Be Willing To Walk Alone

I saw this the other day and it struck such a chord with me. My heart has been pretty beaten up the past few years and I think part of it is because things have changed so drastically for me. In four short years, my life has been turned upside down. People have left my life, never to be heard from again. Of course, I have left other people's lives because it was better for my mental health and well-being. I think the hardest part is the family that I don't hear from any longer. Not just blood family but church family - and I don't know why.

I am in a grieving period. My heart is broken and there have been way too many things that have changed for me to cope right now. I've been coping for four years but everyone has their breaking point and I'm at mine. It's like you're dangling from a thin piece of rope one day, hanging on for dear life, and then something or someone cuts that rope and you're mentally and emotionally done. It comes down to just self care at that point - like a cat licking it's wounds. Being quiet and introspective.

Yes, I know that Jesus is with me. God tells me that in the Bible and I believe it and it allows me to keep going but, you know what?  Sometimes we need our people around us. Sometimes we need people to reach out - not out of guilt - but out of true genuine caring. We need people to put aside their own personal prides and self-interests and be a part of our life. A true part, not something done out of guilt because that's just the worst. It's even worse than the being alone.

I'm not asking for pity or for anyone to feel guilty. I'm just trying to work this all out in my mind. I also think I'm not the only one feeling this way. The world has gotten smaller and that has made us smaller. Social media makes us feel like we have friends from all over the world but are they really a part of our every day life? Our families become part of the whole online experience and there's no "day-to-day, messy, get involved in our life" parts anymore Everyone is kept at arms length because it's easier.

We can like a Facebook post or Instagram picture and feel like we're a part of other people's lives, but are we really? People ask for prayers on Facebook and we promise to pray but promptly forget after closing the app. I'm just as guilty of this as the next person so I'm not condemning anyone here. I'm just saying that it's so much easier for us to click a like and then move on these days. There's not the cards sent in the mail or the phone calls to our friends because how many of us truly have close friends anymore?  I don't. I think those with truly close friends are far and few between. 

I am so very, very thankful for my husband who stands beside me through thick and thin. These four years have been just as hard for him and he wondered several times if I was even going to live. He puts up with so much from me as my emotions are all over the place. It's all part of the healing process and also the process of coming to terms with loss. There are other family members who have been such strong forces in my life - like my son and parents - who never leave me and love me for who I am. This journey hasn't been easy for any of them either.

I hesitate to post this because it's a pretty raw, emotional post. It tells you exactly where I'm at and, these days, that's a scary thing to do. It's so much easier to post the pretty things, the positive things, whether they be true or not. I'm not depressed (for those of you who may think I am), I'm probably just more angry than anything. Yes, there is sadness over the loss of some of the people of my life, those I thought would always be there with me, but I'm determined to move forward. The biggest challenge is not to be hard-hearted and I am struggling with that, too.  How much easier not to let anyone into my life in the first place then to have them crush my heart in the end? It's a struggle!

I honestly don't know if I'll leave this post up. I think it's so important to be real but, in doing so, am I opening myself up for more heartache? I also want you to know that God is everything to me. He, alone, has worked so many miracles in my life and I never, never blame Him for what has transpired in my life. I know where the blame lies - with the evil one who stalks us. He just waits for the opportunity to crush us. I'm refusing to be crushed! With Jesus, I don't have to be crushed. I may be bruised and a little torn up but I'm not crushed. 

In sharing this, I hope that it will help someone else to know that, just because you're a Christian, bad things will and do happen. However, because we have Jesus, they don't have to destroy us. His love is always there and He is always with us. Yes, it would be so nice to have the people around us in our lives, but isn't it a comfort to know that Jesus always is in our life? Thankfully, with Him, we don't have to walk alone!

Blessings - Julie

For The Lord!!

Are you in a situation that is making your life difficult or even miserable? It can be a situation not of your own making or even something you did with the best of intentions. We all have areas of our life that we don't want disturbed. We all have little pet peeves that can get blown up in our mind and we find ourselves turning into complaining shrews.

If we've had stress in our lives, the littlest things that disrupt what little peace we have, can feel like we're teetering on the edge. Our nerves become frayed and we forget all about being a light in this world because we're too focused on the darkness of stressful situations.

