So, how can you get back on track?  How can you clear away the muck that life throws your way so that you may be able to enjoy a more satisfying and love-filled life?

It would be a mistake to think that you can achieve anything on your own merits, your own strength or your own perseverance.  You may be strong and tenacious.  But only through the power of the Holy Spirit in your heart can you experience the grace needed to move through a life full of adversity – and still experience the joy and heartfelt happiness for which we all hunger.

You cannot be a victim of your circumstances when God fills your heart.  You cannot be a victim of others when the love of Christ Jesus washes you with God’s promise and peace.  To experience God in this imperfect world is but a foretaste of all wonderful dreams coming true.  It is as close to happiness as anyone can wish to get this side of Heaven.

“Our passion for God must be awakened till it becomes the controlling center of our life.”  Larry Crabb – Soul Talk

Can you let go of your selfish need to control the circumstances of your life and give control completely over to God?

Thoughts for journaling…

Tell me about the most wonderful dream you have for your life.  What do you want for your life, more than anything else?  What is the most important goal or dream you have for you?  Tell me about what that dream looks like.  I want details and examples of what your life would be like if your dream came true – just as you want it.

Next, I want you to tell me what stands in the way of your dream becoming your reality.  What things, people, situations, etc. are getting in the way of you living your dream?  Of those things, what do you not have any control over that seem to be standing in your way?  What people are you waiting for that haven’t jumped on board with your dream and where you want to be?  What do you need from these people or things that you aren’t getting?

Now, I want you to look deep within your heart and feel the presence of the Holy Spirit.  What things are within The Holy Spirit’s power that could help your dream come true?  What do you have – deep in your heart – that you could use to make your life feel more fullfilling or happy?   What things would you need to change in order for your special dream to become your special reality?  What things and people have you given your personal power to, leaving you feeling as if they hold the key to your dream?  (If you are stuck, look at the above paragraph!)

Over what parts of your dream do you need to give up control?  Those parts of your dream to which you’re holding on so tightly that you are afraid to loosen your grip?

It is said that Thomas Aquinas believed that we have two options open to us in how to live our lives.   We can either live to get the good we think we need or we can live to enjoy the good we’ve already been given.  How do Thomas Aquinas’s words reflect on your efforts in achieving a happy life?  Are you moving forward longing for the things you think you want, or rather with a heart filled with The Holy Spirit’s power, grace and love which will guide and help you define what it is that you truely need to be happy?

Pray on this…how can you take back that power that is yours through Christ Jesus?  Right here and right now?

Philippians 4:4-9

Always be full of joy in the Lord. I say it again—rejoice! Let everyone see that you are considerate in all you do. Remember, the Lord is coming soon.

Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done.  Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.

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.  Keep putting into practice all you learned and received from me—everything you heard from me and saw me doing. Then the God of peace will be with you.

For years, I’ve been encouraging my clients to keep a Beauty Journal – a journal used to physically record all the things that went right in a day.  Why do I think this is an important exercise?  Well, just take a moment and look around you.  How much of your world is full of negativity and sadness, destruction and despair, heart ache and heart brokenness?  These things are everywhere!  They surround us.  And if there aren’t enough of them in your own, personal life the media will make sure that you get your fill.

It is amazing that more people are not swept away in the depths of depression when experiencing this fallen world.  I know that many chose to ignore the pain that surrounds them and they are able to “create” a world that is more comfortable by denying the reality of the world and relationships.  (i.e., “My husband really isn’t physically abusive.  He just had a bad day.”  “My daughter really doesn’t have a drug problem.  She’s just going through a phase.”  “I really do not have a drinking problem.  I just need a drink to relax after work.”  “I really want this new high definition television and paying off the credit won’t take that long.  I work hard, I deserve it.”  “I really don’t work that many hours.  Money is important.  My wife and kids understand.” …)

It is important to develop some honesty when looking at what is going on around you.  Take an honest look and take it in.  The reality of our fallen world is heavy.  But don’t stop there.  I challenge you to look deeper – for the beauty.

