised him so that he became alive again after his death. Now Christ is sitting at God’s right side in heaven. He himself is praying to God on our behalf. Christ will always continue to love us. Nothing can stop that! We may have troubles. Things may make us sad or afraid. People may do bad things to us. We may have no food or no clothes. There may be great danger. People may even try to kill us. But none of these things can stop Christ from loving us.” Romans 8:34-35 EASY
Have we truly accepted the gift of the cross? Do we comprehend that God is not mad at us but that He’s mad at the devil for deceiving us? Do we embrace the overwhelming, radical, reckless love of God?
Have you ever received a gift and refuse to open it? Ridiculous thought, right? But every day, that we choose that earthly kind of love concept, when we think about Jesus, that’s exactly what we do. There is nothing like fully accepting God’s love for us. It is a gift that has no end in sight. We cannot out sin God’s love for us if we believe.
Put your hand over your heart. Close your eyes. Focus on the rhythm of your heart. That’s the beat of God’s love pumping life through your body. It’s the gift of life, a life meant to be loved by their God. Will you choose Him today? He has already chosen you. That beating heart is proof that you have purpose.
Lord, we receive the gift of life today with a fresh perspective and sense of purpose. Remind us when we lose sight of that to just lay our hand over our hearts and thank you for our purpose, whether we know what that is yet or not. We believe that You are who You say You are, that we are Your beloved, that You are our forgiver of our sins. Have Your way in us, Lord. Amen.
“I am sure of this. Nothing can stop God from loving us. Death cannot do that. Life cannot do that. Angels cannot do that, nor can demons do that. Nothing that happens to us now, or that will happen in a future time can do that. No powerful spirits can do that. Nothing that is high above the world can do that, nor anything that is deep down below the ground. Nothing else in the whole universe can stop God from loving us. Because of our Lord Christ Jesus, we know how much God loves us. Because God loves us, none of these troubles can ever beat us. He makes us win against them.” Romans 8:37-39 EASY
“At the crack of dawn on Sunday, the women came to the tomb carrying the burial spices they had prepared. They found the entrance stone rolled back from the tomb, so they walked in. But once inside, they couldn’t find the body of the Master Jesus.
They were puzzled, wondering what to make of this. Then, out of nowhere it seemed, two men, light cascading over them, stood there. The women were awestruck and bowed down in worship. The men said, “Why are you looking for the Living One in a cemetery? He is not here, but raised up. Remember how he told you when you were still back in Galilee that he had to be handed over to sinners, be killed on a cross, and in three days rise up?” Then they remembered Jesus’ words.” Luke 24:1-8 MSG
Everything about our Christian faith hinges on the validity of this day. The day the stone was rolled away, the day the empty tomb was found, the moment that many who thought Jesus was dead saw with their own eyes that he was very much alive.
Lord, this is our crossroads to believe or not believe that you won the battle over sin and the grave for us. Let us never stop reading the accounts of your ministry, your suffering for our benefit, your death on the cross and your magnificent resurrection. Let us see the track record of prophetic fulfillment where ever you are mentioned in the Bible. Let us live like we believe it. Amen.
“He went on to open their understanding of the Word of God, showing them how to read their Bibles this way. He said, “You can see now how it is written that the Messiah suffers, rises from the dead on the third day, and then a total life-change through the forgiveness of sins is proclaimed in his name to all nations—starting from here, from Jerusalem! You’re the first to hear and see it. You’re the witnesses. What comes next is very important: I am sending what my Father promised to you, so stay here in the city until he arrives, until you’re equipped with power from on high.” Then he said, “Everything I told you while I was with you comes to this: All the things written about me in the Law of Moses, in the Prophets, and in the Psalms have to be fulfilled.”” Luke 24:44-49 MSG
“This is how much God loved the world: He gave his Son, his one and only Son. And this is why: so that no one need be destroyed; by believing in him, anyone can have a whole and lasting life. God didn’t go to all the trouble of sending his Son merely to point an accusing finger, telling the world how bad it was. He came to help, to put the world right again. Anyone who trusts in him is acquitted; anyone who refuses to trust him has long since been under the death sentence without knowing it. And why? Because of that person’s failure to believe in the one-of-a-kind Son of God when introduced to him.