Thankfully, God is so gracious to have patience with us and will pull us back from this darkness by reminding us who we are in Jesus. I had this happen to me over the weekend and it was like a lightbulb going off over my head. You know - like the old cartoons when a character had a bright idea. It felt that dramatic when it happened to me.

"Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for man."

 - Colossians 3:23

 

I realized that I was not being obedient to God by all my complaining, frustration and even anger over the things that were happening around me. By obedience, I don't mean the kind of obedience that we feel obligated to do or forced to do. I mean the obedience we do and feel loving about because God first loved us! I'm talking about that obedience that comes from God giving us so much love and grace that we can't help but share the same to others. Doing what we need to do for the Lord and not for man.

 

You're probably saying how simple and why is this such a huge thing for me? It's huge because in all my stress, health issues over the past three-plus years, and changes I've had to endure, I've become quite selfish and scared. And in case you didn't know, when you become selfish and scared, your heart becomes harder. I didn't want to give up certain things or accept the changes so I dug my feet in and refused. However, I can't do what I need to do with a loving and glad heart if I'm not thinking about doing it for Jesus. Further more, try thinking about doing what you're doing for Jesus and having a bad attitude. It can't be done! I can't say to myself, I'm doing this for Jesus and be crummy about it. When I do it for him, my heart is lighter, I want to do a good job, and I want to act like someone He will be pleased with!

 

I'll be honest. I haven't felt this peaceful for a long, long time. Do I still have moments of being childishly selfish? Of course. The great thing is, they don't last long because I'm focusing my heart and mind on the Lord. I'm also accepting those things I'm not able to do anymore and being thankful for the things I can. My body still is not strong and I don't have a lot of energy. I have to accept the changes and know that they are part of God's plan. I need to protect my time, energy and body - but with a glad heart!

 

Please pray with me on this. I am asking God for a happy attitude, a loving heart, discerning wisdom, and an extra measure of self control from the Holy Spirit. I'm so thankful for you, dear friends, and all your encouragement and prayers.

 

Blessings - Julie 

Lord Over All

It's the day after Easter and I've been pondering what the resurrection of Jesus means. I've come to one conclusion...it means everything! Everything I believe, how I live my life, and how I treat others all comes down to that one glorious moment when God released Jesus from death and He rose to live and reign at the right hand of God.

Because of Jesus, I always have hope and assurance in all things in my life. I've gone through some really difficult things in my life, as I'm sure you have, too, but knowing that Jesus is there for me, gives me the courage and strength to go on with my life.  To not give up. It would have been so easy for me to give up so many times. Life is hard and we all need a Savior! We need a Savior in every area of our life. Sometimes, it's easy to put Jesus into the box of Savior of our life when we die. Yes, because of my faith in Him, I will have eternal life, but He's much more than that. He's my Savior when I feel like I just can't go one more minute because of the pain I'm in. He's my Savior when I feel like life is just too difficult and too complicated. He's my Savior when I'm not sure what to do next. He's the Savior of my complete life - while I'm living now and when I will pass on to the next life.

Sometimes we like to compartmentalize our life. We will have our work life, home life, family life, friend life and faith life. The thing is, the faith life needs to be over all the other lives. When we do that, it makes everything else fall into place. God doesn't want us to put our faith in a little box and bring it out on Sundays or when we really need Him. No, our faith should be the driving force behind everything we do. I'm not saying this is always easy - especially in today's world. We are scorned and even tortured for our faith. We can feel afraid to put our faith "out there" but if we don't, aren't we just as bad as those who scorn? Either we totally believe or we don't. It's easy to think that if we keep things separate, our lives will be better but it never works out that way. If we don't have a resevoir from God from which to pull from, we're going to come up dry and wanting when we really need the cool refreshment of his Living Water.

After thinking about all this in my own life, I've decided to be more discisive about putting God first in my day and making Him a part of every area of my life. I've been guilty of pushing Him to the back burner more than once but, honestly, that's not really working for me. I'm finding it harder and harder to come back from the bad moments because I have nothing to pull from.

