This is to let you know and apologize for the delay in writing my blog...So this is to say, "I am sorry, but so much has been happening in life that my new blog has not progressed...so I thought it would be nice to share my own personal quotes as well as a few of my favorite verses. It is my hope that these quotes will inspire you, encourage your heart and give you something to think about. May you be blessed!" ENJOY!
* May His JOY tickle your heart as your dance in the light of His LOVE in spite of circumstance. (by me)
* As you journey in this life grow in understanding, gain wisdom and learn from each trial, for it will make you strong. NEVER give up for God is there and ALL the angels of heaven are cheering for you! (by me)
* NEVER give up and ALWAYS do your personal best...LEARN from your mistakes - they are important tools of life for without mistakes there is no progress, no amazing inventions and no gain as the unique person you are! (by me)
* NEVER stop learning...I will never stop learning...to stop learning is death. (by me)
* Let the simple pleasures of life tickle your heart...find things to SMILE at and make LAUGHTER like the air you breathe! (by me)
* When someone hurts you know first that they are in pain...find the root of their pain and you will mend a broken heart and gain a friend. (by me)
* When someone makes you angry take a deep breath and then respond out of love instead of reacting out of anger. It is your choice "react" or "respond". (by me)
* "Reacting" closes doors and hurts hearts while "Responding" opens doors and mends hearts. (by me)
* Soak in the sunshine, let it surround you like a blanket. Soak up the rain, let it wash away your pain and sadness like water for your soul. Let the rain water your soul so it may live again as it recalls the warm blanket of sunshine that will return once again. There is ALWAYS HOPE! (by me)
* We each have a bridge to cross, A cross to carry, Something to be Endured with Patience - A Whole Heart Full Of Patience. You WILL make it through...Don't lose HOPE and continue to Trust for God will carry YOU!
" If you expect the best, you will be the best. Learn to use one of the most powerful laws in this world; change your mental habits to belief instead of disbelief. Learn to expect, not to doubt. In so doing, you bring everything into the realm of possibility."-Norman Vincent Peale
* "For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."
Jeremiah 29:11
* "Take delight in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart."
Psalm 37:4
* "May he give you the desire of your heart and make all your plans succeed."
Psalm 20:4
* "For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind."
2 Timothy 1:7
It is my hope that these quotes have blessed you...May God's hand of blessing be upon you each and everyday...
Showing posts with label hope. Show all posts
Showing posts with label hope. Show all posts
Sunday, July 17, 2011
Tuesday, January 4, 2011
New Year Pruning
2010 brought much pruning into my life, perhaps in yours too. It is true, the plants and trees in my yard needed much pruning in order that they continue to flourish and grow in the year to come. However, I am not really speaking of my yard but my own personal life. (I will talk more about that later in my blog.) For you see, the trials and hurdles I have faced have brought about continued change in my life. Yet, I cry out, "How can this make me flourish and grow? How can pruning away at my life be a blessing when it hurts so much?"
If you are like me, you do not always understand why things happen the way they do in our lives. It is hard to see what good can come from anything that hurts so much or causes us to wonder how we can make it through another day. However, here I am...pruned. Pruned down to nothing, at least so it feels. So I ask will I really grow again? Is there an answer? There is a verse that reads:
John 15:2 "Every branch in me that bears no fruit he takes away: and every branch that bear fruit, he prunes it, that it may bring forth more fruit."
This pruning has been interpreted in many ways. The illustration that Jesus is using is one of pruning; therefore, some have said just like pruning trees, this process is very painful. In our lives, God cuts and slashes us through things like sickness, death, poverty, and other forms of tragedy so that eventually we will bear more fruit. He wants to bring about healing in our lives and so in order to do so He must take away those things that are road blocks or that hold us back. This view means it is necessary for us to suffer, if we want to bear more fruit.
Yet, even though there is an element of truth in this way of thinking, it is not totally consistent with the rest of God's Word or even the context of this verse. The text says that the pruning that Jesus speaks of is done through the Word that He has spoken unto us, or the Word He has giving to us. He does want to bring healing into our lives and He does want us to bear more fruit. So what is the Word He speaks unto us?
2 Timothy 3:16-17 says that God's Word was given to us "for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, and for instruction in righteousness: Therefore the followers of God may be perfected and thoroughly furnished with all good works." Could it be that God's method of pruning means that by simply reading His Word, the Bible, it will cause us to prune what is not good for us in our lives? Does it mean it is our choice to prune as we learn what God has for our lives?
Okay, let us reason this out, if we believe God brings sickness, poverty and tragedies into our lives to help prune us then how can He be a God of love? Do we want to accept that God brings bad into our lives? Or do we want to believe the evil one has it out for us and throws everything he can in our way to make our lives hard?
Let me say, the bottom line, God does not need the devil's help to bring about our pruning, although He may allow it. His Word says He will make us "perfect, thoroughly furnished with all good works." Yes, He will take what devil has meant for bad in our lives and work it for good. It may even cause us to do some thinking which brings about some pruning in our own lives. However, in my way of thinking, God does not put adversity, trials and sickness in our lives to prune us.
Yes, we can learn through tragedy and God can use it for our good. (Many of you know all that has happened in my life over the past 5 years. If not, just search my labels found on the right hand side of my blog and click on the word "chronic pain". Reading that blog will catch you up and hopefully encourage you.) Now with that said, let me use an example from my own life to illustrate this point.
Back in 2007, I was told that without surgery I would lose the use of my arms and hands. It was obvious that this was already beginning to happen, so to elect to have surgery was a no-brainer. As a teacher and artist, I needed my arms and hands. The fact is, in everyday life, everyone needs them!
By the time the surgery date had arrived, touching anything caused so much pain I truly wanted to die. I worked hard to use biofeedback and my creative mind to fool myself to change the way I sensed the touch of various items. I had to do this just to open a door or pick up a pencil, let alone the many other things you would touch throughout a day. No one has a clue the pain I endured or energy it took to make it through each day. It was so wearing-simply exhausting, especially when teaching and helping my dying mom.
