Leaning on the Holy Spirit

My church has signed up for an online video Bible study library (RightNow Media) which gives the congregation access to a great multitude of teachers and their guided studies of God's Word. Tonight as I sit on my bed after a day filled with phone calls to coordinate doctors appointments, testing, and even dealing with paperwork & attorneys for my court hearing next week regarding my application for disability.  I sat down and decided to take a break and 'fill my spiritual tank' so to speak. 

I had previously been watching a series on suffering, but tonight I clicked on the first session of a study called 'When God's Spirit Moves' by Pastor Jim Cymbala. I honestly don't even know why I picked that because I normally complete one study before starting another. Anyway, I'll try to get to the point I want to share, which is this...Tonight amidst the chaos and the beauty that are both part of my life, I was reminded that just as God the Father sent Jesus to redeem us, Jesus sent the Holy Spirit to Indwell in us. We don't just have to be in our head all the time, reading and rationalizing the Bible and trying to figure out how to apply it in our lives, how to use it to help ourselves, and to share it with others. Fortunately, the Holy Spirit actually communicates to us with feelings and emotions, He guides us & encourages us when we are in need of comfort. 

I don't mean to sound weird to those who haven't experienced this, but I'm almost 40 years old and there have been times that I can physically feel the presence of the Holy Spirit.  Oh how I love Him! 
These experiences make me love God even more for caring enough about me, about us, to send us this helper who speaks to our hearts. What I love the most is the fact that like the book 'The 5 Love Languages' by Gary Chapman, the Holy Spirit knows us through and through and speaks to us in our individual love language.

Tonight as I listened, I could feel emotions bubbling up inside me, I knew the words of the Pastor were meant for me, for my situation today, and to remind me that as a Christian, I have a constant companion who loves to speak to my heart if I will slow down and listen.

I'm sure the Holy Spirit feels different to different people, but tonight I felt peace...like it washed over me and immediately took away my stress and anxiety over my circumstances, I didn't feel alone (though no one else was in my room), and I felt joy, which is an emotion that intellectually feels counterintuitive to my circumstances.

I feel Joy, not because I'm happy for my health or life problems, but because I am reminded that I serve a big God, who will never leave me and who cares enough to send me a comforter.

When I feel the Holy Spirit, I feel safe in an unsafe world. And as the study was coming to a close, and I was feeling this Peace, Love, & Joy, they played a song by the choir at Pastor Cymbala's church, the Brooklyn Tabernacle, tears of joy fell from my eyes because I knew that I'm not alone and I am loved...and the Lord and God that I serve loves me enough to allow me to feel a glimpse of His love for me from time to time, just when I need it most.

These are the moments that are hard to explain to an unbeliever who has not been lucky enough to experience this. But if that is you, let me encourage you to seek out the Lord. Life is becoming a challenge in one way or another in most people's lives, and you don't have to do this alone.  I believe that we are made by God to have these relationships, it doesn't make is weak to need them and experience them, it makes us complete.

In my room, I prayed with tears running down my face, thanking God for being present in my life in many ways; God as my Father and Protector, Jesus as my Savior and Instructor, and finally the Holy Spirit as my Comforter and Encourager....my own personal life coaching team.

Nothing compared to what I felt tonight, and I don't get to feel it all the time, though I wish I could, but it is there when I need it most. Peace in the midst of a storm.

Tonight I pray this for anyone who reads this post. May you ask to feel God's Supernatural presence and receive it in your own personal love language. May the interaction be significant to you and help you to know that no matter what comes your way:

1. You are not alone
2. God will help you through your trials
3. You are loved more than you can possibly imagine and your emotions, feelings, and thoughts are important to God

If it can happen for little ol' me, it can happen for you. Try it, what do you have to lose?

As Christians I think we forget about the very real power of the Holy Spirit, who is 1/3 of the trinity and because of that, He is also God.

At your conversion you were sanctified and became a home for the Holy Spirit. God is inside you....me too....we must let that sink into our psyche. The power of The One and only Creator is inside us. We should not be afraid, we should not walk with our heads down, we can walk tall, no matter what we've done, because God can see who we want to be in our hearts and it pleases Him beyond words to know that you want your life to please Him! The intention of our heart is most important to the Lord, and thankfully He can see through all the distracting junk so He can speak His love directly to us!

I'd like this long post to end with a prayer to my mighty Lord from His humble servant.

Thank you Lord for reminding me of your abundant love for me and the fact that you have a plan for my life! I pray that my story/testimony will help someone to understand you a little better. I ask that you would touch those who read this in a way that would be undeniably you. May Your Holy Spirit fill us, guide us, and be our comfort and compass in life. In Jesus name, Amen.

