How do we keep a positive attitude in the midst of our troubles?

Hello readers, as I share with you this week I pray I am encouraging to you. I have shared similar thoughts before with you all, but this past week I have had this very same topic come up in my devotions and a sermon I heard this week. It has been on my heart everyday.  So here it goes.
How do we keep from getting discouraged, or depressed, or just plain feeling down in our spirits?
We all face trials everyday. Some small, some huge. But whatever trial you are going through, it has the capability of bringing us down. That is the goal of the enemy, to bring us down to a place where we lose hope. I tell you today, we all have the power within us to overcome the enemy, kick him right back to hell where he belongs. Wow, harsh words! Yes they are, but when it comes to defeat, I get very intense to be sure I have the victory.
Even when Jesus was facing death on the cross, His Father God sent an angel to Jesus to impart strength into Him, to empower Jesus, and recharge Him.  It was a very difficult time for Jesus in the garden. The disciples could not seem to stay awake to encourage Jesus, to intercede for Him. So God sent an angel to help Jesus.  See Luke 22:43
If Jesus needed strengthening and encouragement, how much more we must need it when we face our trials?  God wants us to be victorious.  He is faithful to give us what we need to get past this trial and onward to victory.
With all this in mind, do you think we have a responsibility on our end? Of course we do.   Romans 12:2 says (ESV):  
Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.
This is a verse I like to keep in my memory bank. It reminds me that I have to do my end and everyday fill my mind with the Word of God, with positive things. It may be a particular song for you, or a specific book.  For me it is this verse and also another one.
2 Corinthians 10:5 (amplified version):
 We are destroying sophisticated arguments and every exalted and proud thing that sets itself up against the [true] knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought and purpose captive to the obedience of Christ.
This is another verse that has always helped me keep my mind in the right place. Take those bad thoughts, discouraging words and kick them out.  They do not belong in you and have no right being there.
So you see we all face things that try to bring us down. But lets turn it around, and send it right back out the door.  It doesn't matter the size of your trial, if it is yours then it is a big deal to you.
Don't feel badly if you find yourself struggling.  It happens to all of us.  During a specific time that seems extra hard to you, call someone who might have some encouraging words for you.  Find your outlet to your "happy place".
And most of all never, ever let the devil tell you that you are a loser!  Because you are not! Jesus fought the ultimate battle for us. He defeated the devil and now it has no authority over you.
Faithful readers I pray that I have encouraged you all in some way.  My husband likes this saying: "tough times don't last but tough people do".
Be blessed friends.  See you next time.

Those Aggravating Hurdles !

Hello faithful readers.  It seems as though everywhere we turn these days someone is arguing about who you should vote for.  Guess what? I am not going there.  Instead more of my own personal journey.
I have been feeling ok these last few weeks.  Sunday I was so excited to get to church and have some fellowship.  I did go to church, then all of a sudden I felt like I had the flu.  I thought gosh I haven't even been around any sickness.  By the time I got home I had chills, fever, headache, and so on.  I was feeling quite ill.  Monday I went to see my Oncologist(the PA). Sure enough a sinus infection. I just had a sinus infection a month or so ago.  I was baffled, where did I come in contact with these germs.  Well it seems I have no ability to fight anything. I am very immuno-suppressed.  I may need to receive an immunoglobulin IV boost at times.
OK then, what do I do with this info.  That little negative thing inside me wanted to creep up and give me a very wrong attitude.  Wrong you say, yes, wrong!  I have no room in my life for a negative, woeful, pitiful attitude that wants to lie to me and tell me how badly I have it.  Because I do not have it badly.  I am a blessed woman of God who has the promises and the hope in my Lord Jesus Christ.
Sure I have these hurdles at times that I will face. But there is not one single hurdle that can rob me from the blessings the Lord has for me.
Now you may ask, how can you keep that positive attitude? It takes work and commitment on my end.  It just doesn't come natural. You may think so, but trust me, it is easy to get tested.  I make sure every morning I spend my time in the Word of God, my Bible. I read, I ponder, I concentrate on the Lord's promises, and I pray.  My husband can study the Word for hours. I am not that gifted in that area. So I use helps.  Study books or study plans, things like that.  I am not a huge fan of reading. That's just not my thing. I also prefer to get most of my knowledge from the Word, and not necessarily from some one's book.  I am not saying reading a book is wrong. Just for me this is what works.  And then I journal.  Every single day I journal what I've learned and read, and what God was saying to me, and I journal many of my personal prayers.  For me, by doing these things, I can keep that positive, hopeful attitude.
Some of you will think "but you are still sick".  Yup, but I still hang on to God's promises.  And I have always asked God to use my illness to help someone else.  But that is a whole other blog.  For a later date. Back to attitudes and hurdles.  We can be victorious and get through our trials. It isn't always easy but you can do it.
So whatever trial you are facing, what ever hurdle seems like a mountain, trust me, you can get over to the other side.  Keep that faith, that hope, that trust in our Lord that He will help you. He will carry you when He has to, hold our hands, and guide us.  That my friends brings me peace and comfort everyday.
I would also ask you my friends, please pray for my brother-in-law.  He is going through a very battle right now with a serious health situation.  Pray for God to touch him and bless him everyday.  Thank You all.
Until next time, be encouraged and hopeful.

