Tag: restoration

faith, God, Religion and Spirituality, Spirituality, Worship

God Will Turn Things Around for You

Has time ever caught up with you? Maybe it’s because I’m getting older, or maybe because all my kids moved out and are on their own.

I was driving my son to the Doctor the other day. He just had a motorcycle accident 2 weeks ago and broke both of the bones in his lower right leg. He was turning 21 in the next few days and I had a hard time believing he was grown up already. As we drove through Janesville WI, we drove by his old elementary school. I remembered when he and his sister went there and I got a job there to be with them. I had just separated their psycho dad. We drove by the old trailer park we used to live in, and the YMCA Domestic Violence Center where God set us free from abuse. It seems like just yesterday I was living there with both of my young children. Then we drove by the A & W restaurant we would walk to from the shelter. We drove by the park I used to take them to when they were little. I was so broke back then. I had a part time waitress job, and a full time job at a nursing home. Times were hard, but God is good and He provided for us in so many ways. He protected us and kept us safe.

Wow, God sure has a way of turning things around! Today my kids are 21, 22, 30, and 33. I am proud of all of them and they are all leading amazing lives. They always bring me joy and love. God has restored everything and more to us. I am a proud wife of an amazing man and we are blessed beyond belief!

God’s Word for You

“For My thoughts are not your thoughts,
Nor are your ways My ways,” says the Lord.
“For as the heavens are higher than the earth,
So are My ways higher than your ways,
And My thoughts than your thoughts.

“For as the rain comes down, and the snow from heaven,
And do not return there,
But water the earth,
And make it bring forth and bud,
That it may give seed to the sower
And bread to the eater,
So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth;
It shall not return to Me void,
But it shall accomplish what I please,
And it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it. – Isiah 55:8-11 NKJV

Instead of shame and dishonor,
you will enjoy a double share of honor.
You will possess a double portion of prosperity in your land,
and everlasting joy will be yours.

“For I, the Lord, love justice.
    I hate robbery and wrongdoing.
I will faithfully reward my people for their suffering
    and make an everlasting covenant with them.
Their descendants will be recognized
    and honored among the nations.
Everyone will realize that they are a people
    the Lord has blessed.” – Isaiah 61:7-9 NLT

Fear not, for I am with you;
Be not dismayed, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you,
Yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.’ – Isiah 41:10 NKJV

“But all who devour you will be devoured,
    and all your enemies will be sent into exile.
All who plunder you will be plundered,
    and all who attack you will be attacked.
I will give you back your health
    and heal your wounds,” says the Lord.
“For you are called an outcast—
    ‘Jerusalem for whom no one cares.’”

This is what the Lord says:
“When I bring Israel home again from captivity
    and restore their fortunes,
Jerusalem will be rebuilt on its ruins,
    and the palace reconstructed as before.
There will be joy and songs of thanksgiving,
    and I will multiply my people, not diminish them;
I will honor them, not despise them.
Their children will prosper as they did long ago.
I will establish them as a nation before me,
    and I will punish anyone who hurts them.
They will have their own ruler again,
    and he will come from their own people.
I will invite him to approach me,” says the Lord,
    “for who would dare to come unless invited?
You will be my people,
    and I will be your God.” – Jeremiah 30: 16-22 NLT

My Prayer for You:

Dear Lord,

I am thanking you in advance for healing my brothers and sisters in Christ. We are your people and You are our God. During this process we choose to trust You and Your ways. Your word WILL accomplish what You said and it WILL prosper. Thank you Lord, for restoring all of us!

Let’s Worship Together:

GOD SAID HE WILL TURN IT AROUND

RESTORATION

GOD TURN IT AROUND

Deliverance, Depression, God, Healing, Hope, Music, Religion and Spirituality, Spirituality, Videos

God Will Rescue You From the Pit

This morning I had a vision. I was in a deep dark pit, similar to Joseph. Yeah, after his so-called brothers threw him in there. Tormented by family. They were driven by jealousy. Blinded by their own insecurities. Joseoh was thrown to the enemy to die – by family. Yeah, been there. You?

Genesis 37:24 Then they took him and cast him into a pit. And the pit was empty; there was no water in it.

