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Wednesday, February 27, 2013

Be Still


"Be still, and know that I am God." Psalm 46:10

It is amazing what happens in life when I force myself to be still~~it is then that I can see that God is who he says he is.  When I stay wrapped up in my thoughts, the only thing I see are my many problems.  Once I slow down, instead of all my problems, I begin to see how God is moving mountains in my life.  Some of them he completely rids of, while others he simply rearranges so that I can deal with them when he has adequately prepared me for them. 

Do you have problems and mountains in your life?  Financial issues, substance abuse problems, family-related anxieties, school problems, marriage difficulties?  All of these things are mountains in your life that God wants to move or rearrange.  You don't have to move the mountains yourself.  He wants to do it for you.  He is who is he says he is, and if you will be still, he will show you. 

Monday, February 25, 2013

Choosing not to Rip You a New You-Know-What


I hate it when someone from my past tries (and succeeds) to bring me down by throwing my past in my face.  I mean, come on!!!  It's my past, leave it alone.  My past itself does a good enough job at throwing itself in my face without someone else's help!!

I bet if this certain someone took a few seconds to dwell upon his or her past, he or she would quickly realize that he or she has a regretful past as well.  I'm not saying his or her past is worse than mine, cause many times I find it hard to believe that anyone could have a past worst than mine, but I can assure you that his or her past is not perfect.  We have all made mistakes.  We have all fallen short. 
Romans 3:23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.

But, the main point is that none of us should be living in our past, and we most definitely should not be throwing someone else's past up in their face.  Part of me wants to tear into someone who throws my past up in my face.  I wanna rip them a new you-know-what.  I wanna find out every little thing I can about this person and use it to bring them down.  BUT, I know that's not right, and that fighting fire with fire will only make a bigger fire. 

So, what do I do?  I turn to God.  I see what he has to say about getting over my past, and I also pray that this degrading person will successfully get through his or her depression and stop bringing me down by throwing my past in my face.

Here is what the bible says about getting over the past:

"But one thing I do: forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus" - Philippians 3:14

"Blessed are they whose transgressions are forgiven whose sins are covered. Blessed is the man whose sin the Lord will never count against him. - Romans 4:7-8

God isn't the God of the dead, but of the living. -Matthew 22:32

Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. -Phil 3:13-14

Thursday, February 21, 2013

Fluffy Clouds and Rainbows



I assumed that when I got home from prison my life was gonna be all "fluffy clouds and rainbows."  IT'S NOT!!!  While I know I should not be complaining, for I don't have a sick kid in the hospital and my health itself is holding up, I am still bombarded with many of life's troubles.  From overdue bills to a not-so-ideal living situation (I'm still living at home with my parents at the age of 26), stressful issues seem to be popping up everywhere. 

So, what do I do?  I turn to God.  Several times throughout the day, every day, I have to turn my life's issues and problems over to God.  About five minutes after turning them over to him, I quickly notice that I have picked the problems back up and I'm trying to control my life once again.  Why can't I just let him deal with the problems?  I know that he knows what it is best, and that he can deal with my problems more effectively than I can. 

I need some reassurance that everything is going to be ok.  So, here are some verses that I have looked up.  I hope you may find peace and assurance in them too. 

Isaiah 41:10

'Do not fear, for I am with you; Do not anxiously look about you, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, surely I will help you, Surely I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.'

Philippians 4:19

And my God shall supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus.

Philippians 4:6-8

Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, shall guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, let your mind dwell on these things.

Jeremiah 29:11-13

'For I know the plans that I have for you,' declares the LORD, 'plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope. 'Then you will call upon Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. 'And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart.

Jeremiah 17:7-8

"Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD And whose trust is the LORD. "For he will be like a tree planted by the water, That extends its roots by a stream And will not fear when the heat comes; But its leaves will be green, And it will not be anxious in a year of drought Nor cease to yield fruit.

Psalm 9:9-10

The LORD also will be a stronghold for the oppressed, A stronghold in times of trouble, And those who know Thy name will put their trust in Thee; For Thou, O LORD, hast not forsaken those who seek Thee.

Matthew 11:28-30

"Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. "Take My yoke upon you, and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart; and you shall find rest for your souls. "For My yoke is easy, and My load is light."

2 Corinthians 4:16-18

Therefore we do not lose heart, but though our outer man is decaying, yet our inner man is being renewed day by day. For momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison, while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal.

Romans 8:18

For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us.

Friday, February 8, 2013

I'm Home from Prison


Yesterday morning I awoke in a county jail.  Two mornings before that I awoke in a state Prison.  You have no idea how much God has worked in my life over the past month. 

On January 8, 2013, I was sentenced to five years under the supervision of the Department of Corrections.  The victim of my case, who I have been praying for forgiveness from, showed up at my sentencing and signed an Affidavit stating she wished for me to receive shock probation after 30 days served. 

I was immediately taken into custody after my court hearing that day.  Even on the way to the jail I was praising God that the girl had forgiven me for my terrible crime and that I was only going to have to spend 30 days in jail. 

After 10 days in, I was woke up at five o'clock in the morning and told that I was leaving.  I said, "What?  I am going home?"  The guard said in a smartelic voice, "No honey, you are going to prison."

Never in my life had I been so scared.  But God stayed by my side the entire time I was in prison.  I could see him working on a daily basis.  I will write a more in-depth posting on my stay in prison at another time.

As for now, I am so thankful to be home.  I am so thankful that I have a loving God who never left my side even as I was locked behind bars and barbwire fences.  God didn't stand behind the fences looking in at me yelling at a distance that everything would be ok.  No, He grabbed my hand and went directly in with me into that prison.