Tag: God’s love

Are You Willing to Let Go and Let God Do the Work?

wait with confidence - let go and let God

 

Have you ever been able to really “let go and let God” do the work that only He can do in your life? Psalm 138 provides motivation to let God do the work– to allow Him to bring to fruition all the good that He planned for you. Here is that Scripture in its entirety:

1 I will praise You with my whole heart; Before the gods I will sing praises to You.

2 I will worship toward Your holy temple, And praise Your name For Your lovingkindness and Your truth; For You have magnified Your word above all Your name.

3 In the day when I cried out, You answered me, [And] made me bold [with] strength in my soul.

4 All the kings of the earth shall praise You, O LORD, When they hear the words of Your mouth.

5 Yes, they shall sing of the ways of the LORD, For great [is] the glory of the LORD.

6 Though the LORD [is] on high, Yet He regards the lowly; But the proud He knows from afar.

7 Though I walk in the midst of trouble, You will revive me; You will stretch out Your hand Against the wrath of my enemies, And Your right hand will save me.

8 The LORD will perfect [that which] concerns me; Your mercy, O LORD, [endures] forever; Do not forsake the works of Your hands.

 

Verse 8 is the particular verse I want to call your attention to. As you probably know by now, I enjoy reading various versions/translations of Scripture. Here are some other ways of stating verse 8:

The Lord will work out his plans for my life. (TLB)

Will you trust Him to do so, in His way and His timing?

Finish what you started in me, God. Your love is eternal—don’t quit on me now. (MSG)

Will you decide to not give up on His love for you?

Adonai will fulfill his purpose for me. Your grace, Adonai, continues forever. (CJB)

Will you choose to live enjoying His abundant grace every day?

You will do everything You have promised. (GNT)

Do you believe He’ll keep His promises for you?

Which version resonated with you? It’s clear that God wants to work on your behalf and to bring His promises to fruition in your life, no matter what the obstacles may currently be.

Believe His love. Allow Him to do what He does best.

3 Powerful Actions if You’re Tempted to Abandon Hope

When life fails to be all that we had anticipated, we find it easier to abandon hope. Sometimes, we tend to think, “What’s the use? It hasn’t happened yet… and it probably never will.” If this is a description of your current life and mindset, I have 3 tips I’d like to share to help you strengthen and retain hope.

Tip 1

Make a Gratitude List. Pause to give thanks on a daily basis. When you focus more on what you’re thankful for, it begins to shift your attitude. Ultimately, you begin to move beyond discouragement. Acknowledging blessings that you’re currently experiencing will give you a better outlook about your circumstances.

Areas for counting your blessings don’t have to all be “big” or “important” in someone else’s eyes. Here are a few to consider:

  • Jesus’ finished work on the cross
  • The Father’s love
  • Good/improved health
  • Steady income
  • Fun relationships
  • Provision of a home
  • Clean running water
  • Transportation
  • Power over the enemy
  • Opportunities to serve others

What would you add to this list?

Tip 2

Ask for wisdom. God is always willing, even eager, to give you wisdom. What He gives, He does not take away. His wisdom about your circumstances will help you to not abandon hope.

If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking.
~ James 1:5 NLT

Wisdom is the exercise of sound judgment either in avoiding evils or attempting good (Webster’s Dictionary). It points you in the right direction and helps you make good decisions. Wisdom also helps you to be content until circumstances change because you know that God’s hand of favor continually rests on you.

Tip 3

Do one thing. Choose to take one simple step that serves to increase your trust in God. Focus on a promise that He has made that relates to your situation and then take one easy action step based on that promise. You can rely on God keeping His promise.

God is not a man, so he does not lie. He is not human, so he does not change his mind. Has he ever spoken and failed to act? Has he ever promised and not carried it through? ~ Numbers 23:19 NLT

Commit to doing that one thing by writing it down and placing it someplace where you’ll be reminded of it and then.. do it!


Hope is one of the three things that 1 Corinthians 13:13 tells us will always remain as a resource that allows us to tap into God’s grace. We are to always have hope—the joyful and confident expectation of God coming through for us!

Please share… What you do to maintain/strengthen your hope in seasons of discouragement?

 

God's Love

You Can Rest With Confidence in God’s Love

The more I learn of the love of Jesus, specifically His love for me, I am astounded by its depth, height, width and length. I see more clearly now that His love for me covers everything. It is complete and perfect. There are no holes in His love for me, no void spaces. So if nothing is missing in God’s love for me, why am I not always confident in the victory that love has won on my behalf?

Confidence Matters

Maybe I need to look more at what He’s done instead of what I’ve done or what I need to do. I can sometimes have a l-o-n-g “to do” list to correct my circumstances. Maybe I neGod's loveed to allow Him to be in control and do the work so I can rest. Everything that He’s done is based on His love for me. Every  bit of punishment inflicted on Him before and at the cross was because He did not want me to experience it. Every bit of scourging was endured for me. Every sickness and “condition” was taken on by His body for me. He satisfied every requirement of the Law so I wouldn’t have to. He left nothing undone and did everything perfectly. What a love!