“This is the crisis we’re in: God-light streamed into the world, but men and women everywhere ran for the darkness. They went for the darkness because they were not really interested in pleasing God. Everyone who makes a practice of doing evil, addicted to denial and illusion, hates God-light and won’t come near it, fearing a painful exposure. But anyone working and living in truth and reality welcomes God-light so the work can be seen for the God-work it is.” John 3:16-21 MSG
We cannot minimize God’s sacrifice of His only Son being beaten beyond recognition, carrying His cross, our cross to complete His mission (Salvation for all men, women and children) by picturing crosses with clean Jesus hanging somberly on a clean cross. If we don’t take the time to gaze into his bruised, battered and bleeding face of punishment He took for us? We miss it. We completely miss the gravity of sin and it’s consequences.
We need to experience conviction for minimizing the picture of what Jesus endured on our behalf. Yet balance that conviction with complete commitment to God and all that it entails. Not out of guilt and shame but out of overwhelming, mind blowing love from our Father in heaven. Not to just process His death, burial and resurrection but the beatings, pain and separation from His heavenly home. All for us, the sinners, fulfilled by the One without sin. It is truly the greatest love story ever told and implemented.
Lord, You are the very reason we have breath in our lungs. Hold us in Your nail scarred hands until we are convinced of the love You’ve poured on us. Amen.
“I pray that God will cause you to be strong in your spirits. God has great and valuable things in heaven to help you. I pray that God’s Spirit will help you with God’s own power. I pray that Christ will make his home in you, as you believe in him. Then you will know God’s love very well. You will be like trees that have roots which go down deep into God’s love. That will make you strong.” Ephesians 3:16-17 EASY
Does anyone else feel like they’re just lenting along with the believer crowd, during this time of year? Though I’ve participated for many years, I didn’t want to mimic the catholic version but rather to truly consider the next 40 days in Jesus’s shoes. I did a little research, realized that the penance motivation of the believer is nothing compared to the penance of the one who never sinned, Jesus.
Christ fasted and prayed as he approached the cross on our behalf, because of our sin. And even if I chose to walk out these 40 days the exact same way that He did, I would never make the cut to hang on that cross and redeem all of mankind. Absolutely, profound.
We believers can lent around with somber faces over giving up modern day conveniences all we want but at the end of the day, I’m not going to call that a sacrifice compared to Jesus’s endurance of the cross.
I refuse to reduce the days of lenting around with fellow believers as my sacrifice to God’s redemptive plan for me. I won’t even call it gratitude for what He’s done for me. What I will do is allow the disruption to my normal routine and my full belly to remember what He did and still gave me the option to choose.
If you want to lent around with me, this is what I’m doing for the next 40 days. I’m disrupting my daily routine of coffee, read/write/study and ending my night with reading and ice cream with this:
1. Fast all coffee, ice cream and first two meals replaced with protein drink, but keep dinner with family. No devices at the table no matter what is going on with work.
2. Start the day with a shower and dressed for the day. (This is kind of big one though it may not seem like it, since I work from home)
3. Read the word and journal whatever comes to mind. Keeping a prayer journal for the things I’m fasting and praying for. I want to experience a move of God in my life and the people I’m praying for.
It’s simple but a completely different routine for me. I want to wake up each day with the mentality of, “I’m ready to do Your will today, Lord. Whether it’s here in my home, or prepared to walk out the door with no notice. I want to remember that the tomb is empty, you have risen, you are alive, you are preparing a place for me, you are coming back for me.”
I would love to hear how you are spending the next 40 days?
Let me start by saying I don’t think there are “worst pets”. I do, however, believe that owners of what they deem worst pet ever did several or even some of these things:
1. Did not educate themselves on that type of pet.
2. Made an emotional decision to take in the pet without a practical, thought-out way of caring for the pet or how that pets fits with their lifestyle.
3. Did not include veterinary care/needs in their budget to ensure that pet has the healthiest option for their life.
4. Did not consider the adult size version of the baby version of that pet.
5. Did not provide the environment, care attention and training for that pet to thrive.
6. Took the pet in when they did not have a permanent or stable home for themselves.
Responsible pet owners ultimately have the best pets, for these reasons:
1. Educated themselves on what pet best fits their current lifestyle.
2. Included the pet’s needs and healthcare in their budget.
3. Made sure that they had time to spend with, train and make that pet part of the routine of their life.
4. Had pet sitters on hand so that the pet is cared for in the event that they have to handle something away from home. Similar to what parents do when they need to do something without their kids.
