Tag: Bible

Not Just for Display

Have you been longing to hear from God? Maybe this will help you deepen your relationship with Him.

I have a collection of bar soaps along my bathroom counter. Today when I was trying to pump soap out from my dispenser, I realized there was no more left. I was frustrated, thinking that I would have to go searching around the house for another dispenser of soap. That’s when I looked right in front of me and saw all those unused soaps. They were serving no purpose. The reason soap was created, of course, is to clean our hands. Not for collecting dust by being a display piece on my counter.

As I grabbed a fresh bar of soap, I thought about another item that is possibly collecting dust on our desks when it really should be used to its full potential.

That would be our Bibles. They aren’t just for display.

I’ve noticed that we (and this includes myself!) often turn to other sources to interpret the Bible for us. We would rather hear someone tell us that the Bible says exactly what we want to hear instead of actually doing the work to find out our answers for ourselves. It can certainly be hard, in a era where all of life’s solutions seem to be at our fingertips. We don’t want to do the hard work of digging deep into the Word of God in order to really know for ourselves if a choice, action, or decision is God’s will.

But friend, we are so missing out if we don’t dive into the Word of God! These are God’s love letters to us, our source of encouragement and hope. We shouldn’t be content with living off of someone else’s relationship with God. We should want to know the answer enough to do the work to find it.

The Bible is more than just a book. It’s alive and active. It never ages the way everything else does. Believe it or not, the people in the Bible struggled with the same sins we do. If you don’t believe me, check out the story of Noah. All the sins mentioned there are the same ones we are currently grappling with– and worse!

But reading the Bible isn’t supposed to be a boring task that we try to get through as quickly as we can (and I have certainly struggled with this). This is our time to really hear God’s voice. We wish we knew exactly what God wanted for us, right? So that we can have the best life possible?

Well, good news! You can know exactly what God wants for you by reading the Bible! Once you know how God feels about things and how He has spoken to others in the past, you can use those things to guide you in future decisions.

The Bible has messages that can be hard to accept. That’s often why we avoid reading it for ourselves and settle for cheap interpretations. Here’s something to look out for. Just like in science, if someone is making bold statements without any evidence, we wouldn’t want to believe them, right? Same goes for the Bible. If someone is claiming that God says a certain thing, but then doesn’t give any verses or even any context around the verses they may share, then how can we possibly believe them?

We need to be firm in our faith in order to stand up for it and to fully know what we believe in. The only way to do that is to make our faith our own by reading the Bible for ourselves.

If you have read the Bible and firmly believe with your whole heart that God is telling you something through it, even if I wouldn’t have naturally agreed with you, I will completely respect your thoughts because you have done the research and felt God’s Spirit guiding you.

But at this exact moment, can you honestly say that your faith is entirely your own? If someone asked you what you believe, what would you say?

Those are tough questions, and I’m not perfect, so I would struggle with answering them too. That’s why I’m going to give you a new challenge, and I will take it as well. Take some time each day to study the Bible for yourself. Find out if that action is a sin. Find out how much God loves you. Find out what God promises for your future.

Don’t settle. Never settle.

God’s Word is there to remind you of your purpose and how loved you are. Don’t waste this precious gift.

For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.

-Hebrews 4:12

All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.

2 Timothy 3:16-17

Don’t Waste the Waiting

Are you in a season of waiting? Here’s some encouragement!

The time in which I thought God was not moving was actually the time He was moving in my heart.

-Lysa Terkeurst (What Happens When Women Walk in Faith)

I’ve seen the message, “Don’t waste the waiting”, pop up in my life repeatedly over the past several months.

I’m currently taking a psychology class, and we were recently discussing the idea of “nature vs nurture”. I think by nature I want to be laid back and just let things happen, but because of the way I was raised, I always need to be getting things done, or else I feel unsatisfied. I absolutely hate wasting time.

Now, part of that is actually really good. I would probably get into a vicious cycle of letting each day slide by without doing anything if it weren’t for the values of hard work and productiveness being ingrained in me. But as you can see, God telling me to wait would probably cause me to start panicking. I often worry that I’m missing out on something when I’m waiting. I feel stuck.