No matter the circumstances that I find myself enduring, I’m determined to choose to look to Jesus’ love for me (Hebrews 12:2). To have confidence in His love (1 John 5:14,15). And to trust His love (Psalm 91:2). I’m determined to rest in the knowledge that His love for me has done everything necessary so that I continuously live a victorious life.

What is it that gives you confidence in God’s love for YOU?

 

 

 

 

 

Images courtesy of Ponsulak and Gubgib| FreeDigitalPhotos.net

 

Real Love

5 Secrets to Help You Shake Things Up and Enjoy Life

I know what the pressure of infertility feels like. It’s as if it completely surrounds you, pressuring you to give up, to not enjoy life or to see any advantage in continuing to hope. In the midst of infertility, life can feel like you’re always stuck between a rock and a hard place. It seems like not much is working out in your favor. Every day seems as if infertility colors how you view life in general. It looms over every aspect of your life, clouding your vision so it’s hard to see anything good that’s on the horizon.

But I’m glad to share with you that in that place of feeling stuck, HOPE can shake things up, freeing you to enjoy life!

Here are 5 secrets that I’ve found that are powerful in helping you enjoy life as you maintain hope for victory in this struggle with infertility:

  1. Believe God loves you. His love is a “no matter what” kind of love. No matter what you’ve done/thought/said, He loves you with an unfailing and unending love.
  2. Decide to not give up. Don’t underestimate the power of a decision!
  3. Remember the previous times, big or small, when God has come through for you. Encourage yourself. Think about those successes and the joy you experienced.
  4. On a daily basis, affirm the promise of God that relates to your situation by speaking the Word out loud. Instead of focusing on medical facts, let God’s Word be your point of focus and become your truth.
  5. Greet each morning with gratitude for the gift of a new day. This helps set a positive tone for the day ahead of you. Thankfulness has a way of shifting our attitude, choices, and behavior.

Hope is one of the three things that 1 Corinthians 13:13 tells us will always remain as a resource that allows us to tap into God’s grace. We are to always have hope—the joyful and confident expectation of God coming through for us!

Hope established upon Jesus’ love never disappoints.

Allow hope to shake things up in your life so that you experience the freedom to confidently expect good things from your very good Heavenly Father.


An Affirmation for You:

God loves me and desires for me to experience only His goodness so that I enjoy life. I rest in His love for me. I choose to allow His desires for my life to shape my desires. I maintain my hope in God.


What things are you currently doing to help you enjoy life during the struggle? Please share below.

Why Distractions Invade Your Life

There’s a very simple reason distractions invade our lives.

 

Distractions

What do you do to help yourself remain focused on what and Who brings light and life?

What Truth Do You Believe About Overcoming Fertility?

What do you believe about overcoming fertility? It’s so easy to believe the negative reports about infertility. We humans are trained through our normal, everyday situations to focus on and remember the negative circumstances of life. But what if there were powerful reasons to believe something radically different from the medical reports and the advice/counsel you get from friends and family?

 Believe His Promises

Would you believe?

Here are three powerful reasons to believe that you are already blessed and empowered to overcome infertility:

  1. God said none will be barren/infertile, not male or female.
    • “You will be blessed more than any other people; none of your men or women will be childless.” Deuteronomy 7:14 NIV
  2. God said ALL things are possible with Him  and impossible without Him.
    • “For nothing is impossible with God. Luke 1:37 NLT
    • I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.” John 15:5 NIV
  3. God said He is always with you and His Spirit bears witness to the Truth (Truth=what God has said). His Word is truth.
    •  “And Jesus Christ was revealed as God’s Son by his baptism in water and by shedding his blood on the cross–not by water only, but by water and blood. And the Spirit, who is truth, confirms it with his testimony.” 1John 5:6 NLT
    • “Make them holy by your truth; teach them your word, which is truth.” John 17:17 NLT

Be assured that no word from God will ever fail or be void of power (Luke 1:37 NIV and ASV). We’re also told in 1 Kings 8:56 that “not one word has failed of all the wonderful promises He gave.”

Will you believe that His promises of fertility are your truth?

 

Monday’s Marinade- I Believe

Believe for something better in 2016.

Now that the new year is well under way, I hope that you’re expecting something better to happen in your life than what you experienced in 2015. What are you believing for?

Here are some of the typical things most people think about and desire at the beginning of the year:

      • Improved health
      • Peace of mind
      • A promotion or raise on the job
      • An upgrade in lifestyle (car, house, wardrobe, etc.)

But there are a variety of things that could be viewed as more influential on your quality of life than those desires listed above.

Are you open to allowing your thoughts to marinate on something more impactful? Print the following graphic so you can verbally affirm what you believe as you move forward throughout 2016. Be sure to read the Scripture verses  that are shown so you can build your confidence in what you affirm!