In and amongst all that is fallen, God provides so much that is rich and beautiful.  We just often times miss it because of all the negativity that surrounds us.  Did you know that research has revealed that it takes nine positive things to undo the impact of one negative thing on our human psyche?  It is almost as if the negativity in our world has a powerful magnet drawing our attention. It is as if we are automatically pulled to what is negative and the power that the negativity has is 9 times more powerful than a moment of joy.  It is because of this that we must become more proactive in seeking out all that is good.

If we stop looking toward those things that suck the life and  joy out of us and start looking to those things that are “true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable” and claim them as the God-given gifts they are, we would begin to enjoy more moments with God’s peace filling our hearts.  The peace that passes all understanding can be ours…it can be yours!  God has placed all that is beautiful in our world to fill us with the experience of his love.  We must seek out the beauty, claim these things as the gifts they are and hold them in our hearts.

This is where the Beauty Journal comes into play.  The negativity in our lives is a habit of thought.  Change the habit!  Actively seek  out the beauty!  The Beauty Journal is simple.  It only takes three simple steps to complete.  You can handle that!

1) Look for 10 Beautiful Things -

I challenge you to start looking for 10 things a day that bring lightness to your heart, a smile to your face, a peace to your mind.  What are 10 things that are gifts that God is bringing into your day…just 10!  They can be as simple as your car starting with the first turn of the key all the way to something as glorious a beautiful sunrise.  I don’t care what they are…I know they are there.

2) Claim Them As Your Own -

Write them down.  Get a journal (get a piece of paper!) and write them down – EVERYDAY – into your journal.  By writing them down, you are claiming them and making them your own.  Have you ever thought about claiming a sunrise as your own?  If not, why?  God could have made the sunrise without all of the beauty that comes with it.  He could have been practical and just made the sunrise simply functional.  But he didn’t.  He made it beautiful – for you!  He wants you to be reminded about how crazy he is about you!

3) Hold Them In Your Heart -

As you write these 10 things down, day after day, hold them in your heart.  Read the list, every  day!  As you read over the list of gifts that are given and you’ve claimed, the gift of the beauties literally multiplies right in front of your eyes.  You will visually see the power of God’s gifts as reminders of his presence in your life.  As you daily reflect on these gifts and praise God for them, the peace that passes all understanding will fill you.  It can’t help but happen.

What is the catch?  There is one!  You have to be an active participant.  You have to do your part.  God provides the beauty.  You have to experience it.  If someone gives you a beautifully wrapped and carefully selected birthday gift and you never open it – what’s the point?  The same is true with the gifts from God.  You have to do your part and receive them!

You must look for the gifts, claim them as your own and hold them in your heart.  When you do, you may be surprised at how the  negativity in the world loses its power and how the gifts start filling your days and your heart.  It will become a habit to look for these things.  It will become part of you.  God’s love will fill you and you will experience God in every beautiful thing.  From the pen that has ink in it to the awesome show of a lightening display to the song of a bird to the laughter of a baby – God’s love will flow through the gifts he is giving you and the peace that passes all understanding will fill your heart and mind – negativity will have no room!

Change your life – look for God’s gifts of beauty!

I was hungry and you formed a humanity’s club and discussed my hunger, thank you.

I was imprisoned and you crept off quietly to your chapel and

prayed for my release.

I was naked and in your mind you debated the morality of my appearance.

I was sick and you knelt and thanked God for your health.

I was homeless and you preached to me of the love of God.

I was lonely and you left me alone to pray for me.

You seem so holy, so very close to God,

but I am still very hungry and lonely and cold

– thank you.

“When I think of all this, I fall to my knees and pray to the Father, the Creator of everything in heaven and on earth.  I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit.  Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong.  And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is.  May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully.  Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God.
Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think. Glory to him in the church and in Christ Jesus through all generations forever and ever! Amen.”

