I still believe...

What do you do when you grow
weary or faint from waiting?

Do you cave or do you despair?
Do you begin to question?

Does your faith waver?
Do you begin to blame?

Do you seek Jesus and desire His arms?
Do you run to His embrace?

Will you still believe even though you don't see?
Will you still hope even though you have none?

Hebrews 11:1

Now faith is being SURE of what we hope for
and CERTAIN of what we do not see!

You Belong to Me

Are you sad???

"Come to me,

all you who are
weary and burdened,
and I will give you rest"

Matthew 11:28


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Do you ever get discouraged? I do...

Do you ever feel sad? I do...

Do you ever feel like "giving up?" I do...

Do you ever just want to sleep your life away? I do...

Do you ever lose your focus? I do.

Do you get tired of waiting for God to answer? I do.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I used to "go" there and STAY there for long periods of time to the point that I really couldn't function. I couldn't be the mom my kids needed. I couldn't keep my house clean. I couldn't face people outside my home. I would isolate myself from the outside world; not answering the phone, not reaching out to people, etc.

All I could do was sleep...

...everyday...

...for days....

...and sometimes...

...weeks...

Even a year 1/2 ago, That is how I survived!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Every once in awhile, I resort back to that mode of survival. This m0rning, I woke up, and felt that old aching pulling at my soul...driving me back to bed with my head buried under the covers. I lay there for awhile, staring at the clock, and rehearsing doubt in my mind...over and over...until I dozed off to "dream-land".

Before I did, however, Isaiah 35 came to my mind. Not knowing that passage off the top of my head, I grabbed the Bible sitting next to my bed, and looked it up. God spoke to my heart as He drew me to similar verses that I found in a different chapter earlier this morning...

Although I still CHOSE to succumb to a morning of despair and isolation under my covers, God still CHOSE to "show up" and speak life and hope to my heart! He sought me out...knowing I would still choose to sleep...and CHOSE to encourage me anyway!

I woke a couple hours later to my heart jumping out of my chest with the sound of the phone. I sat up...tried to collect my thoughts...and attempted to decipher the dream I woke up from...(all while ignoring the phone! Sorry Mr. Eye Dr. for not answering my phone! Thank you for letting me know my contacts were in.)

I got up, went for my coffee...still trying to process what was going through my mind. I started going through my phone to see my missed calls/texts, when suddenly, it hit me....

"I've been played!!!"

I allowed circumstances to dictate an outcome! I allowed despair to rule in my heart! I allowed myself to lose focus by focusing on that which I see instead of that which I cannot see! I allowed life to steal my joy....(and my morning!) AGAIN!!!

At this point, I was feeling MORE discouraged because I "gave in" to old behaviors and patterns. As my soul was being dragged down farther, I remembered this...

"Hey, I don't HAVE to stay here!!!"

Well, that's easy to say, but that requires work on my part. Pretending to be happy and thankful until I feel that way. Choosing to speak positively. Blah, blah, blah...

I sat down with my Bible, and re-evaluated Isaiah 35, which God gave me before I fell asleep. Ha! I looked back at my journal and the other verses He gave me earlier. Ha! I began to get excited. (Not much...but enough to decide to stay awake and out of bed!)

I kept looking and I prayed these verses back to God. Ha! My heart was feeling hope again. I put on some worship music even though I really didn't feel like it. Ha! Something lifted. I felt a little better. I re-read my journal and promises that God HAS given me. Ha! I was getting re-energized again!

I started declaring things as if they already were in existence! WOW! I was really feeling good! I started praying and praising God for what I have and for what He's already done! WooHoo! I was feeling great!

I started singing to the worship music that played (that I really didn't want to put on in the first place!) and my soul soared in the presence of God. He was filling my heart with HIS hope and joy and faith!

Within 1/2 hour, I WAS EXCITED...AND HOPEFUL...AND RENEWED...AND READY AGAIN FOR THIS THING CALLED LIFE...

ALL because I CHOSE to turn to God, instead of my feelings & circumstances. Now, nothing has changed in my circumstances, except I KNOW THAT I KNOW THAT I KNOW that God is working! He is working in ways that I can't even imagine or comprehend! THAT excites me!

Put on the garment of praise
(especially when you
don't FEEL like it!)
for the spirit of heaviness!!!

Isaiah 61:3 and provide for those who grieve in Zion— to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the LORD for the display of his splendor.

Psalm 73:25-26

“Whom have I in heaven but you?

And earth has nothing


I desire besides you.




My flesh and my heart may fail,


but God is the strength of my heart




and my portion forever.”

Psalm 73:25-26

Recapture...

Recapture~ To capture again...recover by capture...retake...to bring back by remembering...seize...take hold of...obtain...

This sounds like an action word. One which requires movement...forceful...taking of...purposeful...involves strategy...not a passive activity...

What do you need to recapture in your life today? Is it joy of the Lord? Freedom from bondage or addiction? A grateful attitude? A childlike faith? A servant's heart? Smiles and laughter? Quietness? Stillness? Quality time with your family or with your children? Your position in Christ? Lost hope or dreams? A slender figure? Finances?

Whatever it may be, God doesn't expect you to do alone.

He does, however, expect us to do our part. We are God's warriors and we are strong in and because of Christ Jesus.

Do you ever realize how fighting for justice or getting your kids to obey is not always an easy process? It takes commitment, discipline, consistency, and persistence. The same is true of life.

Joel 3:9 Proclaim this among the nations: Prepare for war! Rouse the warriors! Let all the fighting men draw near and attack.

