Find Peace

Cast all your burdens on Me, and I shall sustain you; I will never permit you to be moved because I care about you.

Instead of being anxious about the unexpected happenings life throws at you, pray about them, telling Me how you feel. Trust me enough to yield to My design and purposes for your life instead of wasting your time and energy wishing for a different set of circumstances.

I have never forsaken you in the past. Why do you fear that I am doing so now? Look back and see all of the times I carried you through the storms. Did I not come through for you? If I did so in the past, then trust that I will do it again because you are precious to me.

You have no idea what I am doing through this trial. Don't try to figure it out. Instead, rest and trust that I have only your good and My glory in mind through this.

Trust me, and you shall find peace.


[Ps. 55:22, 1 Pet. 5:7, Ps. 9:10, Phil 4:6-7, Isa. 26:3]

Strength in Joy

When it already takes everything in you to get up in the morning, climb down the ladder of your bed, shower, and walk to class, adding a migraine hangover doesnt help much. So I laid there for a few minutes trying to figure out how I was going to get through my day. I prayed. I prayed for the strength to, first, just get out of bed. I got out of bed. Then I prayed for strength to get ready. I got ready. Then I prayed for strength to walk all the way to class... I got to class and opened up my Bible before it started:

Nehemiah 8:10 - “Go your way...the joy of the LORD is your strength.”

Wow.

There is strength in joy.

But unlike happiness that is a feeling based on circumstances, joy is a choice. You must choose to accept it and live it out.

What is joy? Basically it is living in confidence that whatever circumstance one is faced with, that God is ultimately in control of the entire situation and has your best interest at heart no matter what. Joy is also a fruit of the Spirit, so all Christians are given this gift. But not all accept it, obviously. In order to reap the benefits and the strength of the joy of the Lord, one must embrace this gift and live it out. And there is so much strength to be had once joy is chosen.

Interestingly enough, a study was done about how the body is physically affected by our minds. "It obeys the operations of the mind, whether they be deliberately chosen or automatically expressed. Disease and health, like circumstances, are rooted in thought." 1 No wonder one finds strength when joy is embraced!

So next Monday when you dont think you'll have the energy to get through the week, grab a hold of joy. Find your strength in this gift.



1 James Allen, As a Man Thinketh

You Are Beautiful

“Do I look pretty?”

I smiled and looked down at little Chloe as she twirled around the room in her “pretty girl dress” all dolled up in ribbons, bows, and beaded necklaces with the most precious smile of delight on her face.

“Of course you do, Sweetie.”

Then I stopped and realized: This innocent question of but a two-year-old echoes the cries of every girl’s heart, young or old - “Am I beautiful?”

I believe this is an indwelling, God-given yearning for all women – to know and be told that they are beautiful. But society today has distorted the definition of beauty by focusing on features such as weight, style, hair color, skin tone, etc. leaving roughly 2% of women today describing themselves as beautiful.

But beauty is not simply a physical attribute. Nay, nay. It is a characteristic, a mindset, a heart. As Audrey Hepburn once said, “The true beauty in a woman is reflected in her soul. It is the caring that she lovingly gives, the passion that she shows. The beauty of a woman grows with the passing years.” Physical beauty diminishes with age. But inward beauty has the chance to develop as one gets older. It all has to do with one’s attitude and outlook on life. Taking joy simply in life itself and the simple things found in it can be one of the best cosmetics ever offered to a woman. In fact, Charles Dickens once state that “Cheerfulness and contentment are great beautifiers and are famous preservers of youthful looks.”

Striving to look physically attractive is by no means wrong, as long as it is not overemphasized. 1 Peter 3:3-4 says, “Your beauty should not come from outward adornment. Instead, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight.” Let not your quest be completely centered around finding physical beauty. For physical beauty only lasts so long. Continue pursuing a heart that is beautiful for God, living in the fear of Him and finding joy in the simple things in life that He has created just to make you smile. Then, you are truly beautiful.

He Says I'm Beautiful

My entire life I have put my trust in man, I have found significance in people, I have easily turned to the counsel of man before turning to that of my Heavenly Father, and I have let the way people treat me dictate how I feel.
Why do I continually do so when My Heavenly Father thinks so highly of me not because of what I've done, what I've failed to do, what I look like, or anything else but because of who He is and what He has done.
Oh the deep, deep love of Jesus! .

Those who put their trust in mere men will be disappointed in life. Those who turn to people for strength rather than to Me will not find what they are truly seeking.
They are like shrubs that live in the desert with absolutely no means to survive and no hope to continue living. But those that put their trust in and find their significance in Me, the only One Who will never disappoint, will only be blessed beyond measure. They will have true confidence and hope as they walk throughout their days. Joy will be theirs’ and nothing will be able to take that from them.
They will be like trees that are found on the bank of a river with deep roots and a continual wellspring of rich water. Heat never bothers them and months of drought have no effect on their condition.
Think of such a life! It can be yours if you simply trust Me.

