In hard times she had learned three things...
She was stronger than she ever imagined,
Jesus was closer than she ever realized,
and she was loved more than she ever knew.
Wednesday, August 28, 2019
Work is the same
We either make ourselves miserable or we make ourselves strong. The amount of work is the same.
-Carlos Castenada
-Carlos Castenada
Your new life
by Brianna Wiest
Your new life is going to cost you your old one.
It's going to cost you your comfort zone and your sense of direction.
It's going to cost you relationships and friends.
It's going to cost you being liked, and understood.
But it doesn't matter.
Because the people who are meant for you
are going to meet you on the other side.
And you're going to build a new comfort zone
around the things that actually move you forward.
And instead of liked, you're going to be loved.
Instead of understood, you're going to be seen.
All you're going to lose is what was built
for a person you no longer are. Let it go.
Your new life is going to cost you your old one.
It's going to cost you your comfort zone and your sense of direction.
It's going to cost you relationships and friends.
It's going to cost you being liked, and understood.
But it doesn't matter.
Because the people who are meant for you
are going to meet you on the other side.
And you're going to build a new comfort zone
around the things that actually move you forward.
And instead of liked, you're going to be loved.
Instead of understood, you're going to be seen.
All you're going to lose is what was built
for a person you no longer are. Let it go.
Come to terms
Things everyone needs to come to terms with:
-No response is a response
-If they wanted to, they would
-Not everyone has the same heart as you
-No response is a response
-If they wanted to, they would
-Not everyone has the same heart as you
The cost
If you're worried about
the price
of getting started,
you should see the cost
of staying
exactly where
you are.
the price
of getting started,
you should see the cost
of staying
exactly where
you are.
Understands women
Now here's a man who understands women...(not my title)
William Golding, British novelist, playwright & poet
I think women are foolish to pretend they are equal to men. They are far superior and always have been. Whatever you give a woman, she will make greater. If you give her sperm, she will give you a baby. If you give her a house, she will give you a home. If you give her groceries, she will give you a meal. If you give her a smile, she will give you her heart. She multiplies and enlarges what is given to her. So, if you give her any crap, be ready to receive a ton of s...!
William Golding, British novelist, playwright & poet
I think women are foolish to pretend they are equal to men. They are far superior and always have been. Whatever you give a woman, she will make greater. If you give her sperm, she will give you a baby. If you give her a house, she will give you a home. If you give her groceries, she will give you a meal. If you give her a smile, she will give you her heart. She multiplies and enlarges what is given to her. So, if you give her any crap, be ready to receive a ton of s...!
Never apologize for
Things you should NEVER apologize for:
-Crying
-Depression/Anxiety
-How you feel
-Needing/asking for help
-Expressing your opinion
-Taking time to regain peace
-Having high standards
-Being sensitive/emotional
-Trusting your intuition
-Being yourself
-Crying
-Depression/Anxiety
-How you feel
-Needing/asking for help
-Expressing your opinion
-Taking time to regain peace
-Having high standards
-Being sensitive/emotional
-Trusting your intuition
-Being yourself
Safe haven
Your relationship should be a safe haven not a battlefield. The world is hard enough already.
No life
by Paul Washer
We should never present Christ to the unbeliever as the cherry on top of an already wonderful life. The unbeliever must see that he has no life, and that all his personal achievements prior to Christ are monuments to his own vanity: made of sand and quickly passing.
We should never present Christ to the unbeliever as the cherry on top of an already wonderful life. The unbeliever must see that he has no life, and that all his personal achievements prior to Christ are monuments to his own vanity: made of sand and quickly passing.
Residual effects
Unless you are a survivor of emotional abuse you have no idea what it means to fight daily battles in your head with a person you no longer have contact with.
Verbal, emotional and physical abuse have residual effects on the victim. You don't just "get over it."
Verbal, emotional and physical abuse have residual effects on the victim. You don't just "get over it."
Can't be taken
A man that loves you can't be taken away from you no matter how many girls throw themselves at him, remember that.
Change
A real man is going to change his ways for a girl he really wants to spend the rest of his life with
Deep down
I know I have recorded this many times, but I love it
She was beautiful, but not like
those girls in the magazines.
She was beautiful for the way
she thought. She was beautiful
for that sparkle in her eyes when
she talked about something she
loved. She was beautiful for
her ability to make other
people smile even when she was sad.
No, she wasn't beautiful
for something as temporary as
her looks. She was beautiful,
deep down to her soul.
Hardest thing
Being a mother while
trying to repair yourself
mentally & emotionally
is the hardest thing
I have ever had to do.
Protect them
by Holly Kellums
When you love someone, you protect them from the pain.
You don't become the cause of it.
When you love someone, you protect them from the pain.
You don't become the cause of it.
Fall in love with
Fall in love with someone who...
...loves the way you laugh and would do absolutely anything to hear it.
...puts their head on your chest just to hear your heart beat.
...who kisses you in public and is proud to show you off to anyone they know.
...who would never ever want to hurt you.
...who falls in love with your flaws and thinks you are perfect just the way you are.
...thinks that you are the one that they would love to wake up to each day.
Blue returns
by Steven Curtis Chapman
I know it's hard to believe it right now
So let me believe for you
'Til the blue returns to your sky
I know it's hard to believe it right now
So let me believe for you
'Til the blue returns to your sky
Make sense
Your relationship
doesn't need to
make sense to
anyone, except you
and your partner.
It's a relationship.
Not a community
project.
