2020 Vision - Where did our focus go?

2020... a year of vision and focus, right?  Pretty catchy coming into the new year. It worked well for New Years resolutions. New year. New goals. New you. (By the way, it doesn’t have to be January 1 for you to start. You can start right now if you want to). 2020 vision. A year to refocus. YEAH!!!  Until it wasn’t. Because of a pandemic known as coronavirus... COVID-19. Then it seems we lost focus. Vision disappeared. The world went crazy. Chaos hit. Society panicked. All the toilet paper disappeared too. We went on lockdown. And now I can’t find real Lysol cleaner anywhere!!!  2020 vision magically disappeared?

But it didn’t have to. The circumstances of the world changed.  They did it dramatically without asking our opinion or permission. And that some how stole vision and focus and goals and dreams from people. But it really, honestly, truthfully, did not have to. Vision and focus can still exist, but it matters where those are fixed. 

If focus is fixed on the ever changing and never ending chaos (wind and the waves) then it is no wonder the world is in a panic!!  It is no wonder why we feel like we are sinking and need to be pulled above the water  (check out Matthew 14:22-33)!!  I can tell you, though, that even in ever changing circumstances and never ending chaos... there is a Constant. There is Consistent.  There is a never changing Presence.  And a focus fixed on Him is peace even when surrounded by the crazy.  His name?  Jesus. He is the same yesterday, today, tomorrow, and all of the tomorrows after that (Hebrews 13:8). 

His grace doesn’t change.  His mercy doesn’t change.  He doesn’t lie (Numbers 23:19). He keeps His promises (Deuteronomy 7:9; 1 Corinthians 1:9). His love for us does not change. There is NOTHING that will change His finished work on the cross (John 19:30). That death and resurrection does not, can not, and will not change!!! It is FINISHED!!!  The end!!  It’s BIGGER than anything we are and will ever face.  He is BIGGER. 

2020 can still be a year of vision and focus. But where you fix your focus matters. Where you fix your focus will bring life or death (Romans 8:6 in the Amplified Classic is pretty explanatory).  Wherever you fix I focus, those things will grow.  Focus on circumstances? The circumstances will be the only thing I see and they will appear bigger than Jesus and what He has done.  Focus on Jesus?  Guess what?!?!  HE appears BIGGER!!!  Circumstances still exist but they lose their power to control how I feel and act and react to the things going on around me. Which means I don’t have to react from a feeling. I think we have witnessed the fear and panic in our world when people react out of how they feel thanks to current circumstances. 

Focus on Him brings a reaction out of faith. And faith (sorry to break it to ya) isn’t a feeling. I might have times when I FEEL anxious.  I might have times when I FEEL afraid. But sometimes feelings lie. If I react out of those feelings versus the Truth?  There is panic.  But if I feel those feelings and choose to react out of faith?  I stand firm in what I KNOW to be true in spite of how I feel. I stand firm knowing Jesus is BIGGER.  I stand firm knowing I serve an infinite and almighty God who is sovereign and provides, above and beyond, everything I need (Philippians 4:19)!  He does exceedingly abundantly more than we could ever even imagine (Ephesians 3:20).  Because that is who He is. He provides in abundance (John 10:10).

When He is the rock on which I stand, there is a foundation that is simply unshakeable (Matthew 7:24-27). But... let me tell you a not so secret secret... I have a choice (so do you)!  It is my choice to stand there. It is my choice to choose Him. It is my choice to act in faith instead of feelings. It is my choice.  And He gives you that same opportunity!!  It’s available. HE is available. You have a choice too!!  To choose Him or the world. To stand on a foundation of the One who is BIGGER... or the shifting sands of circumstances. 

It’s my choice to have vision. Focus. Maybe 2020 is still a year of vision and focus.  Maybe it has given us a chance to go deeper.  To see Who is constant. To refocus our vision on the One that truly matters. Him. Jesus. He isn’t through. It’s not over yet. And despite the happenings around us, He is still BIGGER. None of this surprise Him (I can’t imagine Him sitting on the throne going “well I sent expecting that!!”). I know I have had PLENTY of time to spend with Him (newsflash: you’ve got the same amount of time each day too). 