Yet, at that point, I had hope. There was hope that the pain, as well as the use of my arms and hands would improve; even though there was not a 100% guarantee. So I was excited to get the surgery over with and get back to life..to continue to do the job I loved, teaching my students and doing art on the side to be able to sponsor children and projects to help children.
Little did I know that the surgery would bring about changes in my life that would crush my spirit and cause me to re-evaluate who I am as a person. The surgery did make some of the pain go away and allow me to use my arms and hands better, (at least for a time), but the other complications were less than desirable.
When I awoke from the surgery I was delighted with the difference in how the sense of touch no longer hurt so much, but at the same time, I was having trouble breathing and swallowing. It was not know exactly why, until later, it was discovered I had a neuromuscular disease.
My life took on a new journey, which was followed by much testing, until a couple years later when doctors came up with some answers. Earlier I had endured a long stay in the hospital, a couple of near-death experiences as well as being hooked up to machinery for suction, breathing and feeding. Later my living room became a hospital room, in which I lay unresponsive.
Once I was alert enough to comprehend things, I learned about my near-death mishaps. Although my mind did recall an experience, I had no way of making sense of it until that time. Now the feelings, thoughts and events were beginning to make sense in my mind. Finally, I could begin apply the lessons learned.
There is so much to share - especially when it comes what I have learned, so I think I had better leave that for another blog. For now, I want to use this illustration to make my point. The evil one brought this tragedy into my life and what he meant for bad God worked for good. Even though I could no longer teach or do art as I once did, I was alive. It was the beginning of a process of learning, a new journey so I could continue to touch the lives of others, just not in the same way.
God allowed me to prune myself, to look at things in a new light by listening to what He was speaking into my life, thus allowing me to bear more fruit. On the other hand, if I mistakenly thought that God was the one bringing tragedy into my life to make me be more fruitful, it is possible that I will not resist tragedies. Instead, I might look for them, almost beckoning them to come into my life. The Word says, "To resist the devil and he will flee from you." So I want all that the evil one throws at me to flee away from me. I want God take all of the bad things and to work them for my good.
It is true all of us will learn by hard knocks that is if we are open to learning. The person who welcomes trials with arms wide-open will suffer greatly. They will not have the true hope of victory nor will they know the real joy God has for them. They will be far behind the person who lets God's Word have His perfect work in him. For this person runs the race, reaching for the goal, not hanging on to the past and thus has victory.
This is not to say, that we must not work to gain "acceptance" when things do happen. In fact, we must have our arms open wide to embrace all that God has for us in the midst of tragedies or trials. We must look for His blessings in every situation. We must open our hearts and minds to what God is speaking into our lives...to prune where needed in order to spring forth-new life. So what will you be pruning in this New Year? Will you allow God to speak into your life?
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
The Curve Balls of Life's Journey
Life's Journey continues and boy oh boy is it full of "curve balls"! I continue to learn how to allow God to take the bat in every circumstance of life, but it isn't that easy. If you are like me, you have preconceived ideas of how to right a problem, find a solution or the steps it will take to make things o.k. again. It is not often I want to just sit back and roll with the punches. No, not me! I must find the answers, search for the solutions and take some control of the situation. If you are truly honest with yourself, I bet there a few of you out there who can relate to what I am saying.
We are the "doers", the ones who get into the game and strive to win at all costs. We do not want to just sit at the sidelines as a spectator. Most of us want to be a part of the solution, not a part of the problem. We are the ones asked to join the team. We do not sit idle as we see the curve balls of life pass on by. Instead, we are determined to catch the curve ball no matter how difficult it is to catch. We do not easily give up, but welcome the challenge.
We are the ones that have experienced success in finding solutions, whether others notice or not. If by chance someone does notice, it is like a bonus win that cheers you on to do it again. The bigger the challenge, the bigger the reward to find the answers, the solutions and to never give up.
Personally, I think God loves cheering us on to never give up, to face the trials of this life and to meet each challenge with open arms. Yet, I also believe that there comes a time in life we must surrender and take a backseat. We must face the fact that we do not have all the answers and that sometimes in this life there isn't a solution. We must admit that we are merely human. It is time to let God be the solution, to let Him be the hero and allow Him to bring victory.
During these past years, this is exactly what God is teaching me. He has allowed me to strike out, to miss catching the curve balls of life and to finally realize in my human weakness He is made strong. We all know life is not a game, but we often live it as one. We view the problems and trials of this life as the curve balls of life. We allow ourselves to believe that if we only try harder and keep practicing that we can win over any life's challenge. We don't stop to listen to God still small voice saying, "You don't have to go it alone. You do not need to have all the answers. You can rest in my strength and let me grant the victory."
I am no exception, for as each curve ball has headed my way, I have stretched out my arm with mitt in hand, determined to catch that curve ball and stop it dead in its tracks - never to affect my life again. Other times I have readied myself with a solid bat, determined to hit each ball out of the park. But to my surprise as I looked up to deal with the first curve ball, there before my very eyes was a second curve ball and then a third, a fourth and even a fifth! Soon it looked like a hailstorm of curve balls and my mitt and bat became the only shield to block each balls blow to my head.
Fear over whelmed me as I questioned how I could have the strength to continue to block each curve ball from their blow. No longer was I thinking how to catch them or hit them out of the park as they rocket down from the sky like an intense meteor shower. I felt this was the end. I could see no hope in sight. I had no answers, no solutions or strength to continue at such a pace. I had to look beyond myself and ask for help. I had to reach out to other believers and lend on them for strength, for encouragement and to borrow their hope. I had to say to God, "Here I am, I must trust in you to met my needs, to help me survive this storm."
It was time for me to surrender my mitt and hand over my bat. It was time for me to sit on the side lines, to rest in my saviors arms and let Him have control...trusting fully in Him for the outcome no matter what it may be...To know He does work all things for good for those whom love Him whether or not the storm continues for a time or stops to shine forth a ray of light.
My storm is not yet over, there are more dark clouds ahead as the curve balls continue to fall. Yet, I will not give up, but I also know my in my weakness He is made strong. He will protect me, grant me hope and bring the victory. I must know with Him there are answers and solution, but I must patiently wait, for His timing is perfect. He knows how many curve balls I can handle. He knows that each one serves a purpose and will bring blessing for all those who wait.