Stop them
by Patrick Doyle
If you are in a relationship
where someone is hurting you,
the most loving thing you can
do is stop them.
Should be treated
You don't realize how poorly
you've been treated in the past until
someone comes along and treats
you the way you should be
treated.
Still there
I don't believe time heals everything.
It helps, it does.
After awhile you won't cry about it all the time.
It won't consume your every thought anymore.
You do get better.
You'll laugh,
And smile.
You'll even have a lot of great days.
But it's still there.
You just learn to live with it.
This is how things are now.
So you get used to it.
But,
That doesn't mean it ever goes away.
It's still deep in your soul.
Still makes you cry when you think about it too much.
Still stops you in your tracks when something
reminds you of it.
You'll have those moments
where your heart hurts really bad.
I don't think time heals everything
Sure it gets better,
But it's a scar that never goes away.
A broken bone that still aches on rainy days.
A broken bone that still aches on rainy days.
-Melinda Caroline
Honor
from Flying Free
When we take a stand against abuse, whether it is abuse in our own life or in the life of another person, we are working on behalf of the Creator, and we bring Him honor.
When we take a stand against abuse, whether it is abuse in our own life or in the life of another person, we are working on behalf of the Creator, and we bring Him honor.
Work of God
Bible Gateway Verse of the Day
John 6:29
Jesus answered and said to them, "This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He sent."
John 6:29
Jesus answered and said to them, "This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He sent."
Perfect peace
Bible Gateway Verse of the Day
Isaiah 26:3
You will keep him in perfect peace,
Whose mind is stayed on You,
Because he trusts in You.
Isaiah 26:3
You will keep him in perfect peace,
Whose mind is stayed on You,
Because he trusts in You.
Monday, August 26, 2019
Deliverance from death
Bible Gateway Verse of the Day
Psalm 116:1-2
Thanksgiving for Deliverance from Death
I love the Lord, because He has heard
My voice and my supplications.
Because He has inclined His ear to me,
Therefore I will call upon Him as long as I live.
Psalm 116:1-2
Thanksgiving for Deliverance from Death
I love the Lord, because He has heard
My voice and my supplications.
Because He has inclined His ear to me,
Therefore I will call upon Him as long as I live.
Great peace
Bible Gateway Verse of the Day
Psalm 119:165
Great peace have those who love Your law,
And nothing causes them to stumble.
Psalm 119:165
Great peace have those who love Your law,
And nothing causes them to stumble.
Friday, August 23, 2019
Jump
"Via Nyu-Tah" (?)
When it feels scary to jump, that's exactly when you jump. Otherwise you end up staying in the same place your whole life. And that I can't do.
When it feels scary to jump, that's exactly when you jump. Otherwise you end up staying in the same place your whole life. And that I can't do.
Everything shifts
When you replace "Why is this happening to me?" with "What is this trying to teach me?", everything shifts.
Worth it
Part of getting out of an emotionally abusive marriage is understanding and accepting the fact that the actual process of getting out of it is pure hell.
But life on the other side?
WORTH IT.
But life on the other side?
WORTH IT.
Self-respect
When someone treats you like you're just one of many options, help them narrow their choice by removing yourself from the equation. Sometimes you have to try not to care, no matter how much you do. Because sometimes you can mean almost nothing to someone who means so much to you. It's not pride - it's self-respect. Don't expect to see positive changes in your life if you surround yourself with negative people. Don't give part-time people a full-time position in your life. Know your value and what you have to offer, and never settle for anything less than what you deserve.
Being beautiful
Let's teach our daughters
it's not about being
beautiful.
Teach them to be bold.
Be silly. Be strong.
Be confident.
Be independent and
intelligent. Be brave and
be fierce. Be real, in a
world full of fake.
Let's redefine beauty.
it's not about being
beautiful.
Teach them to be bold.
Be silly. Be strong.
Be confident.
Be independent and
intelligent. Be brave and
be fierce. Be real, in a
world full of fake.
Let's redefine beauty.
Forever tied
from Scribbles & Crumbs
When a child dies, a parent is still tied to
that child. Souls, tied together across
universes. It doesn't matter the age when
they passed. It doesn't matter how long ago
it happened. It doesn't matter -- none of it.
Their souls are forever tied.
That's the love of a parent. That's the love
that is more powerful than death. That's
the heart that breaks and keeps breaking
until their arms are filled again. It knows
no discrimination based off of age, health,
or time, it just is, and it always will be,
Their souls are forever tied, and there's
nothing that can break them.
That's the beauty of unconditional love.
Brave enough
by Paul Coelho
If you are brave enough to say "goodbye"-
life will reward you with a new "hello".
If you are brave enough to say "goodbye"-
life will reward you with a new "hello".
Exquisite beauty
by Anita Still from Surviving After the Loss of An Older Child
In my mind's eye, I imagined peering over God's shoulder, watching as He attached a radiant gem of vivid green (peridot is my firstborn's birthstone) to my tapestry. Curiously I wondered why the gem? After all, wasn't He attaching exquisite beauty during the greatest tragedy of my life? God looked up and our eyes met. His eyes were brimming with tears. Seeing God in tears made my eyes well up too, but I was still puzzled. Why would God be overcome with sadness while working on something so beautiful? Then it hit me. God knew my sorrow intimately, because He too had lost a son.
~She tells her son's story here~
So why the tapestry illustration? The tapestry is a poetic way for me to represent my life on earth. In my imagination, it is unfinished because my life is unfinished. God painstakingly works the fine stitches with real gold thread as He ponders the moments that have transpired in his daughter's life. Yes! I am God's daughter and so are you! (Whether one believes in Him or not doesn't change the fact that each child is either His son or daughter).