That is where to fix focus. Let Him be Vision.

Dance

Dance...... that word.  Something about it feels like freedom.  The freedom to let loose and be who you are.  Freedom to express yourself.  Freedom to be who God made you to be.  Life can be that way.  Walking in the freedom that the Lord gives can be that way.  No worries about the opinions of others.  Just worship.  Music to my soul... worship to me... music and voices and heck no I don't hold still when I am worshiping the Lord!!  Now, I don't bust a move or anything but you better believe my hands are up and I'm swaying back and forth as if in time with my Heavenly Father.  But there is freedom in that kind of worship..... to know that you stand before the throne of God, worshiping Him with your whole heart and not a care in the world!!  Earlier this evening I kept playing the song "I Hope You Dance" over and over again in my head.  So what did I do?  I picked up my guitar, strummed out the song and started singing along!  Not exactly a worship song but as I think about it the words still hold true to freedom.

Never lose your awe and wonder for the journey the Lord is taking you on, that He has adventure planned and there is joy in walking in the Spirit.
No matter how much of the Lord's love we digest, we should continue to want Him more and more, to keep learning about Him, diving into His Word, and loving Him.
Life isn't a guarantee but He created us on purpose for purpose.
His love will NEVER leave us empty handed
Compared to the beauty and majesty of the ocean, we are small and life is a vapor... but He hears and LISTENS TO our every word and cry and prayer.  His thoughts about us out number the sands on the seashore.
Whenever one door closes, the Lord has something better that awaits each and every person, whether we see it in that moment or not.
Give the Lord a chance to do something radical in your heart, change you, and continue to mold you into His image.
Instead of sitting on the sideline fearful of what is going to happen next, you choose to be free in who He has called you to be and dance with Him.
We don't have to fear the trials to come, no mountain in life is too big for our God.
That, while there is an "easy way", His way is narrow but is the path to eternal life and when we are walking with Him we can experience peace and freedom.
Take a chance for Him.  Live life risky, doing whatever it is you are called to do in this life, with the Creator of the Universe!!
His love... is risky.  He died on a cross... that is His love for EVERYONE.  And it wasn't a mistake by any means at all!
Don't let what somebody did to you become bigger than what Jesus did for you.  Don't let the negativity or somebody else's bad day ruin you and who you are.  You can't control them but you can control how you react and what you hold on to.
Don't compromise who He created you to be.  Keep on keepin on.
Acknowledge Him in every way, in every thing, every single day.
And dance!!!

It took me back to something I had read many years ago by somebody I don't know but the word guidance includes the word dance and this is what it is about.... dancing with the Lord!!

When I meditated on the word GUIDANCE, I kept seeing "dance" at the end of the word.  I remember reading that doing God's will is a lot like dancing.  When two people try to lead, nothing feels right.  The movement doesn't flow with the music, and everything is quite uncomfortable and jerky.  When one person realizes that, and lets the other lead, both bodies begin to flow with the music. One gives gentle cues, perhaps with a nudge to the back or by pressing lightly in one direction or another.  It's as if two become one body, moving beautifully. The dance takes surrender, willingness, and
attentiveness from one person and gentle guidance and skill from the other.

My eyes drew back to the word GUIDANCE.

When I saw "G," I thought of God, followed by "u" and "i." "God, "u" and "i" dance.  God, you, and I dance. As I lowered my head, I became willing to trust that I would get guidance about my life. Once again, I became willing to let God lead.

My prayer for you today is that God's blessings and mercies be upon you on this day and everyday. May you abide in God as God abides in you. Dance together with God, trusting God to lead and to guide you through each season of your life. This prayer is powerful and there is nothing attached. If God has done anything for you in your life, please share this message with someone else, for prayer is one of the best gifts we can receive. There is no cost but a lot of rewards; so let's continue to pray for one another.

AND I HOPE YOU DANCE !

Trust Him in this dance of life!!  Dance....... don't sideline yourself.  He has purpose and it is good and joy filled and a journey!!