Man will disappoint you. It’s a fact of life. But this is what I say: You are so beautiful, oh daughter of Mine… Do you know how often I think about you? You could never count the times in a day that my mind is fixed on you. If you tried, it would be the same as trying to count every single grain of sand found on the face of this earth. That is how special you are to Me. You truly are precious.
Did you know that even before your parents thought of a name for you, I had already called you: “My Beloved One”. I love you dearly. Keep your mind fixed on these truths for, unlike man's, My opinion of you will never change.

[Jeremiah 17:5-8; Isaiah 43:4; Psalm 139:17; Isaiah 60:9]

Come Close To Me

It's amazing how the circumstances of our lives can dictate our moods, our feelings, and our decisions. Sometimes in our difficult situations, we run closer to His presence, depending more on Him, and other times we feel so discouraged that we forget to bring our troubles to Him and keep trying in our own strengths.

This is what He has been saying to me lately about Coming Closer to Him during the trial He has been leading me through for the past few weeks:

You can live as close to Me as you choose. I don't set up barriers between us; neither do I tear down barriers that you erect.
People tend to think that their circumstances determine the quality of their lives. That is why they pour all their energy into trying to control all situations. They feel happy when things are going well [their way], and depressed or frustrated when things aren't turning out as they had hoped. Rarely do they question this correlation between their circumstances and their feelings. Yet it is possible to be content in any and every situation. It's up to them! All they have to do is Trust Me.
So put more of your energy into trusting Me and My love. Enjoy My presence in your life! Don't let your well-being depend on your circumstances around you. Instead, connect your joy to my promises found in Scripture:
I am with you and will watch over you wherever you go.
I will meet every single one of your needs according to My abundant riches.
Nothing in all of creation will ever be able to separate you from My Love... Nothing!
I am working My ways in you: the divine Artist creating loveliness within your being. My main work is to clear out debris and clutter, making more room for My Spirit to take complete possession. Collaborate with Me in this effort by being willing to let go of anything I choose to take away - for a time or permanently. I know what you need, and I have promised to provide all of that, abundantly.
Your sense of security must not rest in your possessions or in things going your way. I am training you to depend on Me alone, finding fulfillment in My Presence alone. This entails being completely satisfied with much or little, accepting either as My will for the moment. Instead of grasping and controlling, you are learning to release and receive. Cultivate this receptive stance by trusting Me in every single situation.

[Philippians 4:12; Genesis 28:15; Philippians 4:19; Romans 8:38-39; Psalm 29:2]

What is a Hero?

I feel like the word “hero” is really used far too liberally these days. Many might say that a football player that scores the game-winning touchdown or the goaltender who saves his team from a loss is a hero. What?

There certainly are many different types of heroes. When you hear this word, you might immediately think of the classic heroes of comic books and action movies today with super human powers like Superman, Batman, the Hulk, Spiderman, or Wolverine. Or maybe the first thing you think of is a soldier or war veteran, heroes of battle that have fought for their country. Maybe you even think of the prince in a fairytale who saves the princess after fighting many dragons and obstacles, afterwards carrying her away to his castle where they live happily ever after. Finally there are those that we consider the heroes of our hearts who have fought for us and have won us at last as the champion of our affections.

Dictionary.com has defined a hero as “a man distinguished by exceptional courage and nobility and strength, a champion, someone who fights for a cause.” How many guys today truly fulfill this description when it comes to a girl’s heart? - one who will fight for their cause – her heart. How many guys are willing to truly fight for the girl or do they typically tend to run when things start to get difficult or more than they expected? Christopher Reeve has said that “A hero is an ordinary individual who finds the strength to persevere and endure in spite of overwhelming obstacles.” I would think that this strength would be found in his love for her that keeps him going, that keeps him fighting until he has won her heart. This is the type of man that I want to give my heart to – one who has fought for me and who hasn’t let obstacles stop him or slow him down, but, on the contrary, have pushed him harder and increased his valor and his love for me. He is the one who will truly be my hero.

Rest

Trust Me and refuse to worry, for I am your Strength and Song.
You are feeling wobbly this morning, looking at difficult times looming ahead, measuring them against your own strength. However, they are not today's tasks - or even tomorrow's. So leave them in the future and come home to the present, where you will find Me waiting for you. Since I am your Strength, I can empower you to handle each task as it comes. Because I am your Song, I can give you joy as you work alongside Me.

Keep bringing your mind back to the present moment. Among all my creatures, only humans can anticipate future events. This ability is a blessing but it becomes a curse whenever it is misused. If you use your magnificent mind to worry about tomorrow, you cloak yourself in dark unbelief. However, when the hope of heaven fills your thoughts, the Light of My Presence envelops you. Though heaven is future, it is also present. As you walk in the Light with Me, you have on foot on earth and one foot in Heaven.

[Exodus 15:2, 2 Corinthians 10:5, Hebrews 10:23]