There are far too many times in life when you feel weak and incapable of taking one more step, facing one more challenge, dealing with one more difficult person, handling one more disagreement with another family member, experiencing one more loss…  I know that sometimes life can feel overwhelming.  I also know that when these trials present themselves that it is then that you can feel so incredibly alone.

When you are facing such struggles, remember that God is the giver of all that is good.  In the midst of what seems to be all that is bad, please try to remember He is there with you.  I know that this isn’t always easy to do nor easy to remember, because quite honestly loss and pain hurt!  Hard times in life are difficult!  Loss seems to leave a big hole in our hearts!  Sometimes life just stinks!

I remember when I found out about my husband’s affair, I felt as if my entire world shook.  Then when I found out he didn’t want a divorce but also didn’t want to give up his girlfriend, my entire world changed some more.  I didn’t know what I was going to do.  I didn’t know what to think.  I really wanted to know why this was all happening.  But no answer came.  I felt defeated.

Then, I stumbled upon a copy of the poem Footprints In The Sand byMary Stevenson (1936).

One night I dreamed I was walking along the beach with the Lord. Many scenes from my life flashed across the sky.
In each scene I noticed footprints in the sand. Sometimes there were two sets of footprints, other times there was one only.
This bothered me because I noticed that during the low periods of my life, when I was suffering from anguish, sorrow or defeat, I could see only one set of footprints, so I said to the Lord,
“You promised me Lord,
that if I followed you, you would walk with me always. But I have noticed that during the most trying periods of my life there has only been one set of footprints in the sand. Why, when I needed you most, have you not been there for me?”
The Lord replied, “The years when you have seen only one set of footprints, my child, is when I carried you.”

I carried this poem with me for the next number of days…weeks…years…as I worked through the changes that came after losing a 19 year marriage.  I had to grieve the loss of my sons’ family unit – my family unit. I had to grieve the loss of my marriage.  I had to grieve the loss of half of my family and many of my friends.  I had to grieve the loss of my step-children and step-grandchildren.  I had to grieve the loss of the home that I designed and helped build.  I had to grieve the loss of my neighborhood and beautiful neighbors.  I had to grieve the loss of our dreams for retirement, grandchildren, the future we had dreamed about and planned.  It seemed that I had to grieve more than I had to hold on to as all of this loss was going on around me.  At times, I felt so alone.  It was a terribly difficult time in my life.  This poem served as a reminder that God was carrying me through all of my grief…all of these changes…all of the loss.

The verses in Ephesians reminded me, too that as life happened around me and to me, I was not alone.  I did not have to be strong – God’s strength would sustain me when I felt I had no more to give.  During those moments when I did not believe that I could take one more step, I was lovingly reminded that I didn’t have to.  God was carrying me.  I was not alone.

No matter what struggles you are facing today, may the words from Ephesians and the poem by Mary Stevenson be lights to your path.  My prayer for you is that during the hurt, sadness, pain and grief that you are working through today that you are lovingly reminded…

“And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is.  May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully.”

You are not alone!

 Give praise to the Lord, proclaim his name;

  make known among the nations what he has done.

Sing to him, sing praise to him;

  tell of all his wonderful acts.

Glory in his holy name;

  let the hearts of those who seek the Lord rejoice.

Look to the Lord and his strength;

  see his face always.

Remember the wonders he has done,

  his miracles, and the judgments he pronounced….

  As we move toward Thanksgiving I am reminded of how sometimes stuff gets in the way of our gratitude and it may become difficult for us to remember to be thankful for all that we do have.  Sometimes life happens and our world seems to be filled with hurt, pain, suffering, and general negativity.  We are surrounded and flooded in all that seems rotten – how can we feel in our hearts a genuine sense of thanksgiving when there is so much hurt going on all around us?