Learning Presence

“Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.”  Matthew‬ ‭6:34‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

Revelationary thought of the day: Jesus preached about being present. It’s not a brand new concept by any means.  Some days verses come alive more than others (thank you Holy Spirit 🙌).  While I don’t always do it perfectly, it’s because on those “some days” I choose to spend time with Him. I choose to take my requests to Him. And then I choose... to be still and listen.  When we sit and only ask questions, we don’t give Him room to respond.  We don’t stop talking long enough for Him to reveal Himself to us.  God is a gentleman so He won’t yell at us to shut up so He can get a word in. We have to choose to be still.  When we are still we can listen to Him... we can know He is God (Psalm 46:10).

Over the past year and a half a word that’s been spoken to me by a close friend (often) is contentment. I think that peace comes with contentment. (Peace, for those who don’t know, is the second candle on the advent wreath... and just so happened to be the topic of our Sunday school yesterday). I was hanging out in Philippians 4 today (shocker) and stressing out about my finances: what if I can’t give somebody the best Christmas present ever? What if I can’t pay for this in January or that I’m March or this in a year?  (a year Sharina? Really?!) Reading through verses 11-12 my mind jumped to having “not enough”. Not enough compared to who?!  Fast forward to verses 18-19, I have all that I need!! I have everything I need for TODAY and then some. And He will take care of tomorrow.  He’s already in our tomorrow.  He IS out tomorrow.  Not enough compared to who?!  Did you know that comparison is the thief of joy? And come the holiday season it is pretty easy to compare oneself by possessions and money.  Do you know how rich we are as Americans? The fact that I’m posting this on Facebook using a cell phone with unlimited data to do so? Hmmm... (sorry for the side note... little bit of self preaching going on here)

Comparison is the thief of joy... I’d also say that what if’s are the thief of peace.  What if’s take you out of the present and put you in the future... a future that is in the hands of the richest, mightiest Father we could have. A future that holds things we have no control over.  A Father who supplies all that we NEED according to those riches!!!  Notice the word NEED.  Our WANTS aren’t always (really usually) what we NEED.  (Please note you still have to choose to be responsible with what He’s given... another preaching at myself moment).

Here is my podcast moment:

“Once he’s set free from what he has expected he will be free to receive what he needs.

When we get too married to our plans we can miss God’s purpose.

You can’t really know what God is doing until He’s done it. And you don’t really know what you need until you get what you want and find out it isn’t even really what you thought it was.”

This could also take me into a big(ger) post on expectations but I will save that for another day.  The point for today is that Jesus called us to be present. We can rest assured that all we need for today will be supplied. In that knowing, we find peace. Because in that knowing, we focus on God and allow Him to meet our needs in ways that very well may surprise us.  Don’t allow the what if’s to steal your peace. Somebody pointed out that our level of peace (or lack there of) could be an indicator of where we are fixing our minds and hearts.  Don’t let comparison steal your joy.  Focus on what He has given to you, not what you think you should have or what somebody else has that you don’t have. Focus on the needs He has met today and will continue to meet in the future.  Allow yourself to be present with those around you because that might be the greatest present of all.

#preachintomyself

Why worry? Give thanks!

We are currently in the “season” of Thanksgiving.  This time of year usually tends to bring many things to be thankful for.  There is the Holiday of Thanksgiving… mostly spent with family and a lot of food.  And the Holiday of Christmas… commercialized with gifts and trees and lights.  And then the Holiday of New Years… filled with resolutions that probably won’t last past a few months, and words for the year to live by and Bible verses for the year to define the year.

I really hope you read most of that first paragraph in the sarcastic character that I am. But really...

What are we truly thankful for?  And are we thankful in all circumstances?  It can be pretty easy to be thankful on the mountain top, when all of the pieces of life seem to be falling into place and fitting together nicely.  But will we lift His name in the lowest valley?  Will we sing for joy when our hearts are heavy?  When one thing after another happens that seems to be out of our control, will we praise His name?  We can!  Because we serve a Creator who is in control of everything.

A friend of mine has had a lot going on in life… But I am continually amazed at how she just rolls with it.  I remember saying to her “you really do just roll with the punches, don’t you?”  And her response holds so much truth.  She said that there really is no point in sitting at home and worrying about life.  1.)  It happens and you can’t do anything about some of it.  And 2.) Life goes on.  It doesn’t stop moving just because something unexpected happened.