But as I’ve come to learn recently, when God calls us to wait, He is NOT telling us to sit idly by and allow that to be our excuse for not getting things done. Actually, the waiting period can be one of the most productive and crucial times of our lives.

That’s because the waiting period is where God is preparing us to become our best selves, the person that is ready for the gift at the end of the waiting. Whether you’re waiting for a breakthrough in your career, a romantic relationship, even being able to fulfill your calling in life, don’t waste this season of waiting.

You can use this time to grow closer to God by journaling, praying, and reading your Bible regularly. I know I give that advice a lot, but those are the main ways I grow closer to God, and I know they have worked for many others. Those are the main ways we can hear directly from God. In addition, reach out to others in the same season of life, or even those who are farther along, so that they can encourage and support you. God has placed people in your life for a reason, and even if they let you down sometimes, don’t allow those feelings of disappointment overshadow all the blessings they have brought you. Our community is there to equip us to reach our full potential and pursue God’s calling in our lives.

Waiting isn’t easy, that’s for sure. But it doesn’t have to be an unproductive period of time. And you don’t have to frantically read the entire Bible all in one sitting, hoping that this season will pass quicker. Enjoy the waiting. Enjoy this time that you get to focus on personal growth and on your relationship with God. Don’t just focus on yourself during this time. God wants to use you through every season of life, so go out and find ways to be of service to others.

Give your friend a phone call spontaneously. They may be really encouraged.

Spend some time writing to older members of your community. They love handwritten cards!

Go for a walk and listen to uplifting music. That will give you time to reflect and restart before the beginning of a new week.

I know that this time of being isolated is difficult. Despite there being more opportunities for both virtual and in-person community now than back in the spring, it’s still hard being socially distanced and worrying about spreading a deadly disease by being around people.

But you can still be a blessing without having life go back to normal yet. Now more than ever do people need you to be there for them.

And if you are ever feeling burned out and lonely, remember that God will always be there for you. He will never leave you nor forsake you.

So today, trust God during this time of waiting. Remember that where you are right now is where you are meant to be. God has an amazing purpose in store for you, and He wants you to use this season of waiting in order to become the person you are meant to be. Don’t waste the waiting.

For God alone, O my soul, wait in silence, for my hope is from him.

Psalm 62:5

Where is God Now?

Are you having a tough time trusting God? Here’s some encouragement.

Have you felt like God isn’t there for you?

Have you been doubting your faith lately?

Pause. And ask the simple question of “why?”

Is it because you really believed that God was going to do something for you because you prayed about it and you felt like God was leading you to a certain thing/job/person, but it didn’t work out?

I’ve been there before, friend, and it’s hard. It’s especially hard when that second part comes into play, where we really believe that God is leading us to something or someone, and yet it doesn’t work out. Or at least, it doesn’t work out the way we wanted it to. That’s the key, isn’t it?

I’m here to tell you something that’s hopefully encouraging. Just because something doesn’t go the way you wanted it to or even believed it would, doesn’t mean that God wasn’t leading you to go there or be a part of that person’s life. It just means that God is telling us to wait, because something better is in store if we don’t make rash decisions based on our emotions.

I know that’s difficult. That word, patience, has been resurfacing in my life time and time again over the past two years. But last night, I was reminded of something vital. We may not realize the journey that God is currently having us on until after it’s over. Right now, you may be struggling. Or, you may be just in a season of mundane, unsure of what God wants to do with you. Both are difficult, but God uses every situation, person, and season of our lives for His divine purpose.

I was studying the voyage of the Israelites yesterday with a small group of people, and one woman remarked, “I don’t know what God was doing by making them circle back around and take such a complicated route, especially because of course God could bring them straight to the Promise Land if He wanted to, but I do know that it happened the way it did for a reason because God was leading them.”

If you need a refresher, the Israelites had been freed from slavery and were on a 40-year journey through the wilderness. If anyone got impatient with God, it would make sense for them to have, huh? We get annoyed by waiting a few months, or possibly years, but I’ll bet that most of us haven’t been waiting on God for a specific thing for almost half a century.

You may wonder why God seemed to have abandoned them. But here’s the thing, it wasn’t God who abandoned them. It was the Israelites who abandoned God.

