tharseo: to be of good cheer.

Life can throw curve balls at you sometimes. How do you handle tough situations in your life? Stress? Trials?  What are your tendencies in those circumstances? I'm going to give you an inside look in how I handle it and how the Lord has walked patiently with me through all of this. :) 
I tend to run away from situations that I know I'm not capable of handling. I am notorious for suppressing my feelings and (try to forget them) instead of bringing it to the only One who can heal and set me free. It was almost as if I forgot about the cross and what Jesus did for me that I would just get overwhelmed and carry fear, anxiety and hopelessness. I had created space and distance between us. 

BUT, He is patient, waiting for me to come back to him. Because of God's grace, He has given us love, joy and hope because of what Jesus did for us on the cross. I had to go back to that simple truth. That He is enough for me-- that the challenges that I face in life are used for His glory. I have to choose to operate in that instilled joy that Jesus had placed in my heart when He saved me. 

Here's how I handled my problems vs. a heart check from Jesus 

Lie: I was making decisions based on the way I felt. 
Truth: My feelings don't determine my steps. 

Lie: I tried to hide my feelings from God. 
Truth: God knows my heart. He's near to me. He cares. 

Lie:  I tried to run away from the Lord. 
Truth:  He placed peace in my heart I ran towards HIM. 

Lie: I was so afraid of what was in front of me
Truth: God called me to be courageous and have strength. 

Lie: I hated the circumstances in my life. 
Truth: I delight in Jesus. He is taking me through these things and because I have him, i have joy. And with that being said, it is a blessing to go through these things with Jesus.

Lie: I had to carry the burden. 
Truth: No I didn't, Jesus already did that! 

 I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will havetribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world. 
John 16:33

Find encouragement in him today. He loves giving it to you!  Take heart. Know that He is for you and not against you. Come to him. Draw near to his heart because his love for you is so deep. Seek Him-- 


// i am confident neither life nor death can keep me from the love of christ. though i cannot see... my heart still believes that I am filled with joy. I feel his love running in on the inside of me. all those years been in shame he is setting me free. His love goes deeper than the pain I feel His love goes deeper than depression and fear // 

He will give you peace. Live in joy. freedom. and love. no matter the circumstance. Jesus is big enough. 

Your sister, 

M

"blessed are those who wait"

There's a lot of different directions I could go with this but the Lord pointed me to one very significant verse in psalm 37 that caught my attention. 
It reads: 

verse 7- 
Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him; 
fret not yourself over the one who prospers in his way, 
over the man who carries out evil devices! 

Disclaimer: 

You may not relate to the following story at all,  but hey maybe you would. ;)  

I've learned so much about myself in my relationship with God and one of those things is the fact that I am a very antsy! I am in constant motion. I can't sit in one place for an extended amount of time because I'm always in a consistent wave of motion. Call me ADHD! Classify me, why don't ya! I always have to be going somewhere, doing something, something, something, something!  

My mind is the worst. It's always going 99 miles per hour switching from subject to subject. It's ridiculous and I can't stop it! Then, I find myself in a whirlwind of chaos and craziness because I was trying to find all the answers alone and make things happen by myself. It was in that moment that I realized how much I needed to just sit still and exhale. 

First of all, I had to remember that I am not the Creator. I am simply a vessel. I don't have all the answers but praise Jesus, I know the One who knows. //Delight yourself in the Lord and he will give you desires of your heart. Psalm 37:4// This gives me absolute joy and PEACE because it is up to Him. He is the Artist who can paint way better and more beautiful paintings than I can ever paint. 

Secondly, the application part.. ACTUALLY sitting down before the Lord (by myself) and soaking in his goodness and peace. When I acknowledge His presence, something in me starts changing. Even, if it's 5 minutes (you gotta start somewhere!) And the more that you get yourself in this place, you'll find yourself not so frantic, worried and busy! 

Third, be confident in the fact that God has a plan for your life. Again, He's the painter, you're not.  Trust me, I've sunken into the plethora of lies that have detoured me from truly believing the best for my life. It may not come in the timing that you were hoping, but we have to realize that our life isn't to bring us glory, it's to bring HIS name glory! 

When you come to this revelation, everything starts changing. You see things in a different light and the desires ad wants that you once desired starts fading away and His desires start piercing through your heart. It is a beautiful thing. Take it and run with it. 

Once you realize the character of God and the hope that He is working on this beautiful painting which is you and the purpose he has called you to, it makes waiting patiently for him and his timing much more bearable and worth it.

Whether it's waiting at a traffic light, grocery store, that next life step (spouse, family, babies) , a purpose, a break through, an adventure or just Jesus; be patient, put God first, seek him and let him move in your life. 

{I wait for the Lord, my soul waits,

    and in his word I hope;

   my soul waits for the Lord

    more than watchmen for the morning,

    more than watchmen for the morning.}

Psalm 130:6 

Trust Him. He knows what He's doing. And remember to breathe! This is not a race, it's a process. 

For his glory, 

M