If we sat at home worrying about the things that happen, we are never going to walk in the direction that the Lord wants us to move in.  We will stay where we are at and we won’t move forward.  Worry does no good.  It doesn’t add seconds to our lives…

Matthew 6:27 (NLT) “Can all your worries add a single moment to your life?”

Worrying steals seconds from our lives.  And the devil loves that because he is a thief and he wants to steal our joy and our life from us.

Have you ever looked up at the starry sky and thought “He not only made all of those stars… and the stars unseen… He also NAMED THEM ALL!?!?!?!  And the same God that did all of that wants a relationship with me?”  I returned recently from Hawaii.  And I just can’t stand by the ocean without some Holy Spirit leaking from my eyes.  Think about the grains of sand along the shore.  God has more thoughts about us than there are grains of sand!

Psalm 139:17-18
“How precious are your thoughts about me, O God.  They cannot be numbered!  I can’t even count them; they outnumber the grains of sand! And when I wake up, you are still with me!”

Don’t try to comprehend that amount.  It’s impossible.  At one particular moment, however, a group of us gals meandered over to some big old rocks along the shore.  I turned one way and saw the beauty and majesty of the mountains.  I turned the other way to witness the power of the waves crashing against the rocks we were standing on.  In that moment my heart became a little weepy.  Because that is how amazing He is.  He is more majestic and more powerful than anything I experienced in that moment.  He is that beautiful and on Christ the solid Rock I stand!!!

So why worry?  If He created all of these amazing things… If He tells the wind where to blows… if He tells the waves where to stop and start… if He has placed every star in the sky perfectly and named every single one of them… why do we worry?  Believe it or not…. Worry is a choice.  And Satan doesn’t make that choice for us.  Satan ALSO doesn’t FORCE us to worry.  Sorry.  Bummer I know.  WE... YOU make that choice.  Satan is a bandwagon fan though.  He is quick to jump on the worry bandwagon.  When we choose to think on the things that are not from God… or we act on things to satisfy our flesh… you better believe that Satan is our biggest fan.  But he will quickly become an enemy when we start choosing the things we know are from God.  When we walk in the light of who God made us to be, Satan is no longer a fan.  He fights with everything he can against us.  Because he knows who we can become if we walk out the destiny the Lord has placed before us… even if we don’t know who that person is just yet!!

I believe that the sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God is our weapon as stated in Ephesians 6:17.  I believe that praise and worship are weapons.  Because when we know who God says He is… and we know who He says we are… and we know what He has done and will do for us… all of which we glean from the Word… how in the world can we not worship?  Spending time in His word is worship!!  Spending time with Him is worship!  And we fight back.  We aren’t just on the defensive.

It makes me think of something I hear when I’m watching basketball and that is, “They aren’t playing to win.  They are playing to not lose.”  Satan wants us to play to not lose.  Because when we play that way the game tends to be much closer than it should be.  We tighten up.  We focus on the things that we shouldn't be doing more than we focus on the things the Lord is doing.  We might still win (Spoiler alert:  Jesus done won) but we allowed the game to be closer than it should have been.  Play from the victory.  Walk in the victory the Lord has already won for you.

Psalm 103:2
"Let all that I am praise the Lord; may I never forget the good things he does for me."

We can acknowledge the things in life that happened.  We can acknowledge who we once were.  But we can CHOOSE to live in the present in who God says we are and in the things that He has done for us.
What has He done?

Psalm 103:3 – He’s forgiven.  He heals
Psalm 103:4 – He redeems.  He crowns with love and tender mercies.
Psalm 103:5 – He fills life with good things and renews strength.

I am no longer a slave to things that I’ve done.  I am no longer a slave to the things done to me.  I am no longer a slave to addictions.  That’s not who I am!  My life is no longer defined or controlled by anxiety and worry.  It’s just not!  Because the Lord has done great things for me.  When we choose to focus on the past or how we aren’t perfect or who we once were or what people think about us, we allow worry to creep in.