So as I sit here with all my bumps and bruises of lessons learned, I patiently wait...God is my strength, my victor and I will hide myself in the shelter of His wings. I will not be afraid of the curve balls ahead, I will not go it alone, but trust in each moment of life God has given me...to count my blessings and to rest in Him, trusting that He has the answers. God is on my side. He is the captain of my team. He has victory over every storm. Aaaah, peace be still...catch some joy and let the curve balls reign for I will not fear...I am journeying on!
We are the "doers", the ones who get into the game and strive to win at all costs. We do not want to just sit at the sidelines as a spectator. Most of us want to be a part of the solution, not a part of the problem. We are the ones asked to join the team. We do not sit idle as we see the curve balls of life pass on by. Instead, we are determined to catch the curve ball no matter how difficult it is to catch. We do not easily give up, but welcome the challenge.
We are the ones that have experienced success in finding solutions, whether others notice or not. If by chance someone does notice, it is like a bonus win that cheers you on to do it again. The bigger the challenge, the bigger the reward to find the answers, the solutions and to never give up.
Personally, I think God loves cheering us on to never give up, to face the trials of this life and to meet each challenge with open arms. Yet, I also believe that there comes a time in life we must surrender and take a backseat. We must face the fact that we do not have all the answers and that sometimes in this life there isn't a solution. We must admit that we are merely human. It is time to let God be the solution, to let Him be the hero and allow Him to bring victory.
During these past years, this is exactly what God is teaching me. He has allowed me to strike out, to miss catching the curve balls of life and to finally realize in my human weakness He is made strong. We all know life is not a game, but we often live it as one. We view the problems and trials of this life as the curve balls of life. We allow ourselves to believe that if we only try harder and keep practicing that we can win over any life's challenge. We don't stop to listen to God still small voice saying, "You don't have to go it alone. You do not need to have all the answers. You can rest in my strength and let me grant the victory."
I am no exception, for as each curve ball has headed my way, I have stretched out my arm with mitt in hand, determined to catch that curve ball and stop it dead in its tracks - never to affect my life again. Other times I have readied myself with a solid bat, determined to hit each ball out of the park. But to my surprise as I looked up to deal with the first curve ball, there before my very eyes was a second curve ball and then a third, a fourth and even a fifth! Soon it looked like a hailstorm of curve balls and my mitt and bat became the only shield to block each balls blow to my head.
Fear over whelmed me as I questioned how I could have the strength to continue to block each curve ball from their blow. No longer was I thinking how to catch them or hit them out of the park as they rocket down from the sky like an intense meteor shower. I felt this was the end. I could see no hope in sight. I had no answers, no solutions or strength to continue at such a pace. I had to look beyond myself and ask for help. I had to reach out to other believers and lend on them for strength, for encouragement and to borrow their hope. I had to say to God, "Here I am, I must trust in you to met my needs, to help me survive this storm."
It was time for me to surrender my mitt and hand over my bat. It was time for me to sit on the side lines, to rest in my saviors arms and let Him have control...trusting fully in Him for the outcome no matter what it may be...To know He does work all things for good for those whom love Him whether or not the storm continues for a time or stops to shine forth a ray of light.
My storm is not yet over, there are more dark clouds ahead as the curve balls continue to fall. Yet, I will not give up, but I also know my in my weakness He is made strong. He will protect me, grant me hope and bring the victory. I must know with Him there are answers and solution, but I must patiently wait, for His timing is perfect. He knows how many curve balls I can handle. He knows that each one serves a purpose and will bring blessing for all those who wait.
So as I sit here with all my bumps and bruises of lessons learned, I patiently wait...God is my strength, my victor and I will hide myself in the shelter of His wings. I will not be afraid of the curve balls ahead, I will not go it alone, but trust in each moment of life God has given me...to count my blessings and to rest in Him, trusting that He has the answers. God is on my side. He is the captain of my team. He has victory over every storm. Aaaah, peace be still...catch some joy and let the curve balls reign for I will not fear...I am journeying on!
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
Death's Door - All Things Become New
Time passed, it looked I was closer and closer to death. It felt as if I would meet my maker soon. Nevertheless, God reached out and touched me with His healing hand. It was a few days before Easter, April 16th to be exact. I had caregivers around the clock to move me and tend to my needs. My breathing stat of 42 was not compatible with life. Pain racked my body. Every joint felt as if it was on fire. The joints felt like they were fused together by the “molten-lava” that seem to flow through my body. My muscles ached and hurt so badly I wanted to rip them off my bones. My breathing was labored and thinking was not clear, but God’s peacefulness and joy filled my heart.
It was on this day that a friend of mine brought by a person with the ability of healing prayer. Many people had been praying for me, it was clear I had not been physically healed; although, much emotional and spiritual healing had occurred and that was wonderful…I was in a place of acceptance. I knew God would heal me when I was with Him if He did not heal me on this earth. There was such peace in that thought. My friend asked if her friend could pray for me and I agreed. There is never any harm in turning to God in prayer…it brought me comfort. However, this time, things were different, I was comforted, but I could feel my body changing…the “molten-lava” flowing in each joint was melting like ice; I began sweating as my body cooled. My joints became freed up and the muscles been to understand the messages of nerves to move. My breathing began to work without a struggle. My lungs began filling with air and working as they were intended. I knew God was healing me here on this earth this very moment. Every cell within me praised Him and shouted with joy! It was a miracle! I was so thankful for all those who helped me - friends, school staff, medical staff and the church family of believers. I had so much to be grateful for…my heart was full of joy! God had become real through the “hands and feet” of others. My life was beginning to change. I shared my story with many. God gave me a vision of using the art talent he had given me for Him. I was setting forth to serve Him with all my being. I wanted to reach the world with His love and message of hope. Doors were opening and I knew God would put the talent He gave me to work to help others, especially abused and hurting “at risk” children, as well as orphans. It was the beat of His heart flowing through art. His heART in ART…His life-blood flowing… It was a miracle! I was even able to return to teaching while continuing to plan missions and art for the summer! In addition, more healing work was taking place as I worked on “Restoring the Foundations” and breaking the curses and bonds of death Satan held on me. It was like having a new life! “Behold in Christ I am a new creation, old things are passed away; behold all things become new.”
