DISAPPOINTMENTS

How many disappointments do we go through in a lifetime? Oh my, that is a loaded question.  I would say many, probably too many to count.  Think about when Jesus asked the disciples to stay watch and pray with Him in the garden that night of His arrest.  Do you think He was disappointed when He went back to where the disciples were and He found them asleep? And then how many times have we disappointed Jesus?  

We all face disappointments.  The key factor here is we can move on and learn from those experiences.  Jesus is the first one to forgive us.  We certainly can forgive those that may disappoint us.  When you think about it, so often we have "exaggerated " the circumstances.  

Whether it be something we did, or something someone else did, or disappointments in your life, maybe health, or your job, all of these things we can overcome and conquer with the help of Jesus.  We can be, and we are overcomers with Jesus' help. It doesn't matter what the circumstance is, our Lord Jesus went to the cross, died, rose in 3 days for us. He went to battle for you and me, He fought every battle, and He won the war, for us, for our freedom.  

So when you face disappointments in your life, let it go, give it to Jesus.  There is no reason for you to carry that heavy burden by yourself. That heavy load can affect you peace of mind, your physical well being, and your spiritual well being. 

As I battle this leukemia, fight to keep my ability to walk, and fight through the pain I endure everyday, I can have that peace in my heart knowing Jesus has taken those burdens from me.  I am not fighting these things alone. 

That thought alone fills me with the hope, peace, and faith I need everyday.  

Be encouraged readers, you too can have that same peace and comfort from Jesus.  He waits with arms opened wide for you to give it over to Him. 

We are all OVERCOMERS!  

Just thinking...

    Hello readers.  I've been pondering some thoughts for a few days, however, they have been sort of scattered.  Meaning they didn't seem to follow the same path. That is until I read my devotions this morning. Now if I can make sense of  it all.  

    As I mentioned in an earlier post, since beginning the chemo I have felt so much better.  Then we had a few busy days, the humidity and heat were quite high, and I battled an infection.  One day I was experiencing the fatigue again, the overall general beaten up feeling. I figured I was going to have those "off" days. But then it turned into 4-5 days. Oh boy, Lord help me stay positive and upbeat. One of my verses in my devotions one day was Ephesians 6:10-20. The "Armor of God". Oh boy did I grab ahold of that. 

    Then I had thoughts about this election season. ( No I'm not going there). It is so easy to get discouraged, angry, fed-up with it all.  The negative it pours into your mind is insurmountable. I thought how can I escape this without being unaware of the circumstances.  Again, my verse was Ephesians, put on that armor.  

    Ok, so I'm managing to keep myself in the Word of God, I'm praying, I'm journaling, and I'm staying encouraged.

    Yesterday I had my checkup with my oncologist.  My blood work is still crazy. I'm still battling an infection. The fatigue is better at times.  But the lymph nodes have diminished greatly. My Dr was even surprised.  I asked her how long would I be on the chemo, she answered "for life". Ok then, I immediately could choose how I would receive that. I truly believe because I have kept myself covered with the armor of God and His Word, I was able to respond with "I have no problem with that". I can hear your thoughts---what, is she crazy.  Hahaha, no.  I'm just receiving with a grateful heart, and much thanksgiving that my Lord Jesus is taking care of me. I haven't lost my hair, I am able to control the nausea, and I have a wonderful life. 

    This applies to every aspect of our lives, readers. The state the world is in, the state our country is in, your own health, your thoughts, your finances, and on and on. Our Lord Jesus has given us the "tools" we need to stay afloat. And He is a personal, loving God who cares about our every concern and every need. 

    I encourage you this week to rely on Him.  Open up that Bible, ask Him to guide you in His Word.  And go to Ephesians chapter 6. Read about the armor and put it on everyday.  It doesn't take hours of reading. But I believe after awhile it will turn into a lifestyle for you. 

God bless you readers.  

DO WE GET LAX WHEN EVERYTHING IS GOING RIGHT?

When everything is going the way we want it to go we are happy, joyful, have great attitudes, and on and on. We even tend to get lax in our devotional time with the Lord.  Things we might say - oh it's nice out, I will read later. Or- I want to go shopping, I will pray later.  They are just a couple of examples. There are plenty more, I'm sure. 
Then all of a sudden a crisis comes our way.  We have health issues, maybe struggling financially, or car problems, and so-on. So the first thing we might do is call out to God, asking Him where He has been. Asking Him, why did He desert us. We pick up our Bible and madly search through the Psalms or other Scriptures until we find one that fits our need.  
Truth is- God never left our side, He was speaking the whole time. But we were ignoring Him. We decided to go through the good times without Him. We are the ones who close the door.  
Do we really believe that is the kind of relationship Jesus wants with us?  I do not! I want to be close to Him everyday. 
I always start my day reading the Word and praying. It may vary the length of time I spend in the Scriptures.  Am I perfect at this, of course not.  But I sincerely set out every morning to first spend time with the Lord. 
Then anything that may come at me during the rest of my day, I am more prepared to handle. I equip myself with the armor of God. I am more aware of things that may not be the best choice for me.  The Lord God fills me anew every morning with His Holy Spirit.  And that, my friends, is how I stay on track. When I do stumble, the Lord is right there to help me. I can feel His touch and I can hear His voice. 
I pray for you all that you can find your balance and feel the touch of God on you.  I pray you can hear Him speak to you. 
Have a good week ahead readers.