So, on this day after Easter, my heart is to longing to remember who I worship and serve. The risen Lord! He cares about every aspect of my life and yours, too. I'm going to make Him Lord over all my life. How about you?

Blessings - Julie

31 Days of Hope - October 29

 

I'm going to share with you, what I think, is one of the most HOPE filled Scriptures of the Bible:

 "I have told you these things so that in Me you may have peace. You will have suffering in this world. Be courageous! I have conquered the world.”

John 16:33 

In this Scripture, Jesus is sharing that He has overcome this world. When we are seeing suffering in this world or when we ourselves are suffering, we can know that Jesus is in control. For me knowing this does exactly what Jesus commands us to do here - be courageous! If I thought I was in control of everything, I would be overwhelmed and, quite frankly, lost. Knowing I don't have to figure it all out gives me so much HOPE and courage. I'm so thankful that I don't have to depend on myself! 

Blessings - Julie

31 Days of Hope - October 22

The Lord values those who fear Him, those who put their hope in His faithful love.

Psalm 147:11

When we put our HOPE in the Lord, when we have awe of Him, He values us. He loves all His children, but those of us who give our lives to Him, hold a special value. When we trust Him, He is able to work in our lives. When we have HOPE in Him, we are opening our heart to allow Him to work in our life and do what is best for us. 

It may not always look the way we want it to look. God works in our lives in ways that will bless us. His concern is our relationship with Him. As we are going through a difficult situation or have a stronghold in our life we want to change, we need to try and remember to put Him first. I'm not going to lie and tell you this is easy. Personally, when I have had my hard days, I've wanted to crawl into a ball and sleep. Sleep has always been my first choice of escape. For you, it may be something different, but can I encourage us both to make our first choice Jesus? 

Do something easy; meditate on a favorite Scripture and pray over it. I know I've shared the one that gave me so much HOPE was Psalms 91:4. 

(This is a special gift I received from a friend)

I would read it over and over until I had it memorized. I would pray this Scripture and believe that God was covering me. It comforted me to imagine Him protecting me from all the things that frightened me. As you are able to do more, do more. Memorize and meditate on more Scriptures, follow a plan to read through your Bible and above all else, pray! 

God give us so much HOPE - He loves us with more love than anyone else ever has. Trust in Him as you go through your difficult time and sit back and watch Him work miracles in your life!

Blessings - Julie

31 Days of Hope - October 19

As we HOPE for a change in our circumstances, it can be difficult to remember how greatly we are loved. We may feel so alone and, at times, so sad. Yet, if we just focus on this Scripture...

Now these three remain:

faith, hope, and love.

But the greatest of these is love.

1 Corinthians 13:13

The greatest of these is love. Dear one - you are loved. You are loved by the One who is love - God. 

Sometimes this is hard to accept. We may feel that we are being punished for some great sin we have committed or that we are unlovable. I remember feeling that way many days when I was deep in the healing process. Even now, there are days when the pain comes and I wonder why God has forgotten me? Why is He punishing me? We mustn't forget Job! His afflictions were purely spiritual warfare going on around him. We don't know what's happening in the Spiritual world but we know that something is happening all the time - all around us. I believe by reading the Scriptures, that those of us who are believers in Christ have warfare being fought for us all the time. What greater thing for the evil one than to discourage or even turn God's children? He's not interested in those that already follow him - he's interested in those he doesn't have. 

There are three things that are powerful as we go through our difficult times - Faith, HOPE, and Love. We need all three to form a powerful rope that can't be broken when times of trouble come. One strengthens the other and they each build one another up. They do the same for us. We get strength from each of these. Our faith in Jesus is the cornerstone and our HOPE and love is built on Him for, without Him, there is nothing. 

God bless you - Julie

31 Days of Hope - October 18

For whatever was written in the past was written for our instruction, so that we may have hope through endurance and through the encouragement from the Scriptures.

Romans 15:4

Endurance through pain. This is something I never really thought I would end up having to deal with. When we're young (if we're blessed), our bodies work and there isn't the pain issues. Now, it's all I deal with...day after day. Tonight, I'm struggling but there is HOPE.