Before gold can be used in my tapestry, it must first be melted in the fires of tragedy to remove the impurities before it is spun into fine gold thread. God adds precious gems in places where my faith has been thoroughly tested, like the terrible tragedy that took the life of my son.
What do the gems represent? Gems are formed deep in the earth where all the right combinations come together: minerals, pressure, and heat. Once cut and polished, they are a pure vision to behold. Likewise, my heart grows deeper and richer in thought and action after tested by the pressure of adversity. Just as stress is required to make gems bright and beautiful, my soul has the opportunity to be refined and purified under the stress of loss.
The knowing look in the teary eyes of God told me that He understood my sorrow. He lost His only Son to crucifixion. It must have been torture for Him to not intervene. I wondered...was it torture also for God to not intervene to save the life of my son?
It is most difficult for us to comprehend that our children are allowed to die. I don't have the infinite mind of God, but this much I understand: He did not intervene to save His own Son because Jesus was on a life-and-death mission to save Planet Earth. If God had stepped in and prevented His Son's sacrifice, that would have changed the trajectory of humanity. There would be no hope of a Grand Reunion with our children someday.
I am so relieved I have reason to hope that I will see my beloved son again. While I wait in expectation, I cling to this truth: God knows my pain for He has experienced worse. For now, this must be enough. After all, I will have all of eternity to get my questions answered. With my firstborn sitting right beside me and surrounded by my family, we will listen as God fills in the missing details of Greg's story. He will fill in the details of your story too. Can you picture it?
In my mind's eye, I imagined peering over God's shoulder, watching as He attached a radiant gem of vivid green (peridot is my firstborn's birthstone) to my tapestry. Curiously I wondered why the gem? After all, wasn't He attaching exquisite beauty during the greatest tragedy of my life? God looked up and our eyes met. His eyes were brimming with tears. Seeing God in tears made my eyes well up too, but I was still puzzled. Why would God be overcome with sadness while working on something so beautiful? Then it hit me. God knew my sorrow intimately, because He too had lost a son.
~She tells her son's story here~
So why the tapestry illustration? The tapestry is a poetic way for me to represent my life on earth. In my imagination, it is unfinished because my life is unfinished. God painstakingly works the fine stitches with real gold thread as He ponders the moments that have transpired in his daughter's life. Yes! I am God's daughter and so are you! (Whether one believes in Him or not doesn't change the fact that each child is either His son or daughter).
Before gold can be used in my tapestry, it must first be melted in the fires of tragedy to remove the impurities before it is spun into fine gold thread. God adds precious gems in places where my faith has been thoroughly tested, like the terrible tragedy that took the life of my son.
What do the gems represent? Gems are formed deep in the earth where all the right combinations come together: minerals, pressure, and heat. Once cut and polished, they are a pure vision to behold. Likewise, my heart grows deeper and richer in thought and action after tested by the pressure of adversity. Just as stress is required to make gems bright and beautiful, my soul has the opportunity to be refined and purified under the stress of loss.
The knowing look in the teary eyes of God told me that He understood my sorrow. He lost His only Son to crucifixion. It must have been torture for Him to not intervene. I wondered...was it torture also for God to not intervene to save the life of my son?
It is most difficult for us to comprehend that our children are allowed to die. I don't have the infinite mind of God, but this much I understand: He did not intervene to save His own Son because Jesus was on a life-and-death mission to save Planet Earth. If God had stepped in and prevented His Son's sacrifice, that would have changed the trajectory of humanity. There would be no hope of a Grand Reunion with our children someday.
I am so relieved I have reason to hope that I will see my beloved son again. While I wait in expectation, I cling to this truth: God knows my pain for He has experienced worse. For now, this must be enough. After all, I will have all of eternity to get my questions answered. With my firstborn sitting right beside me and surrounded by my family, we will listen as God fills in the missing details of Greg's story. He will fill in the details of your story too. Can you picture it?
Not a size zero
from Marilyn Monroe
To all the girls that think you're fat because you're not a size zero, you're the beautiful one, it's society who's ugly.
To all the girls that think you're fat because you're not a size zero, you're the beautiful one, it's society who's ugly.
Absolute perfection
by John Calvin
Whoever is not satisfied with Christ alone, strives after something beyond absolute perfection.
Whoever is not satisfied with Christ alone, strives after something beyond absolute perfection.
Stable enough
Any relationship you have that could get ruined by having a conversation about your feelings, standards, and/or expectations wasn't really stable enough to begin with.
Say yes
by Richard Branson
If someone offers you an amazing opportunity and you're not sure you can do it, say yes - then learn how to do it later.
If someone offers you an amazing opportunity and you're not sure you can do it, say yes - then learn how to do it later.
Counter parent
A narcissist will never co-parent with you. They will counter parent. They don't care about the emotional damage that constant drama inflicts upon the children as long as it causes emotional drama to you.
Wasn't sorry
I never knew how strong I was until I had to forgive someone who wasn't sorry, and accept an apology I never received.
Keep trusting
by Toby Mac
There will come a time when every step of the journey God is taking you on will make sense. Until then, keep trusting Him.
There will come a time when every step of the journey God is taking you on will make sense. Until then, keep trusting Him.
Do better
by Maya Angelou
Do the best you can until you know better. Then when you know better, do better.
Do the best you can until you know better. Then when you know better, do better.