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
So Much in Life Leaves Us Wondering...
There is so much in life that can leave us wondering. There is so much pain in life, so many injustices and so many situations that leave us questioning, is there really a God? How can a God of love let all of this go on? If He loves me why do I hurt so much? Why do I see so many suffer? Yes, it all leaves us wondering...especially in this economic situation that is bringing about more suffering for so many.
There is no getting around the fact everyone suffers, some more than others. But "why" is a good question. In fact, "why" is one of the most important questions a person can ever ask in their life. Most of us question "why" when we are in the face of extreme hardship or constant pain. In response a college professor wrote in his book: "Our questioning is not really from a desire to know the particular meaning of the particular event. More importantly, it is from a desire to be assured that it has any meaning at all." In other words, does my suffering serve some purpose? Is there meaning behind it? Or rather is it pointless and arbitrary? Is it simply another random occurrence in this mixed up hurting world? Bottom line does suffering serve a real purpose?
According to one cultural view of "Why do pain and suffering exist?" It has been estimated that more than 300 million people adhere to Buddhism, embracing what they describe as The Four Noble Truths:
1. All is suffering.
2. Suffering is caused by desire/attachment.
3. If one can eliminate desire/attachment, one can eliminate suffering.
4. The Noble Eight-Fold Path can eliminate desire.
The proper Buddhist response to suffering is to attempt to eliminate desire by pursuing The Noble Eight-Fold Path: right views, right intent, right speech, right conduct, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, and right concentration. Hence, if one can control his own mind and behavior, circumstances need not change in order for the individual to overcome suffering.
Please understand, I am not a Buddhist but I certainly understand their logic. So hang in there with me to see where I am going with this thought. The Path, it seems, was designed with the intention of eliminating the emotions related to desire and those ignited by detachment from the object of desire. As for me, I have often been encouraged by fellow Christians to follow a similar path with statements of their guidance such as:
"You shouldn't feel that way, we are all called to suffer."
"Don't be angry, you are letting the situation get the best of you."
"Just let it go. God will take care of it!"
The fact is Christians are not perfect. Sometimes they say things that are roadblocks to our healing. God in His Word does tell us we can renew our minds, (...and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, ( Ephesians 4:22-24) for He has not given us a spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind. (2 Timothy 1:6-8) He says, :" When doubts filled my mind, your comfort gave me renewed hope and cheer. (Psalm 94:18-20)
For all of us, whether Christian or not our mind gets the best of us. It can control much of our emotions and the outcomes in our life. As a Christian, we can lean on Christ and trust in His Words to give us strength and encouragement. This gives us more strength, an outlet; something to lean on in hard times.
It is a fact, we can allow our emotions to get the best of us in hard situations, (even if we are Christians) and as a result, we sink into despair and often feel stuck in our situation with no way out. It happened to many in God's word as they doubted in their circumstances, "And just as they did not see fit to acknowledge God any longer, God gave them over to a depraved mind, to do those things which are not proper..."(Romans 1:27-29) They allow the things of this world trap them. The stress discouraged their hearts and minds and they shut God out of their lives. As a result, "For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit." (Romans 8:4-6) "For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace." (Romans 8:5-7)
God does have purpose in our sufferings. Thus, He wants us to renew our minds. So we will continually look to Him. He encourages us by saying, "Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day." God promises, "...and have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him..."(Colossians 3:9-11) The fact is, you see, God will use our sufferings as we renew our minds to help others. For as we have been comforted us ourselves; we will then be able to comfort others through the knowledge God has given us.
Yet, as humans we will continue to ask "why" whether we are comforted or not. Even in our renewed mind, we will want answers. It is just human nature. We want to understand. The word says, "The mind of the prudent acquires knowledge, and the ear of the wise seeks knowledge." (Proverbs 18:14-16) "Incline your ear and hear the words of the wise, and apply your mind to my knowledge;" (Proverbs 22:16-18)
However, God reminds us that His thoughts are not our thoughts and His ways not our ways. In our humanness, we cannot understand fully why God allows the things He does. Have you ever stopped to think, if we did understand "all" we would become God ourselves.
God does want us to question and to cry out to Him, especially in our time of need. He wants to know our hearts and all the emotions we carry inside. In crying out to Him we learn to trust and let go of what is troubling us inside. Just look at David in the Psalms, he didn't hold back. He spilled his guts out to God. In turn, God placed praise and thankfulness upon his heart. Holding “it” in, gets us nowhere, yet dwelling on “it” gets us stuck!
We can choose to dwell on the negatives of our life or on the hurts of the lives of others, but how will that help us in the long run? Even the Bible speaks to this, "All this I have seen and applied my mind to every deed that has been done under the sun wherein a man has exercised authority over another man to his hurt." (Ecclesiastes 8:8-10) We can seek revenge for the hurt we have encountered or try to find a way to make things right in our own eyes, but in the long run we will not find peace. The fact is, unless we fully set our mind on God; to rest in Him and trust Him with everything in our lives we will never have true peace.
God promises, "I will keep him in perfect peace, Whose mind is stayed on me, because he trusts in God."(Isaiah 26:2-4) "And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." (Philippians 4:6-8) This is not an easy task. It takes practice. It is like the story a dear elderly friend once told me. She said, "Honey, when we turn things over to God and not worry we fully let go. You see, it is like writing a letter to God expressing all that is on our heart and mind, then we fold it, put it in an envelope, seal and stamp, but then when we take it to the mailbox we must let go. If we hang on to even one corner it will NEVER get mailed. When it doesn't get mailed we take the burden back and worry surrounds us." So I ask, are we letting go and letting God?
The Word says, "But those who wait on the LORD Shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles, They shall run and not be weary, They shall walk and not faint." (Isaiah 40:30-31) Often when I am overwhelmed with worry or overcome with the stresses of this life I feel weary. I do not have the strength or motivation for the tasks at hand each day. I may find myself continuing to question God. I may even begin doubting Him and feel He is not hearing me. But God promises to be our strength in the time of need. He says He knows our need before we even ask. All we need to do it to call out to Him. He promises to hear our call. He wants to demonstrate love to His child...we are all His children and He loves us more than we can comprehend.
