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Grief takes time
We’ve all experienced loss in some form or another. Some are blessed enough to have not experienced loss of a close loved one yet in their lives. Loss creates a void in us. A hole where their love once sat, until they were unable to love us anymore. Sometimes grief can overtake us. It hurts so bad when that happens, but the good news is we’re not alone in our suffering, for Jesus experienced loss too. The most commonly talked about grief Jesus experienced is when his good friend Lazarus passed away while Jesus was on the way to visit him. Though Jesus knew his friend would pass before he…
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Letting Kids be Kids
Many people can look back on their childhoods and say what they would like to change or what they would do/give to their own kids. These days, we need to let kids be kids. Kids are dealing with fear from shootings, comparison from seeing “perfect bodies” on the internet and how many likes they can get on their posts. Kids should be able to play and not worry about money or their clothes or food. Sometimes it’s hard to provide things when you are first starting out but kids don’t need to hear about the struggle until they are old enough to know they are safe and taken care of.…
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What is good for you?
It’s easy to look at what is good for you and what you should do. There’s green smoothies, running, reading, working, biking. The list goes on and on. Sometimes you just got to choose little habits to add into your life. Small things that once added up over time can accumulate into something big. you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. (Colossians 3:12) But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, (Galatians 5:22) God gives us good things all the time. Sometimes we don’t realize the good until later. Focusing on the good allows us to more good. Have…
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Suffering
When we’re going through a hard time it’s important to feel the emotions. Look at them, address them and validate yourself. In a Bible study on the Bible app called “The Shock of Suffering,” it stated a lot of instances of more obvious suffering. Instances like the Holocaust. When you focus on the idea that other people are suffering more than you and your suffering is too small or an inconvenience you are devaluing your situation. What you’re going through right now might not be on the scale of persecution to the point of death but it is still painful for you. Comparing yourself, your life, your circumstances to others…
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Who are you
What are you facing currently? Are you up for the fight, or are you laying low hoping to escape the situations in life? Either can be viable options depending on what you’re going through. The battles of this life always remind me of our purpose. Everyone has a different purpose according to their abilities and passions. But we also have one purpose we all share. WE are meant to love and be loved. Loved by the father and love those around us. Seems simple but sometimes our flesh gets in the way. Shame, pain, and hatred can be barriers we face. But the good news is Jesus is graceful. He…
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Finding good in the little things
This week has been very busy in my own life. Mean customers, lots of chores to do at home, appointments and phone calls to be made…lets say it hasn’t been easy. On those days where it feels like so many things are going right just to have them or other things go wrong, what do you do? It can be very easy to say screw it, “I’m over it”, and be in a bad mood. This happens a lot, at least for me. Even in the bad I look for the good as well. Even in a sad movie I saw my favorite number meaning even before I ever knew…
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Not all miracles are big
A couple weeks ago I stood at my dresser crying because I didn’t feel good about myself. I didn’t like the way my clothes fit and how my body looked. We all deal with this in some way. There are days where we feel too big, like we’re too much! Others feel tiny, too small, not enough. You are neither too big or too small. You’re perfect as you are. You are just right! I was reminded of that day where crying and sadness of my body stole my joy, and all I could say is “Lord I wish I could have some nice clothes for Christmas.” God is not…
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Are you tired?
There is so much busyness happening all the time. If you’re at work you’re moving and if you’re at home your moving and if you have a minute to stop you’re thinking of all the things you could be doing or “should” be doing. It’s all so exhausting. How are we ever supposed to rest? Setting boundaries and time for yourself are important to help you find rest. That means cutting your time short with friends or family so you can go to sleep earlier. Making time for you have to have rest important. That means scheduling an hour or a day for you to relax and do chores or…
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Seeking joy in the mundane
Joy sometimes feels like this elusive emotion that comes and goes and never stays. With the holidays coming up, some people let the stress of it take over. There times where people are grumpy and take it out on all the retail workers they encounter. But isn’t the holiday supposed to be about Jesus and how much we love him and are grateful he was born? Why do we often lose sight of this? Why when we feel stuck or attacked do we often times blame the one who has come to comfort us? In a podcast or a sermon where Bill Johnson was talking, he said he wrote down…
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Connection
in the years that have been taking over by a pandemic that has set people apart, connection has become scarce. People have gotten used to being alone and being connected to a screen. Connection is a vital part of a rich and vital relationship. If your want your relationships to be fruitful and full of life you have to connect emotionally. This can be different for guys and gals just because of the social norms taught to people at a young age. Guys connecting with guys in deep and meaningful conversation is just as important as women connecting with other women. A lot of men have been taught that it’s…