God is bigger than my last experience

Hello blog world!  I've been out of touch for a year or so and I was amazed to come back to my blog to see that people are still reading my older posts and I've gotten several direct emails over the past year from readers encouraging me that what I write is effecting people around the globe.  This has been a blessing to me as I've been traveling through a rough patch of life that left me in a place where I had to step away from the computer and blogging and focus on my health and my family.  I'm not sure at this point how often I'll post, but I'm hoping that it will be weekly (Lord willing)  Thank you to those of you who have hung in there and Welcome to those who are new and reading this!

Today I read a post that said "God is bigger than my last experience" and this got me thinking about the fact that our emotions and experiences often distract us and get us discouraged and off track.  For me personally, I believe that at least for this season in my life, pain and illness is my experience...or like the Apostle Paul called it, his "thorn in the flesh".  My experience or 'thorn' is difficult....it hurts, but I have a choice.  I can focus on the pain, on the things that I can no longer do, on the people who have left my life because living around someone with a chronic disease isn't always 'fun', or..........I can force my brain to look outside of how I feel, whatever the last experience was that was difficult or disappointing, and focus on the fact that God is good, He loves me, He has helped me to get through days I never thought I'd make it through, He has given me the gift to love people in spite of their past or the things they have done to hurt me, He gave me the ability to have compassion for others who are hurting and to be able to communicate and reach out to others in need.

The following is hard at times for me to swallow, but the very fact that He has ultimately allowed every bad thing that I've experienced, He is using it for His glory and my good.  You might wonder how and the answer is this; I have an understanding and compassion for those who hurt (both physically and emotionally) that only comes from walking through those deep valleys of pain.  I can look someone walking a similar road in the eyes and tell them that I get it.....my experience may not be exactly the same but I understand the struggle, the fight, the fatigue, and the need for support, and they can see in my eyes that I understand something that most people don't ... only because I've been there.  This is the beauty from the ashes (which for me is the death of my life as I dreamed it before illness and injury which included an adventurous life and many children), my gift is to be used by God to be His Hands and Feet on Earth...loving people, and it is a privileged and honor.

God IS bigger than my last circumstance! And my last circumstance is just that.....a circumstance.  And yes, sometimes they are truly difficult and even at times life altering....but PRAISE GOD....circumstances can change!  God's story for my life and yours is not yet over.  Many of us are only part way through the story of our lives and beautiful things can still come from broken circumstances.

I'm amazed as there is a very large field of grass that contains Elk and many other wild animals that they put in a controlled burn each summer.  They burn a large section of it and when I first see it (even though I've watched this process many times) I first look at the charred blackness covering the ground and feel sort of sad, but it only takes a few days and new life is growing from around those ashes.  And right now I can drive to that same field that was burned about a month ago and see the lushest green grass that you can imagine, and all the wildlife is in it, around it, and over it.....enjoying its bounty.

So, it's good to remember that as believers, God has a hope for us, for our future and even if our circumstances look bad and pretty charred, God will bring beauty out of the ashes, he will put a song in our hearts and gift us with things we can't yet imagine.  We must hold on and have faith in times when all we see is the scorched earth, for that is NOT the end of the story!  New life is growing underneath our feet!  Have hope, be at peace, and learn to trust in your Faith in the Lord above your circumstances!  That is my goal!

God Bless!

Jessica

Living with Lupus

I have SLE, which stands for Systemic lupus erythematosus.  It is a long-term autoimmune disorder that may affect the skin, joints, kidneys, brain, and other organs.  Each person experiences it a little differently, but one thing is the same for all of us, as of today, there is no cure.

I originally posted this article on my other blog Mind Crumbs where I usually talk about crafts, homeschool, natural remedies, and miscellaneous life happenings. However, I decided to post this particular blog here as well because I have a different fan base and I speak more often here about my health struggles and living life with a chronic disease.  I know that many of you out there are experiencing similar struggles.  I'd love to get your feedback (comment below or if you want to communicate privately, you can fill out the form on the 'Contact Me' tab).

Recently, I was in a forum on a Lupus website and there was a woman who said that she had just been diagnosed with Lupus and she wanted people to share information with her regarding what worked for them when coping with the symptoms/diagnosis of Lupus.  She wondered if there were any natural remedies that help with symptoms.  Her question was basically, "I have Lupus, now what?"

My hope is that someone will find this to be informational and/or helpful.  I want to encourage people to see that it is not all out of our control.  And if you are a friend or loved one of a person with Lupus, try to be patient, understanding, and compassionate.  Spend a little time researching Lupus (not too much...it can be scary), and just remember that you don't have to FIX IT (you can't anyway), but just BE THERE.  You can't always see our illness because our own body is attacking itself from the inside out.  But just because we look like you, doesn't mean we feel the same.  