We are not alone in our wonderings. We are not alone in our "whys" for even in God's word we find those who questioned. In Jeremiah 12 It asks, "Yet let me talk with You about Your judgments. Why does the way of the wicked prosper? Why are those happy who deal so treacherously?" You see, when we get stuck in the "whys" and allow worry and depression to overtake our mind we cannot bare good fruit. We feel stuck, as if we are frozen in our situation. At that time, it is difficult for us to put any good into action. God says, "I, the LORD, search the heart, I test the mind, Even to give every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his doings." (Jeremiah 17:9-11) Amazingly, we will find if we push ourselves outside of our situation and take action to believe God's Word, we begin to “do good” and in doing good we begin to feel better inside. It is quite the principal God has set up, give it a try; it is life changing, but it doesn't mean we will never struggle again.
The fact is many of us have struggled more than we care to recall. We may have searched for answers in this world. We may have trusted God at times, while other times we floundered. It is during these hard circumstances God wants us to remember the times He has pulled us through. He wants to encourage our hearts and give us hope. It is at these times, we must push our mind to recall what is good and to remember what God has done for us. "This I recall to my mind, therefore I have hope." (Lamentations 3:20-22)
The evil one however, knows our minds can be weak. In fact, he knows our every weakness and so that is the place he will attack. In our humanness, we may not at first recognize that is what is happening, but with practice we can learn to protect our minds. God's Word tells us to call Satan on his lies and demand he leave us alone! "... “Get behind Me, Satan! You are an offense to me, for you are not mindful of the things of God, but the things of men.” (Matthew 16:22-24)
You must know the evil one will not give up easily. He will continue his attack to try to get us to wear down, especially when times are tough. Satan doesn't want us to trust God for all our needs and rest in Him for the answers to every situation. The evil one wants us to doubt God and not believe His word, especially when finances are tight and everything seems to be going wrong. But God tells us, “And do not seek what you should eat or what you should drink, nor have an anxious mind." (Luke 12:28-30) It is true, at these times it can be so hard to put our trust in Him and not feel anxious, especially when troubles are mounting!
He said to them, "Why are you troubled, and why do doubts rise in your minds?" (Luke 24:37-39) It is so human to be troubled and to let the evil one attack our minds. He wants us to fail, to doubt and to suffer. I encourage you to look up to Christ; lean on Him in these times. Don't be like the verse of unbelievers, "They know nothing, they understand nothing; their eyes are plastered over so they cannot see, and their minds closed so they cannot understand." (Isaiah 44:17-19) Don't allow yourself to fall into that trap. Don't allow the evil one to win! And for goodness sake, don't down yourself when this happens; instead see it for what it is or the evil one will gloat in your face. Work to renew your mind and lean on God. Ask for His help. Call out to Him and He will hear your cry. It is time to give the evil one a "kick in the butt" and don't fall into the trap of his schemes. God will work all what Satan has meant for bad and change it for good. He will use these trials to strengthen us and build strong character in us so we can use it for good.
So again, I encourage each of us to look to God. For it is He who will give us comfort and lead us to understanding. He doesn't promise we will understand everything on this earth, but He will give us peace. We can be sure His Word will comfort us and help us through the hard times. God tells us, "Then he opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures." (Colossians 3:1-3)
As I stated before, we can't begin to understand the things of this earth. In our humanness, we can't fully know the "whys" of our circumstances, but we can have the assurance that God is here for us every step of the way. "Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth." (Luke 24:44-46) He has promised, “I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid." (John 14:26-28) Oh that we might know such peace! He tells us if we seek it we shall find it.
You may ask, how can we know such peace? How can we make it through these difficult times? What can we hang on to in this world? The fact is, this world shall pass away and material things will someday have no value, but what is in the heart will remain. God word tells us, "Jesus said to him, “You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.” (Matthew 22:36-38)
"And you shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength. This is the first commandment."
(Mark 12:29-31)
"So he answered and said, “You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself.” (Luke 10:26-28)
So you see, to have true peace we must humble ourselves and accept Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior. At that point we can begin to learn what it means to love Him with all our soul, with all our strength and with all our mind and as a result we will have perfect peace.
But it doesn’t stop there, once we are in Christ, God provides us extra help to make it through the rough times. He tells us that His Spirit intercedes for us. "And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God's people in accordance with the will of God."(Romans 8:26-28) So at that point, we will find we are a new creation, "And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God." God will direct our paths and help transform our minds. He will help us find the blessing in each day, even when everything seems bleak. He will encourage our hearts. He will help us see more clearly and become all we can become in spite of our questionings, in spite of our wonderings and in spite of our doubts.
For as His children, "...as it is written: What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived—these things God has prepared for those who love him" (1 Corinthians 2:8-10) You see, we may wonder and question all sorts of things in this life. As humans, we will continue to ask "why" and have our doubts. But yet we can be encouraged because there is hope! There is an answer to all this suffering in this world. All we have to do is believe!
For it is true those in this world will disappoint us and let us down. They will hurt us and discourage us, even while circumstances will weigh upon us and leave us with no hope. There will be little peace and rest for our souls. But remember, God is always with us cheering us on. He calls each of us to be encouragers too. He calls us to love one another through the good and bad times. So “brothers and sisters in Christ, rejoice! Strive for full restoration, encourage one another, be of one mind; live in peace. And the God of love and peace will be with you." (2 Corinthians 13:10-12)
“Finally, may all of you be of one mind, having compassion for one another; love as brothers, be tenderhearted, be courteous; “ (1 Peter 3:7-9) Encourage one another in these hard times. Share the message of hope. Lift one another up. For "In My Father's house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you." (John 14:1-3) For He has overcome the world! He is our hope! He is our strength! It is in our weakness He is made strong; thus it is then He holds us up and carries us. So rest in Him and have peace for today and all your tomorrows, for someday, we will have all the answers to all our "whys" and our wonderings.