Smile that it happened
If someone comes into your life and has a positive impact on you, be thankful that your paths crossed. And even if they can't stay for some reason, be thankful that somehow they brought joy into your life, even if it was just for a short while. Life is change. People come and go; some stay, some don't, and that's okay. Remember the good times and smile that it happened.
Kindest souls
by Bianca Sparacino, The Strength In Our Scars
Some of the kindest souls I know have lived in a world that was not so kind to them. Some of the best human beings I know, have been through so much at the hands of others, and they still love deeply, they still care. Sometimes, it's the people who have been hurt the most, who refuse to be hardened in this world, because they would never want to make another person feel the same way they themselves have felt. If that isn't something to be in awe of, I don't know what is.
Some of the kindest souls I know have lived in a world that was not so kind to them. Some of the best human beings I know, have been through so much at the hands of others, and they still love deeply, they still care. Sometimes, it's the people who have been hurt the most, who refuse to be hardened in this world, because they would never want to make another person feel the same way they themselves have felt. If that isn't something to be in awe of, I don't know what is.
Wreckage
by Nikita Gill
Wreckage
There is nothing beautiful
about the wreckage of a human being.
There is nothing pretty
about damage,
about pain,
about heartache.
What is beautiful is
their strength,
their resilience,
their fortitude
as they display an ocean of courage
when they pick through the wreckage of their life
to build something beautiful brand new,
against every odd
that is stacked against them.
Hold me up
Bible Gateway Verse of the Day
Psalm 94:18-19
If I say, "My foot slips," Your mercy, O Lord, will hold me up. In the multitude of my anxieties within me, Your comforts delight my soul.
Psalm 94:18-19
If I say, "My foot slips," Your mercy, O Lord, will hold me up. In the multitude of my anxieties within me, Your comforts delight my soul.
Thursday, August 22, 2019
Grace is sufficient
From Bible Verse of the Day calendar
2 Corinthians 12:9
And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
2 Corinthians 12:9
And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
Freely give us all things
Bible Gateway Verse of the Day
Romans 8:32
He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?
Romans 8:32
He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?
My right hand
Bible Gateway Verse of the Day
Psalm 16:8
I have set the Lord always before me;
Because He is at my right hand, I shall not be moved.
Psalm 16:8
I have set the Lord always before me;
Because He is at my right hand, I shall not be moved.
God of my life
Bible Gateway Verse of the Day
Psalm 42:8
The Lord will command His lovingkindness in the daytime,
And in the night His song shall be with me -
A prayer to the God of my life.
Psalm 42:8
The Lord will command His lovingkindness in the daytime,
And in the night His song shall be with me -
A prayer to the God of my life.
21 Values
from Flying Free
by David Cox
Forty years ago THIS WEEK my parents dropped me off at college and kissed me goodbye. It was in freshman orientation week at Gardner-Webb University in the bubbling metropolis of Boiling Springs, North Carolina. What a GREAT experience! I was barely 17 and loving life!
Exactly four decades later, here I still am...and still loving life! It has been a journey that has been twisted and turned in a thousand different ways and been full of highs, lows, and incredible experiences with thousands of people. Below are 21 irrefutable values that I have developed and that have developed me. They are not up for debate any more in my life...they are part of who I am. I have had fun trying to reduce my life-lessons down o these:
1. Priorities change. Most of the things that seemed urgent and critically important to me as a younger man are not even on my radar now.
2. The landscape of people around you changes. People (loved ones, parents, children, spouses, friends, work associates, etc.) grow up, move on, die, get angry & leave, or otherwise move out of your life at some point in the seasons of life. Or, YOU are the one who does the moving. Some of these departures break your heart wide open. Some of these departures are welcomed and even necessary. You are not going to please everyone.
3. We really don't have a clue about what tomorrow will hold. We kid ourselves when we think we have the future all figured out.
4. The vast majority of us can live on so much less than what we currently have/use. Most of us are spoiled and don't even know it. And living within (or under) one's means is far under-rated.
5. The things we store up now - for the most part - are not treasures we will be able to take with us into eternity. So why not lay it up for later? This sounds good, but few adopt it as a value or life-commitment.
6. Success as we measure it here in our world is not the way our Maker measures it. Not even close.
7. Life isn't fair. God is certainly just, but life isn't fair. And at times, you will drive yourself crazy trying to make sense of it. In our Western civilization, we have adopted the pseudo-philosophy that tells us if we live right and do the right things, everything will work out OK. It just isn't a philosophy you can count on...because it isn't Truth.
8. Everybody needs to be loved. It is built into the created design of our DNA. Sometimes the crust of life - formed by the likes of abuse, negativity, fatigue, hardship, tragedy, trauma, sickness, death, etc. - buries one's recognition for love, but the need is inherently present and craves to be satisfied. Few things give more reward in this world than being loved & loving another human unconditionally.
9. Celebrating the successes of others is vital to your own life and health.
10. Children are a staggeringly wonderful blessing. Few things/relationships in this world are as rewarding, few as difficult. You cannot guarantee a child's direction simply because you love Jesus, pray a lot, and give yourself wholeheartedly and faithfully to your child. Ultimately, your child is her/his own person and choose for herself/himself.
11. If you have one real soulmate in this lifetime, you had one more than most will ever have. You can manufacture a lover, you can choose a spouse, and/or you can have/bear children with another person. But a soulmate is ultra-rare, and to be deeply cherished if you are fortunate to have (had) one.