God was faithfully providing for them each day, with food and guiding them in the form of a pillar of smoke. (Wouldn’t it be nice if God led us around with a pillar of smoke today? Decision making would be so easy!) And of course, it was thanks to God that they got out of slavery in the first place, because of the plagues God inflicted on the Egyptians for treating human beings so horribly.

However, when the Israelites got to the Promised Land, they doubted that they would be able to defeat the current people group there and they didn’t believe that God would provide for them, despite all He had done for them in the past.

That’s why God allowed them to wander around for so long. Not because He wanted them to suffer, but because He wanted to teach them to trust Him.

Ouch, I don’t know about you, but I’ve been there before. In that space of waiting, in that time where God wanted me to only focus on Him. Looking back, I was definitely in one journey of my life during my sophomore year of high school. God took away all my distractions– I was struggling in school, I lost a good portion of my friends, and I was struggling with my mental health. I was so confused as to why all these things were happening to me. But looking back, God was preparing me for something greater. God was using that time to draw me closer to Him, through prayer, mentors, and journaling. Then, I hit a major turning point in my life.

I was going through a confirmation program at my church and it was the Saturday before Confirmation Sunday. I was a new driver, and I misjudged a turn, causing me to be in a serious car accident.

In some ways, this would’ve been the straw that broke the camel’s back, so to speak. But God refocused me, and instead of causing me to look at the situation as just one more wrong thing happening in my life, God used this event to strengthen my testimony. I was able to share a testimony the next day that was reflective of God bringing me through the storm, and then reminding me to trust Him, and finally bringing me to a stable place once more.

I have to constantly remind myself of that journey as I now venture through a new one, yet another season of waiting and figuring out how God wants to use me in the future. God eventually led me to the right people, gave me the motivation to improve my grades, and provided mentors in my life to help me work through my personal difficulties (although we all can struggle sometimes, and that’s okay, as long as we don’t just stay “stuck” and we do what we know will help us find peace and restore our minds).

Last night, I was in a conversation with my mom, and she actually said something quite profound. We were discussing some people in my life who I’ve been worried about recently because I’m afraid that they are making decisions that will hurt them in the future. My mom said, “A lot of times in life, we grow impatient. But if we had just waited, then God would’ve given us something better.”

That really got me thinking. What if today, instead of doing something impulsive, we pray? What if we reach out to someone who is a healthy influence in our lives when we are feeling weak instead of turning to someone or something that hurts us? What if we pray for peace of mind instead of an immediate outcome?

Today, think back to a past journey in your life. How has God shown you that He is the One in control and that He’s got this?

Keep listening to God, no matter what. If you do as God leads, no matter the outcome, it was what you were meant to do. And maybe someday it will all make sense. We have something even better than the pillar of smoke. We have the Holy Spirit–God– inside of us, helping us make wise choices each and every day! We are not going through our journeys alone.

God loves you so much and He has an amazing plan for you. We’ve just got to wait and make the most of the season that we are in.

But they who wait for 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 40:31

Thank You

Happy One Year Anniversary to this blog! How have you changed over the course of the year?

Today is my one year anniversary of posting on this blog! Thank YOU for being amazing. I hope this has been an encouragement to you, because that is the sole purpose of this blog, to spread encouragement and remind you of God’s love.

As I may have mentioned before, the day I started this blog was rough. It was actually the day after one of the worst nights of my life. I’m the type of person to bottle everything up inside, and it pretty much all exploded that day.

I’ve realized why I was so broken. It was because I was putting my faith in people and in circumstances. I was too afraid of losing what I had instead of focusing on what had been given to me in that moment.

I struggle a lot with really staying in the moment. I would say that I’m generally optimistic, but I do worry a lot about the future and about my relationships. I think that things will only get better if _____ happens.

But I need to stop.

And remember.

I have everything I need already.

And so do you.

You may not feel that way at all, and a lot of the time, I don’t either. But it’s true. God never gives us anything too big for us to handle when we have Him by our side. He can turn any situation around in ways we can’t even fathom. That’s what ended up happening with two of the things I had been so stressed about a year ago.

One of those things had to do with an important person in my life. I was worried that we would drift apart, and although that kind of happened for a season, we ended up becoming closer than we had been originally over the course of a few months. I just had to be patient.