A great website that I referred my family to when I was first diagnosed, was http://www.butyoudontlooksick.com/. Read the article 'THE SPOON THEORY'.  If you have Lupus or a similar disease, copy and paste it and send it to your friends and family!  It will help them to understand why you can't do the same things that you used to.  My husband still talks to me in terms of 'how many spoons do you have left today?'.  (That will make more sense after you read it)

Finally, after all of that, here is my letter to the woman I referred to at the beginning of this post:

-------------------------------------------

Dear (name left blank on purpose),

I am very sorry to hear of your diagnosis, but I would like to encourage you that although your life will change with Lupus, it is still possible to live a good life.    You have to be careful what you listen to however, because when I was first diagnosed, several people told me that they knew someone or knew OF someone who had died from Lupus.  That was very scary and disheartening to me, not to mention NOT HELPFUL!  People just don’t always think before they speak and sometimes they just don’t know what to say and/or perhaps don't fully know what they are talking about.  But the more I know, and the longer I live with Lupus, I have discovered that the majority of people LIVE with Lupus...not the other way around.  That is encouraging.  For me, I have family members who also have Lupus, but even so....I still did not understand much about it until after I was diagnosed.

Lupus has forced me to slow down and to constantly be aware of eliminating as much stress from my life as possible (it is an ongoing process).  Of course every person with Lupus experiences it a bit differently, but one thing that seems to touch most people is stress.  Stress seems to be a huge trigger for flare ups for most people living with Lupus.  

I've been diagnosed for 9 years now.  I take medicine but some of the simplest and most helpful tips are lifestyle changes.  They are invaluable when you realize how important they are to how you feel.

IMPORTANT CHANGES YOU CAN MAKE ARE:

* Getting sleep!  If I am overtired or struggling with insomnia, my symptoms are DRASTICALLY worse.  And I am not exaggerating, lack of sleep can really make my pain much worse.  Guard your sleep as if it was as valuable as Gold.

* Reduce Stress!  Weed out dramatic people in your life. I'm going to say that again....remove toxic people from your day to day life!  When they are family, limit your interactions (especially when in a flare up).  Take time for yourself to relax (it's best if you can do this daily, even if it is just for 15 min's), let your world stop...put on relaxing music, take a bath, meditate, etc.  I am a Christian so I will read my Bible, but do something that allows you to 'fill the tank' so to speak.  This step is SO important!  I also had to stop volunteering to do so many things, I had to limit my time out with friends and readjust things a bit.  I began having friends over more than going out, or talking on the phone instead of meeting in person.  We meet at coffee shops instead of longs days out.  (Don't get me wrong, you don't have to stop doing everything fun, but you will learn your limits.)

* Listen to your body!  It will tell you a lot if you pay attention.  I find that I must pay attention before I've gotten to the place where I've done too much (like being at the point where I'm tired or my body hurts). I've discovered that I can overdo it and not even realize it until the next day.  I might be having a garage sale, going shopping, or just standing on my feet a long time and I feel fine while doing it, but the next day I can wake up feeling awful and dealing with serious pain, inflammation, and fatigue.  Pay attention as you live day to day and figure out what activities makes things harder for you or how long you can do certain activities without suffering later (this is a trial and error process but you'll get there).

* Eat Well!  I have found that eliminating processed foods helps.  Eat whole foods (foods that are about the same as when they get picked or harvested).  Eat organic when you can (I notice benefits from reducing the chemicals I'm ingesting).  Farmers markets are great.  Many local farmers may not be certified organic but they use as few chemicals as possible and produce great food that had not been processed for traveling thousands of miles via trucks, etc.  The farmers are usually happy to tell you their farming practices.  Buy meat from local farmers if you can (split a beef with a friend or two if you eat meat)...find someone who lets their cattle graze and eat a natural diet with minimal use of antibiotics.  Better yet....eat Venison, Elk, or Wild fish (be careful, some lakes and other locations can be stocked with farm raised fish).  I didn't change my eating overnight...its been a process stretching many years, but each change is progress.  When faced with a food choice, try the best option available.  And remember, eating fresh fruits and vegetables isn't just a better option; they provide much needed nutrients for your body. 

* Surround yourself with good people!  There is an old saying that says 'We are a product of our environment'.  While I don't totally support that saying, there is some truth to the idea that if we are surrounded with negative people...we tend to see things as worse off and it causes more stress (obviously a bad byproduct) and is unlikely to help you.  But if you surround yourself with people who encourage you, lift your spirits, make you laugh, love on you, and who support you...you are likely to be less stressed and you will enjoy your life much more!

The good news is that all of these things ARE within your control!  There is so much that is unknown about Lupus and varying ideas of how to treat the symptoms.  I encourage you to take control of your life, be informed and don't just expect that a Dr. will give you everything you need.  They just can't and I find that often they are just making educated guesses regarding what will help you.  Never be afraid to ask questions or tell them the details of how you're feeling or what hurts.  Be your own health advocate.  And getting a second opinion regarding new treatment is something you might want to consider as well if it is financially feasible. 