Have you ever felt like your brothers or sisters (by blood or church) threw you in the pit with their laughter at your circumstances? Ever been trampled by their so-called superiority? Me too. It hurt.
Yet God has bigger plans. God is mighty to save.

I could see the black walls of mud around me and no matter how hard I tried to climb out by myself, I kept sliding down the mud walls. Darkness of despair everywhere. But that is exactly where God showed up.

In the next instant I was standing outside of the pit and l looked up to see the vastness of the night sky filled with stars. I was free! Next I saw the fullness of the Galaxy and all of God’s creation. God is greater and the Creator of all things. And He is more than able to deliver us!

And like Joseph, I pray for my brothers and sisters regardless of what they did or didn’t do. I pray they have a fresh revelation of the love of the Father. Melt their hearts with your goodness God, in Jesus Name! Give them many treasures in their sacks! For what they meant for evil God has used for good.

Psalm 40:1-3

I waited patiently for the Lord; And He inclined to me, And heard my cry. He also brought me up out of a horrible pit, Out of the miry clay, And set my feet upon a rock, And established my steps. He has put a new song in my mouth—Praise to our God; Many will see it and fear, And will trust in the Lord.

(Featured Image from mylibertychurch.com. Star image from paulssermonindepth.wordpress.com)

Healing, Spirituality

Fix it From the Other Side

We have this temperamental riding lawn mower. This past week the mowing deck got stuck up. It would not lower down. It was stuck. My husband did what he always did, went to one side of the mower and tried to release the pulley. It did not let go and did not go down. Then, a moment of inspiration.

“Sometimes you have to fix it from the other side.”

So, he went to the other side of the mower and yanked on the deck. Guess what? It released and came down.

That got me thinking.

How many times have I tried to ‘fix myself’ and ‘fix others’ in my own strength?
How many times do I keep trying to do things the same old way I always have?
How many times do I criticize myself because I am a not ‘perfect little Christian’?
How many times do I focus on my sin and not my Savior?
How many times have I chosen not to show grace and mercy?

Sometimes you have to fix it from the other side. I believe that once I confess these things, the Lord will change my heart and fix it from the other side. He has to change it. All my willpower and ‘want to’ will not do it. My self-righteousness is like filthy rags. Yes, I struggle. I think we all do. We all have our thorns – those things that bother us again and again. But God is greater than our hearts. And He is able to help. This only brought more questions:

And what about when people get sick and are not healed?
What about when someone dies prematurely?
What about suicide?
What about all those things that don’t make sense here on Earth?

Maybe GOD WILL FIX IT ON THE OTHER SIDE – in Heaven.

There is no sickness, no tears, and streets of gold.

GOD’S WORD FOR YOU:

God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; and death shall be no more, neither shall there be anguish (sorrow and mourning) nor grief nor pain any more, for the old conditions and the former order of things have passed away. (Revelation 21:4 AMP)

I [the Lord] will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with My eye upon you. (Psalm 32:8 AMP)

MY PRAYER FOR YOU:

Dear Lord,

We confess we try too hard in our own strength. We confess that we are our own worst enemies sometimes. Forgive us for criticizing what you have made – us. And for trying to ‘fix it’ ourselves. Thank you Lord that you can fix it from the other side. Today we choose to trust You and Your ways – even if it doesn’t make sense to us. Thank you Lord for creating a new heart within us and turning our hearts back to You, in Jesus Name.

Poetry, Spirituality

Water – Splashing Around with Daddy God

Water

~Copyright 2015 Diana Rasmussen

This longing inside I just can’t hide
I hunger and thirst for your love deep inside
Let’s smile and laugh until the sun goes down
Let’s play, pick me up daddy please

I dive in your mercy
I jump in your grace
I’m splashing around till I see
The water on your face
Water that flows
Water that races
Water that fills
every empty place

Pick me up, put me up on Your shoulders
Daddy God I need You to hold me closer
Take me in Your arms, spin me around
Let’s play and never let me go

I dive in your mercy
I jump in your grace
I’m splashing around till I see
The water on your face
Water that flows
Water that races
Water that fills
every empty place