The Scripture above gives us a key to having HOPE. It's through the Scriptures - those in the Old Testament as well as the New Testament. Both Testaments point to the One who gives us the only true HOPE there is - Jesus. 

I call on Him when I feel like I can't go on and He is there. I pray for healing and this gives me HOPE. He may not ever heal me, but He always comforts me and I know that He understands what it is to suffer. He suffered so much for us on the cross.

If you are suffering with something that is too much for you to handle, give it to Jesus who will carry your burden and give you HOPE. We are not alone. 

Blessings - Julie

31 Days of Hope - October 17

Teach a youth about the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it.

Proverbs 22:6

When my children were in second and fourth grade, we realized that the school they were going to was not working for them. My oldest son, in particular, was being tormented (this is not too strong of a word) by his teacher. She did not like boys and she really didn't like my son. He was in tears many days when I would pick him up and he went from being a A student to struggling to do his school work. We tried, in vain, to talk to the principal and teacher so we made the decision to homeschool our sons. This was absolutely the best decision we ever made!

I had never thought of homeschooling but I looked at it as a calling from God and treated it as such. I really loved that we could make Jesus the center of our schooling, too! Proverbs 22:6 became our school Scripture and we tried very hard to train our children in the way that God would want us to.

Now that my children are grown, I see evidence of the that training. I also see two men who love God and try to live their lives in such a way as to honor Him. This gives me HOPE for the future!

It's easy to look around our world and lose HOPE for our future. However, when I look at my sons, I still have HOPE. There are some in my son's generation who are living their lives for Christ, who are standing strong in their faith despite the chance of persecution, or as we saw in Oregon, the chance of death. They are not ashamed of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and will stand for Him.

As I have gone through so many health issues in the past few years - mostly pain - both of my sons have shown compassion and love. They have never made me feel like a burden but have loved me unconditionally. They have encouraged me to see and use my talents. They have given me HOPE on days when I felt hopeless.

I am so proud of my sons and love them so much. They work hard and yet always have time for fun and laughter. They both put Jesus first in their lives and have taught me to be a better person, too. I have HOPE that they will make their worlds a little better for having been in them. I have HOPE that they will bring others to Christ just by observing them. I am thankful that through their love of Jesus, they will show others that there is HOPE in Him!

Blessings - Julie 

31 Days of Hope - October 13

Do you have areas of your life that you want to do better in? I do. Several, in fact! As we become closer to God, He reveals areas of my life that need to be refined. This is not always comfortable! in fact, it can be downright painful. Realizing that you've been doing things that are not pleasing to God, is difficult. These things usually hurt you, too, so that's why God is revealing things.

May Your faithful love rest on us, Yahweh,

for we put our hope in You.

Psalms 33:22

As we work on these things, God is so faithful to love us. As we work on things we want to change, we have the HOPE that God is giving us the ability to be strong in changing these things. He equips us to do the things we want and need to do.

I have struggled with one issue in my life, for most of my life. I grew up not feeling that I was okay the way I was. My personality was questioned constantly and compared to others in the family that fit in better. I was always a child that loved to read and write and this wasn't understood well by others in my family. You start to doubt yourself and question if there is something wrong with you. Then this manifests itself into thinking that everyone is thinking these things about you! Oh, my - what a mess this is! 

I am working on not believing these things anymore. I am HOPEFUL that I will not project these feelings onto my friends and family when it's not at all what they are thinking! This is difficult when you've done it your whole life. I'm doing good, though! The key is to love others as you love yourself. To love others as Christ loved us. I've loved others, but I've been so careful not to get hurt, I haven't love them as fully as I should have. I don't open my heart too far because I don't want it to get stomped. However, in doing this, I keep the full love from others out, too! Pretty silly, but we always want to protect our hearts, don't we? 

I have HOPE that I can open up more, expect the best out of others instead of the worst, and to have the love from others that I long to have. In the process, I want to love others fully, too! Isn't it wonderful that God can equip us to do this? What a wonderful God who fills me with HOPE!