None of these things seem like rocket science, and they are all sort of common sense things that most people know....BUT don't be fooled into thinking that they are not important.  Even though we know these things, you may find it is much harder to put into practice than you think.  And as time goes by, we discover the true benefits of having these things in place.  You can take all the medicines that a Dr. can prescribe, but if these other areas of your life are out of order, you will still struggle.  I know this from experience.

I know this is a very long response.  These are just things I wish someone would have shared with me when I first found out I had Lupus.  I know it may seem overwhelming, but remember these are things to do over a period of time.  You don't have to change everything today.  I would like to also share with you that because I have Lupus and have made these changes over the years, my life is better.  I have way less stress, I am surrounded by friends who love me and encourage me, I value the things more that really matter in life, I don't take as much for granted and I focus on stopping to smell the roses (so to speak).  I'm far from perfect, but I am much better than I used to be!

One thing my Dr of many years shared with me the day I was diagnosed was this, "Jessica, you can do this!  Don't allow this to beat you or ruin your life."  I personally had a long story of medical issues before my Lupus diagnosis, and I had just gotten through 3 back surgeries and a spinal implant to help with permanent nerve damage in my leg when I was told I had Lupus....so I was very distraught when I was told I had Lupus because I thought I was finally feeling better after 3 of the worst years of my life.  I didn't want to hear that I had another thing to battle.  But my Doctor was right...I am surviving with Lupus.  I have good days and not so good days, but it is possible to manage it!

Be encouraged.....and know that some people with Lupus have infrequent flare ups.  And I've heard of many people who have adjusted the things I mentioned above and DRASTICALLY reduced their flare ups.  When I can manage my stress and environment well....I do SO MUCH better!

I hope that this helps and isn't just completely overwhelming. 

Best Wishes,

Jessica

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LUPUS TRIVIA 

The following celebrities suffer from Lupus:

• Tony Braxton (Singer)
• Seal (Singer) - A Lupus rash was the cause of his facial scarring.
• Terri Seymour ("Extra" Correspondent and former girlfriend of Simon Cowell)
• Nick Cannon (Actor, Host, Comedian, & Musician)
• Tim Raines (Athlete/Baseball)
• Portia de Rossi (Actress, Wife of Ellen Degeneres)
• Barbara & George Bush's Dog Millie (Yes, that seriously made the 'celebrity' list.  Ha!)
• Kelly Stone (Sister of Actress Sharon Stone, the two started Planet Hope)
• Mary McDonough (Actress best known for her role as "Erin" on "The Waltons"
• Michael Jackson (Singer)

Movie Review: Alabama Moon

Alabama Moon
(Released 2011)

MOVIE SYNOPSIS

(Synopsis from http://www.alabamamoonthemovie.net)

 

Eleven-year-old Moon Blake has spent most of his life hiding out in the forests of Alabama with his father, an anti-government radical who clings to conspiracy theories and trusts no one. Moon's life suddenly changes when the land is sold and his father dies. 

 

Knowing only what he learned from his father, Moon decides to follow his last instructions; make your way to Alaska where "people could still make a living off trapping." In the path of civilization, Moon quickly lands himself in a reform school where he meets the mean-spirited Constable Sanders and learns what friendship is all about. 

 

Determined to get to Alaska, he and his new friends escape from the school outwitting Constable Sanders each step of the way. "Alabama Moon" is a classic kid's film (based on the novel by Watt Key), complete with adventure and survival that most kids only dream about.

Starring: Jimmy Bennett (No Ordinary Family), Uriah Shelton (The Glades), and John Goodman (Evan Almighty)

 

Directed by: Tim McCanlies 

MOVIE TRAILER 

MOVIE RATING - PG

(Movie Rating & Parental Info. from http://www.commonsensemedia.org/movie-reviews/alabama-moon)

What parents need to know:

Parents need to know that this family adventure movie, based on a bestselling 2006 novel by Watt Key, features some intense scenes of violence, including the death of a parent, and a shot of a broken leg with protruding bone and some gore. A second character also dies. There are knives and guns on view (no shots fired), as well as some threats and fighting. The movie features some gateway language ("d--n" and "h--l") and some offscreen kissing between teens. The 11-year-old hero makes some mistakes, but eventually learns some good lessons: he learns to trust others rather than hiding away.

Positive messages: The main character engages in some bad (and illegal) behavior, but there are consequences for his actions, and it's all in an attempt to undo his father's wrongheaded teachings: rather than living alone, hiding in the woods, it's more fulfilling to trust and love others. 

 

Positive role models: The main character, Moon, is resourceful and kindhearted. Despite being raised in the woods and taught to mistrust others, he's quick to sympathize and care about the people he meets. However, he is learning, and he makes several dangerous and unlawful mistakes along the way. The lawyer character (played by John Goodman) is also big-hearted and helpful toward a kid he doesn't even know. 