12. EVERYone believes in someone or something. I believe in Jesus Christ. Jesus is Faithful. No matter what. And His Word will never change. There is NO substitute for who He is, whether it be here in this world, or the next. He is the ONLY Savior of the world. His resume is unique and one-of-a-kind. He holds the keys of life after death. His own actual/historical death, burial, and resurrection separate Him from all others who have claimed to be God.
13. The revelation of God in you is going to look different from season-to-season. Move with Him. Your personal calling (ALL of us are called) or purpose in life will shift, in all likelihood. Getting stuck is common and stunting. Be thankful for your past, but never look back except to praise God and learn from it. Flexibility in movement with the rhythm of life and the Holy Spirit is crucial.
14. No matter your faith, a lot of days are simply a matter of surviving. You cannot have momentary victory every day of your life...There will be seasons and days and moments of defeat. At times, we are tempted to base the whole of our lives on this current moment when in reality, the healthier approach is to look at the broader/bigger picture.
15. God is no respecter of persons. Men and women are equal in the eyes of God and there is no superior gender. Much of what we have ascribed to the genders in my generation/lifetime is manufactured & cultural, not necessarily Biblical. The call of Jesus to love, cherish, lead, evangelize, share the Good News, preach and proclaim, and otherwise shout His awesome Name from the mountain tops is the same or ALL people. Women (generally speaking) in our world have been under-valued, under-appreciated, and treated like they are somehow less than men. This needs to be fixed and I want to be part of that reparation process.
16. Heaven's heroes will likely be unknowns from each generation. That is to say, those who are doing the greatest work for humanity do so with little-to-no limelight or fanfare.
17. Life is a gift from God, and it seems to go by quickly. Yet, it is also (potentially) a marathon. A real key is the balance of pacing for the long-term yet living every day like it's your last.
18. Joy is also a gift of God. We all have a measure of it. It should be well-used every day. It can change you perspective about almost anything by simply choosing it over and over again each day.
19. Disaster, calamity, pain, crises, heartache, trauma, disease, discouragement, and so on are almost certainly going to visit you in your lifetime. If you can survive those moments, you can use them as stepping stones into a more well-rounded and well-informed future. Getting through those moments/seasons is crucial. Sometimes those moments are fatal. If you are clinging to Jesus, you have hope, regardless of the outcome.
20. Religion itself is nearly useless. A relationship with God in Christ is priceless. God is not in many of the places today where people claim to know Him. Also, God gets blamed for so much stuff that He has absolutely nothing to do with.
21. You don't know as much as you think you do. Neither do it.
by David Cox
Forty years ago THIS WEEK my parents dropped me off at college and kissed me goodbye. It was in freshman orientation week at Gardner-Webb University in the bubbling metropolis of Boiling Springs, North Carolina. What a GREAT experience! I was barely 17 and loving life!
Exactly four decades later, here I still am...and still loving life! It has been a journey that has been twisted and turned in a thousand different ways and been full of highs, lows, and incredible experiences with thousands of people. Below are 21 irrefutable values that I have developed and that have developed me. They are not up for debate any more in my life...they are part of who I am. I have had fun trying to reduce my life-lessons down o these:
1. Priorities change. Most of the things that seemed urgent and critically important to me as a younger man are not even on my radar now.
2. The landscape of people around you changes. People (loved ones, parents, children, spouses, friends, work associates, etc.) grow up, move on, die, get angry & leave, or otherwise move out of your life at some point in the seasons of life. Or, YOU are the one who does the moving. Some of these departures break your heart wide open. Some of these departures are welcomed and even necessary. You are not going to please everyone.
3. We really don't have a clue about what tomorrow will hold. We kid ourselves when we think we have the future all figured out.
4. The vast majority of us can live on so much less than what we currently have/use. Most of us are spoiled and don't even know it. And living within (or under) one's means is far under-rated.
5. The things we store up now - for the most part - are not treasures we will be able to take with us into eternity. So why not lay it up for later? This sounds good, but few adopt it as a value or life-commitment.
6. Success as we measure it here in our world is not the way our Maker measures it. Not even close.
7. Life isn't fair. God is certainly just, but life isn't fair. And at times, you will drive yourself crazy trying to make sense of it. In our Western civilization, we have adopted the pseudo-philosophy that tells us if we live right and do the right things, everything will work out OK. It just isn't a philosophy you can count on...because it isn't Truth.
8. Everybody needs to be loved. It is built into the created design of our DNA. Sometimes the crust of life - formed by the likes of abuse, negativity, fatigue, hardship, tragedy, trauma, sickness, death, etc. - buries one's recognition for love, but the need is inherently present and craves to be satisfied. Few things give more reward in this world than being loved & loving another human unconditionally.
9. Celebrating the successes of others is vital to your own life and health.
10. Children are a staggeringly wonderful blessing. Few things/relationships in this world are as rewarding, few as difficult. You cannot guarantee a child's direction simply because you love Jesus, pray a lot, and give yourself wholeheartedly and faithfully to your child. Ultimately, your child is her/his own person and choose for herself/himself.
11. If you have one real soulmate in this lifetime, you had one more than most will ever have. You can manufacture a lover, you can choose a spouse, and/or you can have/bear children with another person. But a soulmate is ultra-rare, and to be deeply cherished if you are fortunate to have (had) one.
12. EVERYone believes in someone or something. I believe in Jesus Christ. Jesus is Faithful. No matter what. And His Word will never change. There is NO substitute for who He is, whether it be here in this world, or the next. He is the ONLY Savior of the world. His resume is unique and one-of-a-kind. He holds the keys of life after death. His own actual/historical death, burial, and resurrection separate Him from all others who have claimed to be God.