For the other thing, I thought that we were going to have to put my dog down, who was my best friend and closest companion, the only one I ever really shared my emotions with. Well, God spared him for several more months, and because of that scare, I was able to actually celebrate those months and make the most of my time with him.

God allows us to go through difficult days, months, seasons, even years. But He promises us that we are never alone during those times. And in the end, I think you’ll realize why God allowed you to go through those hardships. It’s so hard to think ahead when we’re still in the eye of the storm. But if you keep your eyes on God and allow His peace to flow through you, then however long it takes will be worth it.

In the moment, those few months felt like eternity. But looking back, so much has changed in the course of a year. I’m still here, even when I doubted it sometimes. Life has changed very drastically for all of us, I’m sure.

But there’s one thing that doesn’t change, and that’s God. He will always be our source of perfect love, perfect stability, and perfect justice.

So today, if you have the chance, think back to where you were a year ago today. Have you changed as a person? How have your difficulties over the course of a year actually brought you closer to God?

And remember, there is so much to be thankful for. I guarantee that if you stop and really think about who you love, how God has blessed you, even in the small areas of life, that you’ll feel a bit more joyful.

Thank you for one year! Treat yourself to something sweet and virtually celebrate with me! 😉

Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.

James 1:17

Didn’t Get to Say Goodbye

Encouragement Thursday: You can still have peace, even if you didn’t get to say goodbye.

When you have to say goodbye to the way things used to be, may you learn to trust above everything, you are free to know peace (even without the closure you thought you would need).

-Morgan Harper Nichols

I’m definitely the type of person who longs for closure, that last goodbye. I want there to be a happy memory, but also something that made it final for me that things were over. I’ve been reflecting on this idea, especially since a week ago I didn’t get the closure on a particular season of life that I was longing for. I think the reason I struggle with needing closure, despite perhaps an innate human desire for it that we all have, would be the fact that a lot of my relationships have ended abruptly. I lost people without even realizing it until it was too late. I’m a very relational person, and I’m going to be honest, one of my biggest fears is losing people (whether figuratively or physically). So the fact that I’ve gone through this several times with people I’ve really cared about has weighed heavily on me and has affected my mindset.

You may be struggling right now with saying goodbye to someone, something, or some symbol of the way things used to be. We all have had to make a lot of adjustments recently, what with COVID-19, along with different issues our world is facing. Maybe you’re dealing with a lot of fear right now about the future.

I have been in that same place, and I know I may sink back there again. But I have to keep reminding myself, just as I hope I’m reminding you now, that it’s okay to be at peace when things change. You don’t have to have everything figured out before you can feel satisfied.

You know why?

Because you already have everything you need to keep going. God will fill you with the strength, joy, and motivation to find new opportunities. All you need to do is ask Him. And I’ve found it especially helpful to journal my feelings and read encouraging Bible verses, devotionals, or posts when I’m needing to find that strength again.

But just because you can have peace and contentment now, despite all you’ve lost, doesn’t mean you have to act like nothing has changed. You don’t have to keep that brave face on when you really want to expose your more sensitive side. It’s perfectly normal, in fact healthy, to grieve these losses in your life. That’s the only way you can eventually be ready to move on. But the process can be slow, and that’s okay. That doesn’t mean you’re weak or overly sensitive. It just means that you’re human and that you’re willing to go through the difficult process of growing into the person you’re meant to be.

So today, take some time to reflect on what’s holding you back from fully experiencing peace. If you need to cry, then cry. If you need to call an encouraging friend, then call them. If you need to take a break and just be alone with God, then take the time to do that. You deserve it. In fact, you owe it to yourself and your relationship with God and with others to allow yourself the freedom to express yourself and just breathe.

No matter who or what you’re grieving right now, your feelings are valid. But remember that they are not what make you who you are. They are not what defines you. Only God is the One who can truly tell you who you are.

And He says that you are valuable, loved, worthy, cherished, His precious child, and so much more.

You’re going to be okay. ❤

There is a time for everything,

and a season for every activity under the heavens…

  a time to weep and a time to laugh,

    a time to mourn and a time to dance.

