Reaching out

We spend so much time focusing on our issues. We are faced with challenges, overwhelmed with responsibilities, consumed by details, focused on past pain, present circumstances, and future fears.

Everyone has something to worry about, real concerns that need attention. We pray that God fixes our problems or brings us what we long for, and then we wait, frustrated and confused, for answers...

What if we worried about someone else? What if we started noticing other people's pain and reached out to help? What if we took the energy we spent worrying about ourselves and expended it on empathy for a perfect stranger?

On the days we feel most worthless, perhaps we could do something worthwhile? On the days we feel deprived, perhaps we could offer something of value to someone who has less?

Maybe God is waiting on us to show Him what we are asking Him for? Maybe in order to receive, we need to do more giving? Maybe, just maybe, we need to feel safe by risking more.

2Corinthians 9:6

He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully.

Still alive!

What are your first thoughts upon waking? Depends on the day? Depends on your current relationship situation? Your family functionality? Your job status? Your weight?

Upon waking, our first thoughts can and many times do, define our day. Are you thankful and joyful, or mournful and full of dread? Do you take a moment to take stock? Do you plan your day? Does your laundry list of to do items overwhelm you before you throw the covers back?

We give very little thought to the our first waking moments, yet they are perhaps the most important of the day.

You woke up, therefore you are alive! God isn't keeping you here to use up valuable resources, so there is a reason. Are you aware of what it is? Are you thankful for another opportunity to serve him?

God has been around a lot longer than us. He will be around a lot longer that we will. His will is done, whether we cooperate or not. Wake up and face what the day has to offer, your attitude will determine much of what happens!

A morning prayer:

God, thank you for this day. It is ripe with new opportunity to do your work. Help me to keep from moaning and complaining about all of my work and responsibilities. Allow your Glory to shine in all that I do, even the most mundane tasks. Grant me patience and wisdom as I move about my business and remind me that each day is precious and a wonderful gift! AMEN

Peace

We have a powerful enemy. He lies to our hearts and tells us that we are not worthy of love, or forgiveness, or joy. We run around our lives searching for the magic bullet that will make us feel better, never understanding that the peace we long for already resides in us.

Stop believing the lies. You are good enough and worthy enough for happiness. Real happiness, the kind that comes from knowing that there is a God who loves you. Loves you more than you can even imagine.

True peace can be found by quieting your mind, letting go of the lies, telling yourself the truth and best of all believing it!

YOU ARE A ONE OF A KIND MASTERPIECE AND YOU ARE LOVED!

Phillipians 4:6-7

A prayer for those who are struggling to find peace:

God, thank You for loving me! You created me for purpose and life. Help me to feel the peace you know I crave so badly. Help me to let go of the lies that I have believed for so long. Keep me grounded in the reality that you have my best interests at heart and the challenges that I face are designed to teach me how to rely on You. Your Son paid the price for my sin, I no longer need to carry that burden. AMEN

A letter to my Creator

Dear God,

Thank you for making me! I was wonderfully woven together with a big plan in mind. I am sorry for falling short on so many occasions. I am sorry for trying to do Your job. I am grateful that You are so loving and forgiving!

I have learned a lot recently:

I learned that You have great plans for me and I intend to hold up my end.

I learned that I am worthy of love from worthy people.

I learned that I am not a failure in Your eyes. My identity is not measured by my circumstances.

I learned that I belong to a wonderful group of people that You call family.

I know that You have much more to reveal to me, and I will embrace each day as a new adventure that You have placed before me.

Love,

Your Creation

Any Given Day: 40

Growth

With hardship comes one of two things: hardness or growth.

We can choose to become hardened against life, keeping our barriers up and ourselves closed off to possibilities . We can choose to let our bitterness and anger consume our thoughts and affect our actions and eat at our relationships with others. We can choose to decide we are a victim and surround ourselves with people who pity us.

We also have the choice to grow from the experience. We can reflect on where we took a wrong turn and learn from it. We can keep our hearts and our minds open for new possibilities. We are perfectly capable of coming back from a painful and embarrassing experience with a new humility and a greater empathy toward others.