Do you believe in miracles?

Lately I have heard so many talking about miracles. Some that have received a miracle and recognize it for being truly a miracle from God. Others that are talking about an unexplained occurrence they have encountered or heard about, but deny that it could be of God. That has spurred some thinking in me.
If you have read my earlier blogs you see that I mention the miracles in my own life. Just in my life alone, I have received many miracles, and I give all the credit to God.  I know that the only reason I am alive today is because of God's hand on my life. I have had medical occurrences in my life that cannot be explained by a physician. Usually the answer is we don't know why you are better, but you are. Or we don't know why you are better but someone is on your side.
My husband has had a very major miracle in his own life.  He has an aortic aneurysm that ruptured.  His heart was barely beating, 1 beat per minute. He was being flown by helicopter. The paramedics had evidence he was bleeding to death. It was visible on ultrasound. He arrived at the hospital barely alive. They prepped him for surgery. But they wanted another set of Cat Scan films.  They whipped him out of the machine just as he regained consciousness.  The doctor was yelling, "where did the blood go"? God at that very moment returned the blood from his abdomen back to his heart, which was beating normally. There was no longer any blood seeping into his abdomen. There is also visible evidence of this occurrence in his abdomen.  The blood pooling bruised a portion of his small intestine. This was physically seen by a surgery that was done. The drs explanation, "we cannot explain it".  the paramedics visited my husband in the hospital and at home.  They told us they had all of the medical equipment tested.  There were no problems with the machines. They have the evidence on film that he was bleeding to death. This was truly a miracle.
So this raises the question, when you have a major event occur in your life, to whom, or to what do you give credit to?  I am a nurse, I know how things occur.  But folks I have to say, when it cannot be explained, there is no other explanation than it was a miracle. However, for some of you, you find it so difficult to admit that God can do miracles, or that there is even a God who loves us so much that He would do such things for us.
I want to encourage you today readers, there is a loving God who not only created you and this very universe we live in, but He loves you.  An unconditional love from our Heavenly Father who will do whatever it takes to help His children.  He is real, He desires to have that personal relationship with you, and more than that, He wants you to trust Him, and trust the love He has for you.
We all have trials in this world, we all experience times when we need that divine intervention.  God is here for you this very minute, and every second of every day.
There is hope, there is love, we just need to have that tiny seed of faith.  A seed the size of a mustard seed.  Trust in our Lord Jesus Christ.  He will not desert you.
Matthew 17:20- ..."For truly I say to you, if you have faith like a grain of mustard seed, you will say move this mountain, "Move from here to there," and it will move, and nothing will be impossible for you."