 

Violence: The movie begins with its most intense sequence: an 11-year-old boy buries the body of his dead father. In flashback, we see the father breaking his leg while crossing a fast-moving river. The broken, protruding bone and some gore are visible in one shot. A supporting character also dies (offscreen). Otherwise, the movie features knives and guns (no shots fired), plus threats and shouting, and some manhandling. There's also a brief fight between the boy hero and a slightly older bully. (The hero punches the bully in his crotch.) 

 

Sex: In one scene, an older girl kisses the 11-year-old hero offscreen, and he emerges visibly shaken. 

 

Language: "D--n" and "h--l" are heard at least twice each (from adults). Otherwise, we hear things like "crap," "shoot," and "shut up" from the kids. 

 

Drinking, drugs, & smoking: One boy apparently requires various medical "pills" each day, though it's not clear what these pills are or what they do.

 

Talk to your kids

• Families can talk about the movie's violence. Was it necessary to show the father's gory broken leg? Was it necessary for two characters to die? How does the hero react to, or learn from, these events?
• At what point does Moon start to realize that his father's lessons may have been a bit wrongheaded? What parts of his father's teachings come in handy?
• How does Moon handle the bully, and what happens afterward? is the bully scary? How would this attempt work in real life?

MOVIE REVIEW

I liked this movie, however, I think as a parent you will need to be sure to review the rating information above to see if you feel it appropriate for your family and children.  It does deal with some issues that could definitely be misleading or confusing to small children, and the presence of profanity, while not as bad as many movies presently made, is still disappointing to say the least.  

 

Their are serious issues mixed in with this seemingly light-hearted adventure, such as the serious injury and death a parent, paranoid behavior, death of a childhood friend, child abandonment, and constant law breaking.

 

I believe that some of the issues regarding the boys' disobedience to authority are glorified under the idea that they are brave and adventurous, but these are things that may be very good for discussing with your child afterwards.

Overall I enjoyed the movie, however I would not recommend it for younger children at all and would suggest watching it and discussing with your older children.

 

Happy Movie Watching,

 

Jessica

Purpose Amidst The Pain - God's Wisdom

Have you ever wondered WHY God has allowed pain and suffering into your life?  I know I have!  In July (2011) I wrote about my personal journey with chronic pain and said I would be writing more about it (as well as writing about living in circumstances that we find unpleasant).

The bottom line is that no matter whether you feel life is difficult, not fair, painful, or just confusing...there is often an innate desire within us to find the purpose.

In The Beginning...

I feel that to give you some perspective on my opinion regarding this matter, I need to first show you where I start when it comes to this subject.  I begin at the beginning....Genesis.  

When God made Earth and Mankind, there was no sin, no death, no separation between God and man.  God walked in the garden with Adam and Eve.  They had eternal life...in a perfect world.  There is a reason why we have an internal desire for a life without pain, suffering, sickness, and strife....that kind of world is the one we were first made to live in!

^"God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. God blessed them..." Genesis 1: 27-28

^"God saw all that He had made, and behold, it was very good." Genesis 1:31

"The LORD God planted a garden toward the east, in Eden; and there He placed the man whom He had formed. Out of the ground the LORD God caused to grow every tree that is pleasing to the sight and good for food; the tree of life also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil." Genesis 2:8-9

 

 In Genesis chapter 3, Adam and Eve were tempted and fell victim to the serpent's lies and therefore ate the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil, which they were expressly told not to eat.  

"The LORD God commanded the man, saying, “From any tree of the garden you may eat freely; but from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat from it you will surely die.”  Genesis 2:16-17 

Once this occurred, it changed the fate of humans and their life on Earth forever.

God told Adam and Eve that their consequences for their blatant disobedience to His instruction would be physical and spiritual death.  Spiritual death happened immediately - Adam hid from God and was aware of his nakedness and separateness from God as he was afraid of Him for the first time (Genesis 3:8-13). Physical death happened immediately as well - His human body began to die once the fruit was bitten.  This was the beginning of sickness and death (Genesis 2:17; 3:19).

From these first human parents, our DNA was changed forever.  Every generation from Adam onward would experience physical suffering, the decay of the human body and the vulnerability of the immune system.  In addition, mankind would live in a different kind of relationship with God, no longer together in the garden...but separate and in need of a Savior. 

Additional consequences were given as a result of eating the forbidden fruit. Mankind was expelled from the Garden of Eden (Genesis 3:22-24) which was self sustaining and perfect, providing them with all the food they would need for survival via seeds and fruit (Genesis 1:29; 2:9).  Being outside of the garden also meant they would be unable to walk in a physical and unhindered fellowship with God. (Genesis 3:8)  The land outside of Eden was hostile and mankind would now have to work laboriously in the fields to provide the food they would need to survive (Genesis 3:17-19).  Women would now have pain during child birth.  There was also a shift in the role of a wife after the sin of eating the fruit.  She would have a desire of equality with her husband that would not be met, as her husband would now rule over her (Genesis 3:16).