Ecclesiastes 3: 1, 4

Their Victory Can Be Your Victory

Are you struggling with jealousy right now? Always remember that their purpose is not your purpose. You can celebrate others without comparing them to yourself.

“Her purpose is not your purpose.”

@Shelivespurposefully

“Just because you’re happy about her success doesn’t mean you won’t get yours. So celebrate with her! Don’t create a competition that doesn’t exist.”

Unknown

I’ve seen quotes of this nature so many times on Instagram these days, and I’m just hoping that I can really live it out. Jealousy, that green-eyed monster, has gotten the better of me countless times. But the truth is, the one it’s really hurt is me. It’s caused me to miss out on what’s right in front of me, and even worse, it’s caused me to harbor resentment towards others, either people I hardly know or even close friends.

We never really know what’s going on in other people’s lives. We don’t know what their story is, or what it took, all the failures along the way, to get where they are today. A lot of us are more private than we let on, not wanting people to know our past. And sometimes, that’s okay. But we also have to realize that others are like that too, and they only want us to see the good side of them. The victory at the end of the long, hard, brutal battle.

When we compare ourselves to others, we aren’t measuring things equally. It’s not a fair competition. We are comparing everything about one person (ourselves) and only a partial chapter of another’s story, likely the climax or the resolution. We are never on the exact same part of life as someone else when it comes to personal growth. So why are we expecting our lives to suddenly be figured out when our friend or an influencer’s life takes a dramatic change?

You have a purpose. An extraordinary purpose that no one else on Earth can fulfill.

But beloved, your purpose is not the same purpose as the person next to you. It’s not the same as your roommate, your sibling, your best friend, or even your partner.

It’s all uniquely yours.

But their victory can be your victory. You can celebrate when your friend gets that promotion, your cousin buys that new house, or your neighbor finally has the means to purchase that item you’ve both been eyeing. It’s not a race. It’s not a competition. What is meant for you will be given to you.

The same goes for that particularly touchy subject…relationships.

This one is hard for me to write and follow.

Even that person that you like, or even love, but aren’t in a relationship with, can be someone you celebrate. Even if they end up with someone else. Because they if they aren’t with you, then they weren’t meant for you. You have someone even better suited for you in your future.

Even if your best friend just got into a healthy relationship and you have been single your whole life. You can be happy for her without getting into a relationship yourself or being in that same stage of life. You just haven’t met the perfect person yet. God’s sparing you the heartbreak.

Even if you feel like everyone else in the world has their person (which they don’t… and if you think about it, you’ll realize you probably are in good company being single) you can still celebrate. You are loved by the most powerful, loving, and faithful being in the universe– God. You don’t have to be loved by some person in order to be cherished, worthy, valuable, and enough. You don’t have to be defined by a relationship. You are God’s precious creation no matter what.

So today, encourage others who you may have been envious of earlier. And I know it’s hard. I struggle with jealousy all the time, so this post is for my own benefit as much as yours. But also realize that there is so much more ahead of you that you can celebrate, and hopefully those same people you’re celebrating right now will be able to join you when it’s your turn in the limelight.

You have such a wonderful future ahead of you, and those storms, doubts, and tough situations are only here to make you stronger. You can do this. I believe in you, and more importantly, God believes in you too.

I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;

    your works are wonderful,

    I know that full well.

Psalm 139:14

God Gives Us

God’s love will sustain us even when we feel alone.

Today is National Encouragement Day! So, of course I had to share something that hopefully you find as encouraging as I did today 🙂

I personally find little kids to be a great source of honesty, joy, and a reminder about both the deep and simple parts of life. I was babysitting a little girl this morning, and we were making a craft project taken from a previous Sunday school class. It was a musical shaker that had paired along with a lesson about giving thanks and worshiping God.

After the little girl had a satisfied smile on her face, putting the cap back on her marker after decorating the paper plate Tamborine with crowns and hearts, she studied mine for a moment.

“What does this say?” She asked, pointing to my example.

“It says ‘God gives us’.” I replied. “Then I wrote things that God gives us, like love, joy, and hope.”

“I want mine to have those words too. Can you help me spell them?”

I smiled. “Sure.” Soon, she had found a new marker and spelled out “God gives us”. After that, she decided she didn’t want to do the words the same way I had.