5. Sought to understand the temperament of that pet so that pet feels safe and secure with them and other pets, kids and people in the home.
All pets are wonderful when they’re chosen with knowledge, commitment and care.
What a legacy we have, four beautiful, loving, God-fearing daughters, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. You have lived a full, though challenging life. You have prepared your heart, mind and soul to run to your heavenly father’s arms. All of your prayers, studies, servitude and love for God will come to fruition soon. Everything you ever worried about will make sense as soon as you are absent from the body and present with Christ.
Soon, you will rest for all of eternity. Soon, there will be no more tears, no more pain, no more sorrow, death, suffering, sickness or disease.
Soon, very soon, you will be reunited with many loved ones but most importantly, you will see the one you have worshiped your whole adult life, face-to-face. Joy, beyond comprehension, will be yours for all of eternity. True love will wrapping you in His loving arms. You will see that not one hurt was wasted.
You have waited 81 years to see what has been unseen here, in this world. The supernatural will become your reality. What a glorious day that will be.
What movies or TV series have you watched more than 5 times?
Based on a graphic novel, this post apocalyptic drama series captured my attention in 2010, the first year it aired. I was immediately taken captive of the storyline. Being an avid reader I purchased the graphic novels to get the gist of where the series was going. I watched every Sunday evening, that it was on, for twelve years straight. Even if I had to record it, I never missed one episode. My friends and family had attended many of The Walking Dead (TWD) parties that I hosted.
I had a hand full of die hard, that we communicated via text, throughout the episode each week. Only a couple of rules, during commercials only and no spoiler alerts.
We hardly ever missed The Talking Dead, a discussion show that aired immediately after TTD to dissect and attempt to predict what would happen next. It also included various actors, writers, producers, fans & other people in entertainment that would chime in, share their on set experiences and frustrations about the current episode. These TTD episodes only enriched the captivity the show had on many fans including myself. There was a common thing that would happen that if one of the actors would be on the couch meant they were up for be killed off the show. This made for a nail biter, wondering who was ousted next.
I found myself getting attached to the characters, obsessed with where the story would go next and always comparing and contrasting the differences between the TV series and the graphic novels.
What’s interesting about this obsession is I really am not a TV watcher. It took an apocalypse to get my undivided attention. People would ask me why I became so obsessed with TWD. I don’t think I was obsessed with zombies, well, because zombies are not real nor would I want them to be. What I found to be so fascinating was the fight to preserve humanity in the most inhumane environment imaginable. The desire each character had to try to define what their new normal would look like. The concept isn’t much different than what we go through in our personal environments. Instead of zombies, we have peer pressure, incredible, increasing debt loads, job stress, and long commutes to those jobs that feel like they are slowly devouring our most precious moments with family, friends and our home life.
What’s the “zombie” in your life? When are you going to fight to preserve what’s most important and valuable to you? What are those things that money can’t buy, that time you can’t ever get back and the broken relationships that need mending?
The short answer? No. A little more detail? Fine. My mom’s side of the family was incredibly superstitious. To the point of it disrupting our lives. From black cats crossing our path to the numbers 13 and 666, they backed up from all of it. Actually, displayed fear in the confrontation of any of these superstitious ideologies. I can honestly say, I never gave these superstitions any power. Every time these adults shrunk back from broken mirrors that supposedly give you seven years of bad luck to stepping on crack will break your mother’s back, I rolled my eyes, like, “Here we go again.”
Can I just tell you that not one of these superstitions came to fruition. Not. One.
If you struggle with superstition, let me challenge you to inviting the supernatural into your life. The three in one package:
1. Believe God exists
2. Accept Jesus as your Savior from sin and death.
3. Invite the Holy Spirit in to guide and give you wisdom.
The real power is in the supernatural. They aren’t looking to trip you up at your first mistake. Nor are they waiting to dump curses and bad luck on you. They are available to give you life to the full. A life full of blessings and promises that are available to all those that believe. A life full of wisdom to all who ask for it. Faith, hope and love are waiting for you. I am a first hand witness that though the supernatural can’t be seen it can be experienced and it provides shelter, safety and direction for all that life throws at you.
Superstitions only have the power that you give over to them. The supernatural has power that they share with you.