13. The revelation of God in you is going to look different from season-to-season. Move with Him. Your personal calling (ALL of us are called) or purpose in life will shift, in all likelihood. Getting stuck is common and stunting. Be thankful for your past, but never look back except to praise God and learn from it. Flexibility in movement with the rhythm of life and the Holy Spirit is crucial.
14. No matter your faith, a lot of days are simply a matter of surviving. You cannot have momentary victory every day of your life...There will be seasons and days and moments of defeat. At times, we are tempted to base the whole of our lives on this current moment when in reality, the healthier approach is to look at the broader/bigger picture.
15. God is no respecter of persons. Men and women are equal in the eyes of God and there is no superior gender. Much of what we have ascribed to the genders in my generation/lifetime is manufactured & cultural, not necessarily Biblical. The call of Jesus to love, cherish, lead, evangelize, share the Good News, preach and proclaim, and otherwise shout His awesome Name from the mountain tops is the same or ALL people. Women (generally speaking) in our world have been under-valued, under-appreciated, and treated like they are somehow less than men. This needs to be fixed and I want to be part of that reparation process.
16. Heaven's heroes will likely be unknowns from each generation. That is to say, those who are doing the greatest work for humanity do so with little-to-no limelight or fanfare.
17. Life is a gift from God, and it seems to go by quickly. Yet, it is also (potentially) a marathon. A real key is the balance of pacing for the long-term yet living every day like it's your last.
18. Joy is also a gift of God. We all have a measure of it. It should be well-used every day. It can change you perspective about almost anything by simply choosing it over and over again each day.
19. Disaster, calamity, pain, crises, heartache, trauma, disease, discouragement, and so on are almost certainly going to visit you in your lifetime. If you can survive those moments, you can use them as stepping stones into a more well-rounded and well-informed future. Getting through those moments/seasons is crucial. Sometimes those moments are fatal. If you are clinging to Jesus, you have hope, regardless of the outcome.
20. Religion itself is nearly useless. A relationship with God in Christ is priceless. God is not in many of the places today where people claim to know Him. Also, God gets blamed for so much stuff that He has absolutely nothing to do with.
21. You don't know as much as you think you do. Neither do it.
Monday, August 19, 2019
The person you are
You fall in love with the people who make you love the person you are when you're around them
Gain
Bible Gateway Verse of the Day
Philippians 1:21
For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain.
Philippians 1:21
For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain.
Has life
Bible Gateway Verse of the Day
1 John 5:12
He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life.
1 John 5:12
He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life.
Thursday, August 15, 2019
Whose we are
Bible Gateway Verse of the Day
Romans 14:8
For if we live, we live to the Lord; and if we die, we die to the Lord.
Therefore, whether we live or die, we are the Lord's.
Romans 14:8
For if we live, we live to the Lord; and if we die, we die to the Lord.
Therefore, whether we live or die, we are the Lord's.
Wednesday, August 14, 2019
Protecting them
by John MacArthur
A pastor's heart is not manifest in how good a man is at petting sheep.
It is in how capable a man is at protecting them from wolves.
A pastor's heart is not manifest in how good a man is at petting sheep.
It is in how capable a man is at protecting them from wolves.
Galatians
6 quick reminders from Galatians
1. Don't live for the approval of others (1:10)
2. You are not defined by your past (2:20)
3. Your worth is in Christ, not your job or education (3:27)
4. You are no longer a slave, you are now a child of God (4:7)
5. Don't be led by feelings and emotions, be led by the Spirit (5:25)
6. Don't grow weary while doing good. When the time is right, you will reap what you've sown (6:9)
1. Don't live for the approval of others (1:10)
2. You are not defined by your past (2:20)
3. Your worth is in Christ, not your job or education (3:27)
4. You are no longer a slave, you are now a child of God (4:7)
5. Don't be led by feelings and emotions, be led by the Spirit (5:25)
6. Don't grow weary while doing good. When the time is right, you will reap what you've sown (6:9)
When
by Zoe Clark, sayinggoodbye.org
When does one stop crying at night?
When does one finally accept the
worst thing in the world did happen?
Well, that differs for every person.
The important thing to know is it
is ok to cry for as long as you need to,
and it's okay to question it all. Life is rarely
fair, hardly ever makes sense and most
of us will get to the end of our lives with
a million unanswered questions.
The helper
by Toni Tone
Some people aren't good at asking for help because they're so used to being "the helper." Throughout their life they've experienced an unbalanced give and take, so their instinct is usually "I'll figure it out on my own." The self-reliance is all they've ever known.
Some people aren't good at asking for help because they're so used to being "the helper." Throughout their life they've experienced an unbalanced give and take, so their instinct is usually "I'll figure it out on my own." The self-reliance is all they've ever known.
Loudest silence
by Dr. Joanne Cacciatore
There are days when your absence is the loudest silence I've ever heard.
There are days when your absence is the loudest silence I've ever heard.
Wounded healers
by Henri Nouwen
Nobody escapes being wounded,
but when our wounds cease to be a source of shame,
and become a source of healing,
we have become wounded healers.
Nobody escapes being wounded,
but when our wounds cease to be a source of shame,
and become a source of healing,
we have become wounded healers.
Need to hear
by Luther (Martin Luther?)
We need to hear
the gospel
everyday,
because we forget
it everyday.