Worship is worry in reverse.  I can’t take credit for that as I heard it on a podcast recently.  Worship is worry in reverse.  When we focus on what is true, honorable, right, pure, lovely, and admirable… worry has no place.  A friend pointed out that that verse, Philippians 4:8, those are all part of who our Lord is.  So, when we focus on the Lord, and we know who He says He is because we’ve spent time with Him, worshipping Him, worry has no place.  Peace replaces worry when we give Him our worries and we thank Him for all He has done.

Philippians 4:6-7 “Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.”

If we want to know peace, don’t focus on the things of the flesh and this world!  If we want to know peace, know the Lord!  Romans 8:6 says that if we are controlled by the flesh and we focus on the flesh, we will die.  But if we are controlled by the Spirit and we think about the things of the Lord, we will have life and peace.  If we stay in who we once were and we keep looking back at who we once were and that is our focus, instead of focusing on where the Lord is taking us, we will stay where we are and will die there.  But if we look at what the Lord has done, where He has brought us, and where He wants to take us… if we keep moving forward… we will walk in that direction.  Where we fix our eyes matters.  Where we fix our thoughts matters… because wherever our thoughts are, our eyes will more than likely follow, and that is the direction we will walk.  Another podcast quote, “Your life moves in the direction of your strongest thought.”

Who we think we are matters.  If we allow ourselves to be defined by the people in our lives… or material wealth… or status… or whatever… we will be sorely disappointed.  If we allow ourselves to be defined by who HE says we are then we will walk out a destiny far greater than we can imagine and what others say about us won’t matter so much to us.  I will say that it does matter who we surround ourselves with.  However, the truth that should truly define us is the Word of God.  If we get into the Word, we find out that God is who He says He is.  Which in turn means we can believe who He says we are.

In just Psalm 103 we find:
Verse 8 – He is compassionate and merciful.  Slow to anger and ever loving.
Verse 9 – There is no condemnation in Him and He doesn’t stay angry with us.
Verse 10 – We don’t, nor have we ever gotten what we deserve.
Verse 11 – His love is higher than Heaven is above the Earth.
Verse 12 – Our sins are washed away.  He gets rid of them as far as East is from the West.
Verse 13 – He loves us and is tender and compassionate toward us.
Verse 14 – He knows us better than we know us because He created every intimate detail of our very being.

If we want just a snapshot of who He is, look at Psalm 103.  The Bible is a who conglomerate of those snapshots.  Don’t waste your time worrying.  Don’t live in who the world says you are.  Time is short so I would encourage you to live for the Lord.  And live knowing that His love will follow you all the days of your life.

Psalm 103:15-18
"Our days on earth are like grass; like wildflowers, we bloom and die.  The wind blows, and we are gone —  as though we had never been here.  But the love of the Lord remains forever with those who fear him.  His salvation extends to the children’s children of those who are faithful to his covenant, of those who obey his commandments!"

Beauty From Ashes - Burning Life's Pastures

"So do not lose heart.  Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day.  For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen.  For the things that are seen are transcient, but the things that are unseen are eternal." - 2 Corithians 4:16-18

For anybody living in the Flint Hills, it is burning season.  The purpose of burning pastures is "grass management".  The old grass of the pastures is burned away so that new life can grow.  It is used to rid the land of unwanted plants and weeds that have grown there so that the grass we want to grow can grow.  It rids the land of unwanted growth.  The burning of pastures releases nutrients in the soil to promote that growth.

Now, I quite enjoy burning season.  The fires at night are beautiful and memorizing.  I even enjoy the smell of burning. What gets me is the new growth.  I enjoy it every morning on my way to work. Witnessing the progression from old to burned and from burned to new life.  It amazes me how green and luscious the new life is.  After the recent rains the green almost looks fake it is so green.  Just absolutely beautiful.  And part of the journey to this beautiful green growth?  Burning. 

Now, burning has its unpleasantries.  It's messy.  It's hot.  And coming just after the flames it is kind of ugly.  The blackness of destruction.  Smoldering from the flames.  The smell gets old after a while and tends to stick round for a bit after the burning.  It's painful sometimes.  I can't help but think of wildfires out of control.  The destruction that those bring when the fires are unexpected.  The lifestyles and living that is affected in those instances.  Those happen.  Prescribed burns and uncontrolled burns.  Recently there was an unexpected burn nearby.  It may have been small but it was unexpected.  However, when I see that spot along the interstate the aftermath is the same.  Beautiful green life growing through the ashes.