“Yet hear now, O Jacob My servant,
And Israel whom I have chosen.
Thus says the Lord who made you
And formed you from the womb, who will help you:
‘Fear not, O Jacob My servant;
And you, Jeshurun, whom I have chosen.
For I will pour water on him who is thirsty,
And floods on the dry ground;
I will pour My Spirit on your descendants,
And My blessing on your offspring;
They will spring up among the grass
Like willows by the watercourses.’
One will say, ‘I am the Lord’s’;
Another will call himself by the name of Jacob;
Another will write with his hand, ‘The Lord’s,’
And name himself by the name of Israel.” (Isaiah 44:1-4 NKJV

(Image sources – womenlinvingwell.org, Pinterest)

Poetry, Spirituality

Love Blooms

Through the highs and the lows

my love for you grows

through the trials and fears

happiness sown in our tears

hope springs up

like a spring shower pours down

faithfulness blooms

When we’ve pushed our way through

the dirt and all of the hurt

our love forever blooms

Joy of the Redeemed

The desert and the parched land will be glad;
    the wilderness will rejoice and blossom.
Like the crocus, it will burst into bloom;
    it will rejoice greatly and shout for joy.
The glory of Lebanon will be given to it,
    the splendor of Carmel and Sharon;
they will see the glory of the Lord,
    the splendor of our God. (Isaiah 35:1-2 NIV)

(Image sources – quiltmaker.com, Pinterest)

Quotes, Spirituality, Spring Training

Spring Training #2 – Making Our Money Work for Us

Last time we talked about exercising our faith by honoring our bodies in SPRING TRAINING #1 – HONORING OUR BODIES. Today I would like to focus on another area that I personally am working on and that is how to make our money work for us. I admit it, I have been ignorant in this area. No class in High School or College prepared me for how to manage money. Yes, I can balance a checkbook, and input numbers for a profit/loss statement, but how to manage the everyday flow of it? No way. Good news though – we are never too old to learn.

This past week I went to the library and got myself some advice from the experts, Dave Ramsey and Suze Orman. These are two that are well known for their ability to teach others how to make our money work for us. I started reading and I have to admit I am learning already. I have had a ‘hands-off’ approach to money. I hate it. And we have been living paycheck-to-paycheck for years. It’s stressful. We have had late fees and overdrafts. It’s humiliating. There has to be a better way. God did not call us to lack any good thing. So here I am, learning how to manage money – Hallelujah!

The first book I started with was Dave Ramsey’s “Financial Peace”. He got me right away when in Chapter One he says:

“This is ridiculous,” I murmered. “Only in America could you drive a Jaguar and not have the money to put gas in it.” I wondered where the arrogant young man from a few years ago was. There I stood in the cold, a man in my twenties, knowing I was in the process of losing virtually everything I owned.

Yes, Yes, Yes, I can relate to this! I am still reading FINANCIAL PEACE, so I may add to this post later, lol!

QUOTES ABOUT MONEY FROM DAVE RAMSEY

“You must gain control over your money or the lack of it will forever control you.” ― Dave Ramsey

“As a culture we are ignorant of what money is and how to handle it. Ignorance is not lack of intelligence; it is lack of knowledge on a particular subject.” ― Dave Ramsey, Financial Peace Revisited

“You must walk to the beat of a different drummer. The same beat that the wealthy hear. If the beat sounds normal, evacuate the dance floor immediately! The goal is to not be normal, because as my radio listeners know, normal is broke.” ― Dave Ramsey, The Total Money Makeover: A Proven Plan for Financial Fitness
“Without a mission statement, you may get to the top of the ladder and then realize it was leaning against the wrong building!” ― Dave Ramsey

“Act your wage.” ― Dave Ramsey

“Pray like it all depends on God, but work like it all depends on you.” ― Dave Ramsey

“A budget is telling your money where to go instead of wondering where it went.” ― Dave Ramsey
“For your own good, for the good of your family and your future, grow a backbone. When something is wrong, stand up and say it is wrong, and don’t back down.”― Dave Ramsey, The Total Money Makeover: A Proven Plan for Financial Fitness

“Fear is the enemy of hope.”
― Dave Ramsey

SPRING TRAINING #2 – TAKING RESPONSIBILITY FOR OUR MONEY

1. Admit that we have been in denial about our money.

We have not been active in managing our money. Our bank fees and overdrafts speak to our inactivity to look at, plan an attack, and conquer our goals in this area of our lives

2. Seek out help from those who have mastered this skill.

We may not have had the training or skills to master money. That’s ok. We can start today. Today can be the day we take our heads out of the sand and learn to manage what God has given us.