Do you think any of these consequences of that first sin might contribute to your pain and suffering?  Would you have your current circumstances or trials if you were able to walk in the Garden of Eden, being in fellowship with God the Father and eating of the fruit? 

I had mentioned before that I believe that in order to really understand a purpose for our pain, we have to go to the beginning of our story.  Because of the first sin, and the way it changed the world and our lives, we live in a world that includes sin, death, injustice, crime, disease, heartache, and disappointment.

That is the bad news, but the good news is that the story doesn't end there.  God sent the Redeemer, Jesus Christ, and He comes to give us abundant Life.

"The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly." John 10:10 

We are instructed that even though we are required to live in this post-fall world for a time, the redeemed must keep our thoughts and our focus on Jesus and on the eternal life that He has provided us through His sacrifice on the cross. 

"Therefore if you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth. For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory." Colossians 3:1-4

We also must remember that God loves us more than we can even comprehend...that's why He sent His Son to be a sacrifice for all our sins to take the punishment for our crime. Even after Adam and Eve sinned, after He had to destroy our wicked world with the flood...he still loved us!  God wants to bless us, and He made sure that would happen for each of us who choose to follow Him!
 
^"Sing praise to the LORD, you His godly ones, And give thanks to His holy name. For His anger is but for a moment, His favor is for a lifetime; Weeping may last for the night, But a shout of joy comes in the morning." Psalm 30:4-5

So, you may be wondering, if God loves me so much then why is He allowing me to suffer?  One reason He allows such things is because we are subject to the consequences of sin in our current world.  That is why He has promised us a new world that we will live in for eternity.

"Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth passed away, and there is no longer any sea. He will dwell among them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself will be among them, and He will wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there will no longer be any death; there will no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain; the first things have passed away.” Revelation 21:1,3,4

The reason for suffering is 
not the same for every person or circumstance.  ONLY God knows the true reason, but the bottom line is that nothing happens in this world without God allowing it to happen.  That doesn't mean that it was His original desire for us (he showed us His original design in Eden).  

God does promise His people that He will give us strength and comfort to endure life this side of Heaven. 

"Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Everlasting God, the LORD, the Creator of the ends of the earth does not become weary or tired. His understanding is inscrutable. He gives strength to the weary, and to him who lacks might He increases power. Though youths grow weary and tired, and vigorous young men stumble badly, yet those who wait for the LORD will gain new strength; they will mount up with wings like eagles, they will run and not get tired, they will walk and not become weary." Isaiah 40:28-31 

"No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, so that you will be able to endure it." 1 Corinthians 10:13

God will cause good to come out of all of our bad circumstances if we are His.

"And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose." Romans 8:28 

Sometimes God allows pain and suffering for the purpose of bringing other to Him or to bring Him Glory, which is a way of sharing Him and His ways with others.

In John 11 you can read the story of Lazarus, the man (a friend of Jesus) who died and Jesus brought back to life.  Jesus knew that Lazarus was deathly ill because his sisters Mary and Martha had come to Him and told Him. He was deeply troubled when Lazarus died because He loved him and his family. But there was a greater purpose, if he had just healed Lazarus in the beginning it would likely have only effected his family and maybe a few in his community, but raising Lazarus from the dead is a story still told 2,000 years later!



We may never know the details behind the 'why's' of our suffering this side of Heaven, but we can trust that none of it is a surprise to God.  We can trust that God will give us the strength to endure and if we let him, the courage to come through it victoriously.  We can't be overcomers without trials to overcome.  Sometimes the biggest testimony is to be going through things that are obviously too difficult to endure alone (to you and to those around you) and for God to give you His peace and joy right in the middle of it all.  


Having strength to endure, courage to continue going forward, and the faith to give all your emotions about your circumstances to Christ and replacing them with His peace, joy, and love.....these are acts that give Glory to God.  This process is supernatural!  It takes us laying down our earthly cares, hurts, and feelings and replacing them with supernatural gifts that come from The God of Love.


Focus on Jesus....someday you may know the reason behind the hurt, or perhaps you will lose your desire to want to know, but either way you will be in relationship with the One who made you...who also happens to be the only One who knows you fully and has the ability to heal you from the inside out.


My prayer today is for all of us who have suffered in our lives, that we would be able to stop focusing on everything that hurts or all that is bad and replace it with the promises of God.  That supernatural peace would wash over us...and in the middle of it all we would find Joy....abundant Joy....the kind that makes us smile.  May we take all of our cares to Jesus and ask Him to take care of them, knowing that we are leaving it in capable hands.  May God bless our efforts of obedience and may we bring Him Glory.  Amen.

