Tag Archive | overwhelmed

Shakened Confidence?

Aug30

Angry_God's PromiseHave you ever notice that when you choose to follow Jesus…instead of finding life like a bed of roses, you seem to encounter some of the most difficult times in your lives? Is it coincidence or something else?

This year alone, two very special people in my life were called home to heaven. First, my amazing grandbaby. My son had just surprised my mom and I with an unexpected visit. His purpose was to visit mom (aka grams), pray over her and just spend some quality time with us. We had all just started getting ready for bed when his cellphone rang. The next thing I knew, we were rushing him to the airport as my daughter-in-law had been hospitalized. Unfortunately my first grandbaby, Christopher Lamar Tovar was not going to get a chance to live his wonderful life as he was called to be with the Lord instead. Within a few months, my mom was rushed to the hospital on Mother’s Day. To add insult to injury, she too was called to heaven. She had battled cancer for four very long years. She wasn’t going down without a fight. She had a warrior spirit within her that gave her courage, strength and much love through it all. She was the epitome of “fighting the good fight of faith”. But none the less, God chose to call her home.

It’s during times like these, we are reminded how valuable and special life really is. However, it’s also a time when you find yourself battling to remain rooted in faith. It’s the ultimate battle of the mind where you feel your confidence shaken to its very core? It’s about all the “why’s” in life that seem to go unanswered? It’s when doubt creeps in and you can’t seem to find stability or grasp the reasoning.

Life is a very precious commodity and none of us know how long God has us planned on this earth. It is during the unpleasant and heartbreaking situations that we can find our confidence shaken. Not just in ourselves but also in the Lord. You find yourself wondering why God did not miraculously heal them or why He didn’t show up when you expected and in the way you expected.

It’s easy to believe God is a good when everything is going our way. It’s when your faith and confidence is shaken so badly you truly find out what you believe. You will either believe He is truly there no matter what you face, or you will believe that you must being doing something wrong because things aren’t working out, or worse…you will begin to wonder if God really exists.

We will have trials and tribulations in our lives. Good and evil happen to us all. However, our God is a loving and caring God. He wants our lives filled with love, kindness, happiness and wholeness. He wants the absolute best for you; actually more than you can imagine. We might not understand why bad things happen…BUT THE GOOD NEWS IS…when you find yourself in battles that are beyond your comprehension…you have someone who understands it even when you don’t. You have someone that will provide you the strength and perseverance to get through it when you’re struggling to get your head off the bed.

God’s plan is bigger and higher than we can imagine. We don’t have to understand it. We don’t have to go through it alone. Instead, we can tell God exactly how we feel and He will understand. He wants you to enjoy life. Stop trying to figure it all out! Some things we may not understand until we find ourselves in heaven. Our loved ones will be waiting for us. They have been blessed to be called home sooner than we are. They have completed their course no matter how big or small their time was here on Earth. They no longer have the cares of this world. Instead they are with the Creator of the Universe and that’s a pretty amazing thing, isn’t it?

We must choose every day if we are going to believe every word of the Bible or just pick and choose scripture that we like. Will you follow God’s lead and choose to walk it out no matter what you face? Will you be bold against all odds? Will you be like David, Job, Joseph, Paul or Ester who went through difficult times yet found the strength to overcome? Just because things don’t seem to be working out like you thought, it doesn’t mean God has turned His back on you. Don’t fall into the negativity traps of the mind. Your faith is a necessary component to manifesting and healing. Choose your path wisely and choose to stand on the Word of God. You are more powerful than you think! There is always a time to mourn, to dance, to love, to care, and most importantly, a time to fulfill your destiny. Be an overcomer today! You are a child of the Most High!  Your confidence is not in your circumstances but in the Lord Almighty!

Confidence-in-character-of-God.jpg-500x375

 

Hebrews 10:35-36 “Therefore do not throw away your confidence, which has a great reward. For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God you may receive what is promised.”

Joshua 1:9 “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”

1 Corinthians 2:3-5 “And I was with you in weakness and in fear and much trembling, and my speech and my message were not in plausible words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, that your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men but in the power of God.”