Growth requires reflection, however more than anything, it requires strength and courage. God made us imperfect. We are not Him, and sometimes we need reminders. He uses our pain to teach us where we went wrong in order to grow closer to Him. His reminders can be gentle or they can be tough depending on how far we have strayed off course. As always, they are designed to be a vehicle for growth.

Dear Lord, I am feeling the growing pains of life today! I have so many regrets and so many unfulfilled desires. I have strayed away from your plan for me and I am not sure how to return. Please guide me in the right direction so that I may grow and prosper from this experience! Thank you for loving me enough to bring Jesus to Earth to set the example of growth and humility. AMEN

2 Corinthians 8:10

Any Given Day: 39

Newness.

We love new things! New cars, new clothes, new jewelry, new houses, new....things...

New situations, not so much. Why do we fear the unknown? What is it about being presented with new possibilities paralyzes us? We hang on to old and familiar places, people, jobs, and unhealthy relationships far longer than God wants us to. Why?

What if we embraced the newness of each day as an exciting adventure? Can we be inspired by a new set of circumstances instead of intimidated by it? How do we stop craving the familiar and start welcoming the change?

God will continue to push us in new directions. He knows it is vital to our growth, our sense of self, and His glory. Our lives are wide open with possibilities, yet we cower in the dark corners because they feel safe. A prayer for those of you today who may be frightened of a larger life:

Lord, you know that there is more out there for me. You want me to live fully and seize the opportunity that you have so graciously extended to me. Please help me to see where my fear is stopping me. Give me the strength and courage to face rejection and failure in order to grow and prosper. Thank you for your blessings! With Jesus at the heart of my decisions, AMEN

Jeremiah 29:11

Any Given Day: 38

Choices...

Given a choice between right and wrong, what you would you choose?

Tough question right? "It depends" may have popped in to your head. Who defines right and wrong? The Law? Your conscience? Other people? God? We make choices all day long, many of them unconsciously. All have consequences...

Many of us think we are choosing the right thing, only to find out later it was wrong. Very rarely does is work the other way around...

Prayer works well. Praying before making a decision requires you to slow down. It brings God into the mix. The best part is He never steers you wrong if you give Him the chance. It requires you to actually listen.

Whether the decision is big or small, God wants to be a part of the process! Let Him in and give Him a chance. Prayer isn't just for when you wake up and go to bed, or something you recite at church. It's a chance to communicate with the One who created you and has your best interests at heart. Try it.

Lord, I am at a crossroad and I need your guidance. Help me to make the decision that is best today. Keep me focused on the big picture, Your picture, and do what is right. I trust your decision above my own. You know the ripple effect my decision creates, please help me make the right one. In Jesus name, AMEN

Luke 6:12-13

Any Given Day: 36

Discipline.

Self control is a fruit of the Holy Spirit. If you have accepted Christ, it resides within you. Satan, a powerful enemy, understands this. Our temptations are many and varied. We all have weaknesses, we are all sinners...that does not make us bad people! We make bad choices and there are consequences for those behaviors.

A pathology begins to exist when we surround ourselves only with people who enable the behaviors and refuse to accept help from people who care. Examining why we behave the way that we do or hearing it from others is too much reality to face. It is always much easier to bury the truth under substances and activities designed to numb pain.

Breaking this cycle can only happen with God's help. Accepting that we are powerless over the temptations, asking for forgiveness, and praying for help and healing are key. Discipline then becomes a daily exercise to stretch our faith and flex our Godly muscles. Our relationships with people we love can begin to be restored and we can live with hope and joy!

A prayer for those struggling with toxic behaviors:

Powerful God, you alone know my heart and my weaknesses. Forgive me for the actions that hurt me and the people that I love. I have less control than I would like to have over the dark forces that exist all around me. Remind me to turn to you in times of weakness and assist me in strengthening my discipline and self control. In Christ's name, AMEN.

Proverbs 3:11-12

Fruit of the Spirit, it's in there!

