Trusting

I wonder Father, did you create me for suffering? Paul said – “I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings…” Paul identified with Christ through his sufferings, and so he counted them joy. I can do this. This MS that I carry like a heavy weight on my back forces me to lift up my eyes unto you. Some mornings I rise with calculated movements. Truly I am thankful. However, I can live better if I count my MS as joy – an offering unto you. I have lived my life on purpose without complaint because I profess that you are my strength. I hear you tell me to press hard toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of Christ Jesus. And yet I see more. You say, “be anxious for nothing” I am not to worry. Since you take care of the birds of the air, I can trust that you will take care of me. I must see beyond the suffering because it does not cease. I refuse to moan and groan. There is no strength in complaining. There is strength in transcending my understanding. If I get stuck in trying to figure everything out, I become paralyzed. I want to enjoy your presence. I can do that when I don’t lean on my understanding.
When you reached your hand into the filthy mire that I had created 43 years ago, all I asked for was peace of mind. You give me peace that passes and transcends me. You move me beyond my limited thinking and into a safe space where I trust you and you only. And like Paul, I can REJOICE and rejoice again and again. The circumstance may not change, but when I look through the suffering, I see you.

I feel you carrying me.
Now I can breathe.

ON HAPPINESS

Happiness is being with my daughter, Georgia and her Reggie!
MAHATMA GANDHI said-
Happiness is what we think, what we say, and what we do in harmony.
Many of us battle internally with how to be happy and contented in life. My quest has been to have peace of mind. I made lots of mistakes in my early twenties. I was an emotional wreck. The challenge is to maintain contentment through the circumstances of my changing life. But then, I think how can I find happiness when there is so much poverty, illness, deaths and destruction in this world, so much evil, murders, rapes, and hatred. TV news and newspaper reading are not my habits. And yet I can’t avoid facing the day-to-day personal problems, family concerns, environment corruption and world injustice.
Among all this confusion one fact no one can deny is death. We try not to think about that. I know that my life will someday end, but until then I am deciding to be happy with Jesus’ help. I am going to make a conscious effort to quickly get over the negative moments and search for experiences and people that can be a part of being happy, notice I said conscious effort.

What is Happiness?

I am sure we all define happiness according to the context of a situation. Could be when we finally peddled right or when we held our first child or the time we won a radio at a raffle or when your best friend gave you a surprise birthday party. Unfortunately, we don’t find it all the time. Here’s a definition:
Happiness is not getting what we want but wanting what we’ve got.
Mark Twain said that happiness is a feeling of contentment created when all of one’s physical, emotional, psychological, intellectual and spiritual needs have been gratified.
Well now, this definition is so long until it makes me lose my desire.☺
Let’s try Socrates – Happiness is not in having or being—it is in the doing.
The bottom line is that we understand happiness from our own experience.
Enough happy-talk to chew for now. Just a little something to think about until the next post.

LOVE LETTER FROM MY KING!

 

“Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and your plans will succeed.” Proverbs 16:3

Do you hear the Lord speaking?

He is saying GIVE ME YOUR PLANS! I don’t have any idea on how everything in my life should unfold. This morning as I sat in my GodSpot absorbing the sun I thought that I continue to remain amazed that I live in Fort Worth, Texas. Three years ago I knew the Spirit impressed upon Ray to move to Texas to be Poppi to the grandchildren. We had no idea what being grandparents would be like. I Hear the Spirit saying that I need to give back all my plans to him, whatever I have for today and all my tomorrows.
My Child, if you let me have your day, I can intervene and give you something special. I will you more joy than you could ever imagine. I know that Jesus knows what I long for like a surprise visit to my church back in Michigan.
I hear you, Lord, asking me to give him a chance to change my plans from ordinary to extraordinary. This kind of living is what I am destined to become. I am stepping back and letting Jesus have the controls because with him at the wheel I will have complete success!
Jesus is my planner!

Loving Me?

This morning I realize that for me to write about happiness, I must love myself.
Lord, please teach me how to love myself. (Thank You Jesus)

“Wherever your treasure is, there your heart and thoughts will also be.” Matthew 6:21

My body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, and I am ready to learn to treasure my temple.
Here I am, Lord. You have chosen my body as Your dwelling place. I desire…I want…I will honor You with my body. Yes!
Honoring You with my body is a humbling thought. I want to stop self-degrading thinking. I want to appreciate my body just the way it is TODAY. RIGHT NOW!.
Yes, I am Your temple. Your Spirit lives in me! Wow.

I will not glorify myself.

I will look at my effort to maintain weight loss as a response to God’s call on my life to be an encourager.
I do not need to attract a man or to win approval. From this day forward I will approach my sense of taste as a way to honor You, my Lord, with my body.
When I feel healthy, and in control of what I eat I am an active witness of Your love; a living testimony of Your truth. I will not let the scale dictate my life.
I confess that my heart is selfish, my weight loss goals are all about me, and I have lost weight in my strength. I will not be self-absorbed.
I am giving You all my thoughts about my image. My cravings will not control me. With Your help, Papa I will set my mind on Your heavenly call, not on my desire to taste good food.
My diet is about my desire to honor You, my King! I belong to You, Honoring You with my body is my spiritual act of worship. (Romans 12:1)
I believe that you will give me all I need to be Your best—not for my glory but Yours.
You love me no matter what I eat or how much I weigh. You know that I battle with enjoying myself when I feel unhealthy and out of control.
I see You, Lord. I feel Your loving arms around me; Your gaze is looking deep within me. I Hear You…

My Child,

Your body is unique to me. I created every part of you. The shape of your face, the color of your skin, the sound of your voice are fearfully and wonderfully made. I made you in My image, and I love you. My daughter, don’t waste another day worrying about what you look like or how much you weigh. Come to me every morning and look at me.

I am your mirror. Let me design your diet; let me be your strength to be transformed into the image I have created you to be. You are not alone; I am here right beside you, guiding you to accept the freedom and peace with yourself that awaits you.
I am your King, your Identity.

“Beloved, I pray that all may go well with you and that you may be in good health, as it goes well with your soul.”
(3 John 1:2)

Say Hallelujah!

Elohim, Yahweh, Adoni,

Here I am, Papa
Your servant is listening
I come before you with thanksgiving and praise –
I am thankful for my life, my body, my sight, my hearing… I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made by You.
You knew me before I entered the womb. Forgive me Jesus for all the times I thought terrible things about myself.
Forgive me for comparing myself to other imperfect beings.
You made me for your pleasure.
Let me bow down to you in cheerful submission to your will.
Let me kneel before your presence in reverence to your power.
You are my maker, my creator. Every time I think negative self-degrading thoughts about myself, I am ungrateful, and I miss your blessing. I lose more excellent knowledge of my purpose.
You are my God. My Heavenly Father, I am your child, your daughter! You are my King!
Today, I will sing a new song. I praise your Holy Name – you are my healer – for high is the Lord and worthy of praise!
I will sing a new song for you have done marvelous things!
I shout for Joy unto you because you know me.
Today, I will be careful to walk with a blameless heart
I will set before my eyes no vile thing
O Father, Watch over all my friends. Grant them strength, just for today. Hear their prayers, O Lord.
Bless them and keep them; Make your face shine on them and give them peace. Amen.

Please note that in my February 6 post I spoke of being covered in happiness. I want to explore what is happy with you.                  On the Journey with ya!