It is well researched and documented that people with positive attitudes are happier, healthier and live longer than those with a habitual practice of focusing on the negative things in life.  Research also has found that it takes approximately nine positive things to undo the impact that just one negative experience has on our psyche.  You do the math.  If you subject yourself to hours of negative news reporting, crime dramas, Real Housewives of whatever county, 24 hour news channels, etc…how many positives do you need in your day to undo the impact of all that negativity?

If you are working in a negative working environment or with negative people, if you have recently suffered from illness or a loss, if you are looking at any change of life that could be difficult (empty nest, surgery, divorce, death, loss of job, loss of neighborhood, etc.) all of a sudden you need to really bring into focus and actively search out all of the positives that you can.  How can you do that?

I often will encourage my clients to start keeping a beauty journal writing down 10 beautiful, happy, positives that occurred with them during each day.  It is often difficult for most people.  So start simply…”the pen I picked up has ink in it; the car started when I first turned the key; I love the smell of coffee in the morning…” I promise there are beautiful things surrounding you every day, if you are just open to seeing them.  You have to train your brain to register them.

That is one of the best parts.  Our brains are trainable.  We can turn our negative focus into a positive one.  It just takes time and a deliberate effort to start looking for those positive things.

That is what is so incredible about God.  In the midst of everything we seem to mess up, he still delivers beauty!  He fills our lives with his presence and sends us positive reminders all of the time.  But…are you looking for them?  Are you open to them? 

You can’t experience them if you aren’t looking!  Are you?   Enjoy!!!! 

Heavenly and generous father,

We praise you and thank you for your presence in our lives.  Help fill our heads and hearts with an awareness of the blessings you shower on us daily.  Please help us remember your promises of love, hope and joy.  For you are ultimately the most beautiful gift of any we could possibly imagine.

Please be with all of your people as we gather together this holiday season.  And help us remember that your presence in our lives makes everyday Thanksgiving Day. 

In your precious son’s name we joyfully sing out in thanksgiving…”AMEN!”

 ² Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. ³ For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow.

2 Corinthians 4: 16-18

 ¹⁶ That is why we never give up. Though our bodies are dying, our spirits are being renewed every day. ¹⁷ For our present troubles are small and won’t last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever! ¹⁸ So we don’t look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever. 

 Have you ever watched a goldfinch fly? 

Not just fly by your immediate range of sight, but rather watch it in flight.  I had the opportunity to enjoy goldfinch watching this summer and I am delighted at the joy those little yellow birds shared with me.

The goldfinch flies in a pattern much like a scalloped edge on some fabric finishes.  It will flap its wings and fly up, up, up.  When it reaches a high point, it will stop flapping and swoop down for a small time until it reaches the bottom of the scallop.  Then, it starts flapping again.  And so the swooping continues. 

Over and over again, the goldfinch appears to be dancing a delightful dance which in many ways replicates the way our lives flow – up and down, up and down.  After a struggle up hill (with lots of work and energy) we often enjoy the ‘swoop’ on the downside of those climbs.  Riding the ride and swooping with joy at the relief of an opportunity to catch our breath. 

Then, after enjoying the ride of the swoop, life happens again.  We find ourselves facing the fact that if we don’t start working again we will crash.  So, it becomes important to start flapping again.  We encounter a new uphill struggle and start our climb once again.  Up and down, over and over again is this journey of living our lives.

But, here is where we could really embrace a life lesson from our neighbor, the goldfinch.  Every time the goldfinch starts flapping, it does so in song.  As it flaps its wings, it sings.  (I promise it does!  I watched them all summer!)  It swoops and then starts singing and flapping…over and over again.  Swoop…sing and flap…swoop…sing and flap – up and down – time and time again.

I wonder…is the goldfinch pleading for inner strength as it works at flying on the up side of that swoop, or is it praising God for having the opportunity to once again work for the upcoming swoop?  Maybe it is a little bit of both!