Galatians 5:22-23 (New International Version, ©2011)

²² But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, ²³ gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.

We are these things. If we have accepted Christ as our Savior, and His Spirit lives in us, then we are these things.

We forget though. We get caught up in our personal drama and we believe Satan's lies...

Next time you find yourself saying the opposite, try this instead...

"I am loving, joyous, peaceful, forgiving, kind, good, faithful, gentle, and I have self control. I just need to act like it." It feels weird at first, but it really works!

A prayer for reminder:

Lord, I don't feel the Holy Spirit inside me sometimes. Quiet and peace is necessary for me to redirect my compass, breathe your love, and freshen my mind. Remind me today that I am Yours, You reside in me, and I am your faithful servant! AMEN

Any Given Day: 35

Conflict.

It seems that there has been some confusion.

Something takes place and it is viewed differently by each individual based on previous experience. What actually takes place, the event, the circumstance, the situation itself is irrelevant in the bigger picture.

How we perceive it, is entirely in the eye of the beholder. We don't have to have an answer or a solution right away. Solving conflict with combative confrontation rarely leads to resolution and always creates more drama. On the flip side, it's easier to put a bandaid on a problem or ignore it completely, but it doesn't make it go away...it just starts to fester...ultimately making the problem bigger.

Sometimes the only way to really get to the bottom of things is sometimes just to allow perspective. Space, time, thoughtfulness, and prayer ultimately will lead to understanding. Stepping back instead of engaging, without expectation, without a particular plan, without a solution ready. Just a chance to figure it out, without pressure or a time line. Then both parties can come back to the table calm and prepared.

Letting each individual go where they have to go, do what they have to do, and be who they have to be isn't a bad thing. It's just a thing. If Jesus had to walk up a mountain to get away from the crowds and row out from shore in order to clear his head, then perhaps maybe a walk alone in the dark or a drive to nowhere isn't such a bad idea.

When someone needs to think and sort out thoughts, a little time and space can go along way. Perspective can only be gained from distance, and healthy perspective keeps relationships from deteriorating due to lack of communication and understanding. A prayer for those who are not seeing eye to eye with someone they love today:

Lord, there is turmoil brewing. I don't have the answers, but I am confident that you do. Help us see the big picture and get to the bottom of what exactly the issues are. Provide us with the skills and vision in order to determine the best course of action. May your blessings be upon us as we set about righting the ship, no matter how large the task may seem. In Jesus Name, AMEN

Matthew 14:23

Any Given Day: 34

Family

It's amazing how much of who we are comes from our upbringing. Some of us grew up in healthy, happy households where parents and children communicated lovingly and everyone felt safe. Some of us didn't.

Our relationships as adults stem from what we learned as children, we internalize and carry that forward to our own children. Some of us take the time to examine (sometimes with professional help) how our individual experiences shaped our current state of affairs. Some of us don't. Some of us decide to do better than our parents, some of us forget we have that option.

You have that option. Breaking bad cycles and continuing good ones is a conscious choice each of us make when we become a spouse and a parent, or even just a significant other. There is a responsibility each of us has to ensure that the people we say we love feel safe and cared for. Relationships flourish with loving care, kind words, and acts of service. Relationships wither and die without them, at the cost of emotional bankruptcy.

God explains very clearly what a healthy family dynamic should look like throughout most books of the bible. Paul wrote Timothy a very poignant letter outlining how we should treat our family members. The care that he describes is not just financial. We have a responsibility to take care of each other emotionally as well. Then we can take care of our spiritual family more effectively outside of our house. We are all connected and it starts within the home.

A prayer for those who face conflict inside the walls that should be our safe haven from a crazy world...

Heavenly Father, You are the patriarch we should be looking to for guidance on how best to serve our families. Teach me how to handle mistreatment, and how to avoid inflicting pain on those I love most. Jesus showed love to His family, His followers, and those who despised Him. Teach me how to do the same. Give me the strength to stand tall, turn the other cheek, hold my tongue, and control my behavior. You love me unconditionally. Keep me close and protect me today. AMEN

1 Timothy 5:8