Where's My Armor?

"Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes."

Ephesians 6:11

There are times in our lives when we can feel so bombarded with negative circumstances that it can be overwhelming.  

I was recently thinking about this and discussing it with my husband and I made note of how we can look back at our lives and often find seasons of difficulty where it was overwhelming and then also see seasons of difficulty where we did much better in handling the challenges that came our way.  What was the difference?

I had been thinking on this a bit and in my own life I had felt some conviction about how I was responding to life's trials.  Was I acting as though I trusted God and was I abiding in His Word and instructions?  

The scripture reference above is just a small piece of the instruction given.  Read the full scripture below.  This isn't just a portion of words from a book called the Bible, these are God breathed....real....living instructions given for the purpose of helping us and instructing us so that we might live in victory!

"Finally, be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of Truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace.  In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.  Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God."  

Ephesians 6:10-17

(underlined emphasis is mine)

Before this scripture I wondered what could have been the difference between my times of difficult circumstances where I felt victorious, and the times when I felt defeated....I believe the answer is in that scripture.  I didn't have my armor on.

I have been a believer for most of my life, and although that might seem like a good thing, sadly there are times where I find myself being lazy or even prideful and forgetting to do things that were once foundational.  

We must not forget to put on our armor!  We are living in a world at war, and not just the physical world, but as the scripture says, we are warring "against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms."

What this means is that even though we may not see an enemy standing outside our doors or in our homes pointing his weapons at our head....he is still there.... in the spiritual realm.  Are we ready?

The point that I felt God stirring in my heart yesterday was this....why am I complaining about the sting of the arrows when God has provided me with full armor to protect me and it is all laying at my feet and I simply need to just pick it up and put it on?  Of course I am going to get hurt when I walk around unprotected against the enemy, why would I even think otherwise?

What can we do to put on the Armor of God?

BELT OF TRUTH - You cannot hold a sword without a belt.  This is listed first because without knowing the Truth of Jesus Christ as Savior, you cannot weild the sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God. "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." John 14:6

BREASTPLATE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS - God made a covenant with His followers, His righteousness covers us when we are in relationship with Him. Righteousness comes by complete Faith in Him and with that you will desire to abide in His Will and be obedient to His Word.  I believe righteousness can not be earned, it is given to those who believe as a gift from the Father.  Therefore, to walk in righteousness we must walk in relationship with the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled" Matthew 5:6

SANDALS OF PEACE - Inner peace comes from resting in Christ, knowing that He has taken your place on the cross and you can be in relationship with God the Father.  Christ also intercedes for you with the Father, you can rest in His care. Jesus is the "Prince of Peace" Isaiah 9:6. And we are also given peace from the Father, which comes from relationship with Him. "And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus" Philippians 4:7  But we cannot spread God's peace without first spreading His gospel.  "How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach unless they are sent? As it is written: "How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel of peace, who bring glad tidings of good things!" Romans 10:14-15

SHIELD OF FAITH - This is the first thing listed that you don't just wear, you must hold it up.  If you have a shield on your arm and someone shoots an arrow at you, the shield is no good if you leave your arm down at your side.  You must raise the shield to cover yourself.  Faith is similar, we cannot just say we have faith, but must 'raise it' or execute it in our daily living.  Faith is not easy, it is linked to things we hope for but do not see.  It links back to Trust, we must trust in the promises of God and Christ to be able to live in faith. "Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen." Hebrews 11:1

HELMET OF SALVATION - A helmet protects your head from attack, and salvation does the same thing only in a larger scope.  Salvation is to be saved (from something bad) and Christ saved us from eternal separation from God by dying for our sins and thus connecting us back with the Father through His love and act of sacrifice.  Since we have an enemy, the helmet of salvation will protect our minds.  If we focus on the hope that we have in Jesus, it helps to protect us from depression, overwhelm, and fear...which are all from the enemy.  "The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?" Psalm 27:1

SWORD OF THE SPIRIT - The Word of God is the sword and the Bible calls the Word "a lamp to my feet and a light to my path." Psalm 119:105.  His Word sheds light on where we are, where we are headed, and where He would like us to be.  The Word is a most powerful weapon!  God gives it to us not only as a comfort and instruction, but also as a weapon against the enemy. "For the Word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of the soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart." Hebrews 4:12 

 

Lets all make sure we have our full armor on.  Life feels better without the sting of the enemy's arrows constantly piercing our skin.

As many know, we are a homeschooling family, and last year I found an excellent in depth study of the Armor of God on a website called 'Bible Study Guides'.  If you would like a great Bible study for you or your children (especially boys since there is lots of talk of soldiers and weapons), I highly recommend this site.  You can get to the first study (Lesson 1) by following this link:

http://www.freebiblestudyguides.org/bible-teachings/armor-of-god.htm 

The following lessons can be accessed by clicking on the links on the right side of the page. 