We need to hear
the gospel
everyday,
because we forget
it everyday.
His workmanship
Bible Gateway Verse of the Day
Ephesians 2:10
For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.
Ephesians 2:10
For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.
Monday, August 12, 2019
All riches
Bible Gateway Verse of the Day
Psalm 119:14
I have rejoiced in the way of Your testimonies,
As much as in all riches.
Psalm 119:14
I have rejoiced in the way of Your testimonies,
As much as in all riches.
Temple
Bible Gateway Verse of the Day
1 Corinthians 6:19-20
Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God's.
1 Corinthians 6:19-20
Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God's.
More value
Bible Gateway Verse of the Day
Luke 12:6-7
Are not five sparrows sold for two copper coins? And not one of them is forgotten before God. But, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Do not fear therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows.
Luke 12:6-7
Are not five sparrows sold for two copper coins? And not one of them is forgotten before God. But, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Do not fear therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows.
Thursday, August 8, 2019
Beautify the humble
Bible Gateway Verse of the Day
Psalm 149:4
For the Lord takes pleasure in His people;
He will beautify the humble with salvation.
Psalm 149:4
For the Lord takes pleasure in His people;
He will beautify the humble with salvation.
Remember life
Lydia K. posted this
~Author Unknown~
I found a picture of you
One that I had not seen in a while
I held it gently in my hands
Lost for a moment in your smile.
I found a card from you
Written in your own special way
I held it gently in my hands
Lost for a moment in that day.
Memories, sweet gifts from you
To allow my heart a breath
To let me be lost for a moment
To remember life, not just death.
~Author Unknown~
I found a picture of you
One that I had not seen in a while
I held it gently in my hands
Lost for a moment in your smile.
I found a card from you
Written in your own special way
I held it gently in my hands
Lost for a moment in that day.
Memories, sweet gifts from you
To allow my heart a breath
To let me be lost for a moment
To remember life, not just death.
Save us
Bible Gateway Verse of the Day
Isaiah 33:22
(For the Lord is our Judge,
The Lord is our Lawgiver,
The Lord is our King;
He will save us);
(Not sure what parentheses are for)
Isaiah 33:22
(For the Lord is our Judge,
The Lord is our Lawgiver,
The Lord is our King;
He will save us);
(Not sure what parentheses are for)
Wednesday, August 7, 2019
Enabling
Rescuing someone who continues to make poor choices is not called love. It's called enabling. Stop enabling and refuse to be a safety net, so they can grow up.
Perfect in weakness
2 Corinthians 12:9
But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
I'm free
Don't grieve for me,
for now I'm free,
I'm following the path
God laid for me.
I took His hand
when I heard His call,
I turned my back,
and left it all.
I could not stay
another day,
To laugh,
to love,
to work,
to play.
Tasks left undone
must stay that way,
I've found the peace
at the end of the day.
If my parting
has left a void,
Then fill it
with remembered joy.
A friendship shared,
a laugh,
a kiss,
Ah, yes,
these things
I too will miss.
Be not burdened
with times of sorrow,
I wish you the sunshine
of tomorrow.
My life's been full,
I savoured much,
Good friends, good times,
a loved one's touch.
Perhaps my time
seemed all too brief,
Don't lengthen it now
with undue grief.
Lift up your heart
and share with me,
God wanted me now,
He set me free.
You are chosen
Stop waiting for someone else
to say that you count,
that you matter,
that you have worth,
that you have a voice,
a place, that you are called.
Didn't you know, darling?
The One who knit you together
in your mother's womb is the one
singing these words over you,
you are chosen.
-Sarah Bessey
to say that you count,
that you matter,
that you have worth,
that you have a voice,
a place, that you are called.
Didn't you know, darling?
The One who knit you together
in your mother's womb is the one
singing these words over you,
you are chosen.
-Sarah Bessey
Someone
One day someone
will walk into your life and get it right
where everyone else got it wrong. One day
you won't have to wait for a call or a text
back. One day you won't be the only
one giving it your all.
One day you'll finally meet someone who
wants to help you grow in life. One day
you'll finally meet someone who isn't afraid
to give love another chance.
One day you'll finally meet someone
you can trust with everything. One day
you'll have your best friend, your
biggest supporter and your teammate
all wrapped up into one person.
Sentence of death
2 Corinthians 1:9-10
But we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God which raiseth the dead: Who delivered us from so great a death, and doth deliver: in whom we trust that He will yet deliver us;
But we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God which raiseth the dead: Who delivered us from so great a death, and doth deliver: in whom we trust that He will yet deliver us;
3 Things
by Dustin Benge
3 Things Jesus Never Said:
1. You will be healthy
2. You will be wealthy.
3. You will be successful.
3 Things Jesus Never Said:
1. You will be healthy
2. You will be wealthy.
3. You will be successful.
Your circle
Reminds me of a few people I know...
The faker you are, the bigger your circle will be.
The realer you are, the smaller your circle will be.
(Not sure about grammar on "faker" and "realer")
The faker you are, the bigger your circle will be.
The realer you are, the smaller your circle will be.
(Not sure about grammar on "faker" and "realer")
Be valued
There's a difference between being liked by a man and valued by a man.
A lot of guys like you.
Not many value you.
Be valued.
A lot of guys like you.
Not many value you.
Be valued.
A risk
Jenny Rhine posted this
One day, you'll look back on a risk you took and think,
"Wow, I'm really glad I did that."
One day, you'll look back on a risk you took and think,
"Wow, I'm really glad I did that."