If there is anyone wanting to know more about the supernatural power, feel free to contact me at: kelliann@fromthedepthsofkell.com
May God bless you and make His face shine upon you and be gracious to you.
Which animal would you compare yourself to and why?
Life is funny sometimes. I find it hard to laugh though. I find myself always on guard, protective of my territory yet nurturing to my family and those that are in my circle. I am the King/Queen of my jungle. If you try to invade my territory it will be the last one you ever attempt. My roar is a warning to leave me alone, what happens after that is all on you. I am in solitude even in a pride of other lions. That solitude isn’t loneliness it is simply what brings me peace. Being alone isn’t a bad thing.
My creator is often referred to as the Lion and the lamb. I admire that imagery, it gives me something to reach for every day. I want to roar like a Lion when my life is in danger. Equally, as a lamb amongst its flock, I want to be a living sacrifice in obedience to my shepherd, knowing one day, my life will be laid down to rest. Understanding that, whether lion or lamb, my purpose is to be teachable, yet a leader, as well as a servant to the ones that represent my legacy.
I have some scars from battle but, in spite of them all, I never lost my roar.
What is one question you hate to be asked? Explain.
Please, stop.
If I’m in someone’s presence, they are looking right at me and they ask, “What are you doing?”, irritates me more than anything. I think it bothers me for a few reasons. First, you’re looking at me and can see exactly what I’m doing. Next, you can see what I’m doing so you must think I’m doing it wrong. Lastly, you can’t think of anything better to start a conversation with than this. I get put immediately on the defense, in these situations.
I’m currently taking a class to be certified in AI (artificial intelligence). As a communication major, I’m learning that AI is not only not going away but it plays a very significant role in my career path.
The big misconception is that AI is created to take over human jobs. This could not be further from the truth. AI will relieve people from tedious, repetitive tasks that keep career people from the meat of their positions.
Think of it like this, you’re going to college to become a journalist but you have, what they call, your general education or core classes to complete before you get to your major-specific classes. AI works on your core classes while you work on your major-specific classes. Even more so, AI tests you on what you know on the core classes, then tutors you on the area that you’re weak in. That is a simple visual of how AI will not only improve production but coach/train people to be their best version of themselves in the workplace.
AI is only as smart as the programmer that feeds it its data. The human brain is so much more intrinsic than any AI tool will ever be. We need not be intimidated by it, rather be curious enough to find out how it can be of use to you.
I like to think I’m pretty simple. I don’t need much to have joy and happiness, however, there 3 things/objects that I prefer to not live without:
1. My family. Whether they be blood or non-blood, I can’t go a day without enjoying their company. I love hearing what’s going on in their lives, their dreams, their concerns and whatever is at the forefront of their mind.
2. My Bible. I read my Bible everyday. It brings me peace, wisdom, direction and knowledge in perspective to what is going on in my life. I find myself in God’s presence each time that I read, study and meditate on the word of God.
3. My dog. He’s the most needy and demanding living thing in my house but he’s also the most loving, loyal and comforting little guy at the same time. He’s always excited to see me. He’s a lot like me in that he loves our family and gets so happy when they come over. He lays with me every morning while I read my Bible.
I enjoy many things as they come in and out of my life. These 3 favorites of mine are my constants that I would find hard to live without. I’m so grateful for God to give me so much in this small list of things.
What experiences in life helped you grow the most?
I’m a girl mom
Having children has taught me so much about life. Each one of my girls brought their own set of lessons for me to learn. I thank God every day that He entrusted them to me. My eldest taught me patience, my next taught me peace, my third taught me joy and my youngest brought me a new perspective on my faith. I am so grateful for the sweet reward of being a girl mom.
Describe a phase in life that was difficult to say goodbye to.
The most difficult goodbye I ever experienced was driving to Kentucky, with my uncle, to my dad’s funeral at 9 years old.
“Old as she was she still missed her daddy sometimes.” Gloria Naylor
This was my first experience with the death of a loved one or death at all. My dad was murdered in his home. Allegedly, by some of his business associates. My dad was shot, execution style, point blank range to his forehead. Then put in a black garbage bag and tossed into a ditch a few miles from his home, according to the police report.
It was too much for a little girl to process. He had a veiled casket due to them not being able to fully reconstruct his face. I said, goodbye to my weekend visits, our bedtime calls and ever hearing my dad’s voice again. Nothing was really the same after that difficult goodbye.