Blessings - Julie

31 Days of Hope - October 9

Happy is the one whose help is the God of Jacob,

whose hope is in the LORD his God,

Psalm 146:5 HCSB

All of us are looking to be happy. We work toward it - strive toward it - and yet it is elusive. We think if we can just buy that 55" flat screen TV, we'll be happy. If we can go on that vacation to Paris, we'll be happy. We all have those things we tell ourselves will make us happy but then we get these things and, before we know it, we're unhappy again. That's because we can't put our HOPE in things. Things will never make us truly happy and content. 

The only kind of true happiness and contentment that I've found is when my faith and HOPE is in the Lord, Jesus Christ. He brings me the kind of happiness that nothing else has ever given me. Even when I'm in a distressful situation (and I've been in a lot of those - you probably have, too), Jesus gives me a peace and happiness that is really hard to explain.

He is always there to help us, and while the problem we're facing may not go away immediately, we can get through it all with HOPE. In my life, I've lived with and without Jesus. I can tell you that I would absolutely "freak out" when anything difficult came my way when I was without God. There was no contentment or calmness, just fear. What a difference it has made to trust in God. Sure, like everyone else, there will be that initial shock and sometimes a day or two of depression, but it goes away. Before, I would be depressed for weeks on end. With Jesus, there is HOPE and when you have HOPE, you have happiness.

There's nothing wrong with getting that TV set or making that trip to Paris but it's when we put all our HOPE in those things that we can set ourselves up for great unhappiness. Only Jesus can give us the really happiness and joy in our lives that we long for. Happiness, joy and HOPE are sustaining through Him and I'm so thankful for that. Is your HOPE in Him, too?

31 Days of Hope -October 8

Every day lived in HOPE is a better day! I've lived in HOPE and I've lived hopeless and I much prefer HOPE! With HOPE there's the feeling that the light is coming up at the end of my long, dark tunnel. Sometimes, our tunnels are so dark, it's even hard to imagine there will ever be light again. Relief seems far away and oppression presses in on our heart, mind and soul. It's a powerful tool of satan's to make us feel hopeless and oppressed.

Now this is the message we have heard from Him and declare to you: God is light, and there is absolutely no darkness in Him.

1 John 1:5 HCSB

Anytime we're feeling that darkness, we know it's not from the Lord because there is no darkness in Him. He doesn't ever oppress us or make us feel depressed. These are all weapons from the evil one to keep us focused on anything but Jesus. When we're going through difficulties, he certainly doesn't have to press us very hard to make us feel like we've been swallowed by darkness, does he? That's why we really have to force ourselves on those days to talk to God, get into His Word, and hunker down behind Him. Once we do, we start to feel that HOPE again and see that sliver of light showing through.

But you must return to your God.

Maintain love and justice,

and always put your hope in God.

Hosea 12:6 HCSB

I love this - God tells us time and again in the Bible to return to Him and put our HOPE in Him. That's because there is no other HOPE except through Jesus. God wants us to have that beautiful love, grace, and HOPE. Turn to Jesus - give Him your life - and you'll see that all is not lost but that you will have a HOPE and a future!

Blessings - Julie

31 Days of Hope - October 5

It's another day of HOPE! Can I just tell you how thankful I am for God and how He meets us right where we are? If we're in a pit, He's there. If we're on a mountain top, He's there. All I have to do is reach out to Him and He quickly puts His hand out to me and draws me in.

Rest in God alone, my soul,

for my hope comes from Him.

Psalms 62:5

I have been resting my spirit these last few days. Feeding my soul with the Word of God and giving it the nourishment it craves. I am feeling so much better! I spent all day yesterday with Beth Moore on a simulcast based on her book, Audacious.  Oh, my...that woman can testify! I have page after page of notes written down and I know when I watch it again, I'll have even more notes. If you get a chance to read her new book, do it! 

I love that the more I dig into the Bible, the more I have my quiet time listening to God, the more I pray, the more HOPE I have. I actually feel quite silly when I realize that had I been putting God first, I probably wouldn't have lost HOPE in the first place. God is a bottomless well-spring of grace and love and HOPE! We just have to dip into this life giving spring!

I want to share with you a little face that has given me happiness and joy when I have had hard days. 

