"To laugh often and much, to win the respect of intelligent people and the affection of children, to earn the appreciation of honest critics and endure the betrayal of false friends, to appreciate beauty, to find the best in others, to leave the world a bit better, whether by a healthy child, a garden patch, or a redeemed social condition; to know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived. This is to have succeeded! " ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson
Temptations, trials, suffering. We’ve all experienced them. Even as Christians— and sometimes specifically because we’re Christian—we must endure pain, whether through loss, bankruptcy, unemployment, or a broken relationship. While no one is immune to hard times, believers are empowered through the Holy Spirit to endure them. Psalm 46:10 says, “Cease striving and know that I am God.” The King James Version uses the expression “be still,” indicating that our best response to disappointments is to trust in the Lord. How humbling it is to know that God’s children have a direct communication line to the Father, even in the midst of trouble. We don’t have to respond like the world, with anger, depression, and revenge. Nor do we have to fix everything in our own strength. Sure, we will still be tempted by the flesh. But as we “cease striving,” we’ll learn to trust in Him more each day. The truth is, hardship doesn’t form character; rather, it reveals character. One ...
"What's wrong with me?” Do you ever ask yourself that question? Recently I noticed how many times I do. When I can’t find my keys, when I fight with my husband, when I let someone down, when I’m late for work, when someone hurts me, when I forget to do something important. The list goes on. It dawned on me that every time I think, "What's wrong with me?" I actually tell myself that something is wrong with me. Then I try to figure out my illusive fault so I can change it. But what I need to change is the way I talk to myself. Why? Because every time I say, "What's wrong with me?" I tell myself that something is wrong with me. That is not what God wants me to say to myself – a woman He created. It’s not what He wants you to say to yourself, either. But there is someone who loves it when we do. He often whispers, what's wrong with you? He’s the enemy of our soul and he’s trying to convince us that we're incompetent, inadequate and all alone in ...
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