3. Be willing to sacrifice

There is nothing more humbling that writing down everything you spend your money on. I know I have done it. Seriously, I had no idea I spent so much on ______. (fill in the blank). But the truth is the truth. And once we know, we can make intelligent choices on what to do next.

4. Make a plan

We have to be willing to look forward, past today, past the week, and plan what we would like to do with our money. I would love a vacation. We didn’t even go on a honeymoon. I would love to save for that. What about you?

5. Work the plan

Change happens when we are willing to go through the rough parts, the ugly parts and keep going. Take baby steps. Review your progress daily. Persevere my friends, it will be worth it.

6. Reward yourself for achieving your little goals.

Pay off the little credit cards and debts first (yes that’s what Dave says). Start to build momentum. Keep track, make a bulletin board or whatever, but make it visual and mark off when you accomplish paying off a debt. Celebrate!

7. Enjoy being a good servant of God!

God gave us our talents. He asked us to go multiply them. Whether you believe talents are money or what gifts you have been given He asks us to multiply both. Being ignorant and doing nothing is like burying our money and expecting it to grow. I don’t know about you, but I for one am ready for change. I can’t wait to hear, “Well done thou good and faithful servant.”

Here are some great PRAYER POINTS from POWER OF FAITH MINISTRIES. Prayer changes things. I can tell you when my husband and I said these verses out loud, money that was delayed for over a month was suddenly paid. There is power in the Name and Blood of Jesus. Print yourself out a copy. This ministry has 2 churches in Spain and one in Nigeria.

PRAYER POINTS FOR FINANCIAL RESTITUTION

And another great link. I was a bit surprised when I saw what God says about debt in the Bible. Check it out for yourself:

Healing, Quotes, Rejection, Spirituality

Learning What We Live

I came across this picture on Pinterest. I remember how true it is. And then I remember that anything I learned as a kid can be unlearned. Not all the behaviors I learned will benefit me in my future. And I had to let go of the pain to move forward. I had to forgive the offenders, forgive myself, and forgive God. I got kind of mad at God for a while there. I think we all do at times. We have our perfect little life all planned out and then…well you know, something happens. But can I share something with you? It’s ok. God will make good come out of it – He promised! And the best part of that is that after we gain new information we can always make a new choice. Our endings can be much better than our beginnings!

Quotes About Learning From Our Mistakes and Moving On

“Your life was meant for more than being a life-long doormat for deadbeats, losers, gossipers, nay-sayers, dream-crushers, energy vampires, users, abusers, ragers and passive-aggressive backstabbers.” ― Bryant McGill, Simple Reminders: Inspiration for Living Your Best Life

“A teachable spirit and a humbleness to admit your ignorance or your mistake will save you a lot of pain. However, if you’re a person who knows it all, then you’ve got a lot of heavy-hearted experiences coming your way.” ― Ron Carpenter Jr., The Necessity of an Enemy: How the Battle You Face Is Your Best Opportunity

“You have to make the decision to let go of the past if you want to move forward.” ― Bryant McGill, Simple Reminders: Inspiration for Living Your Best Life

“Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.” ― Phillipians 3:12-14 NIV

“Go back?” he thought. “No good at all! Go sideways? Impossible! Go forward? Only thing to do! On we go!” So up he got, and trotted along with his little sword held in front of him and one hand feeling the wall, and his heart all of a patter and a pitter.” ― J.R.R. Tolkien, The Hobbit

“We are products of our past, but we don’t have to be prisoners of it.” ― Rick Warren, The Purpose Driven Life: What on Earth Am I Here for?