Turning to me for a moment, tilting her head, she asked, “Could you tell me how to spell ‘hope when love is gone’?”

My eyes widened in surprise, since this seemed like an odd statement for a five-year-old to want to write on her craft project. But the more I’ve been thinking about it, the more I’ve realized how profound those words truly are.

We’ve all had a time where we’ve felt betrayed, unloved, or unappreciated. That’s because human love isn’t perfect. Sometimes, there are cases where it is so close that it feels perfect, but it never can be because people aren’t perfect. God’s love is the only love that can truly satisfy us.

Of course, God wants us to love others and to be loved. But He wants us to come to Him for our ultimate fulfillment and renewal of perfect love before we try extending it and receiving it from others. And when we feel heartbroken, we can still have hope because there is still someone out there that truly, sacrificially, undeniably loves us. The One who knew that the world would be made better with us on it. The One who died for us. The One who is always with us and the only One we can rely on.

Jesus.

I sure hope that you aren’t feeling brokenhearted today. I hope that you are feeling loved and cared for by others. But wherever your heart is today, I want you to still have hope. God loves you so much. No matter what’s going on in the world, between the division, the fires, the virus, and the longstanding issues we’ve been facing, God is still good. God still has a purpose for you. You don’t have to fear, because God is with you.

God loves you so much. ❤

“Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love.”

1 John 4:7-8

Surrounding Yourself With Encouragement

Today is the start of Encouragement Thursdays, where I’ll post a message God has been bringing to my attention over the past week!

I have noticed a rather humorous trend on my social media platforms these days. Instead of scrolling through pictures of friends and family, I seem to be scrolling through endless inspirational quotes and tidbits of advice. This was certainly unintentional, following so many accounts that are run by strangers who want to brighten others’ days, but I feel like God has used these daily messages to bring hope to my life.

I don’t know about you, but I’ve noticed a trend of negativity and finger-pointing lately in the media, in our communities, and perhaps even within our close circles of friends/family. There is a lot of division in our world today.

That’s why I believe–now more than ever– that we need to surround ourselves with encouragement. Whether it’s unfollowing negative, or even hurtful people, and following those who post inspirational content, or going out of your way to plaster Bible verses on your walls. Make sure to surround yourself with encouraging people, at least one friend who brings you closer to God and makes you feel better after spending time with them.

I have another proposition, and that would be to start posting Encouraging Thursdays, where I share something I learned from over the past week by looking out for encouraging messages.

Today’s Encouraging Thursday quote is this:

“Avoidance is the greatest risk of all.”

I saw this quote a day after I made the decision to go ahead with doing a task–albeit a small one, but even those matter– that I felt God was calling me to do. Even though the event has not yet happened, this reminded me that it’s better potentially embarrassing myself than regretting not taking action at all. I don’t have to think later on that there was more I could do. I can feel satisfied in knowing that I will have done everything I can humanly do to help this person.

Is there something in your life that you are on the fence about doing? Maybe it’s taking a new job, talking to a new person, or having a difficult, but important, conversation. Whatever it is for you, pray about it, and if you feel peace and think that God wants you to do it, then go for it! You will never know what would have happened unless you do your part to make it happen.

I hope this was encouraging for you, and I’ll try to keep up these Encouraging Thursdays! Today try to find a book, quote, or have a conversation with an encouraging person in your life. It might just make today amazing!

Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

Romans 12:2

Enduring Pain

If you feel stuck, trying to figure out if there is any good that can come from your pain, keep reading.

A random skill that most people wouldn’t know I have is being a pretty good back massager. You heard me right…and you’re probably wondering why you’re still reading!

Well, I’ll get to the point…soon. You know how we Nines love our stories 😉

My mom used to tell people that she had a daughter simply to get free back massages, and a small part of me occasionally wonders if that’s true considering the frequency at which she requests them. As humans age, as you may know from experience, they often experience muscle stiffness. Tonight I was helping my mom get a knot out of her back, and after the allotted time I had agreed to perform this service was up, I asked if she wanted me to continue. She laughed and replied, “I would like that, but I don’t think I can endure the pain.”

This part may not surprise you, if you know me at all. After she said that, I suddenly knew I had to blog. Not about muscles, weird skills, or getting old. But rather, about pain.