MITZI

I think the Lord gave me this precious little girl to help me remember He loves me unconditionally. She definitely loves me unconditionally! She is so funny in that she just can't stand it if she's not with me every minute of every day. If I do have to go out to the doctor or such, she chews me out royally when I get home. lol She has times where I have to go out with her because she won't go outside with anyone else. Oh, this sweet thing...I just love her so much!

I've come to realize that HOPE is tangible. Not only do I feel HOPE because Mitzi is a physical showing of HOPE, I can reach out to God in prayer and, through His Word, and that HOPE is there. It's felt, it fills the soul! I pray that you will feel that HOPE in very real ways through Jesus, who loves you and gave everything to give you HOPE. Through Him, we have the greatest HOPE of all - eternal life with the One who created HOPE in the first place. 

Blessings - Julie

Where Are Our Friends?

Sometimes people with chronic illness or pain are mighty lonely people. I'm sure there are those of you out there that live a life of solitude. Like me, you have your families, which I'm thankful for, but women need women friends. That's just all there is to it. This doesn't always happen, though and if we don't learn to accept this, it can bring us down quite low.

I haven't figured out how to cultivate friendships while going through all this so I've had to learn to accept what is. I also know that Jesus is there for me - and you - and He is closer than a brother! He understands what it's like to have His friends turn against him. Peter denied him three times, for goodness sake! We don't know what happened to any of the apostles during the time of His unjust trial and floggings, we only know they fled. At the crucifixion, we are told that John was there but no other apostles were. How disappointing for Jesus to look around and see only one of His apostles.

He understands, then, our loneliness and how hard it is when we look around and see no friends. If we have one friend, we are so blessed, but for those with chronic illness/pain, many times we look around and there isn't even one friend. Except for Jesus.

Jesus is the greatest friend we can have. He loves us more than anyone else. He loves us just as we are. When we don't feel lovable, Jesus loves us. When we feel alone, we're not. Jesus is with us, holding us close and reminding us that He is with us.

I'm blessed because I see Jesus in my husband. That man is a saint, I'm telling you! He has stood by my side through this whole, horrible ordeal. He is always there to listen to me, help me with whatever I need help with, and understands my heart. So many men would have turned and walked away from a situation like this, but not my husband. He has been the hands and feet of Jesus to me over and over, every day.

Even if you don't have a husband like mine, you're still not alone. Jesus is our bridegroom and we are His bride. He understands our heart and collects our tears in a bottle. My bottle must be filled to over-flowing, dear ones! Perhaps yours is, too.

I don't have the answers to the friend situation. I don't know why people move on when you're hurting, but they do. It's just human nature, I suppose. However, we must not lose sight of Who is truly there for us, through thick and thin. Jesus...our Brother, our King, our Savior!

A man with many friends may be harmed,

but there is a friend who stays closer than a brother.

Proverbs 18:24 (HCSB)

God bless you - Julie

Only God

This has been a very tough week emotionally. I can't go into any detail because I want to protect the privacy of those involved, but let's just say it's been a week of worry, heartache, and sadness because I see a friend hurting and all I can do is pray. This situation has been going on for years but it's gotten worse as of late and my heart just hurts for her. I want to fix it, I want to tell her what to do, I want to intervene, but I can't. Only God. Only God can intervene. Only God can do a miracle. Only God.

I've been dealing with several situations where you have to ask for God's wisdom. His Strength. His comfort. It's draining and exhausting but He has been good to guide me and to give me patience. I am learning to stop before speaking or writing. I'm learning to pray before I say anything of great consequence because I can't say anything of great consequence. Only God can give me anything to say of great consequence and if I don't take the time to listen to Him, I'm only going to say something dumb. I'm also learning not to let what others say to me affect me to my core. The Lord is doing a work in me and I'm thankful because I can't be there for others if I'm not continually changing for the better. More of Him! That's what I long for.

He truly is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.

God bless you - Julie

Gentle Reminder

It's the end of a weekend, a weekend filled with snow and cold. I'm ready for sunshine again because the cold makes me ache. I told my husband that I could now understand why seniors head for the hot areas of the country! The cold hurts! lol

I kept the news off for the most part. One can be saturated with the horrors of the world for only so long before the brain just shuts down and our heart feels like it's going to implode in our chest. I tried to focus on Christmas shows and movies with a good measure of "Burn Notice" thrown in, as it's my favorite show. I also watched my favorite Pastors on TV like Charles Stanley, David Jeremiah and Charles Price. Thank the Lord for good, Biblical teaching!

