Tag: faith

No Condemnation

Posted on by Evangeline

Do you ever get tired of “shoulding” all over yourself?

I do.  I should have gotten up and walked this morning. I should have set the timer to get off the computer so I could get other important things done. I should have made a better choice for a snack this afternoon. I should have told my hairdresser to not cut so much of my hair off. I should have told each of my children “I love you” this morning.

I could “should” all over myself all day,everyday,  if I allowed myself to do so. I could beat myself up about so many little things and big things. But I have to daily remind myself that there is no condemnation to those who are in Christ (Romans 8:1).  If I make a mistake or if I make a wrong choice, I don’t have to re-live it over and over again in my head. If Jesus doesn’t hold things against me, why do I? That’s not to say that I  shouldn’t try to make right choices; it just means that I can find peace in Him when I don’t.

If you condemn yourself because of a life changing choice you made years ago, or even yesterday, STOP! You’re the only one on that ride going to nowhere!  Jesus is on the ride that is headed toward the destination of grace, forgiveness and peace and He wants you to join Him. So stop “shoulding” all over yourself and take a ride on the GRACE side.

Anticipate the Good

Posted on by Evangeline

Is your lifestyle one of anticipating the worst case scenario or do you expect good things to happen? As humans, it’s easy for us to see and talk about the negative aspects of our lives. But as a Christian, it should be easy for us to see AND talk about the positive things in our lives. After all, we have an “unfair advantage.”  We have the favor of God!

The favor of God is His abundant, unearned grace, and it is unaffected by anything that we do.  As believers in Jesus Christ, we have the abundance of God continually available to us for every area of our lives! It’s up to us to believe that it is ours to receive. Even when going through the throes of infertility, believe that the favor of God is working in your life. Despite what the evidence/medical report/family history is in your life, anticipate good results. Believe that the favor of God is working on your behalf. Believe that He is for you and not against you.

As you continue to believe, the things you say will be more positive. As you continue to believe, you’ll anticipate the good, more and more because your focus will change. Your focus will not be on the negative circumstances of your life but on the all-sufficient grace and love of God.  And that…is ALL good.

Think about what you’re thinking about…

Posted on by Evangeline

When faced with a thought filled with doom and gloom, and it repeatedly comes to mind, it’s hard to maintain a hope-filled focus. That’s exactly when we must remind ourselves that we can choose what we think about. We can dwell on the thought that brings us down and continue to ride that wave of despair, OR, we can switch gears and begin to think about the Truth.

Truth always prevails. It is unshakable. It is unchangeable. It is the foundation upon which we can build a thought-life that brings waves of joy and not sorrow, hope and not despair.

The only Truth I know is the Word of God. It is filled with hope and  love. It is food for good thoughts!

“And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.” ~~Philippians 4:8 NLT

Announcing…’A Seed of Hope’ Devotional

Posted on by Evangeline

Finally, an encouraging devotional for those suffering with infertility! My new ebook, “A Seed of Hope—God’s Promises of Fertility,” is from my perspective of having overcome infertility. It uplifts and brings hope to the reader through daily readings with the premise that nothing is too hard for God, not even infertility.

You’ll be encouraged along your journey to get through this season of childlessness by relying on, speaking, and trusting in the Word of God and His love for you. Please let me know what you think after you take a look inside “A Seed of Hope” .

 Devotional Readings that encourage you in the struggle of infertility!

A Seed of Hope Devotional- Amazon

Don’t Ignore…

Posted on by Evangeline

Don’t ignore the spiritual aspect of infertility.

It is so easy to lose focus on the spiritual nature of infertility when the physical aspect overtakes your daily life. You and your spouse can become so obsessed with finding the cause and the cure for you situation that it can rob you of your peace. When you’re not experiencing peace, you’re likely to ignore the one thing that can bring about the solution you’re looking for.

It is important to strengthen yourself spiritually while dealing with infertility. Acknowledge the need to ask God for wisdom when faced with overcoming the enemy called “Infertility.” It may seem like a Goliath-sized enemy to you, but for God, “Infertility” is already a defeated foe. It is not too hard to break or destroy. God said so when he defeated infertility in Sarah’s life (see Genesis 18:14).

Luke 18:27 states, “And he [Jesus] said, The things which are impossible with men are possible WITH (in close proximity to) God”{emphasis mine}. Join yourself WITH Him by asking for wisdom in the decisions you make, by reading His word, by speaking and meditating His Word.

Trust that God’s Word is true for you. It will bring you guidance, comfort, and ultimately, greater peace.

“Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee.” ~~ Isaiah 26:3

“Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” ~~ John 14:27

Confidence in His Plans

Posted on by Evangeline

Sometimes it’s hard to trust and be in agreement with the plans of someone else regarding the impact of their plans on YOUR life. If someone asked you whether you agree with whatever God has said and planned about your situation, what would be your response? Would you express sincere confidence in His plans for you?

Maybe  David of the Bible can be our example of how to be in agreement with God. David, a man who so openly loved and trusted God, knew the power of speaking the Word of God. He said in Psalm 17:4, “…By the word of Your lips, I have kept away from the paths of the destroyer.” Similarly, we must speak the Word of God to keep us off of Satan’s paths that are lined with his burdens and devices of deception.  Most importantly, speaking the Word helps us to keep our eyes and mind on Jesus’ love for us, which enables us to agree with His plans and receive the victory over infertility.

Be encouraged!

Speaking God’s Word

Posted on by Evangeline

In the beginning was the Word…

God created this planet and the entire universe by speaking it into existence.  As believers in Jesus Christ, and therefore as children of God, we can, like earthly children, imitate our heavenly Father by saying what He says. We have the honor and privilege to use what God has said about a matter to create a life that falls in line with His plan for us—an abundant, overflowing life (Romans 10:8; John 10:10). That abundance includes having children and raising them to know that God loves them immensely and wants them to enjoy an abundant life (Psalm 102:18, 28).

 

We can activate that abundant life and change our current circumstances by declaring God’s Word. He gave us His Word to empower us so that we don’t have live in bondage to infertility any longer! Over and over again, God shows us in the Bible that it is important to speak His Word because it is powerful in shaping our lives. God said that His Word would go forth and return to Him with results that please him (Isaiah 55:11).  The method by which His Word returns to Him is through us speaking it out loud in faith.  Everyone knows that God’s name is holy and should be respected and honored.  But did you know that He has exalted His Word even above His name (Psalm 138:2)? That means we should believe His Word, trust it, and value it as something precious! It also means we can act on it with confidence.

 

Speak God’s Word and be encouraged that it is working and will work on your behalf. Believe it and continually speak it in faith (2 Corinthians 4:13). Speak the Word with confidence because it is the foundation for God’s language of faith.

Copyright 2001 Evangeline Colbert