When you experience your next up hill life struggle, remember the goldfinch in flight.  When we have faith and love in our Savior, he promises his faithfulness as we climb the struggles we face.  He will help provide strength if we feel ours is depleted – we just need to ask and praise him for the challenge.  In Christ is the promise and hope of a great, fun and wonderful upcoming swoop!

I personally find I Corinthians 13 especially helpful for all who long for more love in life.  If you really are eager to experience God-like love, then this is the road-map to follow.  You cannot expect healthy love to come into your life until you learn what it looks like and how to love others and yourself in a healthy way.  Yes, you must learn how to live a life of love in order for you to experience love completely. 

I have taken Kelsey’s outline provided in his book and have expanded upon it slightly.

Love is…

Patient - 

Enduring trials and bearing pain calmly; can wait until the time is good; never gives up; is never picky or demanding; does not have expectations of others; deals without defensiveness with conflict and criticism even when things seem unfair; chooses actions rather than reactions to emotions; understands and appropriately respects personal boundaries in self and others.

Kind -

Is thoughtful; has a gentle, helpful, considerate nature; is empathetic, compassionate; gracious; merciful; worthy; good; useful; understanding and affectionate where it is proper.

Attentive –

Listens to others with patience; hearing what a person says and doesn’t say; sees the value of others and of the Holy Spirit who dwells in them; does not place value judgments on other’s stories; knows that only as we listen to others and share their burdens can we bring healing to them.

Consoling –

Recognizes the pain of grief and sorrow of others and reaches out to them where they are at; is therefore compassionate to them; is willing to be with suffering, dying, bereaving people without needing to hurry along their journey of grief.

Confident –

Is not jealous, envious or possessive and is not fearful of losing the affection and concern of others or of God; is friendly to all, no matter what the circumstances; is secure in the knowledge that all will be well in the end.

Modest –

Is not boastful; not overbearing; not given to excessive pride; is not pompous or snobbish; reserved; unobtrusive and discreet; does not wish to be showy or to be the center of attention; is not a wind bag.

Humble –

Is not arrogant or proud; not overly convinced of one’s own importance; treats all others as human beings of equal value; knows all of us have sometimes failed; is not pushy or forceful with one’s opinion; is not judgmental or condemning of others.

Gracious –

Is never rude; is tolerant of the attitudes and feelings of others; does not behave offensively or in an unseemly manner; is not ill-mannered; is polite, courteous and proper; is civil.

Considerate –

Is yielding, compliant and flexible (respecting and understanding boundaries); thoughtful; accommodating; willing and able to listen; does not insist on or persist in pressing for or demanding one’s own way; is compromising; does not have expectations; is not selfish, self-seeking or self-centered.

Good-natured -

Is not easily stirred up to wrath; not irritable; not easily angered; not touchy, ill-tempered or easily provoked; not easily annoyed or exasperated; is easygoing; does not lose one’s head.

Forgiving –

Pardons the faults of others while honoring personal boundaries; does not have outbursts of rage; keeps no record of wrong even on oneself; is not resentful or hostile; is not inclined to feel bitterness or resentment; does not hold grudges; sees no human being as faultless; does not keep a tally of evils, injuries and nastiness.

Joyful –

Has joy in the righteous and kind; delights in the holy and is open to experiencing God’s truth; is jubilant when good appears; exalts in song and praise and love, never rejoices in the wrong, ugly or devious; is never happy about those who suffer evil or injustice; never delights in the hurts of others.

Playful –

Is merry (as if always celebrating the great cosmic drama of Christmas); does not take oneself too seriously; enjoys a playful interchange with human beings; is never afraid of laughing at oneself; never celebrates darkness, depression and dejection; is not sarcastic or does not make jokes at someone else’s expense.