I didn't do a lot this weekend - really because of the pain. I did a bit of writing, reading, and cooking. Thankfully, however, I have things in the freezer that I can pull out and throw in the oven. Some days are just like that.

I'm realizing that it's important to focus on the blessings of life. I know that I talk about this, especially on Tuesdays, but I want to refocus on this again. These times are hard. So many of us are struggling financially, in our health, in our emotions, and it's so easy to focus on what we are lacking. When we're struggling to figure out what to cook because there is not enough in the pantry ro we can't pay bills because there is not enough money. When we can't do the things we want to do because of pain or depression, it's easy to give into despair. It it only by focusing on what we DO have rather than what we don't have; by believing in the promises of God and standing on those, that we can even raise our head off the pillow in the morning. It is through the light of Jesus that we can get up and put one foot in front of the other. It is through Jesus that we can set aside our fear of not having enough money and believe that He will provide what we need.

The only way to focus on what we know the Lord promises, is to learn those promises, through his Word. Do you find that sometimes when you are struggling that it can be easy to not be in the Word? I do. It's easy to stay in that sorrowful place of despair and just watch TV or sleep, but it really is in these times, that our Bible needs to be open and we need to be seeking out His promises for our life.

I write this as much for me as for you. I struggle with all these things and this is a gentle reminder to myself of what I need to do. I hope that it has helped you, too, if you're dealing with these struggles. It is good to lift one another's heads to the Lord and to remind each other to keep our eyes on Jesus.

God bless you - Julie

Trust in the Lord

I've been having to remember those two little words. Those two powerful words - Trust Jesus! There has been some things going on in extended family that has been difficult for many others in the family. The turmoil hasn't been caused by purpose. It's just something that has happened because of choices and the past coming back to visit us. Do you ever think the past is just that? Past? You just never know because different people have different views on an issue or a person and the door to the past can be flung wide open, no matter how hard you try to keep it shut. When that door opens wide, you better hang on to the only one that can make sense of it all - Jesus.

I was really upset when this situation came up but then I realized that I was not in control. God is. Me getting upset, even for the right reasons, wasn't going to help anyone. Most of all, me. I made up my mind to give everything to God because, as my Pastor loves to remind us, it's all for our good and His glory. God is the same yesterday, today and always, so this fact never changes. He always loves us more than we can imagine and is with us through every situation.

I've seen the truth and the assurance of leaning on God so much over the past seven years. It really is in the troubled times that we see God do His greatest work. I've learned to let things go easier than I used to because I have seen God work so many miracles in my life and my family's life. He has given me a peace that surpasses all understanding. You have to understand that I used to be a worrier. The kind of worrier that would wake up in the middle of the night and fret for hours over something. One day I realized that all the things I had fretted about had never happened or if they did, they weren't nearly has horrible as I thought they would be because the Lord did work through the situation. I decided right there and then never to lose sleep again by being a worrier and I never have again.

Yes, this latest issue is difficult and it hurts my heart to see people I love going through it, but I also know that the Lord who has been with me and given me peace, is also in control of this situation and will give the peace for those involved. He truly will work everything according to His wonderful plan.

If you're dealing with a difficult situation, pain, health issue, financial issue, or whatever the painful situation is, give it to the Lord and allow him to work his plan. Don't fret over it, but pray over it and know that He truly will work it out. I'm so thankful to the Lord for that assurance!

God bless you - Julie

Give Me Jesus

I watched "Courageous" for the first time over the weekend and I absolutely loved it! I really loved "Fireproof" an it was one of my very favorite movies, but "Couragous" was so good, it has surpassed "Fireproof" and gone to the top of my movie favorite list! I think the thing that I loved about it was not only the great and believable storyline, but the fact that it had me laughing at one moment and crying in the next. If you haven't seen it, I really recommend that you do. I'm sure you'll like it as much as I do.