Life...... trials....... these can be similar.  Maybe a lot more unexpected fires than the prescribed burns.  But both happen.  And in both cases God can work through those fires.  Several times in Scripture we are told trials will come.  We shouldn't be surprised by those.  We witness it in the lives of followers of Christ in the Bible.  We see it in the deaths of martyrs who died for the purpose of others knowing Christ.  Trials will come.  

"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefined, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who by God's power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.  In this you rejoice though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith -- more precious than gold that perished though it is tested by fire -- may be found to result in praise and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.  Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with a joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory, obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls." - 1 Peter 1:3-9

You could go a lot of places with this comparing our faith to the process of purifying silver or gold.  It takes lot of heat.  It takes a lot of time.  It takes perfection.  And the perfector of our faith... is our Father in heaven.  He is the best artist.  We are his masterpiece.  In his eyes we are perfect because He created us.  When He sees us, he doesn't see the flaws that were burned away.  He sees the beautiful green grass that is growing through the ashes that resulted in a trial.  He sees beauty.  He created it.

 A lot of people know the recent stretch of my journey.  Last October, after  lot of prayers with a lot of people, we started the adventure of working off of depression and anxiety medication.  In January, we moved me off completely.  And it was painful to say the least.  Physically.  Mentally. Emotionally.  Yet God has remained faithful.  His work has remained good.  His love for me still remains.  

I would refer to this as a prescribed burn.  We knew it would be hard.  We knew there would be all kinds of withdrawal, mental, emotional, and physical.  We expected those things. We also expected the unexpected flare ups.  We also knew there would be new growth.  We didn't know exactly how it would look..... The trials.... The growing.... but we knew it would be.  And we knew God would use it and He continues to use it.

Recently we had a few unexpected flare ups.  Panic and anxiety were the spark of the flame.  And they burned.  They were ugly.  They were hot and messy. I was a hot mess.  And I thought it would never end even if I knew in reality it would.  And each time He saw me through. He provided the faith and people and prayers to keep me standing.  And through those wildfires and flare ups He continues to grow me.  And as much as I don't want to endure or go through them or share those experiences with anybody, He uses them.  My trial could be the key to unlocking somebody else's prick. 

God does that through our trials and fires.  Through the prescribed burns and the unexpected wildfires.  And even though the trial may be unexpected we can expect the trials.  Fire doesn't pick and choose patches to burn.  When it burns, it burns whatever is in its path.... The top of then hills and the valleys.  And the rebirth of life happens wherever there were flames.  On the hill tops.  In the crevasses carved out in the hills.  In the lowest point in the valleys.  Growth happens everywhere.  The trials are fire.  God brings the rains.  And we grow.

I wish I would have taken a picture of it, the day these thoughts popped into my head.  Driving into work on 177.  One side of the road had just been burned.  It was charred and black and not all that pretty.  The other side had been burned  while before.  It was beautiful and green.   Little ways down the road there had been no burn.  It was brown and tall and overgrown. Life.... before.... during.... And after God's work in our lives.  Perspective. Beauty from ashes. He makes all things beautiful in His time.  The lollies of the fields.  The green grass after the pasture has been burned.  Budding trees.  You.  Me.  Everything.

The challenge: embracing the burn. This is a hard one.  Rejoicing in the pain and the burn.  Because it hurts.  It isn't enjoyable.  And it is really easy to ask why is this happening.  Maybe the question we should ask is: what are you showing me in this Father? When we ask, where are you God... We must then open our eyes and LOOK for Him.

Because He is there.  Every step of the way.  And He is growing us in every trial and burn... prescribed and unexpected.  He is our help and our strength... our hope in times of struggle.  Because He is who He says He is and we are who He says we are and that is loved and protected and whole in Him. His plans for us are good.  And He will see us through everything that comes our way.