There is no getting around the fact everyone suffers, some more than others. But "why" is a good question. In fact, "why" is one of the most important questions a person can ever ask in their life. Most of us question "why" when we are in the face of extreme hardship or constant pain. In response a college professor wrote in his book: "Our questioning is not really from a desire to know the particular meaning of the particular event. More importantly, it is from a desire to be assured that it has any meaning at all." In other words, does my suffering serve some purpose? Is there meaning behind it? Or rather is it pointless and arbitrary? Is it simply another random occurrence in this mixed up hurting world? Bottom line does suffering serve a real purpose?
According to one cultural view of "Why do pain and suffering exist?" It has been estimated that more than 300 million people adhere to Buddhism, embracing what they describe as The Four Noble Truths:
1. All is suffering.
2. Suffering is caused by desire/attachment.
3. If one can eliminate desire/attachment, one can eliminate suffering.
4. The Noble Eight-Fold Path can eliminate desire.
The proper Buddhist response to suffering is to attempt to eliminate desire by pursuing The Noble Eight-Fold Path: right views, right intent, right speech, right conduct, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, and right concentration. Hence, if one can control his own mind and behavior, circumstances need not change in order for the individual to overcome suffering.
Please understand, I am not a Buddhist but I certainly understand their logic. So hang in there with me to see where I am going with this thought. The Path, it seems, was designed with the intention of eliminating the emotions related to desire and those ignited by detachment from the object of desire. As for me, I have often been encouraged by fellow Christians to follow a similar path with statements of their guidance such as:
"You shouldn't feel that way, we are all called to suffer."
"Don't be angry, you are letting the situation get the best of you."
"Just let it go. God will take care of it!"
The fact is Christians are not perfect. Sometimes they say things that are roadblocks to our healing. God in His Word does tell us we can renew our minds, (...and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, ( Ephesians 4:22-24) for He has not given us a spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind. (2 Timothy 1:6-8) He says, :" When doubts filled my mind, your comfort gave me renewed hope and cheer. (Psalm 94:18-20)
For all of us, whether Christian or not our mind gets the best of us. It can control much of our emotions and the outcomes in our life. As a Christian, we can lean on Christ and trust in His Words to give us strength and encouragement. This gives us more strength, an outlet; something to lean on in hard times.
It is a fact, we can allow our emotions to get the best of us in hard situations, (even if we are Christians) and as a result, we sink into despair and often feel stuck in our situation with no way out. It happened to many in God's word as they doubted in their circumstances, "And just as they did not see fit to acknowledge God any longer, God gave them over to a depraved mind, to do those things which are not proper..."(Romans 1:27-29) They allow the things of this world trap them. The stress discouraged their hearts and minds and they shut God out of their lives. As a result, "For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit." (Romans 8:4-6) "For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace." (Romans 8:5-7)
God does have purpose in our sufferings. Thus, He wants us to renew our minds. So we will continually look to Him. He encourages us by saying, "Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day." God promises, "...and have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him..."(Colossians 3:9-11) The fact is, you see, God will use our sufferings as we renew our minds to help others. For as we have been comforted us ourselves; we will then be able to comfort others through the knowledge God has given us.
Yet, as humans we will continue to ask "why" whether we are comforted or not. Even in our renewed mind, we will want answers. It is just human nature. We want to understand. The word says, "The mind of the prudent acquires knowledge, and the ear of the wise seeks knowledge." (Proverbs 18:14-16) "Incline your ear and hear the words of the wise, and apply your mind to my knowledge;" (Proverbs 22:16-18)
However, God reminds us that His thoughts are not our thoughts and His ways not our ways. In our humanness, we cannot understand fully why God allows the things He does. Have you ever stopped to think, if we did understand "all" we would become God ourselves.
God does want us to question and to cry out to Him, especially in our time of need. He wants to know our hearts and all the emotions we carry inside. In crying out to Him we learn to trust and let go of what is troubling us inside. Just look at David in the Psalms, he didn't hold back. He spilled his guts out to God. In turn, God placed praise and thankfulness upon his heart. Holding “it” in, gets us nowhere, yet dwelling on “it” gets us stuck!
We can choose to dwell on the negatives of our life or on the hurts of the lives of others, but how will that help us in the long run? Even the Bible speaks to this, "All this I have seen and applied my mind to every deed that has been done under the sun wherein a man has exercised authority over another man to his hurt." (Ecclesiastes 8:8-10) We can seek revenge for the hurt we have encountered or try to find a way to make things right in our own eyes, but in the long run we will not find peace. The fact is, unless we fully set our mind on God; to rest in Him and trust Him with everything in our lives we will never have true peace.
God promises, "I will keep him in perfect peace, Whose mind is stayed on me, because he trusts in God."(Isaiah 26:2-4) "And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." (Philippians 4:6-8) This is not an easy task. It takes practice. It is like the story a dear elderly friend once told me. She said, "Honey, when we turn things over to God and not worry we fully let go. You see, it is like writing a letter to God expressing all that is on our heart and mind, then we fold it, put it in an envelope, seal and stamp, but then when we take it to the mailbox we must let go. If we hang on to even one corner it will NEVER get mailed. When it doesn't get mailed we take the burden back and worry surrounds us." So I ask, are we letting go and letting God?
The Word says, "But those who wait on the LORD Shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles, They shall run and not be weary, They shall walk and not faint." (Isaiah 40:30-31) Often when I am overwhelmed with worry or overcome with the stresses of this life I feel weary. I do not have the strength or motivation for the tasks at hand each day. I may find myself continuing to question God. I may even begin doubting Him and feel He is not hearing me. But God promises to be our strength in the time of need. He says He knows our need before we even ask. All we need to do it to call out to Him. He promises to hear our call. He wants to demonstrate love to His child...we are all His children and He loves us more than we can comprehend.