Forbearing –

Puts up with and bears difficulties; persists when all seems hopeless; bears up under rejection; does not take personally the faults of others; keeps confidences and does not gossip; does not judge; does not complain about hardships; is tenacious in the face of evil or adversity.

Believing –

Trusts and accepts the truth; is open-minded to new truth; has a firm conviction that a loving Creator has made our universe and all of us; is always hoping to find truthfulness and goodness in others; does not project faults on others; is not overly doubtful or suspicious.

Hopeful –

Is encouraging; nurturing ; always expects the best in others (without being naïve or neglecting personal boundaries); looks forward to healthy goals with expectations of fulfillment; never expects the worst nor is happy with pessimism; is expectant; looks for the good in this world and the world to come; foresees the good.

Fair –

Is honest and strives to live a life of integrity (where one’s actions match his/her words); respects justice without demanding it in his/her time; takes a stand against prejudice, inequality, discrimination and unfairness.

Enduring –

Is faithful and steadfast; carries through in spite of difficulties and hardships; is respectful of fear, moving through it rather than stuck in it; stands firm when others flee; never gives up hope for self, others or the world; waits with solid confidence for God’s help.

Endless –

Is eternal; goes on forever, world without end; is unconditional; endures without limit; never ends; is divine, holy, Godlike; never drifts off course; never fails, loses or weakens in one’s conviction of love.

The following is a borrowed list of different Bible verses that can help you on the journey of self-discovery of who you are in Christ.

• I am born again…through the living and enduring word of God. (1 Peter 1:23)
• I am a child of God. (John 1:12)
• I am saved by grace through faith. (Ephesians 2:8-9)
• I am loved by God and He gave his one and only Son for me. (John 3:16)
• I am a new creation in Christ; the old has gone and the new has come! (2 Corinthians 5:17)
• I have peace with God. (Romans 5:1)
• The Holy Spirit lives in me. (1 Corinthians 3:16)
• I have access to God’s wisdom. (James 1:5)
• I am helped by God. (Hebrews 4:16)
• I am reconciled to God. (Romans 5:11)
• I am not condemned by God. (Romans 8:1)
• I am justified. (Romans 5:1)
• I have Christ’s righteousness. (Romans 5:19; 2 Corinthians 5:21)
• I am Christ’s ambassador. (2 Corinthians 5:20)
• I am completely forgiven. (Colossians 1:14)
• I am tenderly loved by God. (Jeremiah 31:3)
• I am the sweet fragrance of Christ to God. (2 Corinthians 2:15)
• I am a temple in which God dwells. (1 Corinthians 3:16)
• I am blameless and beyond reproach. (Colossians 1:22)
• I am the salt of the earth. (Matthew 5:13)
• I am the light of the world. (Matthew 5:14)
• I am a branch on Christ’s vine. (John 15:1,5)
• I am Christ’s friend. (John 15:5)
• I am chosen by Christ to bear fruit. (John 15:16)
• I am a joint heir with Christ, sharing His inheritance with Him. (Romans 8:17)
• I am united to the Lord, one spirit with Him. (1 Corinthians 6:17)
• I am a member of Christ’s body. (1 Corinthians 12:27)
• I am a saint. (Ephesians 1:1)
• I am hidden with Christ in God. (Colossians 3:3)
• I am chosen by God, holy and dearly loved. (Colossians 3:12)
• I am a child of the light. (1 Thessalonians 5:5)
• I am holy, and I share in God’s heavenly calling. (Hebrews 3:1)
• I am sanctified. (Hebrews 2:11)
• I am one of God’s living stones, being built up in Christ as a spiritual house. (1 Peter 2:5)
• I am a member of a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession and created to sing His praises. (1 Peter 2:9-10)
• I am firmly rooted and built up in Christ. (Colossians 2:7)
• I am born of God, and the evil one cannot touch me. (1 John 5:18)
• I have the mind of Christ. (1 Corinthians 2:16)
• I may approach God with boldness, freedom, and confidence. (Ephesians 3:12)
• I have been rescued from Satan’s domain and transferred into the kingdom of Christ. (Colossians 1:13)
• I have been made complete in Christ. (Colossians 2:10)
• I have been given a spirit of power, love, and self-discipline. (2 Timothy 1:7)
• I have been given great and precious promises by God. (2 Peter 1:4)
• My needs are met by God. (Philippians 4:19)
• I am a prince (princess) in God’s kingdom. (John 1:12; 1 Timothy 6:15)
• I have been bought with a price, and I belong to God. (1 Corinthians 6:19,20)
• I have been adopted as God’s child. (Ephesians 1:5)
• I have direct access to God through the Holy Spirit. (Ephesians 2:18)
• I am assured that all things are working together for good. (Romans 8:28)
• I am free from any condemning charges against me. (Romans 8:31f)
• I cannot be separated from the love of God. (Romans 8:35f)
• I have been established, anointed, and sealed by God. (2 Corinthians 1:21,22)
• I am confident that the good work that God has begun in me will be perfected. (Philippians 1:6)
• I am a citizen of heaven. (Philippians 3:20)
• I am a personal witness of Christ’s. (Acts 1:8)
• I am God’s coworker. (2 Corinthians 6:1, 1 Corinthians 3:9)
• I am seated with Christ in the heavenly realm. (Ephesians 2:6)
• I am God’s workmanship. (Ephesians 2:10)
• I can do all things through Christ, who gives me the strength I need. (Philippians 4:13)