"Have I not commanded you?  Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go." -- Joshua 1:9

“Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you whill eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?  Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?  And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life?  And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.  But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?  Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’  For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all.  But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.  Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble." - Matthew 6:25-33

A Sinner’s Death

A Sinner’s Death

By Sharina Marie Schaller

You died a sinner’s death for me

Nailed to that rugged tree

I fall down on vended knee

You died a sinner’s death for me

Bruised and broken, beaten and scorned

A crown of thorns so boldly worn

You died a sinner’s death for me

Hanging on that blood stained tree

All sin of the world you carried

For freedom you died and was buried

You died a sinner’s death for me

Pierced and broken on that tree

You rose again on day three

Bright and whole, victoriously

In you I rest and can be free

Thanks to a sinner’s death for me

Death has no power, hell has no sting

Christ died to save and rose again

He paid it all for every sin

He died and rose so live in him

He is life

He is Love

Stepped down from His throne

In Heaven above

He died a sinner’s death for me

Because He lives I am now free

He rose again for you, for me

All praise and honor shall rise to thee

Inked: My Story

Long story short: we are all affected by mental illness is some way, shape, or form. It may be a sibling, a lover, a friend, you.  This person may have made their struggle known. Maybe they have not.  Be a safe place. 

Too often people feel as though they are alone.  They feel judged and criticized.  Society has placed this stigma on mental illness that I think, thankfully, is being broken a little.  I am thankful because in the dark is no place to be.  

I've been there.  I've heard the possible diagnoses of bipolar, panic disorder, anxiety, clinical depression.  I've spent time sorting through medications with doctors to try and find the ones that work best with each other and did not cause issues with other medical problems.  I've experienced the uncontrollable anxiety.... the kind that restricts breathing.  I've walked through the darkness of depression... the kind that makes you lay in bed and not want to move... longing for a light at the end of the tunnel.  I've crept through the thoughts of suicide... when Satan whispers in one ear to do it.  I've experienced the power of the Holy Spirit closing my ears to those whispers and moving me to dispose of anything that could be harmful... and to reach out. 

I've done this as a Christian who has faith in God and believes in what Christ did for me on the cross. I was not experiencing these things because I didn't have enough faith. I wasn't experiencing these things because I wasn't eating healthy or exercising appropriately. I was experiencing these things because there was something physically wrong and out of balance in my body.  Just like with my diabetes I needed medical attention.  I need a doctor to walk me through it. I need medications to keep my body balanced.  And I needed love and support. And I'm blessed to have a loving family, to have friends I can confide in, and a Father in Heaven who loves me more than any of these people could ever love me COMBINED. 

Faith, hope, and love. The greatest of these is Love. 

Love covers a multitude of sin. 

Love is patient and kind. 

God loves us SO MUCH that Christ, his only son, died on a cross. Not just for me. But for you. He loves you too!!!  I am a much healthier person today than I was two years ago because I had faith and even though it was shaky I was loved and given hope by those surrounding me.  From a mother who spent days with me after a hospital release (not to mention birthing me and raising me) to a friend who willingly met with me to talk through life and give me hope that God still loved me even in the midst of the struggles.  And other friends who would stay up in conversation and prayer with me, reiterating how much Jesus loves me. 

Friends, He never stops loving us. He is the same today as He was yesterday and will be tomorrow.  Love. It's a strong word.  Make it a movement. Be hope and love for somebody. Listen to their story. Be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to be angry.  Walk with them. Do life with them. Be hope for them.  

My tattoo is a reminder that I am loved.  The non-profit organization "To Write Love On Her Arm" is one that gives hope. It is a place to talk your story. It is a movement.  The stories are true to the heart. The struggles expressed are real struggles. Don't ignore them. It's time to speak out.  If you need help it is time to get help.  Speak out!!! You are not alone. 

The story behind To Write Love On Her Arm is a good one. I'd recommend the reading of the original story. The story is posted below.  Write love on their arm.  Be a voice for those who have no voice or may be too scared to speak.  This is the story behind my ink.  I can look down and see a beautiful reminder of love. And see infinity knowing that God is the only infinite and that He is pure, unadulterated love.

https://twloha.com/learn/story/