This weekend, we got my loveseat that I adore so much, moved from the library to the living room again. Oh, how happy I am to see my gorgeous couch back in the living room! It's one of those pieces of furniture that just makes my heart happy every time I look at it. Silly, I know. Anyway, I'm really going through things and if they don't mean something to me or don't fit into my decor, they are going "bye-bye". I already have 2 boxes full of things to donate to the thrift store! It's so nice to have space and to be able to really see the few things that are left. It's taking me a lot of time to do all these things because if I do too much, the pain reminds me that I shouldn't have. I'm so blessed to have my husband and son's help, though! They have been just beyond wonderful in helping me.

I'm so sad because I found out today that my dear friend fell at the Women's Retreat and broke her ankle! I am praying that the Lord will comfort her and heal her. Such a horrible thing to happen! I pray that her pain subsides quickly.

Life can be complicated, can't it? One minute you're walking along and the next thing you know, you're dealing with a broken ankle, or a herniated disc, or cancer, or some other issue that throws your whole life into chaos. For me, the only way of dealing with all this is to have Jesus in my life. To have a true and complete relationship with Him! He comforts me like no one else can and gives me the hope that is no where else to be found. When I sit with His Word and read his love letter to me, it can bring me out of my despair and it's like getting a warm hug from a friend. Just give me more of Jesus!




May God bless your week!

Blessings - Julie

Guarding our Heart & Mind

It takes effort to guard our heart and mind.  Things that seem totally innocent can evolve into something else entirely.  The Bible tells us, "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 2:12

Not being conformed to this world really requires us to think through each and everything we do and to evaluate each and every relationship we have or are thinking about having. There is so much to "do" in this world in the form of social networking, tv, movies, blogging and reading blogs, texting, and so on. We can get pulled into all these things so easily because they are fun.  They will also eat up a lot of our time and we end up not doing the things that the Lord has called us to do.  How many mornings have I said, "I'll just check my email." and then I end up going to Facebook, or reading my favorite blogs and I waste so much time, I'm rushed to do my quiet time with the Lord, or I don't do it at all?  Housework gets pushed behind and it all becomes a very bad thing.

I have to make a concerted effort to start my day with the Lord and not my computer.  Instead of checking my emails first thing, I have to completely stay away from the computer until I've spent my time with the Lord and done the chores in my house that require my attention.  I have to do what the Lord says and do what is good, acceptable and perfect.  It's not always easy but so worth it to be obedient to the Lord.  

Relationships are the same way.  Before we enter into a relationship, it's really important to have discernment about it.  As a Christian woman, I don't want to have a friendship with someone that doesn't have the same values as I do.  Yes, I can be friendly with all people, but to enter into a friendship with someone that doesn't love the Lord and her actions and lifestyle reflect that, is not going to be good for me.  I'm going to be influenced by that friend and possibly get drawn into things that are unacceptable to the Lord.  Yes, we should share the gospel of Jesus Christ with everyone, we should be nice, kind, and friendly, but I'm talking about relationships here. My Christian doctor once said to me that "we are always going to be drawn to the lowest form of behavior so it's important to have the right kind of people around us."  I think Colossians 3:1 says it best - "If then you have been raised by Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God."

It's also important to remember this for our children, too.  What kind of friends do your children have?  Are you teaching them discernment when it comes to choosing friends?  Are you reminding your older children that this is important in their choice of not only friends, but their choice of who they wish to court?

The Lord tells us not to be unequally yoked.  As Christians we are not to be married to a non-believer. The Lord knows that being in a relationship with a non-believer is going to make it all the harder for us to walk with him.  It's that "lowest form of behavior" thing again.  If a person doesn't court (date) a non-believer, then there won't be the chance of marriage - it's that simple.  Why open that door a crack?  Guard your heart!

It's not always easy to make these kind of decisions.  I have had to make changes in my relationships with people because of what was happening to me and how it was affecting my walk with the Lord.  I've never regretted those decisions because I could see what was happening to me.  I would much rather walk alone with the Lord than walk without Him in a group of people.  He is my everything and I don't want to do anything that will affect my relationship with Him.  My relationship with Jesus is the most important relationship of all!

God bless you - Julie