I sat down and started staring at this blank screen with the
cursor blinking at me I started thinking about our lives. Our lives are a
lot like this blank computer screen when they start out. A simple, white,
empty canvas ready to be filled up with words and pictures. Throughout this
canvas there will be mistakes made. We type out our story on the screen
and we misspell a word and a red line appears there's that constant reminder
there has been a mistake made. Those reminders are there as a way of
telling us that we made a mistake and something needs to be fixed. Most
of the time we are quick to hit that backspace key and correct the mistake we
just made. While other times we tend to let the errors pile up until the end of
our work.
Wouldn't it be great if life was that simple, that if we made a
mistake or did something wrong we could just it the backspace button and it
would all be gone so we can start over.
So...we may not have the backspace button to erase with; but, we
can make a fresh start.
Your story is constantly being written and you are continually
discovering to ways to succeed and new ways that things won't work out. So
when things don't work out....
We have the opportunity to take the time to REST and RESET...
"This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!" 2 Corinthians
5:17. (NLT)
How can I do this? How does it look?
Take some time for yourself. A little bit time to pause in
the work day and focus on your needs and spiritual health.
Dig into scripture and allow God to speak to you through His
words.
Take a walk in nature and observe the beauty of creation around
you. We often tend to get so caught up in our schedules that we miss the little
things that made our community what it is.
Keep your focus and let in others to help keep you accountable.
Join a Life Group in your local church that fits your needs, or
start your own.
Or maybe, just take some time to spend time with friends.
Develop relationships and invest in one another. If we are always on the
go, then when do we have time for relationships with people? Make time
for each other.
1 Peter 5:6-10 --> upon reading this section verse 10, this does stand out as the key verse here. No matter what we may go through, God is here for us and he will provide us with strength to be restored. In the hands of God our brokenness is powerful. More powerful than we could even imagine!
We can see the face of God in the brokenness, in the storms of life, in our trials and in our tribulations. The difference in 'being broken' and 'being broken open' is when we find that we can let God in to help us heal. God gives us those little signs of comfort that everything is going to be okay.
Listening to Sheila Walsh this weekend, made me think about a few years, remembering hearing from Tammy Trent. These two ladies have amazing stories to tell. In Sheila's book, Honesty and In Tammy's book, "Learning to breathe again,' tells the stories of how they've felt broken and how they've been restored.
His angels are all around us, whether they come in Hilton Housekeeping uniforms, a voice or hug of a stranger or even someone we know well. We are constantly entertaining angels all around us.
So humble yourselves under the mighty power of God, and at the right time he will lift you up in honor. Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you. Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour.Stand firm against him, and be strong in your faith. Remember that your Christian brothers and sistersall over the world are going through the same kind of suffering you are.
In his kindness God called you to share in his eternal glory by means of Christ Jesus. So after you have suffered a little while, he will restore, support, and strengthen you, and he will place you on a firm foundation.
God has His Purpose for all of us! I love when I heard someone say this, 'God just teach me to sing and worship you in the middle of the storm.' Because when we are in the middle of a storm that's really when we want to be focused on God. Which really reminded me how much I really love the song from Casting Crowns, Praise you in this storm. God will get us through the storms in our lives. I can see the pictures -- standing on the sandy beach in the middle of a rainstorm just praising God in the midst of it. How amazing does that sound?
Romans 8:28 -- And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.
I am a Child of God and Daughter of the King of Kings!
I took a couple notes from one of Sheila's messages she shared and I wanted to share some of them here....
God let me reflect who YOU ARE!
A couple of points I've listed from the conference that I was at to help us reflect....
It's okay to talk to yourself. :-) Really it is! :-) You can ask yourself, who does Jesus love? For me, THIS GIRL! :-)
Build an arsenal of the Word of God
Dig for themselves/ourselves
The Word of God is a letter written to YOU by GOD to help you.
Create a stack of cards with verses that you can turn to
Fear --> Psalm 27:1
The LORD is my light and my salvation—so why should I be afraid? The LORD is my fortress, protecting me from danger, so why should I tremble?
Anxiety --> 1 Peter 5:7
Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you.
Overwhelmed -->
My Grace is sufficient for you
My Grace is enough for you
Psalm 143:8......................Treasure deep in your heart Psalm 4:8
The Bible is full of helpful verses for us to live by (God's love letter to us!)
Surround yourself with good people. You will be like the five people you are around the most!
find yourself a mentor -- someone older who can give you guidance, answer your questions and help guide you and just be able to be there for you.
God knows the weight of what we have cried, he holds our tears and he knows when we cry. He is there for us! He will wipe away every tear that falls from our face.
Revelation 21:4 --> He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever.
Love this song from Sheila Walsh. She sang it toward the end of the Women of Faith conference, so I though I would share it on here as well.