We are not alone in our wonderings. We are not alone in our "whys" for even in God's word we find those who questioned. In Jeremiah 12 It asks, "Yet let me talk with You about Your judgments. Why does the way of the wicked prosper? Why are those happy who deal so treacherously?" You see, when we get stuck in the "whys" and allow worry and depression to overtake our mind we cannot bare good fruit. We feel stuck, as if we are frozen in our situation. At that time, it is difficult for us to put any good into action. God says, "I, the LORD, search the heart, I test the mind, Even to give every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his doings." (Jeremiah 17:9-11) Amazingly, we will find if we push ourselves outside of our situation and take action to believe God's Word, we begin to “do good” and in doing good we begin to feel better inside. It is quite the principal God has set up, give it a try; it is life changing, but it doesn't mean we will never struggle again.
The fact is many of us have struggled more than we care to recall. We may have searched for answers in this world. We may have trusted God at times, while other times we floundered. It is during these hard circumstances God wants us to remember the times He has pulled us through. He wants to encourage our hearts and give us hope. It is at these times, we must push our mind to recall what is good and to remember what God has done for us. "This I recall to my mind, therefore I have hope." (Lamentations 3:20-22)
The evil one however, knows our minds can be weak. In fact, he knows our every weakness and so that is the place he will attack. In our humanness, we may not at first recognize that is what is happening, but with practice we can learn to protect our minds. God's Word tells us to call Satan on his lies and demand he leave us alone! "... “Get behind Me, Satan! You are an offense to me, for you are not mindful of the things of God, but the things of men.” (Matthew 16:22-24)
You must know the evil one will not give up easily. He will continue his attack to try to get us to wear down, especially when times are tough. Satan doesn't want us to trust God for all our needs and rest in Him for the answers to every situation. The evil one wants us to doubt God and not believe His word, especially when finances are tight and everything seems to be going wrong. But God tells us, “And do not seek what you should eat or what you should drink, nor have an anxious mind." (Luke 12:28-30) It is true, at these times it can be so hard to put our trust in Him and not feel anxious, especially when troubles are mounting!
He said to them, "Why are you troubled, and why do doubts rise in your minds?" (Luke 24:37-39) It is so human to be troubled and to let the evil one attack our minds. He wants us to fail, to doubt and to suffer. I encourage you to look up to Christ; lean on Him in these times. Don't be like the verse of unbelievers, "They know nothing, they understand nothing; their eyes are plastered over so they cannot see, and their minds closed so they cannot understand." (Isaiah 44:17-19) Don't allow yourself to fall into that trap. Don't allow the evil one to win! And for goodness sake, don't down yourself when this happens; instead see it for what it is or the evil one will gloat in your face. Work to renew your mind and lean on God. Ask for His help. Call out to Him and He will hear your cry. It is time to give the evil one a "kick in the butt" and don't fall into the trap of his schemes. God will work all what Satan has meant for bad and change it for good. He will use these trials to strengthen us and build strong character in us so we can use it for good.
So again, I encourage each of us to look to God. For it is He who will give us comfort and lead us to understanding. He doesn't promise we will understand everything on this earth, but He will give us peace. We can be sure His Word will comfort us and help us through the hard times. God tells us, "Then he opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures." (Colossians 3:1-3)
As I stated before, we can't begin to understand the things of this earth. In our humanness, we can't fully know the "whys" of our circumstances, but we can have the assurance that God is here for us every step of the way. "Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth." (Luke 24:44-46) He has promised, “I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid." (John 14:26-28) Oh that we might know such peace! He tells us if we seek it we shall find it.
You may ask, how can we know such peace? How can we make it through these difficult times? What can we hang on to in this world? The fact is, this world shall pass away and material things will someday have no value, but what is in the heart will remain. God word tells us, "Jesus said to him, “You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.” (Matthew 22:36-38)
"And you shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength. This is the first commandment."
(Mark 12:29-31)
"So he answered and said, “You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself.” (Luke 10:26-28)
So you see, to have true peace we must humble ourselves and accept Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior. At that point we can begin to learn what it means to love Him with all our soul, with all our strength and with all our mind and as a result we will have perfect peace.
But it doesn’t stop there, once we are in Christ, God provides us extra help to make it through the rough times. He tells us that His Spirit intercedes for us. "And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God's people in accordance with the will of God."(Romans 8:26-28) So at that point, we will find we are a new creation, "And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God." God will direct our paths and help transform our minds. He will help us find the blessing in each day, even when everything seems bleak. He will encourage our hearts. He will help us see more clearly and become all we can become in spite of our questionings, in spite of our wonderings and in spite of our doubts.
For as His children, "...as it is written: What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived—these things God has prepared for those who love him" (1 Corinthians 2:8-10) You see, we may wonder and question all sorts of things in this life. As humans, we will continue to ask "why" and have our doubts. But yet we can be encouraged because there is hope! There is an answer to all this suffering in this world. All we have to do is believe!
For it is true those in this world will disappoint us and let us down. They will hurt us and discourage us, even while circumstances will weigh upon us and leave us with no hope. There will be little peace and rest for our souls. But remember, God is always with us cheering us on. He calls each of us to be encouragers too. He calls us to love one another through the good and bad times. So “brothers and sisters in Christ, rejoice! Strive for full restoration, encourage one another, be of one mind; live in peace. And the God of love and peace will be with you." (2 Corinthians 13:10-12)
“Finally, may all of you be of one mind, having compassion for one another; love as brothers, be tenderhearted, be courteous; “ (1 Peter 3:7-9) Encourage one another in these hard times. Share the message of hope. Lift one another up. For "In My Father's house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you." (John 14:1-3) For He has overcome the world! He is our hope! He is our strength! It is in our weakness He is made strong; thus it is then He holds us up and carries us. So rest in Him and have peace for today and all your tomorrows, for someday, we will have all the answers to all our "whys" and our wonderings.
Monday, December 22, 2008
Hold On...Season's Greetings!
'Tis the season to be jolly, so that is what they say. But what if life has handed you a bad wrap? What if the only thing that is jolly is a jolly rancher just because of its name? During this season you may be wondering, is there meaning to life? Is there light at the end of the tunnel? Believe me I have "been there" and have "done that," and I am here to encourage you to hold on. You will be able to ride out of the snow storm. I am not about to pretend the ride will be easy, but I want you to know from the bottom of my heart that there is a reason and there is an answer...you can find hope.