I love it when my sons come home.  I love being with them.  To spend time in shared discussion, games, laughter, even serious debate are some of my most joyful times.  My sons are two of the most precious people in the world to me and I will never have too much time with them!  They bring light and love into my world.  I will always praise God for the gift of my sons!

I often think that how I feel about my sons is just a hint of how God longs for us to be with Him.  He yearns for our company and hungers for our conversation in much the same way I long to be with Bradley and Steven.  Not because He wants to control us or dominate our time, but rather because of the lovely joy brought about by heartfelt relationship – a communion of intimacy that agape love can only bring.  He wants us to long for that time with Him.

Throughout my life as a parent, I have come to appreciate the desire in my heart that when my sons do come home, they do so because they want to – not out of obligation or duty – but because they long to connect with the love that they find here with me.  I pray that their souls are filled with the knowledge that within the walls of this home they can always find a love that will never die – they can always count on my love for them.  That doesn’t mean that I am always pleased at some of the choices they have made and the natural consequences that follow, but my love never fades…it never will die.

So is God’s love for you – never ending and unconditional!  Even if He isn’t happy with some of your choices, His love never ends.   “And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love.”  (Romans 8:38)  God’s desire is for you to experience this love above all others.  He loves you so much that he excitedly waits for the day when you freely and completely come to him so he can wrap his loving arms around you and welcome you home!

My prayer for you this season is that today is the day when you may be open to receiving the unconditional love God has waiting for you.  May your heart be open to experience and embrace the joy that God’s love promises.  May the peace that passes all understanding keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus this Christmas season and throughout our New Year! 

Merry Christmas and God bless you!

Today I was introduced to two remarkable people.  Tyler Perry tells his story of childhood abuse through is website,

http://www.tylerperry.com/_Messages/.

I was moved by his story and his bravery.  I was also moved by his faith and inspiration.  What a remarkable story of survival and thriving!

Jennifer Schuett

The second story I was introduced to today was the story of Jennifer Schuett.  This is a remarkable young woman who (as a child) survived rape and attempted murder to go on to find her voice.  Another humbling, brave and inspiring story on survival and thriving in spite of severe abuse.

http://justiceforjennifer.com/

Praise God for these two people and their willingness to tell their stories.  I am touched and moved this morning.  God is good and my prayer today is that we may all be moved to use our voices to stop the abuse and assault that our world’s children face daily.

Have a blessed day!