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Tip The Scale

Aug3

dont-quitHave you found yourself up against insurmountable odds? Do you look back and find yourself wondering if the good fight of faith is really worth it? Have you found yourself wondering if things will ever get better?

Well friends, I think we could all answer with a resounding “YES”! We all have had times in our lives that make us wonder what the heck is going on. We have all faced difficulties that seemed so overwhelming that the stress of it all weighs so heavily that we really think about quitting. Today, there are so many believers facing their toughest challenges. However, the biggest challenge of it all is how will you respond to it?

When we face trials, it is so easy for us to throw up our hands and say “I quit”. It’s those times where you don’t feel like praying, don’t feel like getting out of bed, don’t feel like dealing with anything and just allow yourself to fall into a pity party. But the problem with quitting is that it allows depression to set in. It gives your enemies and situations total control over you.  You ultimately give them the power to determine your outcome. If they are doing terrible things or saying hurtful things about you, why would you want to allow them to control your path and outcome?

There are numerous instances in the Bible about opposition, impossible situations and feelings of hopelessness. Just read about Jonah, Job and David to name a few. They all found themselves in impossible situations where it didn’t look like things were ever going to change. You read about them going through stress, worry, hopelessness, sadness, anger and grief. Jonah even ran away from God completely. Atleast he tried to. How many of us are in these type of situations right now?

In times like these, you really need to dig in and “Tip The Scale”.

See, God works in steps. Most of us have no clue what God’s ultimate plan is for our lives. God usually gives us one step at a time and at each step, we find ourselves in some sort of a battle. But what God really wants to see is if we will continue through the trial and trust Him to work it out for our good. God told us that we would face many trials in this world but He also promises to restore and establish us through His grace.

1 Peter 5:10 ESV “And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you.”

So what do we need to do in order to “Tip The Scale”?

James 1:12 ESV “Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him.”

God promises to work it all out for our good. You don’t have to understand the circumstances. You don’t have to ask the “why me” questions. You don’t have to wonder how in the world you are going to get out of your situation. God will make a way when there aren’t any. God will turn things around and restore your life far greater than you could ever imagine. So be of good cheer when you are facing a trial because God must be closer than you think to “Tipping the Scales” in your favor. Pray, rejoice and sing to the Lord for impossible odds set the stage for God’s amazing miracles to happen!

Blessing

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Clear The Clutter

Jul5

stressed_outOver the past decade relationships and families have really suffered. Technology has become such a huge part of our daily lives and we simply think we can’t live without it. Televisions, DVR’s, Facebook, Twitter, email, selfies, chat rooms and cell phones have all become second nature. You hear stories about people breaking up through instant messaging, you see commercials with families texting each other at the kitchen table; the madness of it all is quite overwhelming. So how in the world are you to keep first things first and determine what truly is a priority and what is just cluttering your life?

Hey, I’ll be the first one to say…technology can be fantastic. I use it everyday myself. But, the world we are living in is draining us dry. People are so eager to post a selfie or tell us everything going on in their lives via Facebook or Twitter; you have to stop and wonder how in the world does anybody get anything accomplished anymore?

Heck, there was a time in my life where I wore two cell phones, a pager and a laptop everywhere I went. I was always on call. The stress and pressure of it completely drained me. Even with all the technology, I always felt like I got nothing accomplished. I couldn’t even go to the bathroom without carrying one of my phones with me. I honestly felt like I was going to miss something. Does that sound like you?

What I did next might not be for you but I had a choice to make. It wasn’t easy. It wasn’t worldly. It wasn’t popular. But I knew that I had to do something drastic to break the cycle and clear the clutter in my life. I dumped my cell phone. I stopped carrying my laptop. I stopped checking Facebook, Twitter, and emails every day. I decided to take my life back.

The most important thing we can do is clear the clutter from our daily lives and determine what is important. For me…I wanted closer relationships where I could actually have real conversations not just an LOL tweet. I wanted people to know that I really cared about them and what was going on in their lives; but in a real, meaningful way…spending quality time with them. I wanted to hear God’s voice clearer and know His direction for my life, so I started devoting my first few minutes to Him every single morning.