What ever you are going through you must hang on to the fact there is a reason and it WILL work out for good in the long run, but you MUST believe. There is an answer for your every problem, but you must seek so you can find. There is HOPE for tomorrow...there is HOPE for YOU!
Again I say, you must believe! You must hang on to all that is true and find what blesses your life. You must begin to focus on the good in life instead of the problem. The fact is the more you find the good the more good will come to you. The more you focus on the problems the more problems will come to you. I am not saying don't take action to resolve your problem, but I am saying do not make it the focus for it will steal your joy and rob you of your blessing.
You see, if you keep searching you will discover that God had a plan and is began by creating a world to bring blessings to those He loves and created. That means YOU! He loved you so much that He sent His son to come into this world as a baby and to live as a human so we could relate to Him and He could personally know our pain. He has a plan for our future and it is not for harm, but for good. He doesn't want us to struggle with life, although He knows the evil want to destroy us and will do everything in his power to cause us heartache and pain.
You see, 'tis the season to be jolly and celebrate because starting right now you can begin to see the good in your life. You can begin to count your blessings and rid yourself of focusing on the problems that weigh you down. How? Just decide right here and now that you believe there is hope for you...there is an answer...a reason to live. You are loved beyond measure and it is up to you to accept the gift God is placing before you. It is the gift of HOPE...His Son who came to this world to give you eternal life so you can have JOY and life filled with blessings.
If you need someone to talk to, I am here to listen and journey with you. So hold on...open your eyes..make a choice...search for the answers...for love has come in the form of a baby...for 'tis the season to be jolly. Celebrate your life and let God's Son love you! Season's Greetings!
What ever you are going through you must hang on to the fact there is a reason and it WILL work out for good in the long run, but you MUST believe. There is an answer for your every problem, but you must seek so you can find. There is HOPE for tomorrow...there is HOPE for YOU!
Again I say, you must believe! You must hang on to all that is true and find what blesses your life. You must begin to focus on the good in life instead of the problem. The fact is the more you find the good the more good will come to you. The more you focus on the problems the more problems will come to you. I am not saying don't take action to resolve your problem, but I am saying do not make it the focus for it will steal your joy and rob you of your blessing.
You see, if you keep searching you will discover that God had a plan and is began by creating a world to bring blessings to those He loves and created. That means YOU! He loved you so much that He sent His son to come into this world as a baby and to live as a human so we could relate to Him and He could personally know our pain. He has a plan for our future and it is not for harm, but for good. He doesn't want us to struggle with life, although He knows the evil want to destroy us and will do everything in his power to cause us heartache and pain.
You see, 'tis the season to be jolly and celebrate because starting right now you can begin to see the good in your life. You can begin to count your blessings and rid yourself of focusing on the problems that weigh you down. How? Just decide right here and now that you believe there is hope for you...there is an answer...a reason to live. You are loved beyond measure and it is up to you to accept the gift God is placing before you. It is the gift of HOPE...His Son who came to this world to give you eternal life so you can have JOY and life filled with blessings.
If you need someone to talk to, I am here to listen and journey with you. So hold on...open your eyes..make a choice...search for the answers...for love has come in the form of a baby...for 'tis the season to be jolly. Celebrate your life and let God's Son love you! Season's Greetings!
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
What is Life?
What is Life? Is is a journey down a winding path? Is it a mountain to climb? Is it a river to forge? Is it a valley of green? Is it a storm that tosses you to and fro? Is it road filled with boulders and fallen trees blocking your way? Or is it a meandering path through a hillside of green?
Life can be all these things and more...there are seasons to every life...
It seems my life has been a journey long, filled with winding roads that have big pot holes and boulders along the way, yet moments of laughter and smiles as I grow in strength to move on. It has been a life of up hill climbs, with rugged mountains high with steep cliffs to make me watch my step, yet filled with moments of kindness and love as I walk the path with a wondering heart filled with more love than anyone could hold. It has been a life of down pours that turn into a flood of muddy waters that wash me out to sea, yet moments when someone leans a helping hand to rescue me, giving me hope for tomorrow as I search for the meaning in life and search for all the rainbows. It has been a life of pain and sorrow, yet many flowers bloom and the colors shine bright, for in my heart there is peace knowing I have reached out to others, I have done my personal best in all life has given me, I have taken all I have to open my heart so someone else can shine and be encouraged...
My life is one that will make sure I never stop learning, never stop growing and never stop loving...for in all the years of struggle I have gained the strength to reach tomorrow...I have grown to think of others before myself, yet find balance to take care of me so I have the energy to give with my whole heart. I believe my journey has helped me find the true meaning in life, yet I still have so much more to learn...I choose this life of love and giving, no matter the cost, for my savior paid the price. I will live each moment like it was the first and give with an open heart...to count the blessings along the way...to cherish each breath...to smile at everyone I meet along the way...For in life, one lives to give and in giving one finds oneself!
Life can be all these things and more...there are seasons to every life...
It seems my life has been a journey long, filled with winding roads that have big pot holes and boulders along the way, yet moments of laughter and smiles as I grow in strength to move on. It has been a life of up hill climbs, with rugged mountains high with steep cliffs to make me watch my step, yet filled with moments of kindness and love as I walk the path with a wondering heart filled with more love than anyone could hold. It has been a life of down pours that turn into a flood of muddy waters that wash me out to sea, yet moments when someone leans a helping hand to rescue me, giving me hope for tomorrow as I search for the meaning in life and search for all the rainbows. It has been a life of pain and sorrow, yet many flowers bloom and the colors shine bright, for in my heart there is peace knowing I have reached out to others, I have done my personal best in all life has given me, I have taken all I have to open my heart so someone else can shine and be encouraged...
My life is one that will make sure I never stop learning, never stop growing and never stop loving...for in all the years of struggle I have gained the strength to reach tomorrow...I have grown to think of others before myself, yet find balance to take care of me so I have the energy to give with my whole heart. I believe my journey has helped me find the true meaning in life, yet I still have so much more to learn...I choose this life of love and giving, no matter the cost, for my savior paid the price. I will live each moment like it was the first and give with an open heart...to count the blessings along the way...to cherish each breath...to smile at everyone I meet along the way...For in life, one lives to give and in giving one finds oneself!
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