About a year ago, one of my first posts was about pain and how many people often use numbing mechanisms to avoid it. Little did I know that throughout this past year, I’ve struggled with dealing with my pain and negative emotions. I often choose to not feel things, but then that includes the positive, happy memories as well.

I think avoiding pain can be one of our biggest mistakes in life. The longer we avoid the pain, the longer we avoid the good that can come out of that pain. God does not take us through difficult seasons without a reason. He knows that there’s something better at the end, but we just have to persevere. And sometimes that means trying something again that may have previously hurt us.

Now, I’m not telling you to go and let people walk all over you. I don’t want you to get into a dangerous situation or go backwards on a process towards good health. But if God is calling you to try something again, whether it’s a relationship, a career, a hobby, or perhaps even just diving back in your Bible, then you should go for it.

We love making excuses as to why we can’t possibly embrace our pain. We tell ourselves that we can’t endure it. And we’re right, we can’t.

At least, we can’t alone.

But God is always with us and He will give us the strength to get through anything.

I’ve seen so many people go through things I could never imagine going through with such bravery. They continue to live for God, they continue to go about their daily lives, and they will still be heroes, such strong people, in my eyes when they admit their pain and sorrow.

Don’t allow fear of people’s reactions to affect how you grieve, whether it’s the loss of a loved one, a relationship, or a forgotten dream. The ones who are meant to be in your life and really care about you will give you the space to feel what you need to feel.

I know it’s hard trying again. I know it’s hard doing what God calls us to do. I’m not going to sit here and expect you to suddenly change your life or do things that risk heartbreak alone. I’m going to try to get out of my comfort zone and figure out my emotions as well, in a healthy way.

I know that we can both get through whatever life throws at us because we are empowered by our Creator. God loves us and designed us to need Him, and when we turn to Him, we will overflow with His grace, courage, and perseverance.

I’ll be praying for you. Don’t give up. ❤

Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him.

James 1:2

What Do You Actually Want?

God doesn’t see us the way everyone else does.

Two posts in one day? Apparently yes!

My friends know I love good analogies, so hopefully this one suits your fancy!

I was watching my dog, Rocky, who I’ve talked about a few times on here. He basically attacks us while we are eating by jumping all around, barking, and scratching up our legs, unless we give him what he wants.

We decided to get him a can of dog food that he hasn’t had in a while to hopefully trick his sense of smell into thinking he was getting the same food as us.

He wagged his tail eagerly, waiting in anticipation, knowing exactly what he wanted…or so we thought.

The garbage bin usually sits out in the kitchen during dinner and is unfortunately just the right height for him to stick his little black nose into. After we opened the can and scooped out the food, we threw the can into the bin. Instead of running over to get the food, he raced to the trash to check out that can.

He was so focused on the outer wrapper that he didn’t pay attention to what was good for him, what was actually what he needed and wanted.

I think we can get distracted by the “wrapper” in life, too.

We see the fixings of a life that appears to be perfect. We see a person that has stunning looks. We see a memory or something we are clinging onto with rose colored glasses.

God gives and He takes away. He doesn’t want us to be so caught up in the wrapper; He wants us to go after the deeper meaning in life, in relationships, and in His call on our lives.

Don’t settle, whether it’s for a person, a job, or what you think you want out of life if it’s anything other than what God’s calling you to.

God knows what He’s doing. He’s the only one who can see the future. He’s the one who planned it! And He planned it with you in mind, the one He loves so very much.

When you see a person, don’t think about their appearance, give them a chance regardless of how they look. Treat everyone with God’s gentleness, grace, and kindness.

When you see an opportunity, think about if it’s what God wants you to do. Pray about it. Don’t just go for something because you are afraid of missing out. But at the same time, if you think God is calling you to do it, then go for it! Take that leap of faith!

God’s got your back, you don’t have to stress anymore.

After all, just like how we are striving to look deep inside everything in our lives, God sees deep inside of us. He isn’t ever distracted by the wrapper. He loves every part of you, and He knows that desire, the longing in the core of your being.

And I hope that desire is to be just like the One who sacrificed it all because of His unfailing love for us.

You’re worth so much more than you think.

For the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.

1 Sammuel 16:7