“Stop focusing on your past mistakes. Don’t be ashamed of the things that you’ve done. We ALL have made mistakes. Don’t you see? All of those things helped shape you into the beautiful person that you are today! Hold your head up high because you didn’t allow your past mistakes to consume you. You learned! You conquered! You became a better YOU. Be proud of who you are TODAY!” ― Stephanie Lahart

“Mistakes should be examined, learned from, and discarded; not dwelled upon and stored.” ― Tim Fargo

“Many times what we perceive as an error or failure is actually a gift. And eventually we find that lessons learned from that discouraging experience prove to be of great worth.” ― Richelle E. Goodrich, Smile Anyway: Quotes, Verse, & Grumblings for Every Day of the Year

“We do not learn from experience… we learn from reflecting on experience.” ― John Dewey

“As my Popo used to say, life is a tapestry we weave day by day with threads of different colors, some heavy and dark, others thin and bright, all the threads having their uses. The stupid things I did are already in the tapestry, indelible, but I’m not going to be weighed down by them till I die. What’s done is done; I have to look ahead.” ― Isabel Allende, Maya’s Notebook

Depression, Healing, Poetry, Spirituality

Untangle Me

Knotted to misconceptions
Must have lost the directions
Wound around past failures
Turn around this old behavior

Let me be the diamond
you wear around your neck
Restore the part of me that’s wrecked
Turn things around from end to end
Lord, untangle me

Untwist my dark clouded mind
Unscramble the truth from lies
Unravel the devil’s schemes
Straighten out all my hope and dreams

Let me be the diamond
you wear around your neck
Restore the part of me that’s wrecked
Turn things around from end to end
Lord, untangle me

Healing, Spirituality, Uncategorized

You Can’t Drown a Rubber Duck

You can’t drown a rubber duck. Really. This post may be a bit out of the ‘norm’ for me. But it’s true. Today is D-Day. Foreclosure day. We have to go to court and sign the papers as the bank is taking back the house we thought was ours. Life happens. Yep. Not what we had planned – but we will walk through it together.

I lost my job after a leg injury. Went back to PT twice this past year. And the ex stopped paying his Child Support the same week we signed papers for the house. Guess he got jealous. Oh well. And the other ex put a lien on the property with the back child support due. Guess you can pay for 7 years and still have a debt that doesn’t go away overnight. Big surprise.

We have been paying our debts – yet here we sit. We have been following God and seeking His face – yet here we sit. We are believing God for good things – yet here we sit. Can I tell you life is not always rosy when you are a believer? Things still happen – planned and unplanned. Yet, God is still good and I know He will make something good come out of this.

It’s funny how people respond when you are going through a trial to test your faith. You either get the “Ohhhh – no wonder you are so stressed.” or the “You need to get right with God.” as they point their fingers and raise their eyebrows. Funny how some people like to kick you when you are down. And funny how some people judge your walk by how much money you make or how much you tithe.

But then there was one. One man who told the truth and came into our trial. “I went through a foreclosure too.” He said. “And I made it. My kids made it. And things are better today. God is with you and you will make it.” I can’t say who, but thank you my brother – for sharing your journey with us. It means more than you will ever know. You give me HOPE. You build my faith when you share how God has restored you and your family.

Today I choose to believe in faith – despite what I see, despite what I hear today. It WILL work out for our good – God promised.

Meanwhile, the moment we get tired in the waiting, God’s Spirit is right alongside helping us along. If we don’t know how or what to pray, it doesn’t matter. He does our praying in and for us, making prayer out of our wordless sighs, our aching groans. He knows us far better than we know ourselves, knows our pregnant condition, and keeps us present before God. That’s why we can be so sure that every detail in our lives of love for God is worked into something good. (Romans 8:26-28 MSG)

So, what’s the duck you ask? Well at Quaker State & Lube they have this drink I got one time that is called DUCK, DUCK, GOOSE. It is a blue vodka thing that comes with one of those rubber ducks in it. And the duck floats on top of the drink.

It reminds me of that carnival game we all played at the fair with all the ducks floating in a row. You can dunk them, push them down, but YOU CAN’T DROWN THAT RUBBER DUCK! It always pops right back up! We will get up – you can’t drown this hope – we will pop right back up!