Was it easy to make the change? Absolutely not. Was it worth it? Absolutely, 100% Yes!

Taking Charde - stressed-out

It wasn’t until I made these drastic changes that God started using me. It wasn’t until I made a choice to spend the first few minutes of every morning with Him that He decided to take me on an amazing journey.

Technology is great but I had to make a conscience decision and effort not to allow it to be first in my life. Once I did that, things started changing. I noticed that I was sleeping better. Waking up with energy to burn. I wasn’t so stressed. I could remain calm under pressure. And I was able to get much more accomplished in 24 hours than ever possible.

I’ve never been happier and God has used me in ways I’ve never dreamed of. His dreams for me are so incredible that I don’t want to miss a single moment. But not only that, I have true relationships with people I love. I can honestly say that God has made a major impact in my life. Not just with Him but in everything that is truly important to me.

So why don’t you clear the clutter and start putting Him first in your life. You don’t have to do anything drastic like I did. Every morning when you wake up take a moment to say Thank you Lord, I’m in your hands and this day is going to be awesome. Start giving yourself a nightly break. Set a time where all the electronics are shut down and spend that time with people you love or reading your Bible or taking a walk around the block or volunteering as a family.

Just by taking these small measures could begin your amazing journey too. What comes next is worth much more and the rewards are far greater than you could ever imagine. Peace, joy, happiness and contentment are within your grasp! Don’t miss your moment…take that first step today!

Referenced Scriptures

Matthew 6:31-33: “Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.”

Matthew 6:19-21: “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”

Proverbs 16:3: “Commit your work to the Lord, and your plans will be established.”

Matthew 6:24: “No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.” (Note: you can replace the word “money” and enter “technology”, “addictions” or anything else that has a hold on you.)

John 3:30: “He must increase, but I must decrease.”

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Be A Comeback Kid

Jun21

DefeatEver see the movie Rocky? Rocky Balboa was a kid from the wrong side of the tracks who didn’t have much. All he knew was that he was to be a fighter. Throughout the movie, Rocky would get knocked down, bruised and busted…only to keep getting up to win the fight. He found the love of his life, Adrian. They went through so many disappointments, heartaches, pain and suffering; you wondered how in the world they kept going. Their determination, strength, and love always shined through their difficulties.

Does that sound like your life? Can you relate to that movie? I sure can. My life has been so full of disappointments, heartache, pain and suffering that I look back and wonder…how in the world did I ever keep going.

Today is the day for a declaration! Today is the day that it’s time to stop looking back and to begin looking forward!

It doesn’t matter what has happened to us in the past nor does it matter what we are going through today. What truly matters is that we FIGHT THE GOOD FIGHT OF FAITH! (2 Timothy 4:7) Every single time you get knocked down, use it to your advantage. While you’re knocked down, get on your knees and pray. Every single time you feel lost and the pain is so intense, get on your knees and pray.

We have an incredible God who loves us. He never wanted us to go through the difficulties we’ve endured. He never wanted to see us in pain. He never wanted to see us experience heartaches. No…we have an enemy who rules this world right now and wants to kick us down so much that we simply don’t get up. Satan wants to sway you away from God. He wants you to make mistakes that have terrible consequences. He wants you to fail. He wants to keep you knocked out.

Well today we are taking a stand! NO MORE! Jesus came to give us life and life more abundantly. (John 10:10) He is our source. He is all powerful. He is all love. He is our provider. He is our healer. He is more than enough to handle any battle that rages against us.

Blessed

So let’s shout out together…

GET BEHIND ME SATAN BECAUSE I WON’T TAKE ANYMORE! I CHOOSE JESUS AND ALL THAT HE STANDS FOR! He is my answer! He is my strength! And my best days are ahead of me. For God so loved the world, He gave us His only son! Jesus is my brother and I need no other!

So stand up and be counted as a COMEBACK KID!

For there is nothing, and I do mean nothing, that God won’t do for His children!

 

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