Monday's Marinade- I BELIEVE

 What else will you believe in 2016?  Share your thoughts below. 🙂

 

How God and the Power of Good Grammar Can Give You Good Success

There’s a powerful connection between grammar, God, and your success. In elementary school, or in junior high school, you probably learned about the grammatical impact of using the word “but” in a sentence. It is a conjunction, joining two phrases. It is a powerful word because  “but” essentially negates the idea in the first phrase and implies that something else should be considered. Here’s a quick list of what “but” can do:

  • suggests there’s a chance for a different outcome
  • implies there’s something which should not be forgotten
  • serves to redirect your attention
  • implies doubt in the preceding phrase and a more confident expectation in the phrase that follows
  • marks an opposition to the preceding phrase

As I was writing my book, A Seed of Hope: God’s Promises of Fertility, one of the things that Holy Spirit whispered to me to include was how to use the “Holy But.” I laughed when I heard that– the Holy But. However, I began to understand how using it could bring godly results to our ungodly circumstances. You’re probably wondering what makes the “but” holy. The use of God’s Word following the “but” is what makes it serve a holy purpose in your life. When you find yourself saying some negative things about yourself that you know you should not have released from your mouth, use the Holy But by stating a promise or truth from God’s Word that addresses the circumstance that you previously stated negatively.


God’s Truth is stronger than your facts.  Tweet this!


God’s Truth is stronger than your facts. It is powerful and never changes. God’s Truth never fails. When you believe it and speak it, it can actually change your facts of life. What’s God’s Truth? It’s His words of love and grace toward you (John 17:17). God’s Word doesn’t change– it is powerful and eternal. Use it to pressure your circumstances to line up with what God has said. For example, you may have said in a moment of exasperation, “I feel like I’ll never be pregnant!” Quickly follow that up by saying, “BUT, God said that none shall be barren and that includes me” (Exodus 23:26). Maybe you’re experiencing some financial challenges and you might slip and say, “I’m always broke.” When you catch yourself, say something like, “BUT, Jesus is with me and He prospers me (1 Chronicles 22:11). The key is to negate your negative statement by stating what God has said about the matter using the word “but”. Good grammar really can bring godly results and good success, when you combine it with what God has said about your circumstances. Proverbs 18:21 points out that the words we speak carry the power of life and of death. Do a self-check on your conversations and start using the Holy But when you’ve spoken negatively. Use the Holy But in your everyday conversations to:

  • Express belief about the outcome God has planned for you
  • Remind yourself of God’s viewpoint of the matter
  • Redirect your attention to Jesus’ love for you
  • Erase doubt and affirm your confidence in God’s words
  • Declare your opposition to the negative thing you’ve previously said

It is applicable in any circumstance. It is a simple exercise that will redirect your focus and strengthen your faith. In the midst of negative circumstances, what do you do to redirect your focus to Jesus’ words, love, and viewpoint? good grammar - words of life

Focus Friday – Jesus’ Love for YOU

Looking for love in all the wrong places? Meditate on Jesus’ love for YOU instead. His love is unfailing, unending, and undeniably powerful. Believe it works for your benefit. Allow God’s Word about His love to become your Truth.

Focus on this scripture of love throughout the day.

It’s God’s Word about Jesus’  love for YOU.

It’s what He desires you to believe. Believe it is true for you because God’s Word is Truth.

Use it as an affirmation. Speak this Word to yourself throughout the day. Personalize it by putting your name in it!

Jesus' Love

 

Focus Friday – Loved by a Father

I know. June is long gone and so is the American celebration of Father’s Day. But tomorrow is my husband’s birthday and I want to celebrate and honor what an awesome father he has been to our children. He gladly sacrifices having better things for himself so that he can provide for our children. This week, our youngest son had some car trouble and had to drive Freeman’s car to get to a couple of commitments he had. When he got back home, he said, “Dad, you need a new car.” 🙂 Freeman’s response was, “I know, but I needed to get y’all through school first.”  That’s the kind of dad he’s been all along– one that doesn’t mind doing without so that his children have what he feels they need.

God is like that too. He loved us so much that He was willing to:

  • do without the presence of His Son for decades,
  • watch His Son go through the blood-sweating agony of taking on mankind’s sin,
  • turn away from His Son as He hung dishonored on the cross with His flesh sliced, and bloodied, and
  • send His only Son to hell in mankind’s stead.

But the Father didn’t stop there; He did not leave Jesus in hell. He gladly made those sacrifices knowing there was  a perfectly good ending to the story. He raised His Son with power so that we could then be seated with Jesus on the right hand of God– a position of power. The Father was determined to get us back and love on us NO MATTER WHAT!

What  sacrifice!

What LOVE!

How do you see yourself loved by the God who sustains the entire universe?

Take a moment today to express your love to the Father AND, more importantly, to receive His “no-matter-what” kind of love.

My father--father's day

 

Photo credit: Women Living Well