And then I ran across this story that made me smile.

WHAT 28,OOO RUBBER DUCKS LOST AT SEA CAN TEACH US ABOUT FREEDOM

“In 1992 a shipping container filled with rubber ducks was lost at sea. Over 28,000 rubber duckies fell overboard on their way from Japan to the United States. Imagine thousands of rubber ducks floating on the ocean. Many of them have since washed up on the shores of Hawaii, Alaska, South America, Australia and the Pacific Northwest. Others have been found frozen in Arctic ice and made their way to Newfoundland and Scotland. How wonderful to find a rubber duck on shore one day!”

Source: http://vividlife.me/

I pray that you and I float just like theses rubber ducks today – and find new and exciting places to go because YOU CAN’T DROWN A RUBBER DUCK!

I looked up some other Christians who have gone through Foreclosure. Thank you Lord, for witnesses who are not afraid to share their struggles. God bless each of them abundantly!

Foreclosure Futility – A Family’s Journey with God

Peace in the Face of Foreclosure

How Can I Trust God When I’m Facing Unemployment, Foreclosure, or Bankrupcy?

How to Trust God When Going Through Difficult Times

Never Surrender to the Enemy

(Image Credits: http://vividlife.me, birthdayinabox.com, pinterest.com)

Healing, Spirituality, Videos

In Search of Hope

YouTube had an interesting video today. What did we we search for on Google in 2014? Number one answer –

We search for HOPE!

I pray that in 2015 you meet HOPE. I pray that new doors of opportunity open for you and your families. I pray that all the hurting places in your soul, body, and spirit be flooded with light and new life, in Jesus Name

“The eagle is the only bird that loves the storm. When clouds gather, the eagles get excited. The eagle uses the winds of the storm to rise and is pushed up higher. Once it finds the wind of the storm, the eagle stops flapping and uses the pressure of the raging storm to soar the clouds and glide. This gives the eagle an opportunity to rest its wings. In the meantime all the other birds hide in the leaves and branches of the trees. We can use the storms of our lives (obstacles, trouble, etc) to rise to greater heights. Achievers relish challenges and use them profitably. Keep in mind the eagle is the only bird that rises above the storm to soar in the heavens until the storm passes. They do this because the eagle is the only bird God created with the ability to lock its wings in fixed position which enables them to be at rest as it soars high above the storm clouds.”

-Dr. Myles Munroe

May we soar with the Eagles above the storms of this life from a place of REST in 2015!

Healing, Spirituality

You Are God’s Perfume Bottle

Heard an interesting sermon yesterday. I actually had to stop it in the middle – it really ‘got me’.

Have you ever wanted a really special bottle of perfume? Something unique and special that would capture the real you? Women look for years trying to find that signature scent. I know, I did. And I have changed my tastes from year to year too. Even my daughters have a favorite perfume.

Here was a fun little test I took on BuzzFeed to find out what my signature scent would be. Here is my result:

What Should Your Signature Scent Actually Be?

You got: Jean Paul Gaultier Classique

You’re sexy without even trying to be. You find it easy to make friends wherever you go, and there is always a long list of people who want to date you. You’re feminine, pretty and very smart.

I have no idea what this smells like, but you know next time I am out and about I am going to see if I like it! And I am married – so no dating for Ms D – just my hubby Bob!

But here is a thought:

Did you know we carry perfume around?

It’s a special fragrance that cannot be bought at any store.

It is more precious than any fragrance ever.

We carry the fragrance of Christ wherever we go.

The Holy Spirit has it’s own distinct scent.

We are God’s Special Bottle of Perfume.

And both believers and unbelievers can ‘smell’ it!

Here is the sermon from Life Church in Roscoe, IL. It’s called HEAVEN ON EARTH by Pastor Norman Borrero. She’s spunky and I love it. And the part about the perfume – wow, got me. I had to stop it there to let it sink in. It starts around 15:50…I won’t spoil it, listen for yourselves.