If you could permanently ban a word from general usage, which one would it be? Why?
Banning any word is not in my wheelhouse. I can choose not to use them but am against violating someone else’s rights to use whatever words they want. The audacity to suggest banning a word or series of words has the potential to only make people want to use it even more. May I introduce you to Adam and Eve & the forbidden fruit tree? In fact, I get quite annoyed (& probably eye roll too) every time we speak about banning something.
I think that we should focus on ourselves rather than trying to control others choices. In the south, we call that, “mind ya business” or “worry about your own self”. That’s exactly what I’ll continue to do.
What is the biggest challenge you will face in the next six months?
In the next six months, I will begin my masters degree program and prepare my family for buying our first home together, as a married couple. My husband is adopting our youngest daughter. Let’s just say it’s going to be a busy year, for sure.
These things are challenging but the reward upon completion is beyond what I could have thought or imagined, for my younger self. All of the hard work, discipline, dedication and sacrifice was worth it to get here.
It’s hard work, to not try to keep up with our peers. We had to wait to do things that others have done for years. The dedication to the goal requires discipline and focus on the completion of the goals. We had to sacrifice many things that seemed like a need at the time but in reality those things were just a list of wants, that we did just fine without.
Challenges are opportunities to overcome, to grow, to lead and to wait on something better than what you initially had or wanted. I’m up for the challenges life brings my way. Are you?
Everything you’re about to endure is going to give you the tools to handle the challenges in your future. You are in training for the battle of your life. You are not a victim, you are a warrior, for such a time as this.
Keep moving forward no matter what is in front of you. Press on, press in and trust God with your whole heart. He will be the only relationship that does not let you down. Even in those darkest hours, when you feel as though God has abandoned you, I assure you He has not.
Don’t be afraid to take risks, make mistakes or try new things. Even if you mess up, God can use it and flip the script so long as your end goal is to serve Him and your faith all the days of your life.
You will hit many battles along your timeline of events but the blessings in between, your children and grandchildren will be what gives you the strength and courage to do really hard things.
Whatever you do hold onto hope, do not let anything steal your peace and do not allow anyone to take up free rent space in your head. Read your Bible, go to Church, serve every chance you get.
Save your money while you’re young. Educate yourself on the difference between needs and wants. Needs are water, food, shelter, clothing and a healthy, peaceful home. Wants are desires of the heart. Those wants will come in due time, nothing is as immediate as you think at the time.
Give yourself time to process for at least 24 hours on big decisions and big expenses. It’s interesting how giving yourself space between a want and the actual cost of your time, talents and resources will save you from buyer’s remorse.
I do not have enough downtime in my life to get bored over anything. Everything I choose to do brings fulfillment to my life in one way or another. That being said, I do not participate in things that would have the opportunity to bore me. However if I did, these are things that I have no interest in, whatsoever:
Watching golf or tennis. These are participating sports, in my opinion. Watching live is a better option but totally boring unless I’m physically playing them.
My family is the most important to me. I’ll start with my girls. I have four incredibly talented, beautiful, smart and daughters. I am so proud to be their momma. I have such a wonderful relationship with each of them. I am so blessed that God would allow me to be a part of who they are today. Being around them individually or all together fills my heart to the full.
Next, my grandchildren are my legacy’s future. Each one of them having their unique gifts and talents. I love hearing their laughter as we sit around eating good food, playing games inside or playing sports outside. What a joy each one of them brings to my life.
My husband is my safe, happy place, where I can be me. He rolls with the good, the bad and the ugly with me. There is nothing we can’t do together. Yet, we each have our individual stuff too but it doesn’t separate us, if that makes sense. Even when we’re doing our own thing, I feel close to Him.
But that little dog of mine. Who would’ve known that this little 14 lb dog would bring loads and loads of joy into our home.
My home is my favorite place to be and my family are my favorite ones to love.
Tell us about your favorite pair of shoes, and where they’ve taken you.
All my life shoes have felt like a burden. I found that my toes sifting white sandy beaches are the best thing to ever wrap around my soul. Soles separate me from the warmth of the sand. Give me a beach where I can rest my weary head and sift all of my cares away. Let these bare soles take me where there’s no phone service and no shoes required.
From the Depths of Kell 