May God richly bless you and may we all be motivated to clothe ourselves with the protection that God has given us to keep the enemy from infiltrating our minds and spirit.

Finding Joy In The Midst Of Your Circumstances

This past week I enjoyed some time with good friends. We had time to share details about our lives and talk about some very 'real' issues of the heart.

Have you ever been visiting with someone and you say something or give advice and later realize that you need to listen to your own advice? I do it all the time. It is so easy to encourage someone else, but be needing to do exactly what you were just talking about for yourself. We can encourage faithfulness and pray for peace, joy, or healing and need it all in our own lives.

As we were talking I said something that I later sat back and thought about in more detail and realized that it was one of these examples.

I was sharing that I believe that JOY and peace are issues of CHOICE.  

We can have them in spite of any CIRCUMSTANCE,  

if we choose to!

Lets first define what JOY is:

JOY
1. The emotion evoked by well-being, success,
or good fortune or by the prospect of
possessing what one desires

2. a state of happiness or bliss

3. a source or cause of delight

How do we find Joy?  Here is a scripture that tells us:

Psalm 16:11

"You make known to me the path of life; you will fill me with JOY in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand." (emphasis mine)

We will find JOY in the presence of God!  Not by having a great house, job, car, or by having the best husband or best behaved children....THERE IS NO EVENT THAT EVOKES OR CREATES THE JOY OF THE LORD EXCEPT BEING IN HIS PRESENCE!  I think in our culture we wait for events or circumstances to effect our emotions in a way that creates a temporary feeling of happiness and we confuse that with what true JOY is.  

The beauty of this is that we can choose to be in God's presence ANYTIME, ANYWHERE, NO MATTER OUR CIRCUMSTANCES.  This gives us the ability and the freedom to be joyful (because it is coming from God) when we are sick, when we can't pay the bills, when we are being treated unfairly, and when we are sad.  

We don't have to wait for an emotion, but we do have to become active in our efforts to be in RELATIONSHIP with the One who made us and saved us!  I can pray, I can read my Bible, I can sing songs of praise...no matter how I feel!  Many times these actions will bring about new emotions.  

Next time you are feeling the need for some added JOY, try some of the following ideas:

• Get in the Word - Pick up your Bible (or find one online...I even have an app on my cell phone).
• Take Time To Pray - Get away for a minute, even if you just have to shut yourself in your room or walk into the back yard, and take some quiet time with the Lord.  Tell Him your heart.
• Read Scripture Out Loud - Read some scriptures aloud that remind you of the goodness of God. (Isaiah 30:18, Jeremiah 29:11, Psalm 34:19, Proverbs 16:3, etc)
• Listen and/or Sing Songs Of Praise - Put in a good worship CD and sing or listen to songs that remind you to focus on God's Goodness.  If you don't have worship music, head to one of the internet music sites (Pandora.com, Playlist.com, etc) and create your own playlist or station...they're free!
• Call Someone To Pray With You - Call a friend or family member and ask them to pray with you!  Prayer is a powerful thing and the Bible says in Matthew 18:20 "For where two or three have gathered together in my name, I am there in their midst."

If you follow the Biblical instruction of finding JOY in His presence, you will find happiness and JOY.  And the more that your true desire is to be close to God, then the faster you will feel abundantly JOYFUL just by spending time with Him...no matter what is happening in your day to day life.

Why is Joy important to have?  The following scripture shows us that a benefit of having JOY from the Lord is STRENGTH!  I don't know about you, but I could use all the strength I can get to walk through this life! 


Nehemiah 8:10  

"Do not grieve, for the JOY of the LORD is your strength." (emphasis mine) 

He has also given us the Holy Spirit to help us to understand and follow God's Will (John 14:26) and all we have to do is say YES, I choose to accept these gift from you Lord. I no longer want to allow Satan to control me with fear, stress, and worry and I will CHOOSE instead to take those thoughts captive (2 Corinthians 10:5) and replace the enemy's schemes for evil with God's gifts of blessing and freedom.

The Bible does give us some instruction on what to think about in Philippians 4:8, "Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good report - if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, think on these things."

When we are more focused on God, and our inner Spirit is relationally connected with God, we will experience JOY, peace, and love because we can rest in Him. 

LORD, I pray that you would help us to be in Your Presence more often no matter how busy we think we are.  Help us to remember that Satan has a plan to keep us too busy for you, let us not fall prey to his schemes.  Be with us, be our strength, and be our present help in our time of need, and let us live our days in abundant JOY.  Let our hearts, our eyes, and our desires to be set on You, that You will show us that loving and serving you is all we need because you will do the rest!  Amen.