But thanks be to God, Who in Christ always leads us in triumph [as trophies of Christ’s victory] and through us spreads and makes evident the fragrance of the knowledge of God everywhere,

For we are the sweet fragrance of Christ [which exhales] unto God, [discernible alike] among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing:

To the latter it is an aroma [wafted] from death to death [a fatal odor, the smell of doom]; to the former it is an aroma from life to life [a vital fragrance, living and fresh]. And who is qualified (fit and sufficient) for these things? [Who is able for such a ministry? We?]

For we are not, like so many, [like hucksters making a trade of] peddling God’s Word [shortchanging and adulterating the divine message]; but like [men] of sincerity and the purest motive, as [commissioned and sent] by God, we speak [His message] in Christ (the Messiah), in the [very] sight and presence of God. (2 Corinthians 2:14-17 AMP)

(Photo credits: alittleperspective.com and Pinterest)

12 steps, Daily Post, Depression, Domestic Violence and Abuse, Healing, Rejection, Spirituality

You Are More Precious Than You Know – For Posterity

Here is my response for the DAILY POST – For Posterity

Your blog just became a viral sensation. What’s the one post you’d like new readers to see and remember you by? Write that post.

You are more precious than you know. If you are like me than sometimes we let others define us. I look back at old pictures and it amazes me how I changed my appearance based on who I was dating at the time. Hey, there is Diana the prep, Diana the biker, Diana the country chic, Diana the Professional, etc. Can you relate?

I have also accepted so many different labels in my life. Things that just are not true. I went through the 12 step rigamaroe – my name is____ and I’m a ____ and I will be forever. What a pile of garbage. I can’t believe I bought all that stuff at face value. No, I am not a ______ – not now, not then, not ever! God does not say that about me – so it is NOT TRUE! As you can see, I am not a fan of the 12 steps. I have found them to be pits of very unsafe people. You can read about it here:

Do Twelve Step Meetings Open the Door to Sexual Predators?

It is true that our thoughts become our actions. But only if we allow it and take those words into our hearts. Just because someone says something does not mean it’s true. But if you tell an Eagle it is a Chicken – and it chooses to believe that lie, then it will not learn to fly. Tell a girl she is a victim and tell her she will always be that way – then she will attract abuser after abuser. Tell a person they have always been a drunk, are a drunk, and will be forever a drunk – and guess what? They go back to drink. If you tell someone they will be that way forever and they believe it, they will stay that way. How does that help anyone get better?How does that help anyone get better? Hence, my dislike for any ‘program’ that exalts itself above the WORD of God.

YOU ARE MORE PRECIOUS THAN YOU KNOW.

All those labels people tried to get you to wear – let them fall to the ground.
All those things people said about you – they weren’t true – let them fall to the ground.
All those words you said to yourself after believing those lies – let them fall to the ground.

Ok, now for my spunky part. Idk why I do this. I guess I am just not afraid to say what I feel needs to be said. And I have been on both sides of the street, so perhaps I am not ‘indoctrinated’ too badly.

Give grace, love without regret, and live – be happy – it drives them crazy!!

And a bit of advice for all the Finger Pointers, Accusers, Pharisees, and Liars out there:

Demeaning others and calling them names does not motivate people to change.
Telling someone they will ‘always be that way’ – does not motivate people to change.
Shaming someone and calling them their ‘sin’ does not motivate people to change.
Talking about how holy and righteous you are and how others just need to ‘shape up or ship out” does not motivate people to change.
Gossiping about others does not motivate people to change.
Throwing the ‘get right with God or else you’re going to hell’ does not motivate people to change.
God makes me new everyday – I refuse to accept your picture of who you think I am.
Your warped picture of me is not who I am. Those words you called me are bouncing right back to you.
I am a work in progress, and so are my brothers and sisters. I am more than what I do or don’t do. So is the rest of the family. We all have ‘stuff”. And guess what, God already knows about it! And He loves us anyway – stuff and all.
If you don’t have anything positive to say, do us a favor, sit down and be quiet!
I will put my trust in God and the Holy Spirit, my helper, will do the work in me from the inside-out. So put down your stick. It is not helping.
We are God’s chosen and His beloved children – that’s what He said. Who said you get to beat up on God’s kids and call them names?