It is time to quit complaining and making excuses on why we are not doing the things God is asking us to do. It's time to recapture those things in your life that God has given you authority and power over. You are not helpless or weak, because HE is strong. You are not a prisoner of your situation because HE has redeemed you by the blood of the lamb. You are not a victim, but..."more than a conquerer."

Let's proclaim that we are children of God, we are going to stand, we are going to make a difference, and we are going to recapture those things in which the enemy has tried to steal from us!

Stand FIRM!

Life has a way of interrupting our plans...whether it be circumstances, people, roadblocks, or unforeseeable mountains. That is just the way life is! That is how we learn, grow, and mature in our daily walk.

It can be frustrating when someone doesn't react the way you expect, or says something to hurt your ego. It is also frustrating when someone accuses of you of being someone or doing something that is out of your character.

Life's circumstances has the potential to steal our focus, as well as our joy. The job promotion you were expecting goes to someone else. The promise made to you is broken. You or someone you love is diagnosed with a life threatening (or even terminal) illness. The marriage you thought was firm is shaken. The friendship you hold dear to your heart is shattered into a million pieces. You poor your heart out to a person or in your blog and are totally rejected.

Everyone has life circumstances that rattle their "nicely-put-together" life. Maybe you are experiencing one now that has brought a whirlwind of chaos into your house or your thoughts. Welcome to this thing we call: "LIFE"...

That totally does NOT sound very encouraging! I agree...

Resist him, standing firm in the faith,
because you know that your brothers
throughout the world are undergoing
the same kind of sufferings.

1 Peter 5:9

I see in this verse that other people are not absent from the sufferings that I have in my life. Granted, this verse isn't talking about MY circumstance directly, BUT here lies a word of encouragement from the writer of 1 Peter.

Written in today's language (totally MY interpretation!!!), Peter may say to you today, in the midst of your frustration & hurt of your life's circumstance:

"Hello??? Seriously??? Why in the world are you allowing the devil to steal your joy & peace? Don't you see he has NO authority over you? Resist him! Tell him to take his lies and go elsewhere! I know this is hard for you, but you WILL get through this!!! Stand firm in God's TRUTH! Stand firm in what GOD has spoken to you! Stand firm in what YOU KNOW God has called you to!!! Do NOT give up! You are NOT alone in this type of suffering! I KNOW people who have been through this and THEY MADE IT! Be encouraged and know YOU WILL get to the other side of this!!!"

As I look at this verse in its original context, it doesn't quite say that very thing, but the idea behind it (and many others) is the same! We do NOT have to give in when life gets hard! We do NOT have to crawl into our safe and isolated shell when things or people come against us! We do NOT have to give up on the promises God has spoken to us JUST BECAUSE others don't see it! You don't have to cave when your world comes crashing down!

Peter says, "Resist him..." (meaning the devil, as written in the previous verse). When the lies (broken records) come into your mind, you REFUSE to believe them! "Well, how do I know if it's a lie or truth?" Read the Bible, and seek out what God says about you!

I will post soon on that subject, but for this moment, simply STAND FIRM and DO NOT give up!

Be encouraged through some of the other Bible verses I found regarding Standing Firm!

2 Timothy 2:9a Nevertheless, God's solid foundation stands firm, sealed with this inscription: "The Lord knows those who are his,"

Exodus 14:13 Moses answered the people, "Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the LORD will bring you today. The Egyptians you see today you will never see again.

2 Chronicles 20:17 You will not have to fight this battle. Take up your positions; stand firm and see the deliverance the LORD will give you, O Judah and Jerusalem. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Go out to face them tomorrow, and the LORD will be with you.' "

Ephesians 6:14 Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place

2 Corinthians 1:21 Now it is God who makes both us and you stand firm in Christ.

1 Thessalonians 3:8 For now we really live, since you are standing firm in the Lord.

1 Corinthians 15:58 Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.

2 Corinthians 1:24 Not that we lord it over your faith, but we work with you for your joy, because it is by faith you stand firm.

Luke 21:19 By standing firm you will gain life.

Matthew 24:13 but he who stands firm to the end will be saved.

Matthew 10:22 All men will hate you because of me, but he who stands firm to the end will be saved.

Proverbs 10:25 When the storm has swept by, the wicked are gone, but the righteous stand firm forever.

Psalm 20:8 They are brought to their knees and fall, but we rise up and stand firm

Job 11:15 then you will lift up your face without shame; you will stand firm and without fear.

But the plans of the LORD
stand firm forever,
the purposes of his heart
through all generations.

Psalm 33:11

"Pick me"

Did you know that God "picked you first"? He chose you and I before the foundation of this earth. He calls you by name. He planed your destiny. He knows your future. He knows everything about you and STILL chooses you.

That ministry lying before you...Yep, He's chosen YOU for that.

The child who screams "I hate you" when angry...Yep, He chose YOU to be that child's parent.

The task before you that seems impossible...Yep, He chose YOU for that too!

God will never call you to something He won't equip you for.

Ephesians 1:11 says, In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will.

1 Peter 2:9 says, "But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light."

God has searched the earth for you and chosen YOU...this day...this moment...and for the task at hand...

In our own strength, we can do nothing. In His strength, we can do ALL things.

When a lie tries to enter your thoughts, you have to speak truth to it. Out loud! Recite a Bible verse, that counteracts that lie. I deal with rejection issues, so anytime I feel rejected I recite the verse below.

Psalm 27:10 Though my father and mother forsake (reject) me, the Lord will receive me.

I usually say, "Though I feel as ______ has rejected me, I thank you Lord that you will always receive me."

Choose a verse, and then personalize it, and speak it OUTLOUD back to God.