Love yourself
by Lucille Ball
Love yourself first and everything else falls into line.
You really have to love yourself to get anything done in this world.
Love yourself first and everything else falls into line.
You really have to love yourself to get anything done in this world.
You're wrong
by Lawrence M. Krauss
It's amazing to discover that you're wrong.
In fact, it's liberating.
It's not a threat.
It opens your mind.
It's amazing to discover that you're wrong.
In fact, it's liberating.
It's not a threat.
It opens your mind.
Tuesday, August 6, 2019
Biggest fear
They avoid speaking of your child to keep from upsetting you.
They do not realize that no one ever speaking of them is your biggest fear.
Eternal purpose
from Love Wins by Rob Bell
Comment from Flying Free: I read this particular page and thought of all you beautiful souls and what you do behind the scenes while people who call themselves Christians rage and gnash their teeth at you.
Keep going. There is great purpose behind your struggle. Eternal purpose.
Excerpt from book:
Think about the single mom, trying to raise kids, work multiple jobs, and wrangle child support out of the kids' father, who used to beat her. She's faithful, true, and utterly devoted to her children. In spite of the circumstances, she never loses hope that they can be raised in love and go on to break the cycle of dysfunction and abuse. She never goes out, never takes a vacation, never has enough money to buy anything for herself. She gets a few hours of sleep and then repeats the cycle of cooking, work, laundry, bills, more work, until she falls into bed at night, exhausted.
With what she has been given she has been faithful. She is a woman of character and substance. She never gives up. She is kind and loving even when she's exhausted.
She can be trusted.
Is she the last who Jesus says will be first?
Does God say to her: "You're the kind of person I can run the world with?"
Comment from Flying Free: I read this particular page and thought of all you beautiful souls and what you do behind the scenes while people who call themselves Christians rage and gnash their teeth at you.
Keep going. There is great purpose behind your struggle. Eternal purpose.
Excerpt from book:
Think about the single mom, trying to raise kids, work multiple jobs, and wrangle child support out of the kids' father, who used to beat her. She's faithful, true, and utterly devoted to her children. In spite of the circumstances, she never loses hope that they can be raised in love and go on to break the cycle of dysfunction and abuse. She never goes out, never takes a vacation, never has enough money to buy anything for herself. She gets a few hours of sleep and then repeats the cycle of cooking, work, laundry, bills, more work, until she falls into bed at night, exhausted.
With what she has been given she has been faithful. She is a woman of character and substance. She never gives up. She is kind and loving even when she's exhausted.
She can be trusted.
Is she the last who Jesus says will be first?
Does God say to her: "You're the kind of person I can run the world with?"
Endures forever
Bible Gateway Verse of the Day
Psalm 119:160
The entirety of Your word is truth,
And every one of your righteous judgments endures forever.
Psalm 119:160
The entirety of Your word is truth,
And every one of your righteous judgments endures forever.
Monday, August 5, 2019
C-PTSD
from Flying Free
When you have an uneven power dynamic in a marriage PLUS emotional abuse (and spiritual abuse if the husband or church are telling the woman she is at fault for pointing out the abuse), PLUS the teaching that divorce is wrong, and no matter what the "authority/husband" does to her, she is stuck in the marriage until she dies...
You've got all the ingredients for an emotionally and physically crippling case of C-PTSD.
Reminder for myself: C-PTSD is complex post-traumatic stress disorder which is PTSD but with additional symptoms:
PTSD:
-reliving the trauma or experience
-avoiding certain situations
-changes in beliefs or feelings about others
-hyperarousal
-somatic symptoms
C-PTSD:
-lack of emotional regulation
-changes in consciousness
-negative self-perception
-difficulty with relationships
-distorted perception of abuser
-loss of systems or meaning
When you have an uneven power dynamic in a marriage PLUS emotional abuse (and spiritual abuse if the husband or church are telling the woman she is at fault for pointing out the abuse), PLUS the teaching that divorce is wrong, and no matter what the "authority/husband" does to her, she is stuck in the marriage until she dies...
You've got all the ingredients for an emotionally and physically crippling case of C-PTSD.
Reminder for myself: C-PTSD is complex post-traumatic stress disorder which is PTSD but with additional symptoms:
PTSD:
-reliving the trauma or experience
-avoiding certain situations
-changes in beliefs or feelings about others
-hyperarousal
-somatic symptoms
C-PTSD:
-lack of emotional regulation
-changes in consciousness
-negative self-perception
-difficulty with relationships
-distorted perception of abuser
-loss of systems or meaning
Appearance
Bible Gateway Verse of the Day
(Side note: This topic was on my mind all weekend)
1 Samuel 16:7
But the Lord said to Samuel, "Do not look at his appearance or his physical stature, because I have refused him. For the Lord does not see as a man sees; for a man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart."
(Side note: This topic was on my mind all weekend)
1 Samuel 16:7
But the Lord said to Samuel, "Do not look at his appearance or his physical stature, because I have refused him. For the Lord does not see as a man sees; for a man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart."
Friday, August 2, 2019
Be doers
Bible Gateway Verse of the Day
James 1:22
But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.
James 1:22
But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.
Thursday, August 1, 2019
Keep moving
There will be very painful
moments in your life that will
change your entire world in
a matter of minutes.
These moments will change you.
Let them make you stronger, smarter,
and kinder. But don't you go and
become someone that you're not.
Cry. Scream if you have to.
